Dangerous: A Seaside Cove Romance (14 page)
Read Dangerous: A Seaside Cove Romance Online
Authors: Cora Davies
Molly turned around in the front seat. "I'll go talk to her, okay? Just stay here."
Eli nodded. Molly hopped out and walked up to the house, showing ID to a policeman standing by the front door. He stepped inside, then came back out a few seconds later, letting Molly in.
"You can drop everything now, right?" Jack said. "I mean, now that..." He scraped something invisible off the dash. "Well, there's nothing to worry about anymore, right?"
Eli sighed. "I need to talk to Jones, but I'm still going forward. Do the right thing."
Jack nodded. "I get that." It looked like Jack might say more, but he was quiet.
They watched the door open, and a different police officer stepped out on the porch, talking on a phone and looking wearily at Jack's truck. Eli waited to see if Claire would appear, but the door closed again.
"Look, if anything happens, I want you to know, you and Molly made my life into something worth living. If it wasn't for the two of you," Eli looked uncomfortably at his hands, "I'd have gotten nowhere, ending up just like my old man." He paused and cleared his throat. "Make sure Claire's alright for me, will ya? She's-"
"Shut up," Jack said, turning around in his seat. "You aren't going anywhere. You need to call Ken and drop all this shit."
"I can't."
"You can't leave her alone, not after this; you won't." Jack jabbed a thumb over his shoulder towards Claire's house.
"I'm doing this for her," Eli said. Jack turned back in his seat, glaring at the steering wheel. "I spent years pretending like it never happened, but if I want to be a man worthy of her, I need to do it with a clear conscious. I need to be a good man."
Jack sighed. "You're already a good fucking man. I wouldn't let any of Molly's other ex-boyfriends hang around as much as you do. A piece of paper from court ain't going to change that, one way or another."
Eli blinked. "Zombies, blood, trucks-"
"Shut up," Jack said, punching the steering wheel. "I meant what I said. I punished myself for too long over something I didn't do. I won't see my best friend do the same."
They both looked at the porch as Molly stepped out of the cabin. Alone. He thought about the years Jack had believed he was guilty, keeping himself away from Molly. Permission from the court system was how Eli could find solace. Eli needed to pay for his silence.
"But you didn't do anything wrong, Jack. I did."
Molly climbed back into the truck, slamming the door. She looked at Eli. "She said she'll call you later when the circus is gone."
"Is she okay?" Eli asked.
"I don't think he hurt her," Molly said, quietly, "not too bad. She's just scared."
Eli rested his forehead in his palm. Claire had killed a man that morning. Deserved or not, an accident or with purpose, Ben's death would weigh on her the rest of her life.
Alone, Eli pulled into Claire's driveway late that night. As promised, she texted him as soon as the police left, and asked him to come over.
He pushed her front door open to find her standing in the center of the room, shoveling broken bits of her house into a metal trashcan. She stopped the moment he pushed the door open.
"You don't have to clean this all up right now," he said, taking the shovel from her and leaning it against the wall.
"I have to do something," she said, before bursting into tears and throwing herself into his arms.
Eli stood, holding her tight, his hands in her hair, pressing her against him. They stood like that for a few minutes, until her tears seemed to slow, then stop.
She pulled back and touched his shirt where it was wet from her tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that." She did not look at him.
"I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this," he said. "This is all my fault."
"Stop." Claire smacked an open hand against his chest and kicked the trashcan. "Not everything is your fucking fault!"
It was the first time he had ever heard her use the word, and it left him quiet, long enough to really study her. She wore a black t-shirt, and a pair of dirty white jeans. But his eyes were drawn to her ponytail hanging over her shoulder, in a failed attempt to hide her dark and bruised skin.
Pushing her hair off her shoulder, Eli flinched at the bruise on her neck, already turning purple. Obvious teeth-marks in a circle. His stomach plunged so far, he was sure it would hit the ground. If Ben was not dead already...
