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“How do you know all this?” she asks.
I chuckle. “I had to take these classes too, Minx. Besides, I’m doing an engineering degree. Almost my entire curriculum is math.”
She sighs and rests her head against my shoulder. I can’t resist and throw my arm around her before handing her pen back. “You try,” I whisper. I drop my chin on top of her shoulder and watch as she successfully solves the equation. “Very good,” I murmur. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but my angle gives me the perfect view down her t-shirt. It’s loose and it’s oversized, so I can see her boobs clearly. They look bigger than they used to, and she isn’t wearing a bra. I didn’t think it’d be possible, but I’m actually even harder now.
I pull away from her. I don’t want to be a weird pervert, and I definitely don’t want to make Emilia uncomfortable. I don’t know why I can’t act like a normal person around her. It doesn’t help that she seems to be even more beautiful than she used to be.
“Carter?” she says. I look up at her and she looks at me funny. “What are you thinking about?”
I blink. “Your boobs,” I blurt out. I’m mortified. I can’t believe I actually said that. Emilia looks at me with wide eyes and then looks down at her breasts. She blushes and clears her throat.
“Um, well…” she says.
I bury my face in my hands and groan. “Shit, Minx. I’m sorry. I just… fuck.”
I run a hand through my hair and Emilia nods. She looks down at her breasts again and shrugs. “Well, they are great boobs,” she says, and I burst out laughing.
“Emilia,” I murmur, drawing out her name.
Her eyes roam over my body and she jumps up. “I’m getting hungry. Let me see what you have to make dinner with,” she says. I nod and follow her into the kitchen, relieved with the change of subject. She makes herself at home and rummages through all my cupboards. I usually hate it when women so much as wander through my apartment, but I love having her in my space.
She orders me to chop up some vegetables for her while she preps the base of what looks like a healthy and filling dinner. I think she’ll make a mushroom and chicken oven dish. Whatever it is already smells amazing. I’m glad she isn’t making anything that doesn’t fit in with my coach’s diet. I guess by now Emilia is as used to my dietary needs as my mom is.
She scoops some sauce off the spoon with her finger, but before she can taste it, I grab her hand and close my lips around her finger. Emilia gulps and stares at me with wide eyes, her lips falling open. She looks at me with desire swirling through those gorgeous eyes of hers. I’m taken back to our childhood instantly. The way she used to look at me and the way she used to make me feel… being around her is dangerous. I can’t resist her. I can barely function. My cheeks are just as flushed as hers and I take a step back. It’s like I have no self-control when it comes to her.
I take a step back and excuse myself, practically running to the bathroom. I need some distance. My heart still races when Emilia is around. It’s been years since we last got together, and even then, we never dated. I guess we were sort of seeing each other, but we were just kids.
I close the bathroom door behind me and sink down to the floor. Emilia and I shouldn’t go down this path again. We can’t. I still remember the way my heart ached when she refused to try long distance. The way my heart straight up broke when I came home to find her in someone else’s arms. Emilia has never felt for me what I feel for her, and I’m not sure I even want her to. I don’t want to feel that vulnerable again. I don’t have time for complications and I doubt she’s up for casual sex. I need to put an end to this somehow.
Chapter 5
Emilia
I exhale in relief when Carter walks out of the kitchen and place my hand over my chest, as though that will calm my racing heart. My heart still skips a beat when he’s close to me. I inhale deeply and shake my head. I’m losing it.
I grab my bag to fish out the packet of googly eye stickers I bought on the way over. It’s a tame prank for Carter and me, but it’ll be funny. I glance behind me and smile. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finally discovers them. He’s been trying to revive our feud, and until now I haven’t given in. That’ll change today, though. Pranks are our way of communicating, and I’ve missed the bond we had thanks to that. Besides, I’ve let him get away with sticking weird things on my back whenever we ran into each other and that gross salty coffee. Payback was inevitable.
I work as quickly as I can and put googly eyes on as many things in Carter’s fridge as possible, including every single one of his eggs. It looks weird and hilarious as hell. I hear the bathroom door open behind me and try my best to stick just a couple more on the jars in his cupboards before he makes it back to the kitchen. As soon as I hear his footsteps approach, I put the stickers in my t-shirt. I should’ve thought to wear something with pockets. Rookie mistake.
Carter pauses in front of me and looks at me suspiciously before leaning back against the counter. His eyes roam over my body and he cocks a brow. “What did you do, Minx?” he asks. He peers into the oven and then back at me. “You’re eating that too, right?” he asks, his voice tense.
I giggle. I can’t help it. It’s been years since I’ve messed with him like this. I forgot how much fun it is. “Yeah, Carter,” I reply. “I’m eating it too.”
He looks at me with raised brows. “So you didn’t mess with the food?”
I shake my head, barely able to suppress my smile. I can’t believe he saw through me with a single look. I thought I looked innocent, so how does he know that I’ve done something? Looks like my poker face needs work.
Carter continues to look around and eventually opens the fridge. He freezes and stares at it in horror. “What the fuck is this?” he whispers, pointing at the eggs with the googly eyes on. “This is fucking horrifying, Emilia. What the fuck are those?”
His eyes are wide, and he genuinely looks shocked. His reaction is even better than I expected, and I burst out laughing. Carter’s lips tip up at the edges and he smiles at me. “They look like little demons, Minx.” He steps away and points at the fridge. “Oh my god, their eyes are following me,” he whisper-shouts. He closes the fridge door and turns around to face me. I know he’s exaggerating to indulge me, but it’s still funny as hell.
“I’ve thrown fake insects in your bed before yet this freaks you out?” I ask. Carter shudders and shakes his head as he walks toward me. I take a step back and my hips bang against the kitchen counter. My heart starts to race and I swallow hard.
Carter places his arms on either side of me and cages me in. He leans into me and nods. “Yeah. It’s the eyes, man. So creepy.”
He’s standing far too close to me, and I’m so tempted to slide my arms over his chest and around his neck. His body looks broader and stronger, and I want to find out if it feels that way too.
I can’t help but wonder if he still feels something for me. Am I crazy for hoping that he does? I know it’s better for both of us if we don’t go there, but my heart is foolish. Carter takes a step closer until our clothes brush against each other. All I’d need to do to feel him against me is lean in just a little… How would he respond if I press my body against his?
