A Promise in Ash by Elysia Lumen Strife

Author:Elysia Lumen Strife [Strife, Elysia Lumen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

Dewdrops of sunlight danced on her lashes. Lying on her stomach, Norah shifted in the plush warmth of a downy comforter. It held the heavenly scent of Evan’s body wash and skin, a scent that coiled through her insides and made her feel like dancing.

Evan—

Blinking, Norah stared at the blues and grays of his bedroom, not the beige and white pastels of her hotel. I didn’t mean to spend the night!

She popped up and, in a frenzy, scanned the sheets. She was alone. It was a relief yet somewhat disappointing. The idea of sleeping so close to Evan had her stomach doing somersaults. But she had swam in his sheets all night. Sheets that touched him. Sheets he slept naked in. Gathering an armful, she buried her nose in the fabric and drew in his scent with lust.

Norah choked when the clock on his nightstand came into focus. She clambered out of bed and found she was still in her leggings and t-shirt. “Christ, it’s almost one?”

The door creaked open. Evan leaned against the doorjamb, smiling at her. “Morning, Sunshine.”

“Morning? It’s afternoon!” She stammered, panicked by the notion he’d caught her sniffing his sheets. “How long have you been hovering?”

He shrugged, a shimmer of delight in his eyes. “Check on you now and then. Watched two shows by myself while you slept on my shoulder. Brought you in here after. Slept out there.”

Her face scrunched in confusion. “That’s backward. This is your house.”

“I give the ones I care about the best I can.” He lifted a mug to his lips. The glorious scent of coffee wafted inside the room.

Norah could’ve sworn he was smiling behind the ceramic.

“Ash made sandwiches.”

“I need to go home and fix myself for the—” Norah waved a frantic hand in the air, unable to think of the word. His t-shirt was near skin-tight across his chest and shoulders. She couldn’t help but stare with her thoughts crashing into one another.

“Banquet?” He asked.

“Yeah. The work shenanigans.”

Evan arched a brow. “Can I watch?”

“What?”

He backed up, shaking his head. “Sorry that wasn’t— I was joking. Am I still picking you up at, say, four?”

He wants to watch? Wondering how long he’d stared while she was sleeping in his bed left her feeling uncomfortable. Norah scrambled to leave. Passing him in the doorway, guilt overpowered her stride. They’d spent a nice evening together, and she was leaving again.

Norah stopped and gave him a self-conscious, sidelong glance. “Sorry, I fell asleep so early.”

“You crashed. I’m not upset.”

“Thanks for everything. I had a nice time. So I’ll see you in a few?” She snatched up her purse as she hurried for the door. Summoning the courage to look back at him, she scoured the planes of his face and found his expression genuine and slightly intrigued. Evan stood at the end of the hallway bobbing on his toes like he wanted to run to her. But he remained, fidgeting, in place.

“Definitely.”

Yanking the front door open, Norah stumbled down the steps to her car.

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