Page 25 of We Own Tonight
“Heather?” Nicole’s voice is a buzzing in my ear. Or is that my suddenly franticpulse?
“Hmm?” I can’t speak. Eli Walsh is at my freakinghouse.
“Is that who I think itis?”
I rise onto my tiptoes and peek out the peephole. Sure enough, he’s right there, smiling as if he has not a care in the world. “Yup.”
“Are you fucking kidding?” Nicolescreams.
“Holy shit, Nic. What the hell do I do?” My heart continues to race, and I’m completely freakingout.
Nicole chuckles and then proceeds to yell again. “Open the goddamndoor!”
I look in the mirror and groan. I have on shorts and an oversized sweatshirt, which now has a beautiful pizza stain on the front. My hair is in a messy bun, I’m not wearing any makeup, and I have my glasses on instead of my contacts. I can’t believethis.
Eli knocks again. “Heather, I can hear you on the otherside.”
My hand presses against the wood, and I close my eyes. “What do you want,Eli?”
“Heather! Open the fucking door right now!” Nicole’s voice raises in myear.
“Shut up!” I yell at my jackass bestfriend.
“I didn’t say anything,” Elianswers.
I sigh and drop my head against the door again, making athumpnoise. “I know. I...I...just.”
Nicole growls at me, “I swear that if you don’t open it right now, I’m coming over and giving him your sparekey.”
There isn’t a single doubt that she’ll do exactly that. “Fine. Goodbye,” I say and disconnect thephone.
With no other options, I fix my hair the best I can and pull the door open. Eli is still standing with his arm resting on the frame and a huge smile on his face. “Hi.” His deep voice washes over me, making my toes curl abit.
“Why are you here, and how did you know where I live?” I ask, trying to keep my heart from flying out of mythroat.
He’s ridiculously sexy. Even more so than earlier today. Everything about him screams heartbreak, but every muscle in my body wants to be close tohim.
Eli doesn’t say anything, he just stares into my eyes. “You going to let mein?”
“Are you going to answer my questions?” Icounter.
“If you let me comein.”
There’s no way this is going to lead to anything good. Letting Eli any deeper into my life is not part of my plan. I can’t get mixed up with some playboy singer slash actor and his overly problematic existence. I have enough complications, I don’t needanother.
I also don’t think he’s the kind of man to give up. If I send him away, he’ll be back tomorrow. Saying no to a man who probably has never heard the word will only be a challenge. It’s better to get this all out and over with now so I can moveon.
“Fine, but you have five minutes.” I push the door open more, and he stands in my doorway so we’re chest tochest.
Eli’s eyes don’t stray from mine as his hand gently touches the side of my face. “We’ll see aboutthat.”
I fight the impulse to crush my lips to his. To taste his kiss and feel his rough hands on my skin again. There’s nothing I’ve wanted more than to stop replaying it in my head, but Ican’t.
It’s been so long since a man has made me crazy, driven me to the point of complete madness, but Eli pulled it off withease.
I shake my head and pull his hand down. “Start talking before I get myTaser.”
“I’d rather you get the cuffs.” He winks and walks deeper into my livingroom.
