I Don't Want to Fall in Love... With You

The next day, Emily invited me to stay over and, unable to think straight, I said I'd get her outside my house in less than twenty minutes. I was able to manoeuvre past my parents and avoid questions about last night, but only just. I guess I was lucky they weren't morning people.

The patter of tyres crushing stones warned me she was coming up the drive. Jumping into the front seat, I kissed her cheek as I examined her choice of wear.

She looked flawless, as usual, but she was wearing a red sweater and black miniskirt – a little too sophisticated for everyday attire.

"Wow. Who are you–"

"I knew it!" Her jaw dropping, she took a hand off the steering wheel and cupped it around my neck, exposing it fully. "That's one huge hickey, you dirty girl! So, give me the details."

Shaking my head and grabbing the rearview mirror, I directed it my way. She was right, of course, it was a big black splodge that connected from my collarbone to my jugular. Somehow, I hadn't noticed it this morning. I didn't have anything to cover it up with, either.

I licked my lips.

"Do you think you could trade me?" I gestured to her bold upper half.

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like my dad cares."

I swallowed. How wrong would that sentence turn out to be?

However, because I couldn't prove her wrong, I shut up. I sat back on my seat as she drove, taking me into the lion's den.

Entering the house, I did a quick scour of the house. She saw and exhaled loudly.

"He's in the backyard. Come upstairs, I need your help now." Taking my hand before I could object, we trotted up to her room, where she shut me in and pushed me onto the bed.

I didn't have the time to ask before she made a zipping motion against her mouth. She sat at her vanity table and began applying some brown eye make-up.

"Can you straighten my hair? I'm kind of crunched for time."

Instead of voicing my thoughts like I wanted to, I got back up and did as instructed.

I was halfway done when she applied a dark shade of red lipstick. Setting it with a coat of gloss, she continued to watch me as I parted her tresses.

"I have a date." She almost squealed.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Good, did it mean Ryan had finally seen sense and asked her out? Because only God knew why he tried pursuing me, since I sure as hell didn't.

I didn't deter my attention away from her hair, but I had to ask.

"Great. Who's the lucky fella?"

But she just winked.

"I don't want to jinx it, so I'm not telling. In fact, that's why I asked you here," She gave me an apologetic smile. "Could you please stay in here and pretend we're studying to my dad? I promise not to ask you anything else."

"Emily, I–"

I couldn't say any more though, since the look she gave me was enough to make me think twice. She knew I was a sucker for puppy eyes.

I sighed melodramatically, she responded by turning in her seat and wrapping her arms around my waist. Patting her lightly, she let go so I could get back to tending to the matter at hand.

She was ready to go before it hit two o'clock. That got the gears turning.

"How are you getting out if you don't want your dad to know?"

"That, my rocking amigo, is what a window is for!" Flashing me an award-winning grin, she cracked it open and was halfway out of it when she puckered her lips and kissed the air. "Love you. Thanks for this, babe."

Dangling from the pane, she climbed down me without a hitch. Her feet hit the grass softly and she didn't spare another word before she took off for the front, no doubt looking to be by the front gates before her date pressed the buzzer.

The curiosity was boiling inside of me, begging I go downstairs and look at the security feed, but I talked myself out of it. Emily didn't want me to know for now, I'd best respect that decision.

I took out my phone, sending a text telling her to have a good time. As busy as she was, she didn't respond. So, I sat down on her bed, scrolling through her phone, waiting for her return.

I'd gotten to the next level on my crossword, when I easily distinguished the creak of the staircase. I scattered to dump a variation of books on my friend's bed, opening them at random pages. I had no problem lying to my best friend's dad – well, not normally.

Quickly rapping his knuckles on the door, Elijah didn't give any other warning before he opened it.

Once again, he took my breath away.

His hair was looking a little disheveled, as if he'd run his hand through it a million times in despair. A golden stubble was beginning to appear along his jawline, daring me to brush my lips against it and expect a different, and brand-new, sensation.

"Hello," If he was startled to see me, then he didn't let it on. "Where's–"

"Bathroom!" I blurted. Did I mention I was the worst liar when pressured?

Elijah knew it too, since he arched a brow then closed the door over. He stood by it though, maintaining a safe distance.

Suddenly, the whiskey he held in his hands looked all too appealing. Like, I only now understood why he needed it every day.

"Just promise me she's not in any trouble."

I shrugged, fingers curling around the sleeve of my top, clasping it in a fist.

"She knows what she's doing."

Swirling his glass, he came closer, but this time only to flick through all the binders I'd thrown on the mattress. He made a grunting noise, which then slowly developed into pleasant laughter.

"You have every subject under the sun here. What was your plan?"

I didn't reply with words again, settling for a shuffle instead. I guess that was all I could muster these days.

His grin slowly faded though, lines forming between his eyebrows as he set down his glass on Emily's drawer. He perched on the edge of the bed, not once removing his gaze from me.

I clenched my fingers tighter, as I swallowed, knowing exactly what he was scrutinizing.

He gently brushed hair away from my neck, revealing to him what I had done. The look on his face, as he fully grasped the situation, I couldn't explain. Masks were shattered at that stage, and neither of us had time to create new ones.

I was glad I was sitting down, since my legs felt like they could break under the swell that was forming.

"Who did that to you?"

There was a tone to his voice I'd never heard before, especially not towards me.

"I... didn't mean for it to happen." I rubbed my lips together, as I tried to hold his attention, but it seemed like he wasn't for having it. "Elijah, please listen to me. We were watching a movie and things got out of hand, I didn't plan it."

"Oh really?"

He was already consumed by anger. Seeping passion – a small step away from full-blown hatred.

