Love Jason

Chapter 14

Emily's POV

As silence draped the atmosphere, we lay there, enveloped in the intimacy we had just shared, our eyes drawn to the twinkling stars above. It was a moment of profound beauty, stirring emotions long dormant within me. My gaze drifted to Marco, a testament to the serendipity that had brought us together once more.

"I had sworn off love's embrace, yet here I am, grappling with the undeniable pull of this connection. It eclipses anything I've known, even surpassing the depths I once believed I reached with Ethan, my supposed soulmate."

"But was I truly ready to open my heart to love again?" I questioned silently, my eyes refusing to stray from his captivating form.

"A penny for your thoughts," he whispered his voice like a gentle breeze in the night.

"Nothing. It just feels... unreal," I confessed, a tremor of uncertainty in my voice, to which he responded with a soft chuckle.

"Fate brought us together. Why not surrender to it?" he proposed with a knowing smile, gracefully dressing himself.

"I should take you back," he declared a hint of responsibility in his tone.

Feeling an urgency to hold onto this moment a little longer, I pulled him back down, capturing his lips in a fervent kiss.

"As much as I yearn for this, I need to take you back," he murmured against my lips, reluctantly breaking away.

Grumbling, I hastily dressed as he led me back to the car.

"Where do you live?" he inquired as we drove away from the beach.

I disclosed my address, and before long, we arrived at my apartment building.

"I had fun," I murmured, stealing a glance at him.

"Fun? No, my love, you're in for the time of your life," he declared, planting a compelling kiss on my bare neck, igniting a familiar desire within me.

With a racing heart and trembling form, I forced a smile and replied, "I should get going," attempting to feign detachment.

"Can I see you again?" Marco's words halted me in my tracks.

I turned back to him with a coy smile, extending my hand. "Your phone," I commanded, and in an instant, it was in my grasp.

I punched in my number and returned the device to him. "Call me," I purred seductively as I exited the car and made my way into the apartment building, leaving him with the tantalizing promise of future encounters.

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Entering my apartment, I found myself humming a joyful tune, my entire being tingling with excitement, though I couldn't quite pinpoint the reason.

"Alright... alright, I see someone's had quite the day at the bar. I'm sorry I couldn't join you today; work was just too much today," Layla remarked from the couch.

"It's all good; I have complete faith that you'll show up at tomorrow's show," I assured her with a grin as I settled onto the couch beside her.

"So spill it! What's got you all fired up? Bagged a sweet brand deal or something?" Layla prodded eagerly.

"Layla, it's not about the bar, and no, there's no brand deal," I chuckled in response.

"Then why the excitement? Did you hit the jackpot? Or win a million bucks?" she pressed on.

"Let's just say it's something equally thrilling," I teased, unable to contain my excitement.

"A million-dollar jackpot? We'd be living the high life!" Layla exclaimed, her imagination running wild as she broke into an impromptu victory dance.

"Whoa, slow down Layla. I didn't win a million," I clarified, and her enthusiasm waned instantly.

"So, spill it. What's it?" she demanded, her brows furrowing.

"Marco... I bumped into him again," I revealed.

"Marco?" Layla's confusion was palpable.

"My one-night stand," I reminded her, watching as realization dawned on her face.

"I can practically see the shock on your face; I felt the same when I saw him tonight," I confessed, the memory still fresh in my mind, stirring a mix of emotions.

"How'd he track you down?" Layla inquired.

"Probably one of my bar posters. Turns out, he's a local," I explained.

"Okay, spill the beans. What's his game? It was just a fling, right?" Layla questioned skeptically.

"I wish it were that simple," I sighed, grappling with the complexity of my feelings. "But I couldn't resist. There's an undeniable pull, something magnetic about him, and we're seeing each other again hopefully tomorrow."

"Wait, you didn't...?" Layla's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I did," I confessed sheepishly, bracing for her judgment.

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Emily. There's an aura of mystery around that man. Trust my instincts and tread carefully," Layla urged, her concern genuine.

"Come on, Layla. You barely know him. How can you judge?" I chuckled, brushing off her warning.

"I've got a gut feeling, Em. Just be cautious," Layla murmured, her voice tinged with uneasiness.

"Perhaps it's too late for second thoughts now; all I know is I want to see him again," I declared, rising from the couch and making my way to the kitchen for a glass of juice.

"So, you're ready to risk your heart once more?" Layla's voice was gentle, yet threaded with a subtle undercurrent of concern.

"Maybe. There's something about him, Layla. It's like I've stumbled upon a piece of myself I never knew existed, not even with Ethan," I admitted, my words tinged with vulnerability as I grappled with the overwhelming intensity of my emotions.

"Emily, you barely know this guy. You're diving headfirst into the unknown," Layla cautioned, her concern etched into every word.

"Okay, but what about Chris? He's been a constant presence in your life, offering stability and support. Doesn't he deserve a chance?" Layla's words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken hopes and unfulfilled dreams.

"I care for Chris deeply, but not in the way he yearns for. And after that kiss... I fear I've shattered something precious between us," I confessed, the weight of guilt settling like a leaden cloak upon my shoulders.

"Wait, Chris kissed you?" Layla's eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and curiosity, a glimmer of intrigue dancing in their depths.

"Yes, he did. And it complicated things," I confessed, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of Chris's unrequited feelings.

"See? See? He's willing to risk it all for you. That's love, Em," Layla insisted, her optimism unwavering.

"No, Layla. Not this time. I can't go down that road again, not after Ethan," I asserted, my voice laced with determination.

"Marco feels like a breath of fresh air, and I'm drawn to that," I confessed, my voice infused with a blend of excitement and uncertainty. But Layla's reaction quickly shifted, her expression darkening into a frown.

"And for once, I'm allowing

myself to embrace the possibility of happiness, to believe that maybe, just maybe, this connection holds the promise of something deeper, something real. So, please, be happy for me. You've always believed I deserve love, haven't you?" I pleaded, enveloping Layla in a tight embrace, longing for her to join me in my newfound hope and enthusiasm.

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