Page 30 of Becoming His Muse
She laughed, and he couldn’t help but smile at her.
As they ate, Elion asked her to tell him something else he didn’t know about her. He listened to her talk, chiming in now and then, but mostly, laughed as she relayed her story.
“Did they ban you from the pool?” he questioned when she finished.
“It would have been cruel for them to ban a four-year-old. After all, how could I have known I wasn’t supposed to unfasten those women’s swim tops? I just knew my mom let me undo her bra every day. It was the same to me.”
Elion laughed again, and he didn’t think he would ever tire of hearing stories from her childhood. They were entertaining. It allowed him to see the contrast between the girl she was and the woman she’d become.
When she told him it was his turn, he thought for a moment before deciding he didn’t mind embarrassing his younger self when he remembered going to the park with his mother after they’d gotten their first dog.
Olani had her hand over her mouth, laughing when he finished, and she released a little snort, which caused Elion to chuckle.
“How old were you?” she questioned when she could get her laughing under control.
“I think I was three or four. I don’t really remember.”
“Honestly, I don’t think you were the first little boy to go around peeing on the playground, but you may definitely be the first to do so because you were marking the equipment as yours.”
“In my defense, my father did not explain the concept of dogs marking their territory correctly to me after I saw our dog do it,” he defended. Though, he didn’t mind her laughing since he’d been a child, and the story was funny.
Their server came to their table asking if they needed anything and smiling a bit too long at Olani for his liking. The young man had been subtly flirting with her all night, and he wasn’t sure she’d noticed. He would give it to him; he was confident to do it in front of his face.
Elion asked for the check after asking if she wanted dessert. To which she’d reminded him of all the snacks they’d gotten earlier. When they returned, they were going to watch a couple of movies, and she insisted they needed junk food to do it right.
He paid, and when the server returned with the copy for him to sign, he also handed Olani a piece of paper.
“Don’t do that,” Elion stated, catching the young man’s eye. “Don’t disrespect me by giving her your number and don’t embarrass yourself because she will never use it. As a matter of fact.” He turned his attention to Olani. “Give it to me, baby.”
She handed it to him, and he crumpled it up, putting it into what was left of his drink. He signed the receipt, stood, and held his hand out for her. When she took it, he pulled her into his side, and they left the restaurant.
When they arrived at the rental, Elion followed her inside, closing and locking the door behind them.
“Do you know what movies you want to watch?” he questioned as she headed for the stairs.
Olani turned to him. “Yes, but I’m going to shower and change, and then we can watch if you’re okay with that.”
“Sure, Sweetheart.”
He watched her go, and he stood there for a few seconds, running a hand through his hair. She had said little on the car ride back, and he wondered if she was upset with him. If his calling the server out embarrassed her. He wasn’t usually a jealous man, and if he were honest with himself, he didn’t know if that had been jealousy or possessiveness. Both of which he could understand would be something she wasn’t okay with.
Sighing, he went up the stairs and into his bedroom. Elion dug through his luggage, pulling out something to change into after he showered.
He pulled his phone from his pocket as he sat on the bed and saw that he had a text from his sister. She was planning a visit and wanted to know when would work best for him. Elion responded, telling her he would get back to her when he knew for sure.
He scrolled on his auction site to see if any of the pieces had sold within the last forty-eight hours since he looked. While he received an email when anyone purchased a piece, he tended to overlook them or was slower than Clara in checking them.
He saw that two had, and when he went to the shipment information, he found they had already shipped. He made a mental note to give his niece a raise because one was purchased that morning, and she’d sent it that afternoon.
Elion wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there, looking at what items were left on the site and going through emails, when he heard the bathroom door open and Olani’s bedroom door close. He waited a few minutes before grabbing his toiletry bag and towel and going into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, letting it heat as he undressed, and stepped inside.
Once finished with his shower, he wrapped his towel around his waist, grabbed his clothes, and exited the bathroom. He’d just stepped over the threshold into the bedroom when he heard Olani’s door open, and he turned to look at her. She was wearing a pair of plaid sleep shorts and a tank top. Why did he find it so attractive?
“I’ll let you get dressed and wait downstairs.”
Elion threw his clothes to the side, reaching out to grab her wrist as she went to pass. “Are you upset with me, Sweetheart?”
Olani furrowed her brow. “Why would I be upset with you?”
