Hatred With Benefits

F I F T Y - F O U R

EVA.

Emerson stops the car at our usual spot and I turn to my side, watching him as he unfastens his

seatbelt before he twists his body to my view.

"Had fun?" He glimpses at the books that are in the backseat and my eyes follow his before I meet his

gaze and smile, "I did. " We spent hours at the bookstore and more than half of the time was me and

Emerson arguing, him distracting me by saying something naughty and leaving me a mindless idiot in

front of him, or him promising he has a copy of the book I picked. It was chaotic, it was wild and it was

fun: a combination that I can find with Emerson Ford and Emerson Ford only.

"Want to go back to my place to read some of these?" Emerson's questions pull me back to the view

that's in front of me, and I stare at him, waiting for him to break into a laugh, but he doesn't. He keeps

the straight face on as he awaits my response and I point a finger at him, then at myself.

When he nods, I say, "You're honestly asking me to come over to your place?"

"You will use the window as I do with yours. " He says in an unbothered tone and I shake my head, "I'm

not going to your place, Emerson. "

"Why? Afraid you won't have the control?" He doesn't attempt to hide the mockery in his voice and I

don't attempt to dismiss it.

"Don't play games with me, Ford. " I tell him in a warning tone and a smile slowly creeps into his face

as he leans over the divider to rub his lips against my nose.

"I was just fucking with you, Carson. I don't want you to come either. " He says as he leans back in his

seat before he jerks his head to the backseat. "Are you taking it all with you?"

We managed to get five books with Emerson convincing me to get him two.

"No, I just need one. You can bring the others with you once you're returning to our apartment. We'll

leave in— why are you grinning?" I frown at the end of my words.

"I just the love the way you call it. " When I give him a look of confusion, he proceeds to say, "Our

apartment. You always say our apartment, and not your place. "

"Oh, " heat spreads to my cheeks and I look away from him at the silly habit he managed to notice. "We

both paid for it and we both live there so it's ours. "

"I know, " he agrees. "But I love the possessive pronoun you use for it, Eva. It's cute. " He's doing it

again. Making me burn under his heated gaze; one that provokes a reaction from me no matter how

many times he directs it at me.

"I want this one, " my voice floats between us as I unfasten my seatbelt and climb over the divider to

get to the backseat. "It's— Emerson!" I snap when his hand makes contact with my ass.

I grab the book and settle back in my seat as I pass him a glare.

"What? It was in my face. You can't tease me with your ass and expect me to be a gentleman about it,

Carson. I'm everything, but that when it comes to you. " His words. Oh fuck, his words. How does he

make everything, and anything sounds so fùcking dirty?

"You don't see me grabbing your cock when you throw your pants in my face, Ford. " I tell him, and he

stands from his seat. I break into a laugh as he attempts to push the front of his pants in my face.

"Stop!" I manage to make out through the loud sound and Emerson pulls back, "I don't mind, Eva. Grab

it anywhere and anytime you want; I wouldn't give a flying fuck. "

"Yeah, because you have no shame. " I taunt him and Emerson shakes his head, "Because it's yours,

to begin with. "

"I know, " I mutter and his lips curves, "Good, because I want your hands there tonight. "

"You'll have more than just my hands there, Emerson. " I promise as I lean towards him to close my lips

over his. Emerson's hand moves to the back of my head to deepen the kiss, his tongue easily slipping

through my parted lips and I moan at the taste of the earlier ice cream on him.

When Emerson breaks the kiss, he shifts his hand from the back of my head to stroke my cheek and

says, "Tonight. "

"Tonight. " I repeat with a smile and he nuzzles his nose against mine before he drops his hand and

lets me move back.

I grab my cap from the side and fix it on my hair, giving Emerson one last glance before I climb out of

his car with the book in hand.

~

I put down the book at the sound of knocks against my window and warmth spreads around me, my

heartbeats speeding in my chest at the knowledge that he's here.

I get off the bed and walk to my window to see a gorgeous dark haired behind it. I gesture for him to

move and I make sure he's out of sight before I push it open and he appears again.

