“Are you new here? To Fort Myers?”I ask him.
Elijah’s eyes light up, as if my asking him a question indicates taking an interest—which implies that he’s winning.
Which, to be fair, does imply I have an interest becauseI do. But it most certainly does not mean he is winning.
“Yes, I moved here this past weekend.”
Oh, wow. Fresh arrival.
“Oh,” is all I can manage, and he eyes me some more, allowing those big eyes to trace the lines of my stomach and waist shamelessly.
I can feel myself getting hotter; suddenly, I am vividly remembering the details of my dream last night—of having Benjamin spread out beneath me while I fingered—
“Are you sure you don’t have ten minutes to spare?” the temptress asks, and I shake my head. Not only to decline, but to ward off the perverted thoughts that are clouding my brain.
I could spare ten minutes to fuc—
“Sorry, Elijah—”
“Just call me Eli,” he interrupts
I sigh.“Well,Eli, I am a very busy man. At no point do I see myself having time for this interview, so…”
I nod my head in the direction of his car, making my rejection that much more obvious to him. But the guy just grins even harder, staring up at me like I’m the most interesting challenge he’s had thus far.
“I look forward to proving you wrong,” he says, and I don’t miss the way his pink tongue runs over his full bottom lip before he turns on his heel and skips down the steps of my porch, taking himself and the two coffees back to his car.
I watch as he gets into the driver’s seat and as he drives down the gravel road. When I finally turn and shut the door, allowing my guard to finally drop, I have to take a deep, fighting breath against the lust building inside of me.
Suddenly, my basketball shorts are a lot tighter, and my skin feels a lot hotter. But as I try to distract myself by making breakfast, I can’t help but wonderwhyI’m avoiding him so desperately. Why am I denying myself when he’sright in front of me?
Am I afraid to find that he isn’t the Benjamin from my dreams? Or am I afraid to find that he is?
Or could it be neither? Could it be that, more than anything, I’m afraid of letting someone in when all I know is how to be alone?
Fuck. Maybe my mother is right. Maybe thereissomething wrong with me.
Chapter Six
Elijah
Tabitha’s Place is mildly busy when I slip inside, escaping the afternoon chill that the late October air brings to Fort Myers. That is one thing I miss about California—the sunshine.
I find an empty booth to the left of the entrance and settle in, not waiting to be seated. I have a feeling that I’ll just be hollered at to take my pick anyway.
There’s a younger woman working today, a waitress I’ve never seen before. She’s skirting around tables and refilling drinks. As she notices my presence, she heads in my direction, smiling brightly.
“Hiya! My name is Kandi. What can I get started for ya?” Her energy is intoxicating, immediately brightening everything around her. She must be college-aged, and most certainly beautiful. I bet all the men in this town fawn right over her—and for good reason.
Long black hair and big brown eyes framed by dark lashes. Her face is heart-shaped, and her lips are thin, but it suits her features.
“I’ll take a Coke, please,” I request.
“Sure thing—”
“I got this one, Kandi,” Bennett’s voice cuts in, and we both look to my right to find him quickly approaching. “I didn’t see you, Elijah. I was in the kitchen.”
“You’re always stealing the hot ones,” Kandi pouts, to which Bennett just laughs and waves her off, as if he has the right to take whichever patron he chooses.
