Road To Revovery

Chapter 8 Our Feelings

Elijah's POV

I stiffen like a statue with her in such close proximity just enjoying her natural scent, trying to use it to calm my nerves.. She steps back, then turns to leave as my hand instinctively grabs for hers.. she looks back, from our locked hands, up my arm and to my face. But I freeze. "Yes?" She asks me as I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out, the nerves have hit me so hard I feel like a mute. She waits more but nothing seems to come out.

"Ok... Well if there's nothing else, I'll just go.. Your food is set out for you, so you probably better eat it before it gets cold." She states but I could care less about the food, I can only think of the cold loneliness of my heart if she leaves again.

She pulls her hand from mine slowly, I think still waiting for me to say something. But I don't know what to say.. So I don't say anything at all.

She turns to leave and I feel my heart racing.. If I'm going to do something, I have to do it now. She walks to the door, opening it before glancing back and shutting the door behind her. When She is out of sight I come back to reality, panicking, then running across my place and bursting out the door. I bolt down the stairs to catch up to her.

"Avery?" I say as she turns around staring up at me with those big beautiful doe eyes. "Yes?" She asks as I freeze again.. No I can't freeze up.. I need to man up! Right now! Before she leaves again."Please.. don't go.." I ask as she softly responds, "Why?"

"You made breakfast and you need to have some.." I say like the chicken sh*t that I am, not telling her the actual reason why I want her to stay. "You're so sweet.. but I was munching the whole time I was making it.. I mostly just did it for you, because I wanted you to have a good day.. Thanks though." She responds quickly, then turning around as I reach for her hand.

"Avery... I.. Um.. I'm not good at these kinds of things.. But I want you to stay please." I try to get it out as she shakes her head.

"I can see I'm making you uncomfortable and I don't want that. You don't have to do this just because you feel bad for me.. supposedly I'm loaded, so I can just get a hotel." She replies as I shake my head.

"I'm not uncomfortable or doing it because I feel bad for you.." I state as I watch her eyebrows furrow.. "Then what's with all the stuttering and not even making eye contact with me. I was trying to just talk with you and you literally ran away to hide from me in your bedroom.. Nothing about that says you're comfortable with me. Especially since you have been fine with me for weeks now and never acted like this once before." She explains as I nod understanding where she is coming from.. that does look so bad and I knew it would.

"I'm not uncomfortable I swear. Please just come back up." I almost beg her as she stares at me for a moment with the wheels turning in her head. "Fine I will come back up as long as you tell me why you're acting so weird." She negotiates with me as I nervously nod.

"Promise?" She asks me for an actual answer, not just my nodding. "I promise." I respond as she turns around leading the way back to my place with the door still wide open. So, I got her to come back, now how to figure out what to say to her..... Just how I feel I guess.

Avery's POV

I'm so confused right now I have no idea what's happening. Elijah is acting so weird around me.. Not like anything he has ever done before.. I don't think I'm acting different or anything but I'm just assuming it's because I'm in his house now.. It's surpassed the work relationship and now turning into a personal one but I don't think he can handle that. He ran away from me then hiding and has acted like he wants to say something but just won't.

I lead the way back into his place as I hear him shut the door behind me. I just stand around waiting for his explaination because I don't know if I will stay long after it.. if this is how he is going to keep acting anyways.. I thought he was the one person I had, that I have an amazing relationship with and can trust. But that's changing right now for who knows what reason. We will see if it's for the good or bad I guess by what he explains to me.

I look around his apartment trying to not put too much pressure on this talk, but I need to know what's going on."Well? Are you going to explain to me? There's no time like the present." I say as I turn around to face him, feeling my cheeks instantly cupped as his lips press to mine, taking my breathe away.. Who needs to talk when he tastes this good.. I guess talking is just overrated.

My hands instinctively wrap around the back of his head, pulling him in, because this was not what I was expecting.. but something I have wanted to do since I met him. He breaks the kiss to my dismay as I just wish for more.

"You haven't made me uncomfortable, I just like you and I don't know how to react because this is all new to me.. I have had women around me before so don't get me wrong.. but I have never had feelings develope for a woman who I have helped, until you. I'm just scared of my feelings and not the best at getting them out. I also don't want to take advantage of your vulnerable state or ever overwhelming you." He says into my lips as I smirk and say, "Well you're doing fantastic so far with running away, then not even making direct eye contact, to kissing me.. It seems like the right steps to take." I playfully respond as he chuckles before he asks, "Can I kiss you again?"

I laugh at that before responding, "Why ask now?"

