A smile crosses her lips when she makes the same deduction, and she laughs. “We match.”
“You look gorgeous,” I say, stepping into the doorway and pulling her into a kiss, ignoring her statement. Her lips are calling to me and I can’t wait any longer to taste them. Two days has been torture. When we break apart, I appraise her from head to toe. “Your hair is different. It doesn’t look purple anymore.”
She nervously runs her hand through her hair, smoothing it down. “The color had faded so I decided to take it out. I haven’t settled on what color I want to dye it next so I left it blonde.”
While it’s true that the color was barely there, I think she made this decision because she’s meeting my family tonight, namely my parents, but I don’t comment on it though. “I can’t wait to see what you come up with.” I look down at her spectacular dress again. “You look unbelievable in this dress. I’m fighting every urge I have to rip it off you right now, but we’d be late.” Leaning in closer, I whisper in her ear. “Guess I’ll have to do it later then.”
I watch with satisfaction as the blush creeps up her cheeks and neck, doing my best to control my urge to push her back into the house and pounce on her. Who cares if we’re running a few minutes late? Or hours. Instead, I step away from her to give her room, and wait for her to lock the door. I walk her to the car, and after I have her settled in, I climb in and make the drive to my parent’s home.
It’s a half hour drive out to their estate. They opted not to build their house on the beach when they moved here all those years ago, instead preferring to live inland on a few acres of land, which turned out to be a wise decision when they ended up with four very active boys. My brothers and I covered every inch of this property when we were younger. There’s even a large pond near the back edge of the property where we used to fish and swim, and plenty of open space to ride our ATVs. When we got older, it was also where we’d take our girlfriends to make out.
The long driveway comes into view from the main road, the circular drive in front of the house lined with parked cars, two valets my mom must have hired standing at the ready. The house isn’t extravagant by any means, but I admit, it is very nice. The large two-story brick structure sits about an acre into the property, surrounded by trees mom planted right after it was built. A long porch spans the length of the front of the house.
“Holy fuck Sloan, this place is gorgeous!” Lizzy can’t keep the awe out of her voice and I agree with her. I never quite appreciated this house enough when I was growing up but now, looking at it through more mature eyes, I can see how special it is. According to the story I’ve easily heard a million times, my parents had it built not long after they got married. Mom said she wanted to have at least five kids so they made it a six-bedroom house, even making sure each bedroom had a bathroom in it to avoid sibling conflict. After the fourth kid—and the fourth boy—they decided to quit while they were ahead.
“It’s nice.”
“Nice? Sloan, this house is amazing! I can’t believe this is where you grew up.” She still has her attention out the window, taking in all the beauty surrounding the property.
I laugh at her excitement as I pull up in front of the house. The valets pounce on the car, helping her out of the passenger side before I can even exit the vehicle. An odd twinge of jealousy bubbles up inside, but I do my best to let it go. After all, it’s only a car door, right? Why should I be jealous over something so minor?
“I’ll give you the grand tour later. Maybe I’ll even show you my old bedroom.” I wink at her and take her arm, the two of us making our way up to the front door. She stops as we reach the top steps, and tugs on my arm to get me to stop walking.
“I’m nervous.” It’s a quiet statement, one I’m surprised by because I’ve come to realize this woman doesn’t rattle easily. I pull her close and brush my lips over hers waiting for her to relax against me, which she visibly does, making me happier than I think it should.
“Don’t be, okay? They’re an easy-going bunch. You’ll fit right in. Relax.” She lets out a deep breath and nods her head, and I pull her in behind me as we walk through the front door. Truth be told, I’m nervous myself. Lizzy is the first girl I’ve brought home since Bridgett.
This should be interesting.
