Cheat [MxM] (Carter Brothers Book 1)

Chapter 4

Right? So let's not get diabetes Jae.

I rolled my eyes at the more sensible voice in the back of my head - the one that berated me about all the bad choices I'd ever made. She was a hoe.

"Jae?"

"Hmm?" My head jerked up.

"The corn cheese is good," Ezra tilted his head, causing a few strands of his curled hair to fall across his forehead. I shifted almost uncomfortably, not expecting to feel pride that my 'cooking' pleased him. It was nothing special, it shouldn't have mattered. I was being delusional.

"Damn right it's good. If you ever loose your company and go broke, at least you have a go-to cheap meal. All thanks to me of course."

He laughed, like a hearty, head thrown back laugh that had all types of butterflies erupting in my stomach. This was so godamn dangerous. I couldn't think.

Ezra finally looked at me, his green eyes twinkling. I amused him. I could tell with the way he couldn't stop smiling and... I was so internally fucking pleased with myself that it was hard to remain neutral with my features.

My friends always laughed at my jokes. I was the unserious, loud mouthed one. Clown was my middle name, yet Ezra laughing at my joking was different to my friends. It felt different.

"I'll remember you, if I go broke. Hopefully not but I guess this meal will make it bearable," he finally spoke, his deeper voice giving me chills.

There was a pause before he suddenly spoke again. "Tell me about yourself."

"I'm twenty-five. I'm a bartender."

He gave me a pointed glare, one eyebrow raised in obvious distaste. Too vague? I was never good at talking about myself. I was happy with my life but I always felt like others were judging me when I told them about myself. Insecure, you could say.

Yet Ezra waited patiently for me to say more, like he was genuinely interested about me. Correction, I wanted him to be genuinely interested.

"I moved to America from Korea when I was five with my parents," I blurted, before I could stop myself. Then I internally cringed. I hated talking about it. It was a sensitive topic and I'd thrown myself right in the deep end.

Ezra seemed surprised. I tried not to get defensive. It wasn't like he asked me to talk about it and besides, he didn't say anything yet either.

"Why America?"

Now it was my turn to act surprised. I'd never been asked that before. Normally the next thing I heard was 'really? You speak english so well!'

"I have no idea," I finally answered him seriously. "I'll ask my parents the next time I see them."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Any siblings?"

"Nope. Only child! I asked for a little brother once, I didn't get one," I pouted.

My mom told me the baby delivery service closed after I turned seven. It turns out we were just poor and she and dad couldn't afford to have another baby - not while trying to get me into good education schemes.

"What do you do when you're not bartending?"

"I'm a stripper."

His eyebrows shot up and I snorted.

"You believed it? Wow... I'm offended..." I teased, before adding "They declined my application. Couldn't handle this booty."

He shook his head at my playing, muttering scoldingly under his breath. Though I could tell he liked it.