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“Hey.” Eli’s voice was sharp, and he grasped the fingers of both of my hands between his. “Look at me.”
Weird command, but I didn’t dare obey. After that super sweet story, after seeing Eli’s hurt when he talked about Austin, and the confession that they still meant that much to each other…
“Kandace.” Eli’s tone turned soft and coaxing.
I forced my gaze up to find him watching me with gorgeous, smart, soulful eyes.
He searched my face. “There’s a hole in my soul that’s Austin-shaped, and I’ve tried to ignore it for a long time. I don’t think I can anymore and… I should really be telling him this, not you. What you need to know is that after the last few weeks, a Kandace-shaped spot has appeared in my heart. Is that sappy?”
Fluttery butterflies danced in my stomach and chest. They didn’t erase the self-doubt, but they muted it. “In the best possible way.”
“I don’t look at you and see a number—your age or mine or the difference between the two. You’re Kandace.MyKandace. Probably Austin’s too, but he has to tell you that himself. Come here.” Eli stood and tugged me to my feet.
I was too dumbstruck by his words to argue, though I did think it was odd when he led me toward the bathroom. There was only the one, and it was a larger restroom with no stalls and only one set of facilities.
Eli locked the door behind us, and my pulse skipped. What was he up to? He placed his hands on my hips and faced me toward the mirror.
Reluctance replaced anticipation, and I couldn’t make myself look up.
Eli rested his finger under my chin, pressing into my back, and forced my gaze to our reflection. I didn’t recognize the woman who stared back, though I was very familiar with the man behind her. The gorgeous younger man with the kind eyes.
Vibrant hair framed my face, and my cheeks were flushed pink.
Eli’s eyes met mine in the mirror. He tucked my hair behind one ear, and brushed his lips along the shell of said ear. “You are stunning. Smart. Funny.” He trailed his fingers down my cheek to my neck, sending shivers up my spine. “You’re the perfect amount of adventurous for me. Can you see that?”
“I just see me. Not the person you’re describing.” That wasn’t completely true, though. I didn’t know how to say what I was thinking. I did see me, but it was the me I thought I was when I was younger. The me I’d given up on after so long of not being able to embrace her.
“Justyou is the most amazing woman.” He nipped at my earlobe and kissed a trail down my neck, and I tilted my head for more of his touch. “And if you don’t see it, I’ll have to keep seeing it for both of us.” His breath, his words, were hot on my skin.
He drew his fingers down my front, brushing my bare skin before he reached the collar of my blouse, and undoing buttons as his touch traveled further down.
We shouldn’t do this here, but it all felt incredible. Intoxicating.
When he tugged open the edges of my shirt, enough to expose more of my skin to our reflections, I nearly pulled the top closed again. I didn’t want to see myself glaring back at me—the hints of less than perfect skin. The handles of pudge hanging over the waist of my trousers.
Eli grabbed my wrists, stopping me from covering up. “I adore what I see—who I see—when I look at you,” he said, and pulled my arms behind me, to capture both with one hand. His other palm moved to my stomach, and slid up toward my bra. “I fantasize about the things I’m going to do with you. The conversations we’ll have. The sex.” He traced a light touch over lace, over one of my nipples, and a zing of desire shocked me.
I would protest any of this, but I was too focused on enjoying it all. On sinking into the contact and the flattery.
He let go of my wrists, though they were still mostly trapped between him and me, and moved both of his hands to the bottom of my bra, shoving it up to free my breasts.
I gasped in shock and at the cool brush of air from being exposed. Heat replaced chill as he cupped me, and rolled my nipples between his fingers. I should stop him, but I didn’t want to.
“I’ve been dreaming for days about how I was going to elicit that orgasm you owe me.” His voice was low and tempting, rolling over me and mixing with his teasing.
I didn’t have any sort of brilliant comeback. “Me too.”
“I’m thinking here and now is a solid idea.” Eli pressed more of his body against mine, while he continued to knead my breasts and suck on my skin. His erection was distinct against the small of my back. “Did I say solid? I meant hard.”
I wasn’t about to point out that didn’t make sense. “What if someone hears us?” My heart hammered against my ribs and I squirmed from his touch.
With a playful huff, he bit the crook where my neck met my shoulder, then pressed his lips to my skin. “You’d better either be quiet, or be prepared for them to hear. Because if I have to make you come in a public bathroom, to prove to you how irresistible you are, I will.”
Who was I to protest that kind of resolve? Besides, this felt naughty in all the best ways.
I was so drawn into his touch, that I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep the squeaks and sighs from escaping, and he teased me until clenching my thighs together didn’t sate the need.
When Eli unbuttoned my pants, yanked open my zipper, my anticipation skyrocketed. He pushed my trousers and panties down to my knees, and slipped one hand between my legs to tease my opening while he continued to kiss and bite along my neck.
