LOGINELLISI squeezed my eyes shut. "..."Maybe if I closed them...if I didn’t acknowledge his presence, he’ll go away.I know hat was a dumb thing to think, but I feared I had no other options left, okay?!Julian’s voice echoed in the cramped room, low and teasing, that familiar amusement twisting my stomach in knots. "You’re making this a habit."His arms crossed over his chest, one ankle casually crossed over the other like he was posing for a magazine he wasn’t invited to. The smirk on his face told me he was enjoying this way more than he had any right to."Come on, say something," he teased. "Cat got your tongue?""I...uh" My mind went completely blank. "I was—"Come on, Ellis. Think!My eyes frantically scanned the storeroom until they landed on a rag and a cardboard box on the shelf next to me. Perfect, a lifeline!I snatched it up so quickly that I nearly dropped it on my foot.I started wiping at an invisible spot, my hands moving way too fast to seem casual."I’m just... organiz
ELLISNormally, I could’ve jumped right back into my usual routine without a hitch. Today, though, my brain had apparently filed its resignation overnight and left no forwarding address.I almost poured milk into a customer’s tea instead of their coffee. I blanked on two separate orders within five minutes. At one point, I stared at the register like it had personally betrayed me, completely forgetting how basic math worked."Ellis.""Hm?""The coffee.""Oh—!" I rushed to grab it before it overflowed, barely catching it in time."You’re acting weird today," Sera noted, watching me with the intensity of someone gathering evident. "I mean you’re always weird, but today’s kinda different.""I’m fine."She crossed her arms. "Are you sure."No."I’m sure." I said."You don’t sound too convinced yourself.""I—" I paused, just a fraction too long. "I’m sure."How could I possibly tell her that the rich, scary hottie guy who’s also my roommate that I had feelings for gave me a fucking handjob
ELLISMorning crept in way too softly for the kind of chaos I was waking up to.For a blissful instant, I lingered in that dreamy space between sleep and being fully awake, feeling a warmth that had once felt so rare once upon a time.The gentle rise and fall beneath my cheek created a surprisingly calming rhythm, and the arm around my waist was heavy enough to pin all my worries outside my dreams, where they belonged, at least for now.I let out a soft sigh and snuggled in a bit closer before my brain finally kicked in....Wait a damn minute.Suddenly, my eyes flew open.The first thing that came into view was soft gray fabric just inches from my face. The next realization hit me: I wasn’t on a pillow at all.I was on Julian.Completely. My cheek was resting on his chest, one of his arms was wrapped loosely around my waist like he’d meant to hold me like that, and somehow, during the night, our legs got so hopelessly tangled that I couldn’t tell which limb belonged to who.Julian...
ELLISGirls had done this before...quick, fumbling motions in the dark, mainly just trying to get it over with. But, this was different.Julian was exploring me, each of my reactions seeming like clues he intended to memorize. Panic surged hot and sharp in my chest. I shouldn’t like this, he saw us as nothing more than friends! But even as denial looped through my mind, my hips instinctively moved up into his grip, chasing the intense pleasure despite myself."Fuck, you feel amazing," Julian murmured against my neck, pressing a kiss there that sent tingles across my skin."So thick and hard in my palm. Look at you, leaking like a faucet from just a little nipple play. I bet no one ever got you this worked up, did they? So responsive for me.""I said shut up—ah—shit," I gasped, my voice breaking as he pumped faster, his fingers tightening enough to make my toes curl.My free hand clutched the sheets beside me, knuckles turning white while the other stayed clamped on his arm, feeling th
ELLISThe soft light from the bedside lamp stretched shadows across our small room, giving it a charged, intimate vibe. I lay there on my back, my heart racing like it was trying to escape, with Julian’s warm body beside me. His arm casually rested on my waist, but there was nothing casual about the way his fingers started tracing slow patterns along the hem of my shirt.My thoughts were a complete fucking mess, What were we doing? But my body betrayed me, leaning into his touch just a bit before I could stop myself."Relax, Ellis," Julian whispered, his voice low and a bit rough, sending unwelcome shivers up my spine. He moved closer, his breath brushing over my ear as his hand slipped under my shirt again.His palm was warm, just rough enough to feel real against my skin, and he took his time, as if he had all night to explore me. "You’re so tense. Let me take care of it."I swallowed hard, trying to protest, but my voice caught in my throat as his fingers found my nipple again. He
ELLISI shifted for the tenth time, trying to get comfortable. But, sleep remained stubbornly out of reach.Beside me, Julian shifted a bit. "You’re thinking too loud."I groaned. "That’s not a real thing.""It is when you do it."I rolled my eyes, though it was wasted in the dark. "Go to sleep.""You first.""Damn it."A quiet chuckle floated from beside me, low and amused. We fell into a few moments of silence, letting it settle into something companionable instead of tense.Then Julian broke the stillness again. "So what happened today?""I... broke up with Pamela earlier."The silence that followed felt heavy. I waited for him to say something...anything.Instead, I felt the subtle shift of his body as he moved closer. When I risked a glance over my shoulder, I caught the slight curve of a smile on his lips that he was clearly trying (and failing) to hide.My face heated instantly. There was no fucking way..."Are you seriously happy about this?!" I hissed, half-turning toward him







