by J. M. Maurer
“Well,” Mom says, adjusting her chair, “if there is anyone who can survive being a thousand miles away, it is definitely Makayla.” She sets her focus on Eli, and while pouring three cups of tea, she peeks up at him no less than half a dozen times. “I still hate knowing she is so far away. Thank goodness she has you, Eli. I hear you are her cameraman. I cannot tell you how comforting that is. How long have the two of you been together?”
I’m not sure how mom has learned that Eli is my cameraman. I certainly haven’t told her. The only other person I would have said something to is Celia, and I haven’t said a word to her either. The thought both concerns and rankles me. Again, it seems Mom knows what’s going on in my life even before I do.
I peek over at Eli as an overwhelming urge to set her straight burns at the tip of my tongue. I open my mouth to speak, but Eli clears his throat. The sexy sound hits my ears and piques more than my curiosity. It sends a shiver of pleasure from my eardrum deep down to my core. All thoughts of correcting my mom vanish with the air I exhale. Now, I’m much more interested in hearing what Eli is going to say.
“Makayla and I have been together since the day she was assigned to me,” he says matter-of-factly, then slaps my thigh with enthusiasm while throwing me a brief glance.
I suck in another sizable breath, surprised this time by the way his hand feels on my leg, and force myself to maintain normal eye contact with my mom. She tilts her head and watches us intently as I grow more and more… aroused.
Eli moves his fingers to the exact spot they’re not supposed to be.
My pulse ramps up. I’m not sure what else Eli might say. And I struggle to regulate my breathing as Eli keeps moving his fingers.
“She’s as curious as a kitten and more beautiful than any rainbow I’ve ever seen,” Eli says. “She can be pretty challenging to keep up with sometimes, but I make sure she doesn’t stray too far away.”
Mom grins as if in understanding of every word Eli has said.
I glance at him, far too turned on to look at anything else.
He pins me with his gaze, and stakes his claim on me through one hell of a sexy smirk. Then he winks, the sight so beautiful I practically spontaneously combust.
“In fact,” he continues, “she was about to show me around town. I’ve been looking forward to visiting the museum. You know Makayla. She loves her museums.”
His finger massage feels so good that I fight the urge to close my eyes, and move my sight back to my mom, hoping she will turn into the fire extinguisher I need to dampen my desire.
Mom places her cup of tea on the table. “Oh, how nice. Yes, since she was old enough to walk, Makayla has always loved visiting museums. Which one are you going to visit?”
Eli freezes, and his thoughts clearly scramble. It’s as if he’s searching for the answer somewhere deep inside his head. He wiggles beside me, moves his hand to the back of my chair, and runs his thumb in tiny circles across my shoulder.
I’m not sure if he’s toying with me or if he’s asking for my help. In either case, I’m grateful he’s made an attempt to put a halt to my mom’s inquisition. I contemplate letting him squirm, but decide to come to his rescue.
Coming down from the edge of my untimely high, I slide my hand to his lap. After flashing him a wistful look, I set my sight back on my mom to inform her about our impromptu schedule. “I thought we’d spend the day downtown. Is my car still in the garage?”
“Oh, yes, dear. I’ll have Benjamin prepare it for you. And with freezing rain on the way, today might be your only day to get out and go play. Yes,” Mom says, lifting from her chair. “You two go have some fun. We will certainly have plenty of time to catch up more tonight.”
I highly doubt today will turn out to be our only day to “play,” and ponder a good twenty-some rooms where I know a fair amount of entertaining can be done. By the glaze I see in Eli’s eyes, I’m confident he is thinking the same thing. I hold back a grin and lift from my seat, taking my hand that was cupping a hold across his crotch with me. There, there, Eli. I can play that game too.
Eli snickers, snatches up one of the fried pies, and places it on a plate. “Mrs. Stan, I’ve been drooling since the moment we sat down. Some things just look too good to pass up.” He tosses me another quick glance. “You don’t mind if I take one of these with me, do you?”
