Chapter two

Elena’s POV:

His coat was on the floor with his tie. His shirt was on the chair, and his pants were on the floor at the end of the bed. There was an empty bottle of wine on the nightstand and the night lamp was still on. The curtains were open, and sunlight was falling into the room.

My eyes landed on the bed, where Jake was sleeping on his stomach. His glorious back was in my view. My mouth waters at the sight of his smooth skin.

I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers on his naked back and feel his soft skin under my fingertips.

"What are you doing, Elena?" My mind asked.

"Staring at my crush," I responded in awe.

"You are staring at a naked man in his sleep. You creep!" My mind snapped at me, making me nervous.

Without thinking much, I picked up his coat; tie, and pants, then put them on the chair while my gaze again went to him. 

He looked like an angel, the sunlight was falling on his bare back, and I could see it glowing. His legs were covered with a white comforter, keeping him warm.

"You should leave, Elena." My mind instructed me.

"You’re acting like a creep. Get out!" My inner voice yelled at me.

He wouldn’t even know that I was here. 

"Sheesh! Let me look." I said to myself and took a step near the bed.

My eyes landed on his sculptured face, and I sucked in a breath. His chestnut hair was messy, falling on his forehead and his sharp jaw was tense like he was dreaming something that was making him angry. He was holding something in his hand. I slowly took it from him and looked at it. It was a picture; he was standing with the beautiful black hair and brown color-eyed girl. Both of them were smiling like they were genuinely happy. My heart ached for Jake as I stared at their picture. 

Yes, I always wanted Jake for myself, but after looking at this picture, I wished that I could do something to bring her back to him. He looked genuinely in love with her.

I put the picture on his nightstand and placed my hand on his forehead to push his hair back, caressing his forehead. I didn't know my hand went to his jaw, and I began to stroke his cheek lovingly.

I wasn’t expecting him to take hold of my wrist and pull me onto the bed, and make me fall on top of him. My heart started beating hysterically, knowing I was lying on top of his body. 

I could feel every inch of his body, pressed against mine. His taut muscles and his soft breaths.

He flipped me in no time and crawled on top of me. He was holding my wrist tightly in his hand. The smell of wine was oozing from him, and his eyes were still closed.

“Thank you for coming here. I missed you so much,” He said, putting his head between the hollow part of my neck and shoulder.

He ran his nose on my neck like he was taking in my scent. I was lying frozen due to these foreign feelings hitting me like a train. His intoxicant smell, rough lips, and warm body didn't feel like a dream. However, it felt like one of my dreams becoming into reality.

His soft lips touched my neck, moving teasingly on my skin, giving me shivers. I melted slowly under his touch, feeling the heat between my legs. He started to nibble and kiss my neck, and my body swooned at his touch. I was on cloud nine with my eyes close, experiencing pleasure for the very first time in my life.

I had never experienced something like this before in my life. Never in my nineteen years of life had I allowed any male to touch me like this because it felt wrong. But with Jake, it felt so right.

I moaned when he bit me a little harder, before licking the bite and soothing it.

“Hanna, baby,” He moaned, holding me close to his body.

My breath hitched, and my heart dropped to my stomach when I realized whatever he was doing to me was actually not for me. He was dreaming about her. He wasn't thinking about me.

Everything I had experienced a few minutes ago was supposed to be for another girl.

“Jake, stop,” I said lightly, trying to push him off.

He didn’t listen to me, and his lips continued to make their way toward my cleavage, and he took my hard bud in his mouth, pleasuring it. The feeling was gratifying, and I didn’t want him to stop. But knowing that he was dreaming about other women while making me feel like this sickened me to my stomach.

“Jake, please stop!” I yelled, and he froze.

His head snapped up and he looked at me in shock in his green eyes. He stared at me in confusion, trying to get rid of the haziness in his eyes. Then he jumped away from me like I was on fire. 

When he jumped from the bed, the comforter fell to the floor. Jake looked around his room in horror, trying to make sure he was in his room. Then he looked at me with horror and puzzlement, noticing me lying on his bed in a frozen state.

Suddenly, I got up from the bed, hiding my neck from him with my kimono jacket.  

Tears were burning in my eyes, and I had to blink them back.

“Elena, what are you doing here? I don't understand,” He asked me, rubbing his head.

"F**k! Don't tell me we slept togetehr," He asked me, looking nauseous.

The disgust and horror on his face made my heart bleed, but I concealed all the hurt behind the mask of a pleasant smile.

