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Eli shudders against me, a soft, broken moan spilling from his lips. "Tomorrow," he echoes, his eyes shining with anticipation. "I can't wait, Nico. I can't wait to be yours, in every way that matters."
Neither can I, I think fiercely, pulling him into a crushing embrace. Neither can fucking I.
But as I bury my face in the soft golden curls at his nape, breathing in the warm, green scent of him...a cold tendril of unease unfurls in my gut. An icy premonition, a sense of impending doom that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
Because even as I hold Eli in my arms, even as I let myself imagine a future where we can be together without fear or hesitation...I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched. That somewhere out there, in the shadows and the hidden places, eyes are trained on us with malicious intent.
And if my instincts are right, if my worst fears are about to be realized...then tomorrow might not be the beginning of our happily ever after. It might be the beginning of the end, the first domino in a chain reaction that will bring my world crashing down around my ears.
But as Eli sighs and snuggles deeper into my embrace, his heart beating in perfect sync with my own...I know that I'll fight like hell to keep him safe. To keep this fragile, precious thing between us alive and blooming, no matter the cost.
Even if it means going to war with my own father, the man who molded me into the monster I am today. Even if it means tearing apart everything I've ever known, everything I've ever been.
For Eli...for a chance at love, at redemption, at a future beyond the bloodstained legacy of my past...
I'll burn the whole fucking world down.
CHAPTER 5
ELI
The secluded garden is a fairytale come to life, all twinkling lights and fragrant blooms beneath a canopy of stars. Nico's hand is warm and solid in mine as we meander down the winding path, our shoulders brushing with every step.
I can't stop smiling, my cheeks aching with the force of my joy. This whole day has been like something out of a dream - the laughter, the sweet, stolen kisses, the way Nico looks at me like I'm the most precious thing he's ever seen. I keep waiting for the clock to strike midnight, for reality to come crashing back in.
But as Nico tugs me to a stop beneath a sprawling oak tree, his eyes molten and intent on mine, I realize that this is no dream. This is real, and it's happening, and I never want it to end.
"Eli," he murmurs, his free hand coming up to cup my cheek. His thumb strokes over my cheekbone, the calluses rasping deliciously against my skin. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this. Wanted you."
My breath catches in my throat, my heart rabbiting against my ribs. "I want you too," I whisper, turning my head to press a kiss to his palm. "So much, Nico. I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for you."
He makes a rough, desperate sound, and then his mouth is on mine, hot and demanding and perfect. I melt into the kiss with a sigh, my lips parting eagerly beneath the onslaught of his tongue.
Kissing Nico is like standing at the heart of an inferno, heat and hunger consuming me from the inside out. I can taste the wine we shared at dinner, rich and heady, and beneath it, the dark, smoky flavor that is pure him. It's intoxicating, addicting, and I know I'll never get enough.
Nico walks me backwards until my shoulders hit the trunk of the tree, the rough bark scraping deliciously against my skin through the thin fabric of my shirt. His body is a furnace against mine, all hard planes and coiled strength, and I can't help but arch into him, seeking more of that delicious friction.
"God, look at you," he rasps, his lips trailing down the column of my throat. He nips at my pulse point, soothing the sting with his tongue, and I shudder, my head tipping back against the tree. "So fucking beautiful, Eli. I want to touch you everywhere, taste every inch of you."
"Please," I gasp, my fingers tangling in his hair. "Nico, please, I need you to touch me."
He groans, low and guttural, and then his hands are everywhere, skating over my ribs, my hips, the curve of my ass. He grips my thighs and hitches me up, encouraging me to wrap my legs around his waist, and oh. Oh.
The new angle brings our groins into perfect alignment, the hard ridge of his cock pressing against mine through the barrier of our clothes. I can't stop the desperate little whimper that escapes my throat, my hips rolling mindlessly against his as I chase the exquisite pressure.
"Fuck," Nico grits out, his forehead dropping to rest against mine. "You're killing me, sunshine. If we don't slow down, I'm going to end up fucking you right here against this tree."
A bolt of molten lust spears through me at the thought, my cock throbbing almost painfully in the confines of my jeans. "And that would be a bad thing?" I rasp, my nails raking down the flexing muscles of his back.
Nico shudders, his grip tightening on my thighs. "It would be fucking incredible," he admits, his voice low and rough with strain. "But I want our first time to be in a bed, Eli. I want to spread you out and take my time with you, make it so good you forget your own name."
Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god. If he keeps saying things like that, I'm going to spontaneously combust. "Yes," I pant, my head swimming with need. "Yes, Nico, please. Take me home, take me to bed."
He doesn't need to be told twice. We barely make it back to the car, our hands grasping and roaming as we stumble down the path, exchanging frantic, biting kisses. By the time we reach my apartment, I'm trembling with anticipation, my skin feeling too tight for my body.
The moment the door clicks shut behind us, Nico is on me, his mouth hot and hungry as he walks me backwards towards the bedroom. We leave a trail of clothing in our wake - a shoe here, a belt there, buttons pinging off the hardwood as we tear impatiently at each other's shirts.
And then we're falling onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, our skin flushed and damp with sweat. Nico braces himself above me on his elbows, his dark hair falling over his brow, his eyes glittering with desire and something infinitely tender.
