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Chapter 9: Walking On Thin Ice
"I'm sorry about last night," Eli had been apologizing about the less than relaxing time with his friends the night before but Aspen was doing all she could to just forget it.
Glancing over at him from the drivers seat of her car she shook it off. "Don't worry about it, I just don't understand why he kept asking me all those questions. I get maybe he was worried about his friend but what could I possibly do to hurt you? If anything it's me I should be worried about."
Her ending comment caught Eli off guard, his thick brown brows scrunching up at the statement. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Come on, everyone wants you and you chose me? Who's to say you find someone prettier or will offer you something more worth your while? It just wouldn't surprise me, that's all."
"You think I'm going to leave you for someone else? You think I'm that kind of person."
Shooting him a look, Aspen scoffed. "We aren't even dating, Eli. If you decided you wanted someone else I wouldn't be able to complain because technically we haven't made whatever we are official."
"You're my girl, you are mine and you'll stay mine until something horrible happens and we decide we won't fight for each other anymore. It's going to take more than just some random girl that doesn't even exist in this equation to separate us." He scooted closer to her, being so bold as to grab one of her hands and interlock their fingers with one another. "I've tried very hard to even get you this far, don't think I'm going to just let you go so easily."
Aspen hated more than anything how his words caused an unsettling fluctuation in her heartbeat. "Do you think we'll work? This is our last year of high school and we're done in three days. We don't even have to show up anymore, all our testing is done. I just don't want this to get serious and end as a summer fling."
"Pull over," He suddenly demands from the passenger seat, not seeming to care about the passing cars on the road.
"What?"
Rolling his eyes at her tone, he pointed to the side of the road, vacant and free of any interruptions. "Pull over."
Doing as told albeit hesitantly, Aspen pulled over and put the car in park. Eli opened his door and walked around the car, opening hers and turning her body so she faced his. She was consumed by his scent, the smell of his cologne and the slightly rough touch of his hands simultaneously soothing and riling her up. "I like you, you make me happy. I always want to spend time with you even if it's doing something as simple as sitting in the park and talking. You make me work for you and you drive be absolutely crazy in all the best ways. I wish you could even begin to understand how hard it is for me to get you out of my mind. Nothing, Aspen is going to stop me from being with you. Do you understand me?"
The brunette was so caught off guard by his words that she just sat there for a minute, looking into his eyes and simply just feeling his touch on her skin before she responded. "Yes, I understand."
"So get it out of your mind that there could be someone else. I want you and I'm not going to let anything change that."
Leaning forward and kissing him seemed to be the smartest thing she could do, so that's exactly what Aspen did. It was a slow kiss, gentle movements and teasing touches of one hand cupping her cheek and the other trailing down her neck until the five finger hold was on her waist. He was driving her crazy, the pull of his lips on her so electrifying that she nearly forgot that you were supposed to breathe to keep this going.
Pulling away to get some air, a smile formed on Elliot's handsome face. This moment was perfect, she was beautiful and he was happy but he couldn't help the churning knot of guilt that formed deep in his belly at the harsh reminder that this didn't happen purely. He had missed out on this girl for years and the one time he found someone true, real and everything he didn't even know he was looking for it was because of some stupid bet. "I want to take you somewhere. I know we already had plans but I feel this this other place would be a bit better."
"Better than thai food and mini golf?" Aspen's hands were clasped together behind his neck, her fingers straying the hold and messing around with the hair behind his neck. "If you think there's anything better than that, by all means surprise me."
He really didn't want to move, the air around them felt so clear and holding her how he was like this felt serene with no one to interrupt and keep how he was feeling in check. "Hop over and let me drive."
"I don't want to move," Aspen nervously replied, she wasn't even sure why she said it out loud. It was supposed to be an internal thought but either way it made Eli smile.
Grinning at her, he pulled her closer to him, her bare thighs caught in his grasp while he hoisted her up higher on him and carried her out the drivers side. Cherishing the childish moment, Aspen ticked her face in his neck his cologne encasing her, soothing her in such a way she wasn't sure if she'd rather keep him here holding her or kiss him again.
Meeting somewhere in the middle, she planted a little kiss on his neck, it was intended to be innocent but the way his grip on her tightened and breath hitched it was anything but. "I'm a nice guy, Aspen but kiss me like that and I can't be too nice anymore." Opening the door and setting her down, his touch vanished from her form all too fast but instead of being discouraged by the absence, Aspen looked devious.
"You know, you keep telling me how nice of a guy you are makes me feel kind of bad because I'm not a very nice girl and some sick part of me wouldn't mind seeing you not so nice either."
He cocked his head to the side, shutting the door and trailing over until he was inside too. Before he'd even gotten the car started or seatbelt secured, he leaned over the seat and kissed her again, he wasn't so gentle this time, even going as far as to suck on her tongue when she'd prodded hers into his mouth. He pulled away when she let out a soft moan, turning on the car and pulling off like the previous moments hadn't even happened. Eli was singing along to some song playing on the radio while Aspen was staring at him trying to understand if that just happened or if she'd imagined the whole thing. "Close your mouth, beautiful. Don't want something to just pop in there."