"Baby," he stroked her neck around the bruise, "oh baby, I am so sorry."
"Don't apologize for one more thing, Eli Dunlan, or I swear to God I'll never talk to you again." Claire ran the back of her hand over her eyes. "Molly said you're still going through with it all. You're still going to talk to the lawyer and confess all... all the stuff?"
Eli nodded, once, his eyes still on her neck. The world needed to know the man Ben truly was, not the man he pretended to be.
"Why? It's over now."
"What happened?" he asked, forcing his voice to stay even.
"He came here, he wanted to
teach you a lesson-
"
"What did he do?" The word
lesson
darkened his vision around the edges.
"He bit me and chased me through the woods. He fell, and... it's done. Why keep it going? Why go through, everything? If you don't have to? Why would you do this?"
Eli sat on the arm of the couch, rubbing his forehead. Ben could not hurt anyone again. Claire was safe. Everyone was safe. Could he just drop it? Call Ken and tell him he changed his mind.
No, he could not. "I need to do the right thing."
"But what about me?"
"I'm doing this for you."
Claire threw her hands in the air. "I never asked you to do this!"
"I know," he said, pinching his brow. "Trust me. I need to do this for you. For us. To make everything right, before we can be together. I can't be with you while I have a demon on my shoulder, counting down the days until I'll screw up again. I can't be in your life - your children's lives - with this hovering over me."
She grabbed his head, pulling his face to hers. "Please, I don't want anything to happen to you. It's not fair that-"
"Nothing's fair," Eli kissed her forehead, "but I can't pretend like none of it ever happened anymore."
"But, I'm going to lose you." Claire let out a sob.
"You won't lose me." He stood, holding her at an arm's length to look in her muddy brown eyes. "They've been after a handful of members in city government for years who were involved in Ben's business - before my father and I even came to Seaside Cove. Jones and me were offered deals for testimony. We're going to be okay." Eli sighed. "Please trust me, I'm doing this to make our lives better."
Leaning in, he tipped her chin and pressed his lips against hers. Weeks since they touched each other intimately, they were hungry. Her tongue pressed against his greedily. Her hands ran up his arms, his hands pulled off her shirt, then his own. She kissed the divots between his chest muscles, then grazed over his scar, sending electricity through his body.
She slowed. "I'm sweaty and gross from today."
"I'll give you a shower," he said, pulling her towards him, his fingers on the button of her jeans as he dove in, kissing her again. Her pants hit the floor, and his palm cupped against her moist fabric.
He lifted her in his arms, her limbs wrapping around his body. Her mouth pressing on his neck as they walked into the bathroom, and he turned the water on. He set her down on the sink and slid a hand behind the elastic of her panties.
She gasped as he touched her, wet with anticipation. His other hand massaged her breast, loving the firmness between his fingers. She nipped again at his scar, and his erection finished building girth.
"I missed you," he whispered before pulling her earlobe between his teeth and sucking. His thumb on her clitoris, he began a slow stroke, back and forth, hoping to bring her much needed relief and replace her memories of the day.
She fell back against the steam-filled mirror, and he tugged down her panties, dropping them on the floor. His work boots hit the wall with a thud, followed by his remaining clothes, then he helped her into the tub, closing the curtain around them. Naked body against naked body.
His hard cock throbbed against her stomach, and her hands traveled up to grasp him. He let out a sigh as she stroked him, slow at first, then building speed, bringing him close to climax. He wanted to cum deep inside her, nothing between their bodies. Something desperate told him to lift her and thrust inside, but he silenced that voice.
She protested as he grabbed her hands, bringing her movements to an end. He dropped to his knees and pushed his mouth against her peak, pulling it between his teeth and tongue. She gasped, her body stiffening again, and he pressed harder. His tongued swirled her clitoris in fast churns, his hand on her butt, drawing her against him. He looked up at her, enjoying the pleasure on her face.
"Please, it's too good," she said, lifting a foot to rest on the side of the tub. Between gasps, she asked, "Did I tell you, you were the first man to ever make me cum?"