“Of course not, Eli. Help yourself. And please, by all means, do call me Carolyn,” Mom insists, and then watches as Eli shoves half the pastry past his lips. “That batch right there is cherry. It’s funny how men seem to love a warm mouthful of cherry. Feel free to enjoy as much as you like.”
Eli coughs through a fit of surprise as Mom heads out of the room, the corners of her lips lifting with purpose into a grin.
I can’t help but smirk; she knew exactly what she said.
Eventually, Eli manages to reign himself in and swallows his mouthful of filling.
“Do be careful driving downtown,” Mom hollers back at us from the hall. “Tickets and parking haven’t changed since last time you went. Have fun today. Dad and I will see you both later on tonight.”
Tilting his head to the side, Eli furrows his brows. “You’re seriously going to make me wear this?”
“Why not? It looks fantastic on you.”
“But it’s a cowboy hat. And I neither know how to mount a horse nor do I own a pair of boots.”
“Well, to be honest, I’m kind of happy about that,” I say, taking the hat from Eli and hanging it back on the gift shop’s rack. “You’re too sexy in your jeans and sneakers the way it is. I’m not sure what would happen to me if you walked into work wearing that hat.”
He plants his hands firmly on my waist and pulls me to his chest. “So are you telling me you think I’m sexy?”
“Beyond,” I admit, but stop short of telling him my full feelings, then wonder when I’ll get around to addressing what is going on with our friendship.
There is still a part of me that would rather have our friendship than lose him when things go bad. I’ll either have to explain my fears to him or severely dial back my advances. If I stick to the friendship thing, I know continuing to flirt with him isn’t fair. I definitely don’t want to be that kind of girl.
But it’s so dang hard not to flirt with him. And oh how I crave the way he teases me back.
Eli loops his right arm around my waist and tugs me away from anything and everything cowboy. After he ushers me toward the exit door, we walk out to my car. He opens my door and, like a gentleman, closes it once I’m settled in. His swift movements around the car tell me he’s seen enough Native American art at the museum to last him at least another year.
“What’s next?” he asks, lowering his tall frame into the passenger seat.
I watch as he buckles up and shifts in his seat, turning his body so he can more easily see me. As much money as my parents have, it is, after all, their money. I’m proud that my Mazda is the first big ticket item I’ve completely purchased for myself, even if Eli’s large frame doesn’t fit comfortably.
As it is, she’s a great little car and easily gets me from point A to point B. Although I loved having her while finishing grad school, for simplicity’s sake, I didn’t want to take her with me to Cleveland. So I left her with Dad. He didn’t object when I asked him to store her for me in the garage.
I shift into reverse and steal a glance at Eli with a smile, and then back my Miata out of the spot before steering us toward the exit and out of the lot. “Want to go for a drive?”
The expression on his face matches my grin and tells me he’s in. “Seeing that you’re just as good at driving as you are at explaining the weather, I’m game for anything you’ve got in store for me. And I do mean anything.”
I don’t doubt it and hop on I-35, heading south to bypass the city. I could have had Eli drive, but since I know exactly where I’m going, it seems easier for me take the wheel and let him see the sights along the way. With it being a little past noon,
we have plenty of time for an extra excursion. I push the pedal to the floor, and watch the tachometer lurch toward the red line.
“Anything?” I toss him a smirk. “Then just for that sexy head of hair of yours, I think we might be able to find a suitable hat.”
“Sweetheart, I’m not sure cowboy hats will ever be my thing. But I’ll humor you. I can’t wait to see where you’re taking me.”
I can’t help but hear a double meaning in his words and inwardly grin. Truthfully, a cowboy hat on Eli’s head is the farthest thing from my mind.
We continue south and I point out interesting sights while Eli asks a bazillion questions. Half an hour later, I exit the interstate, negotiate a couple turns I know in my sleep, and eventually roll through the beautiful brick gates of Parrington Oval.
