Page 59 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

“I’ll take anything you offer,” he said and watched the blush run from her shoulder, up her neck, and up to hercheeks.

She went about cracking eggs in a bowl and adding the ingredients she’d chosen. Elias hadn’t had a meal cooked for him since the last one he’d eaten with his grandparents. The cafeteria at the academy didn’t count in hisbook.

“Anything I can do tohelp?”

“There’s orange juice in the fridge. You could pour us each a glass. And there’s silverware in that drawer.” She pointed to the one beside her. “Grab some forks for thetable.”

Elias opened cabinets until he found the glasses and then poured their juice. Then he walked over to where Tara stood at the stove. The drawer was to the right of her. He had plenty of space to get the silverware without crowding her. He crowded her anyway. Elias stood right behind her and leaned down, reaching for the drawer. His face was near her neck, his lips hovering just above herpulse.

“Elias.” She whispered his name, and he felt his magic flowing down his arms into his hands, one of which was centimeters from resting on herhip.

“I find it very hard to keep my distance from you,” he murmured as he pulled the drawer out and grabbed two forks. When his left hand gripped her hip, she jumped, but he pulled her back against his chest. By a thin thread, he was holding onto the magic that was attempting to flow into her. He had no idea what would happen if he let the magic go. So, he concentrated on keeping it inside, even as he continued to holdTara.

“I’m going to burn the eggs if you don’t let me concentrate,” shewarned.

“Why are you having troubleconcentrating?”

She huffed. “Elias,please.”

He pressed his lips to her neck and whispered, “I like the sound of my name on your lips.” Then he released her and stepped away, taking the forks to the table as she’d instructed him to do. When he looked back over at her, he smiled. The hand that wasn’t holding the spatula was resting on her neck, where his lips had just been. He was absolutely not doing what he was supposed to be doing, which was keeping distance between them so the bond wouldn’t continue to get stronger. It was impossible. Tara was as essential to his existence as the oxygen he breathed and, yes, he knew that made him sound like a lunatic. It didn’t change the way hefelt.

By the time she brought the plates over to the table, he’d managed to get his emotions under control and was pretty sure he wouldn’t snatch her up and take her to the academy where he could keep her safe and finally tell her about the supernatural world and that she washis.

“Thank you for this.” He motioned to the plate. “It looksdelicious.”

“You’re welcome,” Tara said simply before she startedeating.

They ate in companionable silence, and Elias found himself just enjoying being in her presence. It was much better than sitting in his car staring at her house, wondering what she was doing. Bloody hell, that sounded creepy even tohimself.

“Are there any plans for today?” Tara asked before taking a drink of herjuice.

Elias tried to force his eyes from watching her throat move as she swallowed. And failed. Why was that so mesmerizing? When his eyes finally looked up at her face, she had a brow raised at him. He’d been caught. He shrugged at her and winked. He wouldn’t apologize for being attracted toher.

“I thought I’d take you on a hike. Nature is, after all, my area of expertise. Jax and I have explored the area, and we came across a small waterfall farther up in the hills. Do you trust me enough to wander into the forest withme?”

“Maybe,” she said and then without so much as a smirk added, “Do you trust me enough not to push you off themountain?”

His lips turned up in a slow smile. “Then I could literally say I fell foryou.”

Tara let out a snort of laughter. “I think I just threw up in mymouth.”

* * *

An hourafter Tara had fixed herself and Elias breakfast, they were climbing up a trail that would lead to the waterfall Elias had spoken of. She knew which one it was. She and Shelly had been to it a couple of times during their camping trips with Shelly’s family. But this was the first time she was experiencing it with Elias, and, for that reason, she was as excited about seeing it as she had been the firsttime.

“You doing okay?” he asked as he glanced back at her. He hadn’t even broken out into asweat.

She, on the other hand, was panting and sweating like a sow in heat. Regardless of her less-than-attractive state, she was doing awesome because she was out in her element. It didn’t hurt that she had an incredibly sexy guy leading the way. Didn’t hurt one bit. “I’m great,” she saidtruthfully.

He stopped and turned to stare at her. His lips turned up in a slow smile. “You’reglowing.”

“Literally? Because I’m pretty sure that’s notpossible.”

“Then you’ve achieved the impossible,” hesaid.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” she muttered under her breath as she began following him when he started forward. She noticed she wasn’t the only one who seemed to get positive energy from being outside. From the moment they’d stepped onto the trail, something in Elias had shifted. It was almost as if he became one with nature instead of intruding on it. He would occasionally lay his hand on a tree trunk or run his fingers across the leaves of the foliage as if he was greeting them like sentient beings. She’d nearly tripped a couple of times just because she didn’t want to take her eyes off of him. She was mesmerized by his interaction with the forest aroundthem.

“You must really enjoy being outside,” he said after a few minutes ofsilence.

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