My best friend's brother and my brother's best friend (2016)

Confrontation in more ways than one

*Picture of Dani*

When my eyes flicker open, the room is still gloomy as the first ray's of sun start to rise for the day ahead. I snuggle deeper, in sleepy bliss, into the soft navy quilt. From a distance, I embrace his heavenly heat that warms me to my core.

"You awake then?"

An unexpected sleep-filled voice disturbs my distant slumber. Turning to face the husky voice's owner I'm greeted with Eli's closed eyes and messy hair. I try to ignore his shirtless appearance. I hope he has something on underneath the duvet! Stretching his arms out, he lets out a strained groan as he grins and rolls over towards me.

"You need to stop putting me in your bed at night or people will get the wrong idea," I giggle, stretching my own arms out, right through to my chest.

"Who cares about other people," Eli replies with a grin, draping his arm over my stomach and nuzzling into my neck "have you forgiven me then?"

"Maybe ..." I respond breathlessly, trying to control the erratic thumping of my heart that is currently trying to escape my chest.

In that moment; I know that Cara's right. Our relationship is so much more than just friends or unrelated family. However, at the same time, it couldn't be further from being any form of a real relationship.

Eli sits up, stretching his toned biceps and with a sexy smile in my direction, he climbs off the bed and saunters to his en suite. Once I'm alone, I quickly rise from Eli's bed and Spring towards his full-length mirror. My face is clear and relatively smudge-free, my hair strewn in a dramatic curly ponytail.

"Cara's feeling better now, I went down a few hours ago and she was sat up, still drowsy but through the storm," Eli says coming up behind me, I can hear the insurmountable relief in his voice.

"I'll go and see her then," I whisper as we make eye contact through the mirror.

I reach out and turn the doorknob, quickly leaving the room. As I stomp down the stairs, I can hear the growing sound of Cara's voice coming from her room.

"You gave us quite a scare you know?" I announce myself into the room, where she's sat up in her bed above her propped up pillows, talking to Jeremy.

She gives me a guilty smile as I walk in and stick my tongue out at her.

"Let's just say that it was an experience," she laughs tiredly. Her eyes are sat on dark bags and I can see the stress in them.

"Let's just thank God that mum and Al weren't home," Jeremy says bluntly.

"Yeah," I sigh, raising my eyebrows in agreement "what time they back tomorrow?"

"They said lunchtime and don't worry, I've kept them updated that you're home safe. We can decide whether to tell them what happened when they get home ... or not. I'm going to call Luke before then to talk to this one here and make sure everything's ok. I guess other than that, there isn't really much more we can do."

"You've already done loads," Cara insists, intertwining her fingers with Jeremy's. In the pit of my stomach I feel the tiniest pang of jealousy and I feel horrified when Eli occupies my mind. No! Alex likes you, not Eli. Once again, I find myself pushing my feelings back down. Again.