The Billionaire's Burden (Key to My Heart #2) (9 page)

Chapter Four

“I have friends.” Eli Hunter scoffed from across the café’s small, sky blue table.

His beautiful tawny eyes watched me meticulously, not even glancing up at Aubrey as she slapped our cups down in front of us moments later

“Oh, do you now?” I teased.

Of course he did, who else would come to his raucous, monthly parties. It was fun though, to sit here with him, and pretend to flirt a bit. How long ago had I been on another date?

“You just don’t get to meet them.” The blond man smirked, lifting the mug up to his perfectly curved lips.

A pout tugged at my mouth as I sipped at the cappuccino in front of me.

It was delicious, more sweet and bitter in some caramelly way than I could never describe without sounding insane. It was the most perfect cup of coffee ever. I could completely understand why there were so many people in this shop, she had to be lacing the coffee beans with crack or something.

A satisfied moan flitted from my lips as a wide grin spread Aubrey’s lips, “That’s what I was waiting for.” She said with a proud nod, patting Eli’s head before turning and walking to another table.

“It’s amazing.” I whispered across the table, “You are so lucky you don’t have to taste Lucy’s coffee every day.”

He chuckled, shaking his head, “Believe me, I can smell it in my own apartment. I’m more than content not knowing what I’m missing.”

Curious, I tilted my head, “You can smell it through the walls, really? I never realized how strong the smell was.” I laughed, “I’ll have to tell Lucy she’s gassing out the neighbors.”

Eli paused for a moment, setting his mug back down on the table so clumsily that the brown liquid spilled onto the table, “The walls are thin, you know.” He muttered hastily, shrugging.

I shrugged his words off, watching as Aubrey flitted from table to table like a little coffee laden butterfly.

“Do you come here a lot?” I asked, watching the satisfied grins of the patrons. There was magic in them there coffee mugs.

Eli nodded, leaning back in his chair, hands clasping behind his head, “It’s comfortable here.” He said quietly, staring up at the bright colored ceiling.

“It’s happy here.” I added.

This place, even though it was just a tiny little coffee shop, basically in the middle of nowhere, felt like an oasis in the desert.

The jovial colors, the amazing coffee, the bright smile on Aubrey’s painted lips, everything just swirled together into happiness. I could definitely see why Eli loved to come here. Though, for someone with social anxiety, there were certainly a lot of people buzzing about.

“I’ve known Aubrey forever.” Eli added as he leaned forward once more, his elbow resting on the strong wood of the table, “She’s like my big sister.”

I looked down at the half empty mug clasped in my hands, watching as the frothy milk on top swirled. There was a heart in the foam, I realized, though now it looked like it had fallen apart, a soggy little cloud.

“Do you have family? Any real sisters?” I asked, tilting my head.

Eli nodded, stroking his chin as though he had to contemplate the question, “I do.” He finally said, “I have a large family.”

“That must be nice.” I murmured, smiling faintly.

“And you?” Eli asked, reaching across the table to tug my hand.

The moment our flesh contact, it was like an electric bolt jerked through my flesh, sizzling all the way up my veins. I jerked back, startled, staring at my tingling fingers, the question forgotten between the abrupt tingling of my brain and the sizzling in my hands.

Eli laughed uncomfortably, rubbing his own hand, “Damn static electricity…” He mumbled, though his eyes were wide.

With a shake of my head, I folded my hands in my lap.

Even still, I could feel something churning inside of me, like fire searing slowly through my body. Goose bumps erupted down the flesh of my arms, sweat prickling my brow. I wiped at my face hastily as Eli stared at me in concern.

“Are you okay?” He whispered, glancing towards Aubrey.

“The caffeine rush.” I mumbled, “Must be hitting me hard. I bet Lucy always makes decaf or something.”

I tried to chuckle, but it rasped out my dry throat like a witch’s cackle.

Eli stood, walking towards Aubrey’s counter. She looked at him, then back at me, grabbing a big glass of water and bringing it over.

