That is the bottom line to all my issues. When I care about someone, they’re gone. If I fall in love with him and lose him, I don’t know if I’ll endure.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.”
“So, was tonight better than the first time? Or do I need to go again to be sure?” His brow raises, and I smack his chest.
“Yes, Eli, your performance was stellar.”
“Medal worthy?”
I push onto my elbow, but he pulls me back down. “You’re such a guy.”
“I damn well better be. I’m pretty confident I just proved it as well. How many orgasms was that? Two?”
Three, but I’m not telling him that. His ego is already inflated. “You should know if you were gifting them out.”
“I’m like fucking Santa Claus, only I come every night with your presents.”
I burst out laughing and roll off his chest. He shifts so he’s braced over me and gives me a brilliant smile.
“You’re really lucky you’re so hot. If you keep saying shit like that, no woman is going to stick around.”
Eli’s emerald eyes pierce mine. “There’s only one woman I’m worried about right now.”
I smile, wrap my arms around his neck, and pull him in for a kiss. “Good answer.”
His stomach growls even louder than the first time. He pulls back with a different need in his eyes. “On second thought . . . what kind of food do you have?”
“How do you feel about junk food?” I ask.
I throw on Eli’s T-shirt and hop out of bed. I’m a closet junk food freak. There’s something about cookies that I can’t quit no matter how many hours I have to spend at the gym to burn off the calories. We make our way into the kitchen, grab a few things, and plop on the couch.
“No judging.” I point at him. “I like food.”
His hands rise. “None here.”
I take the first Double Stuffed Oreo out and twist the cookie apart. The obvious thing would be to lick the icing before eating the cookie part, however, that isn’t how I roll. Instead, I grab one of the Chips Ahoy cookies and place it between the two halves, making an Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookie sandwich. I like chocolate chip cookies, and I love the icing from Oreos—so, this is my perfect cookie.
Eli watches as I take a bite, a moan filling the silence. Heaven in my mouth.
“Did you just orgasm?” he asks with a throaty chuckle.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I scarf down two more cookies that way without feeling self-conscious at all. Eli doesn’t make me feel guilty or as if I shouldn’t be eating these things. Matt would always remind me that I wasn’t in college anymore and my figure wouldn’t remain. Just another vast difference in them.
“Your sister looked good,” Eli says before he pops a chip in his mouth.
I nod. “Today was a good day, yesterday wasn’t.”
“Does she have more good than bad?”
I sigh and drop the Frankensteined Oreo I’m making. I wish I could tell him that she did, but the last few months have definitely been weighted toward bad. “Huntington’s doesn’t usually get better. It gets progressively worse. Because Steph was so young when she presented, we were told the decline would most likely be like falling off a cliff.”
Eli takes my hand in his, probably hearing the pain in my voice. “What does that mean?”
“That once she starts to go downhill, it’ll be very hard and fast. There won’t be weeks and months of her suffering, though. That’s the one thing she says is her silver lining. I don’t know if it’s better or worse that way. I’ve had a few years with her symptoms being pretty mild, but I can’t say watching her struggle isn’t the worst part. I don’t know how I’ve survived so far. When my parents died, we didn’t have a warning. There was no time to worry. With Stephanie it’s the opposite, I’m literally watching her life slip away. I’ve been doing it with no one to help me keep it together.”
His fingers go limp and he pulls his hand up, rubbing it with the other. “I wish I could say something to make this easier for you.”
I shrug even though nothing we’re talking about feels casual. “Tell me you’re not going to leave me, Eli. Because I can’t let myself keep falling for you if this is only going to end with you walking out the door.”
“Come here,” he says as he opens his arms. I don’t waver, I move into his embrace, allowing him to hold me firm. “I’m not going to leave you.”
Being vulnerable is a scary thing. It’s hard to give anyone, let alone Eli, unfettered access to my biggest fear. I’ve been alone for a long time, and I’ve learned to handle it. This, though? I have no idea how to handle. Having a taste of Eli’s affection is enough to make me an addict. The more time we spend together, the more I crave him.
“You’re leaving soon.”
It’s the elephant in the room. We can pretend all we want that Eli isn’t who he is, but there is a reality we need to face. He has to go back to New York in less than two weeks. Our time is fading before my eyes as well. I know it’s his job, I would never ask him to stay, but I’ll be without him. Three weeks ago, I could’ve said goodbye and walked away, but when my heart entangled with his, it complicated things. Why can’t I fall for a normal guy? Why do I pick the one man who literally lives every single one of my insecurities? Because I’m dumb, that’s why.
Eli’s arm tightens. “That part sucks, but it won’t be that long. We take breaks during filming, I can come here or you can come spend time in New York. I meant what I said, Heather, we’ll make this work.”
“I have work, too. And Steph.”
“I know, I’m not asking you to give up anything, just make room for me.”
When he says it like that, it seems so simple.
Chapter Seventeen
Eli
“Nicole, Kristin, and Denise?” I ask, trying to get the names right. Heather’s best friends are her family, and I’d like not to look like a total douche in front of them.
