Where I Wanna Be

by Vera Roberts

  Everything was his fault and she was being unfairly punished for it.

  “Come here,” Eli nudged her to turn around and Simone shook her head. He continued to pull on her waist and Simone reluctantly turned around. She didn’t look up at him and her crying slowly subsided. Eli lifted her chin up, forcing Simone to open her eyes and look at Eli. He read the hurt in her eyes and the acceptance that everything was done and over between them. They both knew this was going to be the last time they not only would be together, but see each other. Simone would probably have Pepper handle the SHE account at Madre’s and Simone would steer clear of Eli if they happened to be doing the same event. It would be as if they were complete strangers.

  Eli’s free hand wandered to Simone’s belt on her robe and he slowly undid it. Underneath her silk robe was a matching lace bra and panty set. Her nipples hardened when the cool air hit them. He thumbed over a taut nipple through the bra and felt his mouth water for a taste. He then slid his hand down her waist, and stopped at the beginning of the vee between her thighs.

  Simone wouldn’t budge. Normally her legs would’ve parted and they both would’ve began the shuffling of clothes removal and playing with position to do first. Instead, Eli had a roadblock. Simone parting her legs almost meant giving him her heart and she couldn’t risk doing that again.

  “Moni,” he buried his face along the hollow of her neck and kissed it, “I can’t promise you forever. I can only promise you tonight.”

  Simone threw her head back for easier access. She closed her eyes as Eli’s lips and tongue once again assaulted her body. Her mouth involuntarily made sounds, signaling her approval and she tightened her lips. No, he was not going to do this to her. He was not going to fuck and run. If it was going to be their last night together, it was going to be one for the books.

  She pulled away from Eli and gazed into his hazel eyes. “If this is it, it needs to be it. Make it good.”

  Eli pulled off his shirt and rolled on top of Simone. “It was never my intention to hurt you, Moni and I’m sorry.”

  He finally apologized and that was all Simone needed to hear. “Shhh…” She lightly shook her head. “…let’s not talk about the past anymore. I just want this. Give this to me.”

  Eli silently nodded and slid his body down Simone’s, kissing her collarbone, then the space between her breasts, past her waist and finally at the beginning of her panties. He slowly pulled them down and tossed them in a corner before he dived into her nectar. She was bare and smooth, the result of a wax job. He spread her folds apart and lightly licked the swollen nub that peeked out. His tongue gave her long swirling strokes, alternating between her tight heat and her engorged clit.

  Simone’s body reacted to Eli’s tongue, wanting to ride it, savor it forever. Her body moved like an ocean wave, anxious to feel more of his quick tongue, and not wanting to let him go. She grabbed her breasts and pinched the nipples through the bra, eventually freeing them when she pulled down the lacy fabric.

  Fuck me.

  Eli moved her legs farther apart and held them up to the ceiling as he continued to pleasure her, causing Simone to whimper and moan. His tongue was definitely a gift from God, along with that glorious cock of his. He could slowly swirl his tongue around her swollen nub just as he could give quick flicks.

  Flutters in her tummy began, her legs began to shake, and the moans became louder. The room was spinning, Simone felt drunk, and Eli drove his tongue farther into her pussy. It was their good-bye sex and Eli wanted to make sure Simone would never forget him no matter what happened. Before she could warn him about her impending orgasm, it snuck up on her and Simone screamed Eli’s name as she climaxed.

  Eli quickly removed his clothing and rejoined Simone on the bed. With a quick thrust, he entered her. Damn, he felt alive with her tight heat welcoming every inch of him. He pursed his lips together and moved slowly inside her. “I’m sorry, Moni,” he spoke as he moved inside her, “I will never hurt you again. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, baby,” Simone clutched at his arms and spread her legs wider for him, “just make love to me, please.”

  Throughout the night, they would make love various times before they fell asleep in each other’s arms. They both knew it was over between them—their friendship and relationship.

  Twenty-One

  “So… how was Brooklyn?”

  Faith greeted Eli with a hug as he picked her up from her parents’ home. She wanted to take a cab back to her place but Eli was insistent that he pick her up, instead. Once she realized how insistent Eli was, Faith asked her parents to keep Nathan an additional night so she could talk privately with Eli. She thought about Eli’s inquiry and bit her lip to keep the smile from forming. The image of Darren sprawled out naked across his bed, stroking his cock and beckoning her to come closer so he could taste her, appeared in her thoughts. She blinked away the memory. “It was fun.”

  Eli studied Faith’s eyes. There was a slight twinkle in them and a slow fire began to burn in Eli’s veins. What type of fun, exactly, did she have, he wondered. He only hoped it required she kept her clothes on and nowhere near Darren. “Good to hear.” He grabbed her bag and loaded it in the backseat.

  “How was your weekend?” Faith buckled up. She really didn’t want to hear about the exploits of her husband and his new girlfriend but it would take the heat off her.

