by Jane Blythe
Biting her lip to keep from screaming his name, she came on his face as he continued to draw out every last drop of pleasure leaving her a trembling but satisfied mess.
When she could form a thought, she looked up to find Eli watching her with that smug, cocky smile she’d come to know so well.
“Feeling pleased with yourself?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah.”
Scooping her into his arms, he carried her over to the couch and laid her down on it. Then after giving her a reverent look that had her both feeling attractive and tingling with anticipation, he shed his jeans and stretched out above her.
He entered her with one smooth thrust, and she moaned in pleasure as he filled her so completely it was like they were made for each other. Eli thrust slowly in and out, and her hips began to move, meeting him thrust for thrust.
Pleasure built low in her stomach, spreading throughout her body until it consumed her, and this time she couldn’t help screaming his name as he sent her spiraling into another orgasm. Eli came a second after she did and the fact that they were both experiencing such pure ecstasy at the same time made it all the better.
“I'm not ever going to get enough of that,” she said as her fingers trailed lazy circles on his back as she held him close.
“I'd say me either, but I think that’s a given,” he teased. “Come on, let’s get out of here. We’ll go to the penthouse, the furniture isn’t delivered yet, but there’s still some ice cream left.”
“You know I'm also not ever going to get enough ice cream,” she added on a giggle.
“Sex and ice cream, can't say that’s not a great day.”
She giggled again because Eli lowered all her inhibitions and allowed her to just be free, not so serious and logical all the time.
They put their clothes on, and Eli’s driver took them back to the penthouse where they proceeded to christen every single room of the place, and eat enough ice cream to put a couple of sugar addicted preschoolers to shame.
By the time they were done it was dark out, and Florence was ready to curl up in Eli’s arms and get some sleep, but it seemed he had other ideas.
“Put your shoes on,” he said, holding them out to her.
“We going somewhere?”
“Yep.” He wouldn’t tell her anything else, so her curiosity grew as she put her shoes on and followed him out of the penthouse.
They bypassed the elevator and instead headed for a flight of stairs.
“What are we doing?” she asked, unable to figure out what Eli was up to.
“You’ll see.” He took her hand and led her up to the roof.
“You’re bringing me to the roof?”
“Yep.”
“Why?” She looked around, seeking a clue as to what he had planned, but all that was up here was a little rooftop garden. “What’s going on? What are you up to?”
“Come sit with me,” was all he said as he led her over to the edge of the roof and tilted his head up to look at the sky. “When I was a little boy, I used to be scared to go to sleep, I was afraid of nightmares. I used to get upset as soon as it got dark because I knew bedtime was coming. My mom tried everything to get me over this fear, she took me to doctors, and tried to get me to explain exactly what it was that was scary to me. In the end, she took me outside one night after it got dark, she put a picnic blanket on the grass, and we lay on our backs and stared up at the sky. She taught me all about the constellations and how they got their names, we did that every night for two weeks and then suddenly I realized that I wasn't afraid anymore.”
“That’s a sweet story.” She rested her head against his shoulder, and his arm came around her shoulders, holding her close. Sometimes she wished she had lovely stories about special moments like that with her family. Although she didn't, she was determined that her children would have enough memories to make up for the ones she didn't have.
“After that, anytime I felt scared I would open my curtains and look out at the stars. Over time I outgrew my fear of the dark like most kids do, but I never stopped loving the stars. There’s something so special about them, they’re beautiful and interesting, and one day I want to lie on a picnic blanket in my backyard with my kids and teach them everything their grandmother never got to share with them.” Taking her hand again, he led her off to the side where there was a picnic blanket spread out.
She gasped, and tears pricked her eyes. “This is the blanket isn’t it? You kept it.”
“I did.” Guiding her on to the blanket, they sat down and then stretched out, staring up at the wide, velvety blue expanse dotted with thousands of sparkling diamonds. “I brought you up here for a reason,” he explained as he stroked his hand up and down her arm. “I owe you one romantic gesture when I ask you to move in with me. So, Florence, I would love it if you would move in with me here as soon as the furniture arrives. Until then we can stay at the hotel, or your place, or move between the two. You up for living with me? I know I drive you crazy sometimes, and I can't promise you that I won't be cocky most days, but I really want to watch the stars with you before we go to bed at night, and wake up with you in my arms.”
“I would love to move in with you. And you didn't really have to make a big gesture like this, I already said yes.”
“I wanted to make a gesture, you deserve a gesture.” He turned his face and caught her lips, kissing her sweetly and tenderly, and somehow that was better than the hotter, passionate kisses of earlier when they’d been making love.
“Just for the record, I love all your sides. I love that you’re confident and cocky because if you weren't we wouldn’t be here together tonight. And I love even more that you’re this big, sweet, cuddly softie underneath because it makes me feel special.”
“You are special, princess, and I don’t want you to ever forget it.”
“I never felt special before you came along,” she admitted.
