The question then became how did I get in my pajamas, in the cabin when the last thing I remembered was going for a walk in the woods. I was pretty sure I knew the answer even before I opened my eyes. I did so slowly, the room coming into view. As my brain began to catch up with my eyes, I realized that the room was dark. I really hoped that just meant that it was late at night, or early in the morning, and not that I'd been out for more than a day. I had a feeling that this was going to be awkward enough.
“Teal?”
I turned my head to see Elias sitting on the edge of the bed. His expression was one of such concern that I immediately knew that whatever had happened had been fairly serious. The depth of worry in his eyes also told me that had been happening between us since we'd met was as real as I'd hoped. He reached out and took my hand. His fingers were warm against my skin and I shivered at the contact.
“Here,” he used his free hand to pull another blanket up over me.
That was when I realized that I was under yellow, red and green blankets. He'd cleared the other two beds, including his own. I used my free hand to pull the green blanket up around my chin, taking the opportunity to inhale deeply. It smelled like the deep velvet blue of a winter sky at midnight. It was something spicy and intense without being overwhelming. I couldn't really describe it and I knew that there wasn't anyone on earth who could either. It was definitely the blanket Elias had used.
“What happened?” I asked. My voice was rough.
Elias stood, still holding on to my hand, and held out a glass of water. I wasn't lying flat, so I was able to take the glass from him and drink without a real struggle to sit up. To my surprise, I drained the entire thing before handing the glass back to him and sinking back on my pillows. When Elias sat down again, he moved closer.
“What do you remember?” he asked.
I thought hard, having an eerie sense of deja vu. The cops had asked me the same thing. Suddenly, it hit me. “I went for a walk and I got lost. I remember being cold and tired, but then there's nothing.”
Elias's fingers tightened around mine. “I found you sleeping, curled up and covered with snow. You were so cold that your skin had a blue tinge to it. I almost could not find your pulse.”
My pulse wasn't having any issues at the moment. In fact, it was starting to race as Elias continued, either not able or choosing not to conceal the remembered panic in his voice.
“I believed that I had lost you.” He raised his head so that our eyes could meet and his were shining with so much emotion that I could barely breath. “Promise me, Teal, please promise me, that you will never do anything like that again. I could not bear to lose you.”
After his reaction the night before, I knew I was taking a risk, but last night had been for me. This was for him, to erase all of that pain that I saw on his face, in his eyes. I couldn't just do nothing, not when I knew, deep inside of me, that he wanted this as much as I did.
I sat up and reached out. I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck as I moved closer. I felt him tense as our mouths touched, but I didn't let go. I rose onto my knees, tilting my head as I went. My lips parted and my tongue teased against his lips. I felt him start to pull away, and I gently took his bottom lip between my teeth.
Elias made a sound like a growl, and then his arms were around my waist, pulling me closer to him. The blankets were bunched between us as I wrapped my arms around his neck, keeping us from being as close as I wanted. A heat like nothing I'd felt before was washing over me, warming me down to every cell in my body. I slid a hand down his chest, wondering what it would feel like to have his skin beneath my palm rather than the soft cotton of his shirt.
He pulled back and I sucked in air, previously unaware that I'd needed it. Kissing him had been enough. I hadn't needed anything else.
“Teal, this is not right.”
I could see the desperation on his face, though I suspected it was as much because he wanted this as it was about him not wanting to do it for whatever his reason was. I pushed aside the blankets and took his hand in mine. “Do you want me?”
I could see the answer in his eyes as his desire warred with something else. I used my free hand to slowly unbutton my shirt. I knew that he'd changed me out of my wet clothes and into my pajamas, but there was a big difference between that and me willingly taking off my clothes when the sexual tension between us was nearly palpable. His eyes dropped to my moving fingers and I saw him swallow hard. The shirt hung on me in such a way that a strip of pale flesh showed, exposing only the barest hint of my breasts.
“Teal.”
My name was hardly a whisper and I could feel his desire radiating off of him. I took his hand and slid it inside my shirt. As he cupped my breast, I made a sound of satisfaction. I didn't know if it was the sound or the feel of my flesh against his, but whatever it was broke the last of Elias's resolve and he pressed me back against the bed.
His hands and mouth explored my body, coaxing reactions from places that I hadn't known were reactive. They were brief kisses and caresses but I felt them down to my core. His clothes joined mine as I impatiently tugged at them, desperate to see him, to feel him. He was just as beautiful as I'd dreamed, his muscles defined and firm, but not overly so. I could feel the strength beneath my hands as I explored his body.
When I touched him, he cried out, his flesh hot and hard in my hands. I took him in my mouth, feeling the weight of him upon my tongue, and he pressed his own mouth against my most intimate parts. We worshipped each other's bodies, prolonging the pleasure until it was nearly unbearable.
He had taken me to the edge so many times that the moment he entered me, my release spilled over me. I called out his name, my fingers flexing against his back, nails scraping his smooth skin. For the first time in my life, I didn't hold back, allowing myself to say all that I felt, as loud as I wanted, knowing that no one would be around to hear or judge. It was only Elias and me, out here in our own little world.
