An awareness caused goosebumps to rise on my arms. I shivered and rubbed my hands up and down over them as I raise my gaze to meet Eli’s. He smiled softly and stepped forward with a shake of his head.
Nothing was said for several long minutes as we settled in and I nibbled on the slice of pizza. Even room temperature as it was now, Angelo’s really did have the best pizza.
“Where you from, Sunshine? I remember something about you being out west.” Eli shuffled his chair closer to mine and leaned forward to rest his chin on his hand.
“Yes. Vegas,” I replied.
“Sin City, huh?” he chuckled.
“Not much sin… just a lot of hard work,” I grumbled.
“Ah… no wonder you weren’t smiling the other day. There’s always time for a bit of sin… it helps you feel alive.” Eli moved in closer still and I could feel the heat from his larger body.
It called to me. The warmth in his gaze, the promise in his tone, and the scent of his cologne as the spicy, musky scent wrapped around me, causing me to feel light-headed and uncertain. Nothing had ever caused me to feel the way I did at this moment… at a dance… just a girl with a boy… and lots of sinful promise.
“Dance with me?” Eli stood and held out his hand.
Not allowing myself any time to overthink the moment, I placed my hand in his. When he tugged me up from my seat, I lost my balance and stumbled into Eli’s firm chest. His arms wrapped around me and he held me tight.
“Caught you,” he rasped against my neck then turned and led me to the center of the dance floor.
The lights reflected off of so many surfaces as a slow song began to play. People shuffled around us as most of the younger crowd left the dance floor only for their spaces to be refilled with the shuffling gait of the older generation.
“Are we old enough to be on the floor?” I asked with a grin.
“Plenty,” Eli replied with an answering grin as he wrapped me in his arms.
I felt his hands slip around my waist and pull me closer. Uncertainty filled me as I glanced around at the other couples.
“What’s wrong, Sunshine?” Eli asked as he moved back a step and reached up to hover with his hand only an inch from my face.
“I’ve never been to a dance before.” I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as embarrassment filled me from my freshly polished toes to the top of my professionally highlighted hair.
“Ah,” he replied. “No worries… I lead anyhow.”
Eli’s hands reached out to grasp my own. He lifted them so he was able to place them around his neck while stepping into my space. Eli’s hands slid down my arms and along my sides. A shiver I was quickly becoming addicted to ran through me as his strong hands landed on my hips and tugged me forward.
“Just follow.”
Chapter Five
A week had passed since the dance. Eli had been a perfect gentleman, dropping me at my grandmother’s door just after midnight with a kiss to my cheek before urging me inside before I froze. He yelled over his shoulder that he’d had a great time and would see me soon.
Soon had meant the very next morning with coffee and donuts. I was groggy and grumpy as I trudged down the steps only to stop when I saw his smile while he raised his offering in the air. My grandmother wrapped her robe around her while she laughed and waved him inside.
The three of us had sat around the table while my grandmother and Eli shared stories of his grandfather the judge and his father who happened to be the mayor of Holiday City. My grandmother was soon telling stories of my grandfather and mother. I ached with both loss and joy as I learned about a man I’d never known and his daughter who was realizing I may not have known as much as I’d thought. I was beginning to realize that my mom had hidden a lot from me.
After the pleasant morning, Eli had rushed off to work only to return that evening with a lasagna and garlic toast from the restaurant as well as several holiday movies he’d stolen from his mother’s stash. Ms. Amelia popped popcorn and we all wrapped up in blankets and joked around as we watched both old classics like Rudolph and newer Hallmark Channel originals.
It was later that night — after my grandmother went off to bed — that Eli and I sat in front of the fire and shared about our loss. He told me about his brother and I told him about my mother. Both of us had a hole inside. A hole that for me at least was filling up with the energy and life created by Eli Angelo.
Tonight I’d taken extra time to get ready. I was wearing black jeans and a silky green blouse. My grandmother had loaned me a pair of diamond-studded hoop earrings with a matching necklace. It was just the right touch of sparkle for a Christmas Eve date.
“Gorgeous,” Eli husked as he pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my lips.
A fire ignited inside of me at the slight press of his soft lips. When I’d first seen the pizza tossing dynamo, I’d thought him a bad boy but now… now, I was seeing the man beneath the constant smile and a wicked sense of humor. Eli, like myself, hid away from others. He distanced himself because of losing his twin.
As for the player I’d thought he was… not so much. Other than a few kisses, Eli had remained a gentleman. And, I was pretty sick of it, actually.
I chuckled and he looked across the seat of his truck as we pulled into the parking
