The Carrero Solution (Carrero Book 3)

We’re walking hand in hand, fingers entangled, along the sunny pavement in the crisp morning air toward the house Jake wants to buy. It’s almost a replica of the Carrero family home, yet instead of warm sandy brown roughing on the outside, it’s brilliant white with palm trees gracing the front of the manicured lawn in an arc. It’s beyond gorgeous and a postcard picture perfect.

Two stories high with modern, clean lines and large windows under a sloped tiled roof. It looks much bigger than the Carrero family home because of the bright colors and straight, manicured lines of the surrounding lawns. It’s neat and modern looking in contrast to the flower beds and bushes of Sylvana’s gardens.

It reminds me of Jake’s apartment in small ways. His neat masculine style and bold, edgy taste, but this has a much homelier quality and a long sweeping drive up to a beautiful, dark wood, grand front door.

The agent meets us at the open door, a man in his late 30s sporting a side parting, smoothed back hair, and an expensive suit. He ushers us inside proficiently with a huge grin. He has a tall slim frame and a very cheesy smile with wandering eyes as I approach behind Jake, still being pulled by that possessive hand.

“It’s a blank canvas to put your stamp on.” The man beams at us, leading the way through the white marble, neutrally painted hall, identical to Sylvana’s, to a modern black granite kitchen with white units and steel appliances. He sweeps an arm around the expanse, encouraging us to look around.

“That’s what we want ideally, a place to mold into our own.” Jake’s eyes flick to me with a smile, then he walks forward to properly look around the kitchen, letting me go so I can stand and admire it all. He likes to cook occasionally, and I can imagine him in here making pancakes on a Sunday morning for me like he normally does.

The thought warms me through my stomach and rises to my cheeks. I can see Jake happy in this room,

It’s his kind of taste, enough modern and high-tech to

satisfy him yet still warm and welcoming into the heart of the home. I can imagine small chubby legged children sitting around the long low table near the huge wall of patio doors, looking out into a massive manicured garden with an outdoor pool.

In the distance, there is an outdoor garage in the same gleaming white and a row of steel doors, suggesting he could fit many cars in. I have no idea how many vehicles Jake owns, seeing as he keeps them all over the place; his apartment complex, the Carrero business buildings, parking under the apartment, and I know he has a car here as well at his mother’s home.

“Any chance we can do a walk around alone first?” Jake throws back to the agent who is standing close to me, smiling a little too charmingly. The normal urge to recoil at his attention has been replaced with an empty ignorance and lifted chin. I find his interest in me more of an irritation than an outright sense of repulsion.

You have no chance; you don’t compare to Jake in any way.

I catch Jake frowning in that I’ll beat you glare now that he’s spotted where Mr. Agent’s attention is placed, and I smile at my jealous boy with adoration.

Some things never change.

“Yes, of course. I’ll wait right here if you want to wander. The owners are away for a few days, and all the staff are non-residential. The place is completely empty, so feel free.” He beams and steps away when Jake comes back to my side, slipping his fingers into mine, leading the way with another unfriendly glare in the man’s direction as he deliberately lays his claim to me.

“Asshole,” he mutters under his breath as we move back out into the hall away from the agent, and I stifle the urge to giggle.

“Really, Jake? Are you always going to be browbeating other men just for looking at me?” As we walk, I slide my other hand around his arm and pull myself against him.

“Yes.” He replies non-apologetically, and I shake my head at him.

At least he’s honest. I guess never having to deal with jealousy in his life means he has no clue how to notch it down.

I sigh affectionately as he leads me through the downstairs rooms. The layout is almost identical to next door. Large spacious lounge, a second big open formal lounge, huge windows, and great fireplaces dominating one wall, decorated in neutrals and wooden flooring.

Downstairs holds a couple of offices or study rooms, depending on what use you have for them and a separate utility room; tucked far along the long corridor through the long hall. There are a couple of small bedrooms, possibly for house staff, and each has its own en suite.

