Page 57 of Yours to Keep
His eyes are close enough that I can see the gold flecks hidden in them, and for a moment, neither of us moves. Then he lowers his head back onto my chest like he has no intention of getting up. Honestly, neither do I, so we stay like that. I don’t dare move, afraid the moment will break.
Then I feel him tensing slightly.
“Stop thinking,” I say quietly. “I can practically hear it from here.”
A soft snort of laughter escapes him. “Sorry.”
He pushes himself upright, looking down at me. His hair is a mess in every direction, his eyes soft with something that holds me still longer than it should. The sight pulls a warmth through me I’m not ready to name.
I smile and take his hand before I think better of it. “How about coffee, shower, breakfast, and then work?” I pause. “Or we stay home for the day.”
“Work,” he says immediately, already starting to climb off me.
I nod, but I catch his hand, keeping him there a second longer. He pauses mid-movement, still half-straddled over my lap.
“Thank you, Eli.”
His expression shifts, softer now, cautious. “For what?”
“For opening up yesterday. For trusting me.” The words come easily because I mean every single one. “The trust you gave me means a lot. I won’t break it. You have my word.”
A small smile tugs at his mouth. “That’s awfully serious for first thing in the morning, CJ.”
I shrug slightly. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”
His smile lingers. “Thank you.” Then his gaze drops to our joined hands. “My head keeps telling me not to trust you.”
The words land sharp. My stomach tightens, waiting for the part that matters. He just watches me, so I ask, “But…”
His lips break into a soft, sleep-filled smile, and he blinks slowly. “…My heart thinks I can.”
My breath stops completely. The room feels too small, too quiet, too full of him.
Then his hand slips from mine, and he’s gone. I stay there a moment longer, staring at the space he left behind.
Yeah, Baby Boy. You can trust me.The thought settles heavy and certain in my chest.
* * *
I walk Eli to his desk just outside my office. As my EA, he sits close enough to hear me call him, though I rarely do. I can usually find him because Finn is already sitting beside him; The man has basically claimed the spare chair as his permanent residence.
“Morning, Eli,” Finn says, flopping down into the seat.
“Morning, Finn.”
Finn immediately leans sideways and peers into my office. “Morning, Dad!”
“Fuck off, Finn.”
I hear Deck burst out laughing from his office. I glance at Eli, and he looks just as horrified as I am. I try to hide my smile, but fail miserably.
When mid-morning arrives, I step out of my office and lean against Eli’s desk. “Quick coffee run?”
He looks up immediately. “Oh my god, yes please.”
We stand and head for the door. Behind us, Deck and Finn call out in unison:
“Flat white!” “Long black!”
