Crave - Teresa Mummert Page 0,7
eyes, he tucked a strand of my long brown hair behind my ear. I could feel the electricity pulse between us in time with the thumping of my heart.
“And I thought I would hate it here,” He said with a mischievous grin that made my stomach flutter.
“Come home with me,” I whispered nervously, still emboldened by the liquor. He fought a smile as he swung me up into his arms causing me to giggle loudly in the empty parking lot. My laughter echoing down the street.
“You don’t have to ask me twice. Where to?” he asked, holding me as if I was weightless. And for once, I felt it too, like my burdens had been lifted from my chest and I could finally breathe easy.
“Church Street, the brick house with the big porch.”
***
After climbing up two stories worth of steps, Elijah paused, “We don’t have to do this.”
I smiled up at him, uncertain if he was sincere. “Just come in. Hang out for a bit.”
He turned the knob and pushed through as he kissed me passionately. He walked down the hallway and sat me gently on the couch in the living room.
“You missed the door to the bedroom,” I joked, my face feeling like it was on fire with humiliation.
“I thought we were going to hang out.”
I sighed heavily as I sank back against the cushions. “Just my luck. I bring home the one guy in town who doesn’t want to hook up. How embarrassing.” I pressed my palms against my face hoping when I pulled them away I’d be alone, awaken from a nightmare.
“Eva, I didn’t say I didn’t want to. Trust me, there is nothing I want more right now but not while you’ve been drinking.” He pulled my hands from my face as his eyebrow rose as his lips curved into a smile, deep dimples settling into his cheeks. Just great. A killer with a conscious.
Chapter THREE
Leap of Faith
I woke around three in the morning from the steady thumping in my head. I rubbed my face with my hands and looked beside me at Elijah. His eyes were open and he had a smile on his face. Our limbs were tangled together on the couch as he held me against his bare, muscular chest.
“Hello, beautiful,” he whispered as he pressed his lips to my forehead.
“You didn’t sleep?”
“A little but I work nights. Hazard of the job.”
I pushed myself up on the couch, rubbing my face again as my head pulsed beneath my temples.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting up beside me and tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Hangover,” I replied with a guilty smile, my tongue feeling thick in my dry mouth.
“I’ll get you something.” He slid his body from beneath mine.
“It’s in the bathroom, above the sink,” I called after him and pulled a pillow under my head. He returned quickly with aspirin and a glass of water.
“Thanks.” I sat up, popping the aspirin into my mouth and took a sip of the water as he pulled on his white T-shirt, obscuring my view of his well-toned body.
“Leaving?” I asked trying not to sound disappointed. He smiled and bent over to kiss me on the cheek.
“I have to get back to my cousin. I work with him when I’m in town, earn my keep. Third shift over at Sensations. He’s going to be pissed I didn’t show last night.”
“Wait. What? You’re… a stripper?”
He let out a loud, deep laugh as he shook his head. “No, I’m a bouncer. My cousin owns the place.” My eyes roamed over his body. He definitely could be a stripper. He looked chiseled out of stone. Greek gods would have been jealous.
“Oh,” I mumbled feeling a little embarrassed. He bent down again kissing me on the lips with such passion my headache faded to a dull ache.
“I’ll come back to see you… if you want.” he whispered in my ear.
“I want…” I nodded and he turned and left the room. A few seconds later I heard the apartment door close quietly. I fell backward onto my pillow with a sigh. My headache crept back in as soon as the euphoria faded. I took a pillow and put it over my face hoping to sleep away the remnants of my hangover.
***
I awoke around seven in the morning for the day and stumbled down the hallway to the bathroom, flicking on the light. The brightness was overwhelming and I turned it back off with a moan. The sunshine from the window would be sufficient.