by Alexa Davis
“Actually,” she sighed sadly, setting things down before turning to face me. Her soulful eyes looked cold and distant, causing a hollow sensation to burst across my chest. Whatever words were about to come out of her mouth, I already knew that I wasn’t going to like them. “This is more of a goodbye dinner than anything else.”
What? I wanted to scream, to cling to her, but I forced my lips to remain sealed and my arms to stay clamped by my side. Even if I didn’t like it, I had to hear her out.
“The landlord finally fixed the pipes in my apartment, so I can go back home. Tomorrow, actually, so I wanted to let you know how grateful I am that you had me here. It would have been difficult for me if you didn’t.”
“Oh, sure...” I gulped, trying to make the sadness go down. I should have known that this was coming, I should have been expecting it, yet it hit me like a thump in the face. “Oh, right, well, of course.” I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but from her expression, I didn’t think I was totally pulling it off. “Well, it’s been great having you.”
“I’m just going to get changed, and then I’ll be out to cook.”
As she raced away, seemingly wanting to keep her emotions from me, too, I wanted to yell out, to beg her to stay, to tell her that Florence wouldn’t be the same without her by my side, but I couldn’t. This was a business arrangement; we’d started this knowing that it wouldn’t be for the full two months, but still... It was all happening too soon.
I glanced down at Veil, wondering if he could understand the situation, too. Before Eliza came into my life, I wouldn’t have even considered him comprehending anything, but now... Well, now I wasn’t so sure.
“I know, buddy.” I smiled, ruffling his fur. “It’s gonna suck without her.” I didn’t feel as silly talking to him now – it was becoming much more natural to me. “But we gotta do what we gotta do.” I’d be gone soon enough, anyway; this was just a good way to prepare for me for that.
I can’t let her go. All logic aside, I just wanted her to stay.
“So, how does stir fry sound to you?” she called from the other room, making me miss her even more. She wasn’t even gone yet, and I felt empty without her. “I thought something quick would be nice, and I got some wine, too.”
“I’ll start it,” I told her, trying to keep my tone upbeat. “That’s so simple, even I can manage it.”
“Thank you.” As she came back into the room in shorts and a casual t-shirt, the image of her tugged violently on my heart strings. I wanted to go to her, to hold her, to never let her go – but this night wasn’t about that. It was us having a friendly goodbye, a thank you dinner. This would likely be the last time we saw each other before I left.
“So, how did things go with Landon? Did you enjoy your fishing trip?”
“I actually caught something!” There was that pride again, lacing my tone. “It was awesome; he showed me around the factory, too.”
“And are you thinking of investing?” As she handed me a glass of wine, our fingers brushed against one another, sparking that electricity all over again. We didn’t acknowledge it, though.
“I am, actually. I didn’t think I would, but he has a lot going for him. He’s smart, he’s got a good business head, and he deserves some encouragement.”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy. I think he’ll do well. But if you didn’t think you were going to invest, then why did you come here? You booked a pretty expensive trip for two months, and you didn’t even think you were going to get anything from it.”
Because I almost died... Because I got sick... Because I needed a break from my shitty life. I could have told her everything. I could have opened up to her, but for some reason, I still couldn’t do it. I just didn’t want that sympathy in her eyes; I didn’t ever want to see her looking at me like that.
“Oh, because I wanted a break,” I told her evasively. “Sometimes running casinos and life in Vegas, it’s all just a little... blah.” Shit, I sounded like an arrogant idiot. “I don’t know. Don’t you ever think about running away?”
“Well, maybe I did a little when I lost my grandma because everything here reminded me of her. But aside from that, I’ve never wanted to leave. Florence is my home, and I love it here.”
Another person obsessed with Florence – there had to be something in that. It did seem to me like the sort of place a person remained in forever, and not in a scary, claustrophobic way, either. In a nice, contented way.
“Yeah, I can see that,” I replied with a smile. “It’s amazing here.”
