Once we clean up and get settled back in bed, I lean against the headboard as Elodie rests her head on my lap.
“Hey.” I reach forward to cup the side of her face, stroking her cheek with my thumb. “That was the best sex of my life. But I just need you to know that you never have to prove anything with me. The last thing I want you to feel is that you’re being pressured to do anything.”
Elodie smiles softly. “I don’t feel that way at all. In fact, I’m surprised by how much I wanted this. I thought it would take a long timefor me to feel that way again. But it’s different with you. So much is different…”
I capture her lips with mine, soaking in how every time we kiss, it feels deeper, more connected. Everything with this girl is tilting my world on its axis, and even though I feel completely off balance, I feel like I’m learning a new way to stay upright too—the one that involves being able to lean on someone and trust them completely.
But in the back of my mind, I still know that she’s going to leave soon, and I don’t know how to address that yet.
***
“So, do you want to tell everyone what happened last night?” Elliot asks as he holds a bite of food in front of his face. “Or can we just assume based on the pep in your step that you got laid?”
I freeze with my cup of coffee halfway to my lips. “You’re really fucking lucky that Elodie isn’t here to hear you or I’d punch you in the dick.”
“At least then my dick would be getting some action,” he quips before shoving his food into his mouth.
It’s the morning after the game and the life-changing night with Elodie, and our group is having breakfast at the hotel before heading back to Blossom Peak. Laney is staying with Fletcher for a few more days, but the rest of us have to return to our lives.
Returning to real life has been on my mind all morning as I think about how things have changed in the past few weeks and what they’ll look like after last night. All I know is I can’t wait to get her naked again, to make her fall apart from my touch, to hold her while she drifts off to sleep, and to wake up next to her. It’s insane that I evenfeel this way, but part of me is still holding back from accepting these feelings completely. We haven’t talked any more about her next move, and until we do, I don’t want to get my hopes up that she’ll consider staying.
Rhonan picks up his glass of orange juice. “You don’t have to answer the question.”
“I know I don’t. It’s none of your goddamn business.”
Elliot chuckles as he finishes chewing. “The fact that you won’t talk about it tells me everything I need to know.” He turns to Rhonan. “Another one bites the dust,” he says. “Fucking idiot.”
“Look, just because your fiancée fucked you over doesn’t mean you get to judge everyone else’s relationships, all right?”
His smirk falls. “You barely know her, Henley.”
Rhonan pushes his shoulder. “That’s rich considering we used to say the same thing to you about Tori.”
“Yeah, and if I would have listened to you guys, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. Forgive me for trying to save my friend from the same fucking shit I’m going through.” He shoves another bite of his food in his mouth.
“Relationships are hard no matter who you are,” Fletcher chimes in. “But if Henley is happy, we should be encouraging, not patronizing.”
Elliot scoffs. “Did your therapist help you with those big words?”
Fletcher narrows his eyes at Elliot. “He did, actually. Did yours help you with your fucking attitude?”
Elliot shakes his head. “No, ‘cause I don’t have one.”
“Thank you for proving my point.”
“Uh oh. I sense some turmoil in the Blackjack Brotherhood,” Dilynne says as the girls return from the bathroom and Elodie takes her seat beside me again. I pull her chair closer, resting my hand on herthigh under the table. She leans over and kisses my cheek, making the urge to take her back upstairs grow at lightning speed.
“Everything is fine,” Elliot grumbles around a mouthful of food.
“Says the guy who’s the leastfineof all,” Dilynne snaps back.
“You really need to learn how to mind your own business.”
“Funny, because I’m sure the guys feel the same way about you right now.” My sister flashes a placating smile at Elliot from across the table.
Elliot wads up his napkin, tosses it onto his plate, and stands, pulling his wallet from his back pocket before tossing a few bills onto the table. “I’m out.”
Fletcher turns to my sister. “Did you really need to say something?”
