An hour later, I am standing back on solid ground, waiting for Eli. Tess has successfully managed to get someone from the pier to pick me up with a jetski. It's almost midnight now and I am glad I brought a cardigan with me on this trip. My duffel bag rests on the ground next to my feet and I stare at it in contemplation. Tess calmed me down a little before I left and assured me that Eli wouldn't have any reason to be mad at me since I didn't do anything. It wasn't my fault. Still, I feel like this could be painful for him. Or what if he doesn't believe me. I was drinking, too.

We didn't talk much on the phone after I asked him to get me. He asked if I'm alright with a more than strained voice and then told me he's on his way. He offered to stay on the phone but since I was using Tess's phone and mine is still dead, that wasn't an option.

When I hear his truck pull up twenty minutes later, my heart skips a small beat and I feel myself getting antsy for what's about to happen and giddy at the promise of seeing him, being held by him. He parks and all but rushes out of the truck. I bend down and fumble with the strap of my bag, trying to pick it up with shaky hands.

"Leave it, I'll get it," Eli's soothing voice reaches my ears before I am engulfed in his large arms. My feet lift from the ground as he straightens back up with me in his arms and I sling my legs around his hips, burying my face in his neck.

"It's okay, I got you," he whispers and squeezes me tightly against his body.

A sob I am trying to hold back escapes anyway and Eli kisses my temple.

"Are you sure you're alright? Who do I have to hurt?" he gruffly asks and I just shake my head.

I pull back to look at his face, my fingers gripping his short hair at the nape of his neck.

"I'm okay now. You don't need to hurt anyone, I just didn't want to be there anymore. I want to go home."

"What happened?" His eyes are searching my face as if it has the answer to his question.

"Promise me you won't be mad?" I whisper and worry my bottom lip with my teeth. His hand moves from my waist and his thumb frees my lip from my teeth.

"I promise I won't be mad," he says but I cannot tell for certain if he actually meant it.

"Can I tell you in the car, on the way back?" I bargain and he nods before bending down to pick up my bag with ease. "Sorry for calling so late, by the way. And thank you for picking me up." I kiss his neck and jaw to further show him how thankful I am.

"Don't worry about it, at all, darling. I'm just glad you're alright. You got me worried there for a moment."

He lifts me into the passenger seat after throwing my duffel into the back.

We drive in silence for a few minutes. He doesn't push nor does he seem annoyed or angry, just a little tired.

"So," I start. "We were playing games on the boat and -" I hiccup, having to stop in the middle of what I was saying. "Sorry," I mumble.

He looks over at me for a second before focusing back on the road. "Are you drunk?"

"A little bit."

"Do you need water? Or food?"

"I'm alright, thanks," I lie and my stomach rumbles loudly, immediately exposing me. Traitor.

"We'll stop at the next fast food restaurant."

"Okay," I hiccup.

I can hear Eli's amused grin without even looking at him. "Stop making fun of me," I pout.

"I'm not," he denies. "You want to continue your story?"

"Yeah, so we were playing these games and one of them was truth or dare. And I was sitting next to this guy, Leon, who I talked to a lot... because we have a lot in common and he was very friendly and polite and he loves to cook and and read and-"

"Romy, no need to ramble or justify to me why you were talking to this guy. Just take a deep breath," Eli interrupts me.

"Okay, yeah you're right. Anyway, we were playing truth or dare, and then it was Leon's turn and he chose dare." I take another breath and will the tears to go away but they start rolling anyway. Eli notices and places his hand on my thigh. The weight and warmth of his large hand help me focus back on the story.

"His friend, uh, he dared him to kiss me. And, and I told them no, I have a boyfriend, choose someone else but he didn't listen and kissed me anyway." I glance a short look at him when I feel his grip on my thigh tighten significantly. I quickly continue, wanting to assure him that I didn't want this at all. "I pulled back right away but he held my face and wouldn't let go so I bit his tongue and he stopped. You gotta believe me, Eli, please. I didn't want it or initiated it! I would never cheat on you. Never." More fat tears are rolling down my cheeks and he removes his hand from my thigh. My heart drops and I look over at him just as he hits the breaks and begins to turn the car around.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm gonna beat his fucking ass," he growls and I start to frantically shake my head.

"No Eli, I don't want to go back, let's just go home, please. We need to get food, remember. And he's on the boat anyway, there is no way to get there, now." I grab his tense bicep and pull at it.

"You think I won't find a way onto that stupid boat?"

"I'm sure you would but please, Eli. Simons brother told Tess he'll handle it. You promised not to get mad."

"Yes, at you. But not at the shithead who fucking assaulted you." His hands are gripping the steering wheel so tight, his knuckles are white as snow.

"It's not worth it. He's a waste of energy, let's not give any to him," I plead again.

He forces out a long breath through his nose but ultimately slows down and turns the car around for a second time.

"Thank you," I tell him and relax a little.

"Fuck," he yells and slams his hand on the steering wheel. I flinch but say nothing and let him release his anger. "If I ever see that fucker, I'm gonna tear him to shreds and neither you nor anyone else will stop me, then."