“So, do you ever think you might come and visit again?” she asked innocently, sparking my interest. She wanted me to come back. She wanted me to visit again, and maybe I would.
“Yeah, maybe,” I replied carelessly. “I do like it here, so we’ll see.”
I glanced up at her for a reaction, and for a second, I was sure that I saw a smile on her face.
Neither of us mentioned it again, and we had a very casual dinner where we both avoided any difficult topics. It was the perfect way to round off such a wonderful time, if we were going to remain as just friends.
However, there was no denying the thick sexual tension that clung to the air. It went unspoken, neither of us even acknowledged it, but it was there the whole time. There would be the occasional look between us, the odd brush of a hand, her foot brushed against mine a couple of times, but still neither of us acted upon it. I kept waiting for some sort of sign, yet somehow it never came.
“Well,” she said as she finally slung her drink back, finishing off her last glass of wine. “I suppose... maybe it’s time to get some sleep.” She looked imploringly at me, and I wondered if that was my chance, but before I could act upon it, Veil barked loudly, breaking the magic of the moment. “Goodnight.”
“I’ve enjoyed you being here, you know,” I finally called out, causing her to spin around and look at me once more. “It’s been awesome, and while I’m glad your apartment livable again and that your landlord finally got off his ass to do something... it’s going to be weird without you here.”
She nodded quickly, her eyes filling up with tears, and then she turned quickly and shut the door behind her, leaving it at that. I guess that answered my question: it seemed like we were done, so I needed to go to bed myself.
I sighed sadly, cursing myself for not being braver, for not taking action sooner. Now I would have another long and sad night alone in my room, and tomorrow, she would be gone. That’d be the end of it completely.
I was an idiot, but it was too late now.
“Come on, Veil, let’s go.”
But I couldn’t quite make it. I didn’t quite get to my room. I just stood there, staring at Eliza’s door, my mind flickering between decisions. It would be so easy to go to bed, to forget about it all, but it’d be much easier to knock on that door and to finally make it happen. I had no idea what she truly wanted, whether she thought it was a good idea, but I also didn’t want to regret anything.
My heart was pounding, willing me to step forward.
What if she rejects me, reminds me that we’re just friends?
Can I sleep knowing that she is there, knowing this is my last chance?
Shit. There wasn’t any fighting it anymore. I stepped tentatively forward, praying that this would be okay, that this would turn out the way I wanted it to.
I lifted my hand, preparing myself to knock, my body freaking out like crazy, but before my skin could actually connect with the wood, the door swung open revealing a shocked, flushed Eliza.
“Oh,” she gasped, staring at me. Our eyes communicated a million things with each other, emotions we had no idea how to say aloud, and that sent our sizzling chemistry running wild.
I felt a wild, animalistic need building up inside of myself, and my whole body trembled as I almost lost total control. There was something about Eliza, something that brought out a side of me that I didn’t recognize, and I wanted to explore that further. I needed her. My body was pul
sating for her. That magnetism was back and dragging me in toward her, and this time, I just wanted to succumb to it, to fall into her arms.
Our lips crashed together. I had no idea who made the first move, just that our arms were tangled around one another and that we were stuck together like glue.
I felt whole, complete with her in my arms, and when she pulled me into her room, it was as if all my Christmas wishes had come true at once. She was my dream girl, and she made me feel phenomenal. She was the only thing I wanted in the whole damn world – and that thought scared and thrilled me all at once.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eliza – Tuesday
I pressed my body up against the door to my room, where I’d been standing only a few moments before pondering whether I should go back out there and grab Milo. Only this time, he was with me – kissing me, touching me – and it felt wonderful.
I’d done it: I’d taken action, and it had worked out for the best. Actually, it wouldn’t have even mattered if I didn’t because it seemed like Milo had exactly the same idea. He was out there, about to knock on my door, about to spark this, too.
