“I have no words,” Elise sighed, hefting the backpack over her shoulder.
When Corey’s arm fell around Elise’s shoulder, I saw red. I’d never wanted to rip anyone’s limbs off before. How dare he touch her? Taking a step forward, my movement caught Elise’s eye, and she shook her head subtly telling me she had it under control. I was giving her thirty seconds before I amputated his arm.
Reaching up, she grabbed hold of his hand and dropped it before stepping in front of me. As much as I wanted to reach out and wrap my arm around her, I held back. But time was ticking.
“Corey. We’re colleagues. We’re not friends. We’re not dating. We have to work together. That’s it. This guy here,” she turned slightly and reached for my hand, “this is Luca. He’s my boyfriend. He’s who I’m spending time with. He’s who I’m sharing dinner with. He’s who I’m sleeping with.” Her last comment may have come out no louder than a whisper, but it had my chest puffing up proudly. She was claiming me. Publicly. It was one thing for me to keep putting myself out there, but for Elise to be the one announcing it, I’d never felt better.
“Oh.”
“Look. We need to work together, and I’m more than happy to do that, but you’ve got to back off.”
His eyes flickered from Elise to me and back again. I watched as he retreated into his shell, conceding defeat. “Okay.”
“Okay. I need to get back over to the netball. Are you right here with the soccer? Lunch is in about twenty minutes I think,” Elise stated, taking charge of the situation. She was an enigma. For someone whose mind was likely to drive her crazy by the time she turned forty because it never turned off and gave her a break, the moment Miss McCoy appeared, she was cool, calm and collected.
“I’m going to hang out here for a few,” I offered.
Looking up at me, Elise looked confused but didn’t say anything. Enjoying seeing her off balance, I leaned down, kissed her cheek quickly and chastely. Later I wouldn’t be such a gentleman. “Trust me,” I whispered in her ear before turning and walking towards where the kids were waiting on the sideline, leaving her standing there shocked, and Corey looking like the complete chump he was.
Ignoring the drama, I sat down on the grass between the two teams and started chatting with the kids. Their biggest issue was what to get at the canteen for lunch – a meat pie or a hot dog. I wished I was young again. Skinned knees and meat pies was the extent of their worries.
Chapter Twenty-Four – Elise
I was exhausted. Everything ached from the soles of my feet to my very heavy eyelashes. I didn’t know if it was because I was still weak from the cold I’d had or if it had just been a bloody big day. Probably a combination of both. Flopping onto the lounge, I toed off my runners and leant back, letting my eyes fall closed.
Today had been a rollercoaster of epic proportions. When Corey had boarded the bus unexpectedly, my stomach had sunk. There was something about him that was really starting to creep me out, and it seemed to be getting worse. But when we’d pulled up at the playing fields, mayhem broke out and all concerns about Corey were forgotten as we’d tried to wrangle the kids.
Sending Corey in one direction with the soccer team, I’d taken the netballers and gone in the opposite direction, relieved to have a legitimate excuse to put some distance between us.
When Luca had turned up with coffee, looking beyond gorgeous, all I could think about was kissing him. It’d been too long. As he’d stood there staring at me while I sipped my drink, I’d taken in the man before me. He had been wearing a pair of low-slung grey sweatpants and dark navy sweater. His hair had been damp still from his shower, and his eyes hidden behind dark glasses. But it was the rough stubble covering his square jaw that’d had me rubbing my thighs together. And I wasn’t the only one. The parents on the other side of the court had been eye-fucking him unashamedly.
I’d felt like a complete bitch for hiding from him for the weekend, but I’d done it for all the right reasons. I just hadn’t stopped to think about how much my vanishing act would hurt him and how bad it would look. I wasn’t used to this. I wasn’t used to having someone to let know I was okay or ask for help. Of course, Jax was there, but he’d been around so long it’d become a habit. He just barged his way unapologetically into my life and told me how it was. Luca was different. He was something more. At least, I wanted him to be.
Speak of the devil, my phone vibrated in my hand.
Luca: You on your way yet???
Elise: Just walked through the door
Luca: Cool
With a groan, I rolled off the lounge and stumbled to my feet.
An hour later, I pulled into Luca’s driveway, careful not to block the expensive black Range Rover already parked there. Grabbing my bag, I trudged up the stairs, knocking on the door and wishing I’d put more of an effort in to making myself presentable. Not expecting Luca to have company, I’d pulled on a pair of grey yoga pants and a pink hoodie, forgoing the bra, something I was regretting right now.
“You’re here!” Luca exclaimed with a smile as he opened the door and pulled me inside. When he squeezed me, he squished my nose against his shoulder, almost suffocating me. Tapping his arm, I pulled away, gasping for breath.
“Need to breathe,” I reminded him, and he looked at me sheepishly.
“Shit, sorry.”
“Someone’s here,” I stated, listening to the voices echoing down the hallway.
Winding his arm around my shoulder, Luca shut the door and led me towards my favourite spot in his house. His huge, comfy couch. “Sienna and Hunter are here.”
“I can go…” I turned to leave. I didn’t want to get in his way if he was spending time with family.
“Get your arse in here, Elise!” Sienna yelled.
