The Ink That Brands Us ✔️

Chapter Sixteen

I was having a heat stroke.

It was the only thing that made all this heat makes sense. I tried to shift around for a cool spot while pushing at the blankets, but when my hand collided with skin that was not my own.

I froze.

My eyes snapped open and I found that the stiff pillow I had been using wasn't a pillow at all, but a naked chest.

I assessed the situation quickly.

The first thing I noticed was that we were knotted together like we were welded together. I'm not sure we could have gotten any closer. Our legs were a tangled mess and Jensen's arms were wrapped securely around me, holding me to him.

I tilted my head up to find a very much awake Jensen staring down at me.

I smiled sheepishly.

"How did we get like this?"

"I'm not sure. I awoke to find us like this." Neither of us tried to move right away. We just lay there staring at each other.

The lines were so blurred they were almost nonexistent and I had a feeling that in the end, I would be the one getting burned. And the thought of being the one on the hurting end made my stomach knot up. I didn't want that to happen to me again.

"I think it's my turn to make breakfast," I said, untangling myself like he was on fire.

I sprung from the room without waiting for him to say anything.

We didn't speak much throughout breakfast and I was glad for it. The awkwardness surrounding us was almost tangible and it was slowly suffocating me.

When Saw barged through the door, I almost kissed her. I practically ran out the door, not letting her get a word in to Jensen.

"Where's the fire?" She called after me.

I ignored her as I flew down the stairs and over to my Tahoe. She wasn't in any rush as she sauntered out of the building shooting confused looks in my direction as she neared.

I sighed in relief as she closed the car door behind her.

"You wanna tell me why you ran out of there like hell was chasing you and why Jensen looked like a guilty dog who couldn't look me in the face?" The look on her face told me she was in no mood for avoidance.

My shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Just a chase of awkward as fuck."

She choked out a laugh.

"What?"

"Things with Jensen are getting a little more intense rather than flaming out as I had hoped." I was too cowardly to tell her the truth.

I knew what I had done was bad because bet or no bet, Jensen was not my boyfriend, so I shouldn't be having sleepovers in his bed.

"You don't say? Is that why you both look weird when I walked in? Well, more weird than normal." Her sarcasm rang clear and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Shut it."

"How are things with Alex? I won't pretend I couldn't hear him yelling at you last night in the hall?" Her change of subject was not in the direction I had hoped. I was a little hesitant to answer.

"I'm the worst girlfriend," I chuckled. "He's such a great guy, but I just... there's just nothing. I feel nothing for him and I hate myself for it because I want too. Not to mention here lately he's just been kind of weird." My frustration bubbled to the surface when I thought about the jealousy he's shown towards Jensen.