Another breath released. No worries.
Not even the last hour at the party had held any worries. They had stuck by his father and Gabby. And Gabby was a remarkable woman. She couldn't remember either of her grandmother's that well, since they died when Lynn was a young child, but Gabby reminded her of how a grandmother would be. Someone she could turn to in a time of need, or someone who would lend an ear, or even someone she could spend the day with simply enjoying each other's company. An instant connection had sparked between them. She could see why Gregory liked her.
Whether it was her by his side, or the realization sinking in better, but Elliot had remained friendly, asking polite questions as if he truly cared about Gabby's response. He had held her hand most of the time. A few trembles had escaped every once in a while. He didn’t want to let another woman into his father's life, but he was trying. That told her just what kind of man he was.
Besides everything that had happened, she had a wonderful time at the party. While the party consisted mostly of the upper class in the town of Mulberry, they treated it like a party at someone's home. She loved that part the most. Everyone brought a gift for under the tree, and some people, like Elliot, contributed to the food, sort of like a potluck. Nobody looked down at her like she didn't belong. Everyone greeted her with a friendly smile and eagerness to know more about her, especially when they saw Elliot's arm around her.
"Long thoughts over there. We're almost home. Did you want to try calling Laura?" Elliot asked, reaching for her hand that rested on her lap.
"No, she would call if she had a problem. I'm glad you didn’t mind I gave your number to Ashley's mom in case she needed me. I should get with the times and get a cell phone. It's just…well, I'm old-fashioned." That excuse sounded better than the actual truth. She was poor and couldn't afford a cell phone.
Elliot kissed her hand, keeping it on his lap as he continued to drive home. The fireworks were already starting. "Did you enjoy the party? I'm sorry again about Marybeth."
"I had a wonderful time, Elliot. Let's forget about all that other stuff."
He kissed her hand again, his lips lingering before he set her hand back down on his lap. His kiss told her just what he was thinking about.
She smiled. The shivers wracking her body could be interpreted in so many ways. Nerves. Desire ramping up. More nerves. "I want to spend the night, but what will your dad think?" You are not making excuses because you're scared. You are not making excuses.
"Well, not that I really want to think about that. I really, really don't, actually. But my dad informed me before we left that he wouldn't be home tonight. Regardless, my dad wouldn't mind. We're adults, Lynn. Plus, it's my house." He grinned at her with that last statement.
"Your house or not, he's your dad."
"True, but if you haven't noticed, he adores you. He wouldn't care."
***
A bright red ribbon with sparkling snowflakes punched him in the gut. Why in the world would the thought of that present pop into his head?
A sign maybe. The only reason he met her in the first place. Should he tell her about that? Once they got home, their relationship would move into a whole new level. Having that present between them might not be a good thing. How would she react?
A very proud woman. So thoughtful, giving, caring. Her reaction could be very bad. He almost lost her earlier tonight, over his own stupidity and over Marybeth's interference. He couldn't lose her. Not yet. The ache below his belt and in his heart needed this one night with her at least.
"Your hand is shaking. Does that mean you're just as nervous as me?"
He quickly looked down at their hands linked. How had he let that happen? Projecting his nervousness. "I'm sitting next to a beautiful woman, who I'm dying to have the minute I get home. Maybe I'm a little nervous. Do you know what you mean to me, Lynn?"
"I can guess. How did I get so lucky to meet you?"
It's like she read his mind. Spill the beans. Tell her about the present. Come clean how he had been searching for the owner of a present that should've never landed on his doorstep, but very thankful that it had.
Christmas socks. Oh, the delicious things he could do with those. Take each one, slowly caress her leg as he put them on her. And only the socks. She had to be completely naked in just the socks.
"Elliot? You look a little flushed."
He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Just thinking too many thoughts of what I want to do with you when we get home. And thankfully, we're home."
Nope. Not a good time to tell her. Tonight was his night. The damn present could wait until tomorrow.
