Chapter 38 Elliot
ELLIOT
My lungs burned, so did my muscles, and at the same time, my legs felt heavy.
It was almost like they were covered with concrete.
Every step pushed me to my limits, even though I was running at a beginner’s pace.
So damn slow. The humidity didn’t help, as this stupid city felt like a wet sauna, and sweat slid down my face as if someone had poured a bucket of water on my head.
“Woohoo!” Daniel cheered, hands in the air, once he crossed what we marked as our finish line first.
“Either I’ve gotten faster or you allowed me to win for a change,” he laughed, slapping my shoulder.
I stumbled forward with the hit, my knees nearly buckling.
“You were just—” pant. “—lucky.” pant.
“You sure?” He stretched his arms while checking me out. “Because you seem out of breath while I feel like going for another lap.”
Annoyed, I wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face. But instead, I straightened up with all the power I had and acted cool.
“I’m just tired because I already ran this morning,” I bit back, eyes narrowed at his sweaty face. “I joined you now out of pity.”
With his hands on his waist, Daniel shook his head before getting closer. “Fine, how about I treat you to dinner, then? Anywhere you want.”
“You know I am on a diet,” I said, nudging him out of my way as I continued walking in the direction of our street.
I want to shower all this sweat off.
“Oh, come on now, Elli. You’re already thin enough.”
Not bothering to look behind me, I sighed. “You know I watch my weight before a show, and the gala is next week.”
Where I’ll walk for Vito for the very first time.
“You said the same thing last month.”
“That’s ’cause I had an important photoshoot.”
Catching up to me, he grunted. “You’ve got to eat, or you’ll end up looking like a stick—”
I paused in my tracks, eyes pinned on him.
“Are you saying I’m not pretty?”
Daniel’s thick brows furrowed, and he held his hands before him. “O-of course not. You’re stunning.”
“Good.”
I went back to walking, with him fumbling behind.
“All I’m saying is that you’re a little too strict with your food, and it’s okay to cheat from time to time.”
“Oh, is it?” I side-eyed him when he frowned.
“Why does it feel like you’re angry with me?”
“I am not.”
“Ha!”
“What?” I grunted.
“You are angry.”
My brows snapped together with confusion as he wiggled his finger at me.
“Whenever you’re angry, you switch to English. As you just did.”
My jaw twitched, and I stomped my foot. “You are annoying.”
“See? Just did it again.”
“Stupid.” That I said in French.
“What did I do now?” he chuckled, a smile on his face.
“I don’t like it when you track my food like I’m some child.”
“No one is tracking anything, Elli. I was simply teasing you.”
He pinched my side, and I jumped. Why did he touch me there? Quickly rubbing the spot, I looked at him, worried. Was it his way of calling me fat—
“Elliot?”
Turning to see who’d just called me, I saw a guy with dark, tousled hair and two dimples smiling at me. He seemed familiar, although I didn’t connect the dots until he opened his mouth to speak.
“It’s me, Mike, from the subway?”
Ah, fuck. If getting a letter from Jacques wasn’t enough for one day, now I’d bumped into a guy I’d fucked almost two years ago.
What’s up with this city?
“Oui, huh, yes, Michael.”
“Fuck, man, I see your face everywhere now. You really made it.” He reached forward and squeezed my arm. “Anyway, how are you? It’s been ages.”
“Has it?” Daniel asked, eyes narrowed, while I brushed the place where Michael had touched me.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you weren’t alone,” he said, his attention moving on to Daniel, who seemed annoyed. “And you are?”
“He is my friend,” I jumped in.
Daniel’s stare darted to me, his disapproval clear, before he looked back at Michael.
“I’m his friend,” he said, a big smile glued on his face as he reached his hand forward.
But before any hands could be shaken, I shoved Daniel to keep going.
“It is very nice to see you again, Michael.”
“Just Mike—”
“Au revoir!” I called out, not bothering to look back as I forced Daniel to keep walking down the street leading to our building.
“You sure you don’t want to invite your friend over?”
“Be quiet,” I tsked when he snorted.
“Why? I’ll just sleep in the guest room while you and Mike catch up.”
“Seriously?” I glared at him.
“Well, I’m just a friend.”
I stopped walking and stared at him, angry.
“Did you want me to say you were my boyfriend?”
Silence lingered between us as he kept quiet.
“I thought so,” I said, then started walking again.
“Elliot.”
“What?” I turned to look at him, hoping he’d apologize, when instead—
“Who was he?”
“No one.”
He clicked his tongue. “Clearly, that’s not true.”
We finally reached our building.
“You already know the answer, so why ask?” I turned to smile at Richard, who opened the door for us. “Merci, Richard.”
“I want to hear you say it,” Daniel said, following me to the elevator.
Pushing the call button, I took a step back and crossed my arms while tapping the floor with my shoe. “I need a cigarette.”
