[Hazel]
“Eli—”
I barely got the name out. My hand had already lifted halfway, fingers twitching with the intent to reach him, to bridge the strange, silent space between us. But before I could take a single step—
A chest.
A solid, broad, shamelessly muscular chest blocked my view like a walking human eclipse. The man shoved himself into the narrow space between Elijah and me with the ease of someone used to owning every room he entered.
“Hey,” he said, holding up one open palm—an invitation wrapped in five confident fingers.
I knew what he was gonna say next and thinking about that, the automatic rejection formed on my tongue. I didn’t need this. Not tonight. Not while I was mid-existential crisis over my aunt groping a man I technically work for. I was ready to shut it down withou
