“When’s he back?”
“He has some fancy event tomorrow in Melbourne with his sponsors so he’s flying back Monday.” Which totally sucked donkeys’ balls. I missed him. Texting with him last night hadn’t been enough. I was too attached now. I hated crawling into my bed alone and not having his warm, hard chest to curl up on. I hated waking up and not having that moment of panic where I wondered if I’d snored or drooled or talked in my sleep. I missed him. I missed Luca Conti. And I needed to tell him.
“Why don’t you go?”
“Go where?”
“The sponsor thingy,” Jax said, like it was obvious.
“Because I wasn’t invited,” I admitted, surprised by how much that reality hurt.
“Since when’s that ever stopped you?”
“It’s always stopped me, Jax. It’s you who has issues with boundaries.”
“Oh. Yeah. Anyway. Surely you can snag a ticket to this thing and go down there. Just ask him.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Because he doesn’t want me there!” I snapped loudly, causing everyone to look again. At this point I wasn’t sure if we’d ever be allowed back, which was a shame. I really liked their food.
“I’m calling bullshit on that. Get your phone out of your purse and start calling in favours. I’m booking you a flight.”
“Jax! Don’t…”
“Elise. It’s time for your grand gesture.”
“My grand gesture?”
“Yep. Your grand gesture. Luca’s been open and honest and putting it out there right from day one. What have you done, besides suck his dick, to show him what he means to you?”
“I…ah…shit.” Fuck I hated it when Jax was right.
“See! Call who you need to. I’ll book the flight. Can I assume you’ll have somewhere to sleep?”
“I hate you.”
“Nah, you just wish you did.”
“Dana! Help me?” I begged. She was just sitting there, leaning back in her chair, nibbling on her blueberry muffin and sipping her cappuccino, watching us like we were some shitty reality show.
“No way. This is entertainment gold.” She shrugged, taking another sip from her mug only to have it spill down the front of her white shirt. I couldn’t help but smile. Sucked in. If she wasn’t going to help me tame Jax, then she could walk around with a coffee stain on her shirt for a couple of hours.
“You’re no help.”
“There. You fly out at eight tomorrow morning,” Jax announced, setting his phone down on the counter.
“Eight?”
“Yep. Eight. You’ll need time to get there and make yourself beautiful.”
“Shit!”
“What now?” Jax huffed, draining the rest of his latte.
“I don’t have anything to wear!”
“Oh, sweetheart, we know. That’s why you’re going to finish your coffee, and then we’re going shopping.”
***
From the moment the wheels were in motion, I wanted to call Luca and tell him what was going on, but no one would let me. Sienna told me it was better this way. When I’d reached out to her, I’d been as nervous as a whore in a church, but once she’d stopped laughing, she had been completely on board with helping me. Turns out teammates of Hunters would be there, so getting tickets was easy, and with their partners tagging along, I was booked in with their hairdressers and makeup artists. All I had to do was get on the flight and get my arse to Melbourne, then make my way to the casino where the event was being held. The girls, girls I’d never met but Sienna swore were good people, had already booked a suite for child-free, boy-free champagne and prep time and were more than happy to add one more.
Knocking on the door to the suite, I adjusted the garment bag hanging over my shoulder. I can’t believe I’d let Jax convince me to buy this dress. It wasn’t me. And more than that, he’d packed me heels. Me. In public. Wearing heels. Was he on drugs?
“Elise?” I was asked as the door was thrown open by a girl with a thick coating of green goo covering her face and her hair tangled in yellow rollers.
“Hi.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“Come on in. I’m Tash!” She smiled, and the dried goo near her mouth cracked, a hunk flaking off and floating to the ground. “Everyone, Elise is here!” Tash announced as I shuffled through the door, dodging the shoes and bags covering every surface.
