Page 22 of Meet Me at the Metro (Gildenhill #1)

22

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

E L L I E

T heo sits in silence beside me the whole train ride back to my flat. We didn’t sleep a lick last night. Our tired, languid steps and few–and–far–between words this morning prove that.

I’m sore in all the best places, aching every time my mind replays the careful attention of Theo’s hands—the choreography of his mouth dancing along the swells and dips of my body.

We walk side by side as we head out of the train station and make our way down the vacant city street. It feels strange seeing London at rest like this, not a single light on in any of the shops or stores we pass. There’s an occasional sound of a passing taxi or bus and the distant chatter of birds, but other than that, everything around us has fallen quiet. I suppose this early in the morning, the city of dreams is still sleeping.

The sun is beginning to rise over the tall, towering buildings, casting a gorgeous pink and orange glow over everything in sight. I glance over to Theo and can’t help but admire how nicely it settles over him, illuminating every inch of his masculine features and turning his perfectly disheveled hair golden.

He glimpses over to me, his gray-blue eyes kindled with the morning sunlight. Even as tired as he looks right now, I find my stomach swirling at each of his charming characteristics—from the sharp bridge of his nose to the soft swell of his lips. Drenched in the sun like this, I can’t help but find him absolutely perfect.

“What are you smiling about over there, Miss Nora?”

“How pretty you look.”

He lets out a low chuckle and rakes his gaze across my face, making my legs feel weak. “You should see yourself right now. So fucking pretty .”

I frown as the entrance of the flat comes into view. “I wish you didn’t have to work.” On mornings like this, I’m so grateful for my parents and their willingness to provide me with an allowance while living here in London, but I hate that Theo doesn’t have that same convenience. “You haven’t slept all night. You need rest. I’m sorry I kept you up.”

“Don’t you dare apologize. Trust me when I say every minute of sleep I lost was worth it.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep with the thought of you not being able to.”

“I’ll be alright. I got a few hours in. You just worry about getting some, okay?” He tilts my chin up to look at him. “You wanna come see me when you wake up? I’m working until eight tonight.”

“What’s in it for me, bartender?”

“Free bar food,” he smirks. “Free drinks.”

“That does sound tempting.”

“I want to see you again. It’ll give me something to look forward to during my long shift.”

“I never thought I’d hear that come out of your mouth, Teddy.”

He laughs, “ What ?”

“That you look forward to seeing a clumsy-arse American.”

He grins roguishly. “I’ve always looked forward to it. I just never admitted it until now. Come. I’ll beg on my knees if you want me to.”

“Oh, I want to see that,” I giggle—he immediately falls to his knees.

He rests his chin against my lower stomach and pouts his bottom lip up at me. “Please, Nora.”

“Get up!” I laugh.

“Not until you say yes. Please,” he begs, gripping my waist and tickling my sides until I’m breathless. “Please, Nora!”

“Okay! Fine! Fine! I’ll come!”

“Promise?!”

“I promise!” I cackle. “Stop!”

“Okay,” he smirks, rising to his feet. “Get some sleep, alright? If you text me when you wake up, I can come and walk you over.”

“Is your boss going to like that?”

“Fuck what he likes.” Theo pushes in the code to the flat’s entrance and kicks the door open for me. “I don’t want you walking over alone. Now, go get some sleep, you clumsy-arse American.”

“Whatever,” I scoff, ascending the steps. At the top, I turn and give him one last, final look. “ Grumpy–ass Brit. ”

The smell of bacon and a buzzing against my nightstand wakes me from a deep sleep. I breathe in the savory scent as I stretch my limbs out beneath my covers and relieve my muscles of the tension of the last three weeks.

With the demanding schedule of my classes, the possibility of running into John again on campus, and the predicament I’ve found myself in with Connor, I’ve barely had time to take a moment for myself. So, I grant myself a few long, quiet, and tranquil minutes, laying limp against my mattress before conjuring up the strength to roll over and grab my phone.

Morning, Miss Nora.

I smile like a simpering idiot at those three words and type back a reply.

Morning, Mr. Teddy.

In the mood for more mediocre food and stale beer?

Surprisingly, yes, lol, but I can’t today… first day of my new class, remember?

Ah, right. We could meet up after your night class? I’m planning to head to campus after my shift.

