Page 34 of Wild Love

Eli chuckled. "Not everyone. Some people hate the outdoors."

"How did you know I didn’t?" I still wasn’t sure about that.

"You're a free spirit. You're probably called to nature more than I am."

My blood was humming in my veins, and my skin was tingling with awareness. The cool air was refreshing and the sun warm on my face. "I can't say I've ever taken the time to appreciate nature like this."

"I hope you reconsider in the future. There's nothing better than spending time outdoors."

I wondered if it was the company I enjoyed more. Eli's excitement was contagious. His energy was like a shot of happiness for my morning. I wondered if this is what it would be like to wake up in bed each morning. Would he want to make love or get started with his day?

Eli hopped up and held a hand out to me. "Come on. I have breakfast ready for us."

I stood and brushed off my leggings. "You already made us pancakes."

"That was nothing. I worked up an appetite. I had eggs and more fruit prepared for us on the roof. There's even coffee."

"That sounds amazing." My butt was sore, and my thighs screamed in protest as we walked our bikes to the patio.

"I'll take care of these later. But if you ever want to ride on your own, this bike is yours."

"I can't believe you got me a bike." Didn't he realize I was only here for a short while?

"You needed one to ride, and we didn't have a rental that was your size."

"That was nice of you." Normally, I would think it was too much, but I was starting to see that Eli was a generous person. And his actions created a warm spot in my heart, reserved for him.

We headed to the rooftop where our breakfast was kept warm on hot plates. We sat at the table with a fire burning inthe outside fireplace, and the heaters glowing. He even wrapped a blanket around my legs.

"Did you have a good morning?"

I ate my eggs and fruit while admiring the view of the mountains.

"Worth missing coffee for?"

"Actually, yes." I got another glimpse into what made Eli tick, and it made me feel closer to him.

I wondered why I didn't know more about myself. Other than I liked to move around a lot, and I enjoyed performing on a stage. Had I spent so much time proving I was different than everyone in my life that I didn't know who I was? That was an unsettling thought.

I sipped my coffee, content to watch the morning go by.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Eli asked me.

"Nothing actually. I might prepare the class I'm supposed to teach. It got pushed back so Marigold could do a proper sign-up for it."

"Are you nervous about teaching the kids?"

"Terrified."

Eli threw his head back and let out a loud guffaw.

I watched him with amusement. "I'm glad you find me amusing."

When he recovered, he said, "I never thought you were scared of anything. You were badass. You knew exactly what you wanted and went after it."

"I'm not sure about anything anymore. It feels more like I was running from everything: my childhood, this town, and my family."

Eli sobered. "It's never too late to figure out what you want."

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