Hatred With Benefits novel Chapter 32

EVA.

I take a peek at the door behind me to make sure it's closed before I turn back to Emerson who moves off my bed and strides towards me with a grin on his face.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" I question in a whisper and Emerson's grin fades into a frown as he places a hand on his chest and says, "Ouch, Carson. "

"I'm not messing around, Ford. Why are you here? How did you even get up to my room? What the fuck was going through your head when you made this decision?"

Emerson heaves a sigh as his hands fall to his side and he slips them into his pockets. "That I needed to come provoke you?"

"It isn't funny, Ford. " I say in a serious tone and he chuckles, "You take everything damn too serious, Carson. There was a ladder out there, " he jerks his head to the direction of my window. "And I already texted you the reason; my room is too hot. "

I fold my arms against my chest and cock my brows at him as I say, "So you drove from Washington university, down here and climbed through a window to sleep in my bed because yours is too hot?"

He bobs his head and a scoff falls from my mouth. "I don't believe you. "

"Okay fine. Every other was right except me driving down from school. I've been here since yesterday. " He confesses and I say, "By here, you mean you've been home?"

Emerson hums and takes another step forward, securing his arms around my waist and bringing me into his chest. "You look alright; I'm guessing nothing big happened?"

"Can we talk about how stupid you were to climb up to my room? I could just throw you off, you know. " I tell him in a grim voice and Emerson shakes his head, a daring smile covering his lips. "I don't think you'll do that, Carson. "

"Are you daring—" I start to speak, but Emerson moves one hand from my waist to press a finger to my lips, silencing the rest of my words. "Less talk about the move I just made and more talk about what's happening. "

When he withdraws his finger from my lips, I scowl at him before I soften my gaze and let the words slip through my parted lips. "She's fine. Just minor stress, nothing more. "

"Then why didn't you return to the apartment?" He questions as he trails one hand to the small of my back, before letting it fall to the hem of my top and slipping it under the clothing, caressing and soothing the skin under.

I angle my head to the side as a tiny smirk climbs on my face. "Why do you ask? Did you miss me that much?"

Emerson's lips twitch, but he doesn't say a word as his hand stops its movement underneath my top before he abruptly presses a hand to the back of my head, pushing my head against his chest.

"Ford–" I call as I struggle to get out of his hold, but it only gets tighter, and the more I try to resist; the harder he holds onto me.

"Just stay still, Carson. Don't move. " His words come out in a whisper and I groan against his chest, "You're fondling me, Ford and you smell awful. When last did you take a bath? God, you reek so fucking much. " At my words, Emerson is quick to pull away from me, putting some distance between us as he checks across his body and tries to sniff his underarm, and a laugh breaks from my throat at the silly movement from him.

"You honestly didn't take a bath? I was fucking with you, Ford. " I tell him and he lifts his gaze in realization, his hands falling to the sides as his shoulders sink in a sigh. "I hate you. "

"I know. " I beam before walking past him to my window. I gaze down to the ladder with which Emerson climbed into my room before looking back to the said man. "This looks unsteady. What if you had fallen?"

Emerson twists his entire body in my direction to say, "I'm more skilful at that than you think, but cute of you to get worried about me, Carson. "

I snort out a laugh. "Worrying for you is the last thing on my mind. I was worried your father might react differently to his son climbing through the window of his rival's daughter. " At the mention of his father's name, Emerson's expression changes to a sourful one and my smile drops.

I walk to my bed and settle on the soft mattress before calling out to Emerson and patting the space next to me. "Come here. "

He looks between me and the bed before moving from his spot to my side and taking the seat beside me. The irritated expression doesn't leave his face and I clear my throat as I shift closer to him till our shoulders are pressed to each other.

"Why are you home?" I ask and duck my head to get a good view of his face. Emerson stares down at me and uncertainty seems to cloud his features before he opens his mouth to give a response to my query. "Just some family shit; nothing serious. "

When I don't remove my gaze from his, Emerson continues, "And I was serious about my room being too hot. "

I shake my head as I begin to pull back from his face, but his hand moves to my shoulder to keep me on the spot and his gaze softens as he says, "I'm not messing around, Carson. "

"I'm sure there are plenty of rooms in your house, Ford. " I remind him of that fact, but Emerson doesn't seem to agree with my words as he argues, "They are all hot. "

"Now that's just a ludicrous lie. " I cackle and he pushes his face closer till his hot breath blows over my face and I close my eyes at the warmth that comes with it before opening them to the brown orbs surrounded by specks of gold. Emerson's voice becomes an echo that resonates deep at the back of my mind as I get lost in those gorgeous eyes of his.