After introductions were made, my mind was spinning. There was Tash, who was married to Logan, an AFL player in Melbourne. Emma, who was Bryce’s partner, another AFL player, but he was based out of Sydney. Ava Jacobs, swimmer Tyler Andrews’ wife, and then there was Victoria Crawford. She seemed to have a permanent scowl on her face, but the jewels she was dripping in were impressive. She was the girlfriend of Jyreese Rhodes. Apparently, he was an American basketballer who’d just been traded to Australia for the upcoming season. I’d never heard of him, but then again, a couple of months ago I’d never heard of Luca either, so I wasn’t exactly in a position to judge.
“Is that your dress?” Emma asked, pointing to the bag I was still hauling around.
“Yeah.”
“Cool. Just hang it on the wardrobe with ours. I’m almost finished with my hair and you’re up next,” she explained.
Six hours.
Six freaking hours of my life I’ll never get back.
Wringing my hands together, I stepped out of the elevator and waited for the others. Tash appeared, adjusting her earring. I couldn’t help but appreciate how stunning she looked. She was absolutely flawless in her floor-length ruby gown with a deep V in the front. When she linked her arm through mine, she walked me down the red carpet, not pausing to return greetings offered. She was on a mission, and even though I’d just met her, I got the distinct impression that not much got in her way.
Stepping into the ballroom, I could barely believe I was here. Above my head dangled a million tiny fairy lights intertwined with the softest white fabric, which made the whole room feel like it was floating on a cloud. The round tables were covered in thick white linen tablecloths, and the silverware sparkled under the lights. In the centre of each table stood a huge vase overflowing with white hydrangeas.
Around me, people chatted excitedly and glasses clinked. There were so many good-looking men in the room, I was tempted to snap a few pictures to them send to Jax just to teach him a lesson. Good-looking guys were a dime a dozen, but there was something about them when they pulled on a tuxedo that elevated their hotness to a completely other level.
“You ready?” Emma asked, stepping up beside me.
“No,” I answered honestly.
For the past hour, I’d been second-guessing this whole thing. What if I completely embarrassed myself? What if he didn’t want me here? Or worse, he was here with someone else? Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted the exit and was seriously tempted to make a break for it. So far Luca had no idea I was here, there was no reason it couldn’t stay that way.
“Here. Drink this,” Tash instructed, shoving a glass of bubbles into my hand. I knew I was going to need the liquid courage if I was going through with this and it seemed, my new friends were just as pushy and demanding as my old ones. There was no way they were about to let me sneak out a side door.
“Right, now let’s go find our men,” Tash declared as she set the empty glasses on the tray of a passing waiter.
Sandwiched between Emma and Tash, I sucked in a deep breath and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. The last thing I needed was to fall flat on my face in front of all these people. Just because I looked like Bambi learning to take my first steps, didn’t mean I was keen on making a spectacle of myself.
“They’re over there. Hiding in the corner,” Emma announced, pointing to the group of tall men standing in a circle.
“Typical.” Tash laughed with a shake of her head.
The closer we got, the faster my heart raced. My hopes of qui
etly slipping in without a fuss evaporated as we reached the circle and one of the suits, one I didn’t recognise, stepped back to make room.
“Boys, we’re here!” Tash announced loudly, and briefly I wondered if that girl was actually capable of doing anything quietly.
My eyes found Luca’s, and his jaw dropped.
Chapter Twenty-Seven – Luca
I did a double take and almost swallowed my tongue.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Surely I was seeing things. There was no way that Elise was standing in front of me looking like everything I’d ever dreamt of wrapped in black satin. Forgetting the conversation I was in the middle of and the people around me, I stepped in front of them. If my girl was here, she needed to be in my arms and she needed to be in them now.
“Elise?”
“Ah yeah, hey, Luca,” she replied nervously, staring at the floor.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I’d seen her in sweats, in jeans, and in her birthday suit. She was beautiful even when she first woke up as a grumpy bear in the morning, but the way the inky black satin clung to her every curve had me wishing we were anywhere but in a room full of people.
