Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Eli
As soon as she opens her door to me when I pick her up the next morning, I am on her, pinning her to the wall and kissing her until her chuckles of amusement become moans vibrating against my lips, and I'm struggling not to back her into her apartment and do a live action replay. Last night was unbelievably hot, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I have clients booked until mid-afternoon, I would do it.
We look at each other with intensified hunger whenever our paths cross throughout the day, turning our heads as we pass each other for killer eye meets that make my heart pound with longing.
I want her. I’ve heard her come, and I want that again and again, this time in person.
I want to feel that, feel her, in my arms and tight around me as she comes apart.
But, although we can’t indulge the way every part of my body wants to right now, the tension is delicious.
I’m enjoying every second, even the frustration.
And it’s the most ordinary and casual things that turn me on with her.
She kissed my neck as we sat on the grass in a nearby park over lunch, and it did more for me than I thought such a simple gesture could possibly do.
When she takes my hand and we lace our fingers together, I feel complete. Every time.
I have never felt like this before, and I’m glad.
She’s the one.
I have a few nerves squirming in my belly as I see my last client of the day out the door at three o’clock. I hope I’ve guessed right and that she likes my idea. Her eyes are bright and curious when she looks up at me. “Ready, baby?” I ask.
“Ready,” she agrees, just as Leo wanders in. He looks tired, with shadows under his eyes, but his smile is easy and natural.
“Alright, lovebirds, off you go. Have fun.” He ties his hair back as he sits at Em’s seat, ready to cover reception for her.
“Thanks for this, frère,” I tell him sincerely. He just winks at us.
She and I head off hand in hand to enjoy the afternoon.
“He’s suffering hard,” she says quietly.
I sigh. “Yep.” I squeeze her hand. “I feel bad for him, but he won’t tell her, for obvious reasons.”
“It just sucks. They’d be so good together, and Peter is such an obtuse piece of flotsam.”
“A what?” I grin.
She smiles sheepishly. “That’s my Trekkie side making itself known again. That’s an insult from Q. He’s, ah, one of the more interesting antagonists. And I’m a giant dork for remembering it.”
That’s good. I’m feeling increasingly confident that I made the right call with this date location. My adorable little geek will like it.
“So, moving swiftly on...where are you taking me?” She dimples up at me, and my heart flip flops. I know the first days of any new relationship are special, but this is just magic.
“You’ll see soon enough,” I tease, laughing as she joke pouts and leaning forward to kiss her full lips.
“I’m intrigued,” she says as I sling an arm around her shoulders, holding her hand on the other side. She puts her arm around my waist, and I guide her through the streets as we chat a little more about the Leo and Sadie situation. “I hope she doesn’t actually marry Peter.”
“Same. He’s an ass. I don’t want to have to put up with him for the rest of our lives,” I agree. “It’s like socializing with a paperweight.”
She laughs. “Pretty much.”
Oh. Damn.
As we walk down the street to the game shop, I remember, just a few paces away, that there’s a sex toy shop right next door.
I’ve never been inside, but it’s very obvious from the name Climax and the artfully displayed chains and leather harnesses in the window what you can expect from the place.
I don’t want her thinking I’m marching her straight to a purveyor of every vibrator known to man, so I stop a few feet away.
Fortunately she is looking at the shops on the other side of the cobbled street: a French cuisine cafe, a silver jewelry store.
“OK, so I’m going to place my hands over your eyes, if that’s alright?” I ask.
Her eyes light up. “Sure!” I cannot resist kissing her shoulder, and I guide her gently past Climax and to the entrance of Fonteyns, the gaming store.
It’s not a huge place, but there’s a nice display of cards for a game called Magic: The Gathering in the window, as well as Funko Pop figurines for Marvel and Star Wars movies.
I’ve never been inside myself, but I can see that there are shelves filled with board games floor to ceiling, with tables in the center of the store covered in the same.
I think I read on their website that they sell books, too, but I can’t see them right now.
“OK?” I ask her, and take my hands away. “Boom.”
I watch her face from the side, and she gasps in delight, her face lighting up.
I smile in relief. This was definitely a good place to take her.
“Oh my gosh!” she squeals, and I laugh as she charges for the door.
