Safer Together (The Safer Duet Book 2)

by Amy Rose

  I look in between Jenny and Ben and see James a few feet away, he is looking toward us but not directly at me. Instead he is staring at Elliot. Not wanting to drag this out any longer than it needs to be, I decide to get the next introduction out the way quickly. I pull my hand free from Elliot’s, raise it in the air and wave at James. This gets his attention, and his gaze moves from my boyfriend to me.

  I give him one of my biggest, genuine smiles and wave him over. He starts walking over to us, making it within ten strides. Ben greets him first, “James, right? I’m Ben, Jenny’s partner.” My free hand quickly gets filled with Elliot’s once more, then I feel a gentle squeeze, James and Ben shake hands. I give James an awkward one-armed hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Hey, Orchard,” I say to James as he wraps his arm around my lower back, dangerously close to my ass, pulling me towards him in a hug being careful not to spill my wine.

  “Hey yourself, Snow White”

  From behind me Elliot’s voice breaks through. “James, is it? I’m Elliot, Angela’s boyfriend.” The tone of his voice is different, no louder than usual, however it’s firmer, deeper, and more authoritative. I detect something in it that I haven’t heard before. James notices it too, as he quickly releases me and offers his hand to Elliot that moments ago was wrapped around me.

  “Hey man, nice to meet you.” They too exchange a quick handshake. Once Elliot’s hand is free, he pulls me toward him, wrapping his arm possessively around my waist, leaving no doubt that he was with me.

  This reaction by Elliot confirmed what the new tone in his voice was. It was jealousy. He had asked me earlier if he had any reason to be jealous of James and I had told him he didn’t need to and yet, here he was, staking a claim on me, wrapping his arm around me, showing James that I was his. I had two conflicting emotions running through me:

  1 - How dare he take claim on me like I am a possession

  and

  2 - He likes me that much that he is acting jealous of James and feels as though he needs to stake a claim

  “Angie, you never told me you were dating one of New York’s most eligible bachelors.”

  Elliot’s hand at my waist clenches into a fist,

  “Well, James, that’s because, technically, Elliot isn’t a bachelor anymore, are you honey?” I cover Elliot’s hand with my own, willing it to relax, I don’t want him to have any reason to be jealous. Looking up towards his beautiful face, I nuzzle into his neck and give him a kiss. I feel Elliot’s hand relax out of his clenched position, running his hand along my lower back and making its way up to my shoulders.

  “I hate those write ups in the magazines, I’m certainly not one of the most eligible, there are a lot of guys in my city whose bank accounts are of a similar size, and others who earn a lot more than I do” he takes a pull from his bottle of beer. “Most of them aren’t lucky enough to meet their girl while searching for a new project. That’s for sure.”

  I can tell that James is feeling uncomfortable, knowing that I was seeing someone is completely different from actually seeing me with someone, especially when realizing that person you are trying to compete with is on a completely different level as you. Not that I see it that way, but most men do, constantly competing with each other. It’s like they each want to better each other for some reason, show the other who is more of a man.

  And in my opinion, I think that it is built into them from a young age. Whether they are competing for a toy, competing on the field while playing a sport, or in the employment world, they constantly size each other up.

  Now I’m not saying we women don’t do that; I have definitely done it a time or two, comparing myself to the pretty, thin girls back in high school. But men seem to have this air about them, constantly trying to better the other one.

  Not wanting James to feel as though he needs to compete, I give him a compliment that not even Elliot can judge. “James is an incredible real estate agent. He was working at the firm when I first joined, so I have known him for close to three years now, and we have been firm friends from the very beginning.”

  James allows a small smile to spread across his face. Good, he will take this victory.

  “It’s nice to know that Angela has some great friends here. I look forward to getting to know you all better.”

  “We would love that, wouldn’t we Ben?” Jenny gives Ben a slight elbow.

  “Absolutely, we can grab a couple of beers and have a barbeque at our place.”

  Jenny nods up and down so quickly I’m worried her head might just fall off. “Why don’t you come over tomorrow?” Just before I can let them know that we won’t be able to, Elliot’s voice comes from beside me.

