by Amy Gregory
Honor looked at Eli, then back out her window, then back again at Eli.
The man grinned shamelessly, even though his eyes didn’t leave the road.
His smiled grew when he slowed at a driveway, not much further down the road, which was lined with maples on both sides. He turned even though it was marked private.
“Where are we going?” she spit out before her manners kicked in, and she controlled herself. “That was rude, I’m sorry. Where are we going, do you mind my asking?” She asked, trying to sound less frantic.
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
Eli winked. “Yes, I mind you asking. It’s a surprise.”
She raised a brow at his impish grin. The man had the audacity to wink a second time, and then look behind her at her son in the backseat like Dallas was in on some kind of private joke.
“Excuse me?”
His hand that had been resting on the console between them moved toward her. He squeezed her wrist then left his palm lightly resting on top of her hand, his thumb gently sweeping back and forth against her skin.
Honor’s insides felt like a bag of that old-fashioned popping candy. Crunching and popping until she thought she would burst. Oh, she was ready for the privacy of her hotel room all right. She needed desperately to get a handle on what was turning out to be a crazy, disappear-down-the- rabbit-hole, situation. For days, she’d told herself she’d imagined Eli’s interest in her, that it had been her reading way more into the moments than what it really was.
Space. If she could put a little space between them…Her previous thought was replaced by… What the hell?
They were now parked in front of and staring open-mouthed at the largest home she’d ever seen in person.
“Where are we?” Honor’s view tilted under the sun shade to get a better look through Eli’s windshield.
Oh…holy…hell.
“Is that…is…do the Noland’s live…here?” The last word came out on a whisper of disbelief. Honor took it all in. She shook her head and tore her attention away to stare blankly at the man beside her, his words not registering.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
He grinned and escaped out his door without answering. She alternated her line of sight between watching him walk around the front of the vehicle toward her door and the home behind him.
Opening the door for her, he leaned in close enough so that woodsy-scent of his once again encircled her. Then he turned his attention to the back seat. “Come on, buddy. They’re all anxious to meet you.”
Dallas looked to her with a nervous smile, seemingly waiting for her approval, support, something. He could be as introverted and shy as she could, especially when they were walking into something this completely foreign.
Shit.
“You’re serious, Eli?” She asked, half under her breath.
The question was left unanswered as one of the two big wooden French doors opened and two little children came scrambling down the impressive stone stairway.
“Uncle E, Uncle E, you’re finally back.”
The little pixie’s voice brought a smile to Honor’s mouth. When she launched herself into Eli’s outstretched arms, giggling with total confidence of being caught, Honor melted. The sun-bleached blonde curls hung down her back, much like Honor’s auburn ones, except the little darling had her sides pinned up with large, white bows.
She tried to look behind her uncle, not able to see through the tinted window of the still-closed back passenger door. “Is he here, Uncle E? Is he here? Did you bring him?”
Honor couldn’t help but smile. They were excited to meet her son. She watched Eli rough up the little boy’s hair who was standing silently by his leg. The small boy’s eyes darted between hers and his uncle’s several times. Eli tickled the little girl’s neck and set her back down.
“Yep, he’s here. Come on, Dallas. I’ve got some people who are dying to meet you.”
Honor and Dallas both slowly exited the safety of the SUV. Within seconds, the little vixen in bows pulled Dallas from his mother’s side and halfway up the front walk. The little boy, three steps behind, walked with a much older man’s cocky gait.
Honor watched her son start to disappear through the open door with a backward glance in her direction. She gave a slight wave and a reassuring smile, letting him know she was right behind him.
“Your niece and nephew are really adorable.”
Eli beamed. “Ah, thanks. In case you couldn’t tell, they’re actually twins. Alexandra and Jackson. Alex and Jack for short. They’re Molly and Carter’s.”
“Oh. So…?” She tilted her head, not wanting to be rude by finishing her question.
“No, not by blood, but by heart and soul—they’re mine,” he said, his voice firm and very proud.
The man was working his way into her heart. The way he treated her son was one way in, but the fact that he adored the two little ones, definitely earned him some brownie points.
He held out his hand for her. “Shall we?”
Maybe it was the nerves from the day, the stress of saying goodbye to Mac, the second glass of wine she wasn’t used to that Karen Noland placed in her hand, or the exhaustion of the late evening that hit her, but Honor hadn’t let it sink in, that once they pulled away from the Noland’s home, Eli was not driving back into town. It wasn’t even until his garage door shut and he got out, walked around and pulled her out of the car that she suddenly realized they were certainly not at a hotel.
“Is this your—”
“My house?” He interrupted. “Yes.”
Always a gentleman, he helped her out of the car, shut her door and walked to the back of the vehicle to retrieve their bags as if it was no big deal, and that they were apparently staying with him.
“But I thought—”
Again, he cut her off. “I know.” He said with a wink.
Those damn winks. What in the hell was the man thinking? “Eli Hunter.”
Her mom voice must have amused him. He glanced from behind the SUV and flashed her a wide shit-eating grin.
