Page 24 of The Boy I Once Loved

I groan on the inside. My plan to stay away from Dylan is an epic failure.

"Sure thing," I tell her as she awkwardly leans in and hugs me. I still somewhat in her embrace. I'm not sure I am ready for physical contact with my mother just yet.

“Don’t worry, Mrs H.” Dylan smiles. “We’ll look after her.”

Leila and Christian stand as my mum leaves and they say they need to make tracks too. Leila pulls me into a hug. “It is really good having you back,” she tells me. “Nice to see my brother looking happy again.”

I nod and I look over at Dylan. Was he not happy before? She ruffles her brother’s hair as she passes him and winks. “No sharing baths tonight, you two.”

“Bye sis,” he says flatly. “Don’t hurry back.”

She blows him a kiss at the door as she leaves, which has me chuckling. I always loved their relationship. It reminds me of the one I had with my brother. He would always tease me and try to wind me up at every opportunity.

“Okay. I am going to get this one in bathed and in bed. Ella, you can have the spare room.”

I nod. “Thanks for letting me stay, Stacey.”

She bats away my thanks. “Nonsense. You are always welcome here. In fact, your mum and I were talking, and she is on the night shift until Wednesday so we thought it might be best you stay here.”

I have only been back two nights, and my mum is already wanting to be rid of me. I manage to pull a smile together. "That's great thanks."

"Come on," Dylan says as he comes over to me and places his hands on my waist. "Let's get you to bed." I gulp at his words as I wrap my hands around his neck, and he places his hands on my thighs and he lifts me. I wrap my legs around him and he carries me up the stairs. Our bodies are touching everywhere, and it is heaven and hell all at the same time. My heart hammers so loud that I am surprised he can't hear it in my chest.

"I don't have any change of clothing for bed," I tell him. I finally dare to look him in the eyes. His blue eyes stare back at me, making my heart beat faster. He pushes the door open with his foot.

“You can wear one of my t-shirts.”

I look around me and frown. “This isn’t the spare room.”

He grins as he gently puts me down on his bed. “It’s early. I thought we could watch some Netflix or something. There’s a new series on.”

I groan as I release my hands from around his neck. “It better not be a murder one.”

He chuckles as he grabs the bottom of his t-shirt and pulls it over his head, making me forget what the hell we were just talking about. “It’s a supernatural one. Right up your street.”

“Oh, okay. What are you doing?” I say panicked when he unzips his flies and lowers his jeans.

He pauses, jeans around his ankles, and he looks at me like I’m stupid. “I’m getting ready for bed.”

I point at his Calvin boxers which hug him in all the right places, Jesus wept. “You need to put clothes on.”

He bends and throws his jeans into his open wardrobe before turning to me, hands on his hips. “What’s the matter El? Am I distracting you with my hotness?”

“Pfft!” I reply, pretending that it is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. “I’m afraid your hotness has no effect on me. I am not sitting next to you in just your boxers.”

Dylan laughs and shakes his head before he opens a drawer and pulls out a pair of grey joggers. He pulls them on and they sit low on his hips, teasing my damn dirty brain with all sorts of thoughts I should not be having about him. He pulls a t-shirt out of his drawer and he comes and stands in front of me. “Arms up.”

I look up at him with a dead-pan expression on my face, but I decide not to argue and lift my arms in the air. He tugs his hoodie up over my head and then grabs my t-shirt and he lifts it off me, leaving me in just my bra. Frowning, he drops his t-shirt over my head. Trying to compose myself, I reach under the t-shirt and attempt to pull down my joggers. Laughing at my poor effort, he stands over me and offers out his hands. With a roll of my eyes, I place mine in his and I allow him to pull me to my feet. I steady myself on his shoulders as his hands skirt over my arse and he pulls my joggers down. He gently places me back sitting on the bed and then pulls the joggers off my legs and throws them on the floor.

“All done,” he says, clearing his throat. “I’ll be huh, back in a sec.” He disappears off into the ensuite, leaving me sitting on his bed in his top. As soon as the door closes behind him, I release the breath I have been holding and fling myself back onto his bed. Goosebumps cover my arms and the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. His touch set my emotions on fire. I cannot stay here for three nights; it will kill me. I’ll either end up jumping on him and dry humping him or hitting the shit out of my pillows in frustration and pent-up want. I can deny it all I want, but I want Dylan James like I have never wanted anyone before.

A couple of minutes later he emerges from his ensuite and I lean up on my elbows. Grinning, he throws the tv remote at me and then he sits himself beside me on the bed. I flick the tv on and I find the show he was telling me about and we settle in against the pillows and relax.

The night air is chilly and the wind whips through the window of the car that I am driving. Rain pelts heavy against the windscreen, making it hard to see in front of me as I hit the sharp bend in the road. The back wheels spin out and I know I am losing control and the car spins off the road and down the embankment. I scream out as the car tumbles over and bounces down the rocky hill before it comes to a crumpled mess at the bottom. Suddenly, I am no longer in the car but standing in front of it. I scream when I see my brother in the driver's seat, his head flopped back against the headrest with blood running from his head, down over his face. I scream his name as I scramble to the driver's side and try to wrench open the mangled door. "Help me! Someone help me, please." I scream into the dark and silent night.

“El, El, you’re okay. Wake up. I’ve got you.”

My eyes fly open, and my sobs are all I can hear as I realise it is a dream. Dylan leans over me, stroking my cheek, his face is etched in concern. "I've got you El."

Tears streak down my face and he leans in and catches one with his finger. “I’m sorry.” I sob.

He smiles softly at me. “Hey don’t apologise. I’ll always be here.” My heart steadies as he softly strokes my face. “I hate it when you cry. It guts me.”

My chest shudders from the aftereffects of my sobbing. I realise he is lying on top of me, resting all his weight on his elbows. “You want to talk about it?”

I shake my head. “No.” I blow out a breath to steady my breathing. “Could you..., hold me, until I go back to sleep.”

He smiles and nods. “You know I will.” He holds his hand at my waist and rolls us, and he ends up lay on his back against the mattress with me tucked into his side. He keeps his hand at my waist and with his other hand and takes mine and holds it against his chest. “Sleep El. I’ve got you, you’re safe with me.”

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