Dangerous: A Seaside Cove Romance (10 page)

"Jack!" Eli shouted, pushing his way through the door. The remaining crowd surged from the building, a few hard soles finding his bare toes. "Jack!"

He found Jack standing in the middle of the dining room, helping an elderly couple out. Molly stood behind the bar, a bat in hand, as two drunk college-aged guys reached for a bottle of tequila.

"Hey!" Molly yelled, smacking a bat against her other hand. "The cops are already on their way; do you want me to tell them you're stealing bottles? I went to school with your sister." She addressed one guy before turning to the other. "I know your mom! She makes notebooks for my shop."

"Okay, Molly," the taller one said. Laughing, they jogged out of the dining room, joining the crowd in the parking lot.

Eli covered his ears, blocking out the high pitched alarm.

"Where's the fire?" Eli shouted.

"No fire!" Jack yelled. "Someone pulled the alarm! Frank's working on turning it off! Fire department's," the sound stopped, "still coming!"

"It's a federal offense to pull a fire alarm, isn't it? They're gonna be pissed when they get here," Molly said. "Not as mad as I'll be- where're your clothes?"

Eli should have grabbed a sweatshirt before he left his apartment. He ignored her question, righting a chair that laid on the ground, knocked over in the chaos. He gathered a few flowers from the floor and placed them on the closest table. When he stood, Molly raised a hand to her mouth and gasped.

"Where's Claire?" Molly asked.

"She's in my truck, and I'd like her to stay there until the parking lot clears out. Get her back upstairs for her things without the entire town watching us."

Molly hopped from foot to foot laughing. "I knew it!"

Eli looked to Jack for help, but his friend did not appear to be listening to the exchange; instead was walking around the dining room, favoring his bad leg. Eli should not have left him during such a busy evening. Jack's old injury acted up if he was on his feet too long, though he never mentioned it.

Jack seemed oblivious to Molly's taunts. "We'll offer to remake anything that's cold. Does that sound fair?"

"We should do something special," Molly said. "It's Valentine's Day after all."

"How about, we remake anything that's cold and offer a drink on the house?" Eli asked.

Jack and Molly agreed and went outside to let everyone back in, leaving Eli alone for a moment.

Still shirtless in their very 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' restaurant, Eli walked by the hostess stand, grabbing a handful of roses from under the podium, then down the hallway and out the side door.

Eli stepped outside; he had not noticed how cold the night had grown earlier when running down to the brewery. He peered around the building; the parking lot was clear. He walked over to his truck. Claire leaned back in the driver's seat with one of Eli's flannel jackets wrapped over her shoulders. 

He opened the door, and she jumped.

"I told you to run the heat so you could stay warm," he said, handing her the roses and then rubbing his hands on her cold legs.

"I didn't want to waste the gas." Claire lifted the flowers to her nose and inhaled. "Thank you. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, false alarm. Things are a little busy; I need to help. I can take you home when we close?"

"That would be great," she said, moving her hand to push his jacket back from her shoulders, but he stopped her.

"Keep it on; it's cold out here," he said as she stepped out of the truck. Eli helped her slide her arms into the jacket, then pulled it snug. Somehow, with his flannel on, Claire looked even sexier than she had earlier.

"Where should I wait? I don't want to get in the way anywhere," Claire said, glancing to the front doors of the brewery.

"My apartment. You can watch TV or take a nap." Eli wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her towards the stairs.

"I don't think I could sleep after... well, after everything."

Once upstairs, Eli changed into a clean pair of jeans and a dry work shirt, while Claire made herself comfortable on the recliner. He turned on the news and handed her the remote.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, leaning down and pressing his mouth against hers for what was supposed to be a quick kiss. But her lips were eager, and he found himself struggling with his decision to go back to work. Gentle vibrations started on the floor as the band downstairs began to play. He pulled away, then kissed her once on her forehead before leaving.

Bacon.

Claire stretched and pulled the blanket over her face, shielding herself from the sunshine. Why was there so much light? It was like all the trees had been cut down, letting the sun in at full power. And why did it smell like bacon?

She rubbed her arms; they were bare.

She remembered. Her disastrous date with Ben, the fight in the parking lot. Eli.

Her body tingled as she thought of him kissing her in the kitchen, carrying her around his house, taking her into his bedroom. The things he had done to her body.

She would have sunk deeper into the mattress if it possible. A voice chanted in her head.

Eli likes me.

Eli likes me.

Eli likes me.

Claire's stomach growled, a bacon smell side-effect. She sat up and yawned, catching her reflection in the mirror over the dresser. She wanted to dive under the covers. The curly hairstyle may have been cute the night before, but this morning it was a mess of knots and tangles. Black makeup smudged around her left eye like a raccoon.

Claire crept to the bathroom, grateful that it was in Eli's bedroom and not off the living room. She slid the door closed quietly behind her. She turned around and saw a note taped mirror above the sink.

Claire

Clean towel and more comfortable clothes.

Eli

On the counter was a pair of flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt sitting on top of a towel. Claire fingered the collar of the shirt for a moment, giddiness almost overtaking her, before slipping out of her clothes and getting into the tub.

Ten minutes later Claire emerged from Eli's bedroom, a little more put together. He sat at the table, a textbook and spiral notebook open in front of him. In the center of the table sat a stack of pancakes and a plate of bacon. She stood motionless in his doorway for a moment, watching him as he wrote. His expression was one of clarity whenever he read in their group sessions, and alone he was no different.

Eli stopped writing and took a sip of water. He spotted her, and his eyes traveled over her body, an unreadable look on his face.