  “That would be lovely Jenny, unfortunately Angela and I won’t be in town tomorrow.”

  Jenny’s mouth actually falls open.

  “Where are you guys going?” James steps in, desperately wanting to know more.

  “I’m flying back to New York with Elliot tomorrow. We are spending Christmas together, with his whole family, actually,” I finish.

  Elliot squeezes my shoulder, “Also I am repaying the favor and taking Angie to my own work Christmas party tomorrow night.”

  Jenny closes her mouth and gives me a wink. “Wow, meeting the folks, hey?”

  James looks at me, I can see hurt behind his eyes, I want to make it go away, one of the closest people to me is hurting, and it’s all my fault.

  Elliot answers, “Actually Angie met them a couple of weeks ago. She will, however, be meeting my sister, her husband and two kiddos, though.”

  Thanks Elliot, rub that salt into the wound a little bit more. I know that’s not what he is setting out to do, but he might as well be stepping on James’s heart.

  And then, in that moment I finally get it, I know why he is acting this way. He is making sure that everyone around us knows exactly how serious this is getting between us, leaving no doubt whatsoever how things are between us.

  “Is that why you went to New York a few weeks ago? I thought you were going back to see your family.”

  Darn you James Orchard, darn you to hell, this is a piece of information that I haven’t told Elliot as yet. I have avoided talking about my family as much as possible. And he already knows that I was visiting a friend not my family. It is as though he has dropped this information bomb on purpose.

  “Nope, visiting with me instead. Weren’t you, baby?”

  I turn to face him and can see that the smile on his face is false. “I sure was, baby” I lean up and plant a kiss on his lips, hoping that this will satisfy him for now. When I pull away his smile is no longer there, instead a look that tells me that when we leave tonight, he wants answers, answers I’m not ready to give.

  “Okay guys, dinner’s ready, why don’t you all take your seats,” Sandra calls out from somewhere across the room. Seeing several of her employees in a huddle, Sandra makes her way over to us. “Dinner’s about to be served. Ah, hello there. I’m Sandra. Owner of Nashville Realty. And just who might you be?”

  Once again, my boyfriend has another woman drooling over him, this time the jealousy inside of me threatens to boil over, ready to stake my claim. “Sandra, this is…”, before I’m cut off.

  “I’m Elliot Sands. Nice to meet you, Sandra.” He takes her hand in his and gives it a kiss on the back above the knuckles. What the hell Elliot, you generally do that to me. Looking across at Jenny she looks hurt, wondering why she didn’t receive the same treatment. That’s nothing compared to the anger that has just started to simmer under the surface of my skin.

  “Ah, the purchaser of Belle Meade Homestead if I’m not mistaken. Angie, I didn’t know you were bringing one of your clients to dinner,” looking at me awaiting an explanation.

  I’ve got nothing, I don’t want to rant and possibly lose my job, I’ve worked too hard to get comfortable. Damn jealousy, why did you decide to rear your ugly head tonight.

  “You’re right Sandra. Elliot did purchase the Belle Me
ade Homestead, but he isn’t here as a client of Angela’s. No, this is actually her boyfriend” James seems more than happy to set the story right, saying his piece he walks away back towards the tables, taking a seat.

  “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Angela.”

  I give a completely over the top fake smile. “Well, surprise. I do, and here he is in the flesh,”

  I excuse myself and walk away, straight towards James, taking the seat next to him.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “What was what?” he bites back, we stare at each other, neither willing to give an inch.

  “You know damn well what I am talking about. Bringing up my parents.”

  He shrugs, taking a draw from his beer bottle. “What do you want me to say, Ange, I’m sorry? Because I am. I guess I now know why you turned me down all of those times. You were waiting for him to come along.” He lifts his shoulders in a shrug and continues, “We have been friends for years and you keep something like this from me?”

  I can see his point, there it is, he is hurt. “It’s not as though you didn’t know I was bringing someone. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who he was, James. It’s just so new, and you know I never wanted to ruin our friendship. That’s why I never took things to the next level with you, and here you are making things worse. As for Elliot, I didn’t want to tell anyone about him, as deep down I know that we aren’t in the same league.”

