Safer Together (The Safer Duet Book 2)

by Amy Rose

  What the hell? “What’s wrong?” I ask, rather breathlessly.

  He shakes his head Thankful that I left my bedside lamp on when we left for dinner, I can see that his eyes are hooded, and darker than I have ever seen them. He is full of lust; he wants me and is barely holding back. That’s when it hits me, he is pulling away for me. He knows that I want to wait, and so does he.

  “Nothing is wrong, Angie,” he starts.

  I finish for him, understanding completely why he has stopped what was happening only a moment ago. “I know. We both want to wait” I sit up and pat the spot next to me on the bed, he looks at the spot for a few seconds, before stepping forward and taking it.

  “I’m sorry, Baby. If I kept going, I don’t think I would have been able to stop.”

  As I hear his confession, it’s like the heavens have given me the most precious of gifts. He wants me, badly. Not only am I feeling as though I am on fire, but, in this moment, so is Elliot. “I know, I feel exactly the same way.”

  He bends over, placing his head on his open palms, elbows placed on his knees, he is hiding his face from me, why? Embarrassment? Remorse? Oh, please god, no, don’t let it be remorse. I reach out tenderly, placing my hand on his hard, muscular bicep, which is flexed perfectly in the position he is in. Those strong arms just carried me from my front door to my bed, laid me down and… “I was so damn jealous tonight, Angie”. Well that’s a confession to set my train of thought completely off the rails.

  Jealous, Elliot was jealous. My inner self is smiling, clapping, and cheering. But then I also feel terrible. Did I do something to make him jealous? Who was he jealous of? James? It had to be James.

  “Tell me why you were jealous, Elliot.” Sitting up and bringing my legs up with me, I sit cross-legged on the edge of my bed, turning my body to face him completely.

  “You left me with your work colleagues and ran after that James fellow. Then when I caught up with you, you were telling him you loved him. What was I supposed to think?” Ah, that confirms it. He did hear it.

  “I do love James, like a big brother. I have never been on a date with him, Elliot. I just don’t feel that way about him. I never have.”

  He looks into my eyes, his baby blues looked pained. “He loves you too, you know, not in the same way you say you love him though.” So, Elliot could tell that, all from one meeting. It really must be that obvious. As always, I decide that honesty is the best policy.

  “I know he does.” I pause. There is no change in Elliot’s expression. I reach out and take both of Elliot’s hands in my own. “You have absolutely no reason to be jealous, baby, I am here with you. I am yours.” As I say the last word, I squeeze his hands. “I was jealous tonight too, you know?” no response, beside the lifting of one of his eyebrows “I hated the ladies from work flirting with you, that’s why I told you that you are mine. I’m sorry if that was too much.”

  Elliot shakes his head, slowly from side to side. “It wasn’t too much at all. I’m glad that you told me that I am yours, Angie, I love this possessive side of you, because I am the exact same way. When I say you are mine, I damn well mean it. You’re mine and mine alone” I let a small smile form on my lips.

  “I found it so hard not to kiss you like that in front of James. To show him that you are with me.” I lift one of my hands and place it under his chin and along his jawline, pulling him closer to me I kiss him once, then pull away. “The way we were just kissing when we got home isn’t for public viewing, Elliot.”

  I wait for a response, he opens his mouth and then closes it, deciding against saying something. “Go on, say it, whatever it is” I encourage, still nothing. I sit there, waiting, hoping he will tell me what he is thinking. When his mouth stays tightly shut, I make an effort to stand. He doesn’t let me, pulling me back into place.

  “Angie, please don’t be frightened about what I am about to say, but I need you to hear this though, so you know what it is I’m feeling” I remain silent, awaiting his confession. “I want to do that again and so much more. I want to do that all the damn time. Every time I see you, it’s what you do to me.”

  Well, that is something that I wasn’t expecting. I thought I was the only one who felt that way when I was in his presence. “Angie, are you okay?”

