Page 28 of Elijah
Amy
aged 28
“Claudia, where are the candlesticks for the dining room?”
I looked again through the boxes lined up in the hallway, but I couldn’t see any candlesticks, even though I was sure I’d seen them earlier.
“Third box from the end,” she replied without looking up from the inventory she was taking of the deliveries we’d had that day.
I moved to the box and yep, there they were. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“Probably your dice with death,” Claudia deadpanned.
I didn’t respond but breathed in deeply. She was right, my almost fall the day before had shaken me, but I didn’t think it was the actual incident that had me discombobulated. In fact, I was pretty sure it was more to do with Elijah. The fact that he’d saved me, held me in his arms, and kissed my forehead kept playing through my head. I’d been too shaken up to think about it at the time, but once I was home and lying in a warm bath it hit me.
Elijah had saved me, but more to the point, I’d felt something shift within in me when I was in his arms. Everything I’d gone through; finding him with Lauren, leaving and going to live in London, coming home and finding that we would be working together – it all seemed to fade away. I’d gone back five years and was in the warm, safe arms of my husband whom I adored. But, I’d had to go and spoil it all by being a bitch. I couldn’t help it though, it spewed from my mouth without a thought. Worse was I’d barely thanked him for possibly saving my life.
“Ah fuck it,” I muttered, rubbing at my temple.
“What’s wrong?” Claudia asked.
My head shot around, having totally forgotten she was there. “Oh, just a bit of a headache. I think I’ll go and take some tablets. You be okay for a while, if I grab some fresh air too?”
Claudia nodded, grinning at me.
“What?”
“Would you be grabbing some fresh air on the south terrace by any chance?”
“No.” I frowned, and placing my iPad on top of one of the boxes, strode toward the kitchen. “Why would I?”
“Because Elijah is working out there.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I care.”
* * *
Five minutes later and I was rounding the corner of the house, walking toward the south terrace, having told myself it was the quickest way to my car, because I needed to grab some swatches from the boot. It really was the best route, going via the north terrace meant traipsing through a load of mud, and to go through the front of the house meant I’d have to pass Claudia and she might ask me a question, and I was taking a short break until the throbbing in my head stopped. Okay, so it was more like a dull tap than a throb, but you couldn’t be too careful – I’d had a migraine once.
The first sight to meet my eyes was one I’d seen many times before, and it wasn’t any less perfect after five years – Elijah without a top on. I pulled to a stop and let out a long, drawn out sigh.
Strong, sculpted back muscles worked with power as his broad shoulders lifted the spade and pushed it into the mud and clay, and even from my vantage point, feet away from him, I could see the colourful patterns of his tattoos on his muscular arms - a beautiful moving picture.
As if I was watching an exotic animal that I didn’t want to scare, I held my breath, my eyes pinned to the sight in front of me. I’d never really forgotten what a supreme specimen of a man Elijah was, but the memories had gotten a little fuzzy around the edges, so I stared hard, knowing these images would have to last me a long time. I know I hated what he’d done to us, loathed him for breaking my heart, but I was still a woman and I still recognised a sexy man when I saw one.
When Elijah stopped digging, I took a step back, scared that he’d turn around and catch me watching him. One step was all I could take though, because I was trapped by his magnetism. My breath was pulled from my lungs when he stooped down, picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed the top, took a long swig and then tipped the rest over his head, water washing over every hard contour of his body.
“Shiiiitt,” I groaned, putting a hand to my stomach.
I was watching my own personal Diet Coke ad and couldn’t move. I was rooted to the spot, not that I wanted to move anyway. I almost felt like grabbing a chair from the kitchen and sticking around for the duration.
“Thought you might need this.”
I swivelled around to see Claudia standing behind me, holding out a tea towel from the kitchen. I looked at it and then up to her, frowning.
“What?” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder to check Elijah wasn’t looking.
“Oh sorry,” she said, coming closer. “Doesn’t he know you’re watching?”