If she weren’t so tired, she would’ve knocked his head off. She didn’t like feeling conned and at the moment she definitely was feeling played. Sure, an outsider could point the finger at her. She hadn’t questioned him when he said their accommodations were taken care of. In retrospect, Honor could kick her own ass. She never gave it a second thought. The mistake was quite humbling for someone who considered herself wise to the world.
Honor leveled him with her patented mom glare, to which the devil incarnate wiggled his eyebrows.
Shit.
They were going to have to get a few things straight. In the morning. Right now if the man offered her the couch, she’d take it. If he handed her a blanket, she might even be inclined to say thank you.
With both of his hands full, he nodded for her to follow him. She came up short when she walked into the kitchen. It was truly magazine-worthy and any discerning chef’s mouth would water over it. Honor had been cleaning houses for eleven years, but nothing she’d seen came close to this lavishness. Well, perhaps one home could. The one they’d just left looked even grander than Eli’s. But she had to admit, his was beautiful. Now, even though it was dark outside, she wished she’d paid closer attention to the outside of the home.
The chrome, granite, and stainless steel shined. Marble columns matched the fireplace on the opposite wall of the family room. The step-down was the only divider marking the two in the wide-open space. Cushy, soft, brown leather couches welcomed her when she entered the room. The heavy dining furniture finished the rustic appeal. His decorating was definitely marked with a man’s touch. But picture frames covered most surfaces, and everything was spotless. Even the oak cabinets gleamed.
Honor set her purse down on the counter, running her palm over the chilled, speckled granite, appreciating it like some women would a fine silk.
She looked up at Eli, speechless. He hadn’t acted out of
place in her meager home. Looking back, she recalled how she had noticed the cashmere sweater immediately, but dismissed it as clothing. She never assumed he was loaded. He acted so down to earth and easygoing, she actually hadn’t given it another thought.
With pieces slipping into place before her eyes, it made sense. Of course, he was well-off. He’d been at the top of his game before he was injured. Add to that, their school was rated number one—internationally.
Yet, here she stood, in his kitchen.
For the first time in a very long time, she felt completely out of place.
Shy, vulnerable, and so out of her element, she closed her eyes to Eli’s smile. She didn’t belong here. Even if it was a short stay, it just reminded her of what she couldn’t afford to give her son. What she’d never be able to offer him that others could. What other kids had that her son didn’t.
She didn’t know he was near her until she felt his palm slide across her cheek to cradle her head in his hand. The breath she pulled in was automatic at his touch, and it pissed her off that her body betrayed her so audibly. It gave him an advantage she didn’t want him to have. She left her eyes closed, not able to bring herself to make that intimate connection.
Honor worked her ass off to give Dallas everything she could. Even more so these last two years. Not once had she ever felt embarrassed, until now.
For the first time in her life, she was humiliated.
It wasn’t Eli’s fault, and she knew that. The man had done nothing but offer her son things she couldn’t. But it still hurt.
“What’s wrong?” he whispered the question.
She could feel he was close enough and crouched down so that his breath hovered near her lips. He leaned in closer, and she felt his forehead lean against hers. With his hand behind her head, he held her to him. No escaping.
“Nothing.” She whispered the lie back in return.
“Something’s bothering you, sweetheart. Don’t lie to me. Tell me so I can fix it.”
She mustered up the courage to open her eyes, his hazel ones close enough she could see the golden specks, the dark hunter green ring on the outside. She could see the concern in them.
“Don’t you see, Eli? That’s just it. You can’t.”
****
But he could fix it.
He could fix everything—if she let him.
His heart broke for her. The pain that she was trying desperately to mask was evident in her eyes and she tried to hide from him.
Molly’s comments and fears came rushing back to him. Glad that he had pointed Dallas down the stairs to the finished basement where his spare rooms were, he took the quiet moment to hold her. When she didn’t pull away, he gambled and closed the distance between them. He tucked her head to his chest and took a deep breath.
Eli had no intentions of making Honor feel anything but pampered. He was so excited about taking care of her for the time she was staying with him, and longer, that he never once gave a thought about how overwhelming it might be for her. How the pride that Molly had been afraid would get in the way, would actually stop her from accepting what he was offering. Or, at the very least, it would make her feel guilty about it.
He rubbed her back with one hand, keeping her close to him, the other still cradled her face. A lone tear escaped, and he felt it run along his thumb, still resting against her cheek. Eli swallowed hard and rested his cheek on her head. Fumbling around, he tried to come up with the right words to explain his feelings, but he kept coming up short. He wanted to sit down, have her cuddle up to him and talk, tell him what was going through her mind. Fear stopped him. Not that he was afraid of what she’d say, but fear that she would retreat to the safety of the bedroom he’d made warm and cozy for her.
Instead, he held her tighter.
He felt her take a fortifying breath, steeling herself. When she straightened, he loosened his hold but didn’t let go.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her words quick and embarrassed, swiping at the moisture on her cheek.
He could tell she was ready to hide, to escape the closeness he wanted to offer her.
“Don’t ever be sorry, Honor. Please.”
The corner of her mouth turned up. It was an honest try, but the smile didn’t come.