"Hey. " He greets as he throws one leg inside.

"Careful. " I tell Emerson as he brings his other leg inside. When he maintains his feet, he wraps a

hand around me and leans back against the edge of the window.

"I forgot you use glasses, " he says softly as he lifts a hand to my glasses to caress the tip.

"You have a shitty memory so I'm not surprised. " Emerson laughs at my attempt to taunt him before I

haul him away from the window and lead him to my bed.

"You started already?" He asks as he stretches to the other side of my spot and I hum as I cross my

legs to resume my reading, "I love this one. What are you doing?"

"Watching you. " He answers.

"You came here to watch me?" Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

"No, I came here to do many things, and I'll start with watching you read. " He winks and I move the

book over my face to avoid his gaze.

"Why do you think they hate each other so much?" Emerson suddenly asks and I bring the book down

to drop my chin over it.

"Who?" I ask him as I close the book I have in hand and lower my glasses to meet his gaze.

"Your father and mine. Why do you think they hate each other so much?" He explains, moving across

the bed to get closer to me and I straighten my legs as he moves between them and drops his head in

the middle.

"Business? Isn't that what business is all about? You push and pull to get the power. " I tell him and

Emerson says, "It's not all about that. There's something else. "

"One thing I know is that your dad wants mime out of the company. " I say as he grabs hold of my hand

and lifts it to his head. I match his gaze with a smile before burying my fingers through his curls and he

hums in satisfaction.

"He thinks he's incapable. " He says, then let out a distressed laugh. "He thinks everyone is incapable

and wants the world to revolve around him. His power, his world and his rules. "

I dig my fingers deeper into his curls as a form of massage and Emerson makes a groan of

contentment.

"Most powerful men are that way. " I tell him and he shakes his head, lifting his hands to the side of my

legs. "Yours isn't that way. "

"My father has his own rules too, believe me. "

"And I'm pretty sure they come nowhere as close to Mason's obsession with dominating the world. " He

snorts and I lift a brow, "Dominate the world?"

"That's what I call the things he does. I do not doubt that more than half of how things are between

them will be because of my father. " He hisses and I slow the movement of my hand as I ask, "Why are

you suddenly concerned about them? Is there something bothering you?"

Emerson remains silent for a few seconds before he opens his mouth. "I'm trying to understand how

fucked up it'd be if they find out we're close. "

"They can't, " I'm quick to disagree, knowing my father would lose his shit at the news. Matt can be

gentle and easy with me, but there are lines that I should have never crossed with him and one of

those lines is fucking his rival's son... Behind his back. Especially one that has always been a fúcking

pain.

"What if they do? Don't you think they would eventually? This isn't stopping soon, Eva. I told you. " He

reminds me of his words from the previous night and I drop my hand from his head, swallowing down

my throat at the sudden frustration that courses through my veins.

"Let's not think about it. As long as we're careful, they won't figure it out. " I speak and Emerson moves

from his spot, crossing his legs over each other as he sits on the bed. "But you do know we can't hide it

for—"

"Emerson, " I call, silencing the rest of his words before he could let them out. "We won't be caught. " I

state firmly and Emerson remains mute; unmoving with his eyes on me before he gives a small bob of

his head.

"We won't be caught. " He repeats my words in a tiny voice and I nod, heaving a sigh as we fall into

silence.

"I want to—" I'm quick to press a finger to Emerson's lips when he starts to speak, and he raises a

brow.

"I heard sounds. " I whisper, taking my eyes to my door as I wait for the sound to come again, and it

comes– nearer this time.

"Oh, fuck! Someone is coming to my room. " I inform Emerson, moving out of bed and dragging him

with me.

"Eva. " There's a call of my name from the other side and it's the sound of mom.

"Fuck, move! Fast. " I urge Emerson as he hurries to grab his phone before he strides to the window.

Panic rushes through me as I watch Emerson throws a leg over my window at the same time there's a

creak of my door and I jump to the sound of my mom.