by Abbi Glines
“You were expecting another face then?” he asked, not sounding like he was thrilled with that.
“Possibly, depends on what is in that paper bag in your hand,” I teased.
He held it up and gave a small shrug. “Guess you have to take a gamble on it.”
“Is it food?” I asked.
He gave a nod.
“I’ll be right there!”
I heard him chuckle before I clicked off the app. That made me pause. Had I heard him laugh before? It was always a smile but not a laugh. The warmth that came from knowing I’d just made him chuckle sent me hurrying down the stairs to get to him. I slowed my pace when I was through the door in the studio where he could see me. I walked normally then, but my thoughts were only on the fact he was here to see me, and he had laughed.
I wanted to squeal and do a happy dance, but I didn’t. I took a deep breath before unlocking the door to let him inside. His gaze traveled down my body and ended at my socks. With the raise of his eyebrows, I followed his gaze to my feet to see what was so interesting.
I’d forgotten I was wearing my fluffy yellow and pink pineapple socks. The oversized sweatshirt and boxers I’d slept in, he had seen before. But the socks were new. They were also bright and obnoxious if you looked at them too long. What mattered was they were soft and warm. I loved cozy socks.
“My feet were cold,” I explained.
He lifted his gaze back to meet mine and gave me a very serious expression as he nodded. “Yes, I imagine with the temperature being a frigid eighty-three degrees already this morning, you are freezing.”
Rolling my eyes, I stepped back and motioned for him to come inside. “I put the A/C on sixty-eight last night. I woke up and it was cold in the loft.”
“Yes, I can see where sixty-eight degrees would freeze anyone’s feet. Good thing you had socks made for such intense temps.”
He was enjoying this a little too much. I shot him an unamused scowl then locked the door back behind him. The whole while wanting to grin like a girl with a crush. “If you weren’t carrying food in your hand, I might not have let you in here. Tread carefully, Hardy.” Who was I kidding? I’d have not only let him in here empty handed, I’d have also run just as quickly for the door. Sure, I loved food and I was starving, but Eli was the real treat. It was as if he knew I was sulking and came to fix it.
“It’s a good thing I brought pastries from Yummy’s then,” he said as he held the bag up but closer to his chest as if to taunt me.
Yummy’s was a famous bakery on 30A. I wasn’t sure if he knew that or if it was just a good guess. “Give me the bag,” I said then added, “Please,” to my demand.
He cocked his head to the side and held it even higher up and away from me. “What? I’m still getting attitude? I suggest you get sweet real fast since I have your favorites in this bag.”
My favorite things at Yummy’s were the cream cheese cinnamon croissants and the dark chocolate and raspberry filled cannolis. There was no way he’d know that. Yummy’s was popular and had been on Food TV several times. It was easy to guess a donut lover would like Yummy’s. His stopping there was a no-brainer. I would like anything he brought me. But claiming to have my favorite. . . . That was a bit of a stretch.
I placed a hand on my hip and shot him a challenging look. “Fine. If you have my favorites in that bag, then I’ll share with you. If you don’t then I will eat it all. To make up for the fact it’s not my favorite, of course.”
Eli grinned then as if he’d already won. “I need a better challenge than that. I already ate my breakfast on the way here. Smelled too good and I’d been up since five to get here this early,” he replied then leaned an inch closer to my face. “If I have your favorites in this bag then you have to go with me to Sea Breeze and help me find a temporary apartment or condo. And of course you get to eat all of this by yourself. I could use some coffee though with an extra couple shots.”
That was an easy gamble since that was exactly what I wanted to do. Be with him. Doing whatever he had to do. Yesterday I’d been hoping he would ask me to go with him today. When he hadn’t mentioned it, I had been bummed. If he didn’t have my favorites and there was a good chance he did not have my legit favorites in that bag, then I was going to go anyway.
“Deal,” I said suddenly hoping he had the right things in the bag and it had nothing to do with my desire to eat.
