I shut my eyes and pretend to be asleep when I feel Grey's arm sneak under my shirt and cup my breast with his warm hand.
I groan lazily, hoping to deter him further.
"Come closer," He coaxes.
I don't so he moves instead, he shoves his hard groin to my back. And the act elicits a reaction i didn't know i had. It doesn't arouse me, it turns me off.
I decide to lay still hoping if i don't do anything he will assume i am asleep and leave me alone. He nuzzles his head at the crook of my neck. His hand moves and twists my nipple;
I groan again with feigned exhaustion.
Finally, I get the outcome I yearned for as he turns. I sigh in relief when his weight shifts on the bed, and he heads to the bathroom.
Despite everything we said a few hours ago, morning erases it all. Grey and I are stuck in this toxic cycle where nothing gets fixed, just buried. Just that the tension is always there, waiting to explode.
Grey's phone chimes beside his pillow. I turn and see the light and the blurry notification beckoning to me.
I should stay away from it.... I SHOULD STAY AWAY.
Yet i don't.
I look at the closed door and hear the shower running. I never learn, I think, as I slither to where it is. Just a peek, I lie to myself. It is the object of our usual fight, Talia.
"Hey there, you sleepy sloth! Don't forget my coffee."
Sloth? I roll my eyes. It's just an innocent message, yet it angers me. I unlock his phone and open the chat. There are no other messages; hers are set to disappear.
I do something I never usually do.
"Hi Talia, it is Jessie. Grey is taking a shower... He may run late," I text, matching her 'innocent' message.
I wait for her reply, but when I lift my head, I see Grey by the door staring at his phone in my hand. How long has he been there?
"What are you doing?" He asks, displeased.
"Uh... Mmh... Talia texted," I say, throwing his phone on the bed as if the mere touch of it burns.
"And it concerns you how?" He asks.
"I was sleeping, and it woke me up," I lie.
"But my touch couldn't," he says sarcastically.
I ignore him, slipping out of bed. He walks to the bed and picks up his phone. I see him smile as he texts her. I shake my head and walk out of the room. I can't bear the look he has as he talks to her.
As I head to the kitchen, I check my phone. No call from Oliver Cooper, despite me hanging up on him. Layla has left several messages, asking if I'm okay and about the body I found. She says she'll come over after her shift. I put my phone away and retrieve frozen broth from the freezer.
Maybe i over reacted. Grey from the beginning did show he loved me. Does he now?
I sigh.
My head feels heavy from lack of sleep, stress, and hangover. I don't give my broth time to thaw, heating it direct. I just need time for myself and my book, "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. That is what i feel about my life.
Grey walks in, looking handsome in his suit. Over the years, he has only gotten more attractive. In the beginning, I was the pretty one; he thought I was out of his league. I tried to prove him wrong, but while I went downhill, he kept improving.
"No pancakes?" He asks with a judging tone.
It is like a tradition when i am around we have pancakes for breakfast.
"I thought you had breakfast plans with Talia," I shrug. I know I'm making things worse too, but I can't stop. I don't know where to put all this anger and bitterness.
He stands and stares at me for a while, like he has had enough of my attitude.
"What plan?" He asks. "She asked me to get her coffee, I don't like coffee, you know that. I wanted us to have breakfast together since you are on your off day," he says calmly, and guilt eats me up.
"I will make some," I offer.
He checks his phone. "I am already running late," he says just as I am about to speak. There is a ring on the door, and we stare at each other, surprised at who it could be at this time.
Grey goes to open the door as I remove my broth.
"Where is that daughter of mine?" I turn to see Grey's mother walk into the kitchen.
I am surprised by her visit this early morning, and Grey shares the same expression.
I put my bowl away as I recall how much of a hugger she is. She hugs me with a smile.
"Mum, what are you doing here this early?" Grey asks.
"I came by unannounced to ensure you're looking after Jessie properly. She hasn't been in touch." She steps back and gives me a scrutinizing look.
"As you can see, she is perfectly healthy; you can leave," Grey says to his mother. I know he is just joking.
"I just got here," Grey's mother says, She shoves her bag at Grey.
He rolls his eyes and takes it to keep for her. His mother and i head to the living room.
A few minutes later, Grey emerges with his laptop bag, annoyed.
"I am sorry, Mum, I can't stay to entertain you. I have to leave for work," Grey says.
"Don't be silly. I didn't come for you. I missed Jessie." she says, and despite him pretending to be serious, he cracks a half-smile.
He gestures at me that he is leaving, and we watch him walk out the door.
"Are you both breaking up?" She asks immediately.
"What?" The thought surprises me.
"The moment I walked in, I did sense the tension between the two of you."
I smile. "It is just one of those mornings," I shrug, easing the matter.
"You know, Grey's father and I did, at one time, get to this stage," she says.
"I don't think it is the same," I say. After all, there was no internet back then and stunningly beautiful workmates named Talia back then at the construction.
She smiles and puts her arm around my shoulder. "You'll be surprised; it's often the principle that counts, and I believe it's more common than you realize," she advises.
I decide not to dwell on her words too much but still consider taking her advice. She's always made me feel welcomed and at ease around her family. "What did you do?" I ask.
"We decided to have a baby, and Grey has been the one who strengthened our relationship ever since," she says, and I nearly choke on my soup.