Alec ignored my curled lip of disgust and stuck up a second finger. "Number two, my arm goes dead from a woman lying on it. That wouldn't normally bother me, but the pins and needles that attack my arm a few minutes after it goes dead do bother me."

I thought on that one and inwardly shrugged my shoulders - I had to give him that, it didn't sound nice at all.

"Number three," Alec said, his third finger now erect in the air. "I get an awkward boner when cuddling and don't know whether to fuck a woman awake or just lie there until it goes away. Most women would love to be fucked awake, but knowing my luck the woman I'm banging would probably scream rape and have me arrested."

I bit down on the insides of my cheeks so I wouldn't laugh.

Alec popped a fourth finger up. "Then there is number four, cuddling with you. You're the first person to share a bed with me without fucking me. Hell, you haven't even kissed me yet and we live together that makes everything harder. Pun completely intended."

"Correction, we kissed in front of me ma today."

Alec scoffed. "Firstly, I kissed you, you didn't kiss me so it still stands that you haven't kissed me yet. Secondly, it wasn't exactly a kiss because you practically bit my tongue off."

I lightly snickered as he placed his hands on his bare hips and stared me down.

"You need to change your ways of thinkin', think of me as a sister or as a best friend."

Alec curled his lip in disgust. "I can't think of you as a sister because I want to fuck you."

Wow.

"Jesus, are you always so bluntly crude?" I asked and shook my head.

"Yes, I am."

I groaned. "Well, cut it out. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that sex will not happen between us. You're hot, very hot, but Alec you're an arsehole as well."

Alec smiled at me. "We can fuck around my being an asshole-"

"You're impossible to get through to!"

I was going to punch him if he kept it up.

Alec chuckled. "I'm only playing with you."

I glanced to him and shook my head. He wasn't playing. He really did want to fuck me and the more I shut him down, the more he tried to seduce me. This was where my super self-control was extremely important. I won't give in and sleep with Alec or any man unless there is something between us. I'm well aware that way of thinking might mean I don't have sex for a very long time but I refuse to give myself to someone who only wants my body for a dirty romp, and that is all Alec wanted me for.

Sex.

"We live together in order for me to get comfortable with you so pretendin' to be a couple will be easier next week at the weddin'. It's already failin' in the bedroom because I cannot sleep with you anymore, it's horrible. I'm one more knee in the back away from becomin' murderous."

Alec narrowed his eyes at me. "Challenge accepted."

What?

"Alec, I'm not challengin' you-"

"Too late, I've already accepted the challenge so get back under the covers you're about to have the best night's sleep you've ever fucking had. You will be so well rested tomorrow you won't ever want to sleep without me again."

This was weird.

"There is somethin' wrong with you."

Alec jumped onto my bed. "Tell me something I don't know, kitten."

I forced myself to get back into my bed next to Alec.

"You know you could just stick to your side of the bed and I could stick to mine?"

"I tried that, you just keep rolling in my direction."

I grunted as I got under the covers. "Because it's me fuckin' bed," I muttered.

"What was that?" Alec asked.

I laid down and clenched my hands into fists as I pulled my blanket around my body.

"Nothin'," I growled.

Alec remained silent and so did I.

The continued silence allowed my eyes to drift shut. After what could have been one minute or ten I could feel myself start to doze off, but that went to shit when I felt a tugging on my hair.

I reached up to see what my hair was caught on when my hand grabbed another hand.

"Alec," I growled.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep."

I didn't turn to him or release his hand as I said, "You waited until I was asleep before you pulled me hair?"

"I'm not pulling it, just running my fingers through the ends... I do it when I'm tired, it helps me fall asleep."

Oh my goodness.

I should not be finding this cute, I should not like Alec touching any part of me but dammit I did.

"Okay, you can play with my hair. Just try not to pull it, okay?" I murmured and released Alec's hand.

"Thank you," he said and I could hear the smile in his voice.

Knowing he was smiling made me smile and the realisation of that freaked me out.

I have to remain strong when it comes to Alec.

Very strong.

