by S. M. West
The room is dark except for the milky moonlight cutting across the room. Pru’s body is a silhouette under the sheets. I quickly discard my clothes and crawl into bed, snuggling up behind her.
“You asleep?” My lips move against the silky softness of the skin just below her ear.
“Hmmm.” She squirms under the covers, rolling into me. “Yes.”
I chuckle, kissing her on the temple and wrapping my arms around her. Ever since she agreed to LA, I’d been dreaming about this, having her to myself for days. Three nights in a bed with her, holding her.
So far, stolen or nighttime moments are all we get, and even those times when we are together for hours at a time, for most of it, we are either working or Crystal is with us.
“You go back to sleep.” My mouth travels along the curve of her neck, stopping to breathe in the scent of her. “Sweet dreams.”
She snuggles closer to me, eyes closed and a sleepy, happy smile painting her lips. “Night, Eli,” she whispers drowsily.
“G’night, Pru.” I could get used to this. “I’m so happy you’re here with me.”
24
Pru
This marriage thing
The hypnotic sound of the ebb and flow of the waves, filtering through the open window, makes it next to impossible to get out of bed easily. I could lie here all day, listening to the call of the ocean.
Eli’s already up, and I force myself to get up and dress. I’m wearing the hummingbird earrings, and every time I look in the mirror, I smile. My birthday was one of the best. No one has ever thrown me a surprise party.
Apart from Harley, who’s always celebrated with me since we met, my birthdays come and go, nothing special. Until this year. Eli and Crystal took the time to make me feel loved and special.
With one last look in the mirror, I head downstairs. We have a busy day ahead of us with a lot of last-minute things to do for tomorrow, then the rehearsal and dinner. Daisy and Gray are getting married on the beach, just outside their doors, tomorrow afternoon.
As for when I can squeeze in a few hours for my own personal to-do list, I’m not sure if today or Sunday morning before we leave would work better to take a closer look.
Now that I’m here and so close to being in front of these men, I’m not so sure it’s a good idea. What difference does it make if I look at their pictures online or stare at them from afar? It isn’t like I’m going to speak to them, and even if I did, what would it change? Nothing.
The investigation team didn’t try to stop me from making the trip, but they also didn’t see the benefit. The one thing the team lead drilled into my head was to not make contact. As if I would. What would I say anyway?
“Hi, you don’t know me, but I might be your daughter. Remember the affair you had with Priscilla Edwards? Well, I’m Pru and I’m the result of your tryst. Surprise!”
Worse yet, what if my mother did tell my father she was pregnant, and it didn’t matter? He might have wanted nothing to do with her or me.
Maybe my mother’s silence about him isn’t so she can control everything like she always does, but about protecting me and even herself.
She may have loved him. He may have lied and promised her everything, only to turn his back on her once he found out. Who knows? Even now, my mother being in love sounds so strange to me. I’ve never seen her cry or lose control, let alone love anyone.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. She could have had her heart broken. Despite how difficult my relationship is with her, I don’t want to hurt her, and yet it doesn’t change my need to know.
Now, even with the progress Black Fox is making, I need to see them with my own eyes. The firm hasn’t ruled out any of the three men—at this point, they just aren’t a hundred percent sure.
During my conversation, though, it was clear I am not to make my presence known. If I were to draw attention to the investigation, it might jeopardize everything. And that answer I am so desperately seeking may be lost forever.
In cuffed, dark blue shorts, wedge sandals, and a flouncy white top, I pad down the stairs to find Eli and Gray in the kitchen cooking.
“Morning.” I lean into Eli and kiss his freshly shaven face.
His hair is slightly wet and mussed, and he smells like the sun and salt. In shorts, a T-shirt, and bare feet, he looks good enough to eat.
“‘Ring of Fire.’” My mouth brushes his ear, and he shivers as a smile draws across his face.
“Did you look that up?” He saunters to a cupboard, leaving me hungry for his heat, and pulls out a mug.
