Page 10 of Heartbeats Amidst Chaos: Part 2

The driver was just about to close the doors when a final passenger boarded. He was tall and broad, with a baseball hat pulled low over his eyes. Rissa’s heart almost leaped out of her chest when he paused beside her.

“Mind if I sit?” he asked, and she looked up. Something very close to euphoria flooded her as she met Elio’s steady hazel eyes.

She gestured toward the seat with an open hand. “Go ahead.”

Elio sat down.

“What are you doing here?” Rissa asked just above a whisper. “Are you following me?”

“I told you I was going to, off and on,” Elio said. “It’s my job, assigned to me by my grandfather, remember?”

“Angelo Accardi,” Rissa said softly. “I’ve just been hearing all about your infamous family.”

Elio’s face sobered as he looked down at her. “Don’t believe everything you hear,” he said. “But probably believe most of what you hear.” He sighed.

Rissa was intensely aware of Elio’s big body next to her, his muscled arm against her shoulder and his chiseled jaw as he looked over her toward the window.

“Saw you trying to lose that tail,” he said. “You did a good job.”

“That was the car you saw outside of my house, wasn’t it?” Rissa asked. Elio nodded.

They were silent for another moment before he asked, “Where are we going?”

A laugh bubbled up inside Rissa and slipped out.

“I have no clue,” she said. “I just got on the first bus that showed up.” Elio chuckled in response.

“I know a place we can talk if we get off at the next stop,” he said. Rissa nodded, her stomach twisting with anticipation.

When they exited the bus, Elio led her down a quiet street to a red and white diner called Caroline’s Cupboard. A sign in the window stated that it was closed for repairs. Taking keys fromhis pocket, he unlocked the door, holding it for her to enter before him.

“Welcome,” he said, waving a hand at the tables, stacked with upended chairs. “May I offer you lunch?”

Rissa raised her eyebrows. “There’s still food here?”

“I keep my own stash,” Elio admitted. “I’m thinking of renaming this The Fugitive’s Fridge.”

Rissa laughed, surprised at the glimpse Elio was giving her of his more playful side and by how comfortable it was making her.

“I wouldn’t mind lunch,” she said.

She followed him to the kitchen, where he immediately started pulling ingredients from the cupboards and popped a skillet on the stove.

“Grilled cheese okay?”

“Grilled cheese is awesome.” Rissa tried to keep the surprise from her voice at the normalcy of the question.

As there were no chairs in the kitchen, Rissa put her back to the counter and hopped up to sit on it, swinging her legs as Elio slathered the pan with coconut oil and butter, explaining the intricacies of the simple recipe in a way that had Rissa laughing.

The oil sputtered merrily as he added the sandwiches. Turning and stepping toward her, Elio stopped just in front of her knees. Time seemed to slow down. He looked down at her, standing so close, and Rissa felt her heart sputter just like the frying pan.

“Am I in your way here?” she asked, attempting to keep up the joking, but instead her voice came out slightly breathless.

“Maybe,” Elio said. His eyes caressed her face, pausing at her lips, and then slowly raked lower. His gaze sent shivers through her as he slowly and deliberately ran his eyes over her body.

Her breath caught in her throat as Elio’s hand lightly brushed her thigh, slowly skimming downward, dipping over the edge of the counter, and grabbing the drawer between her knees. She spread her legs slightly, letting it open, and he pulled out a spatula, holding it up with a teasing grin.

Rissa huffed out a faint laugh and watched as he flipped the grilled cheese sandwiches and then transferred them to a plate, shutting off the stove.

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