I got up on my knees and crawled closer, until my face was only inches away from his. However, he faced front, avoiding me at all costs, apparently.

"Yes, of course! I told Toby that it would be a strictly-friendly–"

"Toby? Toby Winston? You mean the kid Emily says hangs on your every word and has been in love with you for years? That Toby?"

He'd catapulted up from the bed and was pacing the floor, setting down his glass so he could rub his hand over his jaw aggressively. I could practically hear the bristles stabbing his fingers.

He'd obviously had a bad day at work, I shouldn't have added this to his plate. Why couldn't we leave this be and act normal?

Because we're not, I reminded myself. Nothing about our predicament is ordinary.

"It doesn't matter who it is. You're blowing this out of proportion."

His eyes widened as he cupped his hands on his knees, staring down at me like I was a child that needed scolding. I could feel myself retreating with every second, mousey Anya rising to the surface.

"I'm what? You let another person mark your skin, kiss you and hold you and..." He drifted off, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Why do you care so much?" I whispered, pushing a book away. I didn't know why.

"Because I..." He stopped, anger almost immediately dissipating as we finally locked eyes. His were glassy and shined as bright as the beads rolling down her temples. I could see the millions of thoughts in them, with a singular glimpse. It was honestly as if I was staring right into the depths of his soul.

He bore himself to me, naked and unmasked. The most I'd ever seen of him. A part of him I'd been sure was lost, never wanting to be found. It was happy living in the dark, the light between us illuminating it completely once again. Whether we liked, anticipated it or not.

I knew it. With my own body and soul. I knew what I wanted him to say.

"Because, as hard as I tried to stay away from you, to make this thing die – I can't anymore. It's exhausting and I'm tired of not taking the risk." The floorboard creaked as he kneeled before me, raking me in, touching me everywhere. "Because I want to be the only one who gets to kiss you, every day."

My breathing was hitched. I never predicted I'd see a day where my best friend's father admitted I was all that he needed.

It sounded crazy if I were to say it out loud, but I got it. I understood what he was feeling, because I was feeling the same. All this time, I'd deluded myself into believing it was a mistake and someday we'd be able to put this all behind us.

But not now. I simply couldn't. It had only been little more than a week, but I couldn't deny it anymore. At least I wasn't alone in that.

"Then why don't you?" I had the nerve to ask.

Thankfully, he cracked a smile, all traces of jealousy and anger gone. He tucked hair behind my ear, letting it cascade further until he was caressing my cheek.

"Because I'm scared."

Hearing those words come out from his mouth was a shock. Elijah was the bravest man I'd ever known. He'd gone through years of watching the woman he fell in love with lose to a battle she had no chance of winning. In her passing, he brought up their child on his own. He wasn't the perfect parent, but he stepped up to the responsibility that was thrust upon him.

I'd seen him make new friends, dedicate a vast amount of his time to climbing up the corporate ladder, treat wildlife and nature like they were his babies. Breaking down when life threw too many curveballs and he couldn't keep up. Yet, throughout them all, he stayed true to himself. He kept his promises, smiled because he had to... and he did it all while reigning supreme, fearless and perfect.

I smiled softly, edging closer to him, until our noses grazed.

"So am I, but I couldn't care less. I have you."

His grin widened.

"And I have you."

Nodding, I touched my lips briefly, softly, to the bridge of his nose. As an automatic response, his lashes whipped my skin.

I'd gladly spend days immersing myself into his eyes, staying with him in every shape or form, so to say I was disappointed when he stood up was an understatement.

I gasped, when his arms struck out and he knocked all the textbooks to the floor. With a quick smirk, he crawled on top of me, lying me down. On instinct, I wrapped my arms around his neck, keeping him to me, because he said so himself... he wanted to be my only one.

And he was.

Closing his mouth over mine, it was soft and delicate at first, but it wasn't long before it became something so much more. Something hungrier, as if he was starving to have me.

His fingertips on my skin was like fire, burning me to my very core till I was hot and sweaty and expelling what could be smoke. Our breath didn't follow a pace, as all it wanted to do was conjoin again and never be splashed in water.

Grabbing my wrists, he held them above my head and locked them in one hand. He fed the flames by kissing me, mouth trailing from my face to my neck and shoulders. He touched the tip of his tongue to the black spot, making me shiver and exhale all at once.

His touch was chaotic. As if a part of him wanted to cater to my every need, my strongest desires... little did he know, it was him.

Fluttering against my skin, he folded over my shirt, so my bra strap was visible. Nails scratching polyester, he traced the outline of my bones, the blasts of my freckles, accepting each and every part of me.

He didn't have to say anything for me to know.

Kissing places that weren't my lips turned up the heat. Suddenly, instead of wanting him to cherish my body like a true temple – I wished he'd wreck it, make it scream for mercy.

Entrapping his mouth again, I flipped us around until I was straddling him. Looking down at the amusement on his face, it certainly didn't help the madness that coursed through my head.

Once we came up for air, it was coming on dinner time. With a lopsided grin, he intertwined our fingers and pulled me in. I gasped.

"A lady deserves to be carried downstairs." Winking, he hauled me up until I fit snugly in his arms.

Scratch what I said before: clearly Elijah still found the time to work out. He didn't struggle to keep me up for a moment.

I sniggered. "You know, I liked the idea of holding your hand."

"Later, then. When we come back up."

Silently agreeing, he laughed with me as he attempted to open the door. In the end, it turns out, I could do more than just lie in his arms and look pretty. I did it myself.

He took his time descending the stairwell, keeping his eyes on me the whole time, though we could both hear the dogs wailing for attention. Right now, the only thing that mattered was each other.

And that was good enough for me, even if he did burn his finger cooking because of it.