"Why would you think that?" I asked him.

"Because I was drunk. Too drunk to think properly," He said in concern.

I took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"Then you should stop drinking. Don't you think?" I asked him.

"Just answer me before I die of guilt," He said, shattering my heart into pieces.

"We didn't sleep together. I promise," I said to him.

"Then what are you doing here?" He asked.

“I brought pancakes for you and came to your room to wake you up,” I said, trying to sound like nothing happened.

Please forget everything, Jake. I was pleading with my eyes.

He started at me for a long time before sighing and buying my lie.

“Now that you are awake, why don’t you freshen up and come downstairs, and then we’ll have breakfast together,” I said with a smile and left the room before he could deny it.

"Shit! Elena. I told you it’s a bad idea." My inner voice said.

"Shut up!" I snapped at my inner voice and went to the kitchen.

I started preparing coffee, then pulled out the pancakes from the box and put them on the plate. Jake came downstairs when I was pouring coffee into the cups.

He was dressed in black sweatpants and a white t-shirt, looking better than the breakfast we were about to have. His rough beard was helping him look too handsome to be a normal human being.

"Why does he have to be so attractive? His face alone softens my heart," I asked myself.

“Do you want maple syrup on your pancakes?” I asked him.

He didn’t answer me and stared at me again with those intense eyes like he wanted to know what I was actually doing at his place.

“I’m taking that as a yes,” I said, drizzling maple syrup on pancakes and putting the plate in front of him with the cup of coffee.

I sighed and asked him, “Why are you staring at me, Jake?”

“What are you actually doing here at ten in the morning, princess?” He asked me.

“I woke up at nine, made some pancakes, and everyone was asleep in the house. You know, I hate eating alone, so I thought you wouldn’t mind if I’ll bring pancakes and come here to have breakfast with you. But I came to check on you, and you were sleeping. I was about to leave your room when you pulled me onto the bed, and I woke you up,” I said and took a deep breath.

He bought my lie and sighed, looking calm.

“Did I hurt you?” He asked in a gentle voice as if he was talking to a baby.

“No, you didn’t hurt me, Jake,” I replied with a smile when I wanted to tell him that you were hurting me by calling her name.

“Now eat before it gets cold again,” I said, stabbing my fork into the pancake and popping it in my mouth.

He smiled at me and drank his coffee, enjoying my pancakes.

We ate breakfast silently in the kitchen. He was sitting beside me on a wooden stool.

After we had breakfast, I picked up the plates and washed them. I turned to Jake and found him staring at me again.

He made his way to me and trapped me between the kitchen counter and his body.

“Is there something on my face?” I asked him with raised eyebrows.

He said nothing and pushed my hair aside to expose my neck to his eyes. I glanced at my neck; there was a red-purplish bruise on my neck that was his work.

I knew I had to come clean.

I looked him in the eyes, but he was staring at the bruise with regret and guilt. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself while thinking about making another lie because I couldn't see the regret in his eyes. It was painful for me to watch him looking at the bruise like it was the biggest crime he had ever committed.

“Why did you lie to me, Elena?” He asked me.

“I hurt you. I did this to you,” He said, touching it.

I sucked in a breath as his fingers brushed on the bruised area.

“Jake, you didn’t know what you were doing. You were just dreaming. And I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me. This bruise will go away after a few days, so it’s no big deal,” I said to him and stepped away from him.

“Why are you taking this so calmly? What I did isn't right! I was dreaming about her, and there was this smell. I thought it was her that I was kissing. I’m sorry, Elena. I’m really sorry. I’m stupid. I was imagining Hanna. I didn't know you were there. I wouldn’t have done something like this if I knew it was you," He ranted.

I drank too much last night and dreamed about her,” 

His words ripped my heart.

I realized that my twin brother was right; the journey to make this man fall in love with me would be painful, and it might get hard for me to make it out alive.

“Jake, I’m fine. I know it was a dream. I know you wouldn’t have done that if you were not dreaming about her,” I said, holding my tears back.

“Are you crying?” He asked in concern.

“I’m not crying,” I snapped at him.

“Yes, you are crying,” He said again.

“No, I’m not,” I snapped.

"Elena, don’t do this," My inner voice yelled at me, but I muted it.

“Jake, you need to shut up!” I said.

He looked confused when I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.

Before he could realize what was happening and utter a single word out of his sweet mouth, I silenced him with my lips.