Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 27

EVA.

My eyelids flutter, and my chest rises and falls steadily. Warmness surrounds me and I know there's another presence in the room by the feel of something heavy on my tummy.

Twisting my head to the side, I'm met with the sight of Emerson Ford's sleeping face with some of his fallen curls covering one side of his face.

Staring down, our legs are tangled in each other and I sigh as I dart my eyes back to Emerson's face. He slept here with me– he stayed. He came here to give me comfort—when he didn't need to—and he didn't leave.

I press my lips into a thin line as I slowly lift my hand to his face. I barely place a touch against his skin as I push the curls from his face and let my eyes roam across it. Unlike that other time, there's no crease over his forehead and there's no frown on his lips as he gives soft snores.

The urge to press my hand against him suddenly burns through me and I give into it without much thought, but I'm quick to catch myself when my fingertips graze his face and I pull away.

I'm caught off guard when Emerson's eyelids flutter and he opens his brown eyes to meet mine. I flinch a bit in surprise and my heart thumps at staring into his eyes up this close, right from sleep with bodies pressed and legs tangled.

Emerson doesn't move. He doesn't speak. He just lies there and stares at me with a blank face, and I start to sit up when I feel my cheeks heat up from his gaze.

I clear my throat. "Are you trying to pass some of your ugliness to me, Ford?"

Emerson chuckles and stands after me, his body incredibly close to mine for my liking. "You mean to ask if I'm trying to bless you with some of my hotness?"

"Don't get over your head, Ford. You don't have enough to spare. " I throw back and he murmurs. "Must be hard living your life, Carson. You've got to have none if I don't have enough. "

I glare at him. "Fuck you. "

"I know. You're addicted to my cock. " He winks and I scoff before letting my gaze fall to his body to note the fact that he's only in his boxers.

"I don't sleep comfortably with pants on. " Emerson answers my unasked question and I lift my eyes to him to say, "Or you did something while I was sleeping?"

Emerson lets out a low laugh. "If I fuck you while you're asleep, you'll scream your way to the moment, Carson. Not sleep peacefully. Plus, that isn't my thing; no matter how tempted I was. " His eyes fall to my chest at the last words and I stare down at my naked chest—only clad in a bra that reveals a lot more than appropriate.

"You should leave. " I tell him as I climb off the bed and grab his pants from the floor.

"Are you chasing me out after using me for my body, Carson?" Emerson fakes a hurtful expression as I throw him his pants and I snort in response. "That'd be low of me, don't you think?"

Emerson bobs his head as he rises from the bed, his annoying expression replaced with a serious one and I know the words that'll leave his mouth even before he says, "Is everything okay now?"

I swallow before I nod. "Yeah. " A lie. You can only escape your troubles when you shut your eyes; as soon as you open them, they're back and you're forced to face them.

Emerson hums and stands still. I expect his taunt to come after, but it doesn't and after a few seconds, he heads to the door.

"Emerson. " I call just before he makes it through the door and he turns back to me. "Thank you, Ford. " A tiny smile presses to the corner of his lips before he nods and disappears out of sight.

I let out a weak sigh as he shuts the door before I fall on my bed and grab my phone.

There are new text notifications— both from Aliya and Dan.

I open Aliya's first.

ALIYA: I need to change my wardrobe. I'm getting annoyed with my clothes, Evie.

ME: Didn't you change it before we came down to college?

I hit the send button before opening Dan's last messages from last night.

DAN: I'm happy to hear that, sweetheart.

DAN: What are you doing?

DAN: You slept on me, Eva?

I chortle at the last message and type out a reply.

ME: I did. Sorry.

ME: Morning Dan.

My eyes catch sight of the previous night's message as I send the text, and I shake my head before the thoughts can make their way through. No. Not this time.

I toss my phone to the side, and pull my hair into a tight bun before climbing off the bed to walk to my closet.

I bring out my sports bra and yoga pants, and clad my body in the attire before making my way out of the room.

When I walk into the living room, Emerson is in Nike sweatpants and a black V-Neck.

"Going out?" I ask the obvious and he turns his eyes to me, a smile on his face as he gives a nod and says, "Work out. You look like that's where you're headed too. " His eyes roam across my body, and I bob my head.

"You don't look too good, Carson. " Emerson says as he grabs his headphones from the couch and walks towards me.

"That's pretty noticeable. " I gulp down my throat as Emerson stands in front of me with weary eyes. I feel his gaze on every inch of my face and I raise my eyes to meet his.

"What?" I ask with a frown and he shakes his head. "You kind of look ugly right now. "

"Fuck off. " I scowl at him and Emerson chuckles before taking a step back. "I'll see you later, Carson. "

He twists his body in the other direction and walks towards the exit; with each step that brings him close to the door, my heart thumps in my chest and I gnaw at my lips as I struggle to get the words out.

As Emerson wraps his hand around the doorknob, I let out a call of his name and he turns back to meet my gaze.

"Um—" I start, and clear my throat. "Do you think you could do it here? With me?" As the words leave my mouth, heat rises to my cheeks and I bite on the insides as Emerson turns his path back in my direction.

"What do you mean?" He takes a step forward and I clear my throat again, straightening my shoulders to show the confidence I'm not exactly feeling at the moment as I speak. "Help me with my workout. Right here. " I angle my head to the middle of the room and when I look back at Emerson– he looks amazed.

"Let me get this right—" he pauses and takes another step forward till what's left between our bodies is nothing but a small space that can be closed with the last step. "You, Eva Carson, are asking for my help?"

As weird as it sounds. I've known it for a long time– with Emerson Ford, it's easy to pretend and not think about the things that are threatening to drag me down that unfortunate hole. But recently, it's more than that. I don't understand how it's so easy with him, neither am I sure of how he's able to do that without attempting to, but it's so easy to lose myself in the moment with Emerson Ford. With him, there's nothing but our snarky remarks and gazes filled with emotions we're used to between the two of us. With him, there are no dark thoughts and bad memories. Emerson Ford takes away my troubles without even trying.

"I am, " I confirm my earlier request and Emerson looks shocked by my response for a millisecond, but he's quick to mask it with that upsetting look— one where his infamous smirk is pulled to his face.

"What?" I snap angrily when he doesn't speak, but just stares at me and Emerson chuckles. "What makes you think I'll offer my help willingly to you, Carson?"