Words like a siren's song, he slid two fingers inside her, moving in and out at the same rapid, hungry pace as his tongue. From the corner of his eye, he spotted her ankle resting, the cuts and scrapes from her run through the forest.
No one would ever hurt Claire again. He let his emotions play out on his tongue; anger, frustration, fear, love. Moving faster and hungrier until Claire cried out in climax. Her body quaking, he continued his pursuit until her body began to still. Then he slid his fingers out and he stood.
Eli had grown harder and longer tasting her, like he was bursting at the seams to fill her. When she slid his naked, engorged cock inside her body, it was as if he had waited for the connection his entire life. He lifted her against him, sliding her body up and down his hard shaft, until he climaxed deep within her.
Setting her back on her feet, he wrapped his arms around her. They stood there, in perfect ecstasy and silence for a few minutes, before he washed and massaged her body head to toe.
When they were dry from their shower, they crawled into bed, and held each other deep into the night.
"You look like a fairy, Mommy," Ella said.
Claire glanced between herself and her daughter in one of the floor length mirrors that had been brought into Molly's office for the day. Claire's long olive green dress looked like a mossy background next to her daughter's lilac flower girl dress.
"Thank you, sweetie. You look like my little flower fairy," Claire said, bending down and kissing Ella on top of her head.
"The loveliest flower girl there ever was," Molly said, smiling at them as she moved a lock of hair back behind her shoulders. Ella twisted the toe of her shoe against the hardwood, her cheeks going pink.
"Five minutes, Mols," Rachel said, gently shaking the garment bag at Molly. "You can't wait any longer to put this on."
"Okay, okay," Molly said giddily. "I'm just afraid the second I put it on, I'll dump a bowl of spaghetti on myself or something."
"No spaghetti on the premises," Rachel said, hanging the bag on the back of the door and motioning Claire over to help. "Don't jinx yourself. Now take off your robe."
Claire and Rachel held the cream-colored wedding gown open for Molly to step into, while Ella stared at them with giant eyes.
"You look like a princess," Ella said, while Claire and Rachel fastened the buttons up the side of the corset. They stepped back, and they all four took in a breath.
Molly's auburn hair lay in loose curls around her shoulders and back, tiny white beads laced through here and there. Her makeup had been applied lightly, almost as though she wore none. The dress simple, lying close to her body, hanging loosely at the floor. She looked at her reflection, smiling ear to ear.
"This is it," Molly whispered. "This is the start of the rest of my life."
There was a soft knock at the door, and Claire opened it just an inch, peaking into the hallway as Rachel made last minute adjustments to Molly's hair. Molly's dad stood in the hallway.
"We're ready for them," he said, adjusting his tie.
Claire pulled the door open, then walked to Ella.
"Are you ready?" Ella nodded. "Nervous?" Ella shook her head furiously, her eyebrows drawing stubbornly together. Claire laughed. "Good, you do it just as we practiced and you're going to be perfect, okay?" Ella nodded again and Claire kissed her lightly on her forehead. "Okay, I'm going to go sit by Grandma and Robbie. We'll all be cheering for you."
"You can't cheer, Mommy," Ella said seriously. "It's a wedding, you have to be quiet."
"Okay, sweetie," Claire said around a laugh. She congratulated Molly again and pulled a white string off the back of Rachel's black maid of honor gown, then stepped out of Molly's office.
She glanced out the window on her way to the dining room. A beautiful June afternoon, not a cloud in the sky but there was a gentle enough breeze that the trees swayed lightly in the wind. Somewhere below, water crashed on the shoreline as lovers and families played on the sand.
Sneaking into the dining room behind a few other guests, she quickly found her mother and Robbie sitting a few rows back.
Robbie had her mother's cell phone in hand, headphones on his head. Claire glanced around real quick, worried about what people might think about her letting her young son play on a phone, but then she stopped herself. It was better than worrying about what other people would think about the three-year-old being restless at a wedding, rather than being quiet under a set of headphones.