“Danielle, or Danni for short. That’s whose house this is.” She corrects as she parks in front of a house in West Chase. It’s a modest two-story house on a cul-de-sac, complete with a picket fence and all.
I’m adaptable, but my life hasn’t ever been normal. I’m not sure what the hell I was thinking agreeing to this.
Heather watches me, and then I remember why—her. She wanted me here to meet her friends, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. “Are you okay?” she asks.
“It’s going to be great, baby. Do they know I’m coming?”
I should’ve asked this earlier.
“Umm, well, I kind of didn’t say anything.”
I’m not sure if this is because she didn’t think we’d make it to the weekend or because she didn’t want her friends to freak. Well, here goes nothing.
I take her small hand in mine and smile. “Let’s go surprise them.”
Her one friend, I remember. Nothing specific, but she was who came back stage and urged Heather to come with me, I make a mental note to thank her.
There are a few guys standing over by the front of the yard, pointing at something on the ground, and the smell of food cooking on a grill fills the air. I’m in suburbia and completely out of my element.
We exit the car and the two guys who were shooting the shit stop and look. “Heather,” guy number one calls her name.
“Hi, Peter.” She smiles and waves.
They both head over and Peter extends his hand. “Hi, I’m Peter Bergen.”
“Eli Walsh,” I say, shaking his hand.
I watch as recognition sinks in. “Right, of course.” He looks at the other guy. “Eli, this is Scott McGee.”
We shake, and Scott stares me down. What the fuck is wrong with him? “Nice to meet you both.” I try to keep my instant dislike to myself.
I wrap my arm around Heather, pulling her into my side. I don’t like these guys, well, the one at least.
“Same here. Th
e girls are around back,” Peter says to her.
“Thanks.” She smiles, but it isn’t a real one. It seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t care for these dickheads.
“What’s their issue?” I ask once we’re out of earshot.
She laughs. “Nicole and I hate them. Scott is the worst, but Kristin just makes excuses for him. Peter isn’t that bad, he’s just a sheep and follows what the first idiot says.”
We make our way around the back of the house, and I take it all in. Kids run around in all directions, spraying each other with water guns. The women all have their backs to us, laughing and arranging the food table. It’s exactly like the parties my mom threw when Randy and I were kids.
“Heather!” one of her friends yells and then drops the bowl she was holding. “Holy fuck!”
Heather steps forward, pulling me with her. “Danni, this is Eli, I hope it’s okay that I brought a date?”
I flash one of my million dollar smiles and move toward her. Her eyes haven’t moved from my face, and I’m pretty sure she’s shaking. “Thanks for having me. Heather said you have the best party of the summer.”
“I-I-I,” she stammers. “You’re . . . you . . . in my . . . Eli.”
Heather laughs and nudges Danielle. “I wanted you guys to meet him officially.”
The girl I remember comes walking straight up to me. “I’m Nicole, we met briefly, you may not remember because you were kind of busy trying to get in my best friend’s pants, which you did. Good job on that.”
“Thanks.” I laugh. “And I remember you from climbing the fence.”
She huffs and gives Heather a dirty look. “Yeah, she’s an asshole for that, but it seems you found your way over it as well. Don’t fuck it up, and I won’t have to blow your nuts off.”
“Nicole!” Heather screams and turns to me. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve warned you about her. We think she has a mental disorder that affects her ability to think before she speaks.”
I burst out laughing. “I like her.”
“Oh, God.” Heather covers her face. “Don’t feed the animals, Eli, they bite.”
I say hello to her other friend, who I assume is Kristin since she stands there like a statue without saying a word. Her gaze moves from Heather to me and then back again. I’ve never understood the awe of famous people. We’re normal and have the same issues that everyone else does. The only difference is that I travel, have no friends, and I deal with other famous assholes. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Heather and two of the girls head inside to get some food together and probably talk about me. Nicole laughs when they ask if she’s going to help, and instead, sits beside me with a beer in each hand. “You’re going to need this.” She hands me one of the bottles.
“Thanks.”
“I want you to know that Heather is special.”
I guess since there’s no father or brother in the picture, I’m going to get the speech from her best friend.
“I agree.”
She takes a swig and nods. “I think you’re good for her. I’ve known her my whole life, and there’s something different about her since you came around.”
“Aren’t you breaking some kind of girl code?” I ask.
I’m not sure how these things work with chicks, but if I’m basing it off my experience with Savannah, they’re all deranged. She and her friends talk in some alternate language that Randy and I tried to decode once. In the end, we gave up and decided being on the inside wasn’t worth it. However, I know she’s talked about never breaking the code. Whatever the fuck that means.
“She knows me too well. I don’t have a code.”
“Good to know.” I laugh as I take a pull from my beer.
“I heard about what you did for her sister.”
I know this is a test. What I say now will determine if Nicole helps or hurts me. So far, I think she’s been pro-Eli, but that can change. I’m not a fool.
“What’s important to Heather should be important to who she dates, don’t you think?”
She smiles and then catches herself. “Not all men feel that way. Some think they should be most important. I’m sure in your world it’s that way a lot?”
