Page 40 of Changing Everything (Forgiving Lies 2.50)

Reaching behind his back with one arm, he brushed my stomach with his fingers—as if to make sure I was still there and not leaving. I gripped his fingers with both my hands, but kept my eyes on Brett as he walked toward the doors of the bar. Just before he went through them, he turned to look at me—the pain and sadness apparent on his face. My chest ached, but even through the pain I still had no doubt I’d made the right decision. Watching him walk away and leaving him last week was nothing compared to walking away from Eli.

It was like trying to compare a tidal wave to a ripple in a pond—it couldn’t be done.

“Are you okay?” Eli asked. His palm slid across my cheek to hold my face in his hand.

Moving my eyes from the doorway to Eli’s blue stare, I balked. “Me? Of course I’m okay, are— You’re bleeding!” I reached for his face to wipe away the blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth, but he gripped my hands in his, stopping them.

“I’m fine. But, Paisley—”

“What even happened? You were there and then you weren’t. By the time I turned around you were on the floor, how many times did he hit you?”

Eli pressed his forehead to mine, and immediately his calm demeanor flooded my veins. “Once, only once. He pulled me off the bar stool and I hit the floor. But I’m not worried about me right now.”

“Of course you’re not.” I laughed shakily and rolled my eyes.

“That’s the first time you’ve seen him since . . . ?” he asked, the question trailing off, but I knew when he was talking about.

“Yeah.”

“Then I need to know if you’re okay. I need to know what you’re feeling right now, Paisley. After seeing him . . . after what just happened.”

My gaze darted to the door before looking back into his stormy blue eyes. “Honestly?”

“Always.”

“It hurt seeing him, but not as much as it would kill me to have you leave. I made the right choice, Eli. There’s no questioning that.” Pulling one of my hands free from his, I placed my hand over his jaw and brushed my thumb over the blood, wincing when his body jerked. “Sorry.”

“He can punch, I’ll give him that.”

He wiped at his lip as he straightened, and looked down at the blood on his hand before rolling his eyes. Grabbing one of the bar napkins, he cleaned it off and picked up his Guinness. I made a face as he downed half the pint.

“That’s disgusting.” He grimaced and slammed the glass back down.

“As I’ve been telling you for years!”

Eli smirked and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close as he bent down, and letting his lips fall onto mine. “The beer mixed with blood, Pay.”

“Ew.”

“Exactly.” He kissed me again, and I pushed against his chest.

“You taste like nasty beer now,” I whined.

“And you love it.”

“Lie. That is such a lie.”

He laughed and captured my mouth again, this time slowly teasing my tongue with his, and I melted into his arms and that kiss despite the Guinness aftertaste.

“Is it okay if I still don’t know how to feel about all this?” Kristen asked. “I’m happy, and weirded out, and feel like I’ve stepped into an alternate universe . . . so many conflicting emotions.”

Eli was smiling down at me when he pulled back, but he spoke to Kristen. “You have time to get used to it.” Working his jaw a few times, he reached for his glass again and drained his beer. “Ready to get out of here?”

Grabbing his keys out of his pocket, he handed them to me and my eyes widened. “You’re letting me drive your truck?” Not that I hadn’t before. But it was always only because I’d won a bet, and I’m pretty sure I knocked five years off Eli’s life every time I did.

“I don’t know . . . can you reach the pedals?”

My expression fell and I smacked his stomach. “Don’t be rude or I’ll take your keys and leave you here.”

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