  Reaching out his free hand he covers mine. “He is not out of your league, Angie. Can’t you see how incredibly beautiful you are, successful too. Many guys I know would kill to be in his shoes.”

  I know what he is trying to say, is that he would kill to be in Elliot’s shoes, and I know that I have to set him straight about how I feel for him, once and for all. The conversation at my house last weekend obviously didn’t do the trick.

  “James as you already know, you are one of my closest friends. I’d really like you and Elliot to get along, because you’re both important to me.”

  He stares at me. “Really?”

  I nod in response, not quite knowing what else to say. Words circle around in my head. I try to capture the right ones.

  “Look, as you know this is all very new, it might go somewhere, and it might not. I don’t want to lose you and what we have because of it.”

  His eyes light up, “Ange, you know how I feel about you, surely you have picked up by now that I love you.”

  Oh shit, there it is. James just confirmed what I had thought for a while now, and along with it dropping that damn L bomb.

  How on earth am I going to solve this one, and then it comes to me. “James, you are like my big brother, I love you too, please know that.” I feel Elliot’s presence before I see him; one of his hand’s curls around my neck. I wonder how much of the conversation he just heard.

  I hear the chair beside me scrape on the timber floor as it is dragged out from underneath the table. “Hey, baby, your boss seems nice.”

  James eyes catch my own. I close my own for a couple of seconds and then turn to face Elliot. “Yeah she is. We are all pretty cool.”

  Jenny and Ben take a seat opposite ours, just as the platters get dropped in front of us. I spy fried chicken wings, barbecue glazed pork ribs, fried onion rings, steaks with little flags poking out of them, letting everyone know how they have been cooked, and several gigantic plates of fries.

  “Dig in, Elliot,” I hear Sandra’s voice and I return my gaze towards her, she has taken up the vacant position in the seat on the other side of Elliot, I lift my arm and stroke Elliot’s body, starting at his shoulder down his chest and back up again. He is mine Sandra, not yours. Mine.

  Elliot, sensing my change in mood helps it along, leaning down and planting a quick kiss on my mouth. When he pulls back, he looks me in the eyes before leaning forward and whispering directly into my ear “What happened to sticking together like glue?”

  Since his ear is exposed just in front of my mouth, I nibble on it quickly before replying “I’m sorry, I wanted to allow you some alone time with Sandra. She needed to ogle you.” I feel catty as soon as it tumbles from my mouth.

  Not one to miss an opportunity, Elliot speaks again, like a whisper in my ear “And how did you feel about Sandra ogling me?”

  God damn it, Elliot. I choose to stay quiet. Not willing to leave well enough alone, Elliot once again speaks, demanding an answer from me.

  “Tell me Angie. How did it make you feel?” His free hand rubs my thigh, and he pulls back to look me in the eyes, awaiting my response.

  “I don’t like other women ogling you. You want to know why? Fine. The only person allowed to ogle you is me, because you’re mine.”

  I hear a hitch in his breath, his hand stops moving. I’ve hit a nerve. Maybe he doesn’t like jealousy in a woman, or maybe it is my possessiveness that he doesn’t like? Time to backpedal, Angela, you need to fix this.

  “I’m yours, am I?”

  What, now you want confirmation? I’m so confused right now.

  “You were when you walked in with me at the beginning of the night, right? Has Sandra showed you what else is on offer?”

  His hand clenches tightly on my thigh, one that will no doubt leave a mark, then he releases almost as quickly. He slides his hand higher, towards the apex of my thighs. This time it’s me whose breath catches as I feel a warmth spreading down there.

  I throw a smile out toward Jenny who is watching with curiosity. I mouth at her, “I’m fine.”

  “No, Angela. Sandra hasn’t shown me what else is on offer and even if she had, let me put you at ease. If I am yours as you are claiming, then let me make something crystal clear. You are mine, Angela, no one else’s. Mine.” With that he pulls away from me and looks me deeply in the eyes, as though he is looking directly into my soul.

