Chapter 2: Building Tension
The air in the apartment was thick with the scent of coffee and the faint metallic tang of new computer parts. The late afternoon sun slanted through the window, casting long, golden streaks across the hardwood floor, illuminating the dust motes that floated lazily in the air. Scar’s fingers hovered over the motherboard, his breath steady but his pulse erratic. He could feel the warmth of Jessica’s body beside him, the way her shoulder brushed against his arm every time she leaned in to point at something on the screen.
His throat was dry. He swallowed hard, adjusting his glasses with a nervous flick of his wrist.
"Hey Jessica, mind grabbing me some drink while i keep working on your computer?I’m parched."
Jessica smirked, pushing off the desk with a slow, deliberate sway of her hips. "What, no ‘please’? No ‘pretty please’?" She turned toward the kitchen, her dress clinging to her curves in all the right places. "You’re lucky I like watching you work."
Scar exhaled sharply, his fingers fumbling slightly as he lined up the RAM slots. "Yeah, yeah. Just—just grab me something cold, okay?"
She returned a moment later with two glasses of ice water, condensation already beading on the sides. She handed him one, her fingers lingering just a second too long against his palm.
"Thanks! You're such a good girl" he praised her teasingly. Jessica smirked, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "I try." The ice clinked as she took a slow sip, her eyes never leaving his. Scar swallowed hard, his throat working as he downed half his glass in one go. The cold water did little to cool the heat rising in his chest. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, suddenly very aware of how close she was standing. "You're making this harder than it needs to be," he muttered, turning back to the computer. Jessica laughed, low and throaty, as she leaned against the desk beside him.
"Oh, I know." She watched the way his fingers moved, precise and deliberate, the way his shoulders tensed under the weight of her gaze. "But where’s the fun in making things easy?"
Scar exhaled sharply, his breath warm against the back of his hand as he wiped his forehead. The apartment was warm, the late afternoon sun pressing through the blinds in golden slats, casting shadows that stretched and shifted with every movement.
Jessica stood behind Scar, watching him finish building the computer. She grabbed both his shoulders with her small, cold hands and starts squeezing.
"You're all tense, Scar. Relax." She massaged his shoulders, her fingers digging into his muscles with just the right amount of pressure. He let out a low groan, his head lolling back as her thumbs found the knots in his neck. "You’re good at this," he muttered, his voice rough. "I have many talents," she purred, her breath warm against his ear. "And I’m just getting started." Her hands slid down his arms, tracing the lines of his veins, the way his muscles tensed and relaxed under her touch. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the way his breath hitched when her fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of his inner wrist.
The air between them was thick with something unspoken, something electric.
Scar cleared his throat, trying to focus on the task at hand. "You know, most people just ask for help when they need it. They don’t do… this."
Jessica smirked, her fingers trailing up his arm, her nails lightly scratching the inside of his elbow. "Where’s the fun in that?" she murmured, her lips brushing against the shell of his ear. "Besides, I like watching you squirm."
Scar exhaled sharply, his fingers fumbling with the last screw. "You’re gonna make me break something."
"Oh, I hope so, but I dont want it to be the pc" she whispered, her breath hot against his neck.
Scar finished building and tested it while he tries to ignore what she just said. He was sweating, his fingers slick against the metal of the screwdrivers. Jessica’s hands were still on his shoulders, her touch light but deliberate, her thumbs pressing into the tight muscles at the base of his neck.
"All done," he said, his voice rougher than he intended. He turned slightly, just enough to see her face—her dark red hair framing her pale skin, her lips parted slightly as she watched him.
Jessica smirked, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "Good boy," she murmured, her voice low and teasing. "You did so well."
"Don't you good boy me? Just because I called you a good girl earlier?" he asked, his voice rough with something he couldn’t quite name. The air between them was thick, charged with something neither of them had bothered to name yet. Jessica’s fingers traced the line of his jaw, her touch light but deliberate, sending shivers down his spine. "Because you earned it," she murmured, her lips curling into a slow, knowing smile. "You worked hard. You deserve a reward." Scar swallowed hard, his throat dry. "And what kind of reward did you have in mind?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.