Echoes and Entanglements (Remington Carter Book 1)

by Emma Cole

  “Collect men everywhere you go don’t you gorgeous?” His voice is low and not pleased with the interference. No, not pleased at all. I get goosebumps from the nastiness I feel emanating from him. Guy seriously has a problem being turned down. I decide if he continues to harass me I’ll go to the schools admin to report him.

  “I do believe we were just heading off to the maze, weren’t we darling?”, Eli replies in a careful voice. I can hear the underlying threat. If I don’t get him away from Christian soon there’s going to be an altercation. Eli is usually insanely sweet, but at the moment I’m not sure he wouldn’t pulverize the creep. His fingers tighten on my hip almost painfully until I wiggle and he loosens his hold immediately. I don’t think that will go over well for Eli with football or his scholarship. Not that Christian wouldn’t deserve it, but I don’t want Eli jeopardizing his status with this idiot. To diffuse the situation I begin maneuvering in the other direction with Eli and turn my head to speak as we walk away.

  “Yes, I do believe we were. Goodbye Christian, have a good evening.” With that I turn back to face the direction we’re walking surprised I didn’t trip already.

  We walk away towards the maze. “That was the guy from the party the other night, the one that Adam was talking about?” Eli has a concerned look on his face now that he’s addressing me. I wiggle my hips a little bumping into his, it gets his attention that his hand is still clamped around mine like I might try to escape or be pulled away. “Sorry, babe, I hope I didn’t bruise you.” He starts rubbing little distracting circles on the skin of my hip with his thumb. He’s such a touchy feely guy, I like it.

  “Yes, the one Adam helped with when I first got there, then again when he spilled my drink later on.” Eli’s face hardens with anger.

  “He’s got a hard on for you. Try to steer clear of him. I’ve heard rumors about him and girls, I didn’t realize at the time that it was him. I’m sure he spiked the punch knowing you wouldn’t take a glass from him. He’s second string on the team and has been in some questionable situations but gotten off. If anything was ever proven he’d be booted immediately.”

  “Let’s not worry about him right now. He’s a creep. I’ll be sure to stay away from him. I just want to enjoy tonight. You made excellent plans and I won’t let him ruin them. Let’s do this maze then go get some cider and find a hay bale on that tractor over there.” I point in the direction of the tractor ride and when Eli turns his head to follow my finger I give into the urge and lean up on my toes to peck him on the cheek, getting pricked a little by his stubble. I use the distraction to take off ahead of him for the maze. He laughs as he chases after me. We take several wrong turns and at each dead end that we find ourselves alone Eli steals a quick kiss. After the third dead end I’m getting frustrated with the teasing brushing of lips. When he goes to pull back this time I loop my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss instead, prolonging it until I’m satisfied. Eli gives me that devious little smile of his as we break apart and I’m slightly breathless. He knows exactly what he’s been doing and I fell for it. I decide I still got what I was after and shrug good naturedly and continue on with a pat to his tight rear as I pass him. Finally, we find our way through the maze and Eli follows through on my request buying us both steaming cups of cider at a vendor booth. It sounded good earlier, but after playing in the maze and getting hot in more than one way something cold and better yet alcoholic would have been nice right about then. I take my cup and we move into the line for the hay ride. The tractor is just coming back around to drop off and pick up new passengers. Eli holds my cup while I climb on and I return the favor. We find a bale big enough for us both to sit on with two more stacked behind making a nice place to lean back and enjoy the ride snuggled up together. Eli gently strokes my hair wrapping it around his finger before letting it spiral back off and repeating the motions. I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder, perfectly content. I feel his other hand slip up the front of my shirt then down under the waistband of my jeans. His thumb starts brushing lightly over the crest of my hipbone causing a jolt of heat to streak through me. I wiggle and quietly hum my appreciation hoping no one noticed. Eli definitely has talented hands, barely having to put them on me to elicit a reaction.