Mouth agape, I only hope my face shows my mock offense. “Are you suggesting I cheated?”
Gray looks on with keen interest, the stovetop no longer his sole focus, and Eli laughs, lunging for me and trying to tug me back into his side.
My hands press against his defined pec muscles, and I feign indignation when really I couldn’t care less. All I want is to be near him despite my feeble attempts to create some distance.
“No, not at all.” He places the mug on the counter and draws me closer, uncaring of our one-man audience. “It just isn’t something recent or widely known. And who did the original?”
I quirk a brow, and the corner of my mouth tips up. “Another test?”
“It isn’t a—”
My fingers press into the hard, hot flesh of his chest, getting his attention. “Anita Carter, Johnny Cash’s sister-in-law, recorded it first.”
Another glorious grin eclipses his already glowing, sun-kissed features. “You’re a smarty-pants and continue to amaze me.”
“Hey, just because you’re a rock star doesn’t mean you’re the only one who knows music.”
I shrug, unable to control my smugness and reveling in how my arbitrary interest in cover songs has come in handy, especially in impressing this wonderful, sexy musician.
“What are you guys going on about?” Gray’s now facing the stove and glances over his shoulder, clearly amused.
“Nothing.” Eli keeps his arm firmly around my waist. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Yes.” I nod and look toward Gray’s broad back, the curled ends of his strawberry-blond hair brushing the collar of his T-shirt. Dark ink swirls and curls down and around his arms. “Your home is lovely, and with the ocean just outside, it was so easy to fall asleep. It’s wonderful.”
Eli moves us and positions me on a stool around the breakfast bar and releases me, to resume the task I interrupted.
“We like it. A lot.” Gray bobs his head, attention fixed on the food.
The hiss and pop of the griddle combined with the smoky aroma makes my stomach growl, and both men chuckle.
“Good. It sounds like you brought your appetite.” Gray peers over his shoulder and then grabs a bowl of pancake batter on the counter. “We’ve got bacon and eggs, pancakes. Toast.” He points the spatula to where Eli is manning the toaster. “If you want something lighter, less greasy, we have fruit and yogurt, or cereal.”
“I never say no to bacon. It sounds delicious.” I sip my coffee. “Where are Daisy, Henry, and Crystal?”
“They’re on the beach. We were surfing this morning while Daisy swam with the kids. Now they’re making sandcastles.”
“Surfing, cool. I’ve never been.” I glance to the opening to the right of me that leads to a large eating area and living room with glass covering the entire wall.
Like an eye-catching work of art, the Pacific Ocean lies beyond, and I could stare out at it all day. It’s so beautiful. Equal parts chaos and order.
“I could take you out. You game?” Eli props a hip against the counter and every move of his wide shoulders and muscled arms captures my gaze.
Lips suddenly dry, my tongue darts out to lick at them, and Eli’s intense coffee-colored eyes further liquefy. I can guess at what he’s thinking with the dark glint in his eye, never veering from my mouth.
I want to kiss him too. More than kiss him. I wish we could be alone so I could explore every
inch of his defined body. I never tire of that, of him.
A thunder of feet, peals of laughter, and boisterous voices snap the electric connection coursing between us. Our gazes drift toward Daisy and the kids, wet and sand-covered, entering the kitchen.
I jump up to help and take Crystal to wash off and change. Breakfast is anarchic and wonderfully filling on so many levels. The group of us pile around the large round table, and the conversation is free-flowing and easy.
We laugh, eat, and I thoroughly enjoy myself. Any of my misgivings about the trip or fears of intruding are forgotten.
After we clean up, the guys take the kids out for more of the beach and surfing while I spend the day with Daisy, Pansy, and Eva.
For the wedding, everything is pretty much done, so as maid of honor and sister to the bride, Pansy’s planned a day of pampering and relaxation for us. We have lunch, followed by manicures and pedicures at an upscale spa.
