on television. I’m an actual cop. I deal with all kinds of shit, and there’s no one to yell cut when it gets too intense. There are real bullets flying, people dying in car wrecks, immense amounts of paperwork, and shit pay. Keeping myself guarded isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.
“Maybe in your world, but in the real world, we have crap to deal with.”
Eli drops the slice and huffs. “I live in the real world too you know.”
“Well, since we’re friends and all, tell me about it.” I toss the ball back in his proverbial corner.
I’m fully aware I’m coming off like a bitch. However, there’s a reason I ran away after we had sex. I’m terrified of anything new. Things in my life disappear or fall apart, trying to start anything with someone else, isn’t in my plans. I can’t lose anything else.
Looking at Eli, though, makes me wish for another life.
One where we could be friends. One where we could maybe be more than friends, but that isn’t the life I’m living.
Still, a girl can hope.
Eli shifts a little and clears his throat. “My full name is Ellington Walsh, I’m forty-two years old, never married, and grew up here in Tampa. I have one brother, Randy, who’s two years older than I am. We’ve been in Four Blocks Down since I was eighteen, and now I’m an actor. I plan to go into movies soon, but I’m waiting for the right part. Oh, most importantly, I like blonde girls who tell me they love me.”
I laugh. “Tell me something I wouldn’t find on Wikipedia.”
That look of silent preening is back in his eyes, and I want to smack myself. “You looked me up, huh?”
“Sure.” I snort, trying to play it cool. “No, I’ve grown up watching you in a non-creepy way. It isn’t like I don’t know all your bullet points. How about you tell me something about your life that your friends would know.”
Let’s see how much Eli wants to tell me. I’m not sure he actually wants this friendship like he thinks. I’m not even sure what a friendship with a famous person even looks like. Will there be people following him around? Is there some crazy security team he has? Does he have people? Do I even know what that means? Nope. The only people I have are my best friends and sister.
“Okay, I would’ve been here an hour earlier tonight, but a girl kept me held hostage.”
My eyes widen. Is he seriously telling me about another girl? “Wow.”
“Not like that!” he quickly says with his hands raised. “Shit. I’m not good at this. I’m talking about Daria, my niece.”
“You have a niece?”
I haven’t followed Randy’s personal life since he’s married. That crosses the line into creepy. I do know that he and his wife were together when the band formed, so he’s always kind of been off limits. It was always Eli that was the heartthrob.
“Yeah, she’s a man-manipulator already. My sister-in-law has trained her to terrorize my brother and me. She has this whole big eyes and squishy face thing down pat.”
I smile, understanding how kids can get you to do what they want pretty easily. “Basically, she rules your world?”
Eli nods. “I promised her one song. One. And eleven songs and fifty minutes later, I was in the car. If that doesn’t show you what one little ‘I love you’ from her does, I don’t know what will. Basically, if she wills it, she gets it. She even got me to play with dolls.” He shudders.
I can’t imagine him playing with a little girl, but a part of me swoons at the thought. It’s hard to picture him as anything but the elusive manwhore that the tabloids make him out to be.
“That’s actually kind of sweet.”
“You think I’m sweet?” he asks with hope filling his voice.
“I think that is sweet.”
My clarification goes unnoticed.
“I’m taking that as you like me. I don’t blame you, I’m quite charming.”
I groan while grinning. “Wikipedia didn’t mention that.”
His finger grazes my bare leg before falling flat. The skin under where his hand rests tingles. “I’m saving the good stuff for you.”
“Lucky me.”
He laughs. “Well, most girls would think so.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not most girls then,” I throw back.
“Why is that?” Eli asks.
“Because you aren’t trying to be friends with them.”
Eli’s deep, rich laughter fills the room. “Touché.”
Eli and I finish the rest of the pizza as he tells me more about his