I point toward the glove compartment. “There’s a parking pass inside. Hang it on the mirror and I’ll find a spot to park.” He does as I ask almost as if he’s done the same thing a million times before. I smile and pull into a spot, then cut the engine, taking a look around. “I spent the best five years of my life here. It’s a beautiful campus in the spring and summer. I can’t wait to show you around the University of Oklahoma.”
While he stares ahead, an amused look flashes across his face. “Is that the football stadium?”
“Yup. And we can make it our first stop. Come on. Follow me.” We hop out, and I grow even more excited for Eli with each step we take toward the set of open gates. “I’d call this a good bit of luck, but I honestly think they like showing off the stadium.”
He seems reluctant to go inside, but only for a brief moment. Once in, he turns in a tight circle at my side, his hands in his pockets, his eyes taking in as much as he possibly can.
“As you know,” he says, moving his gaze to me, “the story behind the Boomers and the Sooners’ land rush is a good one. But putting the history of Oklahoma aside for a moment, I have to tell you that Ohio State’s stadium could swallow this one whole.” He pulls me in front of him, turns me so my back is to his front, loops his arms around my waist, and holds me tightly against him.
I peer up at him over my shoulder. “I’ve seen footage of your stadium. Yes, you have us by several thousand seats. But we still have a pretty cool nickname. I’m a little sad I can’t be the first to tell you the story. I’m curious. How’d you learn about it?”
He turns me around so we are face to face. Hope glints in his eyes under the light of a midday sun. For me, it’s as beautiful as seeing a double rainbow lighting up the sky in the rain.
“Since that first night we worked together, when you wrapped your arms around my waist and shared your special moment with me, I knew I needed to know everything I could about you.” He pauses, as though he needs a moment to recall everything about that night, and runs his hands up to place a gentle hold on either side of my neck. “I had no idea I’d end up here. With you standing in front of me and with Sooner turf at our feet. Or that I’d feel the way I do about you,” he says, his long fingers cradling the back of my head, his eyes searching mine. “But you’re special, Makayla. I’d have crossed the forbidden territorial line too soon if it meant I would have found you on the other side. I couldn’t possibly have waited for the pistols to fire.”
Holding back a well of emotion, I fight to keep from closing my eyes. On top of his words, his touch has never felt so good.
He shakes his head and moves his palms to cradle my face. “No, to stake my claim on the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, I would most definitely have been a Sooner, and crossed the line to be with you.”
My heartbeat quickens. The way his eyes search mine holds me captive and renders me speechless. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to talk. Neither of us utters a word.
As it is, there seems to be a mutual understanding as we stand under the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun. I cling to his waist while he slowly pulls me closer against him.
My skin flushes with heat as he leans forward and draws his thumb across my lips. He pauses, just like he did at the top of the stairs, when I wanted so badly for him to kiss me. The anticipation of his lips touching mine is wreaking havoc on my senses. A heady desire spreads through my soul much the same way the hot Santa Ana winds blow in from the desert. I’m overly anxious. Exceptionally hot and needy. I can’t wait for our first kiss.
Lost within the moment, I forget all about the stadium and that we’re standing in the middle of a football field. I don’t think of much other than the beautiful man standing before me. And the fact that Eli’s my coworker doesn’t even enter my thoughts. In this moment, nothing seems to matter. There is only one thing on my mind.
As if aware of my desires, Eli closes the gap and presses his lips against mine. First soft and slow, then firmer, until he completely tightens the seal. In time, he strengthens his hold, acquaints himself with my body, and deepens our connection through his kiss, claiming me as his own.
His earlier words move in and out of my thoughts as though he is sending me unspoken assurance, telling me how much he is committed, and wants to keep moving forward with what we have growing between us. And for the first time in a long time, everything from bringing Eli home, to telling him the truth, to letting him cross the line and kiss me, feels right.
I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, encased in his hold, his lips on mine. But before I’m ready, he breaks contact and draws in a hefty breath. Gently, he rests his forehead against mine, his hands cupping my head.