He lowered the bag and handed it to me. I took it and now that I had it, I wasn’t sure I wanted to look inside. If this wasn’t my favorite items, then I would have to tell him I would still go without appearing too clingy. I could always lie about it and say whatever he bought was my favorite, but I sucked at lying. My facial expressions always gave me away.
I held his gaze as I slowly unrolled the top of the bag. The smell of cinnamon was promising as I opened it and I was mentally preparing myself not to appear disappointed when I looked inside.
Taking my eyes off his, I lowered them to the open bag and realized I’d need to take one out and see since it was wrapped in the pink wax paper I’d forgotten they used for to-go orders. When I pulled out the first round item, my heart was actually racing. I was nervous over a bakery item.
I unwrapped it and picked up the cannoli to look at the end although I could already tell it was correct. The dark chocolate was easy to see, and I smelled the familiar raspberry chocolate scent. I knew my mouth had widened into a huge grin, but this was either an excellent guess since they made seven different types of cannolis, he was a mind reader, or someone had given him this information. I lifted my head to meet his knowing smirk.
“That’s a very good guess,” I pointed out.
He shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“I have more than one favorite though,” I added just to be difficult. Now that I knew he had somehow found out my favorites. This was fun.
“Really? Well, why don’t you check that bag more thoroughly,” he drawled.
I rolled my cannoli up and put it back in the bag then moved a second cannoli out of the way to find a larger item wrapped on the bottom. Taking it out I couldn’t see it, but I knew. I just knew. It was the correct size and as I unwrapped it, the sweet cinnamon smell rose to meet my nose. I laughed as the paper fell away and the correct croissant was in my hand. This time when I looked up at him his former smirk was a victorious smile.
“Okay, you cheated. Yummy’s has too many things for you to nail this spot on.” I paused then added, “Not that I won’t agree to your terms of the challenge. I just need to know how you pulled this off.”
I was getting to spend my day with him, and I was thrilled. Protecting my emotions were apparently shot to hell since I reacted like this to the man. How had he gotten to me so easily? I was normally more careful. Eli was becoming more and more of an addiction. I lit up when I saw his name on my phone. Even the text messages I got from him made me smile.
“I’m all knowing,” he replied, and his eyes held laughter. It was so rare to see that in those green pools that my heart warmed. He was lying of course, but he was happy. I was making him happy. The darkness that he carried with him was showing up less and less when we were together, and every little breakthrough made me let down my own walls even more.
Oh, who was I kidding? I had no walls where he was concerned. I’d already accepted it. I needed to stop thinking I had any willpower left against Eli.
“You, sir, are withholding the truth. But I want to eat, so let’s go upstairs,” I said then spun around and started toward the stairs. The smell of the food and the joy I was currently feeling made me hungry. I reached inside and pulled a cannoli from the paper wrap then took a bite.
“Mmmm, God these are like heaven,” I moaned as I chewed it slowly.
When we reached the loft, I had left the door open in my quick escape to go let him inside as if I didn’t he would disappear. Walking in without having to open the door was good since I had a bag in one hand and a cannoli in the other. I had to tilt my h
ead back and catch some of the chocolatey goodness trying to fall out of the end I hadn’t taken a bite from.
Closing my eyes, I savored it and then licked what I had missed from my lips. Once I was finished, I set the bag down on the kitchen counter and turned to see Eli watching me closely. His eyes were darker now but not in a bad way. More of an . . . excited way.
“You keep eating like that and I’m going to have you naked and pushed back on the bar stool with your legs straddling me.”
His words made every nerve in my body come alive that weren’t already slightly humming at the sight of him. I inhaled deeply and the beating of my heart was in my ears. I would gladly strip my clothing off for him and sit down on this stool if he asked. My stomach was no longer important, but the sensitive area between my thighs had now started to ache in a deliciously painful way.
