Chapter 15
HAYES
Elodie passes me a towel as she closes the door of Lola’s room, keeping it ajar.
"Let's get this in the laundry. You do know how to use a washing machine, right?" Elodie whispers, teasing.
When Lola woke up on the couch, we brought her straight to the bathtub in the bathroom next to her room.
I prepared the bath, threw in some bath toys, and let Elodie bathe Lola while I retrieved fresh pajamas.
Then, like clockwork, we helped one another dress her and got her settled into her new crib.
At first, I was concerned that I might be wrong and that Lola would be more comfortable in her own room at Elodie’s.
But one look at her room here, with her eyes displaying awe, and I was eased.
She gave me a little hug good night, and I left the rest to Elodie.
“Yes, I know how to use a washing machine,” I mock her as we walk back toward the living room.
She playfully pinches my arm in response. “Not sure it helps but let’s just keep throwing things into the machine that she has touched a lot. We need to be strategic with timing for Bagel and Berry, otherwise we will have a meltdown on our hands.”
“Solid thinking. I’ll take this to the laundry room, and someone is coming up with our food.”
“Okay.”
With everything happening with Lola, Elodie was saved during our earlier conversation.
If we’re responsible enough, we need to address what happened last night.
When I re-enter the living area a minute later, I pause when I see Elodie oblivious that I’m watching her take cartons out of a bag and place them on the dining table.
She moves as though she lives here. Pointing that out might be a little too much right now. We have enough to deal with.
Except it’s far too easy to tease her and cause her cheeks to flush red.
“When is it you get on the table for my dinner?”
She stops mid-carton, her jaw goes slack, and she tilts her head to the side. Slowly, I approach her with a satisfied smirk on my face.
She chuckles cynically. “Taking us there already?”
I slide right onto the chair at the end of the table and continue to watch her. “What could you possibly mean?”
She rolls her eyes at my antics and continues with the last box.
“Smart thinking, by the way, that you put the sofa bed in Lola’s room.
I don’t want her alone during the night, and it is the perfect and safe place for me to be.
” Her pointed look is searing as she smiles and plops herself onto a chair.
“I only aim to please.”
“Just pass me the fried rice, will ya?”
I get to work on digging in and setting items on my plate. Truth be told, I’m hungry. As much as Elodie is a constant breeze in my head, the focus on Lola was too prevailing. But now it’s our time.
Elodie’s moan when she takes a bite of her sesame beef should be a crime. “This is so good. How did you find this place?”
“Easton recommended it two weeks ago, and I’ve had it once. Now I’m sold and shall not speak of any other establishment.”
“Good. This is a winner. Unless I get food poisoning, then the score may go down,” she jokes.
I cut into my egg roll. “Then you might be staying here forever if you get sick, too.”
She slows her bite and lifts her gaze to study me but says nothing.
“Your thoughts are running, Elodie. Don’t think too hard. It was a joke.”
Her body eases, and her sight returns to her plate, except she begins to play with her food. “Since this is the longest 24 hours, then we might as well lay it all out on the table.”
My imagination gives me a millisecond of the thought of her and me, which is why I say, “On the table is officially a banned phrase for the rest of the night.”
It causes her to grin. “Agreed. Can we just focus on dinner?”
“Agreed.” I smile.
We enjoyed our food and chatted about Everhope.
I guess I’ll be returning to that small town quite a bit.
I’m curious, as it sounds like Elodie had a close-knit and well-grounded upbringing in the little town in a world away from the buzz and gloom of city life.
After a while, our conversation lulls and an awkward silence settles between us.
She begins to voice, “About last—”
I stop her from finishing her sentence. “Let me make this easy for you.” Taking hold of my chair, I lift it slightly and scoot closer to Elodie, ensuring that space evaporates between us.
Our eyes latch, and the sly little lift of the corner of her mouth indicates to me that she is expecting me to say anything.
“We fucked. Hard. It was good. We needed a release. Sex. Why? Because our attraction never went away, and it sure as hell isn’t going to.
I never wanted to fight it, and you've given up on attempting to.”
“That isn’t necessarily a good thing.”
Well, that’s a start. She acknowledges there is something.
“You can hide behind Lola all you want, but it won’t change reality.” She briefly shifts her gaze away, then aims it right back at me and continues to listen. “Answer me why you really gave in last night.”
“I-I… Spontaneity isn't me… except with you. It's an exhilarating feeling.” She doesn’t sound confident with her answer. Her entire body goes slack. “No. It is, and it’s more. I’m aware of the possible road we can take.”
My face remains steadfast, and internally, one part wants me to ask, and the other part begs me not to. “Getting you to take the turn is driving me crazy, you know?”
