Page 130 of Yours to Keep
The waterfront was peaceful, and I think that memory will stay with me forever.
The waves rolled gently against the shore while the wind carried the smell of salt and cedar through the air. Beside me, Eli walked with his hands tucked into his pockets, talking about nothing and everything all at once. It wasn’t the exact conversation I remembered later. It was him.
For once, he wasn’t looking over his shoulder.
For once, he wasn’t scanning every passing car or every stranger who walked by.
For once… he was just Eli.
I glanced across at him and smiled to myself. He looked lighter. Not healed, not yet anyway, but lighter. Like he was finally starting to believe there might actually be a life waiting for him beyond Adrian. Eli deserved this peace more than anyone I’d ever known.
Then his phone buzzed.
I watched him read the message before his eyes immediately searched for CJ. The smile that spread across his face wasn’t forced.
It was real.
I followed his gaze to where CJ and Deck trailed behind us, giving us space while never really taking their eyes off Eli. CJ looked down at his own phone, waiting.
I chuckled.
Oh. That was cute.
Must be nice.
God… I wanted that.
With Deck.
Unfortunately, Deck and I were… complicated.
We’d kissed a couple of times. There had been Ass-Gate, which still lived rent-free in my head. One completely innocent smack on the ass from the world’s biggest, grumpiest ex-soldier, and suddenly I was questioning my entire personality.
Turns out, apparently I liked that. Who knew?
The problem was that every time I thought we’d finally crossed whatever invisible line Deck had drawn, he’d take one careful step backward again.
Always careful.
Always respectful.
Always pretending he wasn’t looking at me the same way I looked at him.
Mostly.
There were moments, though: his hand settling against my lower back as he guided me through a crowded room; his fingers resting on my shoulder while we worked side by side.
And the kiss. Holy fucking shit. Even thinking about it now sends a stupid flutter through my chest. I hated how much I wanted him.
I swore my entire nervous system rebooted. I just didn’t get why he was still holding himself back. The man had all the emotional availability of a brick wall wearing combat boots.
I was so busy trying to solve the mystery of Deck Mercer that I almost missed it.
The shift.
It wasn’t something I saw.
It was something I felt.
