Page 48 of Safer Alone
“Ah, Elliot. What time is my flight tomorrow?”
He looks up at me. “Ready to leave already, are you?” He is smiling so I know he is teasing me. But I instantly speak in reply.
“No, I’m not ready to leave.”
He laughs softly. “I have you on the midday flight. So we will head for the airport at 10:00 to give you plenty of time to board”. That would work. I could grab James his postcard while I was waiting.
“Okay. I’ll be ready.” I wander over to him and wrap my arms around his muscular waist, sitting just above his hips. I look up towards his beautiful face. “That’s enough talk about tomorrow. What are we going to do this evening?”
A beautiful smile shows his perfectly white, straight teeth. He wraps his arms around my neck and kisses me. He pulls his mouth slightly back and whispers. “I can think of a few things” and he then kisses me again. Those tingles make their appearance, running the length of my body. Making their way to the pit of my stomach and then lower to the apex of my thighs. It ends too soon, as it always does. It is definitely safer that way, as with Elliot, lines are blurred and I have feelings that I haven’t experienced before.
“What would you like to do?” He asks. I know what I wanted to do. I wanted to take him to bed and ravish him. Taking off our clothes so I could rub my hands all over his hot skin, possibly kiss his pectoral muscles, discover what color his chest hair was. And that, ladies and gentleman, would be my hormones talking. This isn’t like me at all. I push those thoughts deep down where they are safe. That will not be on the agenda this afternoon, Angela.
“Ummm. We will need to eat dinner at some stage,” I state.
“Yes, we will definitely need to eat” His cell phone then rings, interrupting both of our trains of thought. He kisses me quickly on the mouth and then answers his phone.
“Elliot Sands” he smiles at me. I make an attempt to leave him be. Give him some privacy. However he doesn’t release me, holding me close to him. I rest my cheek against his chest, where I hear the steady beat of his heart. Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump. “Hey Dad…Not much. Angela and I are heading out to dinner tonight, so maybe tomorrow afternoon? Okay, see you then. Bye, Dad”
He hangs up the phone and places it back into his pants pocket. “That was my dad. He was thinking of having me over for dinner tonight.” Giving me an explanation for the phone call.
I wave my hand in the air. “You don’t need to explain anything to me,” I say gently.
“I know I don’t need to. But I want to,” is his response.
“That will be nice for you to see them tomorrow,” I state. I think of my family briefly, since they lived close by in the outer suburbs of New York, and often go to their vacation home in the Hamptons. I don’t see them often. Maybe I should make the effort to go and see them and introduce Elliot. How my mother would react to me bringing a man home, especially one as fine as Elliot. My thoughts are interrupted.
“We are pretty close. All of us.” I nod.
Elliot is quiet. I look up to his face. He is fighting with himself internally. “Go ahead. Say it.” He looks down at me, wonder spreading across his face.
“Well. Since we don’t have any dinner plans, we could have dinner with them tonight. If you want to meet them, that is?” I must have looked scared, as he quickly continues. “Or not. It’s up to you, babe.”
I am glad at that moment that he was still holding me as I thought I might collapse.
“Ummmm…”
Did I want to meet them yet? Or wait until Christmas morning? It might help to meet them prior. “Why not? If nothing else, it will make Christmas more comfortable for everyone!” As soon as I voice it, I bite my tongue. What on earth was I in for? I feel self-conscious and then happy, remembering that I had packed my nice wrap dress. It looked expensive even though it wasn’t. I would at least try and look the part.
“I can’t wait for them to meet you, Angie. Man this is great. I’ll give Dad a call back now.” He kisses me quickly on the cheek and then lets me go before wandering into the living room. A few feet away from where I am standing and all I hear is the beginning of the conversation between Elliot and his father. “Dad. It’s me again. Angela and I were just talking and I thought that we might both come for dinner tonight if that works for Mom. What time did you want us to arrive?”
I don’t want to hear any more of the conversation. I thought that I might actually be sick. After knowing Elliot Sands for a such a short time, tonight I would be meeting his parents. What the hell was I thinking, saying yes? I thought of a famous quote just then. “Only fools rush in.” That’s what we are doing, isn’t it? Rushing in? Would this do more harm than good? Would it finish us before we even get started, or would it somehow strengthen the bonds we had just started to create? I don’t know where I am heading in his home, just knowing that I wanted to get away from that conversation. I only comprehend that I have wandered upstairs, toward his study, when I walk through the door. I continue to walk through until I reached the attached room. Seeing the large comfortable chair in the library, I make myself at home.
Ahhh, peace and quiet, away from the man who has me feeling as though I’m intoxicated. How does he make me feel this way? How can I be having feelings this deep for him so soon? I built walls around my heart after Dylan. Thick brick walls. And yet, over the course of twenty-four hours he has burst through them as though he is a wrecking ball. Is it possible to start falling in love with someone from the first date? Because I think that’s what’s happening.
Elliot comes in after me a few moments later. “I wondered where you had got to.” He walks closer and squats in front of me. He has a beautiful smile dancing on his features.
“How did you know I would be here?” I ask.
“You told me you loved to read yesterday when we were here. I figured you had come back for another look.” He pauses, pleased with himself that he knew where I would be.
“Mom and Dad are looking forward to meeting you. I’ve arranged for us to head off to their place for dinner at around 5:30” I don’t know how he does it. But he picks up on exactly what I am feeling. “Don’t be nervous, babe. They will love you.”
I let myself give him a small brief smile. I reach out and take his hands in mine. I love when he calls me babe. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I don’t say anything, I just look at him. I realize that I am completely and utterly under this man’s spell. Why else would I agree to something like this so soon?
“Well, we have a jam-packed schedule over the coming weeks. Don’t we? Dinner with your parents tonight. Then you are flying to see me in Nashville for my work Christmas party in a couple of weeks.” I pause for effect. “Then I’m coming back here again. Seeing your family for Christmas, then staying here for a week. Have I missed anything?”
It all sounds ludicrous as I start ticking off events. He just nods. “Yes indeed. We have a busy couple of weeks.” He pauses. “We will be able to get to know each other so much better. I’m looking forward to it. Immensely.” I can see he is being completely honest with me and I feel hopeful that this will actually work.
