BAD INTENTIONS (BAD #1)

CHAPTER 10

CAROLINE

"Leaving so soon?"

I cringe when I hear Chase behind me. I wanted to leave without talking to him and I thought he had fallen asleep. "Yes, it's late," I say as I put on my blouse.

It's late and I shouldn't be here. Jeez. I keep saying I'm not going to sleep with Chase and I keep doing it anyway. Today wasn't planned. We just finished our shift at the same time and before I knew it, I was getting in his car and he was driving us back to his place. I'd be lying if I said my decision had nothing to do with trying to get Xander out of my head.

He's been ignoring me for over a week now, since the morning he last flirted with me in the kitchen and as much as I hate to admit it-it's bothering me. This morning, I was having breakfast in the kitchen when he came downstairs. He didn't say a word to me or even looked at me as he prepared himself a cup of coffee. It was like I wasn't even there. I hate that it's having an effect in me at all. I should be glad he's pretending I don't exist.

I'm mad at myself for wondering if I did something wrong. I'm not here to please or spend time with Xander. I have two months to figure out what I'm going to do after he kicks me out of the house. I have much bigger problems than worrying about Xander ignoring me.

"Let me drive you home," Chase says as he gets out of the bed.

I turn to protest but stop myself. It's past midnight and there are no more buses. I'm not exactly in the place to turn down a ride home. So I keep my mouth shut and get dressed.

We don't really talk as he drives me home. Chase and I don't really know much about each other. The attraction is obviously there, but we don't really have anything else. He keeps trying to pretend that there is but I'm not looking for a relationship. If I was more stable and if I didn't have the problems that I have, maybe I would give it a shot but being in a relationship is the last thing in my mind right now. That's why I wish I would've chosen someone different to sleep with instead of my co-worker. It's hard to avoid him when we work together.

"You know, you can always move in with me," Chase says as he pulls up by the curb. He puts the car in park and turns to look at me. "It must be weird to live with strangers."

"They're not that bad," I say as I take off my seatbelt. "Thanks for the ride."

"Maybe we can go out to dinner one of these days?"

I stop and turn to look at him. "Chase, you know I'm not looking for anything serious right now."

He grins as he shrugs. "I'm going to keep throwing my shot."

I shake my head with a smile. "Goodnight."

I get out of the car and shut the door. He drives off after I've stepped inside the house. I lean against the front door for a moment.

"Was that your boyfriend?"

I look up and realize that Brianna is in the living room. She's sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on her lap. There's a movie playing on the TV.

"Uh, no," I say slowly as I walk. "Shouldn't you be sleeping? It's really late. Don't you have school tomorrow?"

She shrugs. "Xander isn't home and I wanted to watch a movie."

"He left you here alone?" I ask, a little surprised. He hasn't left her alone in the house since the night she threw the party.

She smiles. "He thought I was sleeping." Then she rolls her eyes. "He probably went with his girlfriend."

I raise my eyebrows. "He has a girlfriend?" I ask, trying my best to sound nonchalant.

"He probably has lots of girlfriends," she says. "He's kind of a player."