by Megan Smith
I knock twice on the door and wait. “Come in.”
I push open the door as Eli is unbuttoning his shirt. “Uh, I can come back.”
“No.” It’s sharp and has me freezing in place. “Sit.”
I do as he says quickly taking a seat in a chair in front of his desk.
“Are you avoiding me?” He gets straight to the point.
So this is what it’s about, I’m not surprised. “No, why would I?”
His shirt comes off and he tosses it in the corner of the room before going into the closet and getting another. My breathing is at a virtual standstill. I watch as his arms come up above his head and the way his back muscles flex. I cross my legs as an ache starts down below.
Get it together, Layla. It’s only muscles, he is human after all. Okay, a male human who is muscled in all the right places. STOP IT, Layla!
“I don’t know? Maybe because of what happened on Sunday?” He offers, putting an arm through his shirt.
I wave him off like it’s no big deal that his kisses were like a drug and just one already had me addicted. “It’s no big deal.”
Eli finishes buttoning his shirt then walks around to the front of his desk and leans against it. “No big deal, huh?”
I shake my head.
“Do I need to change that and make it one?”
I look everywhere but at him. I can’t or I’ll leap out of this chair and beg him for just one more kiss even though it’s so wrong. It’s wrong that we’re even talking about it while we’re at work. Everything about it is wrong but oh so right.
“Answer me.”
I clear my throat trying to answer him but the words fail me.
He chuckles seeing me struggle.
“I’ll take that as an answer as to why you’ve been avoiding me.” Eli crosses his ankles. “Look, I know it was---“
“Wrong.” I finish for him. “It was wrong and shouldn’t have happened. We had a few drinks, things got carried away. I get it.”
He stares at me for just a moment before nodding his head. “I’m going to be hiring a replacement for you.”
My heart stops. He’s firing me because of a kiss, a kiss that he started? “Wait, I promise it’ll never happen again. You can’t fire me because of that.”
He smirks. “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, Layla. Now, if you let me finish what I started to say. I’m going to be hiring a replacement for you.” He stares at me for just a second before continuing. “Cooper and I would like to train you to be one of the managers here at Fierce. As you know, Cooper is gone a lot and I need the extra help. We’re aware that you don’t have the experience but we’re willing to train you if you accept the offer.”
I sit thinking for a minute. This could be a great opportunity, some experience, and I’ll be able to actually use my degree that I’m going to school for, but what do I do about Fallon, about Brian? I’m sure more hours are going to be needed.
“I see those wheels turning.” Eli chuckles. “What kind of questions do you have?”
“Will more hours be needed? I’m already kind of here as much as I possibly can be.”
Eli walks around his desk and retrieves something from his drawer. “No. I may need extra help from time to time but, for the most part, the hours you have now will work. Any other questions?”
“Are you sure you want to offer it to me?”
“Yes,” Eli responds with no hesitation “Cooper and I talked about it and we trust you more than any of the other girls here and we’d rather it be someone who knows what goes on around here. Is that it?”
I think for a second, as long as he’s sure, I’m sure. “Yes that’s it.”
“Good, then I need you to sign these and I’ll get started interviewing for your replacement.”
I reach for the pen and quickly sign my name on the paperwork. I can feel Eli’s eyes on me and it’s making me flustered.
“Here you go.” I say handing him the paperwork back.
“You aren’t going to read it over? Ask about the salary?”
“Should I?” I smirk. “If you have trust in me to help you out with the club then I have to have trust in you that you’re taking care of me.”
“Fair enough.” Eli extends his hand to me.
I take his hand in mine and he pulls me suddenly to him so that we’re nearly face to face. “And just so you know, yes, that kiss shouldn’t have happened but I’m only saying that because you have a boyfriend, Layla, if you didn’t, this situation right now would turn out much differently.”
I swallow hard as Eli let’s my hand go.
“Have a good rest of the night, Layla.” Eli calls out to me as he leaves me standing in his office.
Jesus, what have I gotten myself into accepting this job where I’ll be working with him more closely?
Saturday afternoon rolls around and I find myself at the mall looking for the perfect pair of earrings for Fallon. Her birthday is just a few days away and I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to find the time to pick them up, so here I am while Fallon is out with Mrs. Stein.
Browsing around in a few stores, I haven’t quite found what I’m looking for. I have a few options but I’ll know what I’m looking for as soon as I see it.
When I left work last night I was a little irritated with Eli. I know he’s teasing me, pushing me, for a reaction about the kiss we shared but it’s not helping me at all. It’s all I think about. I’ve got a million other things to worry about but yet I find myself daydreaming about it constantly.
Before hitting the next store I stop in the coffee shop. I need it because I feel a headache coming on. As I’m paying, I catch a glimpse of a father and his daughter standing outside of Victoria’s Secret.
The barista hands me my coffee. I stuff the receipt in my pocket walking out but stopping short when I get a better look at the dad and his daughter.
It’s Eli.
Eli and his daughter.
Eli. Has. A. Kid.