  I nod. “I’m fine. You didn’t frighten me. I know what you mean, I’m so attracted to you Elliot, when we kiss, I find it hard to stop.”

  And with that, I launch myself at him, pushing him back onto the bed and kissing him with everything I have. I run my hands up his chest, feeling the plains of his muscle’s underneath me. His hands come up and he wraps them around my waist, flipping me onto my back like I’m a pillow. He places his forehead to mine as he breaks the kiss, “Angie” his voice is heavy, throaty, I can hear frustration in his voice, mixed in with something else, “you’re making it impossible for me to keep my hands off you.”

  I smile at him. “I’m sorry Elliot, I just can’t help myself”.

  I reach my arms around his neck and try to pull his lips back down to my own, he doesn’t budge, he doesn’t pull away, though, either. I am trapped under this man, his hot body pressed against my own. I feel his member hard against my thigh. He really is trying hard to stop this. I feel bad, we both are waiting for marriage. I think of an excuse to leave the room, coming up with the perfect one. Embarrassing but perfect.

  “Ah, Elliot, I need to go to the bathroom.” He slides from on top of me onto the mattress beside me and I stand, padding across to the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

  Looking at myself in the mirror, my eyes look wild, my hair is all over the place. The woman staring back at me tells the story. She looks as though she has been rolling around in bed with a man in a moment of passion, and passion that was. I feel so incredibly hot right now, I feel all warm and fuzzy, down below. What Elliot does to me is unbelievable, making me feel things I have never felt before, making me question my decision to wait. Why wait, when I can be having so much fun with him out there, right now?

  But it’s not only me I need to think about. Elliot is of the same opinion. I can’t corrupt him like that, and after only a couple of weeks of dating. Slow down, Angela, it’s the hormones talking. Just give it a moment to settle down.

  I turn on the faucet and rinse my hands under the cold water, splashing some across my face. Turning the water off, I place my palms down on the basin. Looking down at them, I think long and hard about my next decision. I need to go out there and keep my hands off his beautiful, hard, muscular body.

  Knock, knock. “Angie, do I need to send in a search party?” I jump at Elliot’s knock, not expecting it. I cross over to the door and unlock it, opening it. There he is looking at me. I drop my eyes from his face to his body. He isn’t wearing a shirt anymore, and he is in pajama pants, with his feet bare. What was I just telling myself about keeping my hands off him? Jesus, he is making this hard.

  I groan out loud, raising my eyes again to be level with his. “You know you’re making it incredibly hard for me to keep my hands to myself, don’t you?”

  He grins at me, confirming that he knows exactly what he is doing, he then steps aside. I quickly pass him. “I’m going to use the bathroom” and with that he closes the bathroom door.

  I throw open the top drawer of my chest of drawers pulling out my satin nightgown. I pull the dress over my head and remove my bra, slipping the nightgown over the top, just as I am removing my stockings, the bathroom door opens, Elliot exits, walking past me towards the bed. He starts to remove the many decorative pillows from the top, tossing them to the side. I walk around to the opposite side of the bed, pulling the bedcovers back.

  We lie down next to each other, not touching, pulling the sheet and then the duvet over ourselves. I place my hand down on the mattress, palm up, hoping Elliot will take it. He does, our fingers link with each other and we hold hands, his thumb running along the side of my palm. That same electrical spark from only moments earlier starts i
n my most private area, a flush of warmth letting me know how affected it is by his touch, I cross my legs, willing it to stay where it is and not spread over my entire body.

  “Good night, Elliot,” I whisper.

  He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, “Good night, Angela”.

  I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of Elliot’s skin on my own. I stay quiet and will myself to go to sleep, I hear Elliot’s breath steady into a slow rhythm, until soft snores take over.

  The last thought in my mind are my parents, and even though Elliot hadn’t asked any further about them this evening, he would. And more than likely in the near future, and I would have to tell him about them, about everything. It surprises me that I don’t feel worried or scared; instead a calm washes over me.

  I relax and allow myself to fall into a deep sleep.

