Page 46 of Trial and Error

“Heart attack,” she replies. “It was very sudden.”

The two of us sit in silence for a beat or two before I find the confidence to lay all my cards on the table.

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” I whisper. “I’m not sure how to handle this situation any more than you do, but now that my mom has thrown a wicked curveball at us, I’m lost.” The confession slips through my lips with ease, and it feel nice to talk to someone about this. “It’s unfair of me to ask you to put your other relationships on hold, and now that I’ve seen firsthand how this has affected your relationship with Malik, I don’t want to get in the way of anything. Bridget, wanting you to do this is so fucking selfish of me, but I’m hoping you’ll do it anyway.”

She looks at me patiently as she nods, encouraging me to go on.

“My mom is dying, and I want to be able to give her everything she wants from me. I feel as though, somehow, I’ve disappointed her, and seeing how happy she was for me—for us—has made me realize I want to give her this one thing. I want her to be able to leave this world knowing I’m with someone I care about. I don’t want her to worry about leaving me on my own—I want her to know I am with someone who will stand by me when this all comes crashing down.”

Bridget says nothing as she shifts closer until her knees are knocking with my own.

Her blue eyes bore into my own as she lifts her hand and places it on my cheek. She runs her thumb over the top of my cheekbone, and I find myself holding my breath as she touches me. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the first time a woman’s touch has sent me into a frenzy, but it’s true. Ever since she kissed me the other day, I’ve craved her touch like an addict—starved and desperate to feel her in any way she is willing to give it to me.

“Elias,” she breathes out. “You’re not ruining anything for me. What happened with Malik wasn’t because of you—not really. If I didn’t want to help you, I wouldn’t.”

I close the distance between us and roll my forehead against her own. “I wish we had met under different circumstances,”

“Me too,” she replies, nudging her nose against my own.

“I should go,” I say, closing my eyes.

Bridget keeps her forehead against my own and she presses against me softly before pulling back with hooded eyes. “Okay.”

“I want to kiss you,” I admit, my eyes locking on her plump lips. “So fucking badly.”

She hums as her eyes flutter shut. “Not tonight.”

My eyes meet hers. “No?” Bridget shakes her head. “Why not?”

She lets out a shaky breath, rubbing her hands over her bare thighs. “Because I don’t think I have it in me to not let it go all the way.”

“What if I want to go all the way with you?”

“Elias,” she groans, hiding her face in her hands. “You’re not making this any easier.”

“I’m not trying to.”

Bridget shifts closer until she’s on my lap, and I stay still as she loops her arms around my shoulders. “Elias, if we cross this line, I want it to be because it means something, not just because we’re horny.”

“If we both want each other, that means something, right?”

She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth, and I feel my dick harden at the sight. I’m almost certain she feels it, if the size of her pupils are anything to go by. “I want sparks, Elias. I want magic.”

“You’ll get both of those with me,” I rasp as she subconsciously rolls herself against me. I place my hands on her hips and hold her still. “You better stop that if you want to stick to your guns.”

She huffs out a laugh as she lifts herself from my lap and I immediately miss her warmth. “Get out of here before I change my mind.”

I follow her to the door and slip my shoes on. She holds my jacket up as I slip my arms into the sleeves, and I enjoy the way she runs her hands over my shoulders and down my back. Bridget opens the door and leans against it, watching as I stop in front of her.

I lower my head until our lips are a hair’s breadth away and press a chaste kiss against the corner of her mouth. I hear her breath hitch as I linger, and when I pull back and look at her I see the small slither of control she has on her restraint fraying.

“You don’t play fair,” she breathes out, her knuckles white as she grips the edge of the door.

I smirk as I walk out of her apartment and toward the stairs.

As I turn and look over my shoulder, a burst of contentment spreads across my chest at the sight of her smiling at me like I’m the only one worthy of her time. “Good night.”

She rests her head against the door, her blonde locks spilling over her face. “Good night.”