Evers & Afters (Dare With Me #2) - J.H. Croix Page 0,11

divot at the base of his throat. Even though it was toward the end of winter, somehow his skin was still bronzed.

My brain cells seemed to have taken themselves out of commission because what I did next was crazy. I leaned up and pressed a kiss right there in that divot. His skin was warm, and I caught the scent of him, musky and woodsy with a hint of the ocean clinging to him.

I lifted my lips from his skin reluctantly. Then, I knew I was crazy because when I looked up, I found him staring down at me, his gaze pure fire. At his look alone, my insides went molten.

He muttered, “Fuck it,” right before dipping his head and dusting his lips across mine—once, twice, and then he fit his mouth over mine.

With each touch, it felt as if bolts of lightning were striking in the air around us. I gasped and stepped closer, sliding my palm up over his chest, stopping over his heartbeat. Sweet hell. I had fantasized about Elias whenever I let my guard down, but not one single fantasy came close to the real thing. His kiss was sure and commanding. His lips molded to mine, coaxing gently before sweeping his tongue to glide sensually against mine.

I was made of need, and I leaned into him, letting out a moan into our kiss. I felt him adjust his weight on his feet, noticing a subtle flinch when my hand slid unconsciously down his side.

I abruptly drew back and immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”

“Absolutely not,” he said slowly, his eyes intent on mine. “But we are in a parking lot.”

I jumped back, almost stumbling over the broken bag of flour at my feet. Then, I remembered I had flour in my hair. That’s what I got for trying to carry too many bags at once. I took a shaky breath, willing myself to get a grip. I wished, I freaking wished, I could play this cool. But I’d never been good at playing anything cool. Not even a little.

I started to move, but realized Elias was standing right in my path. We were between the truck he’d been sitting in and my SUV. There wasn’t exactly tons of space.

“I should get a dustpan,” I finally announced.

Darting around the front of my SUV, I circled around to open the back. Just then, I heard Diego’s voice, “What the hell did you do to the flour?” he drawled.

“It’s my fault,” I called as I popped out from behind my SUV with my dustpan and sweeper in hand.

Diego flashed me a quick smile. “Need some help?”

“I was helping her put away the groceries,” Elias interjected.

“Is that why there’s flour on the ground?” Diego teased as he opened the cab to his truck and dropped in several bags of groceries.

“No,” Elias returned, his expression getting all grumpy.

When Diego came to stand beside us, I added, “I carried too much at once and dropped a bag. Elias got out and helped me get the rest put away.”

“Do you always keep a dustpan and a broom with you?” Diego asked, his gaze puzzled.

I put a hand on my hip. “You never know when you might need them.”

Diego chuckled. “Uh, I suppose so.”

“I’ll get out of your way,” Elias said, moving swiftly with support of the one crutch to get back into the passenger seat of Diego’s truck.

I quickly swept up the flour, straightening to find Diego waiting at the front of his truck.

“You all set?” he asked with a subtle lift of his chin. Diego was ridiculously handsome with rumpled dark curls, flashing green eyes, and a body worth drooling over. I appreciated him in an objective sense, but he didn’t have the tendency to set my nerves alight the way Elias did.

“Of course. Just gonna dump this in the trash and go get another bag of flour.”

“I’m sure I’ll see you soon for coffee,” he replied with a wink.

He turned and climbed in the driver’s seat. I leaned over to pick up my purse where it had fallen on the ground. As I straightened, my eyes landed on Elias. He rolled down his window. “Don’t forget you have flour in your hair.”

My cheeks burned and butterflies spun in my belly at the teasing heat in his eyes.

Chapter Seven

Elias

Two weeks later

“Elias!”

At the sound of that cheerful voice, I turned, catching sight of Violet Hamilton. I’d gotten to know Violet pretty well because she’d drawn my blood several times over