"Carson, " Emerson calls, pulling me out of my trance and I blink once before lifting my brows and he says, "They are all hot because you aren't on the other side. " Emerson dares to speak those words to me, then he has a bigger audacity to lean over my shoulder, close to my ear to whisper, "I'm sleeping here tonight. " It's not a request; it's a declaration. The kind that doesn't get to be questioned.

"And if I say no?" I raise my brows and confidence oozes from his words as he says, "You won't say that. "

"You sound so sure of yourself, Ford. And you shouldn't be. " I say and he smiles before wrapping his arms around me, dragging me along with him as he falls on the bed.

"I sleep better with you around, Carson. " He confesses and I press my lips into a thin line at the reaction those words elicit from me.

"I need to change. " I tell Emerson and move his hands from my body before getting off the bed to change into my usual attire. Emerson's gaze shamelessly remains on me after he got out of his clothes, and climb back into the bed.

"You could have had the decency to turn away. " I taunt him as I fall next to him, and Emerson wraps a hand around my body, twisting me so my back is pressed to his front. "I've seen those movements too many times to have decency, Carson. "

"You wouldn't if it were to be otherwise. " I say and he chuckles, the sound tingling my face before it dies down and peaceful silence settles in the air.

"Hey, Carson. " Emerson whispers with his lips on my ear and I shudder at the contact before I say, "What?"

He lifts his body slightly from the bed and drops his mouth on my neck as he whispers, "Go out with me tomorrow. "

"What?" The word falls from my mouth in surprise as I twist my body in his direction to stare up at him, and Emerson repeats the words; firm and clear. "Go out with me tomorrow. "

"No. " My response to his suggestion comes out sharp and Emerson appears slightly taken aback by the word, but he's quick to catch onto himself as he lifts his brows at me. "Why not?"

"What do you mean why not? I'm not going to go on a date with you, Ford. " I state the obvious with my lips turned in a frown. A date with Emerson Ford is transcending all boundaries; going beyond what shouldn't be; crossing a line that should never be crossed between the two of us.

"It's not a date. " Emerson says, pulling me back to the moment. "I don't want to stay home, and I need some company. "

"Then you should head back to school. " I tell him with a dismissive raise of my shoulder and Emerson shakes his head, "No, I can't do that. Not yet. "

"Why not?" I question, narrowing my eyes at him and he shifts his gaze from me, his eyes falling on my lower body as he slips his hand underneath the thin shirt I have on and twirls his finger around my belly button. I swat his hand away when it begins to tickle and Emerson lifts his head to me again to say, "I'm not done with what I came here for. "

"A day home wouldn't kill you, Ford. " I point out and he disagrees with my words. "Not physically, but it would somehow. "

"Asking me to go out with you is against the rules of our agreement. " I remind him and Emerson only thinks about it for a few seconds before he says, "Rules are meant to be bent to make things easier, Carson and if we're being honest, we've been doing things that go against some rules at certain moments, but as long as we only bend it for those moments and not break it, then it should be fine. Plus it isn't actual closeness, it's more of passing away time. "

I shouldn't. Do not cross that damn line, Eva. No matter how much you want to be there for him, do not fucking cross– "I'll rethink my decision if you beg nicely. " The words leave my mouth against my better judgement, pushing away the rational thoughts screaming at me from the back of my head.

Emerson moves his other hand from around my neck and turns his body over mine completely with his hands pressed on either side of me, pinning me to the bed.

"I have a better idea that could change your mind. " He doesn't remove his eyes from mine as he lifts one hand and caresses the skin of my exposed thighs– igniting a reaction from me the second there's contact and leaving a burning ache everywhere his hand glides over.

My eyes move to the door and the realization that I'm about to fall into Emerson's game when my parents are literally down the hall snaps me out of the enhancement his touch got me into and I slap his hand away with a scowl directed at him as I say, "You are lucky I'm letting you sleep here, Ford and now you want more?"

"What are you afraid of?" He mumbles as he moves over me again and I push at his chest, causing him to lose his balance and fall next to me.

"I'm not afraid–" I start as I turn to the side to meet his eyes. "But I'm not about to let you fuck me in my father's house. "

"Will you change your mind if I manage to do that?" He wiggles his brows and I throw him a glare, which earns a laugh from him.

"Fine, " he says through the sound. "Come out tomorrow with me, Carson–" when I give him a blank face, he adds, "Please. "