  I bite my bottom lip. He closes his eyes and I take the opportunity to turn away, knowing that if I don’t, I will more than likely be launching myself at him and kissing him, hard until I can no longer breathe. “This all looks fantastic, Sandra, we can’t wait to dig in.” Sandra looks like I just spoiled Christmas. I reach across the table and secure the tongs, picking up several pork ribs and placing them on Elliot’s plate, I grab a medium steak and some fries for myself, then adding some fries onto Elliot’s plate.

  “Thanks, baby.”

  Thankful that everyone has plenty of food on their plate we settle into a comfortable silence. Every now and then I catch some of the girls around the table looking at my man, and when I do, I stake my claim. A casual touch of his shoulder, a kiss on the cheek or even a rub of the thigh that gets him to do the same. I can’t wait to get out of here and back home. I need to get my man away from the peering eyes of my colleagues.

  Jealousy isn’t an emotion I am used to experiencing, and I must admit it’s not a feeling that I am enjoying.

  All the while, my mind keeps flashing back to Elliot’s earlier declaration. Claiming me, making sure that I know I am his. The way he said it sent a thrill through my body, one that I never expected. I hate the idea of being someone’s possession, and yet with Elliot I know that isn’t what he means. He is claiming my heart in a way that I don’t think I will ever get back. Even if I wanted to.

  “Well that was an interesting evening” Elliot says once we are in the comfort of his rental car.

  “Tell me about it. I just want to go home.”

  Elliot starts up the engine and we pull out of our space

  “I know what you mean, Baby. Home it is.”

  We pull into my apartment complex’s parking area and Elliot glides into the same space as earlier. Hopping out, he presses the button that lifts his tailgate. Once open he retrieves a small duffle bag and clicks the key again, activating the automatic close function.

  “That feature would come in handy when you have a handful of groceries” I point out. He grins. “What are you doing?”

  He looks at me. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m coming up�
��.

  I nod towards the duffle bag.

  “I thought I would stay the night with you. Should I have made a reservation at the Hermitage?”

  Holy shit, he wants to spend the night. I don’t have a guest house; I have a one-bedroom apartment. Sure, he has been in it before, several times, but having him stay? I tell myself that it’s not as though we haven’t slept in the same bed together before, is it? I turn on my heel, making my way up the stairs, not stopping until I am in front of my door.

  I fish the keys out of my clutch and unlock the door, swinging it wide open. Elliot follows, I close the door behind him, and I hear him dropping his bag on the floor. Just as I turn back to face him, before I know what’s happening, his hands are on either side of my face, pushing me back against my front door, kissing me with so much passion and fervor. His tongue invades my mouth and I give in to him. I drop my clutch and keys to the floor and throw my arms around his neck. Jumping up, I wrap my legs around his waist, thankful that I’m wearing a stretchy dress with tights underneath. He drops his hands from my face and wraps them around my thighs.

  He takes a step backwards and then begins to walk slowly towards my bedroom. I kiss him with everything I have. All that pent-up frustration from tonight, all of the jealousy I have been feeling, wanting to show him that he is mine. I feel us come to a halt and he begins lowering me onto the bed. I pull him with me. We continue to kiss, but I can feel that Elliot is slowing down, as his hands move up my body, over my hips, skimming my breasts. I let out a small moan, his touch is heavenly and it’s through clothes. Not wanting him to stop, I pull him even closer, and my teeth dig into his bottom lip. It’s his turn to groan now; from the taste of it, I have drawn blood. I sense a change in him, he becomes slightly rougher, pressing his full length against me. I can feel that he is rock hard down below. With my legs still wrapped around his waist, I lower my feet ever so slightly, so I am now able to push him closer to me by his ass. The friction of his erection against me gives me another reason to groan. I open my mouth to let out a sigh of relief and his tongue once again plunges in. His kiss is now punishing, with pressure that is sure to bruise my lips. His hands make their way up from my breasts, across my shoulders and coming along my arms until he takes my hands in his own, unclasping my grip, slowly he pulls away.