Hatred With Benefits

EVA.

"I might be home late tonight, are you alright with that?" Emerson asks as I unfasten my seatbelt. I turn to him and say, "Why not? Are you leaving campus early?"

"Yes. I have to head over to Jaxon for some things. "He tells me and I nod, tearing my gaze away from his to grab my bag.

"Is that okay with you?" Emerson inquires when I drop my gaze back to him and I nod, "Of course. Gives me more alone time to myself without you sniffing your face into my ass.

"Oh, babe," he chuckles as he leans over the divider to grab my chin. "Have I ever mentioned how adorable you sound when you try to hide the truth from me?"

"I don't think I need to hide if it's-" Emerson's lips on mine shut me up and he stays for five seconds before he pulls back, "Make me dinner before I get back, yeah?"

"What am I? Your wife?" I snort out a laugh as I slap his hand from my chin and he sinks back in his seat with a knowing smile on his face. "No, you're something more. That sounds too low in comparison. "I twist my head from his view after those words to hide the way he once again easily made me turn red.

"Baby?" Emerson calls behind me, and I just know he's smiling with the tone of that voice. Clearing my throat and taking several exhales to calm down my burning cheeks coupled with my racing heart, I angle my head to meet his eyes. "I just remembered. You said you'll do the groceries today."

"Oh shoot," he mumbles, guilt covering his face. "We still have enough to last us for a week or more. I'll do it tomorrow, I can't cancel plans with Jaxon."

"You said that the last time we ran out and I ended up doing it myself. "I throw him a frown and he puts on one of those convincing looks that get so hard to resist. "I won't this time, Eva. '

"Promise," he adds when I don't give a response and I give a curt nod to curb the smile that's threatening to break out. Silence swims between us with our gazes fixed on each other before there's a loud beep of a phone and I look down to the compartment to grab Emerson's phone but he's quick to snatch it from me.

"Got it." He mutters as he waves the device in the air. "Probably an unnecessary text from Hanna or one of the boys.

"1

"Um, okay?" I respond and then gesture to the door. "I need to catch up to Aliya. See you in class?"

"See you." He says with a small smile and I close the space between us to press a kiss to his cheek before I climb out of the car.

Shutting the door behind me, I throw another glance at Emerson to see his eyes on his screen. What the hell was that? Why was he so alarmed?

Looking away from him, I shake my mind off the thought before I walk away.

"Eva!" I jump at the loudness of Aliya's voice and when I meet her eyes, I throw her a frown, "Why the fuck did you shout so loud?"

"Because I've been speaking to you without your attention?" She scowls and my shoulders sink in a sigh as I drop my hands on the table before me. "Sorry. I was lost in thoughts. "

"Is everything alright? You don't look so good. Did something happen with Emerson?" She asks and I take a while before I part my lips, deciding whether the issue is worthy enough to speak to Aliya about. Knowing it'll keep bothering me until I speak about it with someone, I go along with it. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, why not?" She responds and I lean over the table, moving my face closer to hers. "Do you think I should be worried if I start noticing some changes in a person's behaviour?"

"Changes like what?" She questions and I say, "Just minor ones. They start doing things differently from the way they used to and they're always wary with the slightest of things that never mattered before." "I don't know," she starts, rubbing her chin. "I think it depends on whether things have changed between the both of you.

"

Changed? Nothing changed between me and Emerson. The phone protectiveness just came out of nowhere, and it's leading to thoughts that I shouldn't have. Thoughts that I know can't be true, but I can't help considering.

"This person is Emerson, isn't it?" Aliya's voice pulls my attention back to her and I hum, "He's been acting odd and I'm scared. "

"In what way?" Aliya questions further and I say, "He's being... Guarded? Mostly for his phone. "

"Maybe he doesn't like you invading his privacy? There are people like that, Evie. No matter how intimate you get, they always want their privacy." She explains and I make a sound of disapproval. "No, that isn't it. He wasn't like this before. There's no seclusion when it comes to me and him, Aliya. Especially not with his phone. He leaves the phone carelessly around me, and I help with his calls sometimes, but now it's different. Just a subtle touch will earn me loads of questions and it's starting to frustrate me. What's he so guarded for?"

"Maybe it's getting too much?" She suggests and I lift a brow, "What do you mean?"

"I mean you guys have never been like this before. Not until you got into a relationship, and at first; he would think it's alright. But then it starts to get too much and he doesn't know how to go about it so he pulls away? Like he needs space? Wanting to take a breath of fresh air after being suffocated for long?"

