AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Was he brave enough to give Isa every part of him? Not yet, but maybe he could be in the future. That possibility intrigued and frightened him. That it existed at all was a miracle.
Right now he’d stay in the present. If she was willing to have him in the here and now, he could find his way out of the emotional prison he’d barred himself into.
If he could convince her to give him one more chance.
***
A block from Isa’s building, phone to his ear, Eli slowed and slipped into the left lane as Zach relayed details about the latest Refurbs project for a double-amputee soldier who had four kids. Four fucking kids.
Hearing those stories never got easier. It’s why Eli created an outlet to provide assistance. He couldn’t hear about it and do nothing.
He turned left onto the road where Sable Concierge was located. The report he reviewed for Reese took longer than expected, so Eli had missed his afternoon goal by several hours. Eli settled for driving out here at nearly nine at night instead, hoping that late was better than never.
Either Isa was upstairs in her apartment or downstairs at work, and if she wasn’t, he’d turn around and go home. He wasn’t going to call. He didn’t know how mad she was or how much madder she’d gotten, but he was certain a phone call would equal an ignored call.
“They’ll frame it out tomorrow,” Zach was saying, after describing the addition to the home.
“Good deal. Hey, I have to go. Call me tomorrow if you need me.”
“No, we’re good. Just checking in. Later, man.”
“Thanks, Zach.” Eli ended the call, half amused that at one point he’d been worried about Isa dating the guy. Now that Eli knew her, he knew Zach wasn’t the right fit for her.
“Oh, and you are?” he asked himself, shutting off the car and getting out.
He wasn’t. But he was trying to be worthy of her. He had a long climb ahead of him.
After knocking a few times on the front door of Sable Concierge and determining she wasn’t in the darkened office space, he headed across the lot to her apartment…and confronted a tall staircase.
Looked like his long climb started here.
***
Isa was reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra when someone knocked at her door. Frowning, she hastily tucked her silk shirt into her skirt and fluffed her hair. Most likely it was Chloe, but on the off chance another employee had come up here, she wasn’t about to answer the door braless and disheveled.
She parted the curtain over her living room window and froze in place. There on her landing stood Eli Crane. He waved, a brief lift of one hand before propping it on his hip again.
He looked sure and strong standing there, and so unexpected, her heart leapt.
Stupid heart.
She fortified herself before opening the door. She couldn’t let him know how much she’d missed him. Not until he’d earned it.
“Eli. It’s late.”
“I know. I got here an hour ago. Damn stairs.”
She turned her head to take in each and every step leading up to her apartment.
“That was a joke.”
She said nothing, only stood with her hand on the knob.
“A bad one, evidently.” Eli palmed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. “I came by to apologize for acting like an ass.”
“No need,” she said curtly, determined to show her heart who was boss. If she left her heart in charge, she’d have already invited him in, or at least softened at the look of boyish chagrin on his face. If she listened to her heart, she might be reminded that Eli had suffered loss over and over and over again and his mood shifts were understandable and—when he admitted he was in the wrong—forgivable.
“You deserve better,” he said, and this time he didn’t take his eyes off hers. “Better treatment from a client and better treatment from a lover. I’ve never been great at this stuff, and as you’ve recently proven, I’ve become even worse—”
