"Ready?"
Gareth, the miniature version of Eric, leans his shoulder against my door frame, a brow raises when he sees that I've been crying. He's got my tablet under his arm. I nod, giving a tight smile as I wipe my cheeks.
"Any reason or is this a hormonal female thing? I mean, I get it, I'd be so excited that I would cry happy tears if I were staying with me too."
He smirks at me as I roll my eyes, grabbing my shoes. "Where do you even live?"
His face lights up, moving himself away from the doorframe and reaching my tablet out to me. "Apparently you're a good girl, so you can have this back." I can't unhear the way he says it, and my mind floods with his voice, praising me. It feels wrong coming from Gareth. "I live in the East."
My bag drops to the ground with a thud. "No way? That's an hour from here! Why aren't you in VIP?"
"Not all of us are accepted into this place, yet. But as soon as Eric stops rejecting my application to move, I'll be here." He lifts my bag, the muscles on his arm tensing. "Maybe I'll be your neighbour." He winks, grinning as I roll my eyes again and shove his chest.
Typical Eric.
I follow him out the room, down the steps, looking left and right for the tall, tattooed idiot, but he's nowhere in sight. Belinda waves at me, eyeing up Gareth with a warning glare when Mum explains to her that I'm now assigned to the newbie.
I can't believe he lives on the East end of the dome. That's opposite from here, a long walk, and gives me absolutely no opportunities to catch a glimpse of Eric.
The closed-off man who cares about me.
I'm giddy and heartbroken at the same time.
It's strange.
I can still feel his lips against my forehead, the emotional wave of comfort that rushed through me. I'm already addicted, desperate for more and more.
Whenever you need me, just use the band.
God, he will block me from contacting him too much by the end of the day. Maybe I should see if he reaches out first? I've already made it obvious how desperate I am for him, possibly putting him off. What if I don't? What if it pushes him to give in to this... wall he's built up?
I mean, yes, my dad has a lot of power. But he knows his best friend more than anyone, excluding the part where he... yeah. Would Dad be so against us?
Then my mum's voice is in my head, muttering that he's dangerous. Laura and Vanessa. Not good enough. Everything she said that he never denied.
Would whatever he's done push me away?
I don't think so.
It takes us well over an hour to reach Gareth's place. And not only is it a flat, but the apartment building is also shared with three other new recruits, and it's tiny. It's almost impossible for me to have any privacy. Thankfully, there are no wall-length windows, just small circular ones I'm too short to see out of.
I'm going to hate it here.
"I'll bring a blanket down," he tells me, dropping my bags next to the couch. "Unless you want the bed, but I can't promise I won't sleepwalk into it."
He's smiling, trying to hold back his amusement, but I'm straight-faced, glaring at him. "Couch is fine."
"Do you still have panic attacks? You told me about them last week."
I ponder my response, settling with a shrug. "It depends."
"Well, if you freak out in the shower, the door doesn't lock. I'll be able to come help, if you need it."
Oh, for fuck's sake.
I smile. "Thank you."
I'm trying to ignore Eric's comment about his apparent interest in me. He's my friend, who likes Ainsley, not me. We've sat together plenty of times and gossiped the way Ains and I would, watched TV for hours, and made snide jokes about how serious my ex-bodyguard was about everything.
He isn't interested in me.
He can't be.
Please don't be.
"At least your work is closer, we only have a ten-minute walk." Gareth collapses onto the couch beside me, his ankle on his knee. "This will be fun."
Looking around the tight space, I grimace as I calculate that it's not even possible to swing a cat in each room. I'm not a snob who turns her nose up at anything, I don't mind this, but not with someone who isn't Eric or Ains. I go to the bathroom, stepping over boxes, nearly collapsing when I see the shower cubicle is half the size of the one that already suffocates my mind.
Jesus.
________________
Somehow, I've managed four days of no contact with Eric. The temptation has been there, but I refused to crack, even if I've been annoyed that he hasn't once tried to speak with me. I had, however, reached out to Ainsley and spent the day with her yesterday. Gareth didn't sit with us at the park, but did float around to keep an eye on us.
