Because of Lila(74)

He gave me a small smirk. “Then I will have had an amazing memory of a girl who I was lucky enough to know.”

If only his words made me feel better.

Glancing back one more time, I looked for Cruz or any signs he would magically reappear.

I heard Eli sigh softly. “He’s gone, Lila.”

Eli Hardy

EVERYTHING SEEMED BRIGHTER when you woke up to the smell of bacon. Last night hadn’t been what I had hoped it would be. Lila was hung up on Cruz Kerrington, and I did my best to ignore the fact she wasn’t completely with me last night. Her thoughts were somewhere else.

But I liked bacon. Stretching, I yawned and sat up to see Lila in a pair of pink pajamas and her hair in a ponytail standing in the kitchen cooking. That was a view I could spend the rest of my life enjoying. However, the more time I spent with her, the more I realized she was going to be the one that got away. The girl I talked about years and years from now when reminiscing about old times.

“Smells good,” I said my voice still thick from sleep.

She lifted her head from whatever she was stirring in a bowl and grinned. “Nothing special. Pancakes and bacon. But I do have fresh blueberries and blueberry syrup to put on them. Even some whip cream if you’re feeling adventurous.”

I chuckled and stood up. “I’m always feeling adventurous. Especially with pancakes.”

Lila’s gaze traveled down my bare chest, so I took my time reaching for the shirt I’d discarded last night. Let her take her fill. I knew my chest was impressive. I worked hard to keep my body in shape. I watched her, and when she realized she’d been caught checking me out she looked away and blushed adorably. I considered staying shirtless but decided that was desperate.

Tugging my shirt over my head, I walked over to the kitchen area and pulled out a stool across from where she was working. “I’d offer to help but you seem to have it under control and it looks like you’re almost finished.”

“I am. Want some coffee?”

I preferred tea, but I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get it though.”

She turned and grabbed a cup. “I got it. Stay seated.”

I watched her fix my cup. “Cream or sugar?”

“No thanks.”

She handed it to me. “There you go.”

I started to say more when banging on the door downstairs made us both pause. Lila frowned and we waited then. Soon after, it happened again. She moved the skillet off the eye of the stove. “I think someone is at the door.”