The atmosphere has changed. It’s clear to me they aren’t going to talk with me here and Eli may have fucked up any chance of getting information because of that.
“I’ll leave,” I say.
Eli doesn’t argue so I get to my feet. He does too and I frown.
“Gonna see her to Hopper then I’ll come back,” he sets his steely gaze on Liz. “This is important, you know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.”
She doesn’t say anything, her glare rivaling that of her daughter. Eli puts his hand on my back again, something I’m getting too used to. We step outside and he guides me away from the trailer.
“I fucked that up,” I say.
“It was my fault.”
“I shouldn’t have come. If they won’t talk now-”
“They’ll talk, I won’t give them the option not to.”
Unsure what he means by that I let it go. He walks me to a small food hut with chairs and tables out front. A woman with green hair, wearing jean shorts, a checked shirt and apron comes over.
“Wondered if you’d come see me,” she grins, then reaches up to hug Eli.
Do all the women here love him? Dumb question. There is something about the way this one is looking at him that makes my body relax. He’s smiling at her like he would a sister. She turns her attention to me.
“Honey, you have walked into the lion’s den coming here with this guy.”
A half smile tilts my lips, I like her. Eli knew where to take me. She offers me coffee and a bagel and shoos him away. Not before he checks I’m okay and warns me to stick with Hopper. We need the information these people have and if this is the way to do it, I’m not going to act like I can’t handle it.
Eli makes sure once more I’m okay then he does something weird. He leans down and kisses my cheek. I’m too stunned to react, but he whispers into my ear.
“Stay here, if anyone tries anything, Hopper will handle it.”
To anyone watching it looks like he’s nuzzling into me. My head bob is imperceptive. He pulls back and looks into my eyes. It’s only us in that moment and my stomach flutters like butterflies are trying to break out and I’m not sure whether to slap him away or draw him in.
My lips part, an unbidden reaction to his nearness. If I thought I could keep fooling myself that this man doesn’t drive me wild, I’m a fucking idiot.
Eli makes the most of it and dips his head, cupping my bottom lip between his. The flutter turns into full-blown lust and I’m tempted to grab him and make this kiss something more but he steps back and gives Hopper a look, then walks away.
“You need a chair? Or a wet wipe?”
A laugh bursts out of me. She’s straight to the point that’s for sure.
“Jesus, I need a fan, that was combustible. Then again, Elias always was the kind to fluster women. Not that he tried,” she walks back to the counter and goes behind it, indicating for me to take one of the stools. “That boy only had to walk by and women swooned. Even women old enough to be his mother. And let me tell you, there are still people here who wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal.”
The butterflies turn green and violent. Hopper laughs.
“Don’t worry, I saw how he looked at you. He ain’t got eyes for anyone else.”
Hopper gets me a coffee in a to go mug and pours herself one, then leans over the counter to study me. “He did good. I’m glad. He was always better than most people here. From the moment he showed up a scrawny seventeen-year-old it was obvious he came from something different to most people who join us.”
Okay. This could be an unexpected opportunity. I don’t let on I have no idea about Eli’s past. I guessed he’d been here a lot longer than that. He showed up when he was seventeen? Where was he before that? The night we talked he hinted at there being something dark in his past, tragic even but he never elaborated.
It would raise red flags if I asked Hopper what she knew. Bringing me here, Eli must have known things would come out about his past that he hasn’t told me. Did he run away from a family? He mentioned kids coming to join the carnival and realizing it was too hard. Now that I think about it, his voice changed when he said that.They go back to their rich parents. That’s what he said.
By the time he comes back, I’ve had two coffees and Hopper has fended off at least three men, one of who was a stunt biker. He’s good looking and cocky as hell but he’s just a kid.
She’s also kept an eye on the woman circling the hut, occasionally casting a dark look in different directions now and then. Of all the women giving Eli attention, she’s the biggest threat, if I had one.
“Hey,” he puts a hand on my back, and I turn on the stool, tilting my head to look at him. He’s standing so close I can’t see anything around or behind him. He checks me over, like something might have happened while he wasgone.