There hadn't been any awkwardness, but she did give me a bollocking for thinking something was going on between her and Eric. She made it clear, with descriptive details, that she would fuck me before going near him, and smoothly added in that although I'm stunning, I'm not her type.
I was both happy and offended, especially when she pointed out she prefers women with tits bigger than her hands.
Yeah, I missed her.
When she was beginning to speak about Eric, Gareth interrupted and said I had to go for my injection. She had winked and said she'd talk to me later.
Now I'm standing in the bathroom, holding the bottom of my back that's still swollen from the contraception I had earlier. I'm wearing a new dress that Ains had given me, a mint green skater with flower designs over it. I've even put some mascara on and pulled my hair back into a messy bun with tendrils falling on the side of my face. Making an effort, something I haven't done in so long.
I'm a tad gutted by the lack of contact from my ex-bodyguard, moping around the messy flat. Gareth seems to think my low mood is a female thing and keeps offering me stupid bowls of ice cream that taste like tap water. It's a nice gesture, I guess, but I might hit him over the head with it.
It's Memorial Day next week, marking two years since we started a new life here in the dome. In that time, we have managed to filter the water from outside and bring it in. We have next to perfect education and medical systems, including a mental health unit which has successful programmes in place. The homeless shelter has not had one occupant in over a year, and we've only had fourteen deaths from natural causes, suicides, and accidents. I mean, that doesn't include the people who go missing when they defy my dad, but we won't speak about that.
There are activity centres set up for all age groups, and the synthetic gardens scattered around the dome are looking more real than ever. The animal unit takes up nearly the entirety of the North, a large farm-like area that we aren't allowed to step foot in without clearance. Apparently, according to a very drunk Eric a few months ago, the Edinburgh Zoo had been packed up and sent down here just in time.
The labs are quiet; they haven't had any new breakthroughs in a while, but still work hard on the food production and monitoring the outside air. What we need the most is for them to figure out how to bring the oxygen inside without poisoning us, that's the biggest thing that holds a timer over our heads.
Levels are slowly declining, enough that suited up researchers can roam outside for a maximum of eight minutes before having to return back to the dome, and they work endlessly to make contact with others on the outside, but so far, they've come up empty.
I have hope.
I think.
Once I'm happy with my appearance and have eaten breakfast, I walk out to the living room to see Gareth sprawled on the couch, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, trousers open, and both legs dangling over the armrest. "Took your time," he says, getting to his feet and fixing his clothing. "You look... nice. But did you not sleep last night? Your eyes are baggier than an eighty-year-olds."
I narrow my apparently dark and sunken eyes at him, crossing my arms. "Thanks for pointing that out."
"Are you going to stop being dry with me?"
I tilt my head. "I'm not."
"You really are, I'm either getting one word or snappy responses. Have I done something wrong?"
Sighing, I cross my arms in front of me. "Of course not. I'm just... tired, I think."
He nods and zips his trousers, smirking at me when I raise a brow at the mess of the place. There are dirty clothes piled up in the hallways and kitchen, the sink full of dishes, and the smell that's been annoying me the past few days has gotten stronger. I have cleaned, a lot, but somehow, he manages to disgustingly destroy the place in a matter of hours. He doesn't cook, ever, and watches me do it while talking about Ainsley and how much confidence he needs to ask her out.
He doesn't understand when I explain she would never go near him. But I am noticing some red flags from him, with Eric's voice in my head about how he was interested in me before, telling people he would approach me at my mum's party. He questions me a lot on his appearance, asking if Ainsley would think he's hot, if I think so, and what are his best features.
I mean, he is an extremely good-looking lad, there's no doubt about that. He's like a younger Eric, with fewer tattoos but the same chiselled face and mesmerising eyes. He takes his physical health seriously enough that he might be the same size as my ex-bodyguard, but definitely not as tall. He snores louder than anyone I've ever come across and sleepwalks. He comments on every little thing I do, right down to why my leg is bouncing or why I enjoy Come Dine with Me.
Gareth's band beeps just as we leave the flat, and I feel more than uncomfortable when two of the new recruits linger at their doorway as we walk by. "Fuck," he mutters, stopping on the path. "I need to do an exam today, fucking Eric and his last-minute shit." It beeps again, and he rolls his eyes as he's informed that Frank is on his way to pick me up. "Why does he need to do this?" he asks me as he runs a hand through his already unruly hair.
