Crash Into Me

Chapter Eight: Alli

Eli unlocks the door and turns the handle to reveal a gorgeous hotel room. Dark ocean blue walls contrast nicely with the crisp white light casting down from above. Oversized seashells and big pictures of the Great Barrier Reef fill the walls. My eyes travel from the elegantly designed bathroom, to the astronomically large white mirror. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the multiple pools next to the...two beds. Two beds. Huh. Interesting.

"What do you think?" He extends his arms out and gestures around the room, his same luscious smile gleaming and five-o'clock shadow slowly making its way onto his face.

"I love it!" Except for the fact that there are two beds. Maybe he doesn't want me to sleep with him? I try not to think about it too much.

"I'm glad. One of my coworkers, Mike, said that this is the best place to stay. He's been multiple times," he says, placing his bag on top of the first bed.

"Is he a doctor too?" I peer from the first bed to the second, unsure if I should put my stuff on the other bed.

"Yeah. I did my residency with him, actually. He's a really good friend." He unzips his hard-shell suitcase—one of the really good quality ones that I could never afford—and pulls out a black toiletry bag.

I walk over to the second bed and place my battered old suitcase I've had for many years on top of the fluffy white comforter. "Oh wow, that's cool you guys are still friends after all that time."

"It is," he smiles at me, hanging up some of his clothes. I start to unpack my things too. We're here for a whole week, might as well get comfortable. I pull off my favorite pair of running shoes and begin to slip on my cute white flip-flops. "What about you? Do you have any good friends?"

I stop, right in the middle of putting on my other flip-flop. My mind flashes back
to the cemetery and a dagger hits my heart. I did, but she's dead now. I quickly shake off the memory. "Yeah, her name is Lisa. She works with me at Dallas Books...I mean worked with me," I correct myself.

Eli laughs and shakes his head. "We could always find her something at the hospital if she gets tired of working for Ben," he scrunches up his face in disgust as he says his name.

"She might have to take you up on that," I laugh along.

"I'd like to meet her soon," he says.

"Lisa?"

"Yeah. I'd like you to meet some of my friends too." He finishes hanging his clothes as I walk over to hang mine.

"I'd like that," I smile. "You think I could see you do some of your doctor stuff?" I joke.

"You already did," he grins.

"I did?"

"Yes! When you tripped and fell at the sight of
me," he laughs.

"Oh gosh! Stop! I lost my footing, okay?" My cheeks flush as I remember how we first met.

"Suuuure."

I throw a squishy soft pillow at him. "You're so mean!"

"And you're adorable." He catches the pillow after my failed attempt to hit him with it.

***

"Ready?" Eli asks, grinning down at me as we hover over the edge of the boat, braced and ready to jump in. He reaches for my hand and looks down at me, smiling the widest smile I've ever seen him make. My stomach erupts with butterflies as I close my eyes and let out a tiny shriek before we jump in.

The warm water swallows us whole, revealing an underwater palace. Multicolored coral and fish scatter the ocean before us. Colors I never even knew existed dazzle me. I turn to look over at Eli, who's admiring the sight below us, too. I should be looking at the sea life, but instead I can't take my eyes off of his body. I've never seen him shirtless before, and he's more sexy than I could have ever imagined. He's incredibly toned and buff, his washboard abs and biceps flexing as he propels his sun-kissed body forward through the ocean. I'm as mesmerized by him as I am by the reef. We glide through the water for several minutes, popping up occasionally for more air.

He turns back to me and motions toward a sea turtle gliding lazily through the water. A parrot fish darts by, followed by a black, yellow and white angel fish. Starfish and anemone cling to the ocean's floor. The entire experience is amazing beyond words. Eli taps my shoulder and points his finger up toward the surface. We swim upward and emerge above the tender waves. He pulls his snorkel out of his mouth and shoves his snorkel mask over his head as I do the same.

"Holy shit!" he laughs, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I know! It's incredible!" I smile back ecstatically.

"You're telling me!" We look at each other and his smile fades, his expression shifting to a more serious one. "I've never been happier in my entire life than in this moment here with you," he says, staring into my eyes. "You're so beautiful."

My body goes weak and I'm overcome with the desire to kiss him. He wraps his arms around me and presses his forehead against mine. My breathing becomes shallow as I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders and press my forehead back against his. He releases one of his arms and gently tilts my chin up. I'm afraid he can feel my heart beating at a thousand beats per minute. We rest there for a second, treading the calm water, before he leans closer. I'm intoxicated with the need to feel his lips against mine, and just when I can't stand it anymore, he kisses me. Everything else fades into background noise. I don't want him to stop. I kiss him harder, feeling unbelievably alive in a state of ecstasy. The smell of salt mixed with his cologne explodes my senses. He pulls away, breathing just as hard as me. We stare at each other, swimming in place slowly. I get the feeling he is just as turned on by what happened as I am.

I smile and splash him with the ocean water before disappearing below the surface. I feel the wave of his body following me back down to the reef. I think I'm falling for him. The nauseating mixture of anticipation and the fear of falling in love jumble inside of me. I swim further along the reef, Eli's hand wrapped safely around mine, and I'm left with the wanting to do even more.

*I wrote this chapter 39,000 feet in the air. Boston bound. Happy reading 🤓✌️**