Taking Shots (Assassins)

by Aleo, Toni

  Just the thought of his lips on hers made Elli warm from head to toe; she smiled as she cuddled into the bed that smelled just like Shea as she started the movie.

  Elli was asleep before she knew it.

  Elli figured that the next day was a thing of luck, or maybe fate. She had a wedding that night, so she wasn’t gonna be able to see Shea until afterwards, but the bride got cold feet and called the thing off. From what the maid of honor had said, the bride had a little more fun the night before then she should have. She had slept with the groom’s best man. Oops, Elli hated when that happened, but today she couldn’t be happier, since she stood in Shea’s kitchen, frying chicken for a welcome home dinner.

  Shea wasn’t due back till around six, and it was 5:30. Elli kept an eye on the chicken as she started the mac and cheese. Shea had once said that he wasn’t very familiar with country cooking, and since Elli was an expert at it, she figured she’d educate him. She smoothed out the apron she had brought over, it was her Mamaw Ally’s and it was one of her prized possessions. Mamaw Ally was the one who had taught her to cook; she was also the one who had taught Elli to sing. A sad smile went across Elli’s face as she thought about the old woman that had given her so many good memories; she missed Mamaw Ally so much. She had died when Elli was twelve, so she never got to see Elli succeed in her career as a singer. Her daddy always told Elli that she reminded him of her, which made Elli feel good inside. Mamaw Ally was an amazing woman.

  Since Elli was cooking country for Shea, she decided to dress the part. Since she had to run home to get her cast iron pan, she changed, putting on a white eyelet dress that had big flowy sleeves along with her black with white swirls cowboy boots. She had her hair up since Shea liked it like that; he had once said he liked her neck in plain view which was fine by her.

  Elli was so excited to see him, she couldn’t see straight. The week had gone by so slowly. When she had done the books this morning and saw how much money she had made, she thought that would have meant that she was so super busy, and she was, but all she could think about was Shea and what he had been doing. He had been so busy; he hadn’t been able to talk to her much in the last couple of days. He had had so much promotional stuff to do and with all the baby showers and weddings she had, she had missed his calls a lot more then she would have liked.

  But tonight was about them, Elli had gone out and bought new plates for him, to butter him up before asking him to go to dinner at her parents. Fate was working in her favor and she was gonna spend the night with her man.

  Her man, she smiled at just the thought.

  Elli was just starting to set the table, when she heard the doorknob rattling.

  He was home!

  Shea was hurting, badly.

  His shoulder was aching; he had a cut along his collarbone, where that idiot, Mattias Ohlund, had slashed him with his stick. Asshole. But then again, Shea did hit him in the boards a little harder than necessary, but, oh well. Shea threw his bag on the ground as he looked for his keys. He was so happy to be home. Elli had a wedding tonight, but she promised she would come by afterwards, which was awesome. He had missed her so much.

  He found his keys and put them in the door, looking forward to the hot shower that awaited him on the other side. When he pushed the door open, he was hit by the strong smell of fried chicken.

  What the hell?

  Shea threw his bag on the couch, walking towards the kitchen where he heard sizzling and movement. When he rounded the corner, his country cutie stood in front of the stove in a cute little apron, with her hair in a messy bun. Man, she was gorgeous. She turned with a big grin on her face before she squealed and ran to him, wrapping herself around him.

  “Welcome home!” she gushed, kissing his lips loudly. He smiled against her lips, holding her close to him. She smelled like mangos again, something he found he missed a lot while he had been gone for the week. She was so soft, so warm in his arms.

  “Mm, I’ve missed you,” he nuzzled her neck before biting lightly. “Did you miss me?”

  For some reason he needed to know.

  “Of course!” she gushed with giggle as she brought his lips back to hers. He kissed her hard, pulling her as close to him as he could.

  “I didn’t expect you to be here, what happened to the wedding?” he asked, still not letting her go.

