I smile as I think about what his face must look like, the prowl in his eyes, and how his jaw is set. I know damn well he’ll make good on his threat.
Me: I’m out. I’ll be back soon. I love you.
Best Sex of My Life: I love you. See you soon . . . naked.
I snort.
I finish gathering ingredients and then stop at my house to unload them. I don’t want to tip him off about anything. Not that I initially intended it to be a surprise, but if I can pull it off, I’d like to try. Eli and I have pretty much planned to do nothing but be together this week, but I can be creative.
I make my way back to his house—mansion—excited about my plans. I called my girls, inviting them as well. They love Eli, especially after seeing him with me these last few weeks, so they should be a part of his celebration.
“Honey, I’m here,” I call out as I enter the house.
“I’m in the kitchen,” Eli replies.
I move toward the back of the house where I find him walking to the fridge.
“You were gone a while, is everything all right?” Eli asks.
“Yeah, I had some stuff I needed to do, and then I stopped at my place for some clothes.”
We’ve been staying here more than at my house, and I was running out of things to wear, even though we spend most of the time by the pool or in bed.
Eli moves back to the island and he winces. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” he grumbles. “I did something to my foot getting out of bed.”
“You really are getting old,” I say in a joking voice. “You’re falling apart, Gramps.”
He cocks his head to the side and chuckles. “Keep it up, baby. You’re not that far behind me.”
“I am not old! I can kick your ass any day of the week and twice on Sundays.”
Eli grabs the sandwich and takes a huge bite. “Try me,” he says around a mouthful of food.
I think he forgets that I’m a cop. I’ve wrestled big guys in bar fights, taken down punks who try to run, and battled with prisoners who think they can take on the world. My training is vast, and I’ve worked hard to know my strengths.
Plus, most men don’t want to hurt a girl. It’s in their DNA. I take full advantage of that. It is also in their genetic make up not to get their ass kicked by a woman. I need to remember that.
“So,” I say as I plop on the bar chair. “What do you want to do today?”
“I was thinking we go on a date . . . a real date. Where you get dressed up, and I wine you, dine you, and then sixty-nine—”
“Okay!” I cut him off. “Romantic.”
He shrugs. “I thought so.”
“People will see us.”
“Good.”
“They’ll know you’re dating.”
Eli puts the sandwich on his plate and leans on the counter. “Good.”
“We won’t be able to hide.”
He moves around toward me, still watching my reactions. “It’s not my life that will no longer be hidden, Heather. I’m ready for every woman to know that I’m not interested, the question is . . . are you?”
My mind recalls the conversation with Savannah. I know that as soon as we step out behind our curtain, all of that will follow, but I meant what I said to him. I’m not going anywhere. His life and mine are becoming entangled, and I don’t want to see what would become of me if the threads were cut.
“People are looking at me,” I whisper as Eli looks over the menu.
“Yup.” He grins. “You’re kind of hard to ignore.”
I tilt my head and sigh. “Don’t be charming.”
“Can’t help it. You bring out the romantic in me.” Eli shrugs and goes back to reading.
I try to stop fidgeting, but it’s hard when I can feel people’s eyes on me. At least when we were in the park, I was invisible to the woman. Here, it’s the complete opposite.
I straighten my back and follow his lead. I can do this. People look at me when I’m in uniform, so this is no different.
The waitress takes our drink order, spending extra time attending to Eli’s request for water. I swear.
“You look beautiful,” he says, taking my hand.
I glance at my navy one-shoulder cocktail dress and then back to him. I spent extra time getting ready, making sure I looked like someone who belonged with him. My hair is curled and pulled over to the side, exposing my neck. The nude pumps I stole from Nicole six months ago are killing me, but I wore them. And even with the extra makeup, making me feel less like myself, I’m totally freaking out.
“I feel like I’m naked in front of a crowd.” Once again, I look around at all the people, some of whom are whispering and staring.
Eli’s mouth turns into a sly grin. “I would be perfectly fine with that as well.”
I glare at him. “Funny.”
“Relax, Heather.” Eli gives my hand a squeeze. “People look, and people talk, but we’re the only thing that matters right now.”
He’s right. I’m on a date with Eli, and we both love each other. This is a part of who he is, and that means, it’ll be a part of my life. I might as well get used to it.
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, it’s an adjustment, I’m sure. You get used to it.”
Something to look forward to.
The waitress returns, giving me a sour look. “Wine,” she places it in front of me while looking at Eli. I go to open my mouth to let her know she’s brought the wrong wine, but she turns her back to me. “And for you, Mr. Walsh, we’ve selected our top-of-the-line bottle of cabernet, on the house.”
“Thank you,” he says politely and then his eyes meet mine. “However, my girlfriend ordered the Pinot Grigio, but you brought her red wine. Why don’t you fix her drink first since I only asked for water?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” She grabs the glass and walks away quickly.
“I think she might cry.” I fight back laughing. Her face was priceless. It’s clear she’s a fan, or at least thinks he’s hot, and he just dismissed her.
Eli raises and drops his shoulder. “Maybe if she didn’t ignore you, then I wouldn’t have to be a dick.”
I’ve never had someone love me like this. Thinking back, I’m not sure Matt ever defended me. I always felt like I was on my own. With Eli, he looks at me as if I’m special and treasured. He wants to protect and care for me.
“Is it like this in New York . . . when you go out?” I question.
He chuckles. “No, it’s like I’m a normal guy.”
“Yeah right.” I don’t think Eli could ever be normal. He’s sexier than any man I’ve ever seen, and he’s impossible to ignore.
“I swear. Celebrities there aren’t treated as if they’re special. It’s why so many of them live there full time. Plus, there’s always a movie or show being filmed. It’s a part of life there.”
The waitress returns with the right wine and a plate of appetizers. We place our orders, and I smile when he rubs his foot against my calf as she stands there. I can’t remember the last time I played footsie.