I try to stop counting rooms because it’s beyond what I thought it was from the outside. It’s at least three times the size I assumed. The house seems to get deeper and deeper, and when we reach the back area, there are huge windows that overlook the water.
“Do you need anything before we go?” he asks.
“Go?”
“Yeah.” He laughs and points outside. “That’s my boat. We’re going to spend the day on the water.”
My eyes turn to his, and I plaster a smile on my face. I love the water. Some of my favorite memories of my dad are from when he would take me boating when I was a kid. His boat wasn’t anything like the huge one currently docked to the pier, though.
Eli moves closer, and he pushes my hair back. “Is that okay?”
I nod. “It’s perfect.”
He shows me to the bathroom, where I put more sunscreen on, check my makeup, and say a few silent prayers that I don’t get sea sick. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on open water, and that would be my luck.
We get on the boat, which is equipped with two damn bedrooms, a kitchen area, bathroom, and a sitting area, therefore it’s a house with a hull. He shows me around, and then eases the vessel out onto the water.
I watch him command the boat and fight back a sigh. Everything he does is sexy. The way his muscles flex when he turns the wheel. How his brow furrows when he’s concentrating on steering. I don’t want to do anything but watch him, so that’s what I do. My focus is so singular, that I don’t notice when we’re out of the channel.
“Want to drive?” Eli offers, dragging me out of my staring.
“I’ve never driven a boat before.”
“I’ll help you.” He gives an encouraging smile and steps back so I have room to stand in front of him.
Too excited to say no, I move toward him and slip into the space. My hands grip the wheel, and I glance at him over my shoulder.
“Good, hold it steady and move the wheel a little if you want to go in a different direction.” Eli stands with his chest against my back, and I lean into him. “You’re doing great,” he says in my ear.
“I don’t really know what I’m doing,” I admit.
“Let’s go right. There’s a sweet spot for fishing over that way.”
Eli’s hands come around and settle atop of mine. He isn’t steering, just holding on. I could close my eyes and get lost right now. Our bodies are so close, and his strong arms make me feel safe.
We stay like this for a while, not actually driving so much as drifting along together. Eli slows the boat and pulls me onto his lap as he holds the wheel. “It’s like we’re completely alone out here,” I muse as I stare out into the ocean.
He kisses my shoulder. “We are.”
I look back at him with a smile. “Let me get this straight, you’re a sailor, singer, actor, and fisherman?”
“I’m a man of many talents.”
My laughter is free and unabashed. “You’re something all right.”
“Come on, let’s see if you can catch our lunch.”
Eli and I move to the bow of the boat, where he has two fishing poles waiting for us. After we thread our lines and bait our hooks, we cast out into the water and stick the poles in the holders to wait. I settle back onto one of the benches and look out over the water. Deep blues and greens reflect the sunlight sending little bursts of light around. The cloud cover is light today, but they’re big and fluffy. I turn to point out a cloud that looks like a dinosaur, but I can’t speak. Eli stands there shirtless and my mouth waters.
Dear. God.
His body is exactly like I remember from our night together. Only now, I’m not in the dark. The sun shines on his perfect skin, giving me the most breathtaking view possible. I watch him move around the boat, securing a few things on the deck as I admire his chest. The tattoos etched on his arms, shoulder, and hip only make him look hotter. I swear that tattoos have never been sexier. My hands itch to trace the ink on his skin, the firmness of his muscles, feel his heat, and get lost in his touch.
“Come sit with me.” Eli holds his hand out, and I force myself to drag my eyes away from his body to take it. He leads me to a couch under a retractable awning and takes a seat in the corner, pulling me down next to him. It’s natural for me to rest my head on his chest, allowing the salty air and clean breeze to fill my nose.
“I’m glad you came.” His deep voice seems to vibrate through me.
“Me, too.”
“Tell me something,” he requests.
“What do you want to know?”
“Something true. I don’t get a lot of truth from people.”
A wash of sadness comes over me from his words. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be him. Constantly battling the feeling of people trying to get a piece of him in some way. He probably doesn’t get a lot of people being honest or just wanting to know him. I hate that for him. It must be lonely.
I sit up so I can look him in the eyes. “I won’t lie to you. You can ask me anything.”
He smiles and pushes himself closer to me. “Why do you keep saying you’re a mess?”
I sigh and look away. “There are a lot of things going on in my life.”
“Your ex?”
I laugh humorlessly. “I wish it were just that.”
“Heather,” Eli says my name with softness. “I want to know you. Really know you. I’m sure you know what the tabloids say about me, but that isn’t who I am.”
“Then who are you?” I would much rather hear more about him than air out my own life.
“I’m a brother, uncle, and son. My father died a few years after walking out on my mom. We were poor as hell, and I’ve done everything possible to make sure I never live like that again. Most days, I love acting more than singing, but I can’t imagine not having Four Blocks Down in my life. I’m old as hell, tired of being so damn angry at things I can’t control, and this is the first time I’ve ever had to chase a girl this fucking hard. Especially after giving her the goods.”
I let out a soft laugh and lightly slap his leg. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t do stuff like that. I don’t date. I don’t have time for men. I kind of gave up the idea of being with anyone after my ex left.”
“Me, too,” he says earnestly. “We all have our things, Heather.”
I remember a few years back there was talk of Eli getting married, but you can’t believe a thing you read. My curiosity spikes a little, and I have to swat away my inner cop who wants to interrogate him about it. “You had someone once, right?”
Eli shifts, bringing my attention fully back to him. “I don’t talk about it much. She was playing me, though. Penelope was really good at it. I found out she was screwing my former agent when I came home early from a trip to surprise her. We were dealing with some personal stuff, and instead of coming to me, she went to another man. She fucked me up pretty good.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s awful.” I squeeze his hand in solidarity.
He releases a deep breath through his nose. “I won’t lie. I had no intention of ever having more with a woman, which is probably where all the rumors about my being a player come from. I don’t fuck around and play games, but I’m not known for having relationships. It’s been easier to keep my distance, and I’m always honest with the girls I’ve been involved with.”