The cold waterfall shower sends me over the edge in under a minute.
Eliza.
My head snaps back and I抦 grinding my teeth, my whole arm pumping, spattering the wall with thick ropes of my release.
This is what she抯 done to me.
Ropes for days.
Reduced me to painting the shower like a fucking boy before prom night.
When I抦 gasping and finished and the water washes the mess away, I soap myself down, then stand under the ice-cold water, my fingers pressing deep into my eye sockets.
I抦 sick in the head. Terminally ill.
I抳e got to keep some distance between us because I抦 now aware of two things.
I have no control around her anymore. The effect she has on me is maddening.
Secondly, the last woman I got involved with left scars for life.
Eliza doesn抰 deserve that, and honestly, neither do I.
If only Destiny wasn抰 so attached. I抦 not sure how to neutralize that friendship without hurting them both.
Still, I have to man up and resist Eliza Angelo, along with my own fever dreams.
Our chemistry is too strong.
And if I can抰 contain it, and soon, we抣l only brew an acid drip that disintegrates every bit of our lives it touches.
13
Rainbow Shot （Eliza）
Kona days are long and breezy and everything glitters like gold under the spectacular Pacific sun.
They抮e only broken up on this side of the island by brisk rainstorms. I love how refreshing it feels, like someone reaching to sweep the air clean.
I抦 also starting to adore my makeshift lab even more than my fancy lab at home. The soaring ocean views make it easy to fall in love.
When the clouds peel back like curtains and the sun pierces them at just the right moment, I抦 always in awe.
But nothing could compare to the brilliant double rainbow exploding across the sky right now.
The huge multicolored bridge spans the entire ocean in neon ribbons from east to west.
Grinning like a fool, I grind fresh peaberry beans and start the best brew of my life.
I抳e pushed the recipe closer to perfection over the last few days, using a lower flame for a longer brewing time.
This won抰 be a fifteen-dollar cup of coffee by the time I抦 through. More like twenty-five bucks of absolute luxury.
The scarcity of the peaberries isn抰 the only thing commanding a higher price tag. Process adds a premium.
Each batch of this stuff takes at least twice as long to brew as a more basic bean.
And I don抰 mind the longish brewing time when it lets me flop down on my lounge chair and remember the way Cole kissed me梬hen Dess barging in was the only reason that encounter stayed PG-13梐nd then vanished for three days and counting.
Hi, I抦 an idiot. Nice to meet you.
Seriously.
You抎 think I would have learned my lesson the last time a skeezy older man played racquetball with my heart, but apparently I抦 a sucker for punishment. Or is it a chump for Lump?
Same old heart trap, and I walked right into the snare. Again.
Thinking about Derek feels like summoning the devil. The saddest moments of my life replay like a cringe compilation video.
My chest burns.
All the peaberry sweetness and double rainbows in the world can抰 make up for the way I let that wretched man crawl up inside me.
Two Years Ago
I抦 sitting behind my desk at this god-awful legal firm梛ust a three-week temp job, thank God梬hen he strolls in.
I look up like I feel a presence.
Of course, I do.
He抯 that kind of man, the sort who holds a room spellbound the second he enters.
Thick blond hair tumbles around his face like a mane, framing those pale-blue eyes. His three-piece suit hangs perfectly off his body. He looks like the hero in every cheesy rom-com movie ever made梠nly, there抯 nothing funny about the way his eyes rake over me.
揝o Michael finally traded in his secretary? I approve of the upgrade,?he says with a self-assured smile.
What else can I do but smile back? 揙h, I抦 just the temp. Lydia抯 out on maternity leave.?
揅ould you let him know I抦 here? Derek Stevens.?
揥ill do.?I pick up the phone and call the attorney抯 office. Voicemail. 揑 think he抯 in a meeting, Mr. Stevens. I抦 getting his voicemail. Would you like a coffee while you wait??
揟hat would be stellar,?he says.
揂ny particular flavor??
揟here抯 a menu now??He grins like a movie star. 揇amn, lady, you are a big improvement.?
揚ersonal pet peeve.?I clear my throat. 揑 can抰 stand the canned stuff in the break room, so I brought a couple fresh blends I roasted myself…？
Oh, how those blue eyes ignite with surprise.
揑mpressive. Anything抯 fine, really,?he says with a friendly nod. I feel his eyes linger as I turn around and hear him call, 揑 don抰 suppose I could convince a beautiful new lady to have one with me while I wait? Or would that be asking too much??