He pulled into the driveway and shut off the truck. No more thinking about the present. That wasn't important right now. Showing her what she meant to him was the most important thing. He needed a plan of attack before he confessed his sins. Because when he finally told her the truth, losing her wasn't an option.
"Why are we nervous? We've both done this before." He chuckled, gaining a sweet smile from her.
"It's been a long time for me, Elliot. I just want it to be perfect."
"You are perfect. And it's been a while for me, too. Can I take you in the house now and ravish you?"
She giggled. "Please do."
The wind swirled around, biting into his cheeks, yet all he could feel was the warmth of desire standing beside him.
He shoved open the door and pulled her eagerly inside out of the cold. He helped her out of her coat, brushing his fingers along her shoulders before hanging it up next to his coat in the closet. He removed his suit jacket, laying it gently over the small table near the door, then flipped the lock on the door and took off his shoes. As soon as she had carefully taken her heels off, he backed her into the wall near the closet, kissing her with a desired frenzy.
His tongue mingled with hers, tasting the wonderful flavor of the cookies she had nibbled on at the party before they left. He tenderly bit her lip, trailing soft kisses from her neck to her ear, taking his time with each kiss. Getting to know every part of her body.
"I want you, Lynn. I could take you right here against this wall. Hell, in every spot in my house. I want to mark you as mine. Say you're mine." He sucked on her earlobe as he moved his hands from her hips to her back.
"I'm all yours, Elliot. Take me anywhere you want."
His hands slid up her back, finding the zipper to her dress. He pulled down with slow precision and let the dress drop to the floor. As he stepped back to drink in the sight of her wondrous body, his knees buckled as the intensity of his need skyrocketed to almost a point of pain.
"You've been completely naked under this dress all night? You are so lucky I didn't know this before we left." He delivered a delicious grin as she bit her lip with enticement. Every curve of her just waiting for his soft touch. No panties, no bra to contend with. Yet, he stood frozen.
"And just what would've you done? I would love to know." She smiled artfully, smoothing her hands down his chest and pulled his shirt out from inside his pants. Her fingers trailed a burning path. She slowly started to unbutton each button and all he could do was stare at the longing in her eyes. Her fingers brushed his skin every time she unhooked a button. "Speechless? I'm surprised."
He grazed over her entire body as her fingers continued to create magic with each delicate brush. He had no words. He just wanted to soak it all in. She reached the last button, loosened his tie, and tossed the tie and shirt to the ground. She stroked his chest with a sweet caress, taking her time to touch every curve. He released a sigh when she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. Her hand slid inside and finally reached its mark.
His turn.
He pushed her against the wall, whispering hoarsely against her mouth, "I would've done this." He crushed his mouth to hers, his entire body pressing against her as the heat rose between them.
Her soft body molded perfectly with his. This wasn't how he imagined their first time, but it suddenly felt right. No protest slipp
ed from her lips. Only sweet moans of delight as he grinded against her. He needed her. And he needed her now.
He tangoed with her, the kiss intensifying as he reached into his back pocket, fumbling in his wallet until the smooth condom packet hit his fingers. He dropped his wallet to the floor at the same time his pants fell. He covered himself quickly.
Without once breaking the kiss, he lifted her up, and slowly let her sink down onto him. He moaned into her mouth, then kissed her cheek. "Shit, I might not last long. You feel so damn good."
"We have all night, Elliot. You're supposed to stay up really late at a sleepover, aren't you?" Small kisses peppered his neck as he started to rock her up and down, loving her sweetly against the wall.
"I plan to keep you up for a very long time."
He claimed her mouth again, continuing the sweet assault against her body. He clutched her hips tighter as he pulled in and out of her with a delightful hunger. His fingers itched to learn, memorize every inch of her body, play tenderly with breasts, glide further down and make the magic hotter, but he only held her firmly to the wall.