I pull him into me crashing my lips to his as he wraps his arms around me pulling my body in. His lips are so soft that I can't help but take a little nibble before involving my tongue in exploring this amazing new terrain for myself.

I'm so glad that he knows so much about me but still hasn't judged me for it.. he could have easily called me disgusting because I already did.. but here he is telling me he likes me.. but maybe that's because he doesn't know me.

I break the kiss as I say. "I think the only reason you like me is because you don't know me.. because everyone who knows me, legitimately hates me and you're the only person who doesn't.. yet." I state to him as he shakes his head.

"I don't care about what you or anyone else thinks about the OLD you. I like the person I have gotten to know very well the past.. what? month? We have spent everyday together and I've loved it.. You can change from who you were, to who you want to be and you're doing that.. I just support that.. because I like this person I know and come to find out it's the new you I guess.. but the only one I know." He says as I shake my head.

"What if I get my memories back and turn back into that monster? You don't know the disgusting acts that I have done as her.. I just really don't want to hurt you." I say sounding scared.

"That's not how it works.. You will still be you, this person you are now.. Whether you get your memories back or not.. You will just have that memory to look back on.. but the things about memories is that they are in the past. They don't tell us our futures, only remind of what we have done.. Now you just have to take the memories and learn from them." He explains to me as I nod staring at his lips since I'm still only inches away.

"So why couldn't you just tell me this before because you had plenty of opportunity to do so." I ask as he laughs to himself.

"I tried.. multiple times but froze up completely or just chickening out in the moment. When I finally got the confidence to do it, I walked in to tell you.. but right as I turned the corner you were bent over with your butt hanging out and I forgot everything I was going to say.. I looked like such an i***t standing there staring so I had to run before you just thought I was a pervert." He explains to me as I giggle.

"So just kissing me without even asking, is the way to convince me that you're not a pervert?" I humorously respond as he laughs too shaking his head. "I didn't know what else to do because I was freezing up with my words again but I didn't want you to leave, so I figured I just had to show you how I felt since I couldn't say it at that moment." He says to me as I feel his breathe fanning over my lips as I just humm in response.

"So what was your plan? To whoo me into bed with you until you get tired of me?" I ask as he shakes his head. "I just wanted to help you out but since I did get you here, I didn't want you to leave.. not in a 'creepy kidnapper' kind of way but in a 'I like you a lot and want to see where this goes' kind of way." He says to me making me snicker. "Are you sure it's not a kidnapping way of doing things? Luring me in here with your delectable kissing, amazing personality and great looks? It's almost as sweet as candy to me." I say to him as he laughs more making me smile.

"You caught me, maybe I took a page from the kidnapping book, but just to get you to stay.. if I wanted to murder you I could have done it forever ago.. and how else was I suppose to get you to stay with me? My awesome apartment? Mrs.Richie Rich." He sarcastically says to me causing me to shake my head.

"Oh you could have convinced me the first day I met you, to come with you.. I have day dreamed and actually dreamt about you since..." I tell him so honestly as he takes my hand and leading me to the couch.

I sit down as he gets up and getting the food I made, along with two forks.. before heading back. "So what are your plans for today? Do you have to work?" He asks me as I shrug my shoulders.

"There wasn't any work I wanted to get done but some personal work honestly.. There is a part of me that wants to sell my shares, but I don't know who to sell it to.. I don't want to give it to just anyone who could treat the company like shit.. I know I don't want to do it anymore, but that doesn't mean that I can't try to make sure the next person, can be something amazing for the company.. I do have a person in mind.. but right now that's not a possibility.. until I get something figured out to help.. So I was going to try to get my husband to sign the divorce papers and grab some of my things from the house even though I think he will give me a hard time. When I told him I wanted a divorce he went into full tantrum mode. So this will be fun." I explain to him as he brings a fork with eggs on the end, up to my mouth.

I smirk before opening my mouth, letting him feed me. "I could always go with you.. he might not give you such a hard time if I'm there." He says as I swallow the food before replying, "Or things might get worse because of it.. but luckily for us he looks like a big dumb meathead.."

"Well I'm good at rolling with the punches, and not easily intimidated.. at least not by meatheads.. but as you know just intimidated by stunningly beautiful and sweet women." He says smirking over at me as I swipe the fork from his hand getting some food on it as I feed him.

"Well then this should be interesting.. buckle up, buttercup this is going to be an eventful ride." I say getting ready to feed him as I turn the fork around giving the food to myself before getting more food for him.

He smirks at me replying. "Bring it on."