As if I'm going to know?
"I thought you were done with training and that's why you're assigned to me?"
He huffs. "I have an exam and my final fitness test left to do, but Eric told us that they weren't for a while, and he goes and pulls this shit."
I stand there, awkwardly playing with the strap of my bag, waiting for Frank to show up while Gareth contacts a few of the recruits. Listening to him bad-mouth Eric annoys me. I try to keep a straight face, but I'm unable to hide my frown.
As soon as he's stopped his bitching, he leans against the metal fence that lines the path. "You do know that you only have your job because he chose you, right? If it weren't for Eric, you'd be in the resource centre or somewhere else."
He rolls his eyes, and I try to remind myself that he's my friend. "He hates me."
"Hate is a strong word," I reply.
Gareth laughs, his dimple denting. Why does he need to look like a younger Eric? "He's threatened me enough times that I'm pretty certain he hates my guts. I nearly passed out with how tight he strangled me the other day, warning me to stay away from you." He points at me, licking his lips as he straightens. "He's actually chucked me about a few times, and it's always down to me either looking at you for too long, or calling you fucking Dan. What's the deal?"
"He's protective," I respond flatly. "He's always been that way with me, even with Robbie."
"Sure," he spits back, stopping whatever he's about to say when Frank appears.
They exchange a few words, and I step back from them to look around. This side of the dome is a lot busier; the buildings are closer and there are more kids running around.
Frank eventually walks with me, keeping his head down as he whistles. "How are things?" I ask him, trying to break the silence. "I haven't heard from my parents."
"They're fine. Your dad is busy, Elaine has been working on the new activity grounds scattered around the dome."
I nod, and we continue on until we reach the school.
I'm in Orla's class today, so I'm excited to spend some time with her since she was too ill last week. She is still living with Ainsley's parents, but they want detachment for her, so I'm not allowed to spend any time with the little girl unless I'm at work.
Frank pulls me in from the playground a few hours into my shift, I smile as the kids pout. "What's up?" I ask him, wiping some glitter from my dress.
"Can you check the inventory in the storage room?" He nods to the back, handing me my tablet. "Use this, then send me a checklist of what I need to order in."
I frown, confused. "I've never done inventory before."
He doesn't reply, walking away with his hands clasped behind his back, whistling again. Frank ushers the kids out who followed us in, and glances at me over his shoulder before closing the door.
Strange.
The room is dark, metal shelves line the walls with boxes of toys, paper, books, and everything else used in schools. I can't find the Dialpad to turn on the light, so I shine my tablet to look around.
When the glow of the screen lands on the small desk, I see fresh boxes full of stock.
Huh?
I try to scream as a hand covers my mouth, turning to pin me to the wall. My heart nearly blows through my chest with panic, elevating even more as a warm body presses to my back, the person breathing heavily in my ear.
Mint and spice fill my senses, and the butterflies I've been missing return.
"What do you do when someone has you like this?" he rasps, pressing into me more, his arm snaking around my waist.
Panic turns to relief at the sound of his voice, and I smile, really smile, enough that I release a giggle. His hand pulls away from my mouth, wrapping around my small wrists to pin them above us.
Panting, I struggle in his grasp, failing. "There's not much I can do."
Something is stirring deep within me as Eric runs his nose up and down the shell of my ear. "That's not how it works." One hand holds me still, the other vanishing from my waist as the lights turn on. He releases me completely and steps back. Slowly turning, I glance at him looking at me with a snarl. "You've taken absolutely fuck all in from training. I could have been anyone."
I glare at him. "Stop overreacting. I knew it was you."
His jaw tenses. "Give me that."
Eric takes the tablet from my hand slowly, his fingers gliding over my wrist, and the touch alone drives me insane, like ice shattering all over my body. Between his casual clothing, a tight black Nike top and shorts, the messy hair, and electric blue eyes, I'm melting.
He cares about me.
I watch him sit down at the desk, elbow leaning on parted legs, in full concentration as he does something on my tablet.
He's handsome in his uniform, but something about him in sportswear, his hair a mess, and being comfortable around me this way, makes me internally swoon.
