“In every cloud, in every tree—filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day, I am surrounded with her image!” — Heathcliff Earnshaw.
—Alexander’s P. O. V—
He breathed out a deflated sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose when I raised the bottle to my lips, chugging water in. The tasteless liquid flowed down my throat, giving me a chilly sensation because of being refrigerated since the last 24 hours. My rising body temperature seemed to have toned down after consuming chilled water. It was a welcome sensation. The heat during mornings and the afternoons were intolerable, to be honest and I didn’t want to end up with red patches and rashes all over my impeccable body.
“You are not having sex with me,” He muttered slowly, biting the inside of his lip to make sure it didn’t sound like a pathetic request, and more like a swift accusation. I hummed slightly, closing the lid on the bottle, sliding it to one side of the counter. Of course I wasn’t having sex with him. Because all I could think of was Tobias. And the day I saw him last—his tear stricken eyes, his vulnerable voice. I wanted to see him so bad that it was threatening to consume me whole. One glance, just one glance would do it.
“What about it?” I asked, strutting towards the front of the kitchen counter, leaning against it so that I could stand face to face with him. I didn’t even know why he was here this fucking early, and his unwanted intrusion was doing nothing except pissing me off and messing my morning routine.
“What’s wrong?” His voice had a tinge of impatience mixed with a sharp edge to it, as he reached for my boxers, feeling the elastic band on the hem of the material. Normally, it would just take another minute of fidgeting with the boxer to get me hard, but I really wasn’t in the mood. Although, I did nothing to deter him.
“You look so hot,” He commented in a gentle husky tone, stepping near me, while I still was casually leaning against the counter, giving so reaction. His hand moved along the bare planks of my stomach, his rough finger pads brushing against the taut muscles. I still gave no reaction; instead, I spread my arms out on the granite surface on the back, resting them peacefully. Where was it? Where was the hunger to ravage him and fuck till my legs ached? Where was the feeling that I would explode this very second if I didn’t take him to bed? It was all so dull and mechanical. It always had been, until I met Harris.
Taking no movement from my part as a cue to step up the moment and go ahead, he leaned precariously towards my face, capturing my lips in his, snaking an arm around my waist. The kiss was gentle, affirmative, but not even close to the best one I've had so far. His hands trails up my back near the spine, dragging his nails along the bare flesh. Instead of turning me on, the action led to a memory of Tobias doing the same to me a while back. Uncertainty clouded my features, a bitter grimace taking over my mouth, “Step back.”
“Wha-What? Did I do something wrong?” He looked hurt, while he flashed me his puppy dog eyes, and I scoffed. I was done with his shit. Making my way back to the refrigerator, I reached for a Jack Daniels bottle, taking it out with ease. Going on my tiptoes, I opened one of the kitchen cabinets above my head, rummaging the wooden space for a glass. Soon afterwards, I felt the glass touch my fingers, after which my hand dangled it in front of me.
“I need space,” I mused in a serene tone, “to think.” I moved to the kitchen sink next, twisting the tap after placing the empty glass under it. Room temperature water gushed out of the outlet, filling the vessel with water. As the liquid reached to the mid point of the glass, I turned the tap the opposite way, ceasing the water flow.
“How’s it working now for you?” The mockery in his tone was evident, and my eyes flickered to his face, my face morphing into a devious grin. Taking hold of the jack daniels, I screwed open the cap as my fingers wrapped around the cold surface of the bottle. The inviting stench of alcohol hit my nose, making me flare my nostrils to bask in the intoxicating smell for a few more minutes.
“Still thinking,” I muttered calmly, tilting the bottle to the right. The golden brown liquid flowed into the glass half filled with water, swirling the transparent liquid with an amber shade of it's own. At the corner of my eye, I watched him cross his arms over his chest, gazing sternly at me from across the counter that separated us.
“Why’d you come in, Niall?” My cool voice swathes over the other person, building up his irritation up to a few more notches. Lifting the glass to my lips, I took a generous sip, the alcohol descending down my throat, leaving a slight burning sensation that I craved. His brown eyes twitched with anger, while he pressed his mouth in a hard line.
“Because I need to ask you a question. Do you think I have no idea that you keep tabs on Tobias? Do you think I have no fucking idea what happened in your dad's bar a few days back? Do you think I have no fucking idea how jealous and angry you were just because you saw him flirting with another guy? Do you think I have no idea that you asked Cole to keep in touch with him so that he could give you news of him? Do you think I have no idea that you have feelings for him?” He hissed through his gritted teeth, his jaw clenching to an extent which made a vein of his neck to strain against his skin, making it visible. His anger was palpable, but it had no effect on me.
“That's five questions.”