“She’s got her reasons for feeling how she does, but they’re old reasons. And they don’t have anything to do with you and me. I’ve never been one to follow the rules, especially ones I don’t agree with.”
“But I do like to follow the rules.”
“What do you want to do?”
I huffed a long sigh, not able to come up with an alternative. “I guess keeping this between us is a way to safely explore my newfound adventurous self.”
“That’s my girl.” He squeezed my waist as our agreement settled comfortably between us, a thrilling secret laced with possibility. “What’s happened between us. It feels like a weight has been lifted, you know?”
“Yeah. Like we’ve finally moved past all that animosity.” I turned in his arms, raising an eyebrow. “You think we can pull this off?”
“Please,” he scoffed, his trademark grin spreading across his face. “I’m a master of discretion.”
A pure, uninhibited laugh tumbled out of my mouth. “Says the man who once wore a mankini to a staff meeting.”
“Hey, that was a dare!” Eli protested, but his eyes danced with amusement. “Besides, you have to admit, I rocked it.”
“Oh yes, very professional,” I teased, running my hands up his chest. “I seem to recall wanting to strangle you that day.”
Eli’s hands slid lower, pulling me closer. “And now?”
“Now… I have other ideas.” And taking his hand, I led him toward my bedroom.
As I lay cocoonedin Eli’s arms, the steady, sleeping rhythm of his breathing lulled me toward the embrace of sleep. The scent of sunshine clung to him, mingling with the fresh linen notes from my sheets. It was a comforting juxtaposition, a reminder of our day and all that had happened between us.
But then, as I relaxed against him, a whisper of unease flickered in my chest. Was keeping things light really what I wanted? My mind drifted back to the spreadsheets I’d mentioned earlier. I could almost picture the neatly organized columns of data, calculating the risk of being involved with Eli Coleridge.
I pushed the thought away. This was supposed to be fun, right? No messy entanglements. Just two people enjoying each other’s company and no one else’s business. That was how I’d sold it to myself. And yet, beneath that veneer of confidence, I couldn’t deny a tremor of doubt.
My past echoed in my head, reminding me of betrayaland broken trust. Reminding me how devastated I’d been at Travis’s betrayal. And a friendship shattered. Those memories curled around my heart like a vice, squeezing tighter whenever I let myself think about taking a leap. But in this moment, with Eli’s warmth enveloping me, it was easier to ignore the warning signs.
I shifted slightly, tucking my head into the crook of his shoulder and letting the tension drain from my body. There was comfort here, a soothing balm for my overactive mind, and I smiled slightly. He was a charmer, always managing to balance the line between playful and serious without ever tipping into danger. Yet somewhere deep down, a tiny part of me craved the exact opposite.
Then came a soft murmur, a sound that pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. Eli tensed, muscles twitching in his sleep. I paused, holding my breath, listening intently.
“Jules…” he breathed with a touch of yearning, my name drifting from his lips like a secret in his sleep.
Not Julianne anymore.
Jules.
My heart skipped a beat. The intimacy of it struck me like a wave crashing against the shore. This wasn’t just a nickname. The way he’d said it felt like an invitation, a glimpse into a side of him that rarely surfaced. I snuggled closer and savored the way my name hung in the air between us, filled with unspoken layers of meaning. Was this mere sleep talk, or did it hint at something deeper?
The night wrapped around us, and with Eli’s whispered name echoing in my mind, I surrendered to sleep. Caught in the delicate balance between fear and longing, I wondered if this moment was a dream or the beginning of something beautifully complicated.
