Sunny

Chapter 14

He started playing an old Elvis Presley song, one of his romantic ballads and she closed her eyes, letting his voice and the words surround her.

Rhea sat up as the song continued and she started to shake her head but he didn't stop playing. "That's not fair," she cried when he was done. He knew what his singing did to her and now he was singing words of love to her. How was she supposed to resist?

"I never promised to play fair Sunny. Have you arranged everything for our date, or is it all up to me?"

She shook her head. "I thought after last night..."

"You promised me a date and I want my date." He let his hands glide over the keys, picking out a tune that she recognized but couldn't place. He watched her carefully as he played it.

"Why do you want to go out with me Eli, you say you want me and that you love me, but then you treat me like you did last night, believing the worst of me. It's too much, I'm tired of dealing with everyone else's problems, who is going to help me deal with mine."

He stood up and joined her on the couch, sitting on the opposite end, facing her. "I'll help you."

"That's just it, I don't want you to help me."

She hated the look of pain that crossed his face as she said the words and he was silent for a moment considering her words.

"Do you remember when you asked me how I managed to stay so calm when Victoria was at her worst?" He was watching and waiting for an answer.

"You said it was because you didn't care." Her voice came out low, almost a whisper.

"With you I care too much and it scares the shit out of me." He leaned forward lowering his voice as his intensity increased. "I have traveled the world, preformed for millions of people, run my own company, I write my own songs and put them out there for the whole world to judge and none of that scares me the way that you do. You came into my life, this petite little curly headed beauty, and you stole my heart with your sunny smile and your positive attitude about everything around you. I saw who I wanted too be in you. You were too good for me, and I was almost glad that I had Victoria as a reason to keep me from hurting you. All of my self-confidence deserts me when I realize how badly I want you."

Rhea stood up and moved to look out of the window on the other side of the room because it put her as far away from Eli as possible, it kept her from leaping into his arms.

"You're also my kryptonite, Sunny." He threw her own words back at her. "When you say you care, you show me that you care, and then you push me away, it makes me doubt myself, doubt you. I do believe you care-"

"I do care, so much it hurts," she choked out around the tears that had started falling.

"Then there must be a good reason that you keep pushing me away. If it's not a secret baby or another man, I'm at a loss as to what it could be, and I wish you would tell me."

"Don't you see, I don't want you to doubt me and you would in the end."

"No I don't see and we're talking in circles!" he said as he stood up and started to pace. "We'll start small, let me share some of your problems and be your friend, it's a good place to start."

Rhea heard the ferry as it came up the river.

"I take a walk every morning at sunrise on the beach, I leave at about six, if you like you can join me tomorrow." It was the best that she could do.

"I would like to very much," he agreed.

Rhea pushed away from the window to go and meet Aion. "What was that tune that you were playing earlier, I recognize it from..."

"From that night at the church," he finished for her.

She nodded wordlessly as he walked towards the piano and let his fingers pick out the tune.

"Sunny one so true I love you," he sang the words, so simple and it threw her back to five years earlier.

"I remember." She nodded her heart beat so loud he must hear it across the room. "Eli, will you kiss me?"

He didn't hesitate as he rose form the piano in one fluid movement and pulled her into his arms. He tilted her head back as his lips meet hers and a contented sigh escaped her lips. It was so much like coming home. She had waited five years for his kiss.

The horn from the ferry sounded and Rhea broke the kiss, looking at him with a shy smile. "Thank you."

"It was the friendly thing to do Sunny," he joked as he let her break away from him. He didn't try to follow her as she moved out into the hall.

As she walked out of the living room she noticed Mason coming down the stairs and Lola sitting in the chair in the hallway, looking at her as if she had never seen her before and Rhea paused, wondering how much she had heard.

"You're Sunny," she said in an awestruck voice that confused Rhea.

"It's a nickname Eli and Mason gave me," Rhea confirmed. She heard the ferry sound once more and with one last look at a dazed looking Lola she headed down to the dock with Lola about to follow her.

"You don't understand Sun-"

"Lola, can I talk to you a minute?" Mason asked, placing a hand on her arm, holding her back.

Lola looked at Mason's serious look and realized that she was about to say something she shouldn't so she shut her mouth and nodded.

Rhea missed her friend's look of wonder as she watched her walk away.