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A few more minutes passed in silence while they soaked up the vibes, preparing to return to the real world.

This break had been exactly what he needed.

To keep himself busy after his father’s death he’d been working sixteen plus hour days, seven days a week, he’d needed a timeout, and he and Florence had grown so much closer.

“Alright, princess, it’s time to go.”

“Okay,” she said, sighing as she stood.

“Better button this up.” He stood too and reached out to button up her coat, tucking the ends of her scarf underneath, then tugging her beanie down to cover her ears.

Eli let his fingers trace the silky smooth skin of her face, and couldn’t resist curling his hand around her neck and drawing her in for a kiss.

Reluctantly, they joined hands and walked around the side of the house to meet the car.

The ride to the airport was filled with a companionable silence, but Eli intended to get Florence talking once they were on the plane. He wanted to know more about her, specifically about her fears of the two of them as a couple. But for right now, he wanted her to enjoy her final view of Italy.

Holding hands, they left the warmth of the car and hurried into the plane. Instead of taking seats in the main cabin, Eli led her through to the bedroom at the back.

“You have a bed on here?” Florence asked when she saw it. “Why didn't you show me this on the way here?”

“Because we wouldn’t have left it when we got to Florence. Once I get you naked, I intend to take my time exploring every single inch of that perfect body of yours with my hands and my tongue.”

“Ten hours wouldn’t have been enough time?” Florence snickered.

“Princess, a thousand hours wouldn’t be enough time for me to explore your body.”

Her cheeks turned pink in that cute way they did when she was embarrassed, and he had to wonder again why such a beautiful, sexy woman got embarrassed so easily when they talked about sex. She had to know how attractive she was, didn't she?

Not for the first time he had to wonder just how bad her childhood had been.

“Come on, let’s sit.” He shed his coat, and Florence did the same, then he led her to the bed, and when he sat, back up against the headboard, legs stretched out, she sat beside him. Eli wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she immediately snuggled against his side.

“I can't believe this is how you fly, this plane is amazing, how am I ever going to fly coach again after this?”

“That is something you won't have to worry about, if my plane is unavailable, I fly first class, which means now so do you. So …” he dragged out the word as his hand traced lazily up and down her arm.

“What?” She moved back a little so she could look up at him, those suspicious crinkles in her forehead back.

“Nothing to worry about.” He touched his thumb to her forehead and smoothed the lines away. “I just want to know more about you.”

“By that I assume you mean you have questions about my childhood.” Although her voice was neutral, he felt her stiffen and knew this was a topic she didn't enjoy discussing.

“You said that you and your brother basically raised yourselves because your mother wasn't much of a mother to you. How bad were things?” he asked, thinking he may as well just ask, there was no point in beating around the bush, and he’d always been taught that being direct was the best approach in pretty much every situation.

Florence sighed then rested her head on his shoulder, a move he suspected was mostly so she didn't have to look him in the eye when she spoke.

“Things were pretty bad. My mom was a bartender who was really more of a hooker.

What money she made she spent on booze, so Fletcher and I went hungry a lot, and we didn't have many clothes.

Our trailer didn't have electricity or running water. When my mom was home, she was preoccupied with whatever man she was dating at the time. Fletcher spent most of his time at his best friend’s house, so most of the time I was alone.

I used to go to the library a lot, I liked to read, and it was quiet—and warm.

I wanted out of that life, I didn't want to be my mom when I grew up.”

It was hard to swallow past the tightness in his chest. As a child, his biggest concern had been playing football with his friends after school and keeping up with the newest video games.

He had never once, even before his father’s company took off and they were wealthy, had to worry about where his next meal was coming from, and he’d taken things like hot showers and switching on a light once the sun went down for granted.

“I'm sorry, honey,” he said, touching his lips to the top of her head. “I hate that you grew up that way.”

Florence shrugged. “It was what it was, both Fletcher and I broke the cycle.”

“Your brother still lives where you grew up?”

“Yeah, he’s a deputy in River’s End. I can't stand that town, I hardly ever go back there, usually when we catch up, he comes to me or we meet somewhere halfway between us. Things were different for him, he was close with his best friend’s family, he’d sleep there most nights, eat there, take showers there, but I didn't really have friends, girls can be mean, and the teasing was pretty bad.”

Eli shoved away the arrow of anger. “His friend’s mom didn't make sure you were looked after as well?”

“She did, well she tried, but I had uh…trust issues.” Florence yawned and pressed closer against him.

He got the feeling that her trust issues stemmed from a deeper place than just growing up poor, but he didn't want to push too hard on their first real conversation about her past. Eli understood without her having to say anything that he had to tread lightly.

Right now, she was beginning to trust him, but with a father who had abandoned her, a mother who hadn't cared for her, and a procession of men in and out of her life, she hadn't had stability, and she was wary of believing that he would be any different.

But he’d prove to her that he was nothing like her poor excuse for a sperm donor and her mother’s boyfriends. He’d be there for her, he wouldn’t let her down, he’d show her what it was like to have a family who stood by you no matter what.

“Florence, I know you have trust issues, but…” he trailed off when he heard her soft exhale and realized that she had drifted off to sleep.

Not wanting to disturb her, Eli let her rest, lifting her gently so she was cuddled on his lap.

Too wired for sleep, too angry about what Florence had been forced to endure growing up, he sat there for the remainder of the flight, stroking her soft locks and trying to figure out how to prove to her that he wouldn’t let her down.

By the time they landed back in New York, and he scooped her into his arms to carry her from the plane, he still had no idea how he was going to do that, but he knew one thing for certain. Florence Harris had inserted herself into his heart, and he had no wish to dislodge her.