"No." I'm quick to oppose her analysis. "I know Emerson, Aliya and he isn't like that. If you haven't noticed, he's the clingiest between the two of us and he was in my space before I was in his. It can't be that." "I don't know what else it could be." She says. "But I believe he's your man and you should know him better than anyone. You should try to speak to him about it if it's disturbing you this much." "Maybe. Maybe I should. "I agree and she smiles, lifting her hand to the table to caress mine. "But I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about. Emerson loves you, Evie. I barely see him around yet I know that fact. "

"It's cute when you try to act mature. "I tease her and she drops her hand. "Fuck off, bitch. "

And I shove her my middle finger before we both break into a laugh.

"Oh, is that Sage?" I speak at the sight of the blonde-haired girl walking into the room with an unfamiliar girl by her side.

I wear a smile as I lift my hand to wave at her, and she meets my eyes, her expression the opposite of what I'm used to before she turns her head away and I slowly drop my hand. When I shift my gaze back to Aliya, she's staring at me and I say, "Do you think she just ignored me? She saw me but she looked away?"

"I don't see any reason for her to say hello, Evie. I'm right here." She points a finger to herself and I watch as Sage walks past us without a word or something as simple as a glance. I'm stunned to say at least Sage is warm and cheerful. At times, I thought she was a perfect fit for Aliya because their personalities are almost the same, but this Sage? Her whole posture screams cold.

"Stop staring at her. "Aliya tells me and I look away from the duo. "She obviously doesn't want to talk. Let her be, Eva."

"Do you want to go talk to her? You've been worried for days. "I remind her and she turns her head sideways in disagreement. "No, I'm fine. Talking to her will do nothing but worsen the way things are and I don't want to either. I'm alright with the sight of her well being.

"

"Aliya " I start to say but she cut me off. "Drop it, Eva. "Then she grabs her bag from the side, "I'm done. Are you? We should leave." Knowing the reason behind her sudden willingness to leave, I nod and grab my bag, trailing after her as we make our way out.

"Are you okay?" Emerson asks as he hovers over my body with his hands staying by the sides of my head and I smile at him, "Of course, I am. Why won't I be?" "You've just been spacing out a lot since I got back, and that's so unlike you. Is anything bothering you?" Other than the fact that you've been behaving strangely? "No. Nothing. I'm just thinking about my project. "I lie with a forced smile on my face, none of which he seems to notice as he leans forward to brush his lips against mine. When he pulls back, he says, "Don't make me worried about you, Eva. I don't like the feeling. "Neither do I when you give me reasons to start having bad thoughts and doubts.

"I know, and I won't. "I promise him and a smile appears on his face as he pushes forward again, taking my lips in his this time. I shut my eyes and let all previous thoughts drown to be in the moment with him as I slide my hands up his arms and leave them on his shoulders, squeezing the skin with each tangle of his tongue against mine.

The kiss turns from slow to fast and his lips turn from gentle to rough against mine as he glides his hand across my chest, squeezing my breast before he tugs at the hardened nipple and a moan moves from the back of my throat- one that he gladly swallows.

He devours my mouth till I no longer feel which is mine and which is his, with the slow movement of tug and pull on my breasts, making me burn under his touches till the desire for more streams through me and I drop my hands to the hem of his shirt, hand slipping underneath to feel his taut muscles at the tip of my fingers.

"Emerson-" his name falls from my mouth in a pant when he releases my lips to move to my neck, giving me a short time to breathe with his continual attack on my neck and my breasts.

"Your hand. "I manage to let out as I throw my head to the side, creating more space for him to leave his marks.

Much to my disdain, Emerson pulls back with his torturous caress on my breasts halting and when I look back at him, a visible smirk rests on his lips.

"You want more?" He asks the obvious and I'm only able to hum in response. Not looking quite satisfied with my answer, he proceeds to say, "Your words, Eva. Use your words. Do you want more? Do you want these clothes gone? Do you want my hands on your bare tits? Or maybe it's my mouth?"

"You know, I do," my reply comes out in a moan and I know he feels my impatience as I lock my hands around his waist and try to bring his mouth to mine, but like the motherfucking dirty tease he is- he doesn't budge.

"Emerson. "I let out a cry of frustration and he dares to smile at me, bringing his face closer to mine; only enough for me to feel the heat but not to take it with me.

"You're so eager, Carson. Do you realize that?" He whispers as one of his hands moves to the space between our lower bodies and it rolls to the waistband of my panties. "So fucking needy that it drives me insane. Do you do it on purpose, uh? You know how much it fucks with my head when you act like that so you do it every single time to watch me at your mercy?"

Whatever answer I was going to give to Emerson and whatever his words were becomes faded thoughts the moment he rubs two fingers across my wet lace. The touch is electrifying, turning me on at the right and all places.

"Another. Another, please." I plead desperately as I nudge his body into mine with my hold on his waist and Emerson chuckles, "I know, baby. I know what you want and I'll give it to you.