  “Bride slept with the best man, so no wedding. It’s all fate. I think I was meant to be here when you got home, making you chicken.” He smiled, kissing her nose.

  “It smells fantastic.” She smiled, looking over her shoulder at the pan.

  “Thank you, let me flip this,” she broke from his arms and flipped the chicken. Shea decided he wasn’t done holding her so he came up behind her, and held her from behind, putting his chin on her shoulder.

  “How was your week?”

  “Long, lots of crap going on, good week though, money wise at least,” she said, checking on what appeared to be mac and cheese.

  She was a Godsend.

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah, you need to take a shower?”

  “I do, I’ll be quick.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” she said with a grin. He smacked her butt, making her squeal as he walked away.

  “You better be,” he teased as he went into the bedroom. He noticed her pink and green bag sitting at the end of the bed and smiled, hoping that meant she was staying the night. He went to his closet, grabbing a pair of sleeping pants and a tee before going into the bathroom and jumping in the shower. It felt amazing with nine jets of hot water hitting him from every direction. He closed his eyes, letting the hot water hit his aching naked body; it was almost as great as having Elli in his arms, or playing hockey. It had to come in at the top three.

  After washing up, he dried off as he stood in front of his mirror, looking at his chest. The cut was deep and dark with the black stitches holding it shut, bruising surrounded the cut. Fucking Ohlund. He shook his head as he got dressed before taking out his contacts and putting his glasses on.

  When Shea came out into the kitchen, Elli was transferring food into the living room. He followed her into the living room, and stopped. There was enough food to feed an army! And where did that plate setting come from? He had white, plain plates; these were pretty blue ones with silver swirls. His table looked like something out of Better Homes and Gardens: pretty napkins, a big vase of white flowers, place mats.

  “Where’d the plates come from?”

  “I bought ‘em. I didn’t like the white ones. With the blue and silver in the kitchen, I thought these went better. Do you not like ‘em?”

  “No, their nice. I was just wondering.” he picked up the plate and made a face at it, it was very girlie.

  “If you don’t like em, I’ll take ‘em back.”

  “It's just they are kinda girlie,” he said honestly. She smiled, before taking the plate from him and picking up the other one, and returning to the kitchen. “What are you doing?” he asked, following her back into the kitchen.

  “You don’t like ‘em, so I’m gonna take ‘em back. I’ll bring you a gift card and you can go pick out some different ones.”

  “No, it’s okay. I like my white ones.”

  “Oh, okay then,” she said putting the plates next to the box that he hadn’t notice earlier. She turned with two white plates and a bottle of wine, smiling. “Shall we?”

  “Yeah,” he agreed as he followed her into the living room, he pulled out her chair, and she smiled her thanks as she sat down. He sat across from her, and they dug in. He took a bite of the chicken and moaned loudly.

  “God, this is good.” She smiled before looking back down at her plate.

  “I’m glad you like it, since my gift was a bust.” He looked up at her, her face was scrunched up between her eyebrows, she seemed mad.

  “You’re not mad are you?”

  She shrugged her shoulders, “No, I just wanted to get you something nice, and I apparently suck.”
>
  “No, you don’t. I just like my white plates, always have.”

  “I shouldn’t have. I just wanted you to have something that when you saw it you thought of me, and since you love to eat, it seemed like the perfect gift.”

  “Baby, it is, thank you,” he took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles. “I got you something, too.”

  Her face lit up, “You didn’t have to.”

  “I saw it and thought of you, I’ll give it to you after dinner.”

  She nodded and then smiled as they started eating dinner. The food was amazing, just as the conversation was. Elli had some crazy things happen to her all week and with every crazy story, he fell for her more. He missed her a lot when he was gone, but being in front of her, listening about a woman that went into labor at her baby shower, and the soon to be father freaking out, made him feel complete.