  “Remi,” he pauses a moment then continues on in a whisper, “I imagaine taking you home to strip you down, kiss every inch of you. I fantasize about finding all those little spots to make you moan and sigh. I want to leave stubble burn on the insides of your thighs, marking you as mine. I’ll tease you until you beg for more and after you come I’ll hold you open while you scream for mercy without letting up.” Holy fuck, I’m wet just from hearing him talk like that. Where the hell did that come from?!. With that naughty mouth and the dirty talk coming out of it, it has me really wishing I wasn’t on my period right now. I reach up and clamp my hand over his mouth to stop him from saying anything else.

  “What the hell Eli?” My breathing has gone choppy with the images he put in my head and I’m hoping to avoid alerting the others around us to what was just going on. “Don’t do that here!” I hiss.

  He shoots me a smoldering look and my eyes widen at just how unrepentant he is. I get the drift that nice polite Elliot is done waiting to take what he wants. I’m ready for this, I am. I keep reminding myself it’s what I’ve been after. Just not today, or tomorrow.

  “I did say I wanted to take you home first,” he’s deliberately misunderstanding my protest. I glare at him now, or try to. Kind of hard to stay mad when I’m so turned on and not really mad, more frustrate with the timing. Our first time will be nice and not while I’m on my period.

  “Fine, home first, no more talking like that til we’re back. I’ll fall off the bike.” He mimes zipping his lips and locking them and I roll my eyes at his antics. Guess that will just have to do.

  We finish our ride and head back to the motorcycle. Eli realizes he still has the cider cups and says he’ll be right back. While he goes to throw them away I get my helmet on. He’s back quickly and we both get on the bike. As we pull out I hold him tight with my head resting on his back.

  I drift in thought on the ride home enjoying the happiness flowing through me. I squeeze Eli a little tighter and he briefly reaches to cover my hand with his own, warm and comforting. Safe. I haven’t felt safe in a long, long time and now I’m feeling it on the back of a motorcycle that should have brought up memories that put me in a funk and instead he’s given me new ones to cherish. A motorcycle a lot like another I was once on, where I also had that happy, safe feeling. I take it as I’m meant to let go of the past and enjoy my future. Turning my thoughts to enjoyment I want to explore the abs I feel under the shirt my hands are resting over under Eli’s jacket, but I’m not sure if that would be too much of a distraction. I can’t seem to completely help myself though. I’m already plastered to him, chest to his back, making my breasts feel heavy, hips snugged up to him where the vibrations can be felt in the seat reverberating through my thighs. I slowly slip a hand down to the hem of his leather jacket and ease my fingertips under the edge. What’s good for the goose… I feel him suck in a breath and I can’t tell if it’s from my cold hands, my touch, or a combination of the two. I continue until I can trace the defined lines and ridges football training has given him. Just touching them makes my breath come faster and I have to refrain from rubbing my chest on his back. I splay my fingers across his abdomen and rest it there for the rest of the ride before I cause a distraction that makes us wreck.

  We pull up and into the garage after waiting for it to open. I dismount and take my helmet off. Eli has an intense look on his face as he turns to me. As soon as he’s off the bike he roughly pulls me close, cupping my ass and tucking me tight to him, his groin and chest aligned with mine. With a look of arousal and pain on his face he tilts his hips further into mine to grind them together. I let out a soft groan echoed by his. He just stares at me for what seems like minutes. Then he slowly leans down and barely brushes his lips
against mine. A whisper of a kiss really. Letting me go, he turns, and begins unloading the saddle bags. He leaves the pumpkins on a shelf and takes a bag inside with him telling me to hit the alarm on my way in. Wtf was that? Gets me all hot and he just walks away? I wonder if he knows I won’t take it further right now. Or he’s playing at something I don’t know the rules to and I think he might win with as worked up as I’m feeling right now. And if I have to admit it to myself a little warm glow in my chest from the wonderful time I had. I started out not wanting to care about him, but I don’t think he or my heart is going to give me that choice.