I duck back into the coffee shop trying to figure out a way to get around him without being seen. I take a seat at an empty table that gives me a little view of Eli. My heart is beating so fast and I’m shaking. Holy shit, I can’t believe he has a kid. How did he not tell me this? Did I miss the pictures of her in his office? How come she’s never come in for a visit before opening?
All of these questions are swirling around in my head when I see a tall, beautiful brunette walk out of Victoria’s Secret and right over to where Eli is with his daughter. I stop breathing and my vision blurs as she places a hand on Eli’s shoulder and leans in to kiss the little girl’s cheek.
A chair slides across the tile floor startling me. I grab my coffee, stand up and look around trying to figure out which way is the fastest to get outside, to get away from this train wreck. I realize there are no exits nearby, only a bathroom so that’s where I head.
I take a sip of my coffee and toss the rest in the trash…not even drinking that will help ward off the headache now.
Stepping out of the coffee shop I keep my head down until I turn the corner where I’m safe, only I’m not.
Oomph. Firm hands grasping my upper arms keep me steady. My cheek rests against a hard toned chest. The aroma of a crisp sea breeze with a hint of woodsy essence invades my senses and makes my world tilt.
My heart rate picks up a beat and I try to quickly recover by taking a few steps back. “I’m sorry.” I say before looking up.
The guy chuckles and it’s like a bucket of cold water that washes over me. I know that sound and it’s the last person I wanted to run into right now. It’s the person I was running from.
“What are you doing?” He asks.
I roll my eyes while adjusting the strap on my purse. “Shopping, what else do you do at a mall, Eli?”
“By yourself?”
I huff annoyed that he would think I can’t shop by myself. “Yeah.”
“Where’s Brian?” When his name rolls off his tongue I c
ringe.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” Yeah, jerk, I saw her and your daughter.
Eli smirks and I want to punch him in the face. “I don’t have one.”
“Then who’s that?” I say nodding towards the pretty girl with her daughter who looks to be about Fallon’s age.
“Jealous?”
I glare, getting more and more pissed off that he’s not claiming them. “Nope.”
“Then why does it matter who that is?”
“It doesn’t.”
He smiles a cocky smile. “I’ll tell you on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
He takes a small step towards me and leans down to whisper in my ear. “Go out to dinner with me again tonight.”
I push on his hard stomach. “No.”
Eli laughs. “Why not? It’s just friends having dinner.”
“Because.” I can’t think of a reason to say no but I know that I should.
Eli takes a step closer and I take a step back. “There has to be a reason, Layla.” He takes another step towards me and my back hits the wall. He’s got me cornered and his girlfriend and daughter are right there. This is so fucked up. “Are you afraid of what might happen?”
I swallow hard. “No.”
He brings his mouth right to my ear and whispers, “Are you afraid of me or what will happen when you’re with me?”
A shiver racks my body as his warm breath hits my ear. He’s so cocky but in a sexy sort of way.
Eli kisses the lobe of my ear. “Which is it, Layla?”
I can’t speak. I can barely hold myself up against the wall. He bites down on my ear and I whimper. Breathing is optional at this point.
Why is he doing this? He just kissed my fucking ear, in the mall, in broad daylight, and I’m like a deer caught in headlights right now.
“I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear something nice.”
And then he’s gone leaving me speechless and utterly breathless.
What the hell just happened?
Eli
“Who was that?” Erin asks nodding to where Layla is still leaning against the wall.
“A friend.” I offer, since that’s all we are, all we can be, for now anyway. I’ve gotten a taste of her from just that simple kiss. I want more and I’m stopping at nothing until I get it.
I never thought I’d be the guy who would go after a girl who has a boyfriend. It’s not my thing, I wouldn’t want that to happen to me, but damn it to hell if I’m going after her.
Erin, Sophia and I finish our shopping date in the Disney store where Sophia picked out a bunch of different things. Erin bitched and complained that I was spoiling her.
“I don’t care.” I say throwing another princess t-shirt on the pile. “She’s my niece and I can spoil her rotten if I want.”
“You wait until you have your own kids one day, Eli.” She says smiling. “I’m going to do the same thing to them.”
Kids. I never thought about having my own. I don’t even know where to start with raising one but I do know one thing, if and when I ever do have kids, I will always be a part of their lives. I won’t be my dad, the dad who pays his kids off to keep them out of his hair.
After dropping Erin and Sophia off at their house I make it back in time for a quick shower before I’m running out the door again to pick up Layla. I honestly don’t even know if she’s going to be there, she didn’t exactly say yes but I didn’t give her a chance either.
I decide just to take her to Olive Garden, I figure it’s safe. It’s just dinner, nothing fancy like a real date, just friends going to dinner.
Pulling up in front of her house I leave the car running while I jog up to the front door. Just before I’m about the knock, the door swings open.
“Hey,” Layla says pushing the door open to step outside.