He wanted me, I wanted him, and finally, we were just going for it.
Why did I even consider letting this night pass without this happening? It would have been a perfectly amiable night, a nice end to our time together, but this was so much better.
Screw feelings; those were Future Eliza’s problems. Present Eliza was having the time of her life. I was about to lose my freaking mind over this amazing guy.
I grabbed at Milo’s clothes, tugging his t-shirt up over his head. As my hands trailed over his impressive chest once more, a loud moan escaped my throat. I was so worked up, so on edge that I never would have managed to sleep anyway; this was the only way.
I would have to confess to Laynee that she was right about everything... I was going to have to deal with her smug face all day long tomorrow.
Milo shed my clothes in a blur, making my head spin and leaving me standing in front of him totally naked. As he slid his own jeans down, he blatantly ran his eyes all over my body, a dark desire filling his eyes. Again, I didn’t want to shy away from him. I just wanted him to keep on looking, which was such a novel feeling for me. I loved it. I enjoyed the confidence he instilled in me; it made everything feel that much better.
“Get onto the bed,” he commanded as he finally unleashed his thick, throbbing erection. “I need you there.”
But again, I found that need to stand out in his mind, to be better than anyone he’d ever had before. He seemed to me like he’d spent his whole life getting his own way and I liked that he couldn’t have that with me. I enjoyed being the one in control; it made me feel special.
“No.” I pressed his chest, pushing him backward, with a wicked smile on my lips. “You get on the bed – I need you there.”
“What are you...” he playfully protested, but I kissed him, shutting him up rapidly.
He eventually fell backward, and his butt hit the sheets as he gave in to me totally. I sashayed forward and leaned in for a sweet and tender kiss on his mouth before I slowly moved my lips over his stubbly cheeks and down to his neck. The second he groaned happily, and his head lolled to one side with lust, I fell to the floor, my knees hitting the floor with a thump and causing a gasp to leave his mouth.
His hands grabbed onto my shoulders, and I could feel him tense up all over, which meant that I’d surprised him. I had him exactly where I wanted him. This was going amazingly.
I lightly traced my fingers up and down his length, occasionally using my nails extremely gently just to add a different sensation into the mix. Then I leaned forward to press kisses all over his thighs. He started to shudder, his hands gripped tighter onto me as the pressure got to him, and that grew more intense every time I drew nearer to where he was straining for me.
I could practically see the lust glistening off him – he couldn’t take it much longer.
As my lips finally found him, only to place one chaste kiss on him while cupping my hands under his thighs for a second, just to keep his legs apart and in place, he could no longer contain his frustration. “Oh, my God, Eliza, you’re killing me.”
I looked up to meet his eyes and saw a fiery desire there. That was enough to spur me forward, to make me take what I’d been so looking forward to claiming, so I took the base of him in my hand and wrapped my lips around him.
“Oh, shit,” he yelled as I slid my lips down, flicking my tongue along his length while I went, Milo nearly lost his mind. He kept tensing up and relaxing automatically, as if he couldn’t take it anymore, which made me even happier. It caused me to slide him down as close to the back of my throat as I could muster.
He was big and thick, filling far too much of my mouth, but I still enjoyed doing it for him. He felt incredible; he made my heartbeats fall on top of one another, they were coming in so quickly. “Oh, God, stop.”
Eventually, Milo pulled me away and kissed me hard, filling my chest with that flaming heat all over again. There was something about him... He made me crazy, he sent me over the edge, and I adored him for that. I’d never felt like I would die if I didn’t have someone, but with Milo, that was exactly how I felt.
He pulled me up onto the bed, and this time, I simply allowed him to do it. Even if I wanted to still continue fighting with him, I couldn’t. My body just wouldn’t allow it because I needed him now, I couldn’t take the heat anymore.
He lay me backward, hovering over me, and gave me such an intense look that I had to grab him to bring his mouth crashing down against mine. I was afraid that I’d totally lose it and turn into a gibbering wreck if I didn’t.