She stops and turns back to grab my hand and pull me inside, as excited as a hungry kid in a candy store.
Her mouth drops open as she takes everything in. “This is...just...YES!” She turns and beams at me, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me soundly on the lips. “I had no idea there was a place like this in town. Thank you for bringing me here,” she murmurs.
“No problem, chere,” I tell her, returning her smile. “Worth it to see you so happy.”
Her attention wanders to the shelves of cellophane wrapped games.
“Oh, wow,” she breathes, reading the titles.
I don’t know enough about them, but seeing her so excited has me interested.
My knowledge of board games is limited to Monopoly and Sorry.
A lot of these have beautiful artwork, and some of it is so stunning that I make a mental note of some of the titles so I can look up the artists.
They’re getting my own creative juices flowing. Some of these would make great tattoos.
She lets out a delighted cry and grabs one of the boxes.
“They have Lords of Waterdeep!” She carefully turns the box over and winces slightly at the price.
“I used to love this game. Must be…” she purses her lips as she thinks, “easily six or seven years since I’ve played.
” She puts it back and carries on looking.
“I could bankrupt myself in here, I really could.”
As she moves on, I check the price on the box. Forty pounds. Oh, man. She must really have to watch what she spends if forty is too big a splurge to consider.
I am going to spoil her.
“Ooh!” She peers to a galley in the back. “They have books, too!” She disappears into a cubby, and I take the opportunity to grab Lords of Waterdeep and take it to the counter, where a man with a sandy colored hipster beard and a Borderlands 3 hoodie is playing with his phone.
“Dude,” I say quietly as he looks up, “keep this behind the counter. I’ll be back later to pay for it, but it’s got to be a surprise for her, so be cool, OK?
” He looks towards where she’s peering at their book collection and winks at me, unsmiling.
He gets it. “By the way, do you have any Sentinels of the Multiverse?” I’m glad I remembered what it was called.
He points to a shelf behind me. “Yep. Full collection of everything that's out and available right there.”
“OK, I’ll take one of everything,” I say, peering around the corner in case she’s getting suspicious, but fortunately she must be engrossed in whatever they have back there.
“I’ll pay now, actually,” I tell him. He rings everything up very quickly, nodding conspiratorially at me.
I pay as fast as I can, not giving a shit that it comes to over two hundred pounds.
I can afford it. “Can you hide it while we’re still here, and I’ll come and pick it up as soon as I can? ”
“Sure, what’s the name, so I can label it?'' The bag is huge.
“Eli Gastright. G-A-S…” I spell it for him.
“Cool, man, I got ya.” He places the bag under the counter.
“Thanks.” I wander through, hoping she hasn’t noticed I’ve been absent for a while, and find her poring happily over a large hardback book. It has her undivided attention. I breathe a sigh of relief; I’ve lucked out.
She looks up, smiling brightly. “They have it!” she enthuses, showing me the cover.
It’s a Dungeons and Dragons manual for a game called The Curse of Strahd.
A vampiric looking man sits on a throne on the cover.
“It's the fifth edition version. I’ve wanted this for ages." She bites her lip adorably as she smiles. "I’m going to get it. I shouldn’t after the amount I blew on new clothes, but screw it, I’m gonna. ”
I smile at the happy look on her face. “Awesome. We’ll have to organize a game.”
She bites her lip, making me want to press her against these shelves and kiss her til she’s dizzy. “Do you really think people will want to play?”
“I’m sure something can be arranged.” Honestly, I do think the team will be up for it if they know it will make her this happy. She’s loved at Wishbone more than she realizes.
When we get to the counter, the guy doesn’t betray my other purchases at all.
He’s good. But he does wink at me again when I tap my card on the reader to pay for Em’s book while she rummages in her purse for her wallet.
She looks so touched that it makes me feel fantastic.
I could definitely get used to this, and my determination to spoil her kicks up a notch.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she says softly, her eyes looking almost glassy.
I pull her towards me by her waist, kissing her cheek. “It’s my pleasure.”
She snuggles in, squeezing my back. “Thank you so much, that’s so kind.” She kisses me, and I smile against her lips. “I really appreciate it.”
“Honestly, you’re welcome.” I can’t wait to see her face when I give her the other games I secretly bought.