Hinged, Grown and Sexy

15. Reclaim Time

When I woke up the next morning, I was smiling. There was an extra bounce to my step, and a smoother sway of my hips.

The effect of Eli seemed to encapsulate me even after he left me.

I was even more surprised to notice that I wasn't disappointed in the least that we hadn't had sex. In fact, my body thrummed with the anticipation of the challenge.

He barely resisted me last night, and each time he seemed to give just a little bit more to the honey dripping from between my legs. I almost had him right where I wanted him, but patience wasn't my strong suit.

I was the type of person that voiced my first thoughts and went into situations guns blazing. Except, he had me hesitating.

It wasn't just that Eli was charisma incarnate. It was everything he could mean for me and my future.

I smiled in greeting as I entered the large office specifically for client and staff meetings. The senior partner for the firm headed the table, but my eyes weren't really seeing him.

Even when he dived into this month's projected outcomes and client assignments, my mind was drifting back into a memory that had started my retreat from Eli's affection.

Six years ago

Frustration tinged the edges of my thoughts as I struggled to retain the information in my notes. My exam was less than twenty-four hours away, and I was stuck reading the same page for the past thirty minutes.

Despite my refusal to admit it, everything pointed to me being burnt out from my internship,  countless hours of studying, and trying and failing to maintain a social life. 

I was in college, but I was missing out on all the fun stuff. Fortunately, I was familiar with the feeling because I'd been trading in parties and teenage fun for responsibility and unpaid babysitting.

Once the acceptance letters started rolling in, I'd thought I would finally be able to just be for at least four years. Though, I hadn't anticipated how draining pre-law would be since I'd had no trouble with school in the past.

It felt like I was constantly having to choose between work and fun, which wasn't really much of a decision to begin with.

I couldn't take days off because I sent half my measly checks home and had to survive on the other half. Thank God for my full ride because out-of-state tuition would've made it impossible to get a degree.

If I was overcoming all these obstacles, why didn't it feel like it?

My forehead hit the table with a loud thump as I groaned, but a tingling sensation itched along my skin as my phone vibrated. With furrowed brows, I lifted textbooks and notebooks out the way to find my usually silenced device to see an unsaved number on my phone.

"Hello?" I asked, exhaustion practically dripping off the single word.

"Never thought I'd see the day D9 was so defeated." Eli's voice was smooth like silk through my speaker.

An involuntary smile was on my lips before I could think better of it. That was confirmation alone that it was wise not to save his number despite our many conversations since our meeting.

Hyacinthe always claimed she didn't know Justice would introduce us that day, but this pairing had her evil mastermind all over it.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it. The homework won this battle, but I'll always win the war." I joked back and almost preened when I heard his responding laughter.

"I don't want to keep you from all you got going on, but I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime."

The warning bells were on mute in my head as I thought about going out with Eli. Dating was sure way to distraction, but this was an opportunity to take back even a shred of a life full of excitement.

Whether or not I could afford it, I was taking a moment for me.

"Sure, I'll be ready in ten."

"Oh, shit. I didn't think you'd say—I mean, you sure you want to go tonight?" The small smile I'd been working to control turned into a full-blown grin at finally catching Eli off his game.

He always seemed so sure about everything, so his nervousness was like a saccharine dessert. It was endearingly cute, and back then, I didn't have so many walls to defend my heart against it.

Hence, it fluttering incessantly against my chest as I bit my lip and responded,

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll send you my address."

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you soon."

"You're damn right."

🐞

When I got in Eli's car, I wasn't sure what the night might hold. Though, I was pleasantly surprised when he pulled into the parking lot of the local skating rink.

I'd always planned to come here on one of their themed nights like Throwback Thursdays and Freaky Friday, but school and family had always come first. This probably wasn't his initial idea for a date, but I couldn't be happier.

Skating had always been a big deal in our family. It was our "thing" but that wasn't what made me love it as much as I did.

Skating felt like freedom, and I desperately need a way to escape.

"I take it I made the right choice?" Eli asked once he'd parked.

"You definitely did." I smiled before turning to reach for my door.

My fingers had barely closed around the handle when the heat of Eli's body flushed across my chest as he placed a hand on my own. My breathing stalled as I stared into his brown eyes, and he gently pulled my fingers from the handle and held them.

"Is something wrong?" I whispered from his closeness, and I wondered if he could feel my heart beating intensely when his gaze dropped down to my lips.

"I'm not one to tell a woman no, but don't touch that door handle again, Divine. I got you."

The seriousness in his tone only added to the tension of the moment, and I licked my lips to moisten them in barely concealed anticipation. He was going to kiss me, I was sure of it.

Except, Eli didn't.

Instead, he trailed his fingers from my wrist to my elbow as he pulled away and got out the car. I took the time for him to walk around to get a handle of my nerves and put a lid on the arousal that was threatening to wet the skin of my heat's lips.

It wasn't as effective as I would've liked by the time the door opened, and I was staring at Eli's large and inviting frame. Extending a hand toward me, Eli had another pantydropping smile across his lips as he waited for me to take it.

"Ready?"

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