“Can I get you anything?”
It was a courtesy offer, but he had meant it as more. He really did want to fix whatever made her sad. She didn’t seem the type to cry over anything minor, or to become emotional at the drop of a hat. Something major had upset her, something that had to do with him, and that sent a jagged pain through his chest.
“I need to check on Dallas, please?”
“Sure, anything you want. Let me show you to your room and put your bags in there then I’ll take you downstairs. I have it setup for any of the kids who end up needing to bunk here.” Eli smiled. “I’ve got it pretty well stocked with every motocross magazine subscription, a couple of different game systems, and a pool table. So, he should be happy down there.”
The sweet smile danced across her face, finding joy in her son’s happiness.
“I’m sure he’ll be in heaven, thank you.”
Once again, he held her bags and nodded for her to follow him. Now, instead of hoping she’d be thrilled about the effort he’d gone to for her, he was scared he’d done too much, tried too hard. Walking into the room across from his, he flipped on the light switch with his elbow and turned, afraid of her reaction. He set her bags by the armoire and waited.
Her violet eyes took in everything around her. He watched as she slowly walked to the dresser where he had placed the lilacs. Running a gentle finger over the purple petals, she bent to smell the sweet fragrance and turned to him.
“You did this…for…me?”
The question was so quiet, so unsure, that Eli just stared. Of course, they were for her. She almost acted as if she were more than surprised at the gesture it was as if she’d never received a simple token like flowers before.
Oh, the things he could give her. The things he wanted to do for her. Give her things she probably had never been given. The need swelled in him. The desire for her and to take care of her came rushing over him like a wave.
The smile came easily to his mouth. He hoped she could feel his restraint. He gripped on to his control tightly, hanging on with his entire being. The need to step in and shower her in affection bubbled up inside him.
The need to kiss her was driving him mad.
Patience.
“Yes, sweetheart.” He was afraid to say more, afraid to lay his feelings out so early in the game. He knew he’d scare the shit out of her if he revealed his soul tonight. Then she’d probably have him committed. It was crazy. He was crazy to fall so fast for a woman that he’d spent barely any time with, a woman he had never even kissed. It didn’t matter. She was the woman he knew, without a doubt, was the missing piece of him, his other half.
Her eyes lowered, almost as if she were ashamed to enjoy the gift and turned to feel the fragile flowers again.
“Thank you, Eli.” She said shyly, her fingertips still gracefully brushing against the small petals.
“You’re very welcome. Do you want to go check on Dallas now?” He made a conscious effort to lighten his voice and bring them back to a subject he felt she could safely handle.
Her son.
A lightness came over her face at the boy’s name, as if she recalled the reason they were in Pennsylvania and why they were here in his home.
It was a true testament to a mother’s love and how far she’d go for her child, how much discomfort she’d endure to make sure her child was taken care of. Eli knew his mother would have gone to the ends of the earth for him, as well. He had just never seen such black and white proof right before his eyes. That was a new level of love he’d never felt before.
What might have made another man run—or maybe the flipside, become jealous—it only made him want Honor more.
****
Eli yawned and rubb
ed his hands over his face. He didn’t even bother to lift his head from his pillow to see what time it was. He knew he couldn’t read the numbers on the clock from where he was. It still had to be early. Neither the alarm across the room, nor the one on his phone next to him had gone off yet. One look to the curtains indicated the sun was up and trying to peek through the heavy fabric. It wasn’t time to get up yet, and no one had called his cell needing him.
He pulled in a long breath through his nose, smelling something unfamiliar. No not unfamiliar. He sniffed again. Uncommon.
Even though his bed was warm, his stomach demanded he investigate the smells coming from the kitchen.
After throwing on a pair of pajama bottoms over his boxers and brushing his teeth, he padded down the cold wooden planks toward the kitchen.
Thank God, no one else was in the room. When he saw Honor standing at his stovetop, in his kitchen, using his pots and pans, helping herself to his space to make breakfast, Eli almost embarrassed himself. He hadn’t had a reaction to a woman like that since he was in seventh grade and a sister of another rider at one of the tracks smiled at him, braces and all, then told him she’d been cheering for him.
Eli leaned against the cool stucco of the framed entryway to the kitchen, watching her with a sense of relief. He smiled. He had hoped once she got some sleep last night she’d feel better about staying with him. However, he was fully prepared to offer to take her to a hotel, logistics be damned, if it made her more comfortable.
But here she was. Cooking.
“Hi, Eli.” Dallas said casually as he came up from the finished basement.
Honor spun on her heel, obviously unaware that he was there. Eli grinned wider at her surprise.
“Good morning.” She blinked, spatula in hand, riveted to her spot.
It was easy to see by her dropped jaw that she didn’t know how he was going to react to her being in his space, and making herself at home. Eli sauntered over to the stove to confirm what his nose told him.
“Yum. Looks good.” He said, eyeing a piece of bacon. God, how long had it been since he’d bothered to make a real breakfast for himself? The woman had no idea what she was doing to him. The rumble in his stomach wasn’t the only hunger raging through him.