“You wouldn’t understand,” I muttered.
“Make me understand,” Carly demanded. “I’ve spent this whole time feeling guilty over you leaving.”
I let out a sigh and shook my head. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Carly, but I can’t. Some things are better left unsaid.”
She glared at me for several long seconds and then threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Fine! Can you at least tell me if you wound up knocking up some tramp?”
I laughed incredulously. “What?”
Carly cut her eyes at me. “You were with a new skank every weekend, remember? I thought it was only a matter of time before you wound up with a few baby mamas.”
I shook my head and continued to laugh. “No baby mamas here.” But there had been a close call, but I wasn’t going to go into that. I’d never hear the end of it if I did.
“Amazing,” Carly muttered nastily. “You stuck it in more holes than Tiger Woods and none wound up pregnant? Shit, you probably have ten children you don’t even know about.”
I sneered. “Come on, Carly. Jealousy isn’t sexy at all.”
Carly rolled her eyes. “As if.”
But I could tell she was. It was practically oozing from her. Why else would she care?
“I know it may be hard to believe,” I said, “but I chilled out a little on that front. A little,” I reiterated. “Besides, I was only doing it because . . .” my voice trailed off and I stopped myself before saying something that could start a fire.
Carly was staring at me intently. “Because . . .?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
Silence filled the air. “You are so infuriating.”
I winked because I knew it would irritate her further. “You know me.”
Carly scowled. “I should totally slap you.”
I turned my face to the side and patted my cheek. “Go for it. Right there, baby.”
Carly snorted. “Please. Don’t tempt me.” She fixed a disbelieving glare on me and resumed her interrogation. “So does this mean you’ve settled down?”
“My, my Carly, you sure are interested in my love life,” I remarked, trying to deflect. I really didn’t want to talk about relationships. The whole thing had been one big draining and traumatic experience.
I thought that Maddy might’ve been the girl, but I was wrong. Oh so wrong.
“I just wanted to see if you’ve matured, that’s all,” Carly said defensively.
I flexed my muscles. “Well I can tell you right now you’re looking at a grown man right here. A hundred and eighty-five pounds of pure steel and an eight-inch cock that, while it doesn’t quite get used as much as it used to, is still the bane of women everywhere.”
Carly rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. “Oh God.”
“What? You’re the one so interested in my love life. What about you? Are you still so hung up fantasizing about what I’m like in bed that you can’t go out and find a man?”
Carly shook her head. “Please, don’t flatter yourself. I’ve just been too busy — focused on my career, or pursuit of one. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve even had time for a date.”
“Anyway, is there a reason why you just suddenly showed up on my doorstep out of the blue?”
“Shouldn’t that have been your first question, and not about my love life? But yes, there is a reason,” I said succinctly.
That brought her up short.
I might as well lay it out all out there. “I’m running from the police.”
Carly’s face went white with shock. “Uhh, what?”
“I hacked into their systems and stole something from some so-called secure servers,” I explained. “While inside their network, someone from their security team noticed the data breach and latched on to my location. Normally, I’d never be so clumsy, but I was a little pre-occupied . . .”
It still pissed me off that I fucked that up, even if my cock was getting sucked at the time.
“Jesus Christ! You’re running from the authorities and you come here?” Carly demanded hysterically, resuming her pacing and wringing her hands frantically. “Oh my God. What our parents were saying is true. You are a criminal!” She started babbling incoherently and I feared she was going to have a mental breakdown. “I knew you were going to wind up taking that rebel bullshit too far one day!”
I stood up quickly and grabbed her by the arms. “Calm down, Carly,” I commanded firmly. I was surprised at how soft her skin felt against my hands and it would have been so easy to begin caressing her, to rub my hands all over her luscious curves . . .
Fuuuuuck, I thought. I’ve got to get a reign on my hormones before I do something stupid.
My touch seemed to have a calming effect and Carly went still.
“I had every right to take what I stole. They’re the fucking criminals,” I said, keeping my voice completely level to keep Carly unaware of the inner turmoil raging inside of me.
She looked unconvinced. “Seriously? You steal from the authorities and they’re the criminals? What kind of fool do you take me for—”