  ~ Chapter Six ~

  Angela

  Elliot woke early, and when I pad into the living room, he is sitting at the breakfast bar, already dressed for the day, with his laptop open.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” He opens his arm inviting me to his side, which I do without a moment’s hesitation. His arms quickly becoming my favorite place on earth. Wrapped up in his strong arm, I inhale his incredibly manly scent, unique to him.

  “Good morning, yourself. What time is it?” I feel him adjust his wrist behind me, clearly checking out his watch,

  “Getting close to 9:00 am. I was going to come in and wake you soon. We have to be at the airport by ten.”

  I push back out of his arms. “Oh crap, I’ll go get ready.”

  Taking a hold of my hand, “I’ll come with you, shall I?” he asks, raising his left eyebrow in invitation.

  “If you come with me, I won’t get ready. Instead I’ll pounce on you the moment you are close enough to my bed.”

  “And that’s a problem….how?” he asks, smiling the entire time.

  “Because we need to go. The quicker you let me go, the quicker I will be back.” He pulls me to his chest.

  “Not before I get my good morning kiss.” He points his forefinger at his lips, I lift my arms around his neck and stand on my tip toes, and peck him quickly on the lips, before spinning around and wandering into the bedroom and closing the door behind me.

  Once we arrive at the airport, we once again head to the first-class lounge. We enjoy a morning coffee and breakfast bagel, as opposed to the glasses of wine we had before our first flight together. I regret my decision to have a milky drink the moment the flight starts to experience horrible turbulence. No joke, I think I am going to vomit all over the incredible man who has kept a hold of my hands the entire flight, doing his best to try to keep me calm. Luckily for both of us, I don’t end up bringing my coffee out in reverse.

  You may be wondering why it is lucky for both of us? I’ll tell you why. It is lucky for Elliot as he’s not wearing my breakfast all over him and it is lucky for me, as I don’t end up embarrassing myself.

  I also note in my few moments of clarity throughout the flight that no one looks at us. Everyone in first class tends to keep to themselves, and I appreciate the relative privacy I am afforded to experience my motion sickness without watchful eyes.

  After landing, we stop by his office on the way through. Kat, his beautiful red-haired assistant meets with Elliot at the front door of the building, palming him a large envelope. Once he returns to the car, we continue on our way out to Elliot’s home in Greenwich.

  I am ever so glad when we I finally recognize some of the homes in Elliot’s neighborhood, and even more so as we pull into his driveway, the car coming to a stop just outside of his beautiful home.

  Looking at my watch, I am counting down the amount of time I have to get ready for this evening. You see, I want to look my best tonight, as it is the first time I will be accompanying Elliot to a work function. We are heading to his company’s Christmas party tonight.

  I hope and pray that tonight goes better than my own had last night. After all, there was no one for Elliot to be jealous of here at his own party. I, on the other hand, am already imagining the many women who work for him fawning all over the boss, especially with the extra confidence provided by the liquid courage that would be on offer. We would have to wait and see.

  Once we step out of the car, I excuse myself from Elliot and head straight for the guest house. I let myself in with the key that I had been given during the drive here.

  I make a beeline straight for the bedroom that I had slept in last time, and immediately notice a large silver box on the bed, a beautiful navy-blue ribbon tied in a bow around it. Dropping my two bags on the floor, I walk over to take a closer look. The bow is made of intricate lace. I see the folded piece of paper slipped under the bow.

  I pluck it out between my thumb and forefinger and open it, it contains a small handwritten note from Elliot,

  Angela,

  I saw this and knew it was perfect for you. You are such a beautiful woman.

  Elliot x

  A huge smile spreads over my face as I read the note. My hands begin shaking ever so slightly. I place the note down on the bed, Elliot’s writing looking up at me from beside the box and very slowly I begin to pull the bow apart. It comes undone easily. I lift the lid and unfold the gold tissue paper. The first thing I notice is the line of lace peeking through. I notice as it is an exact match to the ribbon that was wrapped around the parcel.