I missed you.
"Does Frank know you're here?" I ask.
"Obviously," he responds bluntly, going back to tapping on the screen, engrossed.
I imagine my knee between his legs.
"How are the dogs?"
He clears his throat, glancing up at me then back to the tablet. "They're fine, but Skye looks for you."
I feel my chest caving in. "I miss them." He nods in response. "What are you doing?" I ask him, my back still against the wall.
"Your mum blocked me on this and your band, so I've not been able to reply to any of your messages or voice notes."
I bite my lip, stepping towards him, half proud and half nervous. "I haven't sent any," I say, settling on the desk in front of him. "So..."
He looks up at me through his dark lashes, keeping his eyes on mine as he stands tall, the chair screeching across the floor. "Really?" he teases with his brows raising, taking a few steps in my direction, placing my tablet on the desk behind me. He's so close, I can feel the heat from him, imagining his possessive touch all over me, large hands roaming every inch of my body. "Has Gary been entertaining enough?"
I like this side of him.
Jealousy seems to drive him to do what he restrains himself from doing with me.
Good.
I found a weakness. And after the hot and cold, back and forth headache he's put me through the past few months, he is going to suffer immensely.
"Sure is," I reply, pressing my palms to the desk so I can sit on it properly, crossing my legs over so the soft material pulls up my thighs. His gaze drops to my exposed skin, then back up to look me square in the face with a hint of evil in his eyes. "Very entertaining," I add in with a smirk.
Eric hums, his eyes trailing down the length of my body once more. "That explains the short dress," he says, leaning into me so his hands are flat on the wood beside my own.
"Do you like it?" I ask, trying to stifle a giggle. I wouldn't be pushing this so much if he didn't have a slight glint in his eyes, or a smirk pushing through his serious expression. "Gareth thinks it's nice."
"Does he now?"
I nod excessively, biting the inside corner of my mouth. "Do you agree with him?"
He scowls at me, biting his lip, then sucks it into his mouth. "Open your legs," he orders me.
My laugh halts. "What?" I ask, but doing as I'm told anyway. My breath hitches when he positions himself between them, the material now at my hips, nearly exposing my underwear. Strong hands are on my thighs, his touch sending waves of all sorts through me, ending at my core. I swallow, lips parting.
He lowers his face, so his cheek is to mine, close enough to speak against my ear in a low tone. "Is that why you haven't attempted to contact me? Because you're with him?" he asks, carefully controlling his breaths against my neck, causing a surge of shivers to rush down my spine. "Answer me."
I try to reply, but the sensation of his palms moving dangerously up my legs is rendering me completely silent. My eyes flutter shut as he drops his head down lower to press his lips to my collarbone, grazing his teeth delicately.
Moaning from this is acceptable, right? Because I'm holding back so much.
"Do you need a reminder of how entertaining I can be?"
Then his touch vanishes, and I'm pulled back to reality, glaring at him standing between my legs. "Really, Eric?"
"You didn't answer me," he says with a shrug.
"We're in a school storage room, and you want to do this? What does this even mean?"
He licks his bottom lip, thinking to himself. "I had to unblock myself from your comms. This is just an extra bonus of touching you."
"I'm not some extra bonus. You can't just take from me when you feel like it, then push me aside."
"I could take something else...as a souvenir," he continues, and I gasp as his hands land on my legs again, edging higher, moving until his fingers dip under my underwear sitting on my hip. He massages his fingers against my skin then twists them in the material. "I'm taking these. Lift," he commands into my ear, pulling them down as I raise my hips. He stuffs the red knickers into his pocket, smirking so his dimples dent in deeper than ever. "Good girl."
I struggle to form words as his hands find my hips once more, yanking me to him so I'm at the edge of the desk. "This will give everyone a good view when the wind blows up my dress," I say with a gulp, trying to fight the sensation of warmth encasing me. "Especially Gareth. Oh, and do you forget I work in a school?"
Half of me wants to wrap my legs around him, the other half wants to push him away, tell him to stop messing with my head.
He looks humoured. "There is no wind in the dome, Dan. And it's a good thing your shift ends in five minutes."