She’s dressed in dark skinny jeans, the same nude color heels from the other night, a black shirt and a jean jacket. She kept it casual not surprising me at all. Her blonde hair is loosely curled framing her face. Layla also kept her make-up simple which I love. I hate the girls who try too hard and look flashy and overdone.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to come…or maybe I knew you were going to come.” I insinuate with a grin knowing the affect I had on her at the mall. Her mouth drops open looking at me while I’m smirking holding the passenger side door open for her. I see it the moment it happens, flustered response aside, her sass returns.
“Well, you didn’t exactly give me a choice.” She retorts.
I laugh shutting the door and walking around to the driver’s side sliding in. Layla reaches over herself, grabs the seatbelt and I do the same. “So where are we going?”
I shrug. “I thought Olive Garden was a good choice unless you have somewhere else in mind.”
Shaking her head she replies, “Nope, that’s good.”
I get back on the highway heading towards where I live when Layla asks, “Where are you going?”
“Olive Garden.”
“But it’s the other way.”
I flick the turn signal on and get over into the other lane. “I thought we’d go to the one by my house, figured you wouldn’t want Brian to see us together.”
Her head snaps in my direction. “This isn’t a date, Eli. It’s dinner and then you are going to drop me back off.”
“Just dinner.” I agree but deep down we both know it’s a little more than that.
We arrive at the restaurant and are seated right away. When the waiter asks what we want to drink I order us wine and Layla also asks for a glass of water.
When he walks away she taps her fingers on the menu. I glance up and catch her staring at me. “What?”
“What did you tell your girlfriend you were doing tonight?”
I chuckle and set down my menu. “I told you I didn’t have one.”
She’s glaring now and if looks could kill I’d be dead. “Eli, cut the shit. I saw you with her and your daughter, too.”
Laughter bubbles over. “I can assure you I don’t have any kids. That little girl was Sophia, my niece.”
Her eyebrows bunch together in confusion. “Your niece?”
I nod.
“So, not your daughter?”
“No.”
She bobs her head up and down slowly. “Then the girl was you’re sister or sister-in-law?”
I pick the menu back up. “Sister.”
“Hmm.” Is all she says as she picks up her menu and I swear I see a hint of a smile as she scans the dinner choices.
After we got that out of the way, the rest of dinner was more relaxed. I explained that we were at the mall because I promised Sophia I would take her. Then Layla explained that she was there shopping for earrings.
We talk about the new position she is taking at the club. I tell her the things I need help with; cashing the drawers out at the end of the night, counting inventory, placing orders with vendors, and helping with the staff scheduling.
“For the time being I’m going to have you set up in Cooper’s office. It’s just until we can get my office rearranged, get a desk and chairs ordered too.”
“Your office?” Layla squeaks.
“Yeah, is that going to be a problem?”
She stares down at the table, obviously this is a problem. “Would you rather share an office with Cooper?” I offer. “You really won’t be spending that much time in it anyway.”
“No, no, your office is just fine.”
“What’s wrong then?”
“Nothing.”
“Layla, I can’t fix a problem if I don’t know what it is.”
She sighs loudly. “This isn’t going to go over well with Brian.”
Ah, and there it is, the source of all our problems. “Can I ask you something without offending you?”
“Sure.”
“Why are you with him?”
She doesn’t answer right away and that’s worrisome. If she truly loves him she wouldn’t even have to th
ink about it, at least I don’t think. I mean, yeah, maybe it does take time to figure it out exactly why you are with him; maybe she needs to find the words to make me understand. I don’t know because until her I never wanted any part of a relationship. I was too goal driven to care what girls really wanted from me, I didn’t have the time.
“It’s complicated.”
“Life’s complicated, Layla.”
She looks over to the table across from us and watches as a wife and husband exchange long loving glances at each other before turning her eyes back to me. “There is stuff that Brian helps me with. Stuff only he knows about. He’s always been there for me when I needed him the most.”
“Then why isn’t this going to go over well with him? I mean, if you’re in a relationship with him then there has to be trust, right?” In any relationship trust is paramount or it’s not going to work, even I know this.
“Brian is a jealous person.”
“He is.” I agree especially after our very brief conversation. “But there is no reason to be jealous of you working at Fierce. If anything, he should be happy for you, we’ve just opened not that long ago and you’ve already been promoted.”
Layla sits back and crosses her arms over her chest, she’s frustrated. “He’s jealous of you, Eli. You’ve showed me attention, he’s seen it, he hates it.” She clenches her jaw. “He’s even told me to quit.”
I nod. I’m not surprised by that at all. “But you’re not quitting?”
“No, I’m not. I need this job more than I need Brian.”
This shit is hurting my fucking head. So she doesn’t love Brian or need him but she’s still with him. It makes no damn sense.
“Look, I know this doesn’t make sense to you but just trust me. Things will change but they need to happen my way.”
“Okay.” I drop the subject because whatever it is that is tying her to him needs to be handled by her when the timing is right. I can’t argue with her anymore about it. “So why don’t we see about maybe having an office upstairs built for you.” I sit back in my chair trying to forget about her and Brian and concentrate on work. It’s what I’m good at, at least.
“No really, your office is just fine. Plus, like you said, I’ll hardly be in it anyway.”
