Page 59 of It's About Time
I glance out his front window at my day-to-day car, the one I restored just after high school with Nick, my foster dad, and have been driving ever since. “Raven.”
Elliot nods. “Since she’s black? That’s not too original.”
“I’m sorry, but again, I didn’t ask for your opinion. And not that it matters, but it’s not just because of her paint job.” Pausing, I think of the most rational way to explain this. “Ravens symbolize wisdom and transformation. The Camaro was the first car I restored, and she taught me so much. I feel like after that…” When my eyes meet Elliot’s, he’s staring at me so intently that it catches me off guard. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“Rule number five,” I start, avoiding his confusion and moving back to the point of my being here tonight. “When we are around other people at Motorlux, or anywhere else, I need you to be supportive of me.”
His brows draw together more. “Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“Wow. That’s specific. Thanks for clearing that up.”
“You don’t have to understand my rules, just like I don’t have to understand yours, Elliot. Now, can you do that? Can you back me up and show some, I don’t know…” Searching for the right word, I land on, “Admiration for what I’ve done?”
He doesn’t say anything at first, staring at me for a few moments before he stands and walks over to me, so slowly that I can see every line in his forearms flex as he walks. His jaw is dusted in dark stubble, which he doesn’t usually sport. He’s clean shaven in the mornings for his job, but right now? He doesn’t look like Elliot Thorne, the lawyer.
He looks dangerous, intense, and nothing like the smug pain in the ass I’m used to.
And his lips—how come I never noticed how soft they look?
Jesus, Dilynne. Get a grip.
“Admiration, huh?” he asks when there’s only a few inches of space separating us.
“Yes, a man that doesn’t tear me down, but is proud to be with me. A man that isn’t threatened by my knowledge, my expertise, my…”
He presses a finger to my lips, cutting me off. “I have a hard time thinking any manwouldn’tbe threatened by you. Hell, Dilynne…you’re an expert at your craft in a male-dominated field. No matter what you do, babe…men are gonna take notice.”
Did he just call me,babe?
Our eyes meet as Elliot’s finger still rests on my lips. “Is that the only thing that you need from me?”
His finger falls and I struggle to take in a breath before replying, “Yes.”
His nod is short and sweet. “Then I can do that.”
“Good. Uh…great. Thank you.”
When he blinks, something in his demeanor shifts. He goes from the intense and focused man who was just complimenting me back to the man on the verge of a panic attack. “Okay. Well, I think that settles it then.”
“Good.”
“Shit,” he mutters, pushing a hand through his hair before meeting my eyes again. “I forgot to tell you that my dad wants us to come over and have dinner with him and my mom soon.”
My eyes nearly fall out of my head. “Oh, Jesus. Not sure that’s a great idea given the bra-spinning incident.”
Elliot chuckles. “Trust me, if I thought there was a way to avoid this, I’d come up with one. But since my dad thinks we’re getting married, I’m sure they want to drill us about that.”
“Luckily, I just helped Laney plan hers so I’m fresh on marriage speak, but our fake wedding?”
“Yeah, I know. We can hammer out the details of what to say to them later, but do you have time this weekend?”
I pull out my phone and open my calendar, face-palming myself when I remember what I have to take care of in just a few days. “I can’t this weekend. I have a press junket for Motorlux in Charlotte on Saturday. It was the closest city where the network could film my interview, and then I have to use Sunday to work on the Porsche or I’ll fall behind, which will just stress me out.”
“Oh, all right.”
