The girls had migrated from the bar to the pool table and begun to play, recruiting one of the men who’d been watching rugby on the flat screen so they would have evenly numbered teams. After the first few turns, the tall girl and her partner had put away three balls, the small girl had put away one, and Aria had knocked the white ball off the table twice. Did she know how bad she was? She must. Good lord, it was painful watching her.

Eli was brilliant at pool. His parents had always told him that if he was going to bother doing something, he should be the best at it.

The journalist lined up another shot, purple legs stretched out as she reached across the table. Didn’t she know it would work better if she walked around the table so she didn’t have to reach so far? She swung back, then missed the ball. Eli couldn’t take it anymore. He crossed the room and stood behind her. She shifted on her feet, trying to get into a better position.

“You’re doing it wrong,” he said. She jumped, whacking her knee on the edge of the table and landing on his foot. He grunted as his big toe exploded in pain.

“What the hell are you doing?” Her eyes were big, brown and accusing.

“Helping,” he replied. “It’ll work better this way.” Gently, he turned her around and adjusted her waist so she was tucked up against him. He extended her arms and shifted the cue stick so it rested between her thumb and forefinger.

“Just be gentle,” he said, swaying the cue stick back, then forwards, knocking a ball into the far-right pocket. “Like that.”

Eli took a few moments to enjoy the wide-eyed expression on her face before he released her and strode out of the bar. As he pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders, he couldn’t help recalling the curve of her body, the way she’d been pressed against him so deliciously.

Forget it. You’ve been single for far too long.

CHAPTER 4

The girls burst into laughter the moment he left the bar.

“You should see the look on your face!” Sophie exclaimed. “Priceless!”

Avery wolf-whistled. “I think it’s getting hot in here.”

“Oh, shut up.” Aria shook her head, bemused. Who did Elijah Lockwood think he was? Normal, respectful people didn’t invade someone’s personal space upon the barest acquaintance. They didn’t make fun of said stranger’s poor pool-playing ability. And they certainly didn’t make her feel things she had no business feeling. Hot, fluttery things.

It wasn’t right.