He pulls me back along the large hall, and upstairs we find more of the same layout as the Carrero house; more than half a dozen large bedrooms with en suites and equally fabulous neutral décor. The house is grand and airy. It’s more than big enough to house a very large family. There’s so much space, rooms with walk-in closets and little nooks here and there. It’s everything you would ever need, even if you planned on adopting a football team.

“What do you think?” Jake asks, turning to me in the last room of the house, another vast bedroom. This one houses an en suite with a large jacuzzi and a gorgeous view of the distant ocean. I can see a little private balcony through full-length glass doors.

“The house is huge, Jake. I mean, I knew your parents’ house was big, but I’ve never actually had the tour. This is more rooms than we’ll ever need.” I blink around at the sheer size of this one room. Sarah’s whole apartment in Queens could fit into this one room, and it’s a little overwhelming, if not slightly intimidating.

“I’m sure we could occupy most of them.” He smirks and runs a hand over my abdomen with his flat palm, and I gape at him in complete horror. He giggles at my reaction, yet I’m still standing open-mouthed in shock that he might intend on having an army of kids. Right now, I’m on one, and one is almost just bearable for now.

“It’s a house to grow into, Emma, and enough rooms for people to come stay over. I’m sure moving out here would mean Sarah and Marcus would want to come and see you occasionally. Plus, Leila lives in the city, and even though her folks are nearby, I’m sure she’d want to kick back here when she visits. Daniel too. I’d rather buy a house that has space to expand than up and move again down the line when we decide on more kids.”

He’s let me go, walking around the room, looking at the space pulling open a door onto a full walk-in closet as part of me jumps up and down inside with a happy dance that urges my feet toward the walk-in. I quell the urge to be swayed over by a momentous wardrobe.

Oh, my God, it has a built-in vanity and make-up lighting. So weak, Emma … But look at how many shoes I could fit in here.

“More kids? Let me get my head around this one, Jake … One right now!” I frown at him sternly, trying very hard to pull my head out of the vast space for lots of clothes, shoes, and wonderful accessories. He turns and walks back to me, placing his hands on my shoulders, and looks me directly in the eye.

“Do you want this house, Emma?” He’s deadly serious. His intense focus doesn’t falter.

I bite my lip and look past his numbing gaze, around the room we’re standing in, at the huge four-poster bed, modern, sleek furniture, plush carpets, and heavy drapes framing the most magnificent view I have ever seen. It’s more than a little tempting if I can get my head around how much a house like this would cost.

“I could see you living here. It’s totally your style.” I sigh, trying not to think about the price tag attached to this vast amount of space.

“Could you see you living here?” He nudges me gently with a small half-smile on the corner of his mouth. His face is utterly devastating with that twinkle in his eye. He’s going all ‘Charming Carrero’ on me, and my knees are already weakening.

God, don’t do irresistibly cute right now.

“If it was made a little homelier? Maybe less modern and harsh? I love the view.” I know I’m being evasive. Part of me is thumping like a maniac, ready to jump into full panic mode.

This is the forever house. The big leap. The ‘letting myself go and fully trusting Jake to take care of things’ house. Letting him go ahead and spend ridiculous amounts of money on ‘our’ house.

I take a slow, heavy inhale. He still hasn’t uttered a word. He’s watching me with his intense green gaze, deepening into my soul. My mind is whirring and clicking, trying to stay sane; life with Jake will always include money. Life with Jake is always going to involve trusting him to take control because he doesn’t know who else or how else to be. I need to learn to give in a little and enjoy that about him. I need to trust him always to do what is right for us and let him make me happy. I must relinquish that part of me, scared of a new life, and have faith.

“On one condition.” I finally blink at him and resign to the fact that I must be brave for once.

“What’s that?” He smiles softly, eyes glued to my face with a little smug hint of triumph that I’m trying to ignore.

“I choose the décor,” I respond boldly, and he throws me the widest happy grin I’ve ever seen, planting a kiss fully on my mouth in an over-eager fashion before picking me up into a crazy round swing.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.”