Carter Brothers: Dane

Chapter 6

The sleep starts to fade as she turns to the source.
"What?" she mumbles.
"Hey, good morning," softly greets the voice.
"Dane?"

What? No, that can't be true. What's he doing in her house?

"Yeah."

That is definitely Dane. She wipes the remaining sleep from her eyes and stares at him a second still trying to process it all. He is in her house? How did he get into her house? What is he doing in her house?

"Did you break into my house?" she blurts out.
He grins wide and responds, "no, of course not. Your mom let me in on her way out."
"She did?"
Her eyes fall close again as Dane laughs. Is he serious? Her mom is cool but she's not sure she's that cool.

 
"Yeah and I thought we could hang out, talk about yesterday?"
Emery groans against his neck. Oh yeah, they should clear all that up. Ugh, why? They should just forget it and snuggle like this forever.
"Baby," he encourages when she doesn't move.
"But we could just stay here and cuddle," she suggests.
He chuckles softly then says, "Come on Honey Bee. I brought coffee and doughnuts. Call it a peace offering."
"More like bribe," she grumbles, "what kind of coffee?"
That pout she has makes him want to just kiss it straight off her lips but he refrains.
"The sugary, creamy kind with caramel syrup that you like."

While he's more of a coffee with just a dash of creamer kind of guy, Emery sure does like her coffee's sweet and so dilute there's barely any coffee taste in the drink. He's not sure what the point of it is then but wisely he doesn't argue with her on it. Though, it would be funny to see her after a shot of espresso.

"Ugh, okay," she groans in agreement, "I'll meet you downstairs. Let me take a quick shower first and brush my teeth."
"Alright," he agrees with a kiss to her forehead that peaks out.




*************



"You know if you weren't my boyfriend it would be so creepy waking up to you just on my bed. I could have died," points out Emery fresh from the shower, joining him in the kitchen.

He sips on his own cup of now lukewarm coffee and a fresh doughnut. He did already have breakfast but not a second breakfast. Fresh from her shower with still damp hair, Emery takes the tall plastic cup filled with ice, sugar, creamer, sweet syrups and a hint of coffee.

"Oh," she coos, peering into the selection of confectionary in front of her, "you brought the variety pack. Yay."

He smiles at the adorable wiggle she does with her body before picking a colourful doughnut and biting into it.

They're relatively quiet as they eat and drink.

"So," he begins clearing his throat, "I shouldn't have blown up at you last night. Yeah, you can ask me whatever you want. I hope you know that."

Setting boundaries on what they can discuss is not something he intended to do.
She chews slowly and swallows before responding.

"I do and I'm sorry too."

It's completely on her that she's jealous or envious of the people he's dated before her. She knows rationally it makes no sense since she knew before entering into this that there have been others before her. However it's not a pleasant thought and really one she thought she'd successfully got past or managed to ignore. The fact that his ex, or his unofficial ex, still wants him is very irritating. She also realises there's a lot more questions she has about that.


"But the way Charlotte talked to me about you Dane, she doesn't seem to think you guys are over. Or that it was 'nothing' as you think it is."
Emery's not sure what the truth is. Sure, girls can exaggerate a relationship but she needs to know for sure he didn't do anything to promote this.

"Really? Because I swear we never made anything official, we never put a label on it and when I wanted to stop, I thought she was okay with it. We talked and I thought she understood I just didn't see us being together and the casual thing wasn't working for me. If it bothers you I can talk to her again but she hasn't said anything to me."


Emery feels conflicted but she certainly doesn't want him talking to Charlotte. Maybe Charlotte is lying to Em because she wants Dane and hates her. It wouldn't exactly be too much of a reach to think that.

"So you definitely don't like her like that or want to go back to her?" she asks to make sure.
If Dane has any sort of attraction or remaining feelings for Charlotte, Emery needs to get out now. She won't be someone he's with physically when really a part of him still wants his ex.