“Straighten up,” I command, my resistance completely snapped because she makes me feel unhinged.
Then my hand is wrapped gently around her neck, holding her back firmly against my front as I lift my fingers that were just inside her to paint her lips with our combined juices.
“Taste.” I sound harsher than I feel, but I know how much she loves it when I’m firm with her. I learned that last night.
She darts her tongue out, licking her lips, moaning, closing her eyes, enjoying the flavor of us.
“Good girl.” I kiss her temple, then the delicate curve of her jaw, holding her close to me, never wanting to let go.
She’s perfect for me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. The spark between us is undeniable, but it’s what’s beneath that truly gets to me; the way we connect, how easily she can make me laugh when no one else can. I want to spend all my days filled with everything her.
“As much as I would like to stay here with you all day, I need to get ready for work, take Ghost home, and then get to work. I have a huge week ahead, Elijah.”
“Me too.”
Pop.
And there goes our happy bubble.
33
SAPPHIRE
To say that this week has passed in a sex-induced flash would be an understatement.
Since Sunday, I’ve been staying at Eli’s house every night, and each night he’s cooked a fresh vegetarian meal he’s happily eaten too. He even bought a bed for Ghost so I wouldn’t have to carry one back and forth between my house and his apartment. Not that Ghost has slept in it yet, as he much prefers the warmth of Eli’s heated floor in his en suite. It’s remarkable how settled Ghost already is, myself included. I even left my toothbrush there today. Eli didn’t say anything but I could tell he was pleased when I placed it next to his inside the medicine cabinet, mirroring the way his was because that’s how he likes things. I’m noticing it’s how he likes everything.
Now, Friday, I’m sitting in the passenger seat of Eli’s fancy car, which isn’t electric, on our way to the retreat. I think he was humoring me when I lectured him about the environmental impact of combustion engines. He understood, of course; he’s an intelligent man. But when he responded to my concerns by quickly shifting up the gears and making the engine roar, with the exhaust popping and banging, and the acceleration forcing me back into the seat, I can’t even deny how exciting it was or how good he looks behind the wheel of his sports car, blowing my argument out of the water.
His electric limo sounds boring; in fact, it doesn’t sound like anything at all and seems pale by comparison to his Porsche GT3 RS.
Almost at the Rooted in Trust retreat, we glide along the roads in peaceful silence, enjoying the changing scenery and the lush greenery as we pass. The wind blows through my hair, which is nearly back to natural blonde, with the pink and lavender hues almost completely faded.
Fascinated with my hair, Eli asked me what color I was planning on dying it next. The truth is, I don’t know. I think I might leave it natural for the next few weeks, although I could wake up tomorrow and hate that idea.
“Are you looking forward to this weekend?” I ask.
“I have no idea what to expect.” His answer is unsure.
“It’ll be good for you, for us.” I try doing at least a few self-development training courses and retreats every year and every time I do something different, it sparks an idea for new workshops.
Eli doesn’t need to attend the retreat anymore. Certainly not for the reasons I initially booked it. I only scheduled it to help him understand why I do what I do. But with the coffee dates we’ve arranged each day, calls that seem to go on forever, and nights spent between his sheets, he’s asked me dozens, if not hundreds, of questions about my business.
He gets me.
He’s not just asking for the sake of asking; he genuinely wants to know everything about me, my family, and my childhood. Without judgment, he listens, and he’s the first man I’ve dated who truly cares about me. It’s refreshing.
My upbringing fascinates him; he’s eager to learn what life was like before we moved to the outskirts of the city, keen to hear firsthand from someone who lived in Slab City, wanting to know how people paid for their groceries, what everyone did every day, whether they had jobs, and what healthcare was like.
I may not remember much about those things, but I remember the friends I played with.
Now that I’m older, I realize it was no place to raise a kid, and my parents did the right thing by me by moving to the city to ensure I got an education and stayed safe.
It’s been nice to revisit my past, and I’m surprised at how easy he is to talk to. The conversation flows effortlessly, and my uptight, grumpy lawyer, who I’ve noticed is less tense when he’s outside the office, is even more charming now that he’s started opening up to me, sharing his childhood, where he went to college, parts of his day, the people he defends, and the important work he does helping multibillion-dollar corporations merge.
I laughed when he listed some of the companies’ names. By comparison, Safire & Spark are insignificant, a minuscule dot on the map, and yet he still wants to help Mistee and me with our partnership.
Safire & Spark is just as important. That’s what Eli told me because he thinks what we do at Safire & Spark is brilliant.