Page 45 of We Own Tonight
Eli’s hands come around and settle atop of mine. He isn’t steering, just holding on. I could close my eyes and get lost right now. Our bodies are so close, and his strong arms make me feelsafe.
We stay like this for a while, not actually driving so much as drifting along together. Eli slows the boat and pulls me onto his lap as he holds the wheel. “It’s like we’re completely alone out here,” I muse as I stare out into theocean.
He kisses my shoulder. “Weare.”
I look back at him with a smile. “Let me get this straight, you’re a sailor, singer, actor, andfisherman?”
“I’m a man of manytalents.”
My laughter is free and unabashed. “You’re something allright.”
“Come on, let’s see if you can catch ourlunch.”
Eli and I move to the bow of the boat, where he has two fishing poles waiting for us. After we thread our lines and bait our hooks, we cast out into the water and stick the poles in the holders to wait. I settle back onto one of the benches and look out over the water. Deep blues and greens reflect the sunlight sending little bursts of light around. The cloud cover is light today, but they’re big and fluffy. I turn to point out a cloud that looks like a dinosaur, but I can’t speak. Eli stands there shirtless and my mouthwaters.
Dear.God.
His body is exactly like I remember from our night together. Only now, I’m not in the dark. The sun shines on his perfect skin, giving me the most breathtaking view possible. I watch him move around the boat, securing a few things on the deck as I admire his chest. The tattoos etched on his arms, shoulder, and hip only make him look hotter. I swear that tattoos have never been sexier. My hands itch to trace the ink on his skin, the firmness of his muscles, feel his heat, and get lost in histouch.
“Come sit with me.” Eli holds his hand out, and I force myself to drag my eyes away from his body to take it. He leads me to a couch under a retractable awning and takes a seat in the corner, pulling me down next to him. It’s natural for me to rest my head on his chest, allowing the salty air and clean breeze to fill mynose.
“I’m glad you came.” His deep voice seems to vibrate throughme.
“Me,too.”
“Tell me something,” herequests.
“What do you want toknow?”
“Something true. I don’t get a lot of truth frompeople.”
A wash of sadness comes over me from his words. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be him. Constantly battling the feeling of people trying to get a piece of him in some way. He probably doesn’t get a lot of people being honest or just wanting to know him. I hate that for him. It must belonely.
I sit up so I can look him in the eyes. “I won’t lie to you. You can ask meanything.”
He smiles and pushes himself closer to me. “Why do you keep saying you’re amess?”
I sigh and look away. “There are a lot of things going on in mylife.”
“Yourex?”
I laugh humorlessly. “I wish it were justthat.”
“Heather,” Eli says my name with softness. “I want to know you. Really know you. I’m sure you know what the tabloids say about me, but that isn’t who Iam.”
“Then who are you?” I would much rather hear more about him than air out my ownlife.
“I’m a brother, uncle, and son. My father died a few years after walking out on my mom. We were poor as hell, and I’ve done everything possible to make sure I never live like that again. Most days, I love acting more than singing, but I can’t imagine not having Four Blocks Down in my life. I’m old as hell, tired of being so damn angry at things I can’t control, and this is the first time I’ve ever had to chase a girl this fucking hard. Especially after giving her thegoods.”
I let out a soft laugh and lightly slap his leg. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t do stuff like that. I don’t date. I don’t have time for men. I kind of gave up the idea of being with anyone after my exleft.”
“Me, too,” he says earnestly. “We all have our things,Heather.”
I remember a few years back there was talk of Eli getting married, but you can’t believe a thing you read. My curiosity spikes a little, and I have to swat away my inner cop who wants to interrogate him about it. “You had someone once,right?”
Eli shifts, bringing my attention fully back to him. “I don’t talk about it much. She was playing me, though. Penelope was really good at it. I found out she was screwing my former agent when I came home early from a trip to surprise her. We were dealing with some personal stuff, and instead of coming to me, she went to another man. She fucked me up prettygood.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s awful.” I squeeze his hand insolidarity.