During our meal, the ladies ask more questions than I’d like about my life in New York, my job, and working on the movie set. It’s out of curiosity and genuine interest in the woman Eli’s invited into his family circle.
And despite hating the attention, I find myself sharing things about my life with relatively little discomfort. This small group of women are easy to talk to, and you’d never guess they’re married to or living with famous men.
Once Eva discovers I speak Spanish fluently, we carry on a conversation in the language about my visits to Spain and our mutual love for the country, wine, and cuisine. It reminds me of the COO position for the Madrid start-up and how well my interviews have gone. They’ve reached out for another interview and I’m awaiting further details.
Madrid. What if I got the job? I haven’t allowed myself to really think about it, what it would mean if I moved to Europe. I mean, it’s obvious. Eli and I would be over.
And as for the other positions I’ve applied for, I’m still waiting to hear from the company in Shanghai and whether I will move on in the hiring process for the United Nations.
I can’t think about that right now. Eli and I are having fun, and I’m happy to be here with him and meeting his friends. My future, and all that comes with it, can wait.
While lounging in oversized massage chairs, full of food and champagne, we get our nails done, and the conversation switches to tonight’s rehearsal dinner.
“What should I wear?” The question has plagued me since we arrived, and I’ve been waiting for the right moment to ask.
I overpacked, but Eli was of no use in helping me with what to bring. All he kept saying was the wedding is casual and low-key. Not helpful. I need specifics, and to be safe, I brought multiple outfits to have options.
“Oh, it’s on the beach. Shorts or a sundress are fine. You can even come in a bathing suit, really. Wear whatever you want.” Daisy glows, looking relaxed and so very happy.
“You’re as helpful as Eli.” My sarcasm rips from my mouth, and at first, I falter, forgetting these women don’t know me that well. I don’t want them to take it the wrong way.
Pansy is the first to react, snorting, and the others join in with laughter, quickly easing the inkling of tension in my body. I laugh too, shaking my head and still in awe about how wrong I was to doubt coming with Eli to Los Angeles.
None of my fears have come true. I’m comfortable with all his friends, and it’s as if they’re mine too, and I’ve known them forever.
“Seriously, it’s casual. I’m wearing a sundress tonight and a different one tomorrow. And we’re all going barefoot.” Eva smiles, placing a warm, comforting hand on my arm. “It’s the beach.”
“Okay. I know what I’ll wear then.” I stare down at the beachy pink polish kissing my toes and am loving the idea of no shoes. “You make this look so easy.”
My gaze locks with Daisy, and she slants her head to one side to get a better look at me. “What do you mean?”
“This marriage thing. It’s hard to believe you have a wedding to pull off tomorrow. You’re so relaxed, and it sounds like everything is ready.”
Pansy nods. “It’s true. Daisy’s a pro at making events look easy, and I suppose it could come from all her years working as a model. One show after another. I’ve already asked her to help me with my wedding.”
“When are you getting married?” My eyes drop to her ring finger and sure enough, a huge princess cut diamond engagement ring winks back at me.
“Later this year. Silas wanted to get married a while ago, but I’m in school, getting my marine biology degree, and wanted to wait.” She rubs at her belly and smiles. “But this little one kind of changed a few things.”
“When are you due?”
“Just before Christmas.”
“And we can’t wait.” Daisy beams at her sister before turning to me. “And who knows, you and Eli could be next.” Her sing-song tease sends a shudder through me. “Pansy, she may even get hitched before you since you’re taking your sweet time.”
My throat clogs, and my declaration of how much I’m against marriage sticks in my windpipe like a stone blocking all air. I’m unable to utter a word and it’s just as well.
This isn’t the time nor the place, and neither sister notices me anyway, as they volley about Pansy and her plans. She’d be married to Silas if she wasn’t intent on getting her degree first, and now with their first child on the way, it only proves how much making plans is a joke.
Life happens.