“Oh.” I may have sighed as I said it. I was out of breath and we hadn’t done anything. I’d taken several baths with a toy the past few days thinking about the first and only time Eli and I had come together.
I had wished more than once that he’d climbed on top of me Friday night or Saturday morning. Or sometime in between. My entire body began to tingle when I thought of how good he felt. He was larger than any of my past sexual experiences and I now got why girls liked them bigger. I had always thought it would be uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Not at all.
“Eat.” His words sounded like an order. Right now, the idea of him ordering me around was exciting. I opened the bag and took the second cannoli out. Before I took a bite, he walked past me toward the espresso machine.
He wasn’t going to fuck me and I was aching for it. Damn. I had to get control of myself. When had I started thinking about sex all the time? Oh, that’s right. When Eli had shown me how amazing it could be.
“I called Bliss last night when I decided to come bribe you into spending the day with me condo hunting. She asked Nate and he called your mom who knew exactly what would work,” he was explaining the food as if I cared. I was past that.
I chose to eat instead of try and speak.
He managed to fix the coffee correctly and get the espresso shots going as well. When he had accomplished both, he turned around to look at me. “Have you eaten it all?” he asked.
I had eaten half of the second cannoli and decided to put it down and eat the croissant before I got too full to enjoy it. I’d only managed to get half of it eaten. Possibly because I wasn’t hungry for food anymore.
“I can’t eat it all. I tried,” I explained. The two half-eaten items were on the bakery paper in front of me.
Eli walked over to it and picked up the cannoli. “Can I try it?” he asked before taking a bite.
“Of course,” I told him then added, “but don’t blame me for your instant addiction.” I was trying to lighten the mood. My mood that is. He seemed fine. The sexual threat in his eyes was now gone. That quickly.
“It’s good. But the caramel cream cheese one I had on the way here was better,” he countered with a gleam in his eyes expecting me to argue.
“I’ve never tried the caramel so I can’t be sure that you are wrong. But I am going to go with my gut that dark chocolate and raspberry will always beat anything caramel.”
Eli finished it off then shook his head. “We will just agree to disagree. Caramel is always better.” Then he added, “To me at least.”
I would remember that for the future. My mom could make the world’s best caramel cake. It had been her mother’s recipe. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off without Mom’s guidance or her just doing it while I watched, but I was getting him one.
The coffee finished and he turned to begin fixing his drink. “Do you want me to make you one? Or do you trust me to get it right?” he asked as he pulled down a cup like he had been here a million times. I liked how comfortable he seemed. In the past, a man feeling comfortable in my home always bothered me. Made me feel suffocated. This was one more thing that I realized was different. Everything I felt for Eli was different.
“I’ve had my caffeine for the morning but thank you,” I told him.
When he turned back to me with his cup in hand, he gave me that grin I was seeing more and more of. The one I hoped he didn’t give to anyone else. “Then you better go get dressed. We have a drive ahead of us and a full day. That is if you’re still planning on holding up your end of the bargain.”
HA! As if I would let him leave without me. The uncertainty I saw for just a second in his gaze made me feel a little relief that he wasn’t aware just how sunk I was. No man needed that power. Not this soon.
JUNE 12 / 4:46 PM
Eli Hardy
FINDING A FURNISHED place that I could rent monthly without a long-term lease had been more difficult than I’d hoped. However, Krit Corbin had called me two hours ago to tell me that the condo he owned was currently empty. My mom had given him a call when she found out I was looking for somewhere to live. I hadn’t thought to ask him about it. I figured he had it rented out weekly for the summer. It had once been an apartment complex when he had lived there before marriage and kids. However, as Sea Breeze built up and the tourism began to grow, it had turned into primarily vacation rentals. Which meant the place was fully furnished and I needed nothing but my clothing.
I was relieved when we went to meet Krit there and look at it. Not that I thought I wasn’t going to find a place. We had seen two places that might have worked for me. I had been waiting on a callback from both. I had been relieved because it wasn’t even four yet and that meant I got to spend time with Ophelia doing something other than this.
