Page 9 of Off The Rush
Just as I am about to knock again, the door swings open, revealing the guy I met yesterday – Luka. His blond hair is tousled, and his gray eyes sparkle mischievously as he leans against the door frame. A slow grin spread across his face, revealing dimples that make my heart race just a little bit faster than normal.
“Emma,” he drawls with a very sexy accent, the corners of his mouth lifting into a knowing smile. “Fancy seeing you here. You came all this way just to find me?”
My cheeks flush at his flirtatious tone, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Actually, I’m here to see Alec,” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. I can’t deny that Luka is attractive – with his chiseled jawline, broad shoulders, and an air of confidence that is borderline cocky – but I’m not here for him. I’m here for Alec, and I need to stay focused.
“Ah, I see,” Luka says, raising an eyebrow and looking genuinely disappointed. “Well, I’m sure I can help you with whatever you need.”
I can’t place his accent but it’s something Nordic.
Before I can respond, Alec appears behind Luka, his blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine.
He reaches around Luka and pushes him away from the door, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “Luka, stop flirting with my girl,” he scolds, though I can tell he is only half-serious.
“Your girl? Since when?” Luka looks between us, his gray eyes wide with shock. I can’t help but notice the slight pout that forms on his lips, making him look even more like a Greek statue than before.
“Since now,” Alec replies, shooting Luka a pointed look. “Come on, Emma. Let’s go inside and talk.”
As I follow Alec into the house, I can’t help but look back at Luka.
Alec leads me through the spacious living room, past a large flat-screen TV and an impressive collection of video games, and up a flight of stairs. I can’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable as we approach his bedroom door. After all, we are about to discuss the rules of our fake dating arrangement, and being in his private space might not be a good start.
“Relax, Emma,” Alec says with a lighthearted chuckle, catching on to my unease. “We’re going to have to be more comfortable with each other if we want people to believe we’re really dating.”
I take a deep breath, trying to ignore my racing heart. He’s right, of course, but that doesn’t make it any easier. As he opens the door to his room, I brace myself for what might lie ahead.
Alec’s room is surprisingly neat, with band posters lining the walls and a guitar propped up in one corner. That detail brings a small smile to my face; perhaps we have more in common than I’d initially thought. We sit down on opposite ends of his bed, and I try to focus on the task at hand.
“Alright,” I begin, trying to sound authoritative. “First rule: no physical contact unless absolutely necessary.”
“Define ‘absolutely necessary,’” Alec counters, raising an eyebrow. “We need to be seen together, Emma. People will expect us to hold hands, put our arms around each other – maybe even kiss.”
“Kiss?” I choke out, feeling my cheeks heat up. “No, I can’t do that. It’s too… intimate.”
“Believe me, I’m not thrilled about the idea either,” Alec says, though his tone suggests otherwise. “But if we don’t sell this relationship, people will catch on. And then where will we be? Back to square one.”
My mind whirls, trying to come up with an argument against his logic. But the more I think about it, the more I have to admit that he is right. If we are going to pull off this charade, we have to commit.
“Fine,” I concede, my voice barely above a whisper. “But only when absolutely necessary.”
“Agreed,” Alec replies, a satisfied grin spreading across his face while he runs his fingers through his dark brown, messy hair. “Now let’s talk about our backstory. How did we meet? How long have we been dating?”
As we continue to discuss the details of our arrangement, I find myself becoming more at ease in Alec’s presence. He has a knack for making me laugh, and his quick wit keeps me on my toes. By the time we’ve ironed out all the kinks, I don’t hate him as much for ruining my audition.
“Are you going to tell anyone?” I ask.
“Nah, my best friends are on the team and I need the entire team to believe we’re dating so Coach hears about it.”
I shrug. “Okay.”
“See?” Alec says as we stand up to leave his room. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“No,” I admit, a small smile playing on my lips. “It wasn’t.”
“Good,” he replies, clapping me on the shoulder. “Because we’re in this together, and we need to trust each other.”
I nod, suddenly feeling more confident in our plan than before. I hate to admit it but I like Alec.
“Hey, since we’re done hashing out the details, why don’t you stay for dinner?” Alec suggests as we step out of his room. “Luka’s cooking tonight, and he’s pretty good.”
