I had to smile, watching the easy back-and-forth between them. Chase’s smile lit up his whole face. And Harper was in full après-work mode, beer in hand. She laughed at Chase’s remark.
“Who would have thought?” Eli said softly to me, following my gaze. “I think my nephew likes him as much as he likes me.”
I laughed, having witnessed Finn and Eli together many times. “Oh, stop it. I highly doubt you need to worry about that. Chase is good with kids, though.”
Eli and I sat on a smooth, pale log. Ben, who was staring into the fire, sat a short distance away. Harper directed a warm smile at me. “So how do you like being a certified diver at last? Worth all that classroom time and pool practice with my exasperating brother?”
I grinned, a genuine, radiant expression that felt completely natural. “I loved it. I can’t wait to dive again. Lacey has no idea what she missed by not finishing the class. And I’m officially ready to admit that Eli was a fabulous instructor.”
Eli’s arm tightened around my shoulders, his warmth a comforting weight. “See? I told you you’d love it. Every dive is like a treasure hunt. You never know what might turn up down there. A hidden octopus, a school of shimmering fish, a long-lost Spanish galleon full of gold…”
“You’re such a dork,” I said, nudging him with my elbow. “But you’re right. It’s incredible down there, and it is kind of a treasure hunt. I used to plan epic scavenger hunts as a kid. Maybe I should try one underwater sometime. Something to really challenge your expert navigational skills.”
Eli raised an eyebrow at me, eyes glinting. “Challengemynavigational skills? Please. I’ve got an internal compass calibrated to the tides, baby. You’ll never stump me.”
A smile played at the corners of Ben’s mouth as he lifted his gaze from the fire to his brother. “That’s rich, coming from the guy who once got lost on his way to his car in the parking lot. He might be a wizard under the sea, but above water, that’s a different story. Eli could get lost in a closet.”
“I’ve seen it,” Chase added.
Laughter rippled through the small group, the warmth of it chasing away the slight chill of the evening.
“Yeah, yeah,” Eli replied with a good-natured shrug. “But I picked the right career, didn’t I?” He fished a beer from the cooler behind him and handed it to Ben. “Speaking of which, how’s the security business? Still keeping Dove Key safe from rogue tourists?”
After opening the bottle, Ben returned his gaze to the flickering flames. “Not much action lately.” He mumbled the words, a hint of hesitancy threading through his voice.
“Oh?” Eli tilted his head. “Slow season?”
Ben shifted, the driftwood log creaking beneath him. “Nah. I’ve been… looking into something else.”
His cautious tone caught my attention. Eli must have heard it too. “Looking into what?” he pressed.
“An EMT program,” Ben said quickly, as if the words might escape before he could stop them.
I couldn’t help responding, even though I was a newcomer. “That sounds great. Emergency medical technician is a fantastic career path. You’d never run out of work.” I had no idea Ben’s ambitions ran in that direction, but his steady presence under pressure would be a boon.
“I don’t know,” Ben mumbled, picking at the label on his bottle of beer. “It’s just something I’m considering.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to apply,” Harper added from across the fire.
“Plus, you’ve had plenty of practice patching up this knucklehead,” Eli added, jerking a thumb at himself.
Ben actually laughed at that, a rare, rich sound. “True. Though most of your injuries were self-inflicted stupidity.”
As they chattered back and forth, warmth spread through me. I looked around the circle of faces, illuminated by the flickering flames, and felt a sense of belonging I’d never expected to find here. And all because of Eli.
Because I was falling in love with him.
I was falling hard for this gorgeous, goofy, never-serious opposite to me. And none of that mattered. Only we mattered.
Then my gaze met Eli’s. His eyes turned sultry, and my body responded automatically. He tilted his head slightly toward the screened foliage, a silent question in his eyes. I nodded, almost imperceptibly.
“Hey, I’m gonna grab another drink,” Eli announced, his voice casual. “Jules, wanna join me?”
My blood sang as I stood and shook my half-full beer. “Sure, I could use a refill.”
As I rose, I was grateful the rest ignored both us and the cooler behind Eli. We walked away from the fire, the voices of the others fading as we headed toward the tree line and privacy. Eli led me to a small glade, the sand ringed three-quarters of the way around by scrubby trees. The moment we were out of sight, he pulled me close.
“God, I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he murmured, his lips brushing my ear. “And more.”
