“Just leave it alone,” she mumbled, quickly setting the phone back down. She savoured the sip she had hesitated on. A few moments later she reached for her phone again and started to text a message. Halfway through, she deleted it. She got up and set the phone by the TV cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind.
She walked to the window and stared vacantly through the glass, seeing more of the room’s reflection than outside. Images of Elijah ran through her head. The day they met in the elevator, dinner later that night, his piercing blue eyes looking so surprised when she had kissed him to save him from the crazy lady, and how handsome he had looked the night after on the hospital balcony. His face with its tender lips, high cheekbones, and that scruff which always seemed to be playing sexy on his face; all it wouldn’t leave her head.
After she finished her glass of wine, she grabbed the bottle to pour another. Maybe burying her thoughts into a liter of Merlot would put her thoughts to rest. Her phone’s little red light flicked to say there was a message. She raced over and hit the screen with a slightly shaky finger. From nerves or excitement, she couldn’t tell.
Julie.
Her heart dropped as she exhaled a disappointed breath. Julie just texting to ask if she wanted to come over for dinner tonight.
Charity didn’t. She’d rather be alone tonight.
Pacing the room was apparently next on her to do list. She stopped abruptly when an idea hit her.
No text. No more phone.
She walked to the closet and pulled out a sleeveless black dress she’d recently purchased. It was body hugging with enough of a V-cut to show a bit of breast. The skirt front hung short and the back ran longer with the hem just touching the top of her calves. It was the closest thing she had to sexy. She refreshed her makeup and went with a gloss lipstick instead of the red she always wore. Her hair had spent the day tied up in a bun and as she pulled it out, for once it actually cooperated and fell against her shoulders in a wavy, windswept way.
She stared at the mirror’s reflection before slipping on a pair of black heels and grabbing her purse and keys. She slipped her coat over her arm, planning on putting it on as she left the hotel.
With purposeful steps she walked to the door. She pulled it open and stopped short.
There stood Elijah. The look of surprise left almost as soon as it showed, replaced instead with the same desired longing Charity had burning inside of her. His mouth hung just slightly open, like he wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Those bright blue eyes stared intently into hers.
She couldn’t move. Her breath lost itself after she sucked in a quiet gasp. How could he have known she was going to see him?
He stepped to her, his lips crushing against hers as his arms wrapped around to pull her tighter against him. Nothing tasted sweeter than his tongue finding its way into her mouth. Her hips pressed into him, trying to get closer.
Somehow they ended up just inside her room, Elijah turning them so the door wouldn’t hit them as it closed. Charity’s fingers crushed into his hair, tracing down his neck and onto his shoulders. She could feel her fingernails dig hard into the leather of his jacket, as if they had a mind of their own. Somehow her coat had slipped from her arm and lay tangled up between their feet.
Elijah pressed her up against the wall, their kisses growing more frantic. Charity pulled his coat down over his arms and it dropped to the floor. Her eyes had closed the moment his lips had touched hers. She had no idea what he wore but the material of his short-sleeved shirt was soft and thin against his skin.
His thumb traced along her cheekbone as his other hand splayed along her ribcage, just millimetres from her breast. He groaned; a hungry, lustful moan deep inside his throat.
It made Charity smile. She loved the sound.
Elijah pulled away slightly but continued to kiss her. His lips parted hers slightly as he began to whisper in a husky voice, “Are you… enjoying… my torment?”
She leaned her head back against the wall and opened her eyes. Inches away from that sexy face, she wondered how she had held out this long. He wore a charcoal grey shirt that nearly made her moan when she pictured what he would look like without it on. Just black jeans with his belt and boots. Her eyes closed voluntarily; no willpower could have stopped them. She swallowed hard.
His lips brushed against hers. They still held their fire, but the need was less intense, like a slow dance.
Charity’s fingers found their way again at the back of Elijah’s hair. The warm tremor deep inside her belly could only be relieved by pressing her hips against his. It helped, but only a moment before the tremor begged for more. She could feel every inch of his hard body against hers. The warmness inside only grew hotter.
A terrified scream from the hallway split the air.
Elijah stiffened at the first scream.
A woman screamed again, crying, “Help! Someone please help me!”
Elijah sprang immediately for the door. Charity followed close behind, unsure of what she would see.
The shrieking woman lay kneeling on the floor beside a man about ten doors down from them. They must have just come from the hotel pool. She wore a yellow terrycloth robe and couldn’t be more than ten years older than Charity. The man on the floor lay on his back, arms and legs sprawled like he’d just dropped.
Elijah raced over, his voice calm and steady as he spoke to the woman. “I’m a doctor. Ma’am, what happened?” His head turned and he brought his ear close to the man’s nose and mouth.
Charity noticed the tattoo on his arm. Half of it lay hidden under the sleeve of his shirt but she knew exactly what the design was. Caduces. The medical symbol with wings and the rod of Asclepius, at least that’s how she knew it. There were loads of different versions. She blinked and focused on the prone, unmoving man.
Elijah stared the man’s chest. “What happened?”