Chapter Twelve
Elizabeth
He doesn’t knock on the door, but rather walks right in. Then again, I didn’t expect him to. It’s more like I was hoping he would, that way I could have a few extra minutes to compose myself while waiting for someone to answer the door. I don’t know why I’m nervous. It’s not like I’m meeting my boyfriend’s parents. Sloan isn’t my boyfriend. He’s only a friend with a few added benefits. It’s time for me to put on my big girl panties and stop worrying.
The door opens into an entryway that leads into an oversize living room where a large group of people is gathered. An older woman, who I presume to be Sloan’s mom, is the first one to see us, and everyone seems to step out of her way, clearing a path for her to make a beeline to her oldest boy. Sloan drops my hand as she approaches. His mother is at least a foot shorter than him, but it’s no surprise to him or anyone else when she wraps her arms around him in the mother of all bear hugs, almost knocking him off balance. She’s a petite lady, and his return hug swallows her completely. Pulling out of his embrace, her hands immediately go to his face to pull it towards her, planting a kiss on his cheek. Her lipstick leaves a distinct print she immediately tries to wipe clean. It’s cute. I guess it doesn’t matter how old your baby boys get, moms will still fuss over them. My mom does the same thing to Carson. He claims to hate it, but I know he loves the attention.
“My beautiful son! It’s about time you came to see me.”
Sloan laughs and pulls away from her, shaking his head. “Come on Mom, it hasn’t been that long since I saw you last. Besides, you know I’ve been busy.”
“Mmm hmm,” she says, giving him a raised eyebrow and that knowing look a mom always seems to have when she doesn’t quite believe what her children are telling her. “I’d hardly call two weeks ago recent, but what do I know?” She smirks up at him and turns her attention to me but still addresses Sloan. “And who is this lovely lady?”
He lets go of his mom and reaches out for my hand, taking it in his and pulling me towards him at the same time his dad joins his mom by her side. “This is my…friend Elizabeth Vaughn. Elizabeth, these are my parents.”
“Pleased to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Wesley.” I extend my hand out to shake hers but she brushes me off and embraces me in a warm hug. She may be a petite lady, but she has a good grip and a fun personality, I can tell. I guess you would have to if you were raising four energetic and rambunctious boys. She looks casual, dressed in a pair of capris and a flowing pink top. She must be in her fifties, but you’d never be able to tell it by looking at her. She has the same deep blue eyes Sloan and Cade share.
“Oh, please. Enough with the formalities. Call me Leanne, and this is my husband Baxter. Any friend of my boys is considered family in this house. And we hug family.”
She gives me a warm smile and steps to the side, allowing her husband to envelope me in a solid hug. It’s easy to see where Sloan gets his good looks from. Though he has his mother’s eyes, Sloan and his dad share the same strong jaw structure and darker hair. He’s tall, fit, and well-built. Choosing a simple t-shirt and shorts for his attire, it’s plain to see that this will be Sloan several years in the future. The resemblance is uncanny and very much appreciated. Sloan’s dad is a fox. “Nice to meet you, Elizabeth. Please, make yourself at home.”
I don’t know what else to respond with, and I settle on a simple “Thank you,” and step back next to Sloan. His hand immediately finds mine and, after promising to come back and spend more time with his mother, he ushers me around the room, making the introductions.
Though I’ve only met him once, Cade greets me in much the same way as his parents did, as does his lovely bride-to-be Nora.
“Congratulations,” I tell them both. I don’t know them well enough to expand on my statement, but they graciously accept my sentiment. “Have you started planning yet?” It’s only been a few days since he proposed, but some brides start making plans the minute the ring slips on her finger.
“Oh, God no. I haven’t even thought about it yet.” Nora laughs, her honesty making me immediately like her. Talking to her for the next several minutes only solidifies my opinion.
Once we finish our conversation with them, another version of Sloan strolls over to us with a big grin on his face, one that has Sloan shaking his head and smiling before the man even says anything. He has the same striking blue eyes as Sloan and Cade, and instantly I know this must be one of his brothers.
