He surprises me when he cups and lifts my chin to look me in the eyes.
“I like you, doc. A lot more than I care to admit. But I’ve been through this shit before and it tore me apart. After tonight...” his voice trails off for a moment as he shifts his gaze toward my bedroom, as if all the secrets and answers to our burning questions are found there.
And maybe they are, but only for a short time. Reality is bound to crash in sooner than later.
Eli drops his hand from my face and a wry smile edges at his mouth.
“After tonight, I know I’d be fooling myself if I thought I could just play it cool with you. So, it’s better we just end it now and move on.”
I’m still speechless and unable to respond when Eli kisses me gently on the lips and then on the cheek before he turns and opens the door.
He stops momentarily, but remains facing forward when he says wistfully, “It’s too bad, ya know? I think we have a good connection together. Who knows, it could’ve led to something.”
I’m naked and exposed, standing in the middle of my living room as I stare off at the bright and intuitive man as he walks out my door. And out of my arms.
Although nearly seven years younger than me, he seems to possess more wisdom in his twenty-five years of life than I do in my thirty-two. Eli Morrell has no qualms about who he is or expressing what he wants, and I admire that about him.
As for me, I guess I’m just a career-focused doctor who’s too stupid to realize he’s just let the best thing to ever happen to him walk out of his life. And too numb to do anything about it.