“I know, honey, but it was their loss not yours. Your mom and dad are the ones who missed out on having this amazing, sweet, compassionate, strong woman in their lives. But their loss is my gain, because I'm the one who got to be by your side when you finally figured out just how special you are, and that makes me feel special.”
“Are you trying to make me cry?” she sniffed.
“No, sweetheart, I just want you to know how much you mean to me and how proud I am of you for realizing that you deserve the world. And that’s what I'm going to give you, the world.”
“I don’t need the world, Eli. I just need you.” She lifted a hand to cup his cheek, his scruff tickling her palm as her fingers stroked his soft skin.
“You have me, Florence. You have me.”
Those were the most wonderful words anyone had ever said to her.
FEBRUARY 21ST
8:13 A.M.
“Fletcher can be kind of…” Florence trailed off.
“Don’t worry, babe, your brother will love me,” he assured her. She was nervous this morning, but he was sure they would have a great time meeting her brother. Fletcher Harris had been going to drive up to the city to spend the day with her, but Florence had decided last night that she was ready to go back to the town she’d grown up in. He was so proud of her, but he wished she could relax. “Really, babe, everyone loves me,” he teased, knowing he’d get a smile out of her.
She acquiesced as he’d known she would. “You and that cocky attitude of yours. But, really, Eli, Fletcher can be kind of grumpy until you get to know him. And he’s pretty protective of me because it was just the two of us when we were kids. So don’t be surprised if he doesn’t fall for that charm of yours.”
“You worry too much.” He reached over and took her hand, kissing it then setting it on his thigh as he drove. Today it was just the two of them, he hadn't wanted his driver to take them because he wanted to be alone with Florence. After they spent the morning with her brother and had lunch, they were driving back to the city to have dinner with Graham and Soraya. Kind of a meet the
families day.
“You're just realizing that?” she muttered. “Take the next left here, then it’s only another mile until we get to River’s End.”
“You haven't been back here at all since you left?”
“Not once. The day I graduated high school, I packed my things and left. Fletcher had already been gone for two years because he joined the military straight out of high school. There was nothing for me there, and by the time Fletcher was out of the military and moved back there I just couldn’t face the place, too many bad memories. Usually, he comes to see me or we meet halfway. I thought I'd never go back there, but I don’t know, I just feel ready.”
“It’s because you're finally able to move on,” he said, squeezing her hand. He wanted to tell her how proud of her he was for conquering her demons, but he didn't want it to sound like he was patronizing her, because that wasn't how he meant it. He was proud of her, he knew how hard it was to let go and let the past be the past, it had taken her so many years to get to this point, and now that she was, he was glad he was here to celebrate the milestone with her.
“I can't believe we’re here,” she said shakily a few minutes later when they entered a quaint, pretty little town. “Fletcher’s house is in the middle of town, drive halfway down Main Street, turn right, and then left, then right again and his house is number eighteen.”
Eli followed her instructions and spotted the house that belonged to her brother before they reached it because a huge blonde man was standing at the end of the driveway. He was looking toward them, arms crossed, a scowl on his face.
“That’s Fletcher,” Florence said with a sigh.
“He looks like a cheerful chap,” he joked, parking the car out the front of the house.
“Real cheerful.” Florence chuckled as she climbed out. “Hey, big brother,” she said as Fletcher wrapped his arms around her and lifted her feet off the ground.
“I missed you,” Fletcher told his little sister.
“I missed you too. This is Eli,” she introduced him as he came up beside her and took her hand when Fletcher set her back on her feet. “Eli, my brother Fletcher.”
“Nice to meet you.” He held out his free hand, and the other man eyed it before grabbing it in a crushing grip.
“You two good now, Florrie?” he asked his sister.
“Yes,” Florence replied firmly. “He had some issues to work through same as I did, but we sorted everything out, and we’re both happy.”
Just like that Fletcher relaxed. “Then nice to meet you too. I'm sure it goes without saying that you hurt my baby sister, and I hurt you.”
“Message received and understood,” he assured the other man. “And you don’t have anything to worry about, I love your sister, and I would never do anything to hurt her.”
“Good, because Florrie has been through enough.”
“You know I hate it when you call me that,” Florence said with a scowl as she swatted at her brother’s shoulder.
“I know,” Fletcher agreed with a straight face. The siblings had the same blonde hair and the same eyes, but otherwise their features were different, and he guessed Fletcher took after their father while Florence favored their mother. Despite the differences in their appearance, their mannerisms were the same, they had the same smile, and their eyes sparkled the same way.
“I have to go to the bathroom, you two going to be okay?” Florence asked, eyeing her brother warily.
“Relax, I won't beat him up.”
Florence rolled her eyes but hurried off inside the house, and Eli took advantage of this moment alone with Fletcher. “As the man in Florence’s life I'd like to ask you for her hand in marriage. I know it’s old fashioned, but I think it would mean a lot to her to know you approve since it was basically just the two of you growing up.”
“Marriage? You two are already talking marriage?” Fletcher looked surprised but not displeased at the notion.
“I already have the ring.”
