bring it, I thought.
His eyebrow cocked, and I immediately wanted to slap myself. Oh, you idiot. Why did you have to use that word?
“It’s a little early in our relationship for us to be ‘surmounting,’ but, hey, I’m game if you are. I’ll even let you be on top.” He looked directly at me, a coy smile playing on his lips.
Whenever I thought I had the upper hand, Eli seemed to be able to pull my legs out from under me, knocking me off my game. I grappled for any kind of thought not including images of this boy’s naked body or his fingers against my bare skin. I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the vivid images playing out in my head.
He moved in closer, causing warmth to flare through me as he brushed my arm. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, his hot breath slipping teasingly down my neck and spine. “I’ll be waiting eagerly for a good retort from that wicked tongue of yours. I’m sure you will come back with some mind-blowing licks for me.” He stepped back away from me. Watching me flounder for words and the chagrin spreading over my cheeks only widened his smile.
He was toying with me. He enjoyed the power he got from watching me lose my defenses. Everything about him scared me, infuriated me, and intrigued me—an exceedingly dangerous combination. Absolutely nothing good would come of this. I needed to run in the opposite direction of anything having to do with Eli Dragen.
I really should have listened to my own advice.
The ropes trainer’s mouth hung slightly open as his gaze flickered between Eli and me.
I cleared my throat. “Uh, sorry about that. Putting us in the same room should come with a warning label: Will cause a pain in the ass.”
“O-kay . . .” He put on a polite smile. “Shall we continue?”
“Yes. Please continue, Jason.” I turned back to him, letting my flirty smile out. Anything that would piss Eli off would make me happy. I smiled brightly. “What are you going to teach us tonight?”
“Oh, right. Yeah man, come on over and I’ll show you guys the basics, the safety tips, how you get in and out of the harness, and how to check the equipment properly.” Jason waved us over to the table piled with ropes and harnesses. For the next hour and half he took us through all the safety precautions and basic rope protocol.
“Okay, now I’m gonna have you take turns clicking each other onto the lead and adjusting the tension.”
He sprang towards the rope hanging up in the room from end to end. Eli shot me an inscrutable look before spinning on his heels, heading toward the rope.
Speaking of adjusting the tension, I thought as I followed.
“Okay, Ember, I’ll have you go first.” Jason handed me a clip for the rope. Eli stood with his legs apart, parallel to his shoulders, and his arms crossed over his chest. The harness fit snuggly over his button-fly jeans. The weight of the harness pulled them down, exposing more of his hips and lower torso. As low as they dipped, I saw no hint of underwear. No, don’t go there. I swallowed and shifted my gaze to the floor as I walked up to him.
My fingers nervously fumbled with the clip and the front loop of his harness. I twisted my hand to get a better angle, and my knuckles brushed up against the exposed patch of his soft, toned skin. My hand and his body jerked back in response.
Embarrassment colored my face. His eyes held mine with a steady, critical gaze that I couldn’t really decipher before I returned my focus back to the harness. I clipped him into the rope and adjusted the tension, and then took several steps away from him.
“Awesome.” Jason nodded his head approvingly. “Now it’s your turn, Eli.”
I tried to calm my thumping heart as his eyes locked onto mine, the room becoming hazy and out of focus. Eli held the clip in one hand, his fingers flicking the clasp open and closed as he stepped up to me. With the other hand, he curled his fingers through my harness loop,
His eyebrow cocked, and I immediately wanted to slap myself. Oh, you idiot. Why did you have to use that word?
“It’s a little early in our relationship for us to be ‘surmounting,’ but, hey, I’m game if you are. I’ll even let you be on top.” He looked directly at me, a coy smile playing on his lips.
Whenever I thought I had the upper hand, Eli seemed to be able to pull my legs out from under me, knocking me off my game. I grappled for any kind of thought not including images of this boy’s naked body or his fingers against my bare skin. I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the vivid images playing out in my head.
He moved in closer, causing warmth to flare through me as he brushed my arm. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, his hot breath slipping teasingly down my neck and spine. “I’ll be waiting eagerly for a good retort from that wicked tongue of yours. I’m sure you will come back with some mind-blowing licks for me.” He stepped back away from me. Watching me flounder for words and the chagrin spreading over my cheeks only widened his smile.
He was toying with me. He enjoyed the power he got from watching me lose my defenses. Everything about him scared me, infuriated me, and intrigued me—an exceedingly dangerous combination. Absolutely nothing good would come of this. I needed to run in the opposite direction of anything having to do with Eli Dragen.
I really should have listened to my own advice.
The ropes trainer’s mouth hung slightly open as his gaze flickered between Eli and me.
I cleared my throat. “Uh, sorry about that. Putting us in the same room should come with a warning label: Will cause a pain in the ass.”
“O-kay . . .” He put on a polite smile. “Shall we continue?”
“Yes. Please continue, Jason.” I turned back to him, letting my flirty smile out. Anything that would piss Eli off would make me happy. I smiled brightly. “What are you going to teach us tonight?”
“Oh, right. Yeah man, come on over and I’ll show you guys the basics, the safety tips, how you get in and out of the harness, and how to check the equipment properly.” Jason waved us over to the table piled with ropes and harnesses. For the next hour and half he took us through all the safety precautions and basic rope protocol.
“Okay, now I’m gonna have you take turns clicking each other onto the lead and adjusting the tension.”
He sprang towards the rope hanging up in the room from end to end. Eli shot me an inscrutable look before spinning on his heels, heading toward the rope.
Speaking of adjusting the tension, I thought as I followed.
“Okay, Ember, I’ll have you go first.” Jason handed me a clip for the rope. Eli stood with his legs apart, parallel to his shoulders, and his arms crossed over his chest. The harness fit snuggly over his button-fly jeans. The weight of the harness pulled them down, exposing more of his hips and lower torso. As low as they dipped, I saw no hint of underwear. No, don’t go there. I swallowed and shifted my gaze to the floor as I walked up to him.
My fingers nervously fumbled with the clip and the front loop of his harness. I twisted my hand to get a better angle, and my knuckles brushed up against the exposed patch of his soft, toned skin. My hand and his body jerked back in response.
Embarrassment colored my face. His eyes held mine with a steady, critical gaze that I couldn’t really decipher before I returned my focus back to the harness. I clipped him into the rope and adjusted the tension, and then took several steps away from him.
“Awesome.” Jason nodded his head approvingly. “Now it’s your turn, Eli.”
I tried to calm my thumping heart as his eyes locked onto mine, the room becoming hazy and out of focus. Eli held the clip in one hand, his fingers flicking the clasp open and closed as he stepped up to me. With the other hand, he curled his fingers through my harness loop,
Similar Books
