That Thing Between Eli and Gwen (27 page)

Guinevere's eyes shifted to me.

I tried my best to silently let her know not to worry. Grabbing my coat, I followed them out.

Guinevere

“Mom,” I said pointedly as I dried the dishes. I knew her; she had something to say. “Just let me have it.”

“First, I want to know: is he a fling, or he does he mean more to you?”

“Do you bring flings home to meet your parents?” I asked softly, putting the plate up in the cabinet.

“If he were a fling, I would say have fun. Let your—”

“Mom, if you say inner goddess...”

She smirked. “Sweetheart, no one has an inner goodness, we aren’t shooting a Pantene commercial. We all just have sexier versions of ourselves. Besides, life is too short not to have fun, Guinevere.”

We are not having that talk.
“And if he isn’t a fling?”

“And if he isn’t a fling, I have nothing to say to you, because you will do what you want. It’s who you are. I don’t know anything about him yet. I just know that when it comes to men, your track record isn’t great.”

“I’ve only dated Sebastian—”

“And how many times have you wanted men you can’t have? You used to have a crush on Jeremy, right? But he only had eyes for Stevie. So you just stood there waiting, and he never saw you that way.”

“That was different, it was just a little high school crush.” It had honestly meant nothing; I never even said anything to anyone.

“Wasn’t Eli supposed to marry someone else? He isn’t just with you to get over her, is he?”

I frowned, wiping down a cup. “You make it seem like I wasn’t also in a relationship.”

“True.” She nodded, shaking her hands.

I handed her the towel.

“But when your relationship ended, how did you feel?”

“I was upset, of course, and angry and embarrassed.”

“And you felt free,” she finished.

I stopped, because I had felt that way. For the briefest second right after it happened, I had felt like I could breathe.

“When you truly love someone, when you have found your match and they walk away from you, or you are forced to walk away from them, freedom is nowhere on the list of things you feel, because that feeling comes from being with them, Guinevere.”

“So you’re saying I didn’t truly love Sebastian, fine—”

“I’m saying whether you know it or not, you are falling in love with that man. But is he capable of falling in love with you now, or are you just an escape for him?”

When she said it, I hated how the first thing I thought about was all the times he'd told me he didn’t like to have to think about anything around me, how he liked to lose track of time with me. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest.

“What is that proverb you always say?”

“Le ntombazane izinkanyezi emehlweni akhe bayokhanya njengokukhanya ebusuku,” she replied in Zulu.

I nodded. “The girl with stars in her eyes will shine like the moonlight… Let me shine, Mom.”

She sighed but nodded. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but just remember to protect your heart, Guinevere, or it really will break this time.”

Eli

Taigi barked, hopping around Masoa’s leg. He even howled up at the night sky.

I couldn’t blame him, actually. I had never seen this many stars in one place in all of my life. It was like someone had spilled a million tiny diamonds onto a dark sheet. A thin crescent moon sat just to the left of it all.

“So, City Slicker.” Malik came over, placing his arm around my neck. “Cypress so far?”

“It’s just as beautiful as Guinevere described,” I replied as we stopped at the lake, the sky reflected in it.

Taigi ran up to me with a stick between his jaws. It reminded me of the ones he often grabbed when we went running, and I threw it for him. He fetched and dropped it at my feet.

Kneeling next to him, I scratched his neck. “So, we are still on for a run tomorrow, then?”

“Aye, Taigi! You’re on the wrong side.” Jeremy clapped for him to come over to him.

But Taigi lay down, rolling over for me to scratch his stomach.

“He’s been in the city for too long, it’s messed with his head,” Masoa replied. With one whistle, Taigi was back on his feet and running to his side. “I’ll see you boys later. I’ll let Gwen know you left.”

“See you later, Masoa.” They headed off on their own and nodded back toward me with smirks on their faces.

Roy shook his head and added, “Good luck.”

The silence was potent as they disappeared, leaving us both at the edge of the water.

“How long have you been seeing my daughter?” he asked, crouched down, flicking a rock into the water. His eyes were so clear the water seemed to reflect in them, and in turn, the sky as well.