She forms a subtle crooked smile as her fingers fly to my hand on the table, and they swirl unorganized patterns near my palm. My response is to let my other hand do the same to her arm.
“How about we go on a date?” I suggest.
Elodie scoffs a laugh. “You mean one where you don’t manipulate your way into getting me alone?”
I have to chuckle to myself. “Exactly. I’ll pick you up at a designated time, go for dinner, and see where the night takes us.
” She’s considering, which is a start. “Envisioning me showing up with flowers at your door like a perfect gentleman?” No response.
“Or I can just send flowers to your office until you say yes,” I threaten, smiling.
That gets me a response, and her face becomes animated. “Don’t you dare,” she humorously warns me with a stern eye.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I promise.” Although tempting, it is probably best that we don’t draw more attention to ourselves in the office.
“You know…” She abandons our touch and me by getting up and walking to the floor-to-ceiling window, hugging herself and watching the city at night. “I’ve learned very quickly that you keep your promises.”
I join her by the window. “We’re getting to know one another, but some things we already intuitively know.”
She nods without looking at me, her gaze fixed on the city. “Kind of like being around you without Lola is a completely different world. More intense.”
I take a deep breath. “That’s what is driving you crazy?”
Her head sharply turns to me. “Yes.”
I can work with this. Taking a step forward, I let our magnetic force do the rest of the work, and it doesn’t take much. My fingers begin on the curve of her shoulders and slowly move to the base of her neck. “You enjoy it?”
“Admittedly, yes to that too.”
My mouth begins to curve into a satisfied smirk. My palms engulf her neck, with the intent of moving farther up. I lead her back against the window. “So if I kiss you right now?” I whisper.
Her mouth ticks, a smile she can’t quite commit to, but her eyes glint with an invitation.
One that I take. She presses against the window, her hanging arm flat against the glass, and our fingers intertwine while my other hand holds her jaw and tips up her mouth.
My lips slam down on hers as my hand settles at her waist, and the way she leans into me feels as though she’s been waiting for this all night.
For a second, I consider slowing to kiss her only for a taste.
The plan fails when her fingers twist the front of my shirt and our kiss deepens.
Are we desperate for each other? Because there is no indication that this is slowing down.
Until the sound of Lola beginning to work up into a cry breaks us apart, albeit with a struggle to unlatch. The city lights glow behind Elodie’s face as we part. One look at one another and we don’t need words to communicate, we both beeline it to Lola’s room.
We turn the lamp’s soft light on, and it’s obvious.
Yep, a cheetah has competition on the spot front.
She is standing up, hands gripping the air, and Elodie rushes to pick her up, while I stand back to give them a bit of space.
“I know,” Elodie coos. “Itchy?”
She just cries.
Elodie feels her forehead. “No fever. Must just be bothered by the spots, they’re blistering.”
I wince. “Baby pain reliever?”
“Yeah. Also, her sippy cup with water. I forgot that.”
“Da.”
“What’s that?” Elodie holds our daughter close.
Lola reaches her arm out in my direction. “Dada.”
It takes Elodie a moment to digest what Lola is doing. “You want Daddy?”
Lola nods.
I’m not sure Elodie wants to smile or cry. Her lips tremble, and she blinks rapidly, torn between laughter and tears. My own heart aches and swells, flooded with a fierce, unexpected joy.
“Oh. You want to be held by Daddy?” Elodie seems to double-check more out of disbelief.
Lola nods again.
Elodie walks to me and hands off Lola straight into my arms. “I’ve been demoted.” She sounds defeated, but there is enough lightness in the undertone that I’m positive that she won’t go cry in the kitchen. “I’ll get the things. Just rock her a bit.”
“Sure.” I don’t even watch Elodie mope away. I keep my daughter close and walk around the room. We check out stuffed animals, and when she seems that her eyes are droopy again, I lie on the sofa bed.
When Elodie returned, we gave Lola medicine and a fresh set of pajamas. Still, Lola cried, and I seemed to be her calming answer.
Not sure when, but I fell asleep with her on my chest, and when I wake, it’s already six in the morning.
No Elodie in sight. I carefully set Lola back in her bed and then explore down the hall.
Checking the guestroom and finding no sign of Elodie, I assume she’s probably gone to get more supplies.
That gives me an opportunity for a quick shower.
But the moment I open the door to my bedroom, I have to half-smile because she didn’t go anywhere other than my bed, where she is now sleeping under the covers. I should let her rest, but I’m far too intrigued that she chose my room as her sleeping spot.
“Well, well, well. Look what I found in my bed,” I whisper to myself with my eyes set on the view.
I lean against the door pane, cross my arms and ankles, and watch her peacefully in her slumber. I feel my smirk creep up at the view.
Because she is exactly where she should be.