Page 32 of Unbroken

FIONA

Ididn’t want it to end.

Eli’s kiss was tentative at first, like he was equally in shock over what he’d started. Like he was afraid I was going to jump away in horror when I realized that we were actually kissing. But the sensation of our mouths moving together in unison seemed to erase any concerns he had, and he deepened the kiss, pulling me closer. I stretched onto my tiptoes and locked my arms behind his neck, relishing the feeling offinallyknowing what kissing Eli Carter felt like.

Because it felt divine.

A warmth spread through my body like he’d lit a match inside me. Eli’s kisses shifted from languid and gentle to more demanding, as if he was equally eager to taste me. His tongue flicked against my mouth, and I accidentally let out a whimper, causing him to smile against my lips.

“Are you okay? Is this okay?” he whispered, barely pulling away from me.

I answered by pushing my hand against the back of his head so that he’d stop talking and get back to kissing.

The soundtrack of the rain beating on the metal roof drowned everything else around us out. It was like we were in a vortex, just the two of us, and nothing else mattered as we clung to one another.

I couldn’t believe that it was actually happening, and that it was better than I’d ever imagined. Being in his strong arms took the chill from the air. His hands ran up and down my back as we kissed, caressing me in a way that was equal parts passionate and desperate. There was no doubt that he wanted it as badly as I did.

“Oh my! Whoopsie daisy!”

The voice came out of nowhere, causing me to jump back from Eli in shock. It was Paula Loman, standing a few feet away and hiding a smile behind her hand.

“I, uh … well,hellothere, you two!” she said brightly, with a little wave. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. We were just wondering if you have a sense for when this rain is going to stop? We’re fine, everyone is perfectly happy inside, but we have dinner reservations in town and we’re not sure if we need to push them back.”

I walked to the other side of the porch feeling a flush creep up my face. I needed a little space from the show I’d put on with Eli, which had felt a little too real. He could handle the conversation with Paula on his own—the women riders always loved talking to him.

“It’s looking like it’ll be over within the hour,” he answered, unflappable as always. “We can either keep riding up the trail as planned, or we can head back. The trail will be fine for us to continue, if you want, just a little muddy. The horses don’t mind if you don’t.”

“Oh, wonderful, that’ll work out fine. We’d like to keep going. We’rehaving such a nice time with the two of you. You’re a wonderful team!” She giggled.

“Well, thank you. Happy to hear it,” Eli said.

I collected myself and walked back over to where Eli and Paula were standing. “Hi, Paula, sorry about …that.”

I gestured vaguely to where we’d been kissing.

“Oh, stop.” The older woman chuckled. “You got lost in the romance; I understand it. You should’ve seen how David and I used to canoodle. Nothing better to do when it rains, if you ask me! Why don’t you two get back to it. I’ll leave you alone.” She winked and walked away.

“No, we’re fine, you don’t have to leave—” I called after her, but she was gone.

“Hmm,” Eli said once Paula was back in the cabin, his eyes twinkling. “That was …interesting.”

“Which part?” I laughed, keeping my distance from him like I was afraid of getting too close. “The kiss or getting caught?”

“All of it. Very unexpected.”

“Yup, it was,” I lied.

The fact was the kiss had felt sort of inevitable to me. I knew that at some point we were going to have to do it for show, since real couples didn’t think twice about public displays of affection. But I’d envisioned a quick, chaste kiss in front of an audience, not one that made my knees threaten to give out while I forgot anyone else existed in the world.

I was about to say as much when the horses started kicking up a fuss. The neighing and stomping meant something was spooking them. Eli and I craned our necks and couldn’t see the reason why.

“Can you hear anything?” Eli asked as he scanned the area. I knew what he was really asking. There’d been reports of wolves in the area. Josh had insisted on upgrading some of the security measures to alert us if they came on the property and near the horses, but out here? We could be in trouble if they decided to attack.

All we could hear was the rain.

Eli pulled his hat forward so it covered more of his face and he jogged over to check on the horses while I remained on the porch. He walked around them, looking for anything that might have startled them. When he finished the circuit, he looked over at me and shrugged.

“Nothing?” I asked him as he rejoined me.

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