Luckily, my mom is so happy to have her granddaughters here to fuss over that I fade into the background. I amuse myself by watching Elias try to eat without scratching the china. That, and discreetly admiring the pulse in his neck and the way his stubble disappears into his crisp, white collar.
Can I have him tonight? Will he want me again? Can I enjoy just one more pleasure? I’d give up quite a lot of the others to enjoy that particular one again. Even just once.
I’m a little warm from the champagne and suddenly realize I’ve barely eaten anything while my glass has been filled and drained a second time. I push the glass away and try to eat something before the plates are cleared away for dessert.
I pick at the chocolate mousse. So does Elias. I wonder if he’s still full from our breakfast this morning—and the Dunkin’ Donuts I made him eat on our way out of the mall to see if they tasted different here—or if he’s nervous about being alone with me again. I doubt it’s the latter.Elias Liebrenz is not the type of person to get nervous about sex.
After dinner,Mom makes us all go into the living room and watch the kids put on a performance. While they’re cute, after the fifth or sixth rendition of Broadway show tunes,I’m getting a little restless.
We clap as the youngest—Lydia—takes a bow. During the applause, Elias leans close to my ear, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I have to rearrange myself.
“When do you think it’ll be safe to slip out?”
I have to bite my lip to hold back the groan threatening to surface, remind myself that my entire family are here.
I cover my mouth just in case someone turns around and is somehow able to read my lips. “Meet me in the pool house in ten minutes, it’s practically soundproof.”
Elias just nods. Like this is the most natural thing in the world. I feel like a different person. Like one of those confident, sexy people in a movie. A European movie. One where they just go around having sex with people … for fun.
Elias stands and clears his throat.
“Excuse me,” he says. “It’s been a long day and I have a long journey back to New Jersey tomorrow.”
Everyone seems charmed by his accent and nice manners.
Mom stands up and kisses his cheek. “It’s been so lovely to meet you. You’ll be at breakfast tomorrow, won’t you?”
“Of course, thank you for your hospitality.”
Elias throws me a wink before leaving the room. My face heats up. I have to look around at everyone to see if they noticed. I don’t think they did.
Oh God, what is he going to do to me in that pool house?I can’t wait a second longer to find out.
“I’d better go to bed, too. Goodnight, Mom. Happy birthday.”
She makes me hug and kiss everyone, except Dad, who barely looks up from his drink to say goodnight.
I go upstairs and stand in the middle of my room for a few minutes until I think the coast is clear. Then I hurry downstairs, slipping around the other side of the staircase. Someone’s singing “Tomorrow”fromAnnieso they don’t hear me slip out the back door and close it behind myself.
The hum of the pool heater masks the sound of my shoes on the terracotta tiles surrounding the house. The lights are all off in the pool house. I turn the handle and let myself inside.
“Thank God, I thought you’d never get out of there.”
I jump, making a weird, yelping sound that can’t have been very sexy.
Elias laughs. “I assumed we were leaving the lights off?”
I pad along the wall until I find the light switch. “If we keep the blinds closed, we can have the lights on.” I push a button and the black-out blinds slide into place.
“Fancy.”
Now we’re standing in front of each other, it’s real again. I’d almost managed to convince myself these past two days were a dream. Elias takes a couple of steps toward me before holding out his hand. I take it, let him pull me in.
I moan as soon as his lips touch mine. He pulls me closer, showing me how hard he is.
I run my hands over his shirt, letting them roam greedily down his back, over his ass. Around to his hips and thighs. He has something in his pocket.
“I brought a condom, just in case. We don’t have to….”