  Dinner was amazing, even though the plates were a bust. Shea loved the food Elli cooked, and he held her hand through most of dinner, which she thought was so damn sweet. After getting everything cleaned up, they went into the living room, where Shea started going through his bag. When he pulled out a little blue box, her breath caught. Elli knew that box color; it was Tiffany & Co. Justin had gotten her God awful engagement ring from there.

  Shea smiled over at her, before sitting down beside her, and handing it to her. “I saw it in Dallas when Jakob and I went shopping; I had to get it for you.”

  Elli’s hands were shaking uncontrollably as she pulled the white ribbon, letting it fall to her lap, before pulling the top open. Inside, on a little white pillow, was a diamond incrusted hockey stick on a platinum chain. Her hand went over her mouth as she gasped.

  “Oh, Shea,” Elli lifted it out the box and held it up watching it sparkle in the light. It was beautiful. She unclasped it and put it around her neck, trying to clasp it back.

  “Do you like it?” he asked. She just grinned at him.

  “Oh, gosh, do I? This is the best gift anyone has ever given me!” She gushed, turning so he could clasp it for her. He took it from her and clasped it together before leaving a trail of kisses along her shoulder.

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I love it,” she turned and kissed his lips, “but you didn’t have to.”

  “I wanted to, so hush,” he teased with a smile, as he pulled her against him. They leaned back on the couch, cuddling in silence, just basking in the fact that they were together. He kissed her hair, nuzzling his nose in it as she fingered the hockey stick that hung from her neck.

  “That Tampa Bay game was intense,” she said.

  “Intense isn’t the half of it. I can’t believe we lost.”

  “Can't win ‘em all.”

  “Be nice, though.” She giggled and he squeezed her tighter against him, “That asshole, Ohlund messed my collarbone up, though.” Elli sat up, turning so she could look at him. Worry filled her face as she looked closely at his collarbone; she hated the thought that someone had hurt him! She wanted to rip that man apart. If she ever saw that asshole, she would.

  “Let me see,” she said as her eyes glanced him over, “did he get you anywhere else?”

  “Nah,” Shea lifted his shirt over his head causing Elli’s eyes to about fall out of her head. She didn’t even look at his collarbone as he talked about the injury. She was too busy staring at his naked arms; they were perfect. Not too big and bulky, not at all spindly, but sexy. The way his thick, strong shoulders led into his arms was mouthwatering. Then the hollow of his neck, she had kissed there hundreds of times, but never really looked at it, and, boy, was it a sight to see. As her eyes traveled down his neck to his chest, she was getting hot all over. His pecs were well defined and toned, and his abs, Jesus, they were jaw dropping. Each ab finely defined, toned, sexy, oh, God, she couldn’t breathe.

  “Elli, you okay? You are bright red?” She looked up at him, meeting his playful grin.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” she mumbled as her eyes returned to his chest. He started talking again, but she wasn’t paying any attention. She leaned over slowly, placing her lips over his heart. The intake of breath that she was rewarded with set her into motion. She basically crawled on top of him, kissing his neck, his pecs, watching out for the jagged cut along his collarbone as she kissed and licked.

  “Baby, that feels amazing,” he gasped as she sucked lightly on the column of his neck, biting softly the way he always did with her. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered as she brought her mouth to his, kissing him deeply. She pulled back, looking around. She wanted to do more, but she was feeling self-conscious, as always. What if he saw something with her legs like this? She rolled off him, and just as he started protesting, she reached for the lights, and with a flick of her wrist the room went completely dark, except for the faint light of the moon.

  When Elli’s eyes adjusted, Shea was grinning at her as she crawled back on top of him, straddling his waist. His hands came up her thighs, and she let out a little gasp as he took over, kissing her throat while he rubbed her thighs. She was self-conscious for about two point three seconds but then his tongue dipped into her cleavage and any coherent thoughts went out the window.