  Eight

  The days pass by quickly. We’ve gotten into a bit of a routine, almost like a real couple, cooking, cleaning up, hanging out watching movies or working on reading assignments companionably. I’m not sure what to think of it all. I know I have to talk to him soon, explain where I’m coming from. This situation won’t last forever, I’ll be going back to the dorms soon and after that to live with Alex. Eli has taken to snuggling while in the living area if we’re just watching a movie and a kiss to the forehead when one or both of us go to bed. I feel like he’s declared silent warfare on my reservations and he’s coming out the victor.

  Randomly, it seems every time that I see him around the apartment, he’s half naked. Bedroom doors left cracked, so I can catch glimpses of all that skin, lounging around in just shorts, workouts, okay I expect it in workouts, I’ve taken to using the gym myself. It’s one of the two doors that access the fourth floor. I don’t know what’s in the other room, when I asked he said it was for the business. I found the gym after seeing Eli coming downstairs all sweaty and in shorts as I was coming up the stairs to the apartment.. And holy crow that was something to see. Boy has some serious definition. I had to ball my hands into fists and cross my arms to keep from reaching out and touching as we passed by each other. Thinking I was avoiding his sweatiness he scooped me up in a hug rubbing his wet forehead in my neck as I squealed for him to stop. Little did he know that it totally gave me a legitimate excuse to cop a feel. The day I decided that he had officially decided to melt my brain with unrequited lust was the day I came home later than usual and heard the shower running. Hearing moaning as I walked down the hall to my room I could see Eli’s bedroom door was open as well as the bathroom door was cracked. Upon hearing the moan again my heart plummeted into my stomach and my eyes started to burn. First thought was he’s screwing someone in there right now. How could he?! I stood there knowing I should leave, but unable to move. Debating if I should confront them now or wait until they come out? I wasn’t going to be a coward. He couldn’t do this to me, I wouldn’t let him. Tell me he wanted me, being patient and barely touching me, driving me crazy and then this? I’m beyond furious. I know his behavior is basically what I asked for, but I didn’t ask him to fuck someone else after he chose to wait. This was over, unacceptable. And that’s what really hurt, why I forced myself to push the door open. As I touched the door I heard another moan, this time with a name in it. “Remi”. I could barely see through the fogged over glass of the shower, but what was going on was unmistakable. Forgetting that I was pissed a nano second ago now I’m rapt with attention on the show in the shower. My pulse is instantly through the roof and lady town is announcing with fireworks that she’s open for business. Eli has one hand braced on the wall while the other fisted the length between his legs. And holy cannoli he was packing. I was going to have to plan for that. (Not that I was exactly sure what planning would entail to make that fit and while I had a few good ideas that’s what Google was made for.) Eli’s hand was moving rapidly from base to tip and his hips were pumping up to meet each downward stroke. His own hand didn’t close all the way around his thickness. As he picked up the pace he started panting between moans. I know as soon as I realized he wasn’t with anyone else that I should have turned around and left giving him his privacy. I’m not sure how I would feel if it had been the other way around. Oddly, I find I’m more turned on than off at the thought of Eli watching me the way I was watching him. As I continue to stare Eli throws his head back and finds his release. As he straightened up from his slump against the wall I turned to go, I couldn’t let him find me here watching like a creeper.

  After that I was walking around almost constantly with a lady boner. I’ve had my fair share of sexy thoughts, but this was getting ridiculous. Maybe I was turning into a guy. That would explain the frequency. I was going to burn up. I don’t think my heart rate was ever going to be back to normal, and I constantly felt flushed. One evening while we were painting the little pumpkins we had gotten from the festival Eli asked if I was feeling alright. I blushed until I’m sure I resembled a tomato. Eventually I’ll stop turning red around him, right? I feel like a ridiculous preteen pinking it up every five minutes.

  “You’ve looked hot all afternoon Remi. Do you have a fever?” He reached over to touch my forehead smoothing away a few of the loose strands of hair that had come out of my messy bun. My breath hitched and Eli smiled, an evil, knowing smile. “Are you having trouble with something Remi? I could help with that you know.” His voice had dropped into a husky whisper as his fingers trailed down my cheek, lower to my neck, over the very edge of the swell of one breast. I held my breath as I watched that hand, then he pulled back. “Say the word and I’ll dive between those beautiful thighs in an instant.” I almost choked on my own spit with his blunt remark. His eyes stay locked onto my wide ones the entire time. I want to say yes, I want to beg him not to stop. But I hesitate and he sees that hesitation. He swears and after rinsing his brushes out he disappeared into his room shutting the door. Faintly I hear the sound of the shower running. I grin to myself, at least I’m not the only one in need of a cold shower.