His hand is on my face, smoothing the curly ginger tendrils behind my ear, the other slowly circling the small of my back to close any distance between our bodies. I keep my gaze on his, drowning in his ocean blues while a palm finds my exposed hip again.
"Do you think Gary could make you feel the same way if he was to do this?" he questions with a smirk, his thumb slowly making its way between my legs. "I doubt he knows how to pleasure a woman, not properly."
My hands grip the wood of the desk, my body shaking against his with want, need, and desperation.
How can I refuse someone I crave so much?
Does he want me as badly?
No, he wants me, but apparently can't kiss me. Yet, he has no problem with owning my body, claiming me with touches, and having his lips on my skin.
What does that make me to him?
I grab his wrist, pulling his hand away just as the pad of his thumb grazes my most sensitive area. "When you grow a set of balls and give in entirely, then you can touch me."
He's silent, tilting his head as his eyes search my serious expression. Inwardly, I'm on fucking fire, dying to tug his hand back between my legs to continue his exploration.
Then we're pulled apart by Frank knocking against the door.
_______________________
I shower while Ainsley chats with me through my band, telling me about her day while I hold back about my own. Wanting to divulge to her everything has gotten harder, because I know she is all for it, but at the same time, Eric might not want anyone to know.
Know what?
We aren't a thing.
Gareth is already in bed by the time I dry my hair and have something to eat, so I settle on the couch and watch TV.
My band beeps, and it's a messaging system I'm not sure of. I pull my tablet from my bag, sitting back down on the couch.
I'm smiling so hard.
Osprey#001: Why are you still awake?
Biting my lip with a smile, I lie down, lifting the covers up to my chin. I roll my eyes when I see his contact name.
Of course he would have himself as number one.
Staring at the screen for a long minute, contemplating my reply, I cover my face as if he can see it turning red, letting out a breathy laugh.
God, I feel like a teenager talking to their crush.
McClure#069: How typical of you to be down as number one.
I frown at my own number.
Osprey#001: I was the first to be put into the system. So, yes, I'm number one... You got a problem with that?
Wouldn't my dad or mum be the first? This database was created last minute, but it basically controls the entire dome. Between communications and security, resources and the labs, without it we would never survive.
McClure#069: You're an idiot. Why would you be first?
My eyes go wide at his response that comes within half a second.
Osprey#001: This idiot created the system, dickhead.
My insides stir for the second time today, warmth coating me. Wait, am I turned on by the idea of Eric being so intelligent?
Yes, I definitely am.
I blow out my cheeks and roll onto my back, thinking of a response, but then my eyes narrow at the screen.
McClure#069: And you made me 69?
Idiotic little—
Osprey#001: It's a great number. You should try it.
I giggle, glancing up at the doorway, through the hallway, into the bedroom to make sure I haven't woken my new bodyguard.
Strangely, Robbie was never into exploring, so I'm pretty new to anything sexual, even that. It's a bit embarrassing how inexperienced I am, considering I had a boyfriend for so long.
Osprey#001: I highly recommend it.
I love this fun side of Eric, something he has never shown before. Is this a good sign?
Typing out a reply that I know will get to him, I giggle some more, probably the most I have in a while.
McClure#069: I'll be sure to ask your best mate Gareth then. He does have a set of balls, and did call me a good girl.
The tablet dings, and I cover my mouth, so I don't wake up the entire apartment building from the frantic laugh falling from my lips.
I want to annoy him, especially because he knows I'm teasing for a reaction.
It's... what was it Eric said? Entertaining.
Osprey#001: Fuck off.
It beeps again, and I feel a wave of excitement rushing through me, cheeks heating as I read.
Osprey#001: I'm blocking fucking Gary from your band and coming to get you.
_____________________
Thoughts?
Usually, I update every week to ten days, but I'm excited to get to a certain part of this story, so I'm full steam ahead!
Do we enjoy making Eric jealous?
Do you think it will give him a kick up the arse to fully let Dan in?
I love to interact with my readers. But what I love even more is seeing you all mingling together and finding friendships. I've found my best mates in the comment sections of books. Tell me something about yourself, what country you are from, your favourite food, colour, book trope, or anything, and watch the love grow!