Page 41 of Unbroken

Eli finally started talking to me as we brought the last two saddles to the tack room at the end of the day.

“Make any big decision yet?” he asked. “About Denver?”

“As a matter of fact, I have,” I said, leaning up against the little desk in the corner.

He rearranged the saddles on the wall rack with his back to me. “Are you going to tell me, or do you want me to beg?”

“No begging required.” I hopped up onto his desk. “I didn’t take the job.”

Eli froze in place and seemed to process what I’d just told him, then turned to me.

“So … you’re staying here.”

It wasn’t a question. And yet, he didn’t sound fully convinced, even as he said the words. It was as if he was learning a new language and he wasn’t sure what I’d said to him. A stillness fell over the small room, like all of the air had been sucked out of it.

“I am. For now,” I said slowly.

“Well. That’s … that’s good.”

Eli was staring at me in a way that unnerved me, like he was trying to figure me out. Something was about to happen, and I wasn’t sure what it was. I felt a little dizzy as I imagined the most obvious possibility. Eli’s whole body shifted into a coiled readiness, and I gripped the edge of the desk like I was on a tilting boat.

He crossed the room in four steps and was inches away from me before I could ready myself. Then he simply stood in front of me, staring into my eyes and breathing hard. I felt adrenaline coursing through me.

I was about to say something to break the tension when he reached out, threaded his hand through my hair, and cupped the back of my neck, his hand practically burning my skin. I swallowed hard, waitingto see what he would do next. I neededhimto make the move, because I’d overstepped with him at the fundraiser, and I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.

The seconds ticked on agonizingly slow, and I felt a dull ache start to throb deep inside of me.Whywas he torturing me?

His unwavering gaze started to make me squirm a little, trying to vent the heat kicking up between my legs. The move seemed to wake Eli up, and he used his hips to bump my legs farther apart, so he could close the tiny gap that remained between us. He wound up inches away from me, breathing, watching, waiting. I didn’t move, afraid I might break the spell that was swirling around us.

His hand was still woven in my hair, and I felt him pulling me closer still, so slowly that it made me shiver with anticipation.

Then finally, finally, he placed his lips on mine.

TWENTY-EIGHT

ELI

Icould have cut the tension I felt all day with a knife. I assumed that Fiona felt it too because she wasn’t her usual wise-cracking self. While her knowledge of local history still caught me by surprise, she’d also been subdued today and I couldn’t attribute it to the eight hour trail ride.

Suddenly, here we were, and I was determined to go slow. After all, she’d practically run away the first time we’d kissed outside the mountain cabin, and I didn’t want to scare her off this time. But ohGod, it felt amazing to kiss her again. Even better than the first time. All I wanted to do was push her back onto the desk and explore every gorgeous, sweet inch of her. The only thing stopping me was the fear that I might make her bolt again. I forced myself to keep my kisses light and was about to ask if she was okay when Fiona linked her legs behind my ass and pulled me in even closer.

It was all the invitation I needed.

Our mouths nibbled, sucked, and explored in a way that made it clear we’d both been desperate to get our hands on each other. Fiona archedinto me, linking her arms behind my neck, and I realized that despite our size difference, I was officially locked in her embrace.

Not that I minded, given that it was exactly where I wanted to be. Or rather, it was where I wanted to be once there were no longer clothes in the way. I pulled away then ducked under her arms, and she made a disappointed noise.

“Shhh,” I said, untucking her T-shirt from her jeans. “Just you wait.”

She bit her lip as I finished pulling it out, then gamely held her hands over her head so I could slip the shirt off her completely.

I dropped it to the desk behind her and looked her up and down in awe. I’d gotten glimpses of her cleavage but seeing her breasts nearly naked and cradled in a purple lace bra nearly made me explode like a teenager fumbling around with a girl for the first time.

Fiona giggled. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head slowly, still staring at her breasts with wide eyes.

“Now you,” she whispered, pulling my shirt loose from my jeans.

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