Page 53 of Forever Mine
“Everyone is looking.”
“Good.”
“Okay then.”
Elijah seals his mouth over mine, the slide of his tongue against my lips making me moan with need.
Finding a small unoccupied space, I slide him down my body and pull him close. I hold his body pressed intimately to mine, our gentle swaying completely out of sync with the frantic beat of “Unstoppable.”
Elijah’s fingertips trace gentle patterns on my back. “This isn’t exactly the right music for a slow dance.”
The chaos of the party, the mass of gyrating, sweaty bodies, the loud music, even the tension from moments ago—all of them melt into the background.
“You’re in my arms. That’s all that matters.”
Chapter Fifteen
JULIEN
The horizon lookslike it’s on fire where the ocean meets the sky. The late afternoon sun hangs precariously, waiting for dusk to arrive so it can disappear. We’ve been out on the beach for hours, playing in the water and goofing off. Jay doesn’t even glance my way when I join him. He’s solely focused on Liz as she runs through the small breakers trying to catch the frisbee Elijah tossed. The wind picks it up and curves it right at Ryder’s head. He hands it off to her, and she tosses it back, but it sails over Elijah and gets swallowed up by a crashing wave.
“Sorry!” Liz shouts on a giggle.
Like a sexyBaywatchmontage, Elijah dives sinuously into the water and comes back up, holding the yellow plastic disk.
“My hero!” Liz exclaims, then yelps when Ry kicks water at her.
She’s smiling more, talking more, laughing more. So much like the old Liz, and part of me is extremely happy to see it. Then there’s the other part of me that really likes the new version ofher. The bold, strong, cusses-like-a-sailor, can-drink-me-under-the-table version.
Trying not to get sand on the beach towel, I carefully sit down and loop my arms over my knees.
“Liz seems to be having fun.”
Jay glares at me from under his ball cap. He’s been in a foul mood since Wednesday but won’t tell me why.
“What’s that look for?”
“Nothing.”
“Jay, for fuck’s sake. What’s going on with you?”
“She has fun with you and fucking Ry. Not me. Even Elijah?—”
I stop him right there.
“Hey, watch it,” I admonish.
“Oh, fuck off. It’s true, and you know it. And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you keep blowing E off to spend time with Liz.”
“I have not.”
Liz and I went to the student union for lunch after chemistry class on Thursday. Elijah was at the natatorium doing one of his hydrotherapy sessions, otherwise he would have joined us. The rest of the week, Liz and I have talked and texted, but she’s been too busy to meet up in the evening. That’s why I suggested a day at the beach. Sundays are my one free day, and Elijah doesn’t have to work.
“Is that what this is about? You’re jealous because you don’t have her complete attention anymore?”
“Fuck you, Jules.”
“No, fuck you, Jayson,” I counter. “You’re not the only one who missed her. You’re not the only one who grieved this past year when she was gone. If she wants to hang out with Ry or me or Elijah, that’s her choice. You don’t get to control her anymore.”