“Not very long. We were sort of friends for a time before that.”

“Sort of friends. And that means?”

“We fought and teased each other constantly, though I believe I started it by calling her a con artist.”

He stood. “You called my daughter a con artist?”

“Yes, I did, right after I found out how much money my mother bought her painting for. I believe she called me Dr. Asshole in return. Sometimes, I swear she’s still thinking it in her mind.” I smirked.

“Aren’t you supposed to be making me like you with your gentleman routine and whatnot?”

“Oh I am, just discreetly. Besides, it’s only the first day, you still have to get a few rounds in, sir. Then, and only then, when you’re ready to like me, you will.” I put my hands into my pockets, staring upward again. I felt like I could look up at the stars forever.

“That story about your father, was it real?”

That was the only thing that angered me, and I turned to him seriously. “If you remember anything about me, sir, please remember this: never will I ever lie on my father’s name, nor use my family for my own advantage. There are some lines you just don’t cross. Family is mine.”

“Is everything okay?” Guinevere came out holding a tray of iced tea.

“Everything is fine,” Masoa said.

I nodded, thanking her for the glass.

“Well, Dad, it’s been a long day. I’ll show Eli his room.”

“The one in the basement.” His eyes narrowed.

“Of course,” she replied, all but pulling my arm as her mother came outside.

“Goodnight,” I said to her mother as Guinevere led me back into the house.

“Congrats, you made it through round one.”

She led me down the hall. I noticed the floors creaked loudly when we walked. “So this is why he wanted me in the basement?” I wondered if he had somehow made the floorboards creak like that just for this reason.

She flicked on the lights, exposing one wall covered in books adjacent to a giant mirror hanging above a dresser, all over a carpeted white floor. My bag was already beside it, by the door to what I guessed was the bathroom. “Are all of those yours—”

She cut me off, kissing me. Her hands snaked around my neck, and mine behind her. I bit her bottom lip and she opened for me, moaning against my mouth when I cupped her ass. I felt myself harden when her breasts pushed up against me.

“Sorry,” she whispered when we broke apart. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”

“Don’t ever apologize for kissing me like that,” I replied, my hands in her back pockets. We didn't say anything, just stared at each other, her fingers playing with the collar of my shirt.

“I should go before I get you in trouble,” she said, though her eyes drifted to my lips.

“You should.” But I didn’t want her to.

“Goodnight, Eli.”

“Goodnight, Guinevere.”

Neither of us moved.

“You have to let go of me, Eli.”

Releasing her but not moving, I waited for her to leave.

She still didn’t.

“You’re not moving.”

“I was honestly hoping you would hold on longer. Goodnight,” she said, walking past me.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her back to me, kissing her hard. Hands on the backs of her thighs, I lifted her up and her legs wrapped around me, her fingers gripping my hair.

God, she has no idea how good she tastes.

“Gwen?” Her mother called from the top of the stairs.

Sighing, we broke away and I let her down. She moved to the stairs, trying to fix her clothes. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’ll be here,” I replied as she went up, the stairs squeaking with each step. “And Guinevere?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time, I won’t let you go,” I said.

“Good. I like the way you hold me.” She winked.

When she was gone, I stripped, heading straight to the shower.

Jesus, she sets my blood on fire.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Terror and Dead Shot

Guinevere

“Sorry you missed out on a good run this morning?” I asked Eli as we walked up the trail in the woods behind my house.

He had just gotten dressed for a run, wearing the same type of sleeveless hooded navy top and dark, loose-fitting running pants as before.

“It’s fine, we both overslept. Besides, I wouldn’t have known how to get back anyway,” he said, throwing a stick for Taigi, who watched it fly over his head and then made a dash for it.

My parents walked only a few feet ahead of us, hand in hand.

When I was younger, I had thought their public displays of affection were the most embarrassing thing in the world. Now when I watched them, I found myself hoping for a time when I could be like them.

“How long have your parents been married?” he asked, bending down when Taigi came back.

“They got married the day after my mother’s eighteenth birthday. They actually ran off together, even after my grandfather asked them to wait.”

