Chapter 20 #2
“God, Jules,” Eli breathed, his eyes dark with desire. “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, beach bum.”
He laughed, the sound vibrating against my skin as he trailed kisses down my neck. “I aim to please.”
And please he did.
Eli’s lips trailed lower, kissing along my collarbone.
His hands cupped my breasts gently, thumbs dancing over the soft skin.
I gasped at the sensation, arching into his touch.
He lowered his head, taking one peak into his mouth.
The warm, wet heat of his tongue sent arcs of pleasure through me.
He concentrated on one breast, then the other, alternating between soft licks and gentle suction.
My fingers ruffled his hair, holding him close as waves of sensation washed over me.
Eli’s touch was reverent yet hungry, as if he couldn’t get enough of me.
His hands roamed lower, tracing the curves of my waist and hips.
I shivered as his fingers skimmed along my inner thighs, teasing but not quite touching where I ached for him.
“Eli,” I breathed, my voice thick with need.
He looked up at me, his eyes dark with desire. “Tell me what you want, Jules.”
“You,” I said simply. “I want you.”
A slow smile spread across his face. He kissed his way back up my body, capturing my mouth as his hot, thick shaft pressed between us. When I reached to stroke the velvety length of it, he pulled his hips back with a slight shake of his head. “No. Tonight is about you.”
Eli’s eyes never left mine as he reached for the nightstand, grabbing a condom. Finally breaking eye contact, he rolled it on. The sight was extremely erotic, just looking at how ready he was as moonlight spilled into the room.
With gentle care, he entered me slowly, drawing a moan from my lips. The feeling of him was exquisite, a delicious stretch that sent pulses of pleasure through my body. He stilled for a moment, giving me time to adjust, his forehead resting against mine.
“You feel amazing,” he murmured in a low, throaty voice.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper. “So do you.”
Eli began to move, setting a slow, steady rhythm that had me gasping with each thrust. His hands roamed my body, caressing and exploring as if memorizing every curve.
Lifting, he pulled me up so we sat face-to-face, our bodies flush against each other.
The intimacy of the position, the depth of his gaze, was different.
His fingers found my most sensitive spot, stroking with exquisite precision.
I clung to him, waves of pleasure building. “Yes! I’m so close.”
“I know. Me too. Let go, baby. I’ve got you.” We climbed together, breathing ragged, until the world shattered around us in repeated explosions of sensation.
Afterward, we lay together, a comfortable silence settling over us. My eyes drifted to his nightstand, catching sight of a familiar book cover.
“You’re almost done with Journey to the Center of the Earth?” I asked, noting the worn Sunset Siesta Dive Shop sticker he used as a bookmark.
Eli laughed quietly, his chest rumbling beneath my cheek. “I figured after finishing Twenty Thousand Leagues, I might as well keep the streak going. What can I say? Your namesake writes a pretty good book.”
I snorted. “I’m sure Jules Verne would be thrilled to hear that ringing endorsement.”
His brushed his fingers in slow sweeps down back. “Hey, from me? That’s high praise. I wasn’t much of a reader until I met you.”
The moment, the warmth of his touch, the vulnerability still lingering in the air, made me want to open up. “There’s a reason I connect with Jules Verne. Other than the name.”
Eli’s hand stilled. “Yeah?”
I took a deep breath. “When I was little, my dad… he wasn’t around much. Always on the road for his job. But every time he came home, he’d read me a chapter. Every night until he had to leave again.”
I nestled closer to Eli, drawing comfort from his steady heartbeat. “It became our thing, you know? Even when I was too old for bedtime stories, we’d still read Jules Verne together. It was… it was the one constant I could count on.”
Eli’s arms tightened around me. “That sounds really special.”
“It was.” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. “Until it wasn’t. Until he came home one time and asked if we could skip the reading that night. Of course I said sure. I could see how beat he was. Then one night became another, and another, until we stopped reading together completely.”
“Ouch. I’m sorry,” Eli murmured before pressing a kiss to my temple.
I shrugged. “It’s fine. Ancient history, right?”
“Maybe,” he said, tilting my chin up to meet his eyes. “But it still must have hurt.”
The genuine understanding in his gaze nearly undid me. I blinked rapidly, fighting back tears. “Yeah, well. Like the incident with the flour explosion and my mom, it was time to grow up.”
Eli was quiet for a long moment, his fingers running through my hair. “You’re one of the strongest people I know,” he finally said. “And our past makes us who we are. Warts and all.”
I brushed a soft kiss to his collarbone, allowing myself to bask in the warm comfort of his embrace.
As Eli’s breathing evened out, I found myself caught between contentment and unease. Wrapped in his arms, I felt safer than I had in years. Yet a nagging doubt lingered at the edges of my mind.
Our relationship was still a secret, hidden away from prying eyes and wagging tongues. And with the resort’s future hanging in the balance, how long could we keep this bubble intact? I wanted to believe in the connection we’d forged, but old doubts whispered.
I closed my eyes, willing myself to focus on the present—the warmth of Eli’s skin, the steady rise and fall of his chest. Tomorrow would bring enough challenges on its own. For now, I’d allow myself this moment of peace, even as a part of me wondered how long it could last.