Page 26 of Elijah’s Whim

“I don’t mind helping you, Hannah. Nice subject change, though. It gives me pleasure to do things for you. It’s frustrating that in the spirit of independence, you lose sight of me showing common courtesy. My parents weren’t in my life long as far as years, but while she was around, my mother left a good impression.”

The look on my handsome keeper’s face was so incongruous with speaking of one’s parents.

“But not your father?” I asked, hoping he’d share more with me. Up to this moment, he’d not told me a single thing about his past. Especially not his childhood or family. I didn’t even know if he had siblings.

“Do you have plans this weekend?” Elijah asked, abruptly changing the subject.

I narrowed my eyes at him skeptically while he prattled on.

“I was thinking maybe we could do something. Be seen in public, you know? If these assholes are still following you, it might lure them out a bit. Being out in public gives both the hunter and the hunted a false sense of security.”

“Way to change the subject, Banks,” I said, using his words from a few minutes before. “But it’s funny you should ask about my plans, because I was going to ask you on a date, of sorts.”

A delicious grin spread across his full lips. Just like that, I wanted to nibble on every inch of him, starting right there with that sensual, mesmerizing mouth.

“Oh yeah?”

I swallowed hard—twice. “Yeah,” I finally said when I thought it was safe to speak without my voice betraying the lust coursing through my body. “I have a hobby I don’t think you know about, but I thought it might be fun to share it with you.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked again, his hazel eyes lighting from the inside like a little boy on Christmas morning. “Is it Shibari?”

“Shibari? I don’t know what that is,” I said hesitantly. Based on how excited he was, there was no way he could be so enthusiastic about something I loved too.

Then came the devilish grin I recognized. By the time he tightly gripped my hand in his and started tugging me inside the house, I knew I was in big trouble.

Even before he turned to look at me over his shoulder and said, “Come on. I’ll show you.”