She knelt down, setting it in front of me as she rubbed my back. Her hands were burning warm, adding to the fire inside of me.

“Drink some water, Jade.” She said quietly, “I do make our stuff extra strong here.”

Her big brown eyes shifted between us, highlighter pink lips in a stiff, unnatural line.

As I slowly drank the water, the coolness of the liquid began to fill me, evening out the fire that still lingered hungrily in my veins.

Aubrey stood, giving a satisfied nod. Around us, the other patrons watched curiously.

“Maybe you should take Jade home.” Aubrey suggested, smile once more plastered on her mouth, “Come back and visit us soon.”

With that, she turned on her heel, walking back to her counter once more.

Slowly, the other customers resumed their own conversation, though their eyes lingered on the both of us as Eli stood, reaching out hesitantly to take my hand and help me to my feet.

This time, no electricity coursed through me, though I was feeling a bit too dizzy to have even noticed it.

His strong, muscled arm wrapped around my waist, he led me back to the bright red jeep waiting outside.

Though it was scorching hot outside, the balmy breeze against my face caressed me gently, whipping my hair back over my shoulders.

“How you doin’?” Eli asked as he lifted me up into the passenger side seat of the vehicle delicately, as though I weighed as much as a sack of feathers. Eli was stronger than I would have guessed.

“I’m fine.” I whispered, though black spots danced in front of my eyes, threatening to turn everything into darkness. My brain hummed noisily between my ears, making the world tilt dangerously on its axis. It was like that one time that I thought I was drinking Kool-Aid and it turned out to be hunch punch. Oof, that had been a bad night and an even worse morning.

I leaned my head back against the brown leather of the seat, listening as Eli started up the engine and pointed us back home.

Despite the swirling heat inside of me and the tingling of my fingertips, the warmth of the sun caressed my cheeks and shoulders, soothing me.

When my eyes opened once more, I was back in my bed.

Lucy sat at my computer, lazily clicking through the pictures of her ex on Facebook. She’d long ago blocked him, begging me to stay friends with him so she could stalk him every now and then. The things I do for friendship.

“When did I get home?” I groaned quietly, sitting up and rubbing my hand over my still spinning head.

Though my stomach still threatened to do flip flops inside of me, I was significantly less dizzy.

“About two hours ago. Eli said he thought you were dehydrated or something.” Lucy barely glanced over at me, her eyes still locked on the screen before her.

In the picture, her ex held another girl by the waist, his lips pressed against her cheek as she giggled.

“Stop looking at that.” I snapped grumpily, eliciting a wicked side eye glare from my dark haired roommate.

I wasn’t in the mood for the pity party she would want to throw later.

Lucy stood up, flipping her thick braid over her shoulder as she walked over to me, glass of ice water in her hand. She thrust it into my clammy palms, seating herself on the edge of my lavender comforter.

“Well?” She said, crossing her arms and staring at me, “Is there anything you want to tell me?”

I held up a single finger, drinking from the water glass deeply.

It coursed down my throat like a cold waterfall, easing away the warmness that refused to release me.

Did I have a fever? Maybe I needed to see a doctor or something? Maybe I was just coming down with a cold. Maybe there’d been something I was allergic to in that coffee.

When the glass was empty and half melted ice cubes skittered around the inside of the glass, I set it gently down on my cluttered nightstand.

“What would you like to know?” I said coyly, pretending to inspect the chipped nail polish on my fingers.

“Don’t be like that.” Lucy frowned, “How the hell did you wind up with Eli today?”

She sucked in a startled breath between her thin lips, leaning forward towards me, eyes huge and her black eyebrows almost reaching her hair, “…was it a…date?”

Lucy hadn’t been on a date for months, though me even longer. You could say she was obsessed with vicariously living through other people’s dating lives.

“I don’t know if it was a date-date.” I said firmly, giving her a pointed stare. This was not to be blabbed about just yet, “I think it may have been more of a thank you date.”

