Page 92 of Tangled Hearts

“You don’t have to be sorry. I promise.” I gently pull his hand from his mouth and press my lips to his. He lets out a shuddering breath, kissing me back. “You’re all I want.”

It takes a second for him to open his eyes, and when he does, he smiles. “Okay. Thank you. I would apologize again, but I’m sure that would make you mad.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I’m not sure it would be possible for you to make me mad, doll. Do you feel better about things?”

“Yes, sometimes I just need a little reassurance.”

“Perfect.” I drop another soft kiss to Eli’s lips. “I’ll always give you any reassurance you need.” I sit back in my seat the right way and signal that I’m getting back on the highway. “Let’s get home.”

“Perfect,” he echoes.

I love seeing the pleased little smile on his lips.

“Eli, hurry the hell up.” He doesn’t. Why would he? “Doll, you’re stunning and gorgeous and perfection, and if you make us late to dinner at your dads’ house, you’re gonna give me an ulcer.”

Eli turns slowly from the mirror where he’s meticulously applying his winged liner. “It’s family dinner, bro. It’s fine.”

Bro? Bro. “Did you just call me bro?”

Eli cackles. “I sure did.”

I force a deep breath into my lungs. “Why?”

He shrugs, turning back to the mirror and applying his mascara. I swear it makes his lashes three times as long. I love watching him do this. I even love the way his mouth opens as he concentrates hard on getting it perfect. I’m so far gone for him that it’s sickening. But wait a damn second, I’m getting distracted. “Why did you call me bro?”

“In like… a romantic way,” he says, waving a hand through the air like I should have gotten that already.

“Is there a romantic way to call someone bro?”

Eli steps away from the mirror, adjusting his shirt and slightly tousling his hair. “I just did it, so yeah.”

I close my eyes for a second. “You’re a brat, you know that, right?”

Warm lips press to mine, and I startle, opening my eyes. Before I can even kiss Eli back, he’s stepping away. “I’m aware. Well, let’s go. God, you’re gonna make us late,” he says in an overly sing-songy tone.

With that, he strides past me and disappears down the hallway.

Little. Fucking. Brat. I can’t help the grin on my face as I follow him out of the house.

Like always, as soon as we climb into the car, Eli grabs my hand. God, I fucking love him. Oh shit. I glance over at him, my heart pounding against my ribs. I’m in love with him. “What?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

I shake my head, trying to calm the frantic thrumming of my heart. “Nothing, doll. You ready?”

His other eyebrow joins the first as he gives me an incredulous look. “Uh, yes. You’re just looking at me like a weirdo.”

“Am I?” I ask, throat dry.

“Yeah, kinda. You okay?” The incredulous smirk falls away, vulnerability taking its place.

“I’m perfect, baby.” I give his fingers a little squeeze and back out of the driveway to head to Beck and Roman’s.

It’s so fucking refreshing to walk in the front door of Eli’s parents’ house still holding his hand. Like a weight’s been lifted off my chest, off my heart. Eli deserves to be loved loudly. He deserves to be shown love everywhere he goes, no matter the company or the circumstances.

We’re so close to the finish line, so close to the end. I almost can’t wait. I’m having a brother day with Holden in a couple of days. We’re going to spend the entire day together, just the two of us, and on onehand, I can’t fucking wait. But on the other, I’m dreading it. Not that I don’t love Holden. I do. So much. I love the time we spend together, and I love the relationship we’re building, but spending time with him also fills me with immeasurable guilt.

I hate hiding my relationship with Eli from him. And Holden seems very astute. He watches, he studies, and he takes things in. I feel like it’s just a matter of time before he finds out, even if wedon’ttell him ourselves. I’m cautious in all my interactions with him. Careful about how I talk about Eli and especially about howmuchI talk aboutEli. It’s just… Eli consumes my every waking thought, so it’s strange to think about, or talk about, anything else.

“Hey, guys!” Beck says the second we step into the house.