"As the day is long and the sky is blue, I find myself hopelessly in love with you."
When a fateful stalled elevator brings an intoxicating stranger into the life of Doctor Elliot Kingsley, there is scarce little he can do to stay away from her. Eve...
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Stop internally hyperventilating.
Stop internally hyperventilating.
Stop internally hyperventilating.
Stop inter –
No amount of mantric chanting seems to help.
I feel a bit like I've swallowed my tongue and entered my heart in a Formula One race with how fast it's beating.
Elliot.
He's here.
He's here in all his tall, broad-shouldered, immaculately dressed, calm-voiced, bright-eyed glory.
He's standing at the entrance to the room, looking almost like he's a Clark Kent impersonator.
How is he here?
Much too late, pieces of the puzzle start falling into place.
Ray's brother, Eli.
Elliot's friend, Marco.
"Aurora?"
His voice slightly incredulous as he gives away the fact that he and I know each other by saying my name.
No one calls me Aurora, but I like that Elliot does.
I manage to find my voice at some point. "Elliot."
Our exchange seems to surprise the other occupants of the room.
Ray is the first one to speak. "You two know each other?"
I stop looking at my friend's brother and start looking at my friend, instead.
She's looking between me and Elliot.
"Well," Elliot begins, "We met at a conference. Well, not the same conference. We were at the same hotel. We were both there for two different conferences. We got stuck on an elevator together."
His eyes are still on me and I'm pretty sure he's just as surprised that I'm standing in his dining room, as I am to be standing in it.
From his answer, I'm relieved that he doesn't try to reveal that we spent a lot more time together than the few minutes we were stuck on the elevator for.
I don't know why, but I don't want everyone to know.
"Huh. Well, this is Aurora, as you know," Ray goes on, "She'll be staying with us for the next two months."
Elliot turns his head and looks at his sister, slightly confused. "I see. I thought you said your friend Al is staying two months."
Ray looks at him like he's daft. "She's Al."
"She's the one you call Al?" Elliot's eyes widen slightly.
Of course, Ray has never mentioned my real name. I've never called her anything other than Ray in my own house.
