Eli turned to the computer and pulled up a page. “I just looked it up. It’s going to be around two thousand dollars. He was using one of the new dive computers, of course.”
The blood drained from my face. Two thousand dollars! “Eli, I’m sorry, but there’s no way we can swing that right now. The budget is already stretched thinner than a rubber band as it is.”
His eyes flashed. “Jules, this isn’t optional. I’ve been cobbling together gear for months. Hell, years. We don’t have any spares, okay? If we don’t get a new set of gear, we’ll have to start canceling divers. That’ll cost us even more in the long run.”
My practical side warred with my sympathy. “I understand that, but I can’t just magically make money appear. We’re barely staying afloat as it is.”
“Believe me, I know. But we’ve got to come up with it somehow.” He looked me up and down, his gaze appraising. “Look, I know you’re damn good at your job. I might not have admitted that out loud before, but I’m aware of it. So I need you to wave your magic wand, okay?”
Ignoring the warmth that wanted to spread over my abdomen at his compliment, instead, I planted my feet and squared my shoulders. “Eli, I get it. I do. But we can’t just throw two grand at this without considering the bigger picture.”
His jaw set hard as he straightened to his full height. “The bigger picture? Jules, I am. Without proper equipment, we don’t have a dive operation. No dive op, no dive charters. It’s that simple.”
“Nothing about running this resort is simple,” I shot back, my voice rising. The dive operation was one of the resort’s strongest earners, but it wasn’t the only area I had to worry about. “Every department is screaming for more funding. I’ve already bent the rules for you, so where does it end?”
Eli stepped closer. “This isn’t about bending rules. It’s about safety.”
“There’s no room to carve out an expense this big.”
He raked a hand through his messy hair. “I’ll have to charge it on my own card, then. It’s pretty much maxed out, but?—”
“Absolutely not.” I was shocked he’d even suggest that. “That is strictly against policy. And Harper would never sanction it. Neither would I.”
“What the hell are we supposed to do then?” His voice was rising. “This expense will increase revenue, dammit.”
My breath caught. I’d never seen him like this, all intensity and determination. Except the other night. Goose bumps rippled down my arms. Part of me wanted to keep arguing, to stand my ground. But another part—a part Iwas trying to ignore at the moment—was finding this passionate version of Eli extremely attractive. My heart hammered, and not just from the heated discussion. I quickly shoved that back. My attraction to him didn’t matter right now.
I swallowed hard. “It’s not about future revenue. Your request isn’t unreasonable, but?—”
“No buts,” he interrupted. “We replace the gear or we start canceling divers. And guests. Those are our options.”
I stepped forward, my frustration boiling over. “Goddammit, Eli! You’re right. I am damn good at my job. Because I’m fair. I do the right thing, even when it pisses people off. You can’t just demand things, Eli. I’m not going?—”
That was the last word I got out. Eli closed the distance between us in two swift strides. He gripped my shoulders, and before I could process what was happening, his lips crashed into mine. For a split second, I froze. The clock ticked on the wall. His lips were so warm, so smooth.
Then something inside me snapped.
I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him back with a ferocity that shocked me. His tongue swept into my mouth, and I groaned, pressing myself against him. I plunged my fingers into his hair, the thick strands sliding between my fingers as I pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. The taste of him was everything I’d been fantasizing about, and I couldn’t get enough.
Eli’s hands moved from my shoulders to the small of my back, pulling me flush against him. His body was hard and warm, radiating an energy that made my head swim. I could feel the tension in every muscle as I rubbed my hands across his shoulders, down his back.
In one fluid motion, I jumped up and wrapped my legsaround his waist. Eli grunted in surprise, his hands moving to support my ass. He spun us around, pinning me against the wall with a thud that knocked the breath from my lungs.
“God, Jules,” he panted against my mouth, grinding his hips into mine. The friction sent shockwaves through my body, and I arched into him, desperate for more contact. My fingers closed in his hair, gripping him as I devoured his mouth, all thoughts of budgets and propriety forgotten.
Andrea’s voice rang out from the main room. “Hey, guys, I’m heading to the gear room to check on those tanks I’ve been filling!”
Eli sprang back as if electrocuted. My feet hit the floor, and I stumbled, chest heaving. Eli’s eyes were wide, his hair even more of a mess from my hands. We stared at each other, the realization of what we’d just done crashing over us like a tidal wave.
“I… uh…” I stammered, smoothing down my skirt with trembling hands. My lips felt swollen, and my whole body hummed with desire.
Eli was wide-eyed as he cleared his throat, looking equally shell-shocked. “Right. I, um, didn’t expect to do that.”
I nodded mutely, unable to form a coherent thought. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
“We should probably…” Eli gestured vaguely.
I took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “I-I shouldn’t have done that,” I said, working to keep my voice even. “It was completely unprofessional and?—”
