Page 12 of Owning Eva

He reaches out, his large hand catching mine before I can react. The heat of his touch seeps through my gloves, and my heart thuds wildly as he pulls me closer.

“What are you doing, Eli?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Helping,” he says simply. “You were about to fall.”

I blink up at him, my heart beating wildly at the intensity in his eyes. “I wasn’t falling.”

“You would’ve.”

His grip tightens, and for a moment, I forget how to move. Forget how to breathe.

“Relax,” he murmurs, his voice dropping an octave. “I got you.”

The words send a shiver down my spine, and I hate how much I want to believe them.

* * *

We skate slowly, his hand steadying me even though I don’t really need it. The silence between us is charged, but it’s not uncomfortable.

“Why do you keep doing this?” I ask finally, my voice quieter than I intended.

“Doing what?”

“Following me. Watching me. Acting like…” I trail off, unsure how to put it into words.

“Like you’re mine?” Eli finishes, his voice so low it feels like a caress.

My heart stutters, and I stumble slightly, my skates catching on the ice. His grip on me tightens immediately, pulling me flush against his chest.

“Careful, sweetheart,” he says softly, his breath warm against my face.

I should pull away. I should say something sassy to break the tension. But all I can do is stare up into his soulful eyes, my lips parting as I try to calm the riot in my chest.

“You’re too used to being alone,” Eli says, his voice a rough whisper. “But you’re not anymore.”

The words hit me like a slap and a caress all at once, leaving me shaken.

“Eli—”

“Don’t fight it, Eva,” he interrupts me, his tone soft but firm. “I’m not going anywhere.”

* * *

The moment stretches between us, his dark eyes holding mine with a promise I’m not ready to accept. Then his head dips, his full lips so close I can feel the warmth of his breath.

“Eli…” My voice is barely a whisper.

Just as his lips brush mine, the sound of voices echoes across the rink, shattering the moment.

We both turn to see a group coming toward us, their laughter cutting through the quiet.

Eli steps back, his expression darkening, but the heat in his eyes doesn’t fade.

Before I can say something, he strides off the ice, leaving me standing there with my heart racing and my mind spinning.

Eleven

Eva

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