Reaching out, I grasped her wrist and tugged her towards me. She stumbled slightly and landed against me, her hands bracing her fall against my chest. I was sure she could feel the pounding of my heart beneath my jacket as I stared down at her. But still, she wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Come with me,” I practically growled, dragging her away from the group.
“Luca!” someone called out behind me.
“You’ve only got ten minutes so make it quick,” Emma smarted. Even dressed up I’d recognise Sienna’s best friend anywhere.
“What’s he gonna do with the other nine minutes and twenty seconds?” Bryce laughed, and I flipped him the bird over my shoulder. I didn’t have time to deal with their bullshit. If I didn’t get my hands and lips on the goddess beside me in the next minute, there was a very good chance I may spontaneously combust.
Bursting through the doors, I led her down the hallway before pushing her against the wall. I dropped my forehead to meet hers, and Elise looked up through her thick, dark lashes. She seemed skittish and unsure, and I wasn’t about to put up with that. When her pink tongue snaked out and wet her lips, which were painted in the deepest, sexiest red I’d ever seen, I couldn’t wait another second. Crushing my lips down on hers, I kissed her until we were both panting.
Eventually I had to pull back or I was going to pass out. Without a word, Elise lifted her thumb up and ran it across my bottom lip. Her completely innocent movements were doing nothing to calm the hard-on that was currently trying to bust through my zipper.
“You’ve got lipstick all over you.” She smiled an almost smug smile.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. Her face fell, and I scrambled to back track. “Elise, look at me. Please, look at me.” Slowly but surely, she raised her gaze to meet mine. “I’m fucking ecstatic you’re here, don’t get me wrong, but how?”
“Some…friends helped get me here.”
“Well I want their names.” Elise tilted her head, questioning me. “I’m sending them a fucking fruit basket.”
“Oh,” Elise sighed, and it made my dick twitch.
“Look, we’ve got about two minutes before we have to get back in there.”
“Okay.”
“But I really need to say this and I need you to listen.”
“Umm…”
“Elise, you look fucking edible…”
“It’s just a dress…”
“No. It’s not the dress. It’s you.”
“Luca…”
“Now we’re going back in there. I’m going to introduce you to a bunch of people. We’re going to eat, maybe dance a little, and then I’m going to find out what the fuck you have on under that…that dress.”
A sly smile spread over her face as she nodded. Knowing I wouldn’t get another chance anytime soon, I stole another toe-curling kiss that did nothing to tamper my appetite. This woman was addictive, and I was well and truly addicted. Proudly addicted.
After adjusting myself, I rearranged my jacket, hoping to hide the boner I was still sporting, wrapped my arm around Elise’s waist and led her back through the doors. When I leant down to whisper in her ear, I got a whiff of Elise’s perfume, and it nearly had me coming in my pants. To be honest, right now, I probably wouldn’t have even cared.
“Where are you staying?” I asked.
“About that…”
“Yeah?”
“I seemed to have forgotten to book a hotel room. I was hoping I might be able to crash with a friend…might be more…cost effective,” she sassed back. Damn I loved this woman. She was absolutely perfect for me. And I couldn’t wait to tell her.
“I might know someone you can bunk with,” I played along.
“Oh, and Luca.” Elise stopped walking, and I turned to face her.
“Yeah?”
“I may have forgotten my pyjamas too.” She dropped that little bombshell and sashayed away, leaving me staring at her arse.
With my tongue half hanging out of my mouth, I followed her across the room like a lost little puppy. When we reached the group of girls she’d arrived with, she joined their conversation, leaving me to take care of what I needed to. There was only one problem with that though. What I needed to do was be buried balls-deep in Elise. Concentrating on anything else was proving a challenge. When I looked up, I saw I wasn’t the only one suffering. Bryce and Logan looked like they were in physical pain while Tyler was hovering around Ava like a bad smell.
I lasted three minutes.
Three minutes was all it took before my restraint snapped and I had to get my hands on her. Moving to Elise’s side, I stepped in behind her and slid my hand around her hip, resting it on her belly. When her fingers drifted down and tangled with mine, peace settled over me.
