purposely letting his thumb skim the space between my jean line and t-shirt hem. My skin burned where he touched me.
He yanked me closer to him, our bodies becoming aligned. My breath caught in my throat as he swiftly hooked the clip in the loop and gave it another strong tug to make sure it was secure. He stepped back, adjusting the tension of the rope, his eyes never leaving mine.
My body trembled. I hadn’t realized I had stopped breathing until tiny, dark spots impeded my vision and the room decided to get a little unstable on me. I let go of my breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice my reaction. From the fraction of a smile glinting in Eli’s eyes, I was not so lucky.
I nodded at him. Well played.
He shrugged. I thought so. Are you sure you really want to dance with me, little girl?
I crossed my arms. I’ve heard the Samba is enjoyable.
He smirked. You are out of your league.
Don’t underestimate me.
Tango it is then.
“Wow, awk-ward.” Jason clasped his hands together trying to break the tension between Eli and me. Jason’s voice snapped me back into the room, and I looked up, startled. I had almost forgotten he was there. That was a bad sign—a really bad sign.
We finished the rest of our training and, as soon as I was unhooked, I thanked Jason and bolted out of the room. My phone showed a text from Kennedy saying they’d be here at six-thirty. That gave me ten more minutes. I walked outside, wanting to escape into the open air and the dark shadows hanging from the building. My body still buzzed with adrenaline, and my skin, where his thumb had touched me, zinged with heat. I leaned against the cement wall and closed my eyes, taking in a slow breath of cool air, trying to calm myself.
Someone barged out the front door of the building. My eyes flew open with a start. I froze as I saw Eli barreling towards the parking lot, his hand continuously running over his face and through his hair. He reached his bike and threw down his bag angrily, profanity hissing out of his mouth. He leaned over his bike. He looked to be gathering himself together, his fingers digging into the leather seat. I didn’t move a muscle, afraid he’d turn around and see me.
The front door creaked again as someone else pushed their way outside. “Eli?” A girl’s voice echoed over the night air, which I immediately recognized as Samantha’s. “Eli?” She walked towards him. I pressed myself harder into the wall, hoping I’d become part of it.
“What?” He sounded irritated.
“I was waiting for you.”
His voice was clipped. “I didn’t ask you to.”
“I know.” Her voice went from uncertainty to angry. “You never would because you don’t want to need anything from anyone.”
He pushed himself off the bike and turned around to face her. “Samantha, I’ve told you how I feel. I’ve warned you this is nothing more than what it is. I’m not looking for anything, but you continue to pursue it. You know full well what I’m like. I never deceived you.”
Sam was silent for a moment. “It’s her, isn’t it?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, please. It’s so obvious. I have eyes. I can see what is happening.” Her mood seemed to shift again and a strange laugh escaped her. “I’m surprised at you, Eli. I know you’ve done the gantlet of women, but I didn’t imagine you’d go there. I mean you do know what she is, right?” Eli’s jaw tightened and he stared back at Sam without an ounce of emotion. “I thought that was one line even you wouldn’t cross. She’s one of them , Eli. Do you get that? You most of all can’t forget what that means.”
“I have forgotten nothing ! I know what I am doing. I have a plan.”
Samantha crossed her arms. “I’m starting to think there is more to it than that.”
The tension was so thick, I could feel it resonating off Eli, and see its visible sonic waves crash into me. Eli turned away and grabbed his bag off the
He yanked me closer to him, our bodies becoming aligned. My breath caught in my throat as he swiftly hooked the clip in the loop and gave it another strong tug to make sure it was secure. He stepped back, adjusting the tension of the rope, his eyes never leaving mine.
My body trembled. I hadn’t realized I had stopped breathing until tiny, dark spots impeded my vision and the room decided to get a little unstable on me. I let go of my breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice my reaction. From the fraction of a smile glinting in Eli’s eyes, I was not so lucky.
I nodded at him. Well played.
He shrugged. I thought so. Are you sure you really want to dance with me, little girl?
I crossed my arms. I’ve heard the Samba is enjoyable.
He smirked. You are out of your league.
Don’t underestimate me.
Tango it is then.
“Wow, awk-ward.” Jason clasped his hands together trying to break the tension between Eli and me. Jason’s voice snapped me back into the room, and I looked up, startled. I had almost forgotten he was there. That was a bad sign—a really bad sign.
We finished the rest of our training and, as soon as I was unhooked, I thanked Jason and bolted out of the room. My phone showed a text from Kennedy saying they’d be here at six-thirty. That gave me ten more minutes. I walked outside, wanting to escape into the open air and the dark shadows hanging from the building. My body still buzzed with adrenaline, and my skin, where his thumb had touched me, zinged with heat. I leaned against the cement wall and closed my eyes, taking in a slow breath of cool air, trying to calm myself.
Someone barged out the front door of the building. My eyes flew open with a start. I froze as I saw Eli barreling towards the parking lot, his hand continuously running over his face and through his hair. He reached his bike and threw down his bag angrily, profanity hissing out of his mouth. He leaned over his bike. He looked to be gathering himself together, his fingers digging into the leather seat. I didn’t move a muscle, afraid he’d turn around and see me.
The front door creaked again as someone else pushed their way outside. “Eli?” A girl’s voice echoed over the night air, which I immediately recognized as Samantha’s. “Eli?” She walked towards him. I pressed myself harder into the wall, hoping I’d become part of it.
“What?” He sounded irritated.
“I was waiting for you.”
His voice was clipped. “I didn’t ask you to.”
“I know.” Her voice went from uncertainty to angry. “You never would because you don’t want to need anything from anyone.”
He pushed himself off the bike and turned around to face her. “Samantha, I’ve told you how I feel. I’ve warned you this is nothing more than what it is. I’m not looking for anything, but you continue to pursue it. You know full well what I’m like. I never deceived you.”
Sam was silent for a moment. “It’s her, isn’t it?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, please. It’s so obvious. I have eyes. I can see what is happening.” Her mood seemed to shift again and a strange laugh escaped her. “I’m surprised at you, Eli. I know you’ve done the gantlet of women, but I didn’t imagine you’d go there. I mean you do know what she is, right?” Eli’s jaw tightened and he stared back at Sam without an ounce of emotion. “I thought that was one line even you wouldn’t cross. She’s one of them , Eli. Do you get that? You most of all can’t forget what that means.”
“I have forgotten nothing ! I know what I am doing. I have a plan.”
Samantha crossed her arms. “I’m starting to think there is more to it than that.”
The tension was so thick, I could feel it resonating off Eli, and see its visible sonic waves crash into me. Eli turned away and grabbed his bag off the
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