Page 73 of Break the Ice
Fisting my slick hand, I offer the other to Finley as I push to my feet and bring her with me. While she adjusts her dress, I pick up the trash along with the books on the table hanging in the middle of the sun bed and start down to the decking area with Jayden falling into step with me on my left and Fin on my right.
The moment is so perfectly opportune. Uniquely absolute. It’s providence at its best.
I’ve never felt safer. I’ve never belonged in a place or a time as completely.
I wish that it would stretch infinitely. That it could last forever.
Except I know better—life isn’t this easy.
CHAPTER 21
FINLEY
I’m about to burst when Jayden tears another strip of flatbread and uses it to pinch some of the lentil dish that Elijah ordered for himself along with a few other veggie-based dishes that we’re all sharing.
“Here,” he offers it to me. “It’s nice as it comes but if you add cilantro and the spiced oil, it’s fucking incredible.”
“If I stuff myself anymore, I’m either going to pop or you’ll have to roll me out of here.”
Jayden laughs at my afflicted expression as I take in our small bistro table piled with different dishes. “There’ll be no rolling. Pretty certain Eli and I have you covered if the food paralysis sets in.”
“Food paralysis?”
“Trust me, it’s a thing. Like when you’re so full that you can’t move but you’re not quite in a food coma.” He adds the condiments to the parcel of food in his hand before he holds it out to me again. “This is your first foray into Indian cuisine, you must try everything. Besides, you’re going to need your energy for tomorrow morning’s workout.”
“You need to try the best dish. The Dahl is the one,” Elijah tells me, sucking the oil from the tips of his fingers after his last bite.
“The meat dishes are the best. The lamb is fucking perfection, but the Dahl is special here.”
“Best dish,” Elijah croons with a teasing lilt to his voice that earns him an eye roll from Jayden.
“He’d know different if he ate meat.”
Since we’ve been living together, I’ve noticed that Elijah’s diet is strict. He has a chef that stocks his fridge twice a week with preparedmeals, smoothies, and healthy snack bars, energy balls… it’s all very regimented and every ingredient is accounted for. Even when he orders takeout for me, he sticks to what’s in his fridge.
“You used to eat meat,” I say, glancing back to Elijah as I stuff my last mouthful of the meal into my mouth and savor the burst of flavors.
“I still don’t believe it,” Jayden scoffs playfully, sitting back in his chair to watch Elijah. “I’ve never ever seen him eat anything animal. He’s the cleanest eater in Los Angeles, and that’s saying something given that California is the second state with the largest percentage of vegans in the USA.”
“And the number one state is?” Elijah pins him with a smirk.
“Shut up,” Jayden groans.
“Where are you from, JJ?”
“You can’t show me up with the poor decisions my fellow Nevadans make. But also, given Las Vegas makes up forty-three percent of the state and vegans are like the polka-dots on Fin’s dress…”
His gaze inches down the top of my red dress and then back up, causing my belly to swoop when it meets mine. The thought of our almost kiss simmers to the forefront of my mind, followed by a warm tingling sensation tickling across my lips and spreading up onto my cheeks.
Wildfires have nothing on the blazing heat pulsing through my veins.
Why is this happening?
I can’t want him. I shouldn’t be thinking about what almost happened. Especially not with Elijah sitting right here with us.
I’m here forhim. I wanthim.
I lovehim.
