Page 45 of The Marriage Deal
"What am I doing that you want me to stop?"
She tilted her head to the side, facing me. "Acting like a deranged voyeur is not going to get you in my pants."
I gazed at her arm as it grazed mine. A few moments ago, I was sure she was a few inches away from me. And I am pretty sure I didn't move an inch. "Then why are you rubbing your body against mine?"
She jerked back, but did not make an effort to move away. "I am not!"
I glanced down at where our arms touched.
"You're seeing things."
I got back to my food. We ate in silence, watching Thompson and his friend try for what I was sure to be the fifth time now to do something they had failed to do four times before.
"How did you know yesterday was my birthday?"
Elle wasn't looking at me when she asked, but I could tell the question wasn't as casual as she had posed it. Her back was stiff, and she was avoiding eye contact. "I told you. I've always known. What I want to know is why you don't celebrate it."
She whipped her head. "How do you know that?"
"Because whenever anyone congratulates you, you don't look happy, but sad."
Her eyes watered. "You noticed that?"
That and other things. Like how she did not like the one time when Wyatt bought her a bouquet of red roses that filled her office and hired an acappella group to serenade her. Many people had passed by, commenting on how lucky she was. But she looked like she was drowning in the flowers. A few moments later, I saw her coming out of the office, her eyes tear-stained. That was the last time Wyatt did anything big for her birthday.
"I know you don't like celebrating it, and I promise I wasn't trying to do a whole thing, but I wanted you to be happy. If you didn't like—"
"I liked it. I liked it very much."
"Then why?"
She took a deep breath. "My father died on my birthday. Not only that, it was his birthday as well. We share the same day, you see. He had been sick for a while, and it was hard on my sister and me. The previous week, while in hospital, he had talked about celebrating it with me. So we made arrangements to bring the cake to the hospital. And flowers. My dad loved flowers. He was a macho man through and through, but he always made sure our house had fresh flowers. So, my sister and I bought a car full of red roses. And when we arrived at the hospital, that's when we learned my dad had died. I had to drive the car back, in a car full of roses and cake. When he died." The last sentence came out in a choked sob that she quickly swallowed. She sniffed and exhaled. Then flashed a sad smile. "I've always hated roses since that day. And my birthday."
"No wonder you did like what Wyatt did."
She frowned. "You're oddly perceptive."
"Not perceptive enough not to throw you a birthday celebration."
Her hand went to mine, splaying her small fingers on top of mine on the table. "I loved what you did. It was the best birthday gift anyone has given me in a long time." In a much lighter tone, she added. "Orgasms not included."
"You didn't like the orgasms I gave you?" I feigned a wounded expression.
"I liked them well enough. I just don't consider them part of the birthday gift. If you enjoy giving it too much, then it's not a gift. As per the gift-giving rules."
"I've never heard of them."
"Santa invented them. It's a well-known fact." She chuckled. I joined in her laughter.
???
WE GOT BACK FROM the retreat Sunday evening. I drove Elle to her place thinking of ways to get her to stay at mine, but I couldn't come up with any. And besides, after her confession, I didn't want to pressure her into being with a guy who was only desperate to be in her pants because he slept with her one night. I was that guy. And I was getting really desperate.
I parked my car in her driveway, and she got out to open the door. As I was unloading her suitcase, she came back, a frown marring her brow. She held up a paper. "The house is still under repair." She shook her head. "Can you give me one sec?" She took out her phone, and I watched as she paced in the driveway making a call. When the phone was answered, she wandered off into the house. A few minutes later, she came back looking dejected. Her jeans soaked ankle deep, and her sneakers making squishing noises as she walked.
"I can't stay here for at least two weeks. The pipe burst, and there's water all over. Apparently, the entire thing needs to be replaced."
"That's horrible."
