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CHAPTER ELEVEN

IT’S A PARTY

RHODES

Now

“What time is Elle coming?” my mom asks as she walks into the room. “Soon, I hope,” she adds. “You’ve got one more tub to bring in before she gets here.”

Large, red containers have taken over my house. Levi is sitting in the only one I’ve emptied and I feel a twang of guilt that I haven’t decorated before now. I’ve been so upset about where things stood with Elle and me, I almost didn’t decorate for Christmas.

“Did the two of you talk about a time?” I ask.

She gives me an exasperated look. “No, I hoped the two of you would take care of those details. What do I have to do? Force you guys to communicate? What's going on, honey? Why were things so weird with the two of you last night? And don’t tell me it’s the cheerleading business. That isn't adding up, because I barely had to do anything to convince her to go with you last night.”

“It is adding up. Thank you, by the way, for talking her into going with me last night.” I grin at her and she rolls her eyes but smirks, looking pleased with herself.

“Text her and see what time she's coming over,” she says.

“I’m trying to respect her wishes. She doesn’t want to get in trouble and I don't want to make her lose her job.”

“Don't you think if you talked to the head of that cheerleading team and told her Elle is your child's godmother, and she's been your best friend for years, that she'd get over herself and not make a big deal about this?”

“We've already tried that. Well, Elle has tried that, and it hasn't worked. I'm lucky Elle went with me to the wedding…I’ll be surprised if she comes back.”

The way she bolted when I pulled into the driveway last night. I’d barely parked and she was already to her car. It made me question every bit of progress I’d thought we’d been making all night.

“I’m not going to push it. I, uh…I pushed things with her before Thanksgiving and things still aren’t quite back to normal.”

“What happened before Thanksgiving? ”

“Nothing.” I look up at the ceiling. “Let it rest, Mama. We'll be lucky if we see her tonight.”

My phone rings and it’s my guard, Mitch.

“Hey, man,” I say.

“Elle Benton is here.”

Mitch is a recent hire and further proof that things haven’t been normal around here. The other guards know to let her through.

“You can always let Elle through the gate,” I tell him. “She’s on the list.”

“Got it,” he says.

The doorbell rings a couple minutes later and Levi runs next to me to help open the door. When we open it, Elle looks tense. I open it wider.

“Come in. What's going on? Why do you look so stressed?” I ask.

She hugs Levi and he runs off to grab one of the Christmas decorations to show her.

“Bernard told my parents that you and I are dating and now they’re—” She flings her arm out and shakes her head. “I can't believe I did that last night. Rhodes, what was I thinking?”

I want to say, You were realizing I’m the only man for you , but of course, I don’t.

Instead I say, “You were thinking you wanted that jerk off your back.”

She sighs, “Yes, I was.”

“You're just too nice. Why did he blab that we’re dating to your parents? It's something that should have come from you.”

“It's not even true,” she says, her hand going on her hip.

She looks hot as hell in her soft cream sweater and skintight black jeans. I want to bury my face in the whisper of cleavage I see and stay there all night.

“Did I hear right?” My mom squeals. “You told your parents you guys are dating?” She claps her hands together in excitement. “Where has this news been all my life?”

“Settle down, Mama.”

“No, no,” Elle says. “It's not true. We're not. And I should’ve just said that to my parents.” She plops down on my couch and puts her head in her hands. “I have totally screwed everything up, and next, Lisa will be calling to tell me I'm fired just because I don't want to deal with Bernard.”

My mom's nose scrunches up when she looks at me. She has never liked Bernard.

“Well, good riddance to Bernard,” Mama says. “I have been dying for the two of you to get together…for at least a lifetime. Why didn't you tell me last night?”

I guess she’s just choosing to ignore what Elle just said?

“We're not dating, Mom,” I say.

“Well, why not? Anyone can see that you should.”

Elle starts laughing through her hands. “Because we would be a disaster if we dated,” she says.

Levi runs over and puts an elf up to Elle’s face. She drops her hands and makes the elf do a little dance, while I stare at her, probably looking a little green. Levi laughs and runs to look for the other elf.

I need to know where she's going with this because I don't think we'd be a disaster at all. I think we've been fine-tuning this relationship for years and she's just taking forever to catch up to it.

“Define disaster,” I say.

“Well, you've never been in a relationship.” She looks at me like that's my answer.

“So I'm the disaster, is that what you're saying?” I say it in a teasing tone, but part of me wonders if she really believes that's true.

“No, I know you're not a disaster,” she says softly. “You're the best guy I know, but if we didn't work, it would be so messy.”

“The best relationships are,” my mom says.

My dad comes up behind her and pulls her back against his chest while he nuzzles her neck. “The best relationships are what?”

“Messy,” she reiterates, smiling up at him.

“Mm-hmm.” He kisses her while I pretend to gag.

I think Elle swoons a little bit as she stares at them. She clears her throat and when I take another look, I realize there are tears on her cheeks.

“Hey,” I say, walking over and sitting next to her on the couch. “What can I do? What would help you right now?”

“Can we just forget about everyone else and decorate for Christmas? I’ve missed you guys so much and I need us to just be us , Rhodes and Elle, best friends until the end of time, the way we’ve always been. I don’t want to think about the Mustangs or my parents or Bernard right now.”

I put my arm around her and tug her into my side. Her hand lands on my chest and slides up my neck as she leans into me and takes a shuddering breath.

“I’ve got you, Elle baby,” I tell her.

When she sniffles, I pull back enough to look at her and wipe her tears away. “You’re nicer than most jocks I’ve met,” she says, rolling her eyes when another tear drips down.