“Would you like another drink?” I offered, needing to do something other than stand there looking like a pussy-whipped chump.
“Sure. But just water please,” Elise replied politely, brushing the hair from her shoulder.
From where I was standing and my height advantage, peering over Elise’s shoulder gave me direct viewing access to the promised land. I could see straight down her dress to her creamy boobs that were taunting me with their very existence. Elise may have thought she won; showing up here unexpectedly, making me almost come in my pants with this sexy-as-fuck dress, but I was going to have the last laugh. Peeling her out of it soon would be my fucking pleasure.
I grabbed a couple of waters and returned to Elise’s side. Steering her away from her newfound friends, we made our way around the room, making sure we were seen by everyone who needed to see us. I introduced her to a few other people who were sponsored by the same sports drink company before we took our seats and prepared for the boring part of the evening.
After what felt like a million and one boring speeches, dinner was finally served.
While I ate my steak and potatoes, Elise chatted with Marianne. They were hatching up some plot that I had a feeling I was going to get roped into at some point, but seeing the way Elise’s eyes lit up, I didn’t care. I’d do anything to make her happy. All it took was that smile and I was done.
“How often do these types of events happen?” Elise asked, turning back to me and sliding her hand along my thigh under the tablecloth.
Clearing my throat, I managed to force out an answer. “Usually only once a year. The rest of the time they’re a lot less formal.”
“Less formal?”
“No monkey suit required,” I confirmed.
“Ah. What if I said I liked the monkey suit?” Her wandering hands crept even farther up my leg.
Sucking in a breath through my nose, I tried to keep my expression neutral. No one needed to know just how badly she was tormenting me. I could stop her wandering hands, or I could repay the favour. If she thought I hadn’t noticed that
thigh-high split up her smooth leg, then Elise didn’t know me at all. I noticed alright. I think every guy in here did. The only difference was, I was yet to take advantage of the situation. Something I was about to rectify.
The moment my hand touched her skin, we both jumped in our seats. I wasn’t expecting the zap of electricity to pass through me.
“Luca…”
“Payback, Elise,” I taunted with a wink.
While I was completely consumed with Elise, I was nudged in the ribs from the other side. Or should I say I was nudged in the very sore, slightly bruised ribs. “So, Conti, you glad your girl decided to crash the party?” Tash asked unashamedly. Beside her, Logan shrugged an apology, and Bryce just chuckled. I guess they were used to the way she was.
“Absolutely,” I confirmed without hesitation.
“Why didn’t you bring her down with you then?” Tash probed.
“Tash…” Logan warned, and she just waved a hand in his direction.
“What? I just wanna know.”
“And it’s none of your business,” Bryce reminded her. I’d heard about these guys and the weird way they were all tangled in each other’s lives from Sienna. I’d always thought she was exaggerating. Seeing it here in person, I was rethinking my stance.
“It’s fine. The only reason I didn’t ask Elise to come down was I assumed she had work tomorrow, and I didn’t want to make her feel like she had to choose,” I answered with a shrug. I had nothing to hide.
“I took a personal day,” Elise whispered beside me.
Stretching my arm out along the back of her chair, I tangled my fingers in her hair and toyed with the ends.
“Thank you.”
Elise smiled up at me, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“Dance with me?” The words were out of my mouth before I realised what I was saying. I didn’t dance. I couldn’t dance. But for some reason, here I was offering to make a fool of myself for her.
“I’d love to.”
Wiping her mouth with the napkin, she set it back on the table and stood up carefully. Not wanting to keep her waiting, I was on my feet and moving in the direction of the dancefloor. Finding a spot amongst the oldies – everyone around us had at least thirty years on me – I took Elise’s hand in mine and tugged her against me. She came willingly. With her head resting against my shoulder and her fingers tangled with mine, we swayed back and forth rocking in time with the music.
Overtime (Playing The Field Book 1) Page 17
