Wanting Ella ✔ (Blaq Hearts 1)

27. When Preheating

"You're quitting?!"

Ella frowned at Alex, tossing her a paper towel to clean the milk she'd spilled when she spoke.

"Yes, I am. It's the only reasonable thing to do. I can't feel this way about him. It's distracting." What was really distracting was Alex scowling at her across the kitchen island. Ella refused to acknowledge it, however, instead focusing on heating the can of beans Alex had pleaded for.

"Reasonable?" Alex pushed the unfinished bowl of cereal away and grabbed the towel, dabbing her lips with it. "How is quitting the 'reasonable' thing to do?" She made air quotes when she spoke, looking lost at Ella's words.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Ella stirred the slowly bubbling pot of beans wondering how long it'll take to heat up. The can had said five minutes. When microwaved. But Alex, who wasn't scared of driving a two-wheeled vehicle, or learning Krav Maga, dirt biking, was however afraid of a little box that was designed to make heating meals better and faster for all of mankind.

"How long is this supposed to take? I'm tired of stirring."

"No, no. Don't change the fucking subject."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Christ, Alex, it's barely seven, can't you leave the cursing for later."
Hopping off the stool, Alex leaned over the island, forcing Ella to look at her. "Listen, babe. You're not quitting, not for anything, and not for the fact that you have the hots for your hot boss."

Facepalming, Ella attempted to turn away from her, but Alex, unrelenting, grabbed her, gently turning her towards her. "I watched you be miserable for years, Anna. That..." She inhaled. "...it broke you. I never told you, but it was hard seeing you like that, and knowing I couldn't do anything to help you...." Her voice broke a little at that and Ella felt tears well up in her eyes.

Alex exhaled, shutting her eyes for a second, when she opened them, a single teardrop rolled down her face. "Point is when you decided to leave that house, that little town, and start a new life, just like we'd always dreamed. In New York, the concrete jungle," They both laughed a little at that. "you have no idea how happy that made me. Finally, I had my sister back." She smiled tearily. "I know I don't talk about my feelings and shit because I don't like being pitied. But, you and Jamie are the closest thing to siblings I have. Even though Jamie is an ass," They both giggled again, Ella wiping the tears off her face too. "I love him, and I love you. And I want the best for both of you. So for you, for me, for him. Don't give up on this opportunity."

Ella nodded, realizing she was about to make a huge mistake. So what if she wanted to sleep with her boss? She was only human. "You're right. As usual." Alex smiled as she reached out to clean the tears off Ella's face, and Ella reached over to do the same.
"And," Alex continued as she made her way behind the island, coming face to face with Ella. "there's a simple solution to your... 'predicament.'"

Before she could ask what the solution was, her phone chimed, calling her attention. She checked her watch, seeing it was some minutes past 7 am now. She'd better head to work if she didn't want another reason for Kaiden to speak to her.
Grabbing her phone, she saw a notification indicating she'd received a message from... Kaiden.

She stared at it until the screen went off. "What is it?" Alex nudged her.

"Um, it's a message from Kaiden."

Alex's eyes lit up at that. "Ooh, what is it? Is it nudes?"

Shocked, she barely registered Alex's absurd question. "I don't know."
"Well," Alex nudged her again. "open it up. I'm dying from the anticipation."
Ella nodded, yet did not move whatsoever to read the text. Rolling her eyes at her silliness, she unlocked her phone and hesitated for a second before tapping on the message.

"Well, what does it say?" Alex leaned over to read the message, trying to peek at the screen. Her efforts were futile seeing as Ella had it at an angle she wouldn't be able to read it easily.

Ella frowned at the words on the screen, wondering what the hell he was up to now. She re-read the words, the four words confusing her each time she read them.

"What does it say, Els?" Alex's voice had become whiny, which meant she was getting impatient. And impatient Alex wasn't very easy to deal with.
"It says, 'take the day off."

Alex frowned. "What?" She grabbed the phone from Ella's loose fingers, reading the text herself. "Is he giving you a day off?"
Ella blinked, coming to her senses. "I- I think so.... but why? I haven't worked that long with him, neither do I know him that well, but I have a feeling he isn't the kind of person to give people days off."

While she scrambled around in her brain trying to solve and understand what this meant, Alex, who seemed to have solved it, jumped happily. "Oh my God, Els, you can be so dumb it's almost cute." Ella scowled at that and Alex only laughed harder. "He's giving you a day off to think about him. You, the both of you." When Ella continued staring at her dumbly, she groaned. "He's giving you time off to come to a decision, whatever it is you want you guys to be."

Her scowl deepened. "I don't want us to be anything."

"I don't think that's a decision he'll agree to." Alex seemed a little too happy, while Ella thought about quitting again. Catching up to her train of thoughts, Alex slapped her arm gently. "Don't you dare, my tears won't go in vain."
Ella nodded, shaking the thoughts from her head. She groaned, dropping defeatedly to a lower stool. "I don't know what to do." She buried her face in her hands, giving up on the situation. She couldn't think, therefore she couldn't come to a decision.

This felt silly, here she was trying to decide if she should be in a relationship with her boss. This shouldn't be an issue at all. The answer was pretty simple. No. If only she wasn't attracted to him, if only she hadn't touched herself and orgasmed to the thought of him. Then 'no' would have been the easiest and most reasonable answer. But she had done those things, and more, which is where the dilemma came in.

"I can see the wheels burning out in that head of yours, babe."

She groaned again. "What am I supposed to do? I hate feeling so cornered."

Alex sighed, resting her head on Ella's, she stroked her hair. "I'm gonna ask you something, Els, and I need a straightforward answer." She straightened, bringing Ella's hands away from her face. "Do you understand?" She quirked an eyebrow when she didn't receive a reply, and Ella reluctantly nodded.

"Now," She clasped both her hands in hers, making eye contact. "Do you want to have sex with Kaiden?" Ella frowned, attempting to pull away from Alex's firm grip. When all efforts failed, she stopped struggling and mumbled. "That seems too crude to ask."

Alex quirked an eyebrow again. Sighing, Ella nodded. "Straightforward, Els."
Rolling her eyes, she closed her eyes in embarrassment as she felt her skin heat up, no doubt she was redder than an overripe tomato now. "Yes okay. I do want to have sex with Kaiden, I've never felt a stronger urge like this! Is that what you want to hear?"

Alex was smiling, slyly, and Ella wanted to smack that smug look off her face. "Well not in so many words, but yes." Ella groaned again, facepalming. Alex forced her to look at her again. "And from what you've told me, the office party, yesterday, and not to mention the little moments you guys may have had which you didn't pay attention to, I'm sure Kaiden wants to have sex with you."

Ella rolled her eyes. "What's your point, Alex?"
Alex let her hands go and turned off the stove. "I believe we just came to a solution."

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