“Well, well. Who do we have here?” He asks me, his attention solely on me, though I’m not sure who he’s addressing when he asks the question. He reaches out for my hand, and brings it up to his mouth. Like a scene from an old movie, he brushes his lips across the top of it. I chuckle as Sloan reaches out and takes my hand back from his brother, resting my palm in his.
“Easy there, tiger.” He laughs. “Ash, this is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, my brother Asher. Watch out for this one. He’s too smooth for his own good.” He says it as a side note to me, but clearly loud enough for his brother to hear.
Ash laughs and nods his head, as if accepting this description his brother provided me. “Pleased to meet you Elizabeth. So, you’re the reason my brother can’t stop smiling these days. It’s nice to put a face to a name.”
His words bring a blush to my cheeks, and elicit a tug from Sloan. “And…that’s our cue to leave.” He says it without menace, and it makes Asher laugh harder.
Strolling over to another attractive man, I again notice those same blue eyes that seem to be a dominant trait with the Wesley brothers. This must be the hockey player. “Nik, I’d like you to meet Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is my baby brother Nikolas.”
The younger Wesley smiles at me and extends his hand. “Nice to meet you Elizabeth.” He turns his attention back to Sloan. “You always have to emphasize the baby part, huh?” He smiles and gives his older brother a hug.
“Well, I can’t say you’re my little brother anymore, can I? You’re what, at least two inches taller than me now and about twenty pounds heavier? What the fuck are they feeding you at college?”
Nik laughs, shaking his head and brushing off Sloan’s good-natured teasing. “They don’t feed me anything. It’s mom, remember? You try getting out of this house without having a meal big enough to feed a small village.” He taps his flat stomach with the palm of his hand. Even with the snug shirt hugging his chest, you can tell he’s built like the hockey player he is.
A woman walks up beside him, and he steps to the side to introduce her. “Elizabeth, this is my best friend Natalia. Natalia, this is Sloan’s friend Elizabeth.”
“Pleased to meet you.” I reach out to shake her hand, but she pulls me in for a hug instead.
“It’s nice to meet you too.” She releases her grip and turns to Nik. “I hate to interrupt, but your mom needs us.”
“We’ll catch you guys later,” Nik tells us as they head off toward the kitchen.
I watch them as they walk away, hand in hand. “They make a cute couple.”
Sloan shakes his head. “Everybody says the same thing, but they’re not a couple. They really are just friends.” I don’t know why I find it odd, and hard to believe. Obviously, men and women can be best friends and have a completely platonic relationship. I’ve never experienced one before, but I suppose it’s possible. I wonder if they’re ‘friends’ in the same way Sloan and I are ‘friends,’ but it would be inappropriate to ask that question, so I bite my tongue.
He introduces me to several other people, and I swear, it’s like a male model convention exploded in here. Every guy in this room, with or without a woman on his arm, is attractive. I guess four hot brothers would naturally have hot friends. I don’t think I’ve been in a room with this many gorgeous men before. Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. I have joined my brother on several baseball related events over the years. Until I saw Sloan in his Armani suit, I didn’t think you could get much better than a man in tight baseball pants.
I was wrong.
With all the testosterone-filled eye candy roaming about the room, none looks better than the one I came with. The casual look suits him well, and the carefree environment proves to be fun and relaxing for us both. His subtle touches here and there throughout the night keep me on edge and make my desire for him hard to conceal. He’s subtle and catches me off guard when I’m not expecting it. When no one is looking, his hand grazes my ass ever so slightly, and one time he slid his arm across my nipple, setting my body on fire. One more errant touch and I’ll force him to give me that tour of his old bedroom he promised, if for no other reason than giving me a chance to get my hands on him when no one is around.
Unfortunately, I don’t get the opportunity to invite myself up to his room. Between mingling with Sloan’s friends and family and toasting the happy couple, the evening has flown by. Even though the party has thinned the last hour, I’m still whisked off to the kitchen by Leanne, Nora, and Natalia to grab more bottles of wine. At least, that’s what they told Sloan when they snatched me away. Clearly, they have other things in mind. We’re barely into the kitchen before the inquisition begins.
