Chapter 72: Fool’s Revelations
** Eli **
Eli wasn’t a fool. With Harper clinging onto him even tighter as they left the restaurant and ambled down the brightly lit streets, it became all too obvious what she was trying to do.
Well, maybe he was somewhat of a fool to not have realized it till now. Looking back, the signs had been there for a while already — the accidental brushings of shoulders last weekend at the book fest, the popsicle, the kiss on the lips when he gave her the rose. He had simply been too caught off guard at the time to consider the possibility that it was all part of her plan ... This little vixen, since when had she learned to flirt so smoothly like a pro?
Eli smiled silently into the dark. Then he caught himself, slightly alarmed by the fact that he was ... enjoying this.
Ever since his early adult years in college, flirting had been an almost natural part of his life, something that he could do without a thought, probably even in his sleep. It had never meant anything to him though. Whether he was the one offering teases, or the one receiving suggestive jokes made with purrs and batting of lashes, it had always been mere play, rarely deserving half of his attention and never leaving a lasting impression on his mind.
But with Harper, with the delicate press of her hand in the crook of his elbow and the warmth of her body leaning against his, he realized he was affected. He liked it, and he wanted more.
He wasn’t sure how to process that revelation. Especially when this was not a date. Especially when he had another not-a-date waiting for him this weekend, which he almost wanted to tell her about but kept finding the topic too hard to bring up ...
"Mommy, look! She has a flower in her hair!" The high-pitched ringing voice of a young girl broke the silence of the night. They were walking past a family of three dressed in matching jerseys for the local baseball team. The child, a little girl of three or four, was bouncing in the dad’s arms and pointing excitedly at Harper. "She looks pretty! I want to wear a flower too!"
Harper and Eli slowed down.