Page 197 of Dare To Live

“You look handsome.”

“You’re beautiful.”

Heat rushes into my cheeks, and I glance down at my dress. The same one I’ve been working on all week. “Thanks. I’m glad you like it.”

“She designed it herself,” Miles calls from within the room. “She’s seriously talented.”

Eli’s gaze lingers on my face and my hair, which is in a coiled braid on top of my head. His attention then sweeps down over my ball gown from the décolleté neckline trimmed with silver to the flowing black skirts, then back up to my face.

“You made this?”

I nod. “You should see what else I can whip up on a sewing machine. I can make a mean set of cushion covers.”

My joke breaks a little of the tension between us, and he laughs. “I got you this.”

Mouth dry, I let him slip the corsage he’s holding onto my wrist. One sprayed-silver rose is nestled between two black roses.

“It’s perfect.”

Eli links his fingers with mine. “Just like you. Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Gathering up a handful of skirts, I step out of the room. “What happened to your hands.”

“It’s nothing.”

I know that means he doesn’t want to talk about the bruises I can see on his knuckles. I swallow down the questions I have. I don’t want to ruin the evening before it’s even started. Maybe later, after the night is done, he’ll be open to talking about it.

“We’ll follow you down,” Miles tells us, fiddling with his tie. “Don’t have too much fun until we get there.”

I smile. “Okay.”

I can’t believe we are here, in this moment. My heart is beating so fast behind my ribs, I wonder if he can hear it. After all his avoidance today, I’m relieved he’s turned up.

Eli leads me along the corridor. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m a little anxious. I can’t stop thinking about the last two dances I had here and how those ended.”

“That’s in the past. Tonight will be different.”

There’s a strange note in his voice, one that doesn’t ease my worries. “Is everything okay?”

We halt by the doors leading out of the dorm building, and he squeezes my hand gently. “Everything is fine.”

I search his face. “Are you sure? It’s our last evening here. If there’s something wrong … if you don’t want to attend the prom with me, you don’t have to.”

“Of course, I want to go with you.”

I exhale slowly. “This place has me all mixed up. It’s been hard being back, I haven’t been myself … Eli, I—”

A hand under my chin tilts my head up. His lips land on mine, silencing my words. As his tongue invades my mouth to duel with mine, I melt against him. I taste the heat and fire between us. The addictive flavor of Eli Travers washing over my senses and stealing the breath from my lungs.

“I promise I’ll make sure you’ll never forget tonight.” His words are against my lips.

All I can do is blink up at him. “You’re going to make it memorable?”

“You’ll be thinking of tonight for years to come.”

Why does he know exactly the right things to say to turn me on?

---