the dance that’s important,” Eli conceded. “But I’ll be honest. I’d like to do something . . . public. Where we’re out together. I feel like we’re hiding, Zel. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
“Isn’t it enough that you and I both know it?” I countered. “Why does anyone else matter?”
He didn’t answer me for a few minutes. When he did speak, his voice was strained. “Last week, I was waiting for you outside your sustainable practices class. There were a couple of guys sitting near me, just hanging out. I think they were freshmen. I saw you come through the door, and those guys did, too. They started talking.” He cleared his throat. “They were talking about you. About how you look, about things they’d heard. They didn’t even really know you, but they knew of you. They knew you by reputation.” Eli ran one hand over my shoulder and down my back. “I know you belong to me. I know you’re not with anyone else. But I want the world to know it. I want the right to be tell dudes like that to shut the hell up, because they’re talking about my girlfriend. I don’t think that’s asking too much.”
I listened to him, watching his face. This man . . . this man who’d once upon a time, I’d thought I’d hated, who had been so patient with me and all of my hang-ups and foibles . . . and all he asked was the right to claim me in public. How could I say no?
“Okay.”
Eli’s head reared back. “Okay? Seriously?”
I giggled. “Yeah, okay. Seriously. I understand what you’re saying, and I’m all right with it.” I took a deep breath. “I mean, I don’t want to have a coming out party or anything. I don’t want to make an official announcement. But we’re not going to hide anymore either.” I skimmed my hand down lower to settle on a very interesting part of his anatomy. “Especially if it means I can get a little more of this on a regular basis.”
“My God. Was that all it took?” Eli dropped back to the pillow, pretending to be shocked. “I just needed to make you come three times and ask you real sweet?”
“No, you doofus.” I swatted at his arm. “It’s just that the time is right. You made some good points. I’m tired of hiding.” I hesitated. “Plus, and trust me that this had nothing to do with me agreeing, they already suspect.” I told him what I’d overheard upstairs.
“All right, then.” He tugged me closer and kissed my forehead. “No more hiding. From now on, I get to hold your hand and kiss you whenever I want.”
“Within reason,” I put in. “I don’t like being groped in public.”
“Got it.” His eyes lit up. “Hey, let’s go out to my living room now, order a pizza and snuggle in front of the TV to watch a movie. I have a shirt you can borrow.”
“Sure, but I have perfectly fine clothes right on the end of the bed.” I began to sit up.
“I know. But seeing you wear my shirt in sexy. And it makes me happy.” Eli cast me the puppy dog eyes.
“Eli, I am not going to sit out there where Nate could see me, with my ass hanging out of one of your T-shirts.” I crossed my arms. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but it’s not going to happen.”
“Okay, not a shirt then. How about my old jersey?” His gaze was steady on me. “I still have it. It’s kind of a fantasy of mine, to see my beautiful girlfriend wearing nothing but my jersey.”
How was I supposed to say no to that?
“Okay,” I relented. “But listen, bud. If I do this, I’m going to sleep in your bed tonight, and I expect two more orgasms. At the very least.”
Eli’s answering smile was huge and bright, but even so, he rolled his eyes. “So demanding. All right. If I must. It’s a sacrifice, but I guess my girlfriend is worth it.”
“She sure as hell is.” Turning, I bent over to lay a blistering kiss on his mouth. “And don’t you ever forget it.”
Chapter Thirteen
Senior Year
Zelda
“Okay, we’re all gathered.” I drew my legs up under me on the sofa, tucking my feet beneath my ass. “What the hell is this big news that you had to wait to tell us all at once?”
Quinn was in the worn armchair that she’d brought from her house last