“Really?” he said, glancing up to my father.

I knew why. He seemed like a real stickler for following rules. “He’s a romantic, while my mother, she’s more logical, and she said that she knew she wasn’t going to be with anyone else, so why wait? It worked.”

“So all those books in the basement are his?” He grinned. “There were a lot of very steamy love—”

“Those are my books, and they aren’t steamy, though they are blush worthy, all right. My dad’s more into thrillers and mysteries with a dash of romance in them. His favorites are any books that take place around the time of the Second World War.” If there was anyone that could go on a book rant better than me, it was my dad.

“Good to know.”

“For what?”

“Research. I am still being tested. Lunch this afternoon was proof of that,” he replied.

I wanted to hang my head at the thought of it. My father had prepared lunch and made sure to add so many peppers to his famous chili con carne that my eyes watered. I wasn’t even sure how Eli ate it. “How much water did you drink after that?”

“I drank all the milk in your fridge, and then a glass of water after that.” We laughed. “After going through that, I can make it through anything.”

It was then I noticed we had followed my parents right off the path and into the clearing of trees on the flat grassland where Jeremy, Malik, and Roy all stood with lacrosse sticks. The two nets were set up behind them. “Guys—”

“Up here, we don’t play no baseball, now do we, boys?” my father asked, grabbing a stick.

“No, sir!” his army yelled.

“Eli, did you know Guinevere played lacrosse?” My mother joined in on the torture, taking the stick Malik handed her.

“Mrs. Poe, Gwen didn’t just play lacrosse, she was
The Terror.
” Roy stretched the words out. “In fact, when the girls' team was cut her junior year, she played on the boys' team, and they were still scared.”

“Poor old Andrew to this day still has a scar under his left eye from that time she socked him.” Jeremy put his arm around his shoulder. “Good times.”

“Eli, if you would like to be the
ONLY
one sitting out, that’s fine. I won’t judge you. We get a little rough around here.”

My dad threw me my stick, ignoring my glare.

“In fact, that’s great. You can be the doctor.”

“Dad…is this good for your heart?” I said through my clenched teeth.

“I will be goalie,” he stated.

“No, exercise is good for him.” Eli smirked. “I’ll play. All I have to do is catch the ball with the stick and put it in the goal, right?”

They laughed and my father nodded, throwing him the black one.

He caught it, rolling it in his hands for a moment.

“Eli, they play dirty.”

“Hey! So do you!” Malik pointed at me.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” I stretched, raising the stick above my head, and then down to the side. “It’s not my fault you all run into the end of my stick.”

“See there? It's The Terror rising from the ashes,” Roy said, lifting his hands from the ground to the sky.

“All right then, we must pick teams.” My mother came forward.

“Whatever the teams, Eli and Gwen can’t be on the same side.” Jeremy pointed at us both.

“Why?”

“It’s a new family rule,” my father stated, stepping forward. “Your mother and I will be captains. City Slicker, you're with my wife. Try not to embarrass her too badly. Gwen, you are with me. Malik, you are with the misses, Roy with me, and Jeremy—”

“Doggonit. I know I’m refereeing. There'd better be a round two. I want a turn laying the grass.”

We all knew what he meant, but Eli just kept eyeing the stick in his hands. “Laying the grass?” He finally looked up to ask me.

“It means knocking the wind out of somebody so badly that they just lay there like they were part of the grass,” Jeremy replied, coming over.

Eli nodded, and then looked to his lacrosse stick. “Do you mind if we switch? My power color is blue.”

“Power color? What?” Jeremy laughed.

“Yes, and I’m going to need all the help I can get with The Terror over here,” Eli said, switching sticks.

“Hey!” And there I was trying to help him.

“Come over, Gwen,” Roy called.

I walked over. “Good luck.”

“Thanks. Please watch out for my face, you know it’s my moneymaker.” He winked.

I shook my head. I was going to say it was actually his hands that were the moneymakers, but it would just sound dirty with my family around. “No, seriously, please don’t mess up his face,” I said to them when they pulled me into the huddle.