Page 88 of Ripple Effect

“I still haven’t heard back from Sapphire.”

“Seriously.” I stop eating, frustration gnawing at my insides. “All that urgent texting, and for what?”

“I know.” He swallows hard. “I think she’s trying to play mind games or something.”

“I’m sorry, El. That’s so stressful.”

“Like you said, we’ll figure it out.” He takes a sip of his tea and holds back a wince. Evidently, he’s still not used to mornings without his black coffee. “I think I’m just gonna block the number. I’m sure if she wants to get ahold of me again, she’ll find some other way.”

“This is bordering on criminal, you know? It’s stalking.”

“I know.” He gives me a helpless shrug. “And if it gets to a point where I don’t feel like I can handle it, then I’ll escalate things.”

“Okay, well, thank you for keeping me in the loop.”

“Of course.”

I shovel the last little bite of food into my mouth, chewing happily until a realization hits me. “Wait a minute, where did that topic come from?”

He raises a petulant brow. “What do you mean?”

“You saidsomeone who’s mesmerized by my dickand then immediately brought up Sapphire. Thank you very much for the comparison.”

His laughter is heavy. “Daze, that is so not the case here.”

My lips curve into a mischievous smile. I shove our empty plates away and crawl onto his lap, one leg over each thigh, narrowly avoiding disaster.

“It better not be,” I joke, raining kisses along his neck.

“Oh, and is this my punishment?”

“Yes,” I say, nipping at the soft skin.

We both chuckle, and he wraps his arms fully around my waist, drawing me closer. I’m straddling him now, our bodies molded together, every inch of him pressing against me.

“Hey, Daze?” he murmurs, holding me tight.

“Yeah?”

“You should know ... that being with you? I think it’s the closest thing to heaven I’ll ever get.”

My heart skips, and I fight back the urge to cry again. I rest my head against his shoulder, taking a moment to savor this newfound closeness. “Let’s get ready and go,” I say. “Before I melt into a puddle in your lap.”

He grins against my hair, a low rumble of laughter vibrating through his chest. Then he stands up and sets me on my feet. “Yeah, alright. Come on, then.”

“Do you think when we get back, we can finally play Surf Pro?”

“Yeah.” He smiles, shaking his head. “Anything you want.”

* * *

Elioand I have spent the majority of November living in our little bubble of bliss. Swapping apartments, waking up beside one another, strolling on the beach with Bentley, and spending dinner dates with Gracie, Max, and LJ.

I’m hit with a twinge of gratitude for Bentley’s quick adjustment to our new dynamic, but it’s also strange not having his familiar weight at my feet. Luca and Harper generously offered to look after him for the break, sending us off with a chorus of teasing comments and promises of spoiling him with treats.

Although, I’m fairly certain that it’s no sweat off Luca’s back. His team isn’t playing this weekend, and I know that he used to live with Bentley, so he must be missing him.

As for Elio and me, we’re stuck inside this giddy stage where everything’s still a mix of heart-fluttering looks and lingering touches. But it’s not just our nights that have me on a high—it’s the mornings, the afternoons, every stolen moment where we find another secret, another quirk, another whisper of vulnerability between us.

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