Page 75 of Abundance of Obsession

Girly. Lighter. Different from what I would wear for Damien.

For Eli.

“Perfect,” I say when I hear a knock at the door. But then I shake my head. This time, Eli isn’t using his key after all.

When I open the door, I have some kind of snarky remark on the tip of my tongue, but words fail me.

Eli stands in the doorway, hands buried in his suit pockets. A dark blue shirt hugs all the right places. I can see the outline of his biceps, his chest muscles, and his abs.

It’s hard to even swallow.

His blond hair is tousled, but not yet dry from his recent shower. And he’s clean-shaven.

My gaze wanders upward until it meets his eyes, focused on me. Aside from the spark that appears in them, I can’t read them. I don’t know what he’s thinking. And that saps my confidence. Does he like what he sees? What’s going through his mind right now?

Those darkened eyes slide lower and settle on my lips, glazed with clear lip gloss. Wanting to break the silence, I part them, but no sound comes out.

Seriously?

“Zoe.” Eli’s voice is rough.

And that voice does something to me… A tingling in my lower belly spreads with a force I can’t contain, and I almost moan. It’s embarrassing.

Only when his gaze meets mine do I see that I’m not the only one. We’re both affected this way.

“I’m ready,” I say in a hushed voice.

“I see… I mean—God, I’m not the best at this. And it’s your fault.”

“My fault?” I laugh because seeing Eli so clumsy, so flustered, is a sight worth all the preparation.

The corners of his mouth are turning up too. “I wanted to say you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

A blush spreads over my cheeks. My skin is burning in those spots, so it can’t be anything else. I thank him, but part of me knows that’s quite a compliment coming from him. Considering his reputation, that is.

“Shall we?” Eli holds out his hand.

I step out of the apartment and take it. It’s warm. And slightly sweaty.

He’s really nervous.

But something else strikes me.

Damien often—actually, at every opportunity—holds my hand too. Yet not once have I felt what I’m feeling now, with Eli, when he touches me. I’m not talking about the warmth radiating down my arm—there’s that too. Our intertwined hands seem right. In the perfect place. Where they’re supposed to be. Where they belong.

I don’t know if my thoughts make any sense. I’m a little dazed.

Stop getting your hopes up. It’s only Eli, who doesn’t do love.

“Where are we going?” I ask as Eli opens the car door for me.

“It’s a surprise.”

We drive in total silence for quite a while. I glance at Eli out of the corner of my eye and can’t shake the feeling that he’s nervous. I’m about to ask him about it when we turn off the main street and park by the ocean.

He quickly gets out, walks behind the car, and helps me out too. Let’s face it, the Escalade wasn’t exactly designed with women in high heels in mind.

Looking all over, I’m confused because I don’t really understand what we’re doing here. “Eli? You didn’t mention that I should bring a bikini.”