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He was giving me the same appraisal, eyes darting over the bodice of my floral sundress—not part of my uniform, but I’d thought since I was with family, that I could embrace my softer side. In terms of fashion, at least.
“You look fucking amazing,” he sucked in air.
My skin warmed at the simple compliment.
“What are you doing here?” I popped out a hip.
“You ordered me to the beach. Here I am,” he joked, deliberately misunderstanding me.
“Why are you at mybrother’s house?” I ground my teeth together.
He tilted his head in question, a slight challenge in his gaze. “Why were you atmybrother’s house?”
I swallowed, my hands fisted at my sides because I had the most insane urge to run my fingers through his hair, pull him to me and taste his lips. He’d been holding on to that question for a while, since we’d seen each other. Since myvisit. Granted, the last time we saw each other we were mostly fucking, aside from talking about his dead mother.
“I was dropping off a cake,” I shrugged tersely. “I hardly stopped by for tea.”
He nodded. “Except you did. Have tea, that is.”
Fuck.
Again, what did I expect? For Beau not to tell his brother about my visit? They seemed like a close family. Clara had taken a shine to me, which I secretly loved. She was an impressive little girl, and I was honored to have spent time with her. I’d merely figured that her transplant and the hospital stay that was required afterward would keep them distracted. Or maybe bored enough to talk about me.
“I had cups of pretend tea,” I clarified, as if the distinction was worth shit.
Elliot showed his teeth in a warm smile. “Clara does make the best air.”
My gaze snapped back to the lawn full of my family. “Ava may have her beat on that, but it’s close.”
“We’ll have to have a joint tea party, battle them against each other.”
My fingernails bit into my palms at the warmth in his tone, the way he casually made plans about intermingling our families. As if such an act wasn’t wrought with emotional landmines and otherwise just a bad fucking idea.
“Why are you here?” I repeated my earlier question, tone serious.
“Why were you at my brother’s house?” There was no change in the easy look on his face, voice still light.
My eyes held his as I blew out an exasperated huff. “I told you … to drop off a cake.” The words were said through gritted teeth.
“But you stayed for tea. Why?”
That was when I saw the depth that lingered underneath his casual demeanor, an intensity that unnerved the shit out of me.
For whatever reason, Elliot Shaw had me as more than a fuck, and it seemed that he’d be harder to shake off than your regular male.
Yet I didn’t want to shake him off.
“Because she asked,” I answered matter-of-factly, toeing the sand, because I was too much of a coward to maintain eye contact.
Which was a mistake, since it gave Elliot the opening to grasp onto my chin, tilting it up to face him.
My barricades instantly melted at his touch before my mind caught up, forcing my limbs to stiffen, eyes to narrow.
“That right there, Calliope Derrick, is why I’m here.” His voice was soft against the crashing waves. “Because your first instinct is to say yes to tea with a four-year-old. Because you called in favors to get that four-year-old a lifesaving procedure at what I guess was a great cost to yourself.”
My breath caught at how close to the truth he’d hit.
“Because your nieces adore you.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he continued. “Your family wants you to be happy. Because you scare grown men and have tea with four-year-olds. Because your first instinct is to relax into my touch, to fucking unravel for me.” His gaze darkened with carnal knowing. “Which you’ll be doing later.”