"Have you had sex with Alec yet?" Aideen asked me as I opened my hall door to her.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes as she pushed by me.

"Good mornin' to you too, sweetie pie," I said as I closed my hall door.

"Mornin'," Aideen sang. "Back to my question, have you shagged Mr. Slater yet?"

"I can answer that for you if you would like?"

I didn't look over my shoulder as Alec spoke but when I moved by Aideen I saw that her mouth was hanging open so I came to the conclusion that he was, once again, shirtless.

"Unfortunately Aideen, Keela's vagina is still unknown territory to me." Alec sighed making Aideen cackle.

I rolled my eyes as I ran the tap and filled up a glass with water.

"You're disgustin'," I said then downed my water and placed my glass in the sink then turned around. I picked up a tea towel then and threw it at Alec who caught it in his right hand.

"Put some clothes on, nobody wants to see your half naked body this early in the mornin'."

"I do," Aideen chimed in.

I glanced to Aideen with distaste. "Let me rephrase that, nobody with any self-respect wants to see your half naked body this early in the mornin'."

Aideen snorted, but didn't say anything while Alec jammed his thumb over his shoulder and said, "It's twelve-thirty in the afternoon, it's not morning anymore."

I felt my eyebrows jump as I flicked my eyes to the clock on the wall behind Alec.

"It's that late?"

Alec smiled. "I told you that you would have a great night's sleep."

He was correct but I wouldn't admit it.

"I didn't get to sleep until three or four this mornin' because of you so obviously I slept in."

I looked at Aideen when she snapped her fingers in my direction. "You didn't get to sleep until three or four this mornin' because of Alec? Girl, you better explain!"

Alec snorted. "It's nothing exciting, trust me."

I hissed at him then looked at Aideen. "He kicked Storm out of me room and made him sleep on the settee because he wouldn't sleep there. He also kicked me a lot durin' the night and I couldn't sleep until I addressed the problem."

"By addressing the problem she means scratching me to death with her razor like toenails."

Aideen cracked up laughing which only heightened my rising temper.

"Fuck you!" I snapped at Alec as I pushed by him and stomped to the bathroom.

I slammed the door behind me to block out Aideen and Alec as I searched for my fucking toenail clippers. I was enraged to find that they were on the counter just like Alec said they were. I angrily sat on the side of my bath and put my foot on the closed toilet seat and went to work clipping my toenails until they were a 'safe' length.

I hated that they were pretty long like Alec said.

"Keela, how long will you be before we can go?" Aideen's now chuckling voice shouted from the kitchen.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

We were going somewhere?

"Go where?" I shouted.

"Shoppin', duh."

Shopping?

"Shoppin' for what?"

I jumped when the bathroom door was suddenly flung open. I don't know why I covered myself with my hands, I wasn't naked but if I were, Aideen would have seen everything.

"Shoppin' for what you're goin' to wear to the weddin', you're flyin' out tomorrow. Seriously Keela, get with it."

I groaned and lifted my hands to scrub my face, shopping for clothes completely slipped my mind.

"I've three hundred fifty euros for everythin', will that be enough?"

I hoped it was enough, that's all I could spare from my savings without putting myself in debt.

Aideen waved me on. "Please, I can make that stretch easily."

I gave Aideen a look. "I want to look nice Ado, not cheap."

Aideen placed her hands on her hips as she said, "We're bringin' sexy back, but on a budget."

I laughed. "You're up for the challenge then?"

Aideen laughed. "I got this, Kay."

I smiled. "I trust you."

I laughed when Alec popped his head around the door frame which made Aideen scream with fright. He chuckled and dodged her swinging hands. He put his arms around her from behind and pinned her hands to her sides.

"Did I just hear you say you have three hundred fifty euros to clothe yourself for this vacation?"

"Death sentence - not a holiday, but yes you did hear that correctly."

Alec shook his head. "No girlfriend of mine will be on a budget when she goes shopping, this is on me."

I looked to Aideen when her eyes all but fell out of her head.

"Can I be you girlfriend, please?"

I rolled my eyes while Alec laughed and said, "Sure you can. I'll always be up for a threesome with you and kitten."