Leanne asks the first question and thankfully it’s an easy one for me to answer. “So, Elizabeth, how did you and Sloan meet?”
“My brother plays for the Florida Thrillers and I’m his personal assistant. I met Sloan when I delivered some papers to his office.”
“Ooh, a brother. Did you hear that Natalia?”
Natalia rolls her eyes. “Leanne, don’t start. You know how busy I am right now. I don’t have time for a social life, much less a boyfriend. And I don’t need you to fix me up. I do fine on my own.” She smiles at Leanne and I can tell this is a discussion that’s been held many times before.
“Changing the subject, how long have you two been dating?” Natalia asks, and it takes me a second to realize she’s talking about me and Sloan.
“Oh, we’re not.” The women stand there, staring at me in silence. “Um, we’re not a couple, I mean.” Silence. No one speaks as I glance around at the eyes watching me. “We’re just friends.”
They all break out into smiles, looking at each other to confirm they’re all thinking the same thing—that I’m full of shit when I say we aren’t a couple. We’re not. Well, not exactly. I mean, sure we have sex and we like to hang out together when we can, but we specifically didn’t label it as dating. In fact, we did quite the opposite—specifically labeled this as not dating.
Friends only.
With benefits.
“Mmm hmm,” Sloan’s mom looks at me and smiles, ready to say something else, but thank God Sloan picks that exact moment to come into the kitchen looking for me. I know there were more questions coming and I couldn’t be happier for the reprieve. I have a feeling Leanne Wesley always gets her answers.
“You beautiful ladies look like you are up to no good,” he chuckles, giving his mom his own knowing look. He obviously knows her well. I guess he knew I’d need to be rescued.
Look at that. Guess he really is my knight in shining armor.
“If you don’t mind, I’m stealing Elizabeth away for a bit. I want to take her out and show her around the property before we leave. Maybe head over to the pond.”
“Of course, dear. You know where the keys are. Help yourself, but please come say goodbye before you leave. Don’t make me have to track you down.” She levels what I think is supposed to be an intimidating look in Sloan’s direction, but neither of them can hold the smiles at bay as he leans into her and kisses her on the cheek.
“Yes, mom.” He waves to Natalia and Nora and takes my hand, leading me out the kitchen door. I look back to say goodbye and three intrigued sets of
eyes watch us leave the kitchen, hand in hand. I smile and keep my mouth shut. There is no way in hell they believe Sloan and I are not a couple.
The worse part about it is, now that they’ve put the idea into my head and I’m thinking about it, I’m having a hard time believing it myself.
Chapter Thirteen
Sloan
The sun sits low in the sky when we make our way out the back door and past the pool to the gate leading to the back of the property. I click the garage door opener attached to the ATV keychain I snagged off the peg by the door when we were leaving the house, and the door rattles open. We hardly get to ride them anymore, but dad still insists on keeping them ready to go whenever we want. According to him, you never know when you might need fresh air and solitude.
Of course, he’s right. I spent plenty of hours out here over the few weeks it took Bridgett to move her stuff out of the apartment. There was no way in hell I wanted to keep living there with her in it, so I packed a bag full of clothes and moved in with my parents until she could get herself out. Any time I didn’t spend at the office was spent here on the pond and surrounding property. The fresh air and solitude helped me get perspective on the situation. And once she was out, I moved back home until the lease was up a few months later.
Now I’m coming out here for an entirely different reason. The pond is a special place to me. I’ve never brought anyone out here, aside from the few girls in high school when we couldn’t find a secluded place to make out. I can’t even remember bringing Bridgett out here with me. She didn’t ‘do’ nature.
The urge to share this piece of me with Lizzy is strong.
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