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The warm caress of his lip on the shell of my ear.
The tingle that radiated through my entire body as I waited with bated breath to see what he would do. What he’dfinallydo.
But he didn’t. I woke up the next morning in my bed, with nothing but a mild headache and faint recollection ofwantingElliot to finally push past the red tape.
After forcing out a weary breath, I grab either side of the chair to hoist myself up but stop short at the reflection of a figure in the fireplace’s glass cover.
“Old habits die hard, don’t they, sweetheart?”
Heart thrumming so hard I think it might fracture a rib, I jerk upright and turn to look at the owner of the voice.
With leather-bound arms folded across his chest, Elliot stands in all his bad-guy glory a yard away from me. Even almost a decade later, he doesn’t look much different than senior year. Aside from the scruff on his tan face that’s an hour past a five o'clock shadow, and the faint silver scar running along his right temple, he’s still as gorgeous as I remember.
Standing just under six and a half feet tall, his lean, muscular shape has remained intact, complementing his strong jaw and deadly stare.
I remember when I first saw him freshman year of high school. He was the only person in the entire place who could somehow make the khaki slacks and white button-down look like the outfit to a mob intern. Rolled up sleeves, top button on his shirt undone, and tailored slacks, I pegged him for the trouble he radiated, and vowed to stay away.
But like any dangerous creature, he came with a veil of mystery that made even the most saintly at the academy want to taste the forbidden fruit.
Who knew how forbidden he would actually become just three short years later.
Deciding it’s too late to act as if my mouth isn’t open in half shock, half admiration, I simply close it and stand, lifting a hand in an awkward wave. “Hey.”
Naturally, my voice comes out squeaky and annoyingly faint, but having not seen the man I once wanted with every fiber of my being, it’s expected.
We keep up with one another in the family group chat, of course, but there, it’s much easier to pretend he’s not…well,him.
Elliot tilts his head, a barely-there gleam of amusement passing through his murky hazel eyes. A small flutter tickles my stomach as his gaze drops from my face to the chair, lingering for a moment too long. His eyes narrow, darkening for a hint of a moment as if he’s recalling the same memory I was.
As expected, though, he corrects his features to his classic nonchalance and nods to the kitchen. “Where is everyone?”
I swallow thickly, walking from behind the chair and maneuvering carefully past him back into the kitchen. My pulse isn’t beating any less quickly, and if I don’t make myself busy, I’m bound to embarrass myself with more non-intentional ogling. “Still at the store picking some things up last minute.”
“I’m surprised there are places open.”
“Only one. Kowalski’s. And she said they’re only open for a few hours this morning.”
Elliot’s silence successfully tempts me to glance over my shoulder. His eyebrows are cinched together as if he’s confused. After another beat, though, he must come to some sort of conclusion because he smirks to himself as he shucks off his jacket.
Of course.
Beneath the thick black fabric, a burgundy long-sleeve thermal sticks to his chest and arms like a second skin. He’s not bulky by any means, but the strength in his defined muscles is enough to make me wonder…to make me remember.
“So, how have things been going? You’ve been pretty quiet in the group text lately.” Elliot rounds the counter and saddles up next to me at the sink. He pulls out a stalk of corn and strips it of its husks. “Anything interesting keeping you busy?”
My responding dry chuckle echoes in the small space around us. “If hibernating on the couch since the degrees drop below forty is interesting, then yeah.”
Working as an at-home accountant for the investors of the world is both convenient and boring. The first two years, I devoted so much time to trying to learn the ever-changing market, I could barely take a second to breathe. But soon, I realized there was a pattern to their spending, and after a few months of switching my tactics to study the investors themselves, a lot of my job became use, rinse, and repeat. Because of that, in the winter at least, I’m able to devote my time to cozy gaming and binge-watching series I skipped out on during the nice summer months.
Elliot shakes his head. “I still don’t get why you haven’t moved yet. You work remotely, so you can go wherever you want.”
I laugh, though it’s humorless, and state what I feel is obvious. “My mom would be alone.”
Elliot’s lips draw down in the corners. “She works a lot. Not to mention, up until a few months ago, she had my dad to keep her busy. So what’s the other reason?”
Partially annoyed that this is the direction of our first conversation, I scoff. “Well, the other seven months, I do love the weather.”
“So you’re content settling for only enjoying something half the time.”