Elias's lips covered mine, swallowing the sounds I made as he fed on my mouth. My entire body was burning beneath his, electricity crackling between the places our skin met and moved apart again. The rhythm was beyond natural, beyond instinct. It was as if we were dancing a dance that had been ours since the beginning of time. There was none of the awkwardness, the worry that we weren't doing something right, or the uncertainty of how each touch would be received. I didn't know if it was confidence on our part, knowing all the right places, or if we were both so responsive to the other's touch that each one was welcomed, but I didn't care.
My heart began to pound frantically in my chest as I felt myself riding a wave of pleasure so large that it threatened to overwhelm me. I was going to explode. There was no way anyone could survive what I felt coming. I dug my nails into Elias's back as it built. When his hips jerked, thrusting himself deeper inside than he'd been before, deeper than anyone had ever been, I tore my mouth away from his and screamed, desperate for an outlet, a release.
His arms wrapped around me, pulling me up against his chest as he used his knees for that last bit of leverage he needed to hit just the right spot inside of me and my scream immediately became a rush of air without sound. The world was a cloud of white light. The only solid being in existence was Elias and I clung to him as he buried himself inside me once more and stilled, every muscle in his body tensing as he emptied himself into me.
We hovered there, in that space between life and death, between earth and sky, existing in and with each other, one being interlocked for eternity. In that moment, everything and anything seemed possible. There was no obstacle we could not overcome, nothing that could come between us or break us. And it wasn't just the sex talking. Granted, it had been beyond amazing, but I knew that it had only been that way because of this connection Elias and I had.
Yes, he was a skilled lover, but I knew that experience didn't always make for a good first time between a couple. This hadn't been just sex. No matter how much my brain wanted to argue
that I couldn't use the 'l' word, I knew that this had been making love.
Elias laid me down on the bed and started to move away. I gripped his arm. “Please,” I whispered. “Stay with me.”
He looked at me, his face unreadable, and for a moment I was afraid that he was going to refuse. Then he nodded and settled behind me. I snuggled back against his chest as he reached behind him and pulled the green blanket over us. If I hadn't been so sleepy, I might've taken the time to wonder why he'd chosen his blanket to cover us, but as it was, I couldn't even muster up enough energy to do anything more than pull his arm more tightly around me before sleep claimed me once more.
Chapter Twenty-One
I woke when it was still dark so I knew that not much time had passed since I'd fallen asleep. My brain was fuzzy enough that it took me a moment to realize what was different. Elias was no longer behind me. I rolled onto my back and saw that he was gone. I frowned and climbed out of bed. The air was chilly and I shivered as I gathered my pajamas from where they'd been thrown on the floor. I pulled them on as I walked out of the bedroom and down the hall.
I paused in the entry way as I spotted Elias on the couch. He was facing the fire, staring at the low flames. I couldn't see the expression on his face and wondered what he was thinking. It could be any one of a thousand things. He could be just trying to get the fire going to heat up the cabin and his mind was wandering as he waited. He could be thinking about what we'd just done, dwelling on each kiss, each touch, each look. I liked that thought, though I doubted that was the case. He could have been planning about what we were going to do next, how he was going to find out who was stalking me and fix it so we could go home.
Things would be interesting when we did head back. We could keep our relationship a secret, I supposed, though I would prefer not to now that we'd taken that big step. I didn't care what anyone else thought, but I had a feeling that Elias would be concerned with appearances. We were two consenting adults who were only a couple of years apart in age. The only thing that would cause any controversy would be our positions.
We could just continue to keep things quiet until he found another job and then we could go public, but I didn't like the idea of him guarding anyone else, or of anyone else guarding me for that matter. It wasn't that I was jealous or thought that he'd make a pass at his next employer, but rather that I didn't want him risking his well-being. If he was my bodyguard, then at least I could protect him. Okay, I knew that didn't exactly make sense since he was supposed to be the one guarding me, but all I would need to do would be to make sure I wasn't in any dangerous situations and that would keep him safe.
As for not wanting anyone else to guard me, I just didn't trust anyone the same way I trusted Elias, the way I had trusted him even before we'd slept together. Paul was close, but he couldn't protect me twenty-four/seven. I would have to hire another bodyguard, and I knew the chances of finding anyone half as good as Elias were slim to none. I didn't see the point of hiring someone who was only going to do a half-assed job.
There was always another option. I didn't really want to consider it, but if it was the only way Elias could see for us to be together, I'd do it. Money wasn't really an issue for me. I lived a relatively frugal life, donating quite a bit to charity and saving the rest. I wasn't dumb enough to think that I'd continue getting lucrative contracts for the rest of my life, so I made sure that I had enough in my savings to keep me afloat for at least a couple of years without working.
I did have a contract with the network to finish out the series, but I knew that I could talk to the show runners and get my part cut down enough that I could eventually be written out. I'd hate to do that to the show and my co-stars, but if it was a choice between acting and Elias, I knew which I would choose.
