Chapter 10
T he next couple of days fall into a familiar routine: I wake up at seven, take Princess for her morning walk, make breakfast, and eat while I edit another piece for Flourish, then wait for Elias to return home after another night of drinks and sexual escapades.
We then proceed to work on our respective projects until dinnertime, at which point he goes out with his friends the second he’s done eating, only to return the next morning. And then the cycle restarts.
Now it’s Friday night and I’m watching reruns of Law a trip they’re more than happy to make to celebrate their oldest daughter’s birthday.
Even though it’s only eleven o’clock once I hang up with Cassie, I can’t help but let out a yawn as drowsiness takes over after all the chitchat and after a full day of writing. I’ve managed to complete more than half of the article thus far, and it’s all thanks to Elias.
I’m more productive than I’ve ever been when we’re sitting side by side on the sofa, typing away in complete silence. I’m not sure if it’s the quiet that helps me concentrate or the fact that there’s someone there holding me accountable, but our little writing sessions seem to be the key to my success.
The funny thing is, even when we’re not writing, I find myself wanting to be near him. To find out more about him, to crack the outer shell that he keeps up with such determination. He’s even more of a closed book than I am, which only manages to drive me crazy wondering what’s beneath that overconfident exterior .
I get glimpses of it during our short chats while we eat or when he gets back home from teaching, which are already few and far in between to begin with. But the more I learn about him, the more I see those peeks into who he really is, the more I like that person. He’s kind—in a genuine way, not in the flirty way I’m sure he tries to cover it with.
Princess lets out a little snore from her position next to my hip and I take it as a sign that it’s time for me to go to bed. I’m just about to surrender to the growing heaviness of my eyelids and fall asleep when all of a sudden, I hear a soft knock at my door.
My eyes flick open to find Elias peeking his head through the already half-open door, not entirely sure if I’m dreaming up his sudden presence. A quick pinch of my arm tells me I am in fact awake, even though I wasn’t expecting to see him back until tomorrow morning.
“You still up?” he asks as I sit up straighter in my bed and try to discreetly fix my rat’s nest of hair.
“Just barely.”
“Oh, did I wake you?”
“No, no. I wasn’t asleep yet,” I croak, waving him off as I check the time on my phone. “How come you’re back so early?”
He shrugs as he pushes open the door further, leaning against the doorway. “No luck tonight.”
I’m not sure if it’s just my sleepy state or if it’s the way the light of the TV paints his face in a warm glow, but something about having him leaning outside my room like this is making my stomach twirl. He’s still wearing the same outfit he had on when he left earlier this evening (dark wash jeans and a plain white button-up) and yet, if I didn’t know any better I’d say he looks… kind of sexy in it .
Maybe it’s the fact that his shirt’s a little crinkled with the first three buttons undone, or maybe it’s the combination of his slightly disheveled hair and five o’clock shadow. Either way, I find myself resisting the urge to stare at this fine specimen of a man in front of me.
“ What ? The great Eli Kaplan goes home without a date? How can that be?” I tease.
“Beats me. I’m launching a full-fledged investigation into the matter tomorrow.”
I smile as the images on the TV bounce off his frame, catching myself wanting to invite him in. Would that be weird? We’re only talking, after all. Just two acquaintances having a chat. Nothing weird about that.
…Except it totally would be. He would probably think I’m propositioning him or something, which I’m most certainly not doing. No matter how good he looks, it doesn’t change my one ever-present rule.
“What are you watching?” he asks, instantly rendering my train of thought futile as he takes a few steps inside the room to see what’s on the screen.
“ Law that I’m only interested in a one-night thing. And so are they.”
“Oh. Right, makes sense.”
I guess I’d never considered it that way. Why hadn’t I considered it that way? Of course he’s a good guy, I don’t know why I automatically assumed he was some heartless womanizer.
“I get the feeling you don’t date much,” he jeers.
“Is it that obvious..?”
“Unfortunately so.”
And now my cheeks are flushing with embarrassment. Great.
“I just don’t think I’m the kind of person who can date casually. I couldn’t be that intimate with someone and not catch feelings, you know?”
“No, not really,” he teases as he rubs his eye, and I notice he looks pretty tired himself.
“You might say I have what the kids call attachment issues ? That’s kind of been my whole life, trying not to get too comfortable with people so I never have to say goodbye… Basically if I slept with someone, I know I’d get attached. And that’s the last thing I want right now.”
“Huh,” he replies after a beat. “Sounds like you’d be my worst nightmare, Gem.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not interested, Eli.”
Bring me to Hollywood because I am a fantastic actress.
“Yeah, good thing,” he repeats.
His eyes stay locked on mine for a moment and it almost feels like he’s going to say something more, but he simply rolls his head back toward the TV without another word.
Too tired to press on, I follow in suit and turn my attention back to the show. Dim voices and background music fill the room as sleepiness creeps back in, and I let out another involuntary yawn. It’s not long before I’m feeling toasty underneath the pillowy covers and Elias’ scent is lingering in the air around me. It’s all so peaceful and comfy that I could almost fall asleep.
I let my eyes flutter closed for just a second beneath their heaviness, melting into the cozy atmosphere around me. It’s only for a minute , I tell myself. I’m totally still listening to the show. They’re solving a crime or something, I’ll catch the ending in a minute .
I’m so convinced that I’m still awake, in fact, that I hardly even notice when I finally surrender to my tiredness and fall asleep. Right on Elias’ shoulder.