Cheat [MxM] (Carter Brothers Book 1)

Chapter 4

JAE ▪︎ POV

"Oh my god, did you get into a fight, what the hell happened to your hands?!"

Ezra blinked at me from where he finally stood in my door way. His confused, green eyes flickered down at his bruised knuckles and then back up at my face again. "Not a fight. Just a punching bag-"

"And you didn't think to wrap them in ice?" I cut him off with the disgusted look of a mother scolding her child. I gripped his shirt and dragged him across the threshold and into my humble apartment so I could do something about those bruises. Well I didn't literally drag him since he was too big to be dragged. He helpfully walked with me into my entry way.

"I'm fine Jae," Ezra spoke confidently with an amused grin at my embarrassingly caring behaviour towards his injuries. He pushed me back gently with a wink when I bent to untie his shoe laces.

"Fine," I held up my hands, backing away from him in surrender. I was overreacting... a lot, but, that was just who I was... I got got the trait from my mother - sue me.

Since the opportunity presented itself, I took the time to subtly let my eyes scan Ezra up and down as he removed his running shoes.

Damn. His back muscles flexed underneath a tight, grey shirt, his thick legs contained in black sweatpants. This was the first time I'd seen him dressed down and the casual sex appeal made my stomach clench. Ezra's dark brown hair was a loosely curled mess now that it was missing his usual gelled back style. It was cute and I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to reach out and run my fingers through the longer, soft looking strands on the top of his head.

When he finally stood up, I could take in his face. As classically handsome as always, even with the noticeable, dark crescents beneath his gorgeous green eyes. His jaw was slightly furred with stubble and well... it was distracting. How would it feel against my cheek when I kissed him?

"Corn cheese!"

I blurted the words, turning quickly and walking away from him towards the kitchen. Wow. What an idiot Jae, well done. I crossed my eyes in a silent fit of 'what the fuck' all the way into my small, but convenient kitchen where I'd already prepared two bowls of corn cheese - yes, another bowl for me.

I was a big foodie and unapologetically so. You only live once! Eat as much as you can while you're still... breathing!

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked and I felt my spine shiver. Lord, this friendship was going to be painful.

"All good, have a seat," I pointed at a chair, one of two perched in front of a small, round table. Fuck me, it even looked like a date. Unintentionally of course - it was only me here, I didn't need a big table. Yet the set up looked almost staged. I felt my cheeks redden and it didn't help that mister CEO was staring at me with those gorgeous fucking eyes.

Ezra sat and I grabbed ice out of the freezer, quickly wrapping the few cubes in a tea towel before the cold burnt my fingers. I passed it to him without a word and he gave me a grateful smile as he pressed the make-do ice pack against his knuckles.

"I didn't mean to call you so out of the blue. I wasn't interrupting anything?" The man asked and I shook my head, sitting across from him and shoving my chin in my hand as I stared.

"Nope. I had the day off work, you're lucky," I teased and he chuckled.

"Very lucky," he agreed good heartedly, honouring my air of self importance.

I picked up my fork and swirled cheesy corn around my fork. Corn cheese was basically canned corn - drained - mixed with cheese - mozzarella or cheddar - with mayonnaise, melted in the microwave or oven until it was this sticky, yummy bowl of goodness. Totally not healthy but - you only live once.