"As the day is long and the sky is blue, I find myself hopelessly in love with you."
When a fateful stalled elevator brings an intoxicating stranger into the life of Doctor Elliot Kingsley, there is scarce little he can do to stay away from her. Eve...
My eyes fall on the group of girls seated across from us, who are looking up at us. I give them a smile and all of them smile back, albeit looking a bit dazed.
Before we step into the hallway that leads to the buffet, Elliot pauses. "Hold on. I'm going to go tell Aiden's Dad that his wife is in Aiden's room, fawning over her grandchildren," he says, nodding to Aiden's Dad, who is seated on the lawn, speaking to a few people.
I turn my attention to the green, seeing golf carts weaving in and out in the distance.
"Well, I don't know how I missed you."
A shadow appears near me, stopping right beside me, forcing me to look at them.
A mousy-brown haired man with light blue, almost transparent eyes under thick, dark eyebrows and a perfectly kept beard is smiling at me.
I would have thought he's good-looking if it weren't for the unnerving fact that he is making me feel like I want to peel my skin off just because he's laid his eyes on it.
"Do you stay here?" he asks, without even waiting for me to say anything.
I've begun to shake my head before I even know why. "No," I tell him, with a small smile, offering no other explanation, and turning my attention back to the green.
"What a shame," he goes one, absolutely undeterred, "You and I could have really had some fun. I mean, you could still join me."
My mind is blaring 'Elliot', like a foghorn, trying to summon him.
My acute inability to handle myself in these situations comes alive and I make the noise of a strangled laugh. "No," I say, again, taking a surreptitious step away from him.
The man steps closer to me again and I'm hit by the smell of his definitely expensive, but still manages to smell generic cologne. I cut my eyes to him and notice that he's wearing a Louis Vuitton belt, complete with the ostentatious logo on the buckle, and cringe a little.
"We could go down to the beach," he tries again, "You know, Andrusia has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world."
I want to laugh.
He's telling me this like I haven't grown up with them; like I haven't earned so much money creating content just about the beautiful beaches and tropical weather of Capell.
I could tell him that, but it would serve absolutely no purpose.
"No," I say, yet again, "Thank you."
Again, I slide away from him, my ballet flats making no sound against the tile.
Elliot.
"I bet I could find something that you'd definitely want to do with me," Daddy's Money tells me, overtly confidently.
I have to wipe a hand across my mouth to keep myself from smiling because I cannot think of a single thing in the world that I would rather do with this slimy man than Elliot. "You'd lose," I say, before I can even consider it.
This is unfortunate, because it makes him think that I would like to wager with him.
"Oh," he chuckles, way too close to my ear for comfort – I slide away again – "You want a bet? I bet that I could show you –"
"Get the hell away from her."
A warm hand slips around my waist, pulling me in.
Elliot materializes between me and the man, who I now realize is wearing Gucci slides and it makes me roll my eyes so hard. I feel my shoulders relax against him.
Elliot, however, is not relaxed. He's visibly fuming.
"Kingsley," says the man, in an easy, almost patronizing tone, "What an unpleasant surprise."
"Brad, do not cause a scene." Elliot's tone is low and rumbling; a warning.
Brad only chuckles. "Listen, man. I was only trying to talk to a pretty girl before you interrupted, okay? So, if you leave, there won't be a scene."
Elliot's arm drops from around my waist and he turns to face Brad fully. Maybe, I'm biased, but Elliot is so easily dominating and confident that next to him, Brad seems like a scared school-boy.
"I will tell this to you once and if I have to tell it to you again, it won't be kindly." Elliot is deadly serious. His tone strict and will take absolutely no nonsense. "Do not come near her again. You will have to answer to me."
With an insistent look at Brad, Elliot turns, slips his arm around my waist and leads me away from Brad, and in the direction of breakfast.
"Are you alright?" he asks, arm crushing me to him, lips pressed against my temple. His tone is different with me, but there is still a crease between his eyebrows.
"I'm fine. Who was that?"
"Brad Windom. Absolute scum of the earth. You can go ahead and ask the girls about him. Scarlett even broke his nose once."
I throw my head back and laugh as we walk into the buffet area. "Good for Sky."
Elliot gives the man at the entrance our room numbers and we walk out to the patio to find seating.
"You went a little ballistic," I tell him, as we pick a spot in the shade.
Elliot turns his gaze to me and I don't know how to explain what his eyes do in any word other than soften – he looks at me and his gaze softens.
"I don't think I take kindly to people who make you uncomfortable. Your shoulders were stiff, you were cracking your fingers over and over again, you kept trying to slide away from him." He takes my hand and we make our way to the buffet. Despite his gentle touch, Elliot is simmering with quiet rage. "And Brad Windom gets absolutely no sympathy from me. He's made passes at all of you now. You, Rosalie, Scarlett, Isa, Jenna, Juliette. No matter how many times he's been told to stop. If he tries anything – anything, Aura – you tell me. If he so much as looks at you wrong, I will lobotomize him. If he lays a finger on you, he will not live to see another day."
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That's what happens when you mess with Eli's girl.