Practicing again?

Always. Music room? 9:00 P.M.?

I think I can squeeze it in.

Good. Because I really need you to help me remedy some of these withdrawal symptoms…

HA. Withdrawals???

Yeah, it’s been too long since I’ve seen my clumsy-arse American.

My heart shouldn’t skip the way it does as I read that message. When I first met Theo, I never once thought I’d be lying in my bed, receiving texts from him like this—ones that make my stomach swirl and face hurt from grinning so damn hard. More so, I never thought I’d even give this man my damn number, but yet here I am, finding myself pleasantly enjoying this new dynamic between us.

“Ellie!” Evie screams from down the hall . “Wake your lazy arse up and come eat some breakfast!”

“Stop being a wanker,” I hear Harvey softly reprimand her. “ Let the girl sleep in.”

“If I don’t get to sleep in, no one gets to sleep in!”

I chuckle, throw the covers off of myself, and scoot toward the edge of the bed. I carefully set my sore ankle on the hardwood floor and inspect the yellowing bruising on my skin. While it still looks pretty rough, it’s healed significantly since I first got hurt a few weeks ago. I still have to be careful putting my full weight on it, but at least I’m able to get around without those painful crutches now.

With gentle and cautious steps, I make my way toward the kitchen.

Evie’s greeting me with a boisterous welcome before I’m even halfway down the hall. “Wakey-wakey, you sexy little kitten! I see you’re serving us some fresh-out-bed realness this morning.”

“Oh, shut your mouth! Not everyone can wake up looking like a teal-headed goddess in the morning.”

“I know. It’s truly unfortunate. The world would be such a better, brighter place.”

“ Mhmm ,” I nod, rolling my eyes. Harvey brushes past her and hands me over a cup of coffee. “Thanks, Harv.”

“My pleasure, Ellie-Jellie. Thought you could use some caffeine this morning.”

A knowing smirk on his face prompts me to ask, “And why do you think that?”

“Figured you haven’t slept much these last few weeks,” he shrugs.

“No shit, she hasn’t,” Evie cackles. “Her and Theo are probably at it ’til sunrise when they get the chance to see each other. He fucking you good?”

“ Evie Stenhouse ,” Harvey gasps. “If you don’t watch your foul mouth!”

“ Sorry. Is Theo penetrating you nicely?”

“Oh, my days!” Harvey shakes his head. “I can’t. I seriously cannot with you.”

I giggle and take a sip of my coffee. “I will not be answering that.”

“Oh, come on! Let me live! I haven’t had sex in months!”

“Sorry, can’t. I’ve got my new class to get ready for.” I snatch a piece of bacon from the plate set out against the kitchen counter. “I’ll make sure and let Theo know that you’re fantasizing about boning him, though.”

“Fucking gross! That is not what I was saying!”

“ Mhmm. I’m sure it wasn’t.”

“I hope you have an awful day today!” she yells.

I’m laughing as I make my way back toward my room. Evie was always shocking people with her off-handed comments, and it felt good to give her a taste of her own medicine. “You too, bitch!”

I kick my door shut and take a quick sip of my coffee before I start undressing out of my oversized night shorts and shirt. As I do, Evie still finds a way to get the last word in. “ That’s my name! Don’t wear it out!”

The first day of my new acting class went so much better than I was expecting it to. The professor leading the course seems a lot more laid-back than Henderson, or the previous instructor of my dance class, and that alone is a sense of relief. However, it didn’t remedy all of today’s lingering troubles.

I’ve been worried sick about the possibility of running into John again, scared to death of him getting enrolled in one of the same courses as me. It was all I could think about when I first arrived on campus this morning, but as the day progressed, I felt my worry subside a little more.

I honestly wouldn’t know what to do if I ran into him again. I wouldn’t know what to say or how to act. My last interaction with him proved how unpredictable he can be, and I’m scared to find out what might transpire if we run into each other again.

I force my fearful thoughts away as I gather my things and head out of my Acting II class for the evening. As I zip up my bookbag, the professor reminds us, “Students, don’t forget to prepare a minute-and-a-half monologue before class next week. You will stage them in front of the class, and I will record grades based on your performances.”

Great … another thing to pile onto my already full plate.

Whoever decided to make college this hard really didn’t care to consider the struggle of being a new adult.

