I started to laugh. Even if I hadn’t already slept with Eli, there was no way I’d ever think he’d be anything other than dominant in bed. The man oozed power and control and sheer understated alpha male. The recollection of how he felt under my hands hit me and I knew then that he wasn’t just someone to go home with, only I wasn’t sure that was what I needed.
“Somehow I don’t see that being your bag,” I said.
He laughed. “Not really. I’m all up for a bit of role play but I don’t think I’d ever be anyone’s bitch.”
“Me neither,” I said. “I’m not sure how I’d be in a relationship with someone who expected me to follow his lead.”
“I don’t think you’d ever end up in a relationship with someone like that,” Eli said. “Although there would be plenty of men who are big enough wankers to want to try and tame you into that.”
“You’re not one?”
“Hell, no.” He smiled at me, one side of his mouth curling further than the other. “I had a girlfriend at college who constantly expected me to treat her like a princess and wouldn’t make a decision without consulting with me first. She’d never disagree with anything I said and I heard her talking about what I thought on certain issues rather than what she thought. Not my type of woman.”
“You prefer loud and opinionated?”
“Not the loud. I like when people have their own opinions – as long as they can justify them.”
“What does your ex do now?”
“I don’t know. I hope she’s happy but I’ve no desire to stalk her on social media. I’ve better things to do. Have you decided?”
We ordered our food and carried on talking, ending up sharing each other’s starters and then mains. The food was good and tasty and didn’t make me feel as if I needed to do three hours at the gym to burn it off, but the food wasn’t the main focus.
Eli was.
We walked back to his, the evening now warm and the streets of London still buzzing with the energy of the tourists and residents. Sometimes all we needed was a bit of sunshine after the rain and everything seemed much easier to manage.
“Do you want to stay?” Eli said as we were almost at his apartment.
“Do you want me to?” I liked how he wasn’t presumptuous but I wasn’t sure how he’d misread my vibes. We’d had an amazing day together so far – I had no intention of leaving it there.
“I don’t want you to come back with me now and not stay until the morning. I’m making that clear.”
“You’re worried I’m going to use you just for your body?” I smiled. “But I can use your body in the morning too. Although, you’ve got a rugby game – does that mean you need to conserve your energy?”
He stopped and pulled me into him, blocking the pavement to the annoyance of other people. Then his lips captured mine in a sweet prison and left me with no doubt as to how much energy he had spare. I demanded back the control, asserting my own needs. We finally separated, needing oxygen and to get out of the way of the passers-by and take our PDA elsewhere. This wasn’t me. I didn’t do kissing in public or handholding or accepting touches. Maybe I was growing up.
“I’m going to stay,” I said. “You already have my overnight bag.”
“Why don’t you come watch the game tomorrow?” He threaded his arm around my waist, mine around his as if we needed to hold each other to stay afloat. “You can see how fucking talented I am.”
“I take it you should’ve been a professional rugby player?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I had trials so I was pretty good but issues with my ankle stopped me from training as hard as I needed to. Have you seen your brothers play?”
“Too many times.” I rolled my eyes. “I was dragged to watch when I was younger. I hated it.”
“It’s a bit different now. Claire and Payton are watching tomorrow. Why don’t you come?”
“Don’t you think my brothers will be suspicious as to why I’m watching?”
“No,” he said as we got to his apartment block. “Your brothers are blokes and won’t put two and two together because they’ll be concentrating on the game and the idea of food after.”
“Max will.”
“Max is too bothered about Victoria. And if he suspects anything, he won’t make a public scene out of it. What does it matter if you are there because of me anyway? Aside from taking the piss?”
It didn’t, because we were both adults and it was hardly like Eli was a dick or going to try to treat me badly. My worries were more around their expectations and whether they’d think it was more serious than it could be. “It’s what they’ll expect.”