With all of this in my head, I walked towards Elias. Now that I had a plan about how we could make this work, I wanted to talk about it. I'd feel much more relaxed once a decision was made, no matter what the decision would be. I'd always been like that. Making the choice to sue my parents for emancipation and damages had been excruciating, but once I'd made it, the rest hadn't been as hard as I'd feared it would be.
Elias didn't look up as I sat down next to him. In fact, he didn't show any indication that he'd see or heard me at all. That kind of made me nervous. I let the silence sit for a couple of minutes before I broke it though, wanting to give him the opportunity to speak first. When he didn't, I did.
“Elias, I've been thinking—”
“What happened between us must never happen again.”
I blinked. I hadn't been expecting that. Maybe a 'we should reconsider' or 'I don't know if this is a good idea,' all of the arguments I'd given myself. Perhaps I was misunderstanding him.
“I know it's weird, with you being my bodyguard and all, but I think we can work it out.” I kept my voice calm and cool, though I felt anything but calm. I didn't want to lose him. We could work through this. I knew I wasn't the only one who'd felt this connection. These last few weeks had been the happiest of my life.
“It was an error in judgement, Miss Rhines. I never should have allowed us to become close.” Elias looked up at me and his eyes were cold. “It should not have happened and it will not happen again.”
“Elias.”
I reached towards him and he flinched. I dropped my hand, a sharp pang going through my heart. I had never been one of those people who found it easy to sleep with whoever they could find. Granted, I wasn't a nun and I didn't require a commitment, but I'd never had sex with someone who I didn't have feelings for, even if they were confusing ones. I fought to keep back the tears I could feel were coming. I refused to cry.
“Maybe the timing wasn't right,” I clenched my hands into fists to maintain control. “But there is a connection between us, something special. I know you feel it, too. I've seen in on your face, in your eyes. You can't tell me that it doesn't exist.”
“It does not matter.” This time, Elias's voice wasn't so steady and he turned his face away from me, as if he couldn't say those things if he had to look at me while he did it. “I should not have acted upon those impulses. I knew that it would be wrong to take such action, but I allowed my desires to take precedence over what I knew to be right.”
He admitted that he wanted me and all but admitted that he had feelings for me. That was at least a step in the right direction.
“Your paperwork said you were single and so am I. We're both past the age of consent.” I went through the list of common 'wrongs.' “I wasn't drunk, so you weren't taking advantage of me.” I managed a half-smile. “If anything, it was the other way around. And if you're worried about the fact that I'm your boss, we'll just keep things professional until we get this whole stalker thing resolved and then you can find another job.”
Elias shook his head. “You do not understand. You cannot understand. Know only that nothing must ever happen between us again. It's my job to protect you, that is all. I cannot be responsible for anything else.”
Now I was starting to get annoyed. That was good. I'd much rather be pissed than sad. “You do understand that this goes both ways, right? I'm an adult, Elias. Don't you think that I have a right to know what's going on and why you're behaving like such an ass-hat?”
He looked at me then, a puzzled expression on his face. “An 'ass hat'?” He said them as two words. “I do not understand this.”
I stared at him, incredulous. That was what he'd gotten out of what I'd said? Ass-hat? I didn't even know how to respond to that.
I was still trying to figure out what to say when Elias suddenly went still. It wasn't just he didn't move. It was full-on stone-like stillness where I could swear he even stopped breathing or blinking. This tension had nothing to do with what had happened between us. This was something else.
Then, I heard it. A noise from outside the cabin. I wasn't an expert in the sounds of the woods, but I was fairly certain that what I'd just heard wasn't nature. Judging by the look on El
ias's face, I was right. I had a very bad and very certain feeling that the person who'd been stalking me had found me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Elias,” I started to speak.
“Shh.” It was abrupt, but not rude. He stood, but held up his hand in a wordless instruction to stay put.
Normally, I didn't take kindly to being told what to do, but I could feel Elias's anxiety and that, more than anything else, frightened me. A general rule of thumb when working in this business: when the bodyguards or security are worried, it's generally not good. The air was thick as we waited. Waited for what, I wasn't sure, and I didn't like not being sure.
Suddenly, there was the sound of breaking glass and one of the front windows exploded inward. Shards of glass rained down on the floor, some pieces making it all of the way over to the couch, but I was more focused on the masked figure swinging through the hole. Dressed in all black, every feature covered, I could only guess that it was a man, but before I could focus too much on the intruder, he was moving to one side and two more were following him through the opening.
The first one who'd come in was tall and athletic, not quite as big as Elias, but the fact that he'd just come through a window made me think that he knew how to handle himself. The second one to appear was smaller, but not by much. The third was the smallest, closer to my size, but I still didn't think it was a woman. None of the three had any sort of curves to them. Though I knew that wasn't a definite determination of gender, I felt pretty confident guessing they were all three guys. Not that their gender really made a difference to the situation.
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