Besides, it doesn't matter what other people think.
It was a hard thing to remember, especially when she and Eli had not spoken in over a month based on his lawyer's recommendation.
Suspicious timing, a relationship with Eli and Ben's death.
She just had not expected it to hurt this much.
The music started, drawing the audience's attention to the door. Frank escorted Molly's mom down the aisle, followed by a few of Molly's other relatives Claire did not recognize, all taking seats in the front row. The next to enter were Jack's sister, her husband and their children. The music changed and Rachel appeared in the doorway, a vision as always.
Claire stole a glance across the aisle to bait-shop Doug; he stared at her sister the way Eli looked at Claire. She placed her hand on her stomach when she thought his name. The butterflies more present than ever these days.
Her eyes followed Rachel all the way to the altar, then to the others. Jack looked happier than she could remember seeing him, and he looked very handsome in his black suit.
Next, she laid eyes on Eli, almost not recognizing him without his beard. The newly shaved appearance took years off his face, and in his black suit it was as though he was a small boy playing dress up in his father's clothes. He seemed to scan the audience; looking for her? The last time she had seen him had been the night of Ben's death. He had disappeared from school after that, though Tahlia had told her he had completed all of his artwork outside of class.
Her queasiness returned. She had fought so hard to keep it away in the past few weeks, but it was hard. Nothing worked, and it did not help that all she could think of was how much she missed Eli. How alone she was now. How long would she have to wait before they were allowed to speak again?
Ella entered, and Claire half-stood, without thinking, to get a better look at her daughter. She resisted the urge to wave as she watched her brave daughter walk with a roomful of eyes on her. Ella reached the front of the room, and stood at Rachel's side.
Claire sunk back into her seat, just in time to stand for Molly's grand entrance. Claire had always loved the sound of people standing as one. The rustle of fabric reminded her of her military days, moving in a unit. Finding something she was truly a part of. She had just been a girl back then, facing a world of possibility.
Molly walked gracefully, holding onto her father's arm, until they reached Jack and he took her hand. Claire watched the couple in silence as the ceremony proceeded, keeping her eyes carefully off Eli.
When Molly and Jack exchanged vows and rings, Claire finally allowed herself to glance at Eli. He watched Jack and Molly, happiness on his face for his friend. In fact, Claire could not remember a time he looked more content.
The evening zoomed along between pictures, dinner, speeches, drinks, and finally dancing. The small party room had been converted to a playroom for the evening, with a few babysitters hired from Seaside Cove High. Robby was thrilled to find a small racetrack set up in the room, along with one of his friends from preschool. Ella stayed in the dining room for pictures and dancing, until she grew restless, finally joining her brother in the playroom.
Claire stood, half-hidden in the shadows, peaking in the window every once in a while, telling herself she was making sure Ella and Robby were behaving themselves. Honestly, she just felt awkward and lonely, and could not bare being near Eli when they were not allowed to speak. She watched Jack and Molly dance, and grew lost in her own thoughts.
A glass of champagne appeared at her side, and she did not need to look to know who brought it. The same woodsy aftershave. The same hard body against her back.
She accepted the glass and turned to face him.
"Every time I've tried to talk to you today, you're gone. Or Molly needs me for some wedding party stuff," Eli said, a hand reaching for hers. She crossed her arms. "I missed you."
She nodded once. "That must be why you didn't call, or email me back."
"I couldn't, Claire," he said. "I couldn't have any kind of contact with you during the initial investigation. Ken said-"
"Ken's here now," she said, setting down the glass. "Aren't you afraid he'll see you?"
"I thought you understood?" Eli asked. "I told you why I had to do all of this and I thought-"
"I understood, but I never agreed to it." She was being unfair, but could not help herself. It had been a long six weeks alone. Finishing school, staying in a tent trailer while her house was worked on, being scared of every damn bump in the night. Doing it all alone. She was tired of doing it all alone. She raised her voice. "I had to dissect a freaking fetal pig!"
