Elias was quiet for a moment, the start of a headache thrumming softly behind his eyes. This conversation felt like thelast one they’d had, like she was keeping something from him, and he was past the point of waiting for her to come to terms.
“What are you not saying? What is it you didn’t trust me enough to tell me?” he asked.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” she started, and Elias had to refrain from snorting because if she did, they wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. “Iwantto tell you, but I don’t want it to change whatever decision you might make. I’m asking for forgiveness, and I only want you to decide whether you’re willing to do that based only on the fact that I want to be with you. That I…have never felt how I do when I’m with you. That I’ve never felt safer than with you.”
Elias studied her briefly. “And what if I tell you no? That I forgive you, but that’s it.”
She took a sharp breath and looked at the ceiling, blinking several times before her eyes met his again. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.” Her gaze dropped to her wrists as she exhaled slowly.
He reached out and cupped her chin, bringing syrup eyes to meet his. “I want you to be here because you want to be. I don’t want to keep chasing you, going through this childish ass back and forth. I won’t do this again, Eris.” He paused, allowing his words to sink in. “I need you to trust me and talk to me.”
“I do. I can.”
Elias shook his head. “I’ve heard that before.”
“I can. Iwill. Elias, I want to be with you. In a relationship with you, not just date you.”
“Relationships thrive or fail because of communication. You want to be with me. You want us to be together, then show me.”
He’d chosen to believe her last time, and he’d laid his cards out there, so he’d do the same this time, too. He wasn’t sure what fucking spell she’d put on him, but the thought of letting her go hurt as bad as finding her gone that morning. He released her chin.
“I’m going to bed.” He stood, and she grabbed his wrist.
“Can I…can I sleep with you?”
“That depends. You plan on being here in the morning?”
“Yes.”
Elias took her hand, turned the lights off, and led the way to his bedroom. He placed his phone on the nightstand, then turned the light off before getting into bed. Minutes ticked by in the dark silence, and regardless of how tired they both were, he knew why they hadn’t fallen asleep.
“If you stay that far away all night, we’ll never fall asleep,” he told her.
Barely a second ticked by before she moved into his side, throwing her leg over his waist and laying her head on his chest. A few minutes later, he heard her steady, even breathing. It didn’t take long for him to be close behind.
19
Elias rolled over, arm coming in contact with the empty bed. He felt around before slowly opening his eyes and discovering that he was alone. Glancing towards his en suite, he found the door open and the light off. He rolled onto his back and exhaled, rubbing his temple, before throwing his arm over his eyes.
A couple of minutes later, he got out of bed and entered the en suite. He relieved his bladder, washed his hands and face, and brushed his teeth. Elias made the bed and exited the bedroom, stopping when he found Eri coming down the hall.
“I was coming to wake you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. She rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him. “I made breakfast.” She studied him for a few seconds. “You thought I left.”
“Can you blame me?” he asked.
She sighed, releasing him. “No, but I told you I’d be here.” She turned and headed down the hall, but he stopped her, wrapping his arm around her waist. It wasn’t his intention to make her feel bad. It had been easy to see she did the night before, and he could admit what he said could have come off as him being a dick.
“I didn’t mean to sound like an asshole, Eri.”
“I know. Come on before it gets cold.”
Elias followed her into the kitchen, going over and pulling the curtain back, glancing out of the window. While it wasn’t storming as badly as it had been the previous night, it was still raining steadily.So much for stopping at seven.
He joined Eri at the table, where she placed a plate with bacon, eggs, and pancakes with puree and strawberries cut into little hearts on top of them. He chuckled.
“You like it?” she asked.
“It’s cute, Eri.”
