Tangled Love

CHAPTER 37

It's 2am in the morning and I couldn't sleep.

I woke from a terrifying nightmare to find my cheeks and pillow drenched in tears. The room around me didn't feel like mine at all and I miss the feel of my room at home.

I sat up straighter in bed, tugging at my hair and scraping it back into a ponytail. I let out a sigh and climbed out of bed, deciding to go downstairs for a warm drink.

A hot chocolate or a glass of milk relaxed me and right now, I was on edge from the nightmares.

I grabbed a checked shirt, pulling it over me to provide extra warmth from my crop top and pyjama shorts. Slowly creaking my bedroom door open, I left my room and padded across the hallway on my tip toes. I scurried down the stairs and entered the kitchen, deciding against turning on the lights.

I didn't want to wake anyone.

I walked over to the fridge and opened it up, squinting from the light inside. I pulled out the milk and set it down on the counter before turning around to find a glass. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

A dark figure was sat on the dining table, hunched over. I immediately froze in fear, my heart skipping a beat. All the hairs stood up on my body as I took a step back, feeling my heart thump wildly against my chest.

"Don't worry, it's only me."

I jumped at the voice before realising who it belonged to - Jake. I breathed out a sigh of relief and sit beside him, trembling slightly from the scare.

"You scared me," I admit quietly.

"You're easily scared," Jake replies back instantly. His voice is low and quiet, barely above a whisper.

"Jake?" I say quietly, placing a hand on his arm. He's freezing cold and I'm aken aback instantly.

How long has he been sat here in the dark?

"Are you okay?" I ask, worry settling inside me from his silence.

"I'm fine." His words are short and blunt.

"Okay," I whisper, scraping my chair back and finding a glass from the cupboards. I had changed my mind about a warm drink, cold milk would do just fine.

Jake stands up behind me and I'm very aware of his presence as he walks around the table until he's right behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up followed by goosebumps. Jake's body presses against mine from behind, his hands resting on my waist.

He brought his lips up to my ear, nuzzling it with his nose. I feel goosebumps erupt all over my body and I shiver from his touch.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have been rude," he whispers, his voice sending shivers down my body. I frown, feeling confused from his sudden quick change in personality. Jake notices my shaking body and his arms tighten around my frame.

"Are you cold?" He asks me, mumbling his words down my ear. I turn around, my breathing hitching as I feel my body press against Jake's. His hands remain on my waist and he stares intensely at me, blue eyes burning through mine.

Desire filled the air, the connection between us so strong and passion filled.

"A little," I whisper, my lips an inch away from Jake's.

"I can come upstairs and keep you warm?" Jake suggests quietly, his fingers trailing against my bare stomach. I suck in a breath, closing my eyes so that I can think clearly.

Whenever Jake is next to me, it feels like I don't have control over my body or mind.

"I don't know, it's pretty late." I mumble hesitantly, my eyes stinging with lack of sleep.

"Jake, can I ask you something?" I say quietly, feeling his chest rising and falling against mine. His breathing shallows out as he continues to draw swirls on my stomach with his finger. My heart is going crazy inside my chest and I can feel my throat dry out from the electricity shooting through my body.

"Yes Muffin?" Jake answers, his warm breath fanning across my lips. I shudder, pulling back to create some distance between us.

"Do you care about me? Like, really?" I mumble, feeling insecure. It still surprises me that he would want to do all of this for me. I want to be certain about my feelings for him before I reveal them. I don't want to set myself up for failure, pain and humiliation.

"You know I care about you Emily," Jake murmurs, pulling back away from me. The heat begins to disappear as he inches further away, his face masking over with worry.

I don't know what it is, it feels like he's holding back. Something is making him unsure and hesitant when it comes to me and I want to know what it is. There's a protective barrier he walks around with constantly and before I can reveal how I feel, I need to know he feels the same way.

"Why do I feel like there's a but coming along?" I whisper, my nerves increasing as seconds pass. He glances up at me with surprise in his eyes, possibly from me reading his body language.

"I don't know," he mutters in response, his words guarded. I nod in the dark, taking a step back.

"You're unsure?" I say quietly and moments of silence pass between us before Jake nods slowly, exhaling out the breath he's holding. Hurt instantly stabs through my chest but I plaster a smile on my face as I head for the door —

"Goodnight Jake," I say, my voice strained. I wait for him to reply but he doesn't so I leave him alone in the dark.