  I lift the dress out gently and allow it to unfold. It is stunning, the color of the ocean late in the afternoon, and even better than that, it is the same color as Elliot’s eyes. The lace piece I first saw upon opening the box runs across the cut of the bust area. I hold it up against my body and am pleased to see that it falls below my knees. I lay it gently down on the bed, allowing my eyes to take it all in. My phone chirps from beside me and I check it quickly. Seeing the time, I drop it back into my bag and take myself to the bathroom to shower.

  I apply my makeup, slightly heavier than I would typically wear; after all, I would be meeting a lot of people tonight. I wanted to look my best when I was at my place beside Elliott. I didn’t want to look like my usual plain self next to him. I want to look as though I belong next to him.

  I spray myself with perfume and pin up my hair in a low messy bun that would keep most of my hair out of my face, allowing a few loose tendrils to curl around my chin. I want the majority to be out of the way, allowing me to show off the beautiful dress I had been given.

  I re-enter the bedroom and slip into my nice underwear that I brought with me this trip. After last night’s close encounter, I wanted to be prepared if it were to happen again. I couldn’t let him see me in my comfortable undergarments. These are not my usual style; these are made from a beautiful, black lace.

  I unzip the dress that Elliot had given me and lift it up high, slipping it over my head. Once I have placed my arms through and pulled it down to fit properly, I grasp the side zipper and pull it all the way up. I then look at myself in the mirror. It fits me like a glove. Elliot must have been paying very close attention to my clothing. Either that or he guessed my size correctly.

  I shiver slightly at the thought of how much this dress probably costs. It could be just as much as six months mortgage payment, for me that is, not Elliot. I push that thought down and try to forget about it. After all, he can afford it. I step into my low-heeled black pumps that I brought with me, and I am done.

  I find myself standing before the full-length mirror in the bathroom and am happy with the reflection staring back at me. The makeup and hair complemented the dress perfectly and I was pleased to see that it suited me. The length was a tad shorter than I would normally wear myself, and I would have to be careful in the car ride to keep the dress pulled down over my scar, albeit I was more dressed up then I usually would be for a work function. Especially more so than with the black dress I had brought with me to wear tonight, the same one I had worn the day I met Elliot.

  With a good long look at my reflection, the de
cision was made. I am ready. I need to find Elliot and thank him for the dress. With one final glance at myself, I turn on my perfectly acceptable low heel and make my way out of the guest house and over the lawn to the main house. I am thankful that there hadn’t been any snow, the grass is still solid, and I don’t sink into the lawn at all.

  As I come closer to the main house, I can see through the bay window that Elliot is waiting for me in the living room, standing before the fireplace. I open one of the French doors and walk in, closing the door softly behind me.

  As I enter the room, Elliot turns his head to look at me, his eyes start at my legs and work their way upwards, until reaching their final destination, my face. He is breathtakingly handsome in a dark black wool blend suit, a beautiful navy business shirt underneath and a tie, black mostly with a dark navy-blue pattern running through it, finished with black wingtip shoes. My heart aches just looking at this man. “Nice tie,” I smile. It matches my dress.

  He walks toward me, “Angela, you look so incredibly beautiful,” he whispers, now standing directly in front of me. He lifts his hand and strokes his forefinger down my cheek. I move my face in response, into his touch and look up to him.

  “Thank you for the dress Elliot. It’s lovely.” I speak with conviction, for which I am proud. I normally lose confidence when I am this close to him. When we touch, a feeling comes over me that, quite often, leaves me without clarity.

  “You’re very welcome. I love that color on you.” He leans in the final few inches between us and presses his lips against mine. Just as I am about to open my mouth to him, he begins pulling back again. He is asking permission in his own way, making sure he wasn’t crossing any lines. I angle my face more toward him and push my chin higher to offer my lips. Once again, he leans in and kisses me. This time we both give a little and take a lot from each other. Our tongues playing with each other and the lightheaded feeling returns, just like it always does when this gets heated. We are both kissing each other as though it had been a month since we had last kissed each other, not this morning.