Page 35 of The One Who Risked it All

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, baggage.”

“Mountains of it,” he agreed.

“The airport in Indy’s got nothing on us.”

As I trailed off, Eli reached for my hand. His touch was gentle yet firm, his calloused firefighter’s fingers wrapping around mine with a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cool evening air. The simple gesture sent a jolt through me, grounding me in the present moment and creating an unexpected sense of intimacy between us.

“I know we’ve got a lot to work through,” Eli said softly, his dark eyes fixed on mine, “but I’m willing to unpack every piece of that baggage with you, if you’ll let me.”

My heart raced, and I found myself torn between the urge to pull away and the desire to lean into his touch. “And what if we open those bags and find nothing but moths and regrets?” I quipped, trying to mask my vulnerability with humor, taking the metaphor too far.

Eli’s lips quirked into that infuriatingly charming half-smile. “Then we’ll build a better wardrobe together.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a small laugh. “Always with the smooth comebacks, aren’t you, Wells?”

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Part of me wanted to throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into whatever this was. But the cautious teacher in me, the one who’d learned the hard way about second chances, hesitated.

Should I trust my head or my heart? I wondered, acutely aware of the warmth of Eli’s hand still enveloping mine. The fairy lights above cast a soft glow on his face, highlighting the sincerity in his eyes, and I felt my resolve weakening.

Taking a deep breath, I made my decision. I squeezed Eli’s hand, a gentle pressure that spoke volumes. “Okay,” I said quietly. “Let’s... let’s try unpacking together. But, Eli, I swear if you break my heart again, I’ll sic my dad and his ancient family feud on you faster than you can say ‘false alarm.’”

Eli’s answering grin was equal parts relief and mischief. “Noted. Though I gotta say, facing down your dad might be scarier than any five-alarm fire I’ve tackled.”

As we stood there, hand-in-hand on the porch, I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once, like standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to take the plunge. But with Eli’s steady presence beside me, I found myself thinking that maybe the fall might be worth it.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Eli’s quip about my dad. “Oh please, you fought off Mrs. Henderson’s rabid chihuahua last week. I think you can handle one grumpy Putnam.”

Eli’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Hey now, Cujo Junior was a formidable opponent. I still have the battle scars to prove it.” He dramatically lifted his pant leg, revealing a tiny scratch that was barely visible.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress my grin. “My hero,” I deadpanned.

As we stood there, the conversation naturally drifted to lighter topics. The cool evening air carried the faint scent of autumn, reminding me of crisp fall days back in high school.

“Remember that time in senior year when you convinced half the football team to help you toilet paper Coach Miller’s house?” I asked, unable to keep the laughter from my voice.

Eli’s eyes widened in mock innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Miss Putnam. I was a model student.”

“Oh really?” I arched an eyebrow. “So I suppose it was some other Elijah Wells who got caught red-handed with a roll of Charmin in one hand and a carton of eggs in the other?”

He threw his head back and laughed, the sound rich and warm. “Okay, you got me. But in my defense, Coach made us run extra laps that week because Nathan missed practice for a college visit. Talk about misplaced anger.”

As we continued to reminisce, I found myself inching closer to Eli, drawn in by the familiar cadence of our banter.

“What about you, Miss Goody Two-Shoes?” Eli teased, his shoulder now brushing against mine. “Any secret rebellious streaks you want to confess?”

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, remembering a particular incident. “Well, there was that time I may have ‘borrowed’ Mr. Simmons’ toupee and hidden it in the biology lab skeleton...”

Eli’s jaw dropped in mock horror. “Carla Putnam! I’m shocked and appalled.” His voice shifted. “And also incredibly impressed.”

As our laughter subsided, I realized how easy it was to fall back into our old rhythm. It was like no time had passed at all, yet so much had changed. The space between us had shrunken considerably, and I found myself hyper-aware of Eli’s presence – the warmth radiating from his body, the faint scent of smoke that always seemed to cling to him.

Did he feel it too, this magnetic pull between us? I sneaked a glance at his profile. The sincerity I saw in his eyes earlier hadn’t faded.

“Eli, I...” I started, my voice catching. Get it together, Carla, I chided myself. Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze. “I want to see where this could go – where we could go.”

My words came out steadier than I felt, filled with a determination that surprised even me. But as I watched Eli’s face light up, I knew I meant every word.

“You mean it?” he asked, a hint of that trademark cockiness creeping back into his voice. “Because I gotta warn you, I’m pretty irresistible. You might fall head over heels for me.”

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