Although she had appeared to be having fun today. She made it enjoyable. Just watching her and listening to her talk. She was extra chatty after she drank some cold girlie coffee drink around noon. I’d liked seeing her that way. I liked seeing her every way if I was completely honest.
I hadn’t worried about getting my clothes from Gran’s yet. I would deal with that when Ophelia was back in Rosemary Beach. I didn’t want to bring up the drive back there just yet. She was checking out the items in the kitchen cabinet currently and telling me different things I may need. I listened but only because I liked hearing her talk. For someone who didn’t cook a lot, she had several opinions on kitchen necessities.
“The fact the beach is right out there makes me envious. That’s the one thing I miss. Growing up having the view of the gulf from my bedroom window spoiled me, I guess. I think I don’t need it until I see how calming it is. When I do buy my own place, it’ll be on the water.”
The image of her buying a house on the beach came along with an unknown man who she would marry. My mood turned sour. That wasn’t something I wanted to think about. I shook it off and decided we needed to do something less domestic.
“Are you hungry? That sandwich earlier wasn’t much. I think I’m ready for something more.” I knew my sudden change in subject had thrown her off, but she didn’t question it.
“Sure. This is your town. What’s good?” she asked.
I was about to suggest Live Bay but thought of the people we would most likely see there and sharing her didn’t sound appealing. I’d avoided as many family and friends as I could so far. I knew they would ask questions I wasn’t going to answer. I also didn’t like the idea of those memories the questions would resurface affecting my time with Ophelia.
She was my escape from the hollowness. I wanted to keep it that way.
I watched as she walked around the island in the kitchen then toward me. She didn’t say anything because she was waiting on my suggestion. The sway of her hips always drew my gaze to her body. She had a way of walking that was hard to ignore. Even if her face wasn’t so damn gorgeous it would stop traffic, the way she carried her body would be equally dangerous.
I forgot what it was I had been supposed to say as I watched her come to a stop a few inches from me. The frayed blue jean skirt she had on today was short enough that I’d had a hard time not staring at her instead of
looking at the different places we’d checked out.
I tore my eyes off her tanned legs before I could start fantasizing over slipping my hand between her legs and running it up until I could touch the warmth at the top. As I lifted my gaze, her hard nipples pressing against the soft snug fitting cotton of her tank top made my already stiffening cock grow. Fuck.
I’d been so good this morning. When I’d seen her, all I could think of was fucking her in every room of the loft. Until we both passed out sweaty and sated. As much as I wanted to feel her, touch every inch of her and be inside her, I also feared not being able to walk away when the time came. I knew how unforgettable sex with her was.
Then there was the complete opposite fear that our night together had been because of the wine she’d drunk. What if the explosive chemistry wasn’t the same? My body seemed to think it would be. I was so damn tense as I fought the desire to reach out and grab her.
“Eli,” she said my name in a low sultry tone that caused me to jerk in reaction. I tore my eyes off her breast and met her gaze. The blue of her eyes had darkened, and her bottom lip was swollen as if she’d been biting it. I stared at her and let all the uncertainty fade away.
“Take off your top.” I knew it sounded like a command as my voice had gone gravelly with the need taking over me.
She inhaled sharply. There was pure excitement blazing in her eyes. She reached down and took the hem of her top then slowly pulled it up her body. It was like a fucking striptease. Each inch that she eased up, I held my breath. All damn day I’d seen her breasts bounce under that top. The thin satin fabric of her bra barely contained them.
Both of my hands were fisted against my thighs when she finally pulled the top over her head and tossed it away.
“The bra,” I growled. Hoping it was just as painfully slow but equally wanting it to be quick.
She continued in her patient movements. There was no ripping off of clothing and as much as the wait excited me, the more I wanted to reach out and do it myself. By the time she was fiddling with the back clasp of her bra, my hands were so tightly fisted my very short nails were somehow managing to dig into my skin.