I just nod and mumble, "Okay."

"Sorry," he mutters after he takes note of my reaction to his outburst. "I'm mad at myself, not you."

"Why would you be mad at yourself?" I ask baffled.

"Because I wasn't there to protect you," he whispers defeatedly as he pulls off the highway and into the parking lot of some diner.

"Please, don't blame yourself for this, Eli. You couldn't know and it's not your job to babysit me twenty-four seven." I heave a sigh. "Look at us two, blaming ourselves."

"Why are you blaming yourself?" he asks after he parked and cut the engine.

"Because you've been cheated on so many times and I promised you I would never do that and now I technically did."

"Did you want to kiss him?"

"No! Of course not."

"Then you didn't cheat," he states matter of factly. "Let's get some food in you before I change my mind again about beating that asshole up."

About one hour later, I am showered, dressed in one of Eli's shirts, and tucked safely into his bed. He kissed my forehead and told me he'd join me soon, he just wants to talk to Bennett and let him know to contact Tess because of the 'fucker', meaning Leon, that is on the boat with her. I told him Tess can handle herself and I wanted to mention that Simon is there but I bit my tongue last minute. This little detail would probably make him start blaming himself again because he wasn't there with me.

I'm almost into dreamland when I feel the bed dip behind me. Eli's large and warm body slides under the covers and his arm instantly curly around my waist, pulling my backside into his front. His hand wanders down on my body, nestling under the hem of my shirt.

"Hey," he whispers.

"Hey," I echo.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I wasn't sleeping, yet."

"Are you okay with me touching you?"

This makes me crane my head back to look at his face. I can barely see it in the dark room.

"What do you mean? You are already touching me, of course, I'm okay with that."

"I meant your tits," he chuckles and I grin, knowing how much he loves holding my boobs when we sleep. Or any time, really.

"Yes, you can touch me," I tell him and he wastes no time, gripping one of them with his large hand.

He dips down and captures my lips in a slow kiss. A swarm of butterflies erupts in my belly and my heart shouts at me: tell him you love him!

But I don't.

When I wake up the next morning, I find myself right on top of Eli. His hands migrated downward and are now having a firm hold on my butt. I wriggle around a little and feel something poking my abdomen. I haven't opened my eyes yet, not wanting to accept that I have woken up from my blissful sleep, so I wouldn't know if Eli's awake yet.

My thoughts are answered after I move around some more, trying to get in a comfier position. A low, rumbling groan fills the room and I know for certain he is awake now.

"Please, Romy," he grunts lazily and gives me cheeks a squeeze.

"Please, what?" I ask innocently, wiggling my hips some more.

He squeezes my butt cheeks again, harder this time, before lifting one of his hands and bringing his palm down with a stinging slap.

"Ow, what was that for?!" I screech and my body jolts in surprise.

"For playing dumb with me. You knew exactly what 'please, Romy' meant, you little devil." His hoarse morning voice travels straight down to my core, flooding it with arousal.

A small moan falls from my lips but Eli heard it and lets out a curse. I lift my head from his chest, gather my hair to one side, and place open-mouthed kisses on his defined pecs.

"Please, touch me," I plead in between kisses and a growl vibrates in his chest.

"Look at me," he demands and I bring my hands to his shoulder and lift my head, our eyes clashing with emotion and arousal.

"Now, ask again," he orders patiently.

My face flushes instantly but I don't have any reason to feel shame when I am with Eli so I lift my head a little higher and say, "Please, touch me, Eli."

I start to grind my hips, getting impatient but he seizes them in his hands, stopping my movements.

"You want me to touch you, did I hear that correctly?"

"Yes," I confirm, a little breathless and a little annoyed. That bastard has the audacity to smirk at me. He lifts his middle and ring finger and places them on my lips.

"Open," he commands and my mouth falls open. He pushes his fingers into my mouth and before they hit the back of my throat he tells me to close my mouth. My lips wrap around his two long fingers and he slowly pulls them out, coating them in my saliva. He then places them at the top of my spine, running them along the curve of my back and ass before dipping between my thighs. He finds my core already dripping and chuckles.

"Well, I guess wetting my fingers wasn't necessary."

I scowl at him but before I can say anything, he thrusts his two fingers into my core and I moan loudly, my forehead falling onto his chest.

"Uh-uh, look at me," he scolds and I weakly shake my head. "Come on baby, I want to see your beautiful face when you come around my fingers."

I groan but slowly lift my head back up. This guy has a way with words, let me tell you.

"There you are," he smiles, his fingers still not moving. "I could swear you got more freckles since the last time I saw you."

"Yeah," I mumble. "I was more in the sun on the boat, makes the freckles come out."

"I see. Don't look away again, I want your eyes on mine the whole time, got it?"

I nod.

"Words," he grunts.

"Yes, I got it," I hiss through gritted teeth.

"Good. Now, go ahead and ride my fingers, darling," he says.

And I do.