  It’s the day before the Halloween party and Alex and I are in my room trying on the costumes we picked out earlier in the week.

  “I can’t believe you get to stay here, this place is awesome.” I look around and agree with her. It is pretty fabulous here.

  “Is Eli going to the party too?” Alex asks.

  “I think so. A bunch of the other guys on the team are going to be there from what I’ve heard.”

  “So, what’s going on with you and him? I’m guessing it’s a little weird since he’s been chasing after you since school started and now you end up living with him.”

  “It’s actually been really nice. He said he doesn’t feel right pushing a relationship with me staying here so he’s backed off until I say differently. He’ll occasionally say things or we’ll talk or do stuff, but he stops the second I even remotely indicate I’m unsure. I’m not uncomfortable here if that’s what you’re getting at. Actually, I say trying to hide my embarrassed smile, “I kinda wish he’d stop being so tame. Dude is seriously making me frustrated.”

  “What happened? Tell me, tell me now!”, Alex squeals jumping up and down like a fangirl at a boy band concert.

  “Really, Alex?” I say dryly rolling my eyes at her antics that she knows annoy me. It’s half the reason she does it. “I accidentally walked in on him showering…and I didn’t exactly turn around and leave right away.” Alex gives me raised eyebrows and an expectant expression.

  “I want details. A shower encounter, unless you’re naked too, isn’t anything more than an oops. Spill.” Alex is holding up a hairbrush like she’s gonna whack me with it if I don’t give her the gossip.

  “Not a lot to tell. The shower door was frosted,” I give her a look of disappointment, “but I could definitely tell what he was doing.” I add on with a small measure of glee.

  “Shut the fuck up. You watched him do that? You perv.” Alex reaches out and pushes my shoulder, but she doesn’t exactly look scandalized. She’s more interested than anything else. Do not punch best friend, I repeat Do. Not. Punch. Friend. OMG I’m jealous. I don’t think I’ve ever been jealous of my friend. I shake it off. She wouldn’t do that even if I made an engraved pass and gave it to her to at this point. Girl code and
all was sacred between us.

  “I know and I’m pretty sure he knows I was there too. He’s been teasing me about being “hot” since then. I thought he was in there screwing a girl. I was pissed that he would say he wants me and then go bone someone else the first chance he got that I’m not here.” I get a little cranky thinking about it still even though the other female was just fictitious in my own head.

  “So instead you got an eyeful. You go girl. You should have just opened the door and climbed in. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Alex waggles her eyebrows at me after her outrageous suggestion. I cover my eyes with my hand, cuz really, I was tempted and l know it.

  “Alex,” I groan.

  “Fine. Alright so let’s see it. Do the twirl.” I spin around in my costume. “Shit girl, that’s hot, and almost slutty. How did you pull that off? I can never get you in anything like this, you’re covered though. Half the chicks there are going to have their ass cheeks hanging out. Including me,” she says with a Cheshire grin. I look down at my costume. A little face paint and some colored hair spray is all I’ll need to finish off my Harley Quinn outfit. Technically my ass cheeks are hanging out. They’re just covered in these cute printed leggings I found that look like fishnets.

  “What’s Eli going as?”

  “I’m not sure, he hasn’t said. He’s been really busy with football training and practice. From what he’s said it sounds like they might get to the playoffs this year.” I change into lounge clothes and put my costume up in the back of my closet so Eli doesn’t see it if he comes in here.

  Alex and I head out to the kitchen. I get two cups down and fill them with coffee and hand one to Alex. I set out the cream and sugar and we both doctor our coffees. Eli comes in from practice along with a gust of air from the door bringing his scent with him. I inhale and sigh. So, so good. Eli has taken to coming home directly from practice to shower here every chance he gets.