Page 28 of Safer Together
“I can’t be in a relationship with you, Elliot. You deserve better than what I can give you. You could have your pick of any woman in the world and they would be very lucky to call you theirs. I thank you for the time we have shared together, but it’s over. I think it’s best that you leave now.” I turn from him and walk out of the room, toward the front door of the apartment. I clasp the handle within my grip and open it, making it clear that I want him to leave.
All the while my head is screaming at me to stop being stupid, to close the door and tell him the reason why I’m scared of a relationship, a serious relationship.
He walks back into view and looks from me to the door and back again. “You want me to leave?”
I don’t trust myself to speak, the emotion feels like a golf ball stuck in my throat, so I just nod. He walks over to me and looks me in the eyes, reaching out he closes the door without exiting, he puts his hands on either side of my face and pulls me to him. He kisses me with so much passion I feel as though I might catch on fire. He pushes his tongue into my mouth and claims me, trying to make me forget about tonight and make me remember just how good we are together.
My body welcomes his touch and reacts like always, a hot electrical current running over every inch of my skin. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me, lifting my hands to curl around his hair and tug gently. He drops his arms from my face, sliding them over my body until he reaches my waist then the underside of my ass. Picking me up in his arms he deepens the kiss even more. We are both breathless when we finally separate. He lets my body slide down his own slowly, he places his forehead against mine and whispers “I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Angela, and I will fight for us.”
I feel as though I could do a triple backflip at his confession. He doesn’t want to leave; he loves me and he will fight for us. This amazing man loves me. Knowing he feels this way lifts a lot of weight from my chest, I feel free, he feels the same way I do.
“I love you too, Elliot.” I feel his exhale of breath and his scent overpowers me; it draws me in every time. He presses his lips against mine again, softly this time and it’s over way too soon. A wide smile forms on my lips and I feel content, happy, and over the moon at the same time.
Before I lose my train of thought, I decide to speak once more, “I’ll tell you everything about Dylan one day, I promise. Will you do me a favor?” I await his response.
“Anything you want. All you have to do is ask”
So, I do. “Will you stay here with me tonight?”
He doesn’t say anything immediately. Instead he nods once to show he understands, he pulls back his head so his deep blue eyes are blazing straight into my own. “I’ll stay with you tonight, tomorrow night, and forever if you will let me, baby.”
I lower my arms, dragging my hands along his shoulders, down his arms all the way till I take his hands in my own. “Come to bed?” I ask.
He licks his lips before replying. “How do you feel about me sleeping beside you in my boxer briefs?”
At first, I’m surprised at his question and find it a little odd until I remember where we are. Being here in my apartment, of course he doesn’t have pajamas to wear. It then dawns on me that I, too, don’t have anything to wear to bed, anything appropriate anyway.
“Would it be easier if we went back to your place? We both have clothes there.” I smile at him. I wouldn’t mind if he stayed here. I could rub my hands up and down his abdominal muscles, skin on skin.
He speaks softly “If you don’t mind, it would be easier for me.” A pause then he continues. “Whose place is this anyway?”
I giggle, I was expecting him to ask. “It’s mine” I reply, I swear I see a change in the way he is looking at me, not shock, more intrigue.
“Yours?”
I nod. “It sure is. I own it, no mortgage either.” I give him a wide grin, teasing him just slightly. Turning away from him, I walk into the living room and collect the cover sheet and drape it back over the sofa then collect my phone from the floor. Next, I close the curtains and wander back to the kitchen to pick up my clutch, switching off the lights as I go.
I make my way back to the foyer and see that Elliot hasn’t moved. “Let me get this right, you own an apartment in one of the most expensive buildings in New York?”
I laugh at him “What, you’re surprised?” I lightly punch him on the shoulder.
“Yeah, I am surprised.” he shakes his head as he opens the door for us to exit. I flick the remaining lights off before walking out. Once the door is closed, I lock it and we walk the few steps across the foyer to the elevator. Elliot presses the call button, we stand there in silence, when the doors open we slip in and I select the ground floor. “One thing I can say for you is that you’re full of surprises, you know that, Miss White?”
I feel a smile forming across my lips “I sure do, hopefully the good ones will outweigh the bad.”
The doors open and we exit together, he slips his hand in mine and we walk out the front door. I see Elliot’s Mercedes SUV waiting. Price jumps out of his position in the driver’s seat of the car to open my door, but Elliot gets there first. He closes my door and is hopping in on his side within a few moments.
“Since we are revealing real estate holdings tonight, I guess now would be a good time to tell you that I own an apartment on Fifth Avenue,” he blurts out.
I laugh at his statement, before getting myself together “Well, I’ve shown you mine, so I’d love to see yours sometime.”
“Are we heading home now, Sir?” Prices voice interrupts our moment.
“Yes, we are. Thank you, Price,” Elliot replies.
With that, Price pulls out into traffic and we begin our journey back to Sands Manor.
