Page 61 of Chasing Elliott
"What is up with you today?" Elliott asked as her eyebrows furrowed.
"Nothing, I just," I started to say before I stopped, and my breath hitched in my throat.
"You just what?" She pressed as a look of concern flashed across her face. Using my thumb to stroke her cheek, I watched as she calmed down slightly.
"I just," I repeated as I collected my nerves. "I love you, Elli."
The minute the words left my mouth, her face fell slack. I felt an instant knotting in my stomach as she laid there frozen, unable to say a word. I tried my best to keep my expression neutral, but I could tell I failed when she abruptly sat up so her back was to me.
I sighed heavily as I laid flat on my back and looked up at the stars, the silence becoming deafening. Glancing over at her, I saw her with her knees propped up and her elbows resting on them with her head in her hands. My heart didn't feel like it was breaking till I heard her quietly crying.
I quickly sat up and put a hand on her back to try and soothe her as she began to cry a little louder. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I pulled her into my chest and held her as she gripped my shirt. A few minutes passed before she pulled away and looked up at me with puffy eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Cooper. It's not that I don't feel that way about you, I just," she stopped with a sigh as she ran a hand roughly through her hair. "I've never had anyone say that to mebefore and I just don't know if I'm ready to actually say it yet. I spent my life running from feelings and I'm not entirely prepared for this yet."
"It's okay," I said softly as a small smile graced my face. "I understand and I'm not going to pressure you into saying it back when you're not ready, and I won't say it constantly to makeyou feel like you have to say it back, either. I'm a patient person and like I've told you before, you're worth the wait."
Elliott smiled sadly as she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her head in my shoulder. My head was resting on top of hers while I rubbed small circles on her back, my other hand cupping the back of her head.
It may have been hard to put myself out there like that, but she did say that she feels thesame way and for now, that was enough for me.
"Are you going to wear a dress or just something cute?" Kara asked as she shifted through my closet.
"I haven't decided," I informed her as I finished up my makeup. Kara groaned as she poked her head out of my closet and I caught her distressed reflection in the mirror. "Wear what you want to and I'll match with you, how's that?"
Kara smiled in satisfaction as she dipped back into the closet. Once I was done with my makeup, I spun around in my chair at the vanity and saw Kara walk out in my little black dress with my thigh high black heeled boots. My eyebrows shot up as I whistled and walked over to her.
"Damn, Kay. You wear that better than I do," I said as I slipped into the closet to pick out an outfit. I heard Kara chuckle and the drawer of my makeup vanity open.
Grabbing my favorite white flowy dress that stopped a couple inches from my knees and my black leather jacket, I quickly stripped and slipped into them before grabbing my pair ofsimple black blocked heels.
"Do you have a purse I can use?" She asked as she spun in the chair, makeup already done. Walking back into the closet, I grabbed my bin in the back of the closet near my shoes that contained all of my purses. Grabbing a small black one for her, I tossed it in her direction as Iclosed my closet door behind me.
Following her out of my bedroom, we walked down the hall to where the boys weresitting on the couch waiting for us. The minute they heard our heels clicking on the hardwood floor, they both bolted out of their seats, eyes wide.
"Wow," Cooper breathed out as he closed the gap between us while Kara walked over to Benjamin. "You look gorgeous."
"Thanks," I mumbled as I felt my cheeks flush. "Not looking too bad yourself."
Walking up the sidewalk to the baseball house, I instantly felt the music reverberating through my chest and we weren't even inside yet. A small smile graced my lips as I thought back to the first time I had come here.
Slipping my hand into Cooper's, I followed him up the walk with Kara and Benjamin behind us. Stopping at the door to greet a few of his friends, I heard one of them whistle as wewalked by.
"God you're smoking," he said as he slid up next to me. "How'd he get someone likeyou?"
Looking up at Cooper with a small smile, I saw an irritated look covering his face. Rolling my eyes as his arm possessively slipped around my shoulders, I turned my attention back to his teammate.
"He didn't get me," I started to say as I wrapped an arm around his waist. "I got him."
Cooper's friend rolled his eyes and spun on his heel to walk away. I chuckled to myself as I looked up at him once more and Cooper quickly planted a kiss on my forehead.
"You're so sweet," he teased as he flicked my nose which resulted in me contorting my face.
"Yeah, don't get used to it," I fired back which made him release a loud, booming laugh. Feeling a hand on my arm, I turned and saw Kara smiling at me as Benjamin stood directly behind her.
"What do you say we get our girls some drinks?" Benjamin told Cooper as he stepped around Kara. Giving them a grateful smile, we watched them walk toward the kitchen.
Grabbing Kara's hand, I led us deeper into the party. They had gotten rid of all the furniture in the living room which turned it into the designated dance floor. Smiling at Kara, Iwas about to drag her into the crowd when I spotted a familiar face.
