Page 51 of Break the Ice
Elijah goes stiff for a second, releasing my hand as he rolls onto his side to look at me. Adjusting his arm beneath my head, he thinks for a beat while his dark stare searches mine.
“Sure… maybe… I guess…” The hand at his side rests over my shoulder as he leans forward and presses a kiss to my cheek.
Oh my.
My entire body freezes at the unexpected contact. It makes my belly fizz and really hard to see straight.
Elijah’s never kissed me before. It feels nice, unlike any other touch or caress before it. My whole being buzzes and my shoulders prickle like my body is trying to grow wings to take us away from here.
Pulling away slowly, he gives me a shy, crooked smile that melts all my bones to mush.
“Elijah and Finley,” he murmurs. “That’s what I would call them.”
The birds.
“The birds…”
I’m tracing the outline of the wing with light lines, adding some wispy texture to the feathers when the apartment door slams open.
“Jesus, slow down,” Elijah groans. “You literally had one job. Open the door, not break it down.”
“I hadone job? All you had to do was remember the snacks for the flight,” Jayden snaps back. “Now you’re making me wait to eat lunch like I’m not starving…”
“Because you got fish tacos that always stinks out my car.”
“Just feed me already.”
I snap my journal closed as the two of them come into view. Jayden’s sulky pout quirks to a wonky grin while his stare peruses down the length of my body.
My hands shake as they smooth down the short skirt of the floral dress I put on this morning. It's the first time I'm wearing one of the pretty dresses Elijah bought for me, I figured it was time to. Especially now that my thighs have healed and I can cover the scars with the foundation Christina picked out.
“Hey, Lucky,” Jayden croons, brows hitching as Elijah stalks towards me, throwing the suit bag folded over one arm onto the back of the dark velvet sectional while he balances a tray of iced drinks in his other hand.
A flush warms his cheeks as he leans in, lips pressing to my forehead in a firm kiss. The weight of his body bows mine into him. One of his hands comes to my waist and he deposits lighter pecks down to the tip of my nose while he places the drinks on the breakfast bar beside us.
“Hi, beautiful.”
The words slam into my chest so hard, it’s impossible to respond with anything but a nod and a smile.
Nothing has ever felt as amazing as the rake of his thumb along the cut-out patch on my waist. Goosebumps break out all over my skin at the calloused caress.
Unlike all the other times he’s touched me, he doesn’t take his hand back when I stroke my fingers down his face and press a kiss to his cheek.
“Welcome home, love,” I whisper back. “I missed you.”
I missed this.
The touching. The holding on to each other like we used to.
I’m waiting for him to pull away when he turns me towards the breakfast bar. Jayden’s standing there, watching us. His eyes are hooded, and a wistful quirk of his lips pinches his dimples.
I was so wrapped up in Elijah, I didn’t notice him move. Now, there’s an odd tug in my chest—a weight—that’s got my heart twisting up with my stomach as he holds my stare.
“We got you an iced coffee,” Elijah says, arm wrapping around my back when he moves to stand beside me.
“With extra vanilla whip,” Jayden adds, plucking the drink from the tray and placing it directly in front of me.
“And caramel drizzle,” Elijah says, resting his chin on the top of my head.