“Did you fuck that guy?”
“Oui.”
The elevator arrived, and I walked in, leaving Daniel to stare at me from the hall. It took him a few more seconds before he joined me inside and stood next to me.
The doors closed, and the elevator started to ride up.
“When?”
I closed my eyes, tired of this day. “Why do you even care?”
“I’m just curious. Have you had many partners before?”
“Yes. Usually two every night.”
He grunted. “I’m serious.”
“Why? You think before you I was prostitute?” I asked in English.
Reaching our floor, the elevator’s door opened, and I got out.
“Of course not!” He walked after me. “I-I am just curious about how you were with other…”
“Other what?” I stopped near our door and turned to face him.
Daniel’s cheeks turned pink. “With other men,” he said, voice low, even though we were alone in the hall.
It took me a moment to understand what he was trying to ask.
“You want to know if I did the fucking or if it was the other way around?”
Daniel visibly swallowed, then nodded.
This man… After everything that we did together, he was embarrassed to ask such a basic question.
I mean, complete strangers asked me that in a much more straightforward way after a minute of knowing me, and yet he couldn’t even find the right words.
But then again, with his lack of experience and his overall reserved approach toward sex, it made sense he’d be so awkward.
And somehow, this shy side of him always turned me on.
Pulling out my key, I unlocked our door and pushed it open before I grabbed his wrist. “Come here.” I pulled him after me, shutting the door behind us.
“Elliot—”
Grabbing his bigger body, I pinned him against the door, my hands on his waist, while my thigh pushed between his legs.
“I like to fuck and get fucked, although before you, I preferred doing the fucking.”
“You did?”
“Are you surprised?” I challenged him with a raised brow.
He quickly shook his head. “No, of course not.” He then swallowed hard.
“Don’t mistake me for some fragile boy.” I slipped my hands down to his ass while pushing my thigh harder between his legs. “I know how to handle a man.”
With his blush now reaching his ears, he cleared his throat. “Were you the same with your ex?”
Startled, I pulled back.
Why would he bring him up? Does he know about the letter?
Brushing the thought away, as there was no chance, I collected myself and nodded.
“Yes.”
“But with me… you never?”
My breath hitched because was he asking me to top him? But getting a hold of myself, I leaned a bit closer, my hands now flat against the door while his slipped down to my waist.
“I never thought you’d want that, and besides, I love bottoming for you. It’s hot.”
With his body so close, I could feel the heat radiating from him, and it turned me on.
“Have you ever tried it before?” I asked, eyes locked with his.
“One time.”
“And? Did you like it?”
Averting his eyes, he covered his mouth with his hand. “I can’t believe we’re talking about this.”
I nudged closer, my chest pressed to his. “Tell me, I’m curious.”
To be fair, not all men enjoyed anal. And whether you liked it or not, it was absolutely fine and said nothing about you. Despite stigmas spread by insecure assholes, getting fucked didn’t make you any less of a man. Gay, straight, men or women, anal was only a matter of preference.
“I didn’t.”
Surprisingly, I wasn’t disappointed by his answer.
“That’s okay.”
His silver eyes studied me with intensity. “Is it?”
“Of course it is.” A small smile formed on my lips. “I love it when you fuck me. So far, it’s been the best sex of my life.”
“You mean it?”
Closing the distance between us, I kissed him.
“Didn’t we say I never lie?” I whispered over his lips, meaning every word because with him, I felt the most desirable when he writhed above me with pleasure.
When he felt so good making love to me that his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he let all his walls down.
There was just something about him losing control because of me that I would never get enough of.
He cupped the back of my head, his fingers moving through my hair causing my skin to tingle under his touch.
“I do love it when you take control, though,” he said.
My eyes darted to his lips and up before I smirked.
“Yeah?”
The corner of his mouth curled up. “Yes.”
Moving my hand between us, I cupped him over his running shorts. “Looks like you’re telling the truth.”
He gasped. “Elliot.”
I massaged his hardening dick before I slipped my hand under the thin fabric of his shorts.
“Go take a shower, then wait for me on the bed?”
Once he nodded, I withdrew my hand and watched his blushing face.
I love him.
“Won’t you join me?” he asked.
“I want to drink some water first.”
Making room for him to move, he passed me, but before he could disappear into the hall, I remembered something.
“Would you be my plus-one for the gala?”
Daniel stopped walking, and I stood near the door, my eyes pinned on his wide back as a million thoughts ran through my head.
I didn’t want to sound greedy when he was already giving me so much.
I also didn’t want to pressure him into thinking I expected more.
Now regretting my question, I hugged myself, wishing I hadn’t uttered the words—
“I’d love to.”
“Really?” I gasped, my throat sore with tears of disbelief.
“Yes. I’m sure we will find a way to make it work.”
It might not be everything, but for me, it was more than enough.