Chapter 7: Caught Staring

Lila's POV

I had just finished the last part of my shift and was ready to go home. My arms felt heavy as I pushed the cleaning cart down the quiet hallway toward the small cleaning room. The wheels squeaked softly against the floor, the only sound breaking the late-night silence. All I wanted was to put everything away, change out of this tight uniform, and finally rest.

But when I reached the door, I stopped short.

Jax was leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chest, looking relaxed and confident like he had been waiting for me the whole time. His tall frame blocked the entrance, tattoos visible on his arms under the dim hallway light. My heart skipped a beat.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice coming out quieter than I meant.

He grinned, that cocky smile making my stomach flutter. “What else could I be doing if I wasn’t waiting for you? I saw what you were doing earlier.”

I blinked, suddenly nervous and confused at the same time. “What do you mean? What did I do? Did I do something wrong?”

Jax pushed off the door and walked closer, stopping right in front of me. I gripped the handle of the cart tightly behind my back, my fingers digging into the plastic. His dark eyes locked onto mine, making it hard to look away.

“No, or I don’t know if it was part of the mistake or not,” he said, his deep voice low and smooth, “but I definitely saw it.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. I don’t know what you saw. Excuse me, I have to return the cart and go home,” I said quickly. I tried to push the cart past him, but Jax stepped sideways and gently grabbed my hand, stopping me in place.

The touch sent a spark up my arm. I froze, heart racing.

“I saw you standing in front of the lounge while my roommate Theo was playing games,” he continued, still holding my hand. “What kept you there, Lila? His gaming skills or…”

He leaned in closer, his warm breath brushing my ear. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.

“Or because he took off his shirt?”

My face burned with embarrassment. “I… I—”

“It’s okay, Lila,” Jax said softly, his voice reassuring even though his words made me feel exposed. “This is a secret between us. I won’t tell Theo.”

Before I could respond, he reached up and gently wiped the sweat from my forehead with his thumb. The simple gesture felt surprisingly tender. He looked at me again, his eyes scanning my tired face and the way my uniform clung to my curves after a long night of work.

“You look really tired,” he added. “You should go home. I might not be able to hold it in any longer if you’re this close to me.”

My mouth fell open slightly, shock and embarrassment mixing together. Did he really just say that? To me? The chubby cleaner who spent her nights mopping floors?

Jax gave me one last grin, then leaned even closer and whispered in my ear, “See you tomorrow, my sexy girl.”

He let go of my hand and walked away down the hallway, leaving me standing there alone with the cart.

I let out a long, shaky breath. My knees felt weak, like they might give out any second. I leaned against the cart for support, trying to calm my racing heart. How could Jax say those things to me? To a fat girl like me, the one who cleaned up after everyone in this dorm?

The memory of his deep voice whispering “my sexy girl” kept replaying in my head. My body reacted strongly, as usual. Heat pooled between my legs, and I felt myself get wet again — fast and intense. My panties were already damp, and every small shift of my thighs made me more aware of it. Just from a few words and a gentle touch on my forehead. It was ridiculous how easily I got turned on, especially around him.

I stood there for a minute, staring at the empty hallway where he had disappeared. Part of me felt shy and embarrassed that he had caught me staring at Theo earlier. Another part felt strangely warm inside. No one had ever called me sexy before. Not like that. Not while looking at me the way Jax did.

I finally pushed the cart into the cleaning room and started putting away the supplies. My hands were still trembling a little as I wiped down the mop and hung it up. The tight uniform felt even tighter now, the fabric sticking to my sweaty skin and soft belly. I glanced at myself in the small mirror on the wall. My face was flushed, hair a bit messy from the long shift, and the short dress hugged every curve — my round belly, wide hips, and thick thighs.

“Get it together, Lila,” I whispered to myself. “He’s probably just teasing you like the others.”

But deep down, it didn’t feel like the same kind of teasing. Jax had helped me twice already. He had wiped sweat from my face instead of making fun of it. He had called me sexy instead of fatso. And the way he leaned in close… the way his voice dropped when he whispered in my ear… it made my secret fantasies flash through my mind again. Being wanted. Being touched. Being shared by guys who actually saw me as desirable.

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. This was dangerous. I was here to work and pay my tuition, not to get distracted by handsome guys who lived in the dorm. Yet in just a few days, Jax had already made my body react so strongly. And now I knew Theo was his roommate — the shirtless gamer I had stared at earlier. That made everything feel even more complicated.