I certainly didn’t want tonight to be spoiled with feelings. If I started crying, if I opened that floodgate, I might never be able to shut it again.
As we kissed, Milo’s hands worked their way down my body, and I couldn’t stop myself from pushing against him. He could feel my every curve, and I could feel every inch of that wonderful, sexy body of his. I loved his muscles, I adored his strength, and I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to find someone that felt as good as him, that sparked desire inside of me as much as Milo did.
Stay, I want you to stay!
That thought popped into my head so unexpectedly, that it made my eyes snap open in shock. No, I couldn’t start thinking things like that. I needed to switch my brain off completely, otherwise, I might end up bursting something out in the heat of the moment, and how bad would that make me sound? He’d think I was a crazy, obsessive person... which might have been true, but only for him. I’d never cared enough about anyone who came before.
Luckily, at that moment, I felt him slide one of those incredible fingers inside of me and passion overtook me, shutting everything else off. I focused only on him, and the wonderful sensations tearing through my core. This felt even better than before; he felt even more phenomenal that the last time we were together, and it was very hard for me to cope with that.
“Oh, Milo,” I whispered, as another finger worked my body. “Oh, wow.”
I allowed my legs to fall apart further, offering him more access to me, and he took full advantage of that by removing his hand and sliding himself into me. I clung to him, grabbing onto his butt to control the pace and strengths of his thrusts, my head spinning with desire the entire time. I was gasping, desperately trying to get air into my lungs, while at the same time, trying to keep my body under control.
I was on fire, completely and utterly consumed by the flames, totally overwhelmed by Milo, and there wasn’t anywhere else in the world I would have rather been.
“Eliza, I... I...” I felt like Milo was building up to something, that he was about to say something important, and I did want to stop and listen, but I had no control of myself anymore. He was consuming me wholly, and that sent the pleasure thundering through my body like a steamroller. Whatever Milo was going to say was totally swallowed up by my screams of joy, and there was nothing
I could do to stop that.
As the orgasm claimed me, I couldn’t feel anything but him. The bed vanished, the room around me disappeared – all that was left holding me to the Earth was him, so I grabbed onto him desperately.
While we lay next to one another, limbs entangled, trying to calm down, I knew that an awkward conversation was coming. The last time this happened, I ran out of the room like a madwoman, but this time, I wanted to stay. This was our last night together. It was practically the last time we were going to see each other – I didn’t want it to end just yet.
“Should... Should I go?” Milo asked awkwardly, sliding slightly away from me. “I understand if you want to spend the night alone.” His eyes told a whole different story than his words. I felt like he wanted to make this last a little bit longer, just like me. We’d already overstepped the boundaries; what did it matter if we made it even harder for ourselves?
“No,” I insisted, pulling him back close to me. “I just... I want to cuddle for a while, if that’s okay with you?” I sounded sappy and idiotic, but Milo didn’t seem to care because it matched his feelings exactly.
He wrapped his arms tightly around me, bringing my head close to his chest and allowing me to hear his heartbeat. It was such an intimate moment, even more so than what just happened, and it made me yearn for more.
God, I want more. I want so much more.
“Yeah, okay. I can stay,” he murmured quietly. He rubbed my arm gently, acting as if we were something more than just a hookup, and it made me feel like I could become his girlfriend if this situation was different. If only he lived nearer... If only circumstances were different... If only...
I knew I couldn’t have it all. I was aware that this story wouldn’t have the happy ending I wanted, but for tonight, I wanted just to pretend.
I wanted to live out the fantasy for just a little while longer. Just for tonight, I wanted to pretend that this could be the start of something special, that I was slowly headed toward my wonderful happy ever after. I enjoyed thinking about this as the beginning of a beautiful and blossoming relationship. It made me happier than anything else ever had. It made all the shit that I’d been through in my life feel worth it.