"What?" Self-conscious, Claire settled into the chair next to Eli, bending one leg underneath her.

"Nothing. It's just, wow. Those clothes never look that good on me." Eli still watched her; Claire was sure she could feel his gaze on her skin. She blushed. "Do you want coffee?"

"Coffee would be divine," Claire said. Eli stood and pulled two mugs from the cabinet and filled them with steaming coffee. She cleared her throat. "I didn't snore or hog the bed, did I?"

"Snore no. Hog the bed? I didn't give you a chance." Eli set a mug in front of Claire.

"What do you mean?" She poured the creamer, watching until her coffee turned the perfect shade of beige.

Eli put a few pieces of bacon on his plate. "I was the one hogging the bed and snoring in your ear."

Claire laughed. "I slept really well, so whatever you did..." She trailed off, taking a sip. In her mind, she saw the assertive Claire from the night before. Had she actually told Eli, "touch me?"

She had. But regular, boring, insecure Claire was back that morning. Unable to move. She could do nothing except sit and drink her coffee. She wished Eli would touch her again.

Her mom always said when Claire or Rachel wished for something. "Wish in one hand..." 

She set her mug down and looked at him. She would have to make it happen.

"What?" Eli asked.

She did not have the courage, and he did not make a move for her. Had the moment had passed? A lapse in judgment for them. Again. The adrenaline. The excitement.

"Last night," Claire started. She ran her finger around the ring of the mug. "Do you regret-"

Eli stood, pulling her out of the chair, her body quivering with anticipation. His fingers were under her chin, tipping her face up to his. "I regret many things in my life, but I don't think you could ever be one of them."

His thumb stroked the line of her jaw. He pressed his mouth against hers.

No magic was lost in the light of day. Eli's kiss was just as needy as it had been in the dangerous hours of darkness. She grew more aware of his touch and all the sensations he created.

His fingers ran through her wet hair. His hands pressed on her back, pulling her so tight against him, they might as well have become one.

Then, as if a spell moved them forward in time, they were in his room, peeling off their clothes. Naked against each other. Kissing. Touching. Flesh upon flesh.

His hands and mouth at her breasts more feverishly than they had been the night before, and he laid her gently across his bed. A hand left her breast to travel to her sensitive peak and he stroked it in tight circles. His mouth on her neck, before reaching her earlobe. Warmth. Kisses. Teeth. "I want you, Claire."

Her toes stretched for the sky as his stroke rocked her from the inside out. "Please."

"Please, what?" Eli asked against her ear. "I want to hear you say it."

"Please," she whispered, her hips moving against the strength of his hand.

"Tell me," Eli said.

"Take me. Now," Claire begged.

He lay against her, touching her for another minute before she heard the rip of foil. His hands at her knees, they opened for him. He climbed between her legs, massaging the sensitive spots on her thighs. He moved forward, his thick tip resting at her entrance. Just like the night before, now she swore if there was an interruption, she would wrap her legs around him and keep him with her.

Eli leaned his hard chest against Claire's peaked nipples, pressing into her. She pulled herself further over him, crying out at the stretch. It had been too long.

"Slow, Claire. Slowly," Eli murmured against her ear, pulling out of her, then sliding deeper yet. Pain unleashed pleasure that had been hiding for too long. With each thrust he entered her further until she was sure he buried himself completely. "Open your eyes."

She did as he told her, surprised to see his face so close to hers. He studied her as he moved in and out of her heat, pinning her down into the mattress each time before leaving her body again.

Each time he pressed, she gasped, filling in a way she had not been filled in so long. Within seconds, any pain that existed was gone, leaving only pleasure. Pure desire.

"Faster, Eli."

Eli smiled, pressing his lips against hers before dropping his face to her neck, teasing her collar bone with his teeth. "You feel so good."

As his pace quickened, so did the pressure building inside her. Eli murmured against her ear complimenting her body. Her tightness. Her skin. Claire could find no words.

Robert never whispered to her or even looked at her in bed. She did not realize that sex could be that enjoyable, instead, assuming it was only an experience pleasurable for men. But she did not believe that anymore.

Stop thinking about the past. Eli is worshiping your body in the present.

Eli moved, standing and pulling Claire to the edge of the bed. He stood between her legs, and held her knees back and entered, pushing inch by ever-throbbing inch inside.

"Oh my, God! Please tell me no one is downstairs, because I'm going to scream," Claire said between breaths.

"Do you want me to stop?" Eli asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Don't stop. Eli. Don't stop," Claire begged, and with that, Eli thrust with a new force. A moan grew inside her belly, reaching her throat and turned into a scream as it left her mouth. "Yes!"

Her climax already running through her body, Eli wrapped his arm around her knees, allowing his hand to travel. His thumb found her pulsating clitoris and flicked it at a rapid pace.

Only moments earlier, Claire thought she was in the throes of the most amazing sexual experience possible, but she was proven wrong as she crashed over an even bigger wave. Eli joined, his cock spasming inside of her, and Claire watched his expression lighten from concentration into bliss. He stilled for a moment, studying her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Claire asked.

"You are crazy beautiful; you know that right?" Eli asked. Claire rolled her eyes, turning away. His hand pulled her chin to face him again. "I mean it. You are a goddess."

Claire could think of nothing to say. Her eyes pricked with tears that she blinked back. She would not ruin this moment by crying. When Eli said things like that to her, something inside of her believed him.

Eli pulled out of Claire, reaching for her hand and pulling her to her feet. He turned her around, holding her close in an embrace. She never wanted him to let go. He bent down and kissed her neck, then whispered in her ear, "I think we need another shower."