turns up the music, and in no time he has Carter sprawled across the bar counter. He pours rum in her belly button and then starts licking it up as people cheer him on.
I look around and see Keller looking like he is being stabbed in the heart as all the cheering and laughing are going on around us. I edge my way closer to him and finally just stand there beside him. “Hey , Keller, how’s it going?” He looks down at me since he’s so much taller and says rudely, “Why is it any of your business?” I can tell he is hurting from watching the show that is in front of us, and my heart hurts for him. I look back to the bar counter and see Carter and Brayden have switched places. Brayden is obviously enjoying Carter taking a shot off his body a little too much cause the evidence is showing.
“Ok, baby, I think that’s enough.” I hear Brayden tell her, but Carter will have none of that. “Oh, no baby, this was your idea. I have to get it all up. I don’t want anything lef t to make you all sticky later.” She is just teasing him, and I can tell he loves it but hates it at the same time. The proof of how much he likes her licking him is growing at an embarrassing rate and finally he just stands and picks her up. He runs them outside to the pool and jumps in with her in his arms. They are both laughing hysterically and play wrestling with each other in the water.
This is painful for even me to watch, and I’m not in love with either of them. But just watching a couple that fixated on each other makes me feel like I’m missing out on something. I can’t imagine how Keller feels when he does want that with Carter. I look back up at him and see a yearning and desire in his eyes that I’ve never seen from anybody before. I envy Carter so much at this moment. Brayden obviously adores her, and Keller’s gaze hardly ever leaves her. What would it be like to have these beautiful men focus completely on just me? I can’t even imagine it. Plus, to have enough money to just have a condo for the weekends, Carter, Keller, and Brayden are obviously used to a different way of life than me.
I decide to try to talk to Keller again since he is just standing there beside me still watching Carter and Brayden in the pool. “So, how long have you and Brayden known Carter? Have you three always been close?” He sighs and looks like he gets that I’m not going to leave him alone, “Carter came to live with us when she was fourteen. As soon as she moved in, Brayden and I knew we wanted to help take care of her. She has always been as sweet as she is now. So we’ve always wanted her to be happy and safe. We both are very protective of her.”
He looks right at me then and must have sensed my envy and concluded that I might give Carter a hard time. He warns me harshly, “Don’t try to mess with her or give her a hard time because Brayden and I don’t put up with that shit when it comes to Carter.” Damn, this guy does not trust other girls at all. I bet Carter did have to deal with more than her fair share of jealousy, but I’m still jealous of her having these guys in her corner through everything. From seeing the love on Keller’s face for Carter, I start to feel truly alone. All I’ve ever had is myself to look after me. I was feeling bad for Keller, but at least he’s not really alone. He might not have Carter like he wants her, but he has Brayden and Carter as his family. Other than my selfish parents that live in Panama City in a trailer, I’m completely alone and don’t have anyone to really count on or care about me. Maybe Keller doesn’t have it so bad after all. Even if Carter isn’t with him, I can see she does care for him deeply. She would still walk through fire for him. Maybe Keller isn’t the one to feel bad for here; maybe that person who is really lacking something is