My roommate frowned at me thoughtfully, leaning back on her palms, no longer as keenly interested in my tale.

“A thank you date?” She said skeptically, “What does that even mean?”

I shrugged, “I’m not a love guru,” I mumbled, “Isn’t that your occupation?”

She giggled, shaking her head, “I suppose so.” She hummed.

“He left his bio book in the cafeteria. When he came home from campus, I gave it back. Then he asked me for coffee at his friend’s place.” I chewed my lip, trying to come up with any more detail than that.

Laughter escaped Lucy’s lips as she shook her head, “Well, you can bet you ruined any chances of a second date by passing out on him.” She mused, “Good going there, girl.”

I groaned, flopping backwards so my head hit my pillow. It was still damp from where I slept on it moments ago. I needed a shower something fierce.

“Well, was your short lived romance with Eli Hunter worth every second?” She managed to ask through the giggles that still cut through me.

“Next time, I’ll bring a water bottle.” I responded sadly.

Chapter Five

It’d been a whole week since I heard from Eli.

Seven days since I passed out in his jeep overloaded with coffee.

168 hours since his beautiful face looked right into mine, his fingers just barely touching my hand for the first time.

I’d seen him around, of course. Our campus wasn’t so large that you could avoid someone forever. Though, I wasn’t sure just who was avoiding who. Sure, he didn’t make the effort to knock on my door, but I also ducked behind walls every time I saw his gorgeous blond head in the halls at school.

It really takes two to go totally no contact, after all.

Lucy rolled her eyes pitifully every time I gasped and jumped into the nearest hiding place. She rolled her eyes every time Eli lingered just a few moments longer in front of our door.

She didn’t pity us a bit.

“What do you think I should do?” I asked her, for the seventh time this week, “Should I say something to him?”

“Yes.” She replied simply, barely paying attention to me as she sipped on her herbal coffee.

I’d stopped complaining when she gave me a mug, at least this one didn’t light my body on fire. Maybe I had a caffeine sensitivity.

“I really should, huh?” I mumbled.

Though the question remained the same every annoying morning, the response varied.

“Today!” I’d proclaimed wildly the first day after ‘the incident,’ with blazing eyes of courage, “I’ll talk to him today!”

Hours later, I’d hidden behind a water fountain, hiding my blushing face in my hands while Eli looked around in confusion for the one who’d called his name.

“I’m never speaking to him again.” Was my dim response the next day, as I slumped in the kitchen chair and tried not to cry too pathetically, “
Never
 again!”

Lucy had only sighed, staring at me dully from across the kitchen table, “Time for class.” She’d muttered, escaping our apartment faster than Speedy Gonzales.

So it only made sense that on this seventh day of mourning, when I once again murmured that I should work up the guts to talk to Eli, that Lucy completely dismissed my words.

So, that’s why it was all the more surprising when Lucy stood, her book bag in hand as she walked to the front of our apartment and swung open the door, only to find Eli standing there, hand raised as he was about to knock on the door.

We didn’t know it at the time, but he’d repeated that gesture every day for the last seven mornings. Today just happened to be the day he got caught.

“Err, hello, Lucy.” He mumbled shyly, straw colored eyes darting past her towards where I sat in my pajamas at the kitchen table.

“Hello, Prince Charming.” She smirked, stepping to the side, “Your princess awaits.” She flitted a hand towards me as she dramatically bowed before scooting around him and walking straight out the apartment.

Hesitantly, Eli shut the door, standing in front of it as though he were about to run off after my roommate in escape.

“Hi.” He said bashfully as I lurched inelegantly to my feet, spilling my mug of coffee all over myself and the table.

He rushed forwards, grabbing a towel from the stove as I fumbled with napkins, trying to sop up the brown mess.

When I turned back to him, I found his eyes grazing over the thin cotton of my long sleep shirt. Shyly, I tugged at the edges, trying to pull it farther down on my thighs.

“I wasn’t expecting company.” I whispered, clearing my throat.

“Sorry.” He muttered.

