Read Online Drive Me Crazy by Marquita Valentine - Free Book Online

practically ran out of the room and lobbed her plate on the kitchen counter. Opening a cabinet near the sink, she found some Tupperware and threw in a big slice of pie, then headed out the back door.
    Melanie had never left the Ambrose house so quickly in her life, or ever been so happy to do so. Jumping in her car, she started it up and headed home. She had no desire to have dessert with Carter or anyone else for that matter. All she wanted was a bubble bath and a romance novel. Those two things never failed to put her in a better mood.
    ***
    One bubble bath and half a romance novel later, Melanie was still in a foul mood. She tossed the book on the floor and grabbed the towel off the hook, wrapping it around her shivering body. Maybe it was time for some pie.
    After drying off and putting on her robe, she walked to the kitchen and rummaged through the silverware drawer for a fork. She took the fat slice of pie out of the fridge and the plastic container, placing it on a paper plate, because there was no darn way she felt like doing dishes. A house without a dishwasher meant that everything had to be done by hand.
    One slice of heaven later, she licked the fork clean and chunked it the sink. That she could get tomorrow when she cleaned up her mess from breakfast. As she headed to her bedroom, her phone buzzed and she scooped it up. “Carter,” she muttered.
    Where are you? I’m getting worried.
    Yeah, she bet he was. He was worried he wouldn’t be getting any tonight, and he was right.
    I’m fine.
    And?
    Oh she knew what that meant. He wanted to know when she’d be coming over there, like some kind of desperate woman. Well here you go, she thought as she sent another text.
    Thank you for asking.
    This time, her phone rang. Sighing, she flopped down her bed and answered it. “Hello.”
    “‘ Thank you for asking?’” Carter all but growled into the phone.
    “ Oh, did I need to send you a note instead of a text?”
    “ You need to get over here.”
    Staring at the ceiling, she counted the glow-in-the-dark stars that had never fallen off. “No.”
    “ No?” God, she so wish she could see his face right now, because he sounded shocked as hell. A thick sigh later, he said, “Tell me what to do to fix this.”
    “ How about what not to do?” she asked slowly, then braced for his comeback. He had to have one. Although a very large part of her would die if he did.
    “ I’m listening.”
    Melanie blinked, then glanced at her phone. That wasn’t the comeback she expected. Her shoulders tensed as she thought about exactly what should be on her list of don’ts. “Don’t order me to come to your place just for sex. Don’t ignore me at work…and don’t treat me like a…a—”
    “ Piece of ass,” he supplied.
    “ Yes.”
    “ No problem.”
    Tension left her shoulders. It couldn’t be that easy. A woman couldn’t have that kind of conversation with a man and him say ‘No problem’. “I’m still not coming over tonight.”
    “ Didn’t figure you were.”
    Now she wanted to come over to his place. Stay strong, Melanie. “See you tomorrow at work.”
    “ Sounds good. Oh, and Melanie?”
    “ Yeah?”
    “ Two things. First, don’t give my sister back the outfit you borrowed. I don’t think I could take seeing Zoe wear it after today.” Melanie struggled not to laugh at the seriousness in his voice. “Second, how about wearing something more you tomorrow?”
    “ Yes to the first, and maybe to the second.” She rolled to her side and traced a figure eight on the covers. “I tend to go a little overboard with my themes.”
    “ I think your themes are perfect,” he said. “Don’t go changing on my account.”
    She melted inside, got all nice and gooey at the center. This was the Carter of her dreams. “Maybe a little theme then.”
    He laughed, then the line went silent. “Did you want to keep talking or say good night?”
    She froze, her finger stuck at the upper curve of the eight.