Before long, his pleasure became too much as she started to squeeze the life right out of him, her climax hitting with intensity. Her body shuddered in bliss. His passion swept away with her as the love between them wrapped around his heart and staked permanent claim.
He loved this woman. That simple. No reservations. No hesitations. Just love. He didn't ask for a gift this Christmas, but he received the best one out there.
He bit his tongue before the words fell out. Not yet. There was only one way he could tell her. It would give him plenty of time to plan the perfect setting.
He buried his head into her neck as his breaths came out heavily, just as deeply as hers. She had to have felt the same magic as him. Her body told him so.
"Now, we're going to take it slowly. I'm going to cover every inch of this gorgeous body with my lips. Any objections?" he whispered into her ear.
"None. I'm all yours."
That's all he needed to hear.
He carried her to the bedroom where he continued to show her just how much he loved her. There wasn't one part of her body he didn't kiss, caress, and love with sweet devotion. Before they fell into a peaceful sleep, she mumbled in his ear about their clothes scattered in the foyer. What happens if his dad came home before they could pick everything up?
That really hadn't crossed his mind, not that he would have cared either. But he dragged his butt out of bed to grab their clothes and jumped back in with renewed energy. She glided into his embrace with ease, and with as much anticipation as him. They loved each other one more time before they fell into a deep sleep.
They slept late into the morning, not once letting the sun wake them from their quiet slumber.
A loud, piercing sound jolted Elliot awake. He blinked a few times before it registered it was his phone ringing on his nightstand.
He grabbed the phone, mumbling a brief hello. His eyes shot open when the concerned woman's voice on the other end identified herself.
"Yes, she's right here. Hold on a minute." Elliot covered the phone slightly, nudging Lynn lightly on the shoulder. "Sweetheart, wake up. It's Ashley's mom."
Lynn shifted under the covers, but didn't open her eyes. He leaned closer, placing a light kiss on her cheek. The small amount of sunlight streaming in haloed her face like an angel. Oh, how he could've woke her up in a completely different way.
"Lynn, sweetheart, you need to wake up. You have a phone call. It concerns Laura."
Lynn perked up at the sound of her daughter's name. "What time is it? What's wrong?"
"It's a little after ten," Elliot said, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "Ashley's mom didn't say what was wrong, just asked for you. She sounded slightly panicked."
Worry instantly punctured her face. He could relate to that. Worry had started to worm its way inside the moment Ashley's voice echoed with panic. He loved Lynn, which meant he loved Laura as well.
She grabbed the phone from him, spitting out question after question. A few minutes later, she hung up the phone.
"Is she okay? Talk to me." He pulled her closer, their hearts beating rapidly in tune. This is what it felt like to be a worried parent. He didn't care how little he had known Lynn and her daughter. Laura felt like his child already. Damn, he loved that little girl just as much as he loved Lynn. He would do anything to help with whatever the issue happened to be.
"Laura broke her arm. My baby's in pain and I'm not there. I'm not there, Elliot."
Tears started to fall down. He gently grabbed her chin, wiping the tears away. "Hey, it's okay. We'll get dressed and head to the hospital right away. Everything will be fine. Did she say how it happened?"
"Playing in the snow. They were sledding and she wiped out pretty badly. She could have more injuries than that."
He brushed a finger over her lips. "You don't know that. Let's get dressed and go to the hospital. She said a broken arm, that's it. Don't think any more bad thoughts."
"You'll drop me off?"
He cradled her face and leaned in closer, his lips almost touching hers. "Let's get something straight. I'm not just dropping you off. I'm staying with you until you leave the hospital, and even after that, I won't leave your side. We'll get through this mishap together. Like we will with all future endeavors. I told you I wanted it all, which means, I'm here for it all. Every single little thing that happens. Laura means a great deal to me as well. Not just you. Do you hear me?"
"I'm just so scared. She's never broken a bone before. I feel like a terrible mother not being there."
"You're a wonderful mother. We'll be scared together. I won't leave your side."
