Wicked Company

Chapter Three

I stirred awake, the smell of coffee bright and strong in my nose. Standing from the couch, I pulled my tank top over my head and padded over to the kitchen, eager for new energy.

I groaned, rubbing at my back, sore from the shitty, spring-filled cushions of the couch I'd slept on.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. How ya feeling this bright and beautiful day?" Eli laughed, mocking my grimace, and I threw a menacing glare back.

"I'll fucking deck you. You're so goddamn chipper in the mornings." I threatened him, reaching around his waist to grab a mug and filling it to the brim with the caffeinated liquid. I moaned at the first sip and let my eyes roll back in my head at the second, feeling a bit more alive.

"You know, you did that same thing last night." Eli winked over his own mug, stepping over to the couch and clicking the TV on.

With his back to me, I felt my gaze subconsciously roll over his bare back, his dark skin tempting my fingers, my mouth. My pussy.

"I can feel you staring."

I rolled my eyes, downing the remainder of my coffee and filling a second cup, leaning down against the kitchen island.

"So? You act like I'm embarrassed. I'm fucking attracted to you, sue me." I chuffed, sipping at my mug's contents. Frowning, I looked for the container of sugar that was usually on the counter, realizing I hadn't even noticed its absence and had drank my first coffee black.

"Cabinet next to the fridge." Eli answered my unspoken question, knowing me all too well, a teasing edge in his voice.

"Get out of my head."

"Only if you come sit on mine."

I slipped on the tiled floor at his heated response, still half asleep. Seeing the act as too personal and never allowing it, my body surprised me, almost forgoing my rule and wanting to do as he said anyway.

But even more prominent, my body ached for more caffeine, inevitably making my decision for me. I grabbed the sugar and added a few spoonfuls to my coffee, stirring absently as I stared unblinkingly at his back.

A lot of people thought we were dating, and I could see why, but it had never been like that with us. We'd fuck, he'd ask me to stay, and I'd eventually feel smothered. He'd never understood my need to keep my own space mine, always wanting our time together to stay endless. So after a while, I stopped saying yes when he asked, because as much as I cared about him, he also knew I'd never wanted more than the casual lay - from him or anyone.

Loving people only ever got me hurt.

Eli turned back to me as he slid over the back of the couch, sitting down comfortably. "You wanna stay for the day? I can make breakfast and we can find something to do. We can go to the beach maybe?"

There it is.

"I can't, E." Desperate to avoid an awkward confrontation again, I chugged down the last of my coffee, ignoring the hot burn it left in my throat. Setting my mug in the sink, I filled it with water and leaned my hands on the countertops.

"Dani..." he appeared behind me, his voice saddened and pleading as his hands settled lightly on my hips. "Please? Spend the day with me. We can relax and-"

"I'm not fucking doing this again, Eli. Don't ruin this." He reached for me again, but I slapped his hand away and pushed against his chest as hard as I could, feeling a bit guilty when he stumbled back, the base of his spine smacking the island. "Cazzo!"

Yanking my boots off of the ground, I stomped out the apartment door and down the steps, heading for my bike as quickly as I could. Just as I'd suspected, parking in a spot other than my usual had caused bird shit to spackle my bike. Realizing my helmet was still upstairs, I screamed, uncaring as I threw my leg over the seat and let it roar to life. Wanting nothing more than to get home, I kicked off the ground and flew out of the lot, ignorant to the speed limits the whole way back.