I sigh and make a mental note to scrounge Google later for a noteworthy monologue as I start to make my way toward my Shakespeare class. Over the past few weeks, I’ve come to dread this part of my schedule most of all. For a while, I cherished Professor Henderson’s hours-long lectures because they came with the promise of entertaining shenanigans with Connor. Now, there’s just awkward tension between us and the inevitable truth that he’s been completely avoiding me the last few weeks.

I really wish things could go back to the way they used to be.

A calm October wind greets me as I push open the doors leading out to the campus courtyard. I loved the quiet tranquility of the school in the evening like this—loved the hush that would settle over the dimly lit corridors and around the tall stone buildings as the sun set in the sky. During the day, the cobblestone sidewalks were always bustling with fellow students and faculty, but as nighttime approached, the school’s occupancy slowly dwindled to a few passing bodies here and there.

“There you are, stranger,” a voice says, startling me out of my moment of tranquility. “I’ve been hoping to run into you again.”

My stomach immediately coils when I spin around to find John behind me. He’s got a bright smile on his face as if he doesn’t remember—or want to acknowledge—the way our last interaction ended. I don’t return his cheerful gesture.

“You could at least look a little happier to see me.”

“I’ve gotta get to class,” I mutter, abruptly turning on my heel.

“Hey, just wait a second.” He rushes in front of me. “Please, Ellie. I just want to talk, alright?”

“No.I don’t want to talk to you. Why can’t you get that?”

“I seriously don’t understand why you’re being like this. You’re not acting like yourself at all.”

“You’re not acting like yourself! I need to get to class. I’m going to be late. So, move!”

“Not until you fucking talk to me!” he growls, roughly grabbing me by my arm as I try to slip past him. He pulls me toward a secluded awning of one of the outside corridors and corners me against the wall. “Dammit, can’t you at least give me that?! ”

Tendrils of icy fear snake through my veins as his breath spills against my skin. “John, p-please.”

“Talk to me, Eleanor.”

“I have nothing to say to you. Absolutely nothing,” I say, my voice wavering. “I don’t want to be with you anymore. I just want you to leave me alone.”

“Why can’t you just give me one more chance?” I flinch as his hand fastens around my wrist. “Just one more chance, please?”

“No,” I breathe, trying to break free of his grasp and hold my calm composure. “I’m not giving you another chance, so let go of me.”

“You’re fucking him, aren’t you? That guy who was at the train station that night.”

“Get your hands off of me.”

“I heard what he called you— Nora ,” he scoffs. “Got a nickname for you and everything. You know, you want to paint me out like the bad guy, but look how fast you’ve managed to move on. I wouldn’t be surprised if you two were hooking up before we even broke up.”

I’m not even going to entertain that accusation.

His hold on me tightens to the point of pain, and my heart rate kicks up several notches. “Let me go.”

“I want you, Eleanor.” I try not to tremble as his hands smooth my hair away from my face. “I love you so much. And I know you still love me, too. You’re not his— you’re mine .”

My panic emerges as he pushes me back against the brick wall and runs his hands down my chest. His palms leisurely travel along the expanse of my torso, trailing down to my waist and then my hips, and I can’t even fucking breathe.

What he’s doing feels dangerous, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to react—I don’t know how to keep this from escalating further.

His hands move along my inner thighs as he presses his body closer, and I feel utterly sick. “Please, John. Stop. I don’t want this. Please listen to me.”

“Don’t lie to yourself,” he whispers against my ear. “We used to have so much fun together.”

I try to push John away, but he doesn’t budge—not even an inch. “Get your hands off of me. Right now!”

“ Is there a problem over there? ”

John tears away from me the second the voice cuts through the air, and I can finally breathe again. A tall, shadowy silhouette quickly approaches us, and John steps back with a frustrated sigh. “We aren’t done here.”

With that warning, he swiftly turns on his heel and hurries away, disappearing into the darkening evening.

“Ellie?”

Connor’s voice is an answered prayer.

My limbs sag with respite as he reaches me and pulls me into a comforting embrace. I let out a cry of relief, “Oh my God. Thank you.”

He draws his head back to inspect me, his eyes glazed with worry. “Who was that? Are you okay?”

I steady my rapid breathing and calm my restless nerves before confessing, “I am now that you’re here.”