I glance over at Eli. “I feel awful.”
“Don’t,” Taters says, closing the hatch. “Trust me when I say, he brought this upon himself, and he’d be the first to admit it as well. This is no one’s fault but his.” He pops up the handles of our suitcases. “But I’m glad you’re here. Holmes drove up with me, and all he’s done is read his goddamn books since we arrived. I need some company.”
“Is Stephan here?” Eli asks.
“Who’s Stephan?” I ask.
“Our chef,” Taters answers. “He comes up on Friday. He was here when we first arrived, but had to fly out and help his mom into her assisted living. Until then, I do have food this year, and to my demise, I have bologna as well.”
“Where’s Posey?”
“Driving up on his own. He’ll be here later today.” Taters looks between us. “Am I guessing you’re going to need some privacy?”
My face blushes as Eli steps in and says, “Can we take the loft?”
“That was my plan. I don’t need to be hearing you two.” And then he pushes our luggage toward the house. Eli takes my hand in his, and together, we walk in as a couple for the first time in front of his friends.
“Wow, I can’t believe Taters owns this place. How did he even find it?”
“Not sure,” Eli answers as he stretches across the bed, hands behind his head, looking so delicious that I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes off him. “But we all signed a contract that states if he ever sells it, we’re the first in line to purchase. We don’t