Aliya Part 3

Ali froze as Jason caught her wrist when she went to open the front door for him. She looked at Jason with ice in her eyes. Well at least now he knows why I’m not all touchy-feely anymore. The thought was pure bravado though. She hated the fact that Blake had done this to her. She had always loved to touch Jason. It just felt right. Like it was exactly what was meant to be done. But Jason either didn’t notice her reaction this time, or he simply didn’t care. He looked straight into her eyes as he held her wrist, refusing to let go. Oh God, now what? Was all Aliya could think. Jason was acting on instinct. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but his gut was telling him not to push too hard. Yet. Instead of kissing her, he cupped her face with his free hand and touched his forehead to hers. Aliya felt like Jason could see straight into her soul. The way he was looking at her, with such tenderness, it almost made her want to cry. To just wrap her arms around him and cry and tell him absolutely everything. Not just that Blake had hit her, but the biggest secret she held. The one she could never tell anyone. And yet, the urge to tell Jason was overpowering. Just as she thought she might give in, Jason closed his eyes, giving her the chance she needed to rebuild her walls.
“Night Ali. See you tomorrow.” As Jason closed the door behind himself, Ali slid down the wall and hugged her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. What was Jason playing at? Was he flirting with her? Did he actually feel more than friendship? Did he want more than friendship? Did she? She had always been attracted to him. That was nothing new. but they were friends, and that was where it ended. Only now Aliya was beginning to seriously re-think her feelings. Analyse them on a deeper level.

“Night Ali. See you tomorrow.” His voice rough with emotion, that was all Jason could manage to say. He had so many conflicting thoughts that he was surprised he got home safely. He had no memory of the journey whatsoever.
He had always cared for Aliya, ever since they first met. The protective instincts he felt towards her ran so deeply it was as if they were at his very core. As if he had been born to protect and love her. Love. He was blindsided by the realisation that he loved her. Not just the love of a friend, but the soul deep love that he knew would never fade, but instead would only grow with time. How could he have been so blind?! He had always loved his Ali. And there was no question about that now. She was his to protect. His to love. He had to make her see that Blake was no good for her. The only problem was her stubbornness. She would never admit that she was strong enough to leave Blake, although Jason knew that she had a spine of steal hidden away. She must have to be able to endure Blake for so long, let alone hide it so well from everyone. That thought made him want to swing for Blake. Jason just couldn’t understand what could possess anyone to cause Aliya pain. There was such goodness and tenderness in her that to make her hurt like that should go against the very laws of nature! There was only one solution. He would show Aliya how a woman should be treated. He would open her eyes to the fact that he should be the one she spent the rest of her life with. And she would have to accept that, because for Jason, now that he understood the depth of his feelings for her, he would not back off. Nor could he allow Aliya to accept anyone but him.

***

Having remembered Aliya was an early riser Jason arrived at her door extra early the following morning.
“Wakey wakey Sunshine!” He called through the letter box.
“Jase what the hell?” Aliya wrenched the door open and found herself looking into eyes of rich, dark chocolate.
“Well,” Jason began, with a slow smile o his face, “I wanted to make sure I was early enough to bring you breakfast this time. Looks like I’m a bit too early…” Jason couldn’t stop his eyes from drinking in the sight of Aliya. She had obviously just got out of the shower. She was wrapped in what he knew was her favourite dressing gown, and her hair, almost waist length and dripping wet was plastered to her shoulders. God Damn!
Aliya felt her cheeks burn as she watched Jason just stand there and stare at her. Somehow finding her voice, she invited him in. “You could have called first.” How in the hell did her voice come out so steady? Jason had just looked her as if he had wanted to eat her for breakfast, never mind whatever was in the goody bag he’d brought with him. And she had caught herself thinking that she wouldn’t have minded if he did. Her cheeks flushed again at the thought.
“What can I say? I wanted to surprise you. Now hurry up and eat so you can go get dressed. You’re distracting me from my plans.”
Aliya practically swallowed the huge blueberry muffin whole. What on earth was Jason playing at? He was definitely flirting with her. What she couldn’t bring herself to ask was if it was just innocent flirting, or did he really mean something by it. After yet another restless night, she was almost ready to accept that she felt something more than friendship toward Jason. The problem was, she wasn’t sure if he felt the same way. She refused to admit to Jason the way she felt about him. But before she was able to give it much more thought, she was being ordered upstairs and told that if she didn’t get her butt in gear she wouldn’t be getting any lunch!


“Ali, look at me” Jason’s voice was so rough it practically scraped across Aliya’s skin.
“I can’t Jase. Not right now.”
“Why not?” Jason was shocked at Aliya. Normally she would have looked him dead in the face just to prove a point. What the hell was wrong with her today? There had been something ‘off’ about her all day. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Just answer me something, ‘cause it’s been driving me crazy all day.” Her voice was shaking now, but Aliya had to get this out. Even if it ended up with her feeling like a complete idiot for the rest of her life. When Jason didn’t speak she chanced a sideways glance at him. God, he was sexy. Dressed in jeans and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, Aliya thought he was probably the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He had such a casual grace that anyone who didn’t know him would think he had grown up without a care in the world. She knew better. Looking at him now, leaning back on his elbows, with one leg bent and the other stretched out on the picnic rug, he looked seductively masculine. Aliya had subconsciously mirrored his pose, except that she had bent both knees and was leaning back on her hands, not her elbows. She felt anything but calm. She realised she still hadn’t asked her question, caught up as she was in admiring Jason’s physique. She took a deep, calming breath.
“What are we doing here Jase? Is this meant to be a…” She couldn’t make herself say it. Her cheeks were already on fire.
Jason leaned over and placed one arm behind Aliya and at the same time moved his bent leg so that it almost touched hers. Almost. She could feel the heat of his body rolling over hers.
“Yes” He whispered the confirmation of her unfinished question in her ear. Oh Christ! He was breaking down her defences, piece by slow piece. Much more of this and she would be putty in his hands. She turned to face him, wanting to see the truth in his eyes, and instead found her lips covered with his. Something snapped inside her. Something that had been wound up for what felt like forever, and before she could react, Jason pulled away.
“Jay, wh…”
“I’m sorry Ali.” Jason couldn’t believe he’d just done that! What a jerk! He could tell Ali had been on edge all day, and rather than behaving himself for just a little bit longer, he’d gone and kissed her! Jerk, Jerk, Jerk!
“Don’t be, Jay” His breath caught. Had he just heard her right? She never called him Jay anymore. Not since before she got married. And she didn’t want him to be sorry?
Aliya could see the surprise in Jason’s face. In the aftermath of that kiss, she was struggling to find a good reason to resist what she felt for him. Her mind was all hazy. One thing was clear; the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted him. The problem was that there would be major consequences for her actions. Deciding that for now at least, she could forget about the consequences, she leaned closer to Jason, not wanting there to be any distance between them. He took it as an invitation, kissing her all over again. This kiss was altogether different. Deciding to accept that, for the time being, Aliya was feeling the same riot of emotions that he was, Jason poured everything he felt for her into the kiss.