With a heavy sigh, I untucked my legs, adjusted my socks and headed towards the door. “I don’t know why you couldn’t just get it…” My words caught in my throat when he nudged the door open even further to reveal Luca standing there looking as delicious as ever with a plastic bag dangling from his finger.
“Hey,” he greeted, and I melted.
Chapter Twenty-One – Luca
I was sweating bullets. All throughout training, I’d been debating what to do. Did I write back? Show up at her door? Say nothing? Pretend it hadn’t happened? Put it down to a slip of the tongue? I wasn’t exactly sure how I ended up standing on Elise’s doorstep, holding her Chinese takeout order after bribing the delivery driver into parting with it, to be staring at Elise with no words.
From the shock on her face, I knew I was the last person she was expecting to see tonight. After I’d been hit in the head with the ball for the third time, Coach had suggested I call it a night and go sort out whatever it was that had me twisted up. “Hey,” I’d spluttered, not knowing what else to say while Elise stared at me, her mouth hanging open while Jax wore a knowing smirk.
Neither Elise nor I flinched. Thank God Jax was there, otherwise there was a very good chance we’d both grow old gawking at each other through the door.
“I don’t remember ordering dessert,” Jax said as he looked me up and down. I don’t know if I’d ever get used to Jax’s blatant and unashamed flirting.
Whack!
Elise backhanded him across the chest, shocking both of us. I couldn’t hold back the chuckle as Jax shot her a filthy look and rubbed the spot.
“Come in, Luca,” Jax invited before stepping back and giving me room.
As I entered Elise’s apartment, I handed Jax the bag of food that was making my stomach rumble and turned to face Elise. She wouldn’t meet my eye. I fucking hated it. This wasn’t a game I had any interest in playing. Reaching out, I grabbed her hip, holding her in place, and leant down and kissed her lips. It wasn’t the sort of kiss I wanted to give her, but I couldn’t exactly pin her to the wall and take what I wanted, not while we had an audience. I’d be patient. My cock already hated me, waiting a little longer wouldn’t kill me. At least I didn’t think it would.
Pulling back, I watched as Elise lifted her fingers to her swollen lips, touching them gently.
“Well, I’m going to leave you two to it,” Jax announced loudly.
I’d forgotten he was even there.
“You don’t have to…”
“Ah, yeah I do.” Elise moved away from me, and I let her go. She’d told me once that her and Jax were a package deal and anyone in her life would just have to learn to live with it. I wasn’t about to make her repeat it. “Dinner’s in the kitchen. But it can be reheated.” He wiggled his eyebrows, Elise groaned, and the sound went straight to my dick.
Reaching down, I adjusted myself, trying to be discreet, but obviously I didn’t do a very good job. Jax winked at me over Elise’s shoulder as he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tight. Seeing him whisper in her ear, I would’ve paid good money to know what he said that had her blushing and shaking her head.
“Right then. I’m out. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Jax added, clapping me on the shoulder before darting out the door and leaving Elise and I standing there staring at each other like we were strangers.
“Is it too late to disown him?” Elise asked as she started fidgeting.
I couldn’t help but smile. The last thing Elise would ever do was disown Jax, no matter how much he bugged the crap out of her. “I hate to break it to you, but I think you’re stuck with him.”
“Well shit!” she replied. “So, you want some dinner?”
“Sure,” I agreed quickly. Even though I knew the Chinese would sit heavy in my stomach, I wasn’t about to turn it down. It smelt awesome.
“Great. Let me just grab some plates,” Elise babbled, heading for the kitchen.
I ducked into the bathroom and washed up, wishing I’d taken the time to shower after training, but I’d been in a hurry to get here.
By the time I got back out to the kitchen, Elise had the table buried under a heap of plastic containers. It was one of the worst and most awkward dinners I’d ever sat through. Well, it wasn’t the worst. That title was reserved for the family dinner where my sisters Izzy and Arianna compared labour stories. I could never unhear that.
After one too many helpings, I pushed my plate away and leant back in my chair, rubbing my belly. While I’d been stuffing my face, I’d watched Elise out the corner of my eye. For someone who’d ordered, she’d barely eaten anything.
“Elise, is everything okay?” I asked nervously.
“Fine,” she replied stiffly. “You finished?”
Elise was on her feet and clearing the mess before I’d even got my answer out. For a few minutes, I watched in silence as she fussed, washing plates and stacking the leftovers in the fridge; doing everything she could do to avoid me. Avoid looking at me. Avoid talking to me. At least, that’s what it looked like. When she appeared beside me with a bottle of disinfectant spray and a cloth and started polishing the table in front of me, I snapped. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with this bullshit. It was awkward as fuck, and I wasn’t prepared to lose her over something so stupid.
Reaching out, I snagged her wrist as she scrubbed, causing her to drop her cloth. Taking advantage of her confusion, I tugged her into my lap, ignoring her wiggling as she tried to break free from my hold.
