Page 79 of Dare To Live

Eli starts at the sound of my voice. Without a word, he moves to join me and takes my coat from me. He helps me into it, placing a light kiss to my cheek before he links his fingers with mine.

“What’s the name of your hotel?”

I rattle off the name and address. He presses the call button for the elevator, and as soon as the doors open, pulls me inside and taps the control panel for the lobby.

“The trip down won’t be as much fun as the one going up was.” His dry words break the silence.

Glancing up, I find him smiling at me. My cheeks flush as I recall his mouth between my legs and my cries of pleasure as he’d licked and sucked me to orgasm before we even reached the penthouse.

My attention moves around the mirrored interior. “We could have been caught.”

“You enjoy the risk of discovery.”

I do … with him … but I’m not going to admit that.

“Itching to play again, Eli?”

“Not right now. But if you ask me nicely in the future, I might indulge you,” He meets my stare with a candid look of his own. “The challenge is to get to know who I am now, remember?”

A challenge I haven’t verbally accepted, but he fails to mention that.

The doors slide open, and we step out into the hotel foyer. I keep pace with his long strides as we exit the building and head toward the parking lot. He opens the passenger door for me and closes it once I’m in. Clicking on my seatbelt, I track his movements as he rounds the car to climb into the driver’s side.

He pulls his belt over his body, securing it into place. “Warm enough?”

“Yes, thanks.”

Eli doesn’t try to touch me on the drive this time. If anything, he’s extra polite and courteous, asking me about my stay in New York, and what I did for New Year’s Eve. It feels surreal not to be bickering or arguing.

It doesn’t take long to reach the place I’m staying. He parks the car, and escorts me up to my hotel room.

I fumble for the card key in my bag outside my door, dropping it twice, until Eli takes it from me. Rummaging around until he finds the keycard, he holds it against the door, pulls down the handle, and pushes it open.

I expect him to come inside, but he doesn’t. Instead, he hands back my bag, and his fingers move up to caress my jaw. His movements are slow enough that I could turn away, but I don’t. When he leans close, my eyelashes lower. Eli’s lips brush against mine in a barely there kiss.

When he draws away, he caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. “Try not to miss me too much. I’ll be back to pick you up before seven.”

“Seven?” I repeat, my eyes opening slowly.

“For dinner.”

“Oh … yes.”

His hand drops away from my face. “Get some rest.”

Hugging my bag to my chest, I step into my room. Eli remains motionless right up until I close the door. Part of me wonders if he intends to stand out in the hallways for the entire day to ensure I don’t leave. A small slightly hysterical laugh escapes me as I back across the room until my legs hit the mattress, and I crumple down onto it.

Now I’m finally alone, my thoughts tumble around inside my head, and my worries return in full force.

Oh, God, what am I doing?

How can I protect my heart from Eli Travers? It’s always been his, but I don’t think I can survive getting hurt all over again. All he has to do is take me into his arms, and I turn to Jello in his embrace.

I need to get back to L.A.

My eyes land on my suitcase where I left it by the wall. I lunge for it and throw it open on the bed. I kick off my shoes, strip out of my dress and panties, then find fresh clothes. My cell rings as I tug on a pair of jeans.

Is Eli checking up on me?

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