I buried my fingers in his hair. Gently, I pushed him to lift his chin and look at me. “Just you,” I whispered again.

We’d already discussed our comfort with not using protection. His eyes never left mine as he leaned back on his arms, and I lowered to my knees. I hovered above him. Placing him at my entrance, I sank down. He slipped inside me, filling me.

I sighed, my head falling back.

After a few grounding breaths, Elijah took hold of my ankle to move it behind his back and then the other. Wrapped around each other, we started pulling apart and coming back together, over and over. His mouth sought mine as my hands memorized the path of his spine. Hugging him tighter.

Our hearts beat against our chests so closely, I couldn’t tell which was his and which was mine.

I was shivering, my feelings too potent. They’d become something more than an idea—more than a possibility, more than an inclination. They were so real, I could practically hold them in my hand. Like cupping a fire that didn’t burn, something I could pass from my fingers to his.

Tears stung my eyes as I came.

His forehead pressed into my sweaty neck as he shook and shuddered. He pulled in deep gasps as his fingers gripping my sides loosened one by one.

“Hazel,” he spoke my name as if it was sacred.

I said his name in the exact same way, “Elijah.”

Chapter 16

Hazel

Iwasrunninglate.

So goddamn late.

I needed to leaveright now, or I’d be tacky late, instead of fashionably late tomyauction. I was just trying to catch up on some work. I set alarms on my phone, and as they alerted me to the dwindling time, I ignored them.

Now I had my hair in a messy bun, though I was pretending was messy in a cute way. The mascara I swiped on my lashes had smudged—something I hoped to fix in the car… When I found my keys.

I’d been in every single room of this clinic… they could be anywhere.

“Fuck.” I hissed, dashing from the front office to my office in the back of the building. To my unbelievable good luck, my keys were sitting atop my desk. I snatched them and spun back the way I came in one movement. Swinging the door closed behind me, I strode half a step away when I heard the door slam against the interior wall of my office.

I had to figure out something. I needed that damn door to close. Hopefully, the doorknob hadn’t dented the drywall. I was in too much of a hurry to check.

Practically flying out the staff entrance, I didn’t grab the railing as I ran down the steps out of fear of splinters in my gloves.

It probably happened because I was pounding down the stairs like a stampede of wild horses, but when my sneaker hit the bottom step, it cracked. I plunged toward the cement walkway. Luckily, my other foot was already extended to catch me, and I jogged forward with my arms flailing until I caught my balance again.

The weatherworn wood was V-shaped, shards poking upward.

I stood there with my mouth open, shaking my head.

“You have to be kidding me,” I whined.

Any feelings of anger or sadness were overcome by disappointment and being overwhelmed. I was trying so hard, but not hard enough. I’d allowed myself to become distracted, and because of that, I’d almost broken my ass—or more accurately, my ankle.

“Thank god it was me and not someone else.”

Clenching my jaw, I didn’t allow myself to consider the trouble I could have gotten into if someone else had fallen.

I tried to shake off the feeling on my way to my car.

Rounding the block brought Benji’s Place’s parking lot into view.

It was packed.