We stood there, doing nothing but staring at our feet, for five whole minutes of awkward, tense quietness. Even my rambling mouth remained taut and closed.

“So, I guess you’re feeling better?” Eli finally asked, sweeping a hand through his mussed, golden curls. Under the flickering lights of our kitchen, his hair shone like a halo on his tan forehead.

“Yes.” I responded quietly, shifting my feet, “Much. Thanks for getting me back home safe.”

Eli shook his head quickly, eyes meeting mine for one blissful second, “It was nothing.”

“I should probably change.” I finally said, smoothing my hands over the front of my coffee splattered shirt.

My sexy neighbor nodded, one of his fingers reaching out to trace the line of the coffee. Through the flimsy shirt, I could feel the burning warmth of his fingers against my flesh, as though there wasn’t even a barrier.

I gasped quietly, shudder rolling up my back.

Eli froze, huge golden eyes on me. I almost recoiled away, but in the end, I found my body pressing closer against his touch.

Fiery warmth began to slowly swell deep inside of me.

Desire.

It blinded my eyes, as though a red haze or gossamer drape was delicately placed over my face. I blinked furiously, trying to see through the blazing warmth.

His hand moved, his entire palm sweeping against me. Abruptly, he pulled me into his embrace, the pounding of his racing heart matching mine as our chests came clumsily pressed together. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.

While his hand remained over my shirt, strong arm wrapped around my waist, clinging to me as though I were a life preserver and he were floating in the water, his other hand danced dangerously on my thigh below the edge of my shirt.

He lifted me higher up against him so that my toes struggled to remain on the kitchen floor, ultimately, he lifted me up into his arms so that my legs twined around his strong, muscled waist.

Greedily, one of his brave hands slipped against my thigh, fingertips just barely caressing my ass.

I shivered, hands curling into his hair.

Our eyes met, his own mirroring the blazing, churning fire that lit behind mine.

Want, desire, craving, it was almost tangible. My whole body convulsed.

I’d never felt anything like this, I’d never wanted anything like I wanted to feel his body against mine, moving in the dance of love.

I wanted him.

I wanted Eli Hunter.

Much more clumsily than I would have liked, I pulled his head forward towards mine, lips crashing against his own.

He gasped in surprise, one of his hands tangling in my still sleep mussed hair as he hugged me tighter, harder against his body.

Our lips danced together greedily, drinking up every ounce of one another that we could. Fire surged through my veins, swirling in my mind and fogging out everything except the sweet taste of Eli’s tongue delicately sweeping my own.

His breathing was ragged as we parted, still in each other’s embrace. At some point my back had gotten pressed against the kitchen wall.

We stared at one another, chests heaving, as he slowly, slowly lowered me to the ground. Never once did our gazes falter.

His burning fingers curled around my t-shirt, lips pressing against mine as he begged permission to disrobe me.

For a moment, as our lips lingered together, I almost hesitated, but through the burning of my core and the utter desire in his kiss, I knew there was no way I could ever deny this man.

As our mouths parted, a shy smile danced on my lips.

I’d never let a man touch me like this, I’d never had a man’s hands on my body, feeling me, dancing over me. I’d never had a man beg for my kiss, for my embrace.

Eli’s hands began to lift my shirt when suddenly the front door swung open once more.

Lucy danced back inside, earbuds in her ears, sound of loud indie guitar playing spilling out.

She turned in lazy circles as she moved, suddenly pausing when she realized that Eli and I were still in the kitchen, our lips swollen and red with kisses, my shirt half up my thighs, his strong hands on my body.

“Oh god.” She said, slapping her hands over her face, “Oh god!”

The mood effectively killed, a blush burning on my face, I broke away from the sexy young man, “I’m sorry!” I cried out, to no one in particular, maybe it was even to myself, “This is so embarrassing!”

Eli cleared his throat, golden eyes darting between my roommate and myself, as he slowly seated himself at our tiny little table.

“So, Lucy,” He began, “I hear you make some interesting coffee.”