As we stand there, the concern I have about being more than friends settles into the back of my mind. Since the first day I laid eyes on him, I had no doubt this day would eventually come.
I take his hands, thread his fingers with mine, and draw them to my chest. I set my gaze on his perfect face and take a moment to watch his hair blow in every direction. I close my eyes and inhale his scent that infiltrates every pore on my skin.
Yes, this is right.
This is what I want.
More than anything, I know I want him.
Content with my decision, I lift my eyelids and smile.
The fine lines around Eli’s eyes, especially as he smiles, show me a loving heart that I find wildly attractive.
I try to hide what I’m thinking. How can I possibly tell him what’s been on my mind? That if for some reason we can no longer be friends, I know I’ll be heartbroken. I choose not to say anything, though I will eventually have to open up. For now, I’m happy. He seems happy. What’s not to be happy about? We are becoming the best of friends.
Best friends who enjoy spending time together.
Best friends who can’t take their eyes off each other.
Best friends who kiss… like lovers.
Maybe I’ll tell him during our flight back to Cleveland.
Maybe I won’t.
I struggle with why my thoughts seem so conflicted and suddenly realize I’m staring at the ground. I keep going back and forth between letting myself fall for him and simply staying friends. Before I come to any kind of resolution, I feel Eli’s warm fingers lift my chin, aligning my sight with his.
His expression is soft and caring as he looks at me with a grin. “I know I’m supposed to be compiling all sorts of research to write your epitaph, but I kind of got lost in that kiss. I might need another one so I can make certain I get all the words just right.”
He winks, and the sight somehow gives me the answer I’ve so desperately needed.
My racing heart flutters with reckless abandon against my chest. My knees grow weak. I recognize exactly what is happening as I stand there before him.
I loop my arms around his neck, free my mind of fear, and lift up on my toes to affix my lips to his. This time, it’s my turn—to kiss him, to hold him, to do the unthinkable and rush across the coworker boundary line to claim him as my own.
“The red carpet treatment. The Department of Meteorology. Meeting one of your favorite professors. It was all pretty amazing. But just so you know, I didn�
�t find anything at the botanical gardens that compared to your beauty. Now this.” He rubs at the whiskers on his chin the way he always does when he’s thinking. He moves his sight left, and then right, then to the basketball court below. “You weren’t kidding with the surprise.” He draws me in for a hug and kisses the side of my head. “Thank you, Makayla.”
“No need to thank me. Dad gets this suite every year. You can thank him later, over a nice, juicy Oklahoma steak.”
At the mention of a steak, Eli’s eyes grow wide. It’s been several hours since we grabbed lunch at a favorite pub of mine, back near the OU campus. With the time we’ve spent together, I’ve gotten to know his appetite. As much as I love food, Eli enjoys it too.
Since we are first to arrive at the empty suite, I show him around and we stop in front of a table holding all sorts of over-the-top hors d’oeuvres. Game time isn’t for another half hour, so we have plenty of time to refill Eli’s tummy and sit back and relax before the ball is put into play. I gesture around, but the smorgasbord of food has seemingly snatched up my hungry man’s attention.
“Help yourself to drinks. There’s cold beer in the fridge and wine, too, or you can wait for a waiter to bring you just about anything you choose. If Henry’s working tonight, he makes a flavor-filled apple-pie-tini. I love it. If you like a bit of Southern spice, I think you’ll love it too.”
“I’m sure I already do,” he says, his tone certain, his eyes taking me in, though it doesn’t take long before he moves his sight back to the spread of food. “You make it to a lot of the games and order that drink?”
“I wouldn’t say a lot. But all the drinks are yummy, and they make a great companion while I sit at the bar behind Mom and Dad and watch the crowd.”
Eli chuckles, then lifts a brow. “You don’t watch the game?”
“Of course I watch the game. But sometimes people-watching is a lot more fun. We take our sports seriously here too, you know.” I wink, remembering the time he told me exactly the same thing about Cleveland. “And people-watching is a professional sport in my book.”