"

He looks down to where his touch is and he repeats the action. No longer able to hold back, I lift my hands from his waist to his head, gripping onto his hair as I plead for another- something that's become a favourite thing to do.

Emerson takes his time in making me ache for more and more, till it feels like I'm about to burst out of the need for it. He doesn't use his mouth and he doesn't use his tongue; hell he's barely using his hand! Just two fingers. He has me where he wants me with just two fingers against my soaked panties. God, it feels so fucking good. I didn't think a bare touch to my clad pussy could feel this good, but it's him. And he has a way of making even the most innocent of kisses feels so fucking dirty.

"I will—" Emerson's words pause at the sound of his phone going off and I'm brought out of the state of bliss I'm in when he withdraws his hand.

"Emerson. "I whine as he starts to move away and his gaze settles back on me. "I just need to check, baby and I'll be back." He assures me, placing a soft kiss on my lips and I let my hands fall from his hair as he climbs off the bed.

I twist my head to the side to watch him grab the phone.

"Babe, this is important. I need to take this. " He calls over his shoulder without taking his eyes off the screen and I start to sit up on the bed with my back against the headboard. "That's fine. You can take it." There are no other words from Emerson as he picks up the call and glues the phone to his ear. I furrow my brows when he starts to stride in the other direction and he's out of my room.

A sigh leaves my mouth and I stretch my hand to grab my phone, unlocking the screen and scrolling through the pictures.

After minutes of using my phone and getting bored with no sign of Emerson, I toss the mobile to the side and get out of bed, following in the direction he took earlier. "Emerson. "I call in the silence of the night as I pace towards his room. I unlock the door and slip my head through the small space to see there's so Emerson inside.

"Where did you go?" I mumble under my breath as I shut the door and turn my body in the direction that leads me out of the rooms and into the living room. Hushed voices are coming from the other side when I get to the living room and I take the corner that brings me to the kitchen. Emerson is standing before the counter with his back turned to me when I get there and I arch a brow. Did he leave me in the room to take a call in the kitchen?

I make my way towards him, but halt my steps when I hear him say, "No, she doesn't know yet. I'll be there tomorrow."

He turns after those words, and I notice the way he flinches slightly when his gaze settles on mine, his eyes going wide.

"Eva!" He lets out a call of my name with surprise and concern laced through his voice as he mutters some words lowly to the phone, then he moves it from his ear.

"Who were you speaking to?" I ask him with a raise of my brow at the same time he says, "Why are you here? How long have you been standing there?"

There are moments of silence between us before he opens his mouth again, "What are you doing, Eva?"

When I don't give a response, he reaches out a hand as he strolls toward me. "Come on. Let's go back to the room.

I don't let his touch stay on my skin, knowing that's the moment I'll overlook what just went down.

"Eva. Let's go." He repeats his words and I shake my head as I move to the side. "No."

Confusion masks his expression and he says, "What do you mean no? Do you want something?"

I can no longer hold it back. I've tried. God, I've fucking tried to disregard it; telling myself it's nothing and I might just be thinking too much into things, but it's getting harder to hold myself back when he's like this. The cautious calls, the sudden weird behaviour, the way he flinched when he saw me here and the look of suspicion on his face; it's all too much.

And that's why I part my lips. "What were you doing?"

"Uh?" He lifts a brow and I step closer to him. "Right here. You were on a call. What do you mean by those words and who were you on a call with?" "How much of it did you hear?" Emerson ignores my question to ask his instead and I say, "That doesn't answer my fucking question, Emerson!"

"What is it this time, Eva? Can't I be on a call?" He voices out in a tired tone and a scoff leaves my mouth, "That isn't what this is about and you fucking know it, Ford! Don't try to play games with me because I know you know what I mean. You left me in there to take a call? What happened to taking the calls in my presence or ignoring them because you don't want to let go of me? What the fuck happened to that? And you were here. Do I have to mention how fucking scared you look when you saw me? Who were you on the phone with, Emerson?"

"Eva, look-" he starts, but I don't let him finish before I interrupt him. "No, Emerson. I'm tired. I'm so damn tired of pretending you haven't been acting distrustfully for a while now. You've been behaving weirdly and I'm so fucking tired of not speaking up about it! I know it and you know it. You're keeping something from me, Ford and I want to know this fucking instant; what the hell are you hiding from me?"

"God." He groans, slapping a palm into his face. When he looks back at me, he says, "I don't want to do this with you, please. So let's just go back to bed. Eva?" He tries to touch me again, but again, I move back.

With a firm voice, I speak. "It's either you tell me what's going on with you, or I leave. And I assure you, Ford. The moment I walk out of this room, that's it.