As comfortable as I am with these women, they are Eli’s friends, and they don’t need to hear how I have no intention of ever getting married. And most importantly, there’s a wedding tomorrow, so my objection would only dampen the mood.
I force air back into my lungs and sense Eva’s sage, warm eyes on me. My stomach twists.
Given the concern in her gaze, it seems I needn’t express my true feelings. It’s as if she’s read my mind, and her lips turn down into a frown.
25
Pru
Ready to combust
The rehearsal and dinner are on the beach, and everyone pulls off their parts without a hitch. Pansy and Sasha, Daisy’s best friend and another ex-model, run the show, and while not my strength, I make sure to keep Crystal and Henry busy.
After, we dine on the beach like we will tomorrow night although the fare is much simpler finger food. The grill is loaded with burgers and hot dogs and is manned by someone from the catering company. On the table, there are several kinds of salads, a boat load of fries, and beer, wine, and champagne flow freely.
At close to midnight, Silas, Pansy, and Daisy leave, giving the cue to the rest of us to turn in for the night. Despite Gray’s complaint, his bride insists on holding up the old tradition of not seeing each other tomorrow until their wedding ceremony.
Once Jared, Eva, and Sasha leave, the five of us head into the house to sleep. The men are loaded down, arms full of sleepy kids. While Eli puts his daughter to bed, I struggle to keep my eyes open when just outside the window, the gentle to and fro of the waves beckons for me to sleep.
Like the night before, I sense him, his heat and scent, warm and masculine and too divine, before he slides in behind me. His full lips find the crook of my neck, and his arms slide around my middle.
It’s the tenderest kiss ever. His tongue grazes, featherlight, along the valley of my collarbone, tracing the column of my throat up to my jaw.
I squirm and my thighs clench, rubbing together at the intense coiling in my core. I feel like a stack of wood piled high, an unlit bonfire, and Eli’s ministrations pour the gasoline and drop the match.
Poof. Red and orange flames flare. Wood sizzles and hisses. His mouth captures mine, and now I’m hot, ready to combust.
I could get used to this far too easily. Sleeping with Eli, having him anytime, and a small part of me freezes. This is a dangerous thing, craving and needing Eli like I do.
We aren’t meant to be anything serious, but in this moment, it doesn’t feel like that. We meld together
like one, neither able nor willing to exist without the other.
I snuff out the nagging voice in my head, losing myself to how his body curves around me, the weight of him wickedly delicious, as he deepens the kiss. I grab at the back of his neck, nails scraping through his hair, and his growl rushes down my throat.
A hand grips at my hip, urging me to turn so I’m flat on my back. All of him on me, the full hard length of him grinding into my stomach.
His breath catches when my hand slips inside the waist of his shorts, fingers teasing the band of his boxers. He pulls back, ripping our lips apart, and a bereft groan sails past my open, downturned lips.
Eli places his forehead to mine and stares me in the eyes, his almost midnight black and burning with desire.
“You in my bed, next to me every night is what I want.”
I swallow hard, not sure how to respond. It’s as if he’s inside my head but also way off base from what we agreed to. Not wanting to ruin this moment, only needing him inside me, my head lifts and teeth latch onto his lower lip.
“Eli, fuck me,” I mumble against his lips, my hand gripping him through the fabric, and he draws in a jagged breath.
He nuzzles his face into my chest, and through the thin cotton of my nightshirt, he takes one of my breasts into his hot mouth. My head arches, pushing into the pillow, as his tongue swirls around the peak.
Each suck and pull sends a jolt of pleasure straight to my sex, and when he drags
my nipple through his teeth, I squirm, releasing his name like both a plea and a curse.
“I got you, sweetheart.” His warm breath tickles my chest, and his final word causes a riot of emotions within me.
I’m not one for terms of endearment, but there’s no denying I like it far too much. And all my silly notions of why those kinds of words are juvenile and overused sail right out of my head.
My mind spins with only one thought, Eli, and I lose myself to him and how he owns me, bringing me to climax.