  “I had a good weekend,” Eli began navigating down the street. The morning after his goodbye with Simone, it wasn’t as awkward as he thought it would be. They had one last passionate session before breakfast and they parted ways. They both knew it wouldn’t be the last time they would see each other and they would be interconnected in some way due to the industry they were in. They also knew they really needed to keep their distance from each other since a platonic friendship was out of the cards.

  “That’s good,” Faith tapped her fingers on her knee, “I’m glad to hear.”

  “So, Darren…” Eli felt his emotions get lodged in his throat. “…he’s your boyfriend?”

  Faith glanced out of the window and wiped her nose, thinking of an explanation. Darren surely thought she was his girlfriend by the way he treated her. He showed her around his neighborhood, treated her out to dinner at the finest restaurants, and engaged in deep conversation with her. The special attention he gave her body throughout the weekend also made it clear he wanted her to be his girlfriend. It seemed with every thrust he gave her, Darren was trying to fuck the resistance out of Faith. He nearly succeeded.

  “Darren is a close friend,” Faith clarified, not turning to Eli to see his reaction. She could sense the silent anger coming out of his breath. Eli always claimed he wasn’t jealous but everyone around them new that was a boldface lie. He never threatened or made snide remarks, though his eyes told how he really felt. He used his schoolboy charm as a pass to get to know Faith’s male friends. Those who were single, Eli was sure to set them up with some girls he knew. The ones who were married, Eli and Faith often went on double dates with them.

  With Eli not being too familiar with the exact nature of the relationship between Darren and Faith, it made for interesting times. “He’s just a really close friend,” Faith emphasized.

  “A really close friend?” Eli repeated. He wanted to inquire how close Faith was implying. Close enough that he knew where her erogenous zones were? Close enough to know she would whimper and almost cry when she was about to climax? Close enough to know she loved getting her toes sucked?

  No, it couldn’t be that. She wouldn’t sleep with a man she barely knew. If she made Eli wait for six months, she wouldn’t jump in another’s man bed and have him do whatever he pleased to her.

  She simply wouldn’t… would she? “How close are we talking?” Eli inquired.

  “How’s Simone, Eli?” Faith countered, with annoyance in her voice. “How is your girlfriend?”

  “She’s not my girlfriend, Faye,” Eli replied.

  “Okay, then. How�
�s your whore?” She asked.

  Eli let out a sigh and smiled. “We’re not together anymore.”

  “Oh.” Faith cleared her throat. She tried to look nonchalant at the news but she was silently elated. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Are you really?” He asked. “I would think that news would make you happy.”

  Faith was ecstatic. If she could do a cartwheel, she would’ve done at least five of them already. She was confused on exactly why she was happy. Happy that Eli’s affair blew up in his face? Happy that she could laugh at him and say, ‘Told you so!’? Or the real reason—happy that maybe his split could possibly open the door to reconciliation? “It’s your life, Eli,” she deflected away from the truth, “if my son’s father is happy, then I’m happy for him.”

  “Why, that’s a nice canned bullshit response,” he glanced at her and winked.

  “What do you want me to say, Eli?” She questioned, with a chuckle. “I mean, you just told me you’re no longer with the woman you left me for. How am I supposed to react?” She cleared her throat and put on a heavy Southern accent. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Eli, for saving my poor wittle heart!”

  “You were always so dramatic,” Eli quietly replied.

  “You didn’t mind my dramatics when we were together, Eli.” Faith turned towards him. “You actually liked me being all ‘dramatical’ as you put it.”

  “What was I going to say otherwise?” He countered. “I say one word and here you come with your neck-rolling and finger-snapping.”

  “Oh, so you’re calling me ghetto?” She asked.

  “No, I am not,” Eli pulled up to Faith’s home and turned off the engine. He then turned to his wife. “I’m saying you’re dramatical.” He smiled before he got out of the truck. He walked over to Faith’s door and opened it for her, sticking his hand out.

  Faith looked down at Eli’s hand and back at him. “Oh?”

  “If I didn’t offer you my hand, I would be the asshole,” he motioned his hand towards her, “let me help you out.”

  “Nice of you to help out someone who’s all dramatical like me,” Faith blinked several times before she grabbed his hand and he helped her out of the truck.

  Eli retrieved Faith’s luggage and followed her inside the home. He dropped off the luggage in her bedroom and met her back in the foyer. “So what are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

  Faith didn’t have any plans. Darren had a game that day and he invited her and Nathan to watch him play. Her parents usually served dinners at the church for low-income families and the homeless. She’d always spent Thanksgiving at Nicola’s home, getting a mix of a traditional Thanksgiving meal combined with an Italian fare. “I’m not sure, yet.”

  “Well, if you don’t have any plans with your boyfriend,” Eli smiled and Faith rolled her eyes, “I would love it if you and little man came over for dinner.”

  “I’m still allowed to come around?” It was an honest question. Faith didn’t know how the rest of the D’Amatos felt about her.

