33

~Darlina's POV~

"Something smells delicious." I complimented Emmett as I entered the kitchen about an hour after my shower, the sound of my voice causing him to look at me over his shoulder. "What are you making?" I asked curiously.

He smiled, turning back to focus on what he was cooking. "Nothing too special, just some chicken fajitas." He responded, earning a happy hum from me as I poked my head around him to peek. "Where's Atlas? I thought you guys were still discussing the trip when I left." I mentioned, cocking my head.

"Hm?" He hummed, glancing down at me. "Oh, he went to his room. We didn't actually end up coming to any conclusion because I figured it's better for us all to discuss it, since all three of us are going." He told me. I smiled, leaning against the edge of the counter. "Anything we do is fine with me, honestly. I'm just glad to be able to take some time off work." I told him with a grin, giddy at the idea. In my entire time of working at Dina's, I was pretty sure this was going to be the first time that I took off work during a time that wasn't a holiday like thanksgiving or christmas.

Emmett chuckled and shook his head. "Good to know. That means I just gotta find something to please Atlas' picky ass." He remarked, earning a giggle from me. He playfully bumped his arm against mine, smiling. "Speaking of, would you mind going to see what the hell is taking him so long? Dinner's almost done and he said he'd be back almost twenty minutes ago."

I hesitated, biting on the inside of my cheek. "Are you sure I should be the one?" I asked nervously, fiddling with my fingers. Em cocked up an eyebrow and nodded his head, lowering the heat on the stovetop to low instead of high. "Why not? You guys seem to be getting along much better than before. It'll be fine." He assured with a shrug.

"O-Okay. I suppose you're right." I mumbled, turning around to leave the kitchen. I made my way down the hall and then stopped in front of his bedroom door, which was closed. For a moment I just stood there, feeling unusually anxious before I raised my hand and knocked gently against the door. There was no noise that could be heard from inside, but suddenly the door swung open, causing me to jump in surprise at the fact that I hadn't even heard him moving around in there.

Atlas cocked up an eyebrow, his dark hair falling into his face. "What?" He asked, bracing his arm against the door as he held it open, the muscles in his biceps flexing. I rocked back and forth on my feet, heel to toe, and clasped my hands in front of me. "Em wanted me to come get you for dinner. He said that you were taking too long and the chicken fajitas are almost done." I said, peering up at him.

He snorted, suddenly stepping out of his room and closing the door before I could step out of the way, causing his chest to brush against mine. I flushed at our close proximity and the warm lemony, vanilla scent that came with him being so close to me. "Y-You smell good." I blurted without much thought, my voice coming out quieter than I intended at first. At my random compliment a smirk tugged at his lips as he stared down at me, amused. "Oh?" He chuckled, mirth in his voice. "How sweet of you to notice."

Like an idiot, I just stared up at him, trailing my eyes over his features until I reached his mouth. Meanwhile, his gaze wandered the length of my figure and his tongue swiped out, wetting his bottom lip.

"You know, as much as I'm sure you'd love to stand here and check me out," He began, his voice huskier than before. "You're blocking my way." He murmured, the words causing my lips to part upon realization that he was right. I stepped out of the way quickly and he chuckled, breezing past me while I tried to calm down my racing heart, placing a hand over my chest.

I watched him head down the hallway for a second before I skittered after him, my legs a little weak. We entered the kitchen together and Emmett looked over at us, no longer in front of the stove but instead looking through the fridge. "What took you so long?" He asked his best friend with an annoyed huff, turning around to set some sour cream on the counter. "I was taking a shower, idiot." Atlas grumbled, opening the cabinet to grab three plates for us.

While the two began to bicker, which they did quite often about the dumbest little things, I lingered by the island and snuck what I hoped were subtle glances at Atlas in the meantime. His deep blue eyes were focused on Emmett, a playful smirk on his lips as he taunted him about being like a grandpa.

Emmett scowled and threw a fork at Atlas, who just caught it with a laugh, scooting it back across the counter to him. Atlas gripped the edge of the counter and leaned forward, arms flexing, and I scanned my gaze over his bare arms. He had changed into a white wife beater tank top and black sweats, the tank top displaying his muscles and the tattoos that went up his neck, shoulders, and disappeared beneath the fabric. I could see the little bars of the piercings in his chest brush against the tank top, something which I wouldn't have even noticed if not for the fact that I knew they were there.

Atlas was saying something to Emmett, still smirking slightly, and I could see the flash of his tongue piercing glinting in his mouth when he spoke. He turned, displaying his the strong muscles stretching across his broad back, and the slim cut of his waist. My eyes slid lower and a flush crept up my neck, wondering how it was that he had a better looking butt than I did.

While his back was turned, Emmett suddenly gave a gentle shove to my arm, causing me to jolt in surprise and snap my head in his direction. He was giving me an exasperated look, as if he couldn't believe that he'd just caught me checking out his best friend, and I quickly looked down in embarrassment. Great, now Emmett probably thought I was a creep!

"Here, Lina." Atlas hummed as he pushed a plate my way, causing me to glance up. I gave him a quiet thanks but didn't look at him, too ashamed to do so when Emmett was staring at the side of my head.

I got myself two chicken fajitas before taking a seat at the dining room table by myself, followed rather closely by only Emmett as Atlas was still getting his own food. Em sat down beside me and, instead of eating, just continued to stare. "Please tell me I was just seeing things and you weren't checking out my best friend, Li." He said quietly, scooting his chair closer to mine.

Unable to believe that he was asking me so bluntly about it, I gaped at him and began nervously bouncing my leg. "I-I was not!" I huffed, earning a flat look from him. "You were literally staring at his ass." He retorted with a soft snort, shaking his head. My cheeks flamed a color that I was sure was bright red. "Emmett!" I exclaimed, burying my head in my hands as I prayed he would drop the subject. To my dismay, he didn't.

No, instead he just snickered. "What? You think I don't have eyes? It's not like you were exactly being subtle." He teased, clearly amused for some reason. I remained quiet and took a bite of my chicken fajita, mortified and embarrassed that we were talking about this.

Emmett continued to stare at the side of my face, still not having touched his food yet. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Li. I wouldn't tell or mention it to him in a thousand years." He assured me, keeping his voice just as quiet as before. Now, though, he wasn't teasing me. Sincerity was in his face when I glanced at him, so I knew he was being serious. "Why wouldn't I be embarrassed, Em?" I sulked, looking down at the table. "I don't know why I feel like this around him when he doesn't like me, and I...I don't understand that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach."

He studied the side of my face, cocking his head to the side curiously. "Do you want to sleep with him?" He asked, causing my eyes to bug wide in disbelief. "N-No!" I spluttered, dumbfounded by his question. "But I mean, even if I did, it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't even know what to do in that sort of situation." I admitted.

As Emmett and I had been roommates for so long, he knew about my lack of a love life and, therefore, he knew that I'd never even done so much as make out with a guy before. I had lived a very sheltered life before I moved out of my parents house and because of that, I didn't ever go far with guys. Even after moving out, I just felt like I wasn't the type of girl that a guy would want because of my lack of experience.

"Not that I want to do that with him." I insisted again, wildly waving my hands in refusal. "I just think he's very...interesting."

A snort escaped Em and he picked up a fajita. "I'd say you find him a little more than just interesting, Li, but sure. Let's go with that." He muttered, taking a bite of his food. I went to respond but Atlas walked in and I immediately shut my mouth again, beginning to eat.

There was no way I was saying so much as a single more word about this with him here.