There are days when I wish people could see the shit I go through. It may look all wonderful on the outside, but it isn’t when you live it. I get hounded by the press, followed by the paparazzi, and forget having any kind of privacy. The only reason I have an ounce of it with Heather is because I’m here. Tampa is where I can be low key. But if Heather and I went to dinner in public, you can bet your ass I’ll have photos taken, which will bring the headlines, questions, assumptions, and everything else. I don’t think that was her point, though. I have a feeling it’s about the loser she married before me.
I weigh my words carefully. “It can be, but not where the people I care about are concerned. Sure, the people who want something from me treat me differently, but if you met my brother or his wife, you’d know that’s not the case. I’m fully aware of Heather’s situation and only a selfish piece of shit would put her in a position to choose.”
Nicole looks off at the kids running around and then back to me. “I’m protective of her.”
“I’m glad.”
“I won’t let you hurt her,” she warns.
“I don’t ever want to hurt her.”
Quite the contrary, actually. I want to be her protector, her sense of comfort, and the one who she can rely on. It’s a primal desire to take care of her. I just don’t know if she’ll let me.
“Wanting and doing are two different things and people tend to protect themselves over another.”
Her words strike me deep in my heart. Is that what I’m doing? Knowingly keeping things from her to protect myself? To be able to have whatever I can have with her at her expense? I hate myself in this very moment.
Chapter Eighteen
Heather
“There you are,” I smile when I find Eli still sitting with Nicole in the backyard. His eyes are filled with sorrow when they meet mine. “Eli?”
With a blink, the sadness is gone. “Hey.”
“What’s wrong?” I ask quickly and glare at Nicole. I’ll kill her if she said something stupid.
“Don’t look at me.” She waves her hand. “I was warning Eli of all the ways I’ll make his life miserable if he hurts you.”
Seriously, I wonder if I can have her committed. I know she’s being a friend, but Jesus, she’s a pain in the ass. “Could you not scare him off so soon?” I ask.
Eli pulls me to his side. “I’m good. It takes a lot to scare me off. Besides, I’m pretty sure Nicole would like to meet a certain member of the band, right?” He kisses my shoulder, and I chuckle.
In one of our recent conversations, I told him the stories of Kristin’s tickets, Danielle licking the poster, and Nicole’s obsession with his brother. He called his publicist right away and got something special for each of the girls. I laughed hysterically when he told me they took a photo of Shaun licking his own poster for Danielle. I’m sure her dumbass husband is going to be thrilled.
“Shut up!” Nicole yells. “I can’t believe you told him!”
I shrug.
She turns her gaze back to Eli and huffs. “I know he’s married and all, but seriously, your brother has always been my favorite.”
Eli and Nicole are sitting on the table portion of the picnic table, and he pulls me so I’m sitting between his legs. I rest my hand on his thigh as they talk about how his sister-in-law would laugh so hard she’d pee herself hearing people talk about Randy. He tried to tell Nicole that he isn’t all that special, but she’s a dog with a bone, and there’s no changing her mind.
Nicole heads inside for another drink and then the guys come over, striking up a conversation with Eli. I sit, bored and then I encourage him to go look at whatever the hell they’re talking about. The three guys walk away, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face. He looks so domestic right now, and it’s
adorable.
“Look what I got,” Nicole calls me over by holding the sangria she’s famous for.
“You’re the best.”
I take the glass, and we both take a seat away from everyone. “I think he really likes you, babe,” Nicole says as she watches me watch Eli.
“Yeah?”
She smiles. “He’s a good guy. Keep your heart open to him. I know you guys have a ton of obstacles, but he passes the best friend test.”
I think Nicole forgets we’re almost forty, and I don’t need her approval. Still, I’m glad I have it. She tends to see through people’s bullshit easier than anyone else. She also would never say it if she didn’t mean it.
“I love you.” I pull her close.
“I love you even though I’m jealous you’re sleeping with a God each night.”
“What about your threesome?”
She scoffs. “I’m over those two, I think they wanted to fuck each other more than they wanted to fuck me, and if I’m taking two men to bed, I better be the center of the world. I have my eye on someone else.”
My jaw falls slack, even though I’m not sure why. This is Nicole. She’s always been this way, and I’d be worried if she weren’t. “I can only imagine what the hell you’re up to now.”
Danielle comes over and touches my shoulder. “I can’t believe you kept this from us.”
I wanted to keep Eli to myself for as long as possible. Plus, I don’t talk to them as much as I talk to Nicole. They’re in marriages that are hanging on by a thread, and their advice is always so off base.
“Oh, please,” Nic pipes up. “Wouldn’t you want to keep that a secret? Look at him, he’s Eli Walsh. If I had him in my bed, he’d never leave, maybe bathroom breaks, but then back to the good stuff.” She winks at me and grins.
“Well, cat’s out of the bag now, tell us every glorious detail,” Kristin says through a giggle.
We sit like we’re kids again, gossiping about our first kiss, and I divulge my last few weeks with Eli.
We Own Tonight Page 16