He kissed her briefly, then produced a tender smile. "You know my aversion to hospitals. But for you and Laura, I'll do anything."
Chapter 12
Elliot gently sat down on the couch and handed Laura a mug. "Hot chocolate. My mom used to make this for me when I wasn't feeling well. I'm not a pro like she was, but I tried."
Laura raised her lips into a sweet smile. "I'm a one-handed monster now. I hope I don't spill it."
She grabbed the mug by the handle with her right hand. Her left arm was cradled in a long cast that reached from her hand past her elbow. Bright pink adorned the outside with a few signatures already scattered around. The task of picking a color at the hospital had taken a while. Pink's her favorite color, but the pain and fear of getting her arm wrapped had been a little too much for her. Elliot had wanted to pull her close and take all the pain and sadness away. Sort of like right now.
"More like a one-handed munchkin. I spilled my coffee last week over by that chair in the corner. I set it on the floor and just forgot it was there when I stood up. Water and a rag. That's all it takes to wipe up a mess."
He smiled tenderly, the happiness strengthening inside as her eyes lit up with delight. Such a brave little girl. They had to snap the bone back in place. The tears and cries that left her mouth had broken his heart. Lynn had clutched her daughter through it all, while he stood to the side with a hand on Lynn's shoulder. He had felt helpless. Just like all those times his mother had lain in bed with so much pain. He hated that damn hospital. Thank god, they were back at his house.
"What's my mom doing?" She took a small sip. Her eyes closed briefly, her smile never wavering.
She liked it. His mom really was the pro, even his dad could make a mean hot chocolate, but Elliot could only do it so-so.
"Talking on the phone with Ashley's mom. How's the arm feeling, kiddo?"
"It's okay. What happens if the pain comes back? I want to be a big girl for my mom. I don't want to cry again."
Just like that, the ache came back. He scooted closer to her on the couch and softly pulled her into his side. "You don't have to put on a brave front for your mom. I broke my arm once. I cried and cried and cried. You know what my mom did? She held me like I am with you and she didn’t care how much I cried. Just l
ike your mom doesn't. You can cry whenever you want."
"I feel like a baby when I cry."
"It's okay to cry. I cry, even at this age."
"Really? What makes you cry?" Laura tilted her head to look at him while her hand clutched the mug with a death-like grip.
Elliot maintained eye contact even though he wanted to look away. "My mom died a few years ago. I couldn't hold in the tears. And it's okay when you can't. Even my dad cried. So, if two big guys like us can cry, you can, too."
Her hand loosened on the mug. "I'm sorry about your mom."
"Me too, kiddo." He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her sweet innocence. "Just think of all those cool autographs you'll get when you go to school."
"That is pretty neat. Maybe Tim will sign it."
He chuckled, squeezing her lightly. "I bet he'll be the first one."
***
Lynn wiped a tear from her cheek before stepping into the living room. What a wonderful man to comfort her child. To think Laura thought she had to be brave for her. Never. That was her job.
"How's the hot chocolate? I watched him make it and he wouldn't let me help at all." Elliot started to move, but she waved her hand at him to stay put. She took a seat on the other side of Laura.
"It's awesome! You should have some, Mom."
Lynn tossed an arm around Laura and squeezed lightly. Her hand brushed Elliot's arm. He gazed over at her. Just one look relayed how appreciative she was for him making Laura feel better. "I think I might, but we're missing something."
Elliot snapped his fingers. "Marshmallows. How could I forget those?"
"Cookies. You should always have cookies with hot chocolate." Lynn smiled at Elliot as Laura giggled. He thankfully kept his mouth closed that there was a container of cookies still sitting on his counter, but winked mischievously. Making cookies always lifted Laura's spirits.
"We could have marshmallows and cookies," Laura said as the light in her eyes brightened.
"Best idea ever. I can't believe I forgot the marshmallows." Elliot shook his head with dismay even as his eyes twinkled with laughter.
Merry Me Page 12
