Page 25 of Quarantine Crush
He grins lazily around a mug of his own, his eyes tracing the curve of my body. “There are many words I’d use to describe your ass, but big is not one of them.”
His words send fire racing through my blood. We stare at each other for a long time, neither of us daring to move as the tension grows so thick I feel like I might choke on it. Just when I’m about to say something that I might regret, he shakes his head and clears his throat.
“Besides, it’s fine, Hess. I should’ve been up hours ago anyway. Being in New York is throwing my whole schedule off. I don’t know how I’m going to function when I go back home.”
His words are like a bucket of ice to my burning libido. Home. He’d called London home, and that hurts more than anything that’s happened since he’s been back. What happened to moving back here? To his real home? Last time we talked, he’d said he was getting close to setting a date for turning over management of the London office. But now, I can’t bring myself to ask if something’s changed. I can’t bear to hear it if he says he’s decided to remain there.
I push back from the breakfast bar, needing fresh air and some time to clear my head.
“Well, I’m sure you have lots of work to catch up on, so I’m gonna get out of your hair.”
He frowns at my brisk tone.
“Emy, wait. Did I say something wrong?”
I pause, sucking back all the hurt and disappointment, and smile at him over my shoulder.
“Of course not. We’re cool. I have some work of my own I need to do. Text me when you’re ready for lunch, and we can eat together.”
I spin on my heel, desperate to escape this weird dance we’re doing. The second my bedroom door closes, I fire off a quick text to the girls.
Me- I sat on Knox’s face!
Hadley- YES, GIRL! Did you ride the full eight seconds?!
Me- Not like that, you perv! I literally sat on him. I forgot he was on the couch.
Taylor- Oh em gee! That’s so embarrassing. Sorry girl!
Nina- What did Knox say?
Hadley- He better have said...thank you very much for the best fucking wakeup call ever.
Me- It’s not funny!
Nina- It sounds pretty damn funny.
Me- HELP ME! I escaped to my room, but I just realized that I left my laptop in the living room. Now I can’t even hide in my room and write my book like I want to!
Hadley- Here’s what you’re gonna do. Put on your best bra and that cute romper you bought last week. Then march your sexy ass out to the living room, and get to work. You have a New York Times bestseller to write.
Me- Hard pass.
Taylor- Sorry girl, but I think Hads is right on this one.
Nina- Nobody puts Embry in the corner!
Hadley- You are a bad bitch. And bad bitches look a challenge in the eye and give it a wink. You got this!
Their encouragement gives me a boost of some much-needed confidence.
This is why I keep these whores around. Sure, Hadley may have been the one to get me into this whole mess in the first place, but I couldn’t ask for truer friends. It’s like Hadley always says: true friends lift you up when you’ve fallen. Even if they’re the ones who tripped you. So, with a final deep breath, I march to my closet, ready to don a girl’s best battle armor. A killer outfit.
“Hey, Knox,” I call as I make my way back to the living room. “Do you–” The words die on my lips as I round the corner. Knox stands barefoot in my living room, his jeans unbuttoned, the hard planes of his back on full display. He turns, and my eyes rake down his chiseled abs then lower to the muscled V at his hips like the road map to the Promised Land.
“What’s up, Emy?” he asks, pulling a shirt over his head and stopping my ogling.
“Huh?” I ask, clearing my throat when I hear how raspy it sounds.Get it together!“Oh, um, I didn’t realize how nice it is outside. I’m gonna work on the balcony today if you want to join me.”