The women at the table nearby stopped talking, and looked at them. Eli smiled at them, before grabbing Claire's elbow and pulling her out the front door. She did not struggle. As angry as she was, she wanted to be near him. She wanted to tell him.
They stepped out into the cool evening breeze, and it felt good on Claire's skin after the warmth of so many people. The extra warmth she had been carrying around.
"What is your problem?" he asked, letting go of her arm when the door closed behind them. "You knew I wouldn't be able to talk to you until it was over."
Unfairness be damned. "I didn't know how long it was going to take, or... I really needed to talk to you." Claire blinked. "I told Molly I needed to talk to you."
"She told me," Eli said, looking towards the tree line and sitting down.
"Why didn't you call me?"
"I couldn't, not after..." he sighed, "after Ben. Not until they were done with me." He loosened his tie. "Claire, Ben died at your house. You were the only witness. It is officially an accident now, but until then, until they were done with my interviews... we couldn't be together. Ken said that the other side could say that we had too much time to match up our stories. Taking it slow was easier for the case."
"So, what's different now?" Claire asked.
"It's over," he said, looking at her, "as of this morning."
Claire's heart skipped a beat. "Are you? Is everything?"
"No charges against me. I gave them enough. Enough names, dates and places." Claire felt a weight roll off her shoulders and she leaned against the wooden post. Eli stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "Are we going to be okay, Claire? I thought we were on the same page, but I feel like we had an argument I missed."
She nodded, searching for the hidden words. Words that should be so basic and simple. He took her hand, and she collapsed on the step next to him.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just really needed to talk to you. I was scared..."
"I missed you, too," he said, leaning his head on top of hers.
"It wasn't that I missed you. You were gone and I needed you."
"This was the only way I knew that we wouldn't worry about anything tearing us apart. I want it to be me, you, Ella and Robby against the world. Just the four of us."
She stared at him. The moment of truth. "It can't be." His eyes closed and his body stiffened next to her. She grabbed his rigid hand, pulling it to her and resting it on her stomach. "Just the five of us."
His touch softened. "Five? But we only... it was only the one time without protection."
"If you hadn't dropped out of biology, you might have been there the day we learned it actually only takes one time," Claire teased, her hand on Eli's face, thumb stroking the rough stubble already coming in on his chin.
"Claire..." he said with a catch in his voice.
"You're going to be a dad, Eli." Claire kissed him once, briefly on the mouth. "And I'm really sorry I was just a massive bitch to you. I've just been so scared, and I didn't know when I could talk to you again. If you would go to jail. What would happen to us? When I could let you know... And no one could answer those questions for me." Tears finally spilled from her eyes, and Claire rubbed at them with the back of her hand.
Eli kissed Claire, on the tip of her nose, then briefly against her lips. "If I had known-"
"You would have done the same thing, and you would have been right," Claire said. "Now we don't have to worry about anything coming between our family. I was just scared."
"Claire, I love you," he said, pulling her against him for a hug. She smiled against his neck.
"I love you too, Eli," she whispered.
He pulled back. "Have you told anyone?" She shook her head. "Can I tell everyone?"
She laughed. "Not yet, Daddy. It's just for me and you right now. Okay? Then Robby and Ella. Then we can shout it from the bluffs."
"Okay," he said, his fingers running through her hair. "But first things first, you guys are staying in my apartment until the remodel's done. I drove by this morning and saw you guys have been staying in a tent trailer? That's not going to work for the mother of my child. Not for my future step-children."
Claire laughed. "One step at a time, remember?" But she warmed from the inside out at the thought of her children having Eli for a stepfather. She knew he would be there for them in a way Robert never was.
"Okay, then, the first step is a dance," Eli said, standing up and taking Claire's hand in his.
The music was just audible outside in the parking lot as they began to dance under the receding daylight. She nestled her head against his chest, feeling like she had found her happily ever after.