  “Baby girl, I’d say you’re more welcome than I am at the moment,” Eli admitted, “so Thursday morning? I’ll swing by around eleven?”

  Faith’s heart fluttered ever so slightly when Eli called her by her pet name. She placed a hand on her chest, in hopes that would somehow calm it down. “Eleven sounds good.”

  “Cool,” he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and wrapped his arms around her, “Be good now.”

  Lord have mercy. Faith closed her eyes and inhaled Eli’s scent. She had forgotten how strong his arms were around her, protecting and holding her. A tingling sensation shot up and down her spine and the familiar warmth returned between her thighs. No matter how much Darren had held her, made love to her, courted her, he didn’t have the same impact on Faith’s heart like Eli did.

  Though, if Eli wanted to win Faith back, he would have to do a lot more than just give her a kiss and a hug.

  Twenty-Two

  For the first time in Nicola’s life, she wasn’t sure if there was enough room at her house for everyone. Not that there was ever ‘plenty of room’ with the six of them in the past, but things were different now. Art was coming over after he finished visiting his family. Nick was bringing Zerrin, along with her brother and his girlfriend. Kieran and Tiana were coming with their children. Joey had enough sense to not bring over any flavor of the week he was dating, and the same went for Tony.

  The noticeable difference—the only one that really mattered—was Eli. Whether he would show up—and who he brought with him—was going to tell everyone where he stood.

  Eli had enough sense not to mention Simone around Nicola and didn’t bother to bring her around the family. Whether it was out of guilt or just pure common sense, Nicola applauded her son’s decision. It was bad enough his actions made her think of Giorgio; she didn’t need a constant reminder.

  All of the siblings and their respective families were gathered in the living room, watching TV. Occasionally, they all glanced towards the front door, waiting for the real show to begin. “The tension in this house is a little ridiculous,” Zerrin commented under her breath.

  “Well, aren’t you curious who’s going to come through that door?” Nick motioned to the front door. “I’m curious who he’s going to bring with him.”

  “I’m more curious about when we’re going to eat,” Zerrin managed to get off the sofa and rubbed her growing belly, “excuse me, we’re hungry.” She headed towards the kitchen.

  “Do you think he’s going to bring her?” Tiana nursed Gianna. “I can’t imagine he would.”

  “It’s not so much if he’ll bring Simone,” Kieran bounced Tyson on a knee, “I’m wondering if Faith is at the game today.” He nodded towards the big-screen TV.

  “Oh that’s right,” Joey nodded, “lover-boy is playing today.”

  “Okay, I’m lost,” Jake commented, “who is what?”

  “Lover-boy is Darren Matthews,” Tony filled in the blanks for Jake, “supposedly, allegedly may be the better word, he’s Faye’s new man.”

  “Ohhhh…” Jake nodded. “…and what about Simone? Is that her name?”

  “That’s Eli’s girlfriend,” Kieran mentioned, “his first love.”

  “So Faith is dating Darren and Eli is dating Simone, but Faith and Eli are still married to each other and won’t divorce?” Alexis tried to put the pieces together.

  “Pretty much,” Nick nodded, “the only people who really know what’s going on are Faye and Eli, and I’m not even sure they know.”

  “So do they want to divorce?” Jake asked.

  “Hell if anyone knows,” Joey grunted. “They both claim they’re giving each other space, but it’s been what? Four months?”

  “How much space do you need?” Tony surmised. “Either you want to be together or you don’t.”

  “Well, to be fair, sometimes couples can be separated for years before they divorce,” Tiana added, “if they ever divorce.”

  “I don’t think E has the patience for that,” Kieran chimed in, “both situations are wearing him down.”

  “He did it to himself,” Nick shrugged, “he’s the one who created this mess.”

  “But it does seem like he’s trying to clean it up,” Tony gave a half-shrug.

  “So, pretty much whoever walks through that door today will be the one he might be with forever?” Alexis asked.

  “Yep.” The brothers answered in unison.

  “Crazy,” Jake shook his head, “it’s like a soap opera.”

  “Eli and the Restless,” Nick quipped.

  “The Days of Eli’s Women,” Joey added.

  “Uh-huh, like Passions!” Tony nodded to stares from everyone. “What? Passions was the shit!”

  “Hi, everybody!” Nathan greeted everyone when he entered the home.

  The brothers stood up to greet their nephew while they cautiously eyed the front door. “Hey, little buddy,” Joey picked up his nephew, “who did you come here with?”
/>   “Those two fools outside,” Nathan giggled.

  “Those what?” Kieran smiled.

  “I told Eli I didn’t want him to teach our son to say that,” Faith walked in, carrying food. “But he was insistent that he had to say it.”

  “What?” Eli followed behind her. “It was funny!”

  “Well, it’s the truth,” Zerrin snacked on a piece of celery as she hugged her sister, “the two of you are being a little foolish.” She then whispered in Faith’s ear. “I want a dick report on Mr. Darren.”