Page 54 of Off The Rush
“Let me return the favor,” I whisper once I’ve caught my breath, eager to make him feel as good as he’s made me feel.
He shakes his head, smiling softly. “Not tonight. I just wanted to make you feel good.” The tenderness in his voice makes my heart swell with affection for him.
We snuggle closer together, our bodies intertwined as we drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Chapter 24
Sunlight streams through the window, casting a warm glow across the room. I slowly open my eyes and stretch out, feeling the soft sheets beneath me. A comfortable weight presses against my side, and I turn to see Alec, his dark hair tousled and his eyes still closed as he sleeps soundly beside me. My heart flutters at the sight of him, and I can’t help but smile.
The incessant buzzing of my phone drags me back to reality. I groan, reaching over to snatch it from the nightstand. “Kenny” flashes on the screen, and I sigh. What could he possibly want this early in the morning?
“Who is it?” Alec mumbles, his voice thick with sleep. He opens one eye and glances at the screen.
“Kenny,” I reply as I answer the call. “Hey, Kenny. What’s up?”
“Emma,” he says hurriedly, his voice tense. “I know we were supposed to meet later today for our project, but something came up and I need to move our meeting to right now. Can you make it?”
“Ugh, Kenny,” I say, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Can’t we just cancel this one? We’ve already put in so much time.”
“Sorry, Emma,” he replies, sounding insistent. “This is important. We need to get this done if we want to ace it.”
“Fine,” I relent, my chest tightening with frustration. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Emma. See you soon.” And with that, the call ends.
“Everything okay?” Alec asks, concern etched on his face as he props himself up on one elbow.
“Kenny wants to meet now instead of later for our project.” I can’t hide the annoyance in my voice. “I should get going.”
“Are you sure?” Alec’s gaze lingers on me, his eyes full of unspoken emotions. “You can always tell him no.”
I hesitate for a moment, torn between the warmth of Alec’s embrace and the nagging feeling of responsibility. But ultimately, I know what I have to do.
“Sorry, Alec,” I say with a sigh as I slide out of bed, my heart aching at the thought of leaving him behind. “I wish I could stay, but I need to go.”
“Alright,” he says softly, disappointment flickering in his eyes. “Good luck with your project, Emma.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, pulling on my clothes and casting one last longing glance at Alec before slipping out the door.
The smell of freshly brewed coffee greets me as I enter the kitchen. JD stands by the counter, pouring himself a cup. He looks up and grins when he sees me.
“Morning, Emma,” he says, handing me a mug. His warmth fills the room, making it almost as difficult to leave him as it was to leave Alec.
“Thanks, JD,” I say, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. It’s perfect, just like everything about this house seems to be.
“Skipping school to hang out with us? I was just about to cook up some bacon,” JD teases, leaning against the counter and flashing that irresistible smile.
“Unfortunately not,” I respond, forcing a grin of my own. “I have a meeting with Kenny for our project. He changed the time at the last minute.”
“Ah, well,” he says. JD winks at me. “We can hang out later.”
“Great,” I chuckle before setting down my mug, grabbing my bag, and heading out the door.
When I arrive at the practice room, Kenny is already there, pacing impatiently. He shoots me a cold glare as I enter. “You’re late,” he snaps.
“Sorry,” I reply through gritted teeth.
“Whatever,” he says dismissively, clearly uninterested in my excuses. I can’t believe how charming he seemed when we first met. Now, working with him has become a controlling nightmare.