“Haven't you only known each other two weeks?”
“Twelve days to be exact. And that’s kind of how I work, I see something I want I go after it. It’s not in my nature to sit back and wait.”
“Does Florence know you want to ask her to marry you?”
“She does. And she’s already said yes to moving in with me. The proposal is just a formality, it’s not a matter of if just of when. Florence looks up to you, you’re her big brother, and she’d like to know you're on board, but full disclosure I'd marry her with or without your approval. I just hope it isn’t without.”
Fletcher broke out into a grin. “I like you. You tell it like it is. You and Florence have my approval and my blessing, I'm really happy for you guys. Florence has been through a lot, she deserves all the happiness in the world.”
“And she’ll get it,” he promised.
“Everything okay out here?” Florence asked as she joined them.
“Would you stop worrying, we’re fine, I like him,” Fletcher told her, ruffling her hair and making her swat at him again.
“Told you he’d like me,” he said.
“You and your cockiness.” She rolled her eyes at him, then rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Can we go inside now? It’s freezing out here. How are you wearing just a shirt, aren’t you cold?” she asked Fletcher.
“Nope, not cold at all,” Fletcher replied as he led them up the path and inside.
The house was simple but nicely furnished, but it was a definite bachelor pad. Big screen TV on the wall, multiple gaming consoles, a pool table, pinball machine, and two big black leather couches.
“So I hope you don’t mind, but when I mentioned you were coming for lunch the Blacks wanted to come and see you,” Fletcher said, a hint of apprehension in his tone like he wasn't sure how Florence would react to the news.
Florence froze for a moment, reached out to take his hand, and then smiled. “Yeah, okay, that’s fine. It will be nice to see them. Who’s coming?”
“Everyone. Theo, Abe and Levi, Tatiana and Patrick, Will and Julian, Kevin, the whole gang.”
“Theo was Fletcher’s best friend when they were kids, well they still are,” Florence explained. “Are you barbecuing?” she asked when Fletcher went into the kitchen and picked up a plate piled high with steaks and burgers.
“Of course.”
“But it’s the middle of winter.”
“Doesn’t mean that barbecues don’t taste good,” Fletcher said with a wink. “Let everyone in when they get here.”
Alone in the room, Eli pulled her into his arms. “You good with all the extra guests?”
“Yeah, I guess. I'm glad that Fletcher has them, they’re like his family, the Blacks took him under their wing, looked out for him.”
“But not you?” He couldn’t help but feel a burst of anger that there had been people to look out for Fletcher but no one to be there for Florence.
“It’s okay,” she soothed, running her hands down his arms. “I don’t care anymore. I have you now, and that makes everything better. It’s like it washes away all the bad things that ever happened to me, I know they’re still there, but I can hardly see them anymore because anytime I feel bad about what I went through or I feel sad or unworthy, I just have to remind myself that you want me. Of all the women you could have chosen, you chose me.”
“You make it sound like you’re the one who lucked out in this thing we have, but really, I'm the lucky one,” he told her, framing her face between his hands and kissing her forehead.
“See, you say such sweet things, make me feel so special, I love you so much.”
“Not as much as I love you.” He kissed her again, on the lips this time, and she melted into him. His hand slid up under the back of her sweater, and they probably would have done more than they should have, considering they were in her brother’s house when the doorbell rang.
“Raincheck?”
“Oh yeah.”
* * * * *
7:07 P.M.<
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“I don’t think you’ve stopped smiling since we got to your brother’s house,” Eli said.
Florence hadn't thought about it, but he was right.
Everything had fallen into place, and she was happy. Completely and utterly happy.
It was nice.
She felt like she had been transported from her old life and put down in the middle of a whole new world. Everything looked brighter, prettier, lovelier, just better. She felt lighter, like the weight she had been carrying around was gone now. She knew it wasn't really gone, it was just that now she wasn't carrying it alone.
Eli was there.
He was at her side, holding her hand—figuratively as well as literally—and helping shoulder her baggage, and what was even better was she could help him carry his as well. They were partners. A team. And it was such a relief to not be alone that she just couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
“I’m happy,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder as they stood in the lift on their way to his friends’ apartment.
“I love seeing you this happy and relaxed.”
“I think you're going to be seeing a lot of me like this. I have you, things with my brother are better than they’ve ever been, two prolific serial killers are off the streets, what’s not to be grinning about?”
“Can't argue with that.” His arm around her shoulders tugged her closer ,and he touched his lips to her temple in a soft kiss.
The lift opened, and a moment later a door was swung open and a gorgeous guy with dark hair and dark eyes stood there grinning at them. On his hip was an adorable baby with silky black locks, long-lashed eyes, and chubby cheeks, who was gooing and giggling to himself.
Florence was a sucker for a baby.
There was just something about their chubby little arms and legs and little round bellies that made her want to cuddle them and squeeze them and tickle them until they made that little gurgly laugh. There wasn't a sound on earth that could compare to a baby’s laugh as far as she was concerned.