"I'm not really … " I started.
"It's Peter, Olivia's son." Elle interrupted me.
"Peter?" he questioned. "Olivia didn't tell me he was dating anyone."
I blushed, "Well that's because we aren't actually dating."
"Ha-ha, okay so I exaggerated a little. They aren't getting married yet, but I'm pretty sure that once he gets to know her a bit better it's going to happen." Brittany grins.
"I see, so you want to get married Elle?"
"Well, not at … " I start again.
"Of course she does dad. We're not all like you you know."
"I see." Elliott looks as though he doesn't want to be in this conversation.
"And they already had their first kiss," Elle bursts out. "I tell you it will be marriage soon."
I went to die of humiliation. I didn't want Elliott knowing all of my personal business. I didn't want him to judge me.
"Well good luck to you on your impending nuptials Elle." Elliott smiled at me but his eyes looked at me curiously. I wish I knew what he was thinking. The fact was that I had had a crush on Elliott for years, in fact from the first time; I'd ever seen him. He'd been the only man who had ever made my heart race just thinking he was nearby. In fact, the first time I had met him, I hadn't know that he had been Brittany's dad. It was the single most exciting night of my life and yet it could never happen again.
I smiled at Elliott and wondered if he ever thought of that night as much as I did. I sometimes what would have happened if I hadn't been Brittany's roommate. As we walked down to the formal living room to wait for Olivia and Peter, I thought back to that night.
It had been the first couple of weeks of the semester when we had all gone dancing at a club in Manhattan. We'd all worn short mini-skirts and boob tubes. Our midriffs and had showing and our boobs were standing at attention. Brittany had talked me into going braless, she said it was the only way to dance and we had all gotten super drunk, Brittany's boyfriend at the time had a hookup at the club so we could all get alcohol.
For some reason, I had gotten split up from the group on the dance floor and was dancing with some random people when Jen, another friend of ours had rushed up to me to tell me that Brittany was in big trouble. Supposedly her dad's chauffeur had told him that a bunch of us had gone out and he wasn't too happy about it. He had come down to the club and was looking for Brittany. Turns out she didn't want to get in trouble so she had gone to a diner down the road for a bit and would come back once Jen told her the coast was clear.
I was really glad at that moment that my parents lived in Iowa and I went back to dancing on the dance floor. I was moving with abandon when I felt his eyes on me. I had been singing along to a song and couldn't stop myself from looking up. I was instantly attracted to him. He exuded confidence, power, and good looks. I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. He walked over to me and I remember he asked me for a dance. All I could do was nod. He danced behind me barely touching me at first but as the dance got more frenzied so did his hands. He ran them up and down my body. He squeezed my ass and ran his fingers over my nipples. I had never felt so excited before and all I wanted to do was take him back to my room. We started to dance as one and I pushed my ass into his groin so I could feel his hardness up against me. It had felt wonderful. We didn't do anything more than make-out because he told me he didn't want to take advantage of me. He gave me a card and told me to call him the next day; he wanted to take me to dinner. I wanted to beg him to take me home. I was worried at how he would react when he realized I wasn't over 21.
I went home that night really excited. I made sure to put his card into my purse carefully; I hadn't even looked at it. I slept soundly that night and was awoken by Brittany's screeching "Hello Daddy." I didn't want to wake up but I was excited to meet her dad. I walked out into the living area in my pajamas and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw it was he, it was my man from the night before. He was Brittany's dad. I saw the look of recognition and shock in his eyes when he Brittany introduced us.
We exchanged some pleasantries and then they went to breakfast, I feigned a headache and went back to my room and ripped up his card. I was so embarrassed. I never told Brittany about what had happened and he and I never spoke about it, In fact I think he had deliberately avoided me because I'd only seen him 5 times in 7 years.
The ringing doorbell brought me back to the present. I looked up and saw Elliott's eyes on me. He looked away as I made eye contact with him.
Mrs. Heath opened the door and announced the arrival of Olivia and Peter. Peter walked in looking confident and happy and gave me a kiss on the cheek, "Elle, you are looking beautiful today."
"Thanks Peter." I smiled at him trying not to shirk away.
I look over at Olivia who is standing next to Elliott and giving me a lookover. I can tell I don't meet muster because she doesn't smile at me when we make eye contact. In fact, she's giving me the evil eye.
I can see that Brittany has noticed because she immediately ushers us to go to the dining room so we can all eat.
Chapter 3
Lunch is slightly uncomfortable for me. Okay that is an understatement. It is very uncomfortable for me. Peter won't stop putting his hands on my legs and whispering in my ear and both Olivia and Elliott are glaring at me from across the table. The only one who seems to be enjoying everything, asides from Peter, is Brittany who is grinning from ear to ear.
"Peter, I think it's time you concentrated on your food and not Elle's leg, don't you dear?" Olivia spoke loudly. I was embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.
"I'm fine mother."
"Well, I'm sure Elle wants to concentrate on her food. It certainly looks like she enjoys eating." Olivia smiled at with an evil glint in her eyes. I had an overwhelming urge to call her a bitch. But I was happy that Peter had taken his hands off of me.
"I do enjoy eating, thank you Olivia." I smile at her sweetly, pretending to misunderstand her diss to my figure. I wasn't a size 0 or even a size 6 and that didn't embarrass me. I enjoyed my food and was not going to let her make me feel bad about it.
"I envy your curves Elle, you are soo womanly." Brittany grins at me. "Men love that."
"Thanks, Brit." I grin back at her as I eat.
I notice that Olivia is glaring at Peter who is ignoring the whole conversation and refilling his glass with more champagne.
"Dad always told me that women of every shape and size are beautiful." Brittany continues to dig at Olivia, "right dad."
"Yes dear. I think there is a man out there to appreciate every woman's body. And I think there are many people who would be more than satisfied by Elle's."
I blush at his words and gaze into his eyes. He is staring at me as if he were trying to read into my inner soul.
"Thank you Elliott."
"Well now, that's enough talk about that." Olivia intercepts our look and pats Elliott on the hand. "That's what I admire about you Elliott, you are always there for the kids. Building up their self-esteem and self-worth. Why I'm sure Elle looks on you as a second father, you've been so good to her. Letting her live rent free and all."
The room is silent for a bit. The tension between Olivia and I is high and I don't think everyone quite gets how sweetly Olivia had kicked me in the stomach. She had obviously guessed that I had a crush on Elliott and she was going to make sure that nothing would ever come from that.
"So do you have any plans for next weekend Elle?" Peter looked at me and smiled. He wasn't such a bad guy if you ignored his obnoxiousness.
"Yes, I'm planning on working on my script."
"Script?" He looks at me, eyebrows raised. "I didn't know you were a writer."
"That's because I'm not really. I'm just trying." I laugh.
"Don't be so modest Elle. You're great. She wrote a book last year on ants and it made me want to go and save every ant in the world."
"Ants?" Olivia looked at me amused. "Active imagination eh dear?"
I couldn't help myself from answering her snootily. "I'm a teacher, it was for my kids. To introduce them to the ecosystem."
"Oh." Olivia managed to make even an "oh' sound dismissive.