“Breathe, you look like you’re gonna pass out.”
“Asshole.” I swat him away, even as a smile splits my lips.
“You in, Sibyl?” Ramona turns hopeful eyes in my direction.
“Yeah.” I heave a dramatic sigh. “Let’s do it.”
“Yay!” Ramona does a little dance, skipping backward to set up the next picture. “Alright, for this one, I just want you guys to look at each other. Yes, just like that.”
I can’t stop smiling, and Eli gives me a dopey grin of his own. He disregards Ramona’s directions, stepping his toes to mine. Flicking my nose, twisting my hair between his fingers. The longer we stand there staring, the more serious his face gets.
His deep green eyes darken, roaming over my face, down my body. I feel exposed in a way I’ve never felt before.
“Eli, put your left hand on her cheek. Yes!” Ramona cheers as Eli’s rough palm slides across my jaw. His thumbstrokes my face, and my eyes flutter closed, head leaning into his warmth.
My heart feels like it’s going to pound out of my chest—the way it’s banging around in there like a jackhammer. I remind myself to breathe, leaving my eyes closed as he leans forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
Holy shit. I am not going to survive this photo shoot. There’s just no way I leave here without turning into a puddle.
“Oh my God.” Ramona’s voice reminds me that we’re not alone. “You guys are fucking adorable. Shit, sorry about the language.”
Eli laughs. Stepping back, he takes his warm hands with him. “I work construction, it’s all good.”
“I work in my brother’s auto body shop. Trust me. I’m used to it.”
“Used to it?” Eli snorts. “You’re the one with the filthy mouth.”
“Shut up.” I roll my eyes. Going to shove him again, he grabs both my wrists, twisting me until he’s got my back pinned to his chest. I can’t stop the giggles. This is teenage Sibyl’s fantasy right here—Eli’s big arms wrapped around me, his woodsy, manly scent enveloping me. I tip my head back into his shoulder, trying to get a look at his face, at the smile I hope he’s wearing.
He didn’t smile much for the first couple of years after Lara died. I’ve come to cherish the ones he does have. I store them up for rainy days when I need a little sunshine. Because that’s what an Eli Logan smile feels like. It’s warm, safe, and bright.
“Oh my God, yesss.” Ramona holds her camera out in front of her, snapping photos as she switches from vertical to horizontal and back again.
Eli leans his face down next to mine, pressing warm skin into my cheek. “You look beautiful.”
A shiver runs down my spine. The smile I’m sending to Ramona’s camera is probably cheesy as fuck. I feel like a little kid who got everything on her Santa list.
“Okay, turn to look at each other, maybe rest your foreheads together.”
I steady my breath, turning into Eli. He stares at me, a soft smile on his face. I smile back, reaching my hand to rest on his cheek, something warm unfurling in my chest when I watch his eyes close, his head leaning into my palm.
I don’t know what my face says when he opens his eyes, but I do know what my brain is saying: I am screaming on the inside, begging him to kiss me.Kiss me just one time, Eli, so that I know what it’s like.
He must hear it too, because before I’m really ready, Eli Logan’s mouth is on mine. His lips are softer than I thought possible, pulling mine apart until I’m open to him.
I tremble in his arms, like some ditzy girl who swoons at the slightest touch. That’s what I feel like, being held by him. This has to be a dream—that’s the only thing that makes sense. That thought, combined with him pulling back, has me pouting—a full-blown, lower-lip-puffed-out pout.
Eli chuckles, and nips said lower lip as he tucks his face into my neck, pressing a little kiss to my bare shoulder before he straightens again.
“Jesus.” Ramona fans herself, turning at the waist to look at her assistant. The younger girl is red in the face, her wild brown eyes darting between Ramona and us. “Well, should we try the rowboat?”
“I don’t know,” I tease. “Eli has a habit of tipping them.”
“We can do it last, then.” Ramona grins at me, completely missing the joke.
“Thanks.” Eli leans down, hot breath tickling my ear as he whispers, “Now she thinks I go around tipping boats over.”
“Don’t you?” I grin.