  He was so hard. With his PJ pants being so thin and loose, it was all she felt against her white lace panties. His hands were still at her thighs, teasing the lace that came across her ass, while her mouth was busy with his. Elli couldn’t believe she even had the balls to, but she moved her hands farther down his chest, moving her fingers through the little patch of hair that made a line down to his holy land, before freeing him from his pants. He let out a throaty groan, his hands tightening on her ass, as she ran her hand down his length.

  “Oh, god,” he gasped as his head fell back on the back of the couch. She felt the drip of moisture coming from the tip of his shaft, and her mouth watered. It had been so long, did she even know how to do it anymore? He wasn’t expecting it, she knew that, and before she could talk herself out of it, she took him into her mouth. Shea jumped in surprised with a low dangerous growl. All it did was fuel Elli to do it some more.

  She fell to her knees, between his legs, taking him to the back of her throat; he moaned her name, running his hand up and down her back as the other hand was gripping the side of the couch, hard. She moved up and down his length, taking him deep then going all the way out, licking the tip before going back down. His groans, turned into pants, before his hands came up into her hair.

  “Elli, baby, I’m about to come, baby, please,” he pleaded, she went faster, taking him deeper, his grip in her hair hurt, but it was a good hurt. “Honey, please, I’m about to come, please, oh God!”

  When she felt when he was about to come, she took him deep in the back of her throat, feeling the hot thick liquid shoot to the back of her throat. His grip was so hard on her hair that she thought he was going to rip it out as he rode his organism to the end. When he was finally done, she sat back on the hunches of her legs, looking up at him. His eyes were closed, his breathing just as hard as hers. He looked beautifully spent. Pants down, shaft lying out, and his hands cupped behind his head as he tried to catch his breath. Elli continued to admire his body as the moon shone down on his beautifully sculpted body.

  “Jesus, Elli, don’t ever do that again,” he pleaded with his eyes closed.

  Wow, she sucked that bad at it?

  She got up, wiping her mouth and going to the kitchen to rinse her mouth out, since she was leaving. How dare him! The first time she throws all her insecurities out the window and that’s what he says! She filled up a glass of water and filled her mouth, moving around the cold liquid before spitting it out. When she felt Shea’s arms come around her, she froze.

  What the hell was he doing?

  “God, baby, you gotta warn a guy. I almost ripped your hair out it was so good.”

  “Oh,” she said as she flushed deep red. He turned her in his arms, kissing her swollen mouth.

  “I knew when I first set eyes on that mouth,
it was going to be trouble,” he mumbled against her mouth. “God, Elli.” His eyes closed again and then she was in the air. Shea had picked her up, sitting her on the island of the kitchen. Lifting her skirt up, he started to run his hands up and down her thighs, teasing her mound with his thumbs. God, how she wanted him between her thighs, fingers, tongue, anything at this point. She was dripping wet from making him come, but she just couldn’t bring herself to let him do anything. She intertwined their fingers, as he looked up at her. “Let me take your panties off, please, baby.”

  “No, Shea. I’m good.”

  “No, baby please, let me taste you, let me lick you, please. It can stop after I make you come, please,” he pleaded. His eyes were so dark blue as he held her gaze with his. He wanted her so bad, she could feel it, she wanted him too, but she just couldn’t chance him seeing her stretch marks or dimples.

  “I’m fine, Shea. Making you come made me come.”

  “Liar, come on, please.”

  “No,” she whispered, not able to look at him.

  “You still don’t trust me?” She looked up, his eyes weren’t dark with lust anymore, there was only hurt.

  “Of course I do Shea, it’s just…I can’t do it yet.” He took a deep breath, turning from her, putting his hands on his head as he walked around the kitchen. “I’m gonna go,” she muttered as she jumped off the counter, heading for the door. She didn’t make it far before Shea grabbed her.

  “No, don’t go. I just got home. I’ve missed you,” he said in her hair, kissing the back of her neck, “Please don’t leave.”

  How could she say no?

  “Alright.”

  “Good,” he said with a grin as he pulled her closer to him, “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.”