Page 43 of Secrets

“You haven’t ruined anything, Agent. We’re still together.” Elena’s sharp gaze softens. “However, may I suggest setting up here so I can take a look at you?”

Smirking, I try to make light of the genuine pain filtering through the drop of adrenaline. “Oh, you can look at me anywhere, Red. Here, at the top. I can crawl back in the bushes if you’re into it.”

“You are?—”

“Beautiful, talented, cunning, a mess?”

Her smile widens as she leads me to a soft, flat and much safer part of the mini mountain. “All of those things. But mostly…human.”

“Or am I?” I joke, glancing around at the spot she’s picked out, double-checking for any dubious-looking terrain. “You haven’t seen me in water yet. Or during a full moon.”

Elena simply rolls her eyes, and despite my refusal and insistence that I can do it, digs inside the sack and pulls out the blanket, setting it down and then helping me onto it. Once she slides the backpack off my rigid shoulders, she instructs me to lean back on my elbows, only one of which has a smattering of red from trying to catch myself.

She takes her time inspecting me, her hands going over every square inch of my exposed skin, her eyes surveying as though she’s a surgeon mid-operation. Even with pain pulsing through me, all I can focus on is how not only is she incredibly hot, but how it’s been a long time, too damn long actually, since someone showed interest in caring for me.

Just as I think it, Elena pulls out a small first aid kit in her crossbody purse. “I’m limited on supplies, but I do have a few alcohol swabs and bandages. It should be enough to get you patched up and us back to the car.”

My heart leaps into my throat. “But lunch.”

“Is spilled amongst your bag and the hill. Additionally, it’s not as imperative as getting you cleaned up so you don’t get any infections.”

“It’s just a couple scrapes,” I protest. “Besides, it’s not like I fell into poison ivy.”

The corner of Elena’s eye glimmers with something I can’t decipher before she rolls them, clearly sensing I’m not abandoning this date without a fight. “Have you always been so stubborn?”

I smirk, victory shining in my chest. “I like to think of it as strong willed.”

Elena groans and I don’t stop myself from leaning toward her and brushing my lips against hers.

Her lips are as soft as I remember, melding to mine just as they had that night. It causes my nerves to fray, and my pulse to rack up, the intense need to pepper kisses all over her, suddenly consuming me.

So I do. I reach up, ignoring the pull of my aching tight muscles and grab either side of her face. One, two, three, four. I kiss her over and over until I hear an intoxicating sound that I know will follow me to the end of time; Elena giggles. Like truly. It’s light and carefree and void of anything but pure happiness. Of joy.

Needing to see what the sound looks like, I force my mouth away from her and gaze at her stunning face. It’s completely alight with that beautiful noise, her perfect smile on full display, the smallest lines creasing at the corner of her eyes. My heart flutters at the sight, an inexplicable amount of endorphins flooding through my system. Perhaps that’s why I say it. Or maybe it’s an excuse. Either way, my head tilts and a soft grin pulls against my lips.

“I adore you.”

Elena blinks once, then again as if the words are filtering in and processing one by one. For a second I wonder if I should have kept the comment to myself, but when her smile takes on a softer curve, I realize that even though she may not feel as much for me, I want her to know how much I like her. No, Ineedher to know.

I’m well aware I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and fall too hard, too fast, but this is different. I’m not infatuated with her. I’m not love sick or head over heels. This is something entirely different. It’s happiness. It’s contentment. It’s fulfillment.

Besides, if there’s one thing my mother taught me, it’s letting people know how you feel because the opportunity might not be there tomorrow.

Releasing Elena’s face, I press a soft kiss on her nose before leaning back on the blanket. My elbow screams at the pressure, but I still very much refuse to end our date over my tumble.

“You,” she starts, adjusting her body and mirroring my posture, “make me feel things I most certainly shouldn’t.”

This gets a huff out of me. “Yeah, that’s on brand. Question is, is the emotion giddiness, annoyance, or pure unbridled lust?”

Elena graces me with her signature bedroom eyes. “One of those. Though I won’t tell you which.”

Groaning, I let my head fall back. “Such a tease, Red.”

“Oh, Agent. You haven’t the slightest idea what a tease would feel like coming from me.”

My core contracts while she simply smirks, winking one glittering green eye.

It’s then I know without a shadow of a doubt…

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