I repeat what I said to her the night we met, when she said the same thing. “I’m not that nice. It’s you bringing it out in me.”

She smiles and takes a deep breath, sitting up straight. Levi runs up with the next best thing to an elf, the Christmas giraffe that Elle gave him last year. When he sees her face, he freezes and leans into her.

“Elle cwy?” he asks.

She puts her hand on his cheek. “Not anymore. I’m so excited to be here. Are we ready to put your tree up?”

He nods tentatively, like he still isn’t sure if she’s okay, and she hugs him.

“I’m okay. I just had to get a little cry out, like that time you were sad when we couldn’t go to Pet Galaxy.”

“You want to go to Pet Galaxy?” he asks.

We all laugh.

“Not tonight, but that does sound fun,” she says.

“I made a batch of my South African eggnog just for you, Elle,” my mom says.

That perks her up.

“That’s exactly what I need,” she cries. “I’ve been craving that since last Christmas.” She looks at me and points. “Just don’t let me have a second cup, no matter what.”

I chuckle and nod when her gaze intensifies. “Okay, I won’t. But you can be hard to reason with when you’ve had Mama’s eggnog.”

“It’s the amarula,” Mama says proudly. “I like it heavy on the amarula.”

“We know.” I laugh. “Your eggnog is dangerous.”

Several hours later, my house has transformed, and so has Elle. Any sign of sadness is gone and she’s animated as she slides around the hardwood floor in her socks with Levi. We’ve all worked hard and the house is so much cozier with all the holiday spirit. The clock in the living room chimes and Elle turns to face me a little too fast. I reach out to ensure she doesn’t run into the tree. She’s only had one glass of my mom’s eggnog, but it was a large glass and this batch was extra strong.

“I had no idea it was so late. Oh my goodness. I need to get home.” She slaps her hand over her mouth. “I cannot drive. What—” She laughs when Levi runs into her and puts his arms around her legs. “You’re up so late!”

“It’s a party,” I say. “And I can’t deprive him of seeing you.”

Her lower lip pokes out and wobbles. “I love him so much.”

“I know you do, love. He loves you too. Don’t you, Levi?” I bend down and pick Levi up as he’s nodding. “Give Elle kisses and then Gigi said she’d read you a bedtime story,” I tell him.

He leans over and kisses Elle, a loud smack on the lips, and then she kisses all over his face, making him crack up.

“Night-night, little man. Sweet dreams. Love you.”

“Luh you,” he says back.

I hand him to my mom and give Levi a kiss too. “Love you, son.”

“Luh you, Daddy.”

Never fails to make my heart melt when he says those words.

When my mom takes Levi up to his room, I look at Elle. “I texted my guards earlier. I’ll drive you home and Bobby will follow in my SUV.”

“Thank you. I should’ve thought of that before I had Gigi’s eggnog. I’m gonna be feeling it at practice tomorrow.”

I make a face. “Yeah, I bet you will.”

“Ignore the mess in my car. I've been going like crazy. My car is overdue for a cleaning, as you can tell,” she says, putting a pile of papers in the backseat.

“I haven’t been around enough to do my job.” I give her a cocky grin.

I’ve been taking care of her car for a long time now.

“No one takes care of me like you. I’ve missed that,” she admits, laughing.

“I see now what you miss me for—” I start the car.

All of a sudden, a low, sexy voice comes over the airwaves.

“Yes. Fu-u-uuuck. Fuck me harder, Eliza. That’s right, baby. You feel so good, so right. I love the way you're clenching my cock right now. Take. Every. Inch. Of. Me.”

“Good God , what is this?” I stare at Elle and then crack up as she fumbles with her phone and drops it, yelping as she tries to find it.

“That’s it. You’re so fucking tight. I feel your pus ? —”

While she clambers around with her phone, trying to turn it down, I nudge her hand away.

“Don’t turn it down. I want to hear what happens!”

“No, Rhodes. Stop.” She laughs. She’s fanning her face and I have no doubt that if it weren’t dark out, her face would be flaming bright red. She clutches her chest like she can’t breathe.

“What do you listen to when you're driving? Elle Benton. ” I’m still laughing and batting her hand off of mine as I turn up the volume in the car.

“Ryder, I’m so close. You feel so good, too good,” plays extra loud .

“Can you take the shortcut?” Elle tries to shout over the erotic words and sounds of heavy breathing.

“Harder, harder…”

“Only if we can listen to this all the way…my little dirty bird.”

“Well, I’ve got to get some satisfaction somewhere,” she says lightly, her voice shaking slightly.

I shoot her a look, unable to stop laughing.

“How did I not know this is your kink? I knew you liked to read, but…do you like to hear sex scenes in that sexy man voice? ‘Fuck me harder, Eliza,’” I mimic the narrator, and when she presses her legs together, I nearly lose my shit. “Fuck me . Don’t you dare try to turn that off again. She’s so close. I need to know if she gets there. I need to see if you get there.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re ridiculous,” she says, fanning her face.

“Am I though?” When I laugh, it’s low and I don’t miss the way she shivers.

Ryder and Eliza take it on home as I pull into her driveway. Holy fuck, the way he rides her is hot as hell and Eliza is one happy woman when the job is done. I’m so into the story that I miss it when Elle reaches over and turns off the ignition. The silence is shocking and Elle jumps out of the car, waving over her shoulder.

“Thanks for the ride. Night!”

Holy. Hell.

My dick was all about that little sexy time story. I get in the SUV and Bobby has the decency not to give me a hard time about my situation. It’s a long ride home before I can take care of it in my shower, thinking about Elle the whole time I do.