Page 18 of Off The Rush
And in that moment, I know I’m in deep trouble. Because as much as I try to deny it, my attraction to her is undeniable — and utterly irresistible.
I unlock the front door and let us inside, feeling a little out of my element with Emma in our house. It’s not that I don’t want her here - God knows I do - but having her over when Alec isn’t around feels like crossing some unspoken boundary.
“Make yourself at home,” I tell her, trying to sound casual. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Soda?”
“No, thank you,” she replies with a sweet smile. “I’m fine for now.”
She looks around. “Is Alec not home yet?”
I nod, unsure of what to do next. That’s when Emma’s eyes land on the video game console in the living room. “How about we play a game?” she suggests, her face lighting up with excitement. “I haven’t played one in ages!”
“Sure, sounds fun,” I agree, relieved to have something to occupy us. She picks out a fighting game from our collection and I can’t help but raise an eyebrow, impressed by her choice.
“Is this okay?” she asks, noticing my reaction.
“Absolutely,” I reply, grinning. We settle down on the couch and start playing, and it quickly becomes apparent that Emma is great at this game. Like, insanely good.
“Wow, where did you learn to play like this?” I ask, genuinely amazed.
“Growing up, my brothers were into video games,” she explains, her fingers deftly maneuvering her character on screen. “So, I spent a lot of time playing with them.”
We continue playing, and as the matches get more intense, I find myself leaning closer and closer to her. Our eyes meet for a brief moment, and I swear my heart skips a beat. I want to lean in and kiss her so badly, but I know that’s a line I cannot cross. Emma is off limits, I remind myself, repeating it like a mantra.
Just as the tension between us becomes almost unbearable, the front door swings open and Alec enters, his eyes darting between Emma and me. I can feel his gaze burning into my skin, but I try to act nonchalant.
“Hey, baby,” he says, walking over to Emma and planting a kiss on her cheek, never taking his eyes off of me. I swallow hard, feeling the jealousy bubble up inside me.
“Hi,” Emma replies, a bit startled by Alec’s sudden appearance. “How was class?”
“Good,” he answers curtly, still staring at me.
I know I’m in for it later, but right now, with the time I got with Emma and the warmth of her body beside me, it feels worth it.
“Emma, what are you doing here?” Alec asks, his voice laced with confusion.
She furrows her brow, clearly just as puzzled. “I, uh… Luka?”
“Didn’t you mention she was coming over?” I cut in before Emma can finish her sentence. The last thing I want is for her to feel uncomfortable considering I orchestrated this. “You know, to hang out? I saw her on campus and walked her here.”
Alec’s glare intensifies, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he nods stiffly. “Right. Yeah, I did.” I know I’m going to pay for this later, but I can’t bring myself to care. Every moment spent with Emma feels like a gift.
“Come on,” Alec says to Emma, hooking an arm around her waist and leading her upstairs. “I need to shower and change after class. You can wait in my room.”
“Sure,” she replies, casting a final glance at me before disappearing up the stairs. My heart sinks as they leave, and I can’t help but feel a sense of loss.
The front door opens again, and JD walks in, immediately noticing my wistful expression. “What’s got you looking so gloomy?” he asks, concern etched on his face.
“Nothing,” I mumble, trying to brush it off. But JD knows me too well – he won’t let it go that easily.
“Come on, man. Talk to me.” He sits down next to me, his warm brown eyes filled with genuine worry.
Taking a deep breath, I finally admit it. “I like Alec’s girlfriend. Like, really like her.”
“Damn,” JD sighs, his face a mix of sadness and concern. “That’s rough, dude. Do you actually have feelings for her, or do you just want to sleep with her?”
“Hey!” I snap defensively, but I understand why he’d ask that. My past relationships haven’t exactly been the most meaningful. “No, it’s not like that. Emma… she’s different. She’s the first girl I’ve ever wanted more than just sex with.”
“Have you even known her long?”
