Page 75 of Cerulean Truth
Our eyes briefly locked, James's gaze meeting mine. In that moment, I was transported back to my first day, standing in the very same spot. However, unlike that initial encounter, James now turned purposefully and strode toward me with determined steps.
My heart started pounding in my chest. Mister Hollywood faded from any awareness, and my focus shifted entirely to mister Dark ‘n Stormy, all while attempting to ignore the curious stares from the onlookers around us.
As he approached, my breathing became irregular and it wasn't disinterest that caused my mouth to dry; I tried to push down an overwhelming sense of desire but epically failed.Darn it.
"Emma," he greeted, his voice soft.
Our eyes locked, and just like that, the rest of the world disappeared.
I didn’t ask what he wanted and he didn’t elaborate. We just stood, staring at each other, while tension between us was mounting. I was so attracted to this man. All I wanted to do offer my body to him on a platter to do with as he pleased.
He took a deliberate step forward, moving in closer. “Emma,” he whispered again, as his eyes betrayed an emotion I couldn’t discern.
I swallowed and inched closer to him.
Every glance, every near touch held a promise of something more, something electric and maybe even forbidden. I was standing before a man I barely knew and all I could think about were his hands on my body. His lips on my neck. And his tongue caressing mine.
But before either of us could break the silence, our attention was drawn to a scene unfolding a little farther down the hall.
The Hollywood-esque figure had collided with one of James’s friends, addressing him assertively as "Matthew."So that’s who that is.
James frowned visibly as he watched the interaction between the two men.
I overheard Matthew's unenthusiastic voice responding to the greeting with a dry "A.J."
"I was wondering if I could talk to you about my class on Tuesday," A.J. began.
"AJ, I told you what I need from you; it's not up for debate," Matthew replied laconically.
A.J.'s face darkened, clearly angered by Matthew's dismissive tone. "Why not? We could change it up real easy if we just?—"
"No," Matthew cut him off, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow slightly, clearly annoyed at A.J.'s persistent and somewhat hostile tone.
AJ gritted his teeth. "Fine, you don't want to. Can you at least think about it for next year?"
I quickly scanned Matthew's face, but he remained stoic. "Am I not being clear? Is my use of the English language somehow confusing for you?" he retorted.
AJ growled, clearly unamused. "You think you're such a hot shot, but everyone knows you wouldn't even have made it out of Entry without your boy James."
I caught a fleeting flash of anger passing through Matthew's eyes, but he chose not to engage in further discussion. His lipsthinned as he attempted to move past A.J., but A.J. held him back.
"I'm not done talking to you."
"Oh, but I am," Matthew declared, attempting to break free from A.J.'s grasp.
"Don't dismiss me," A.J. hissed, closing in on Matthew.
James had maintained his distance until that point, but he muttered, "Excuse me," under his breath and quickly walked up to Matthew and A.J.
"Is there a problem here?" I heard James ask, witnessing A.J. widen his eyes in surprise at James’s sudden intervention.
"Not at all. A.J. was just leaving, weren't you, A.J.?" Matthew smiled with a hint of disdain.
I could see it on A.J.'s face—he was contemplating whether or not to press further. However, upon locking eyes with James, who assumed a threatening posture, A.J. seemed to have made a calculated decision not to antagonize their future Leader.OurLeader, not theirs.
"A.J.?" James growled in a lower, more menacing tone.
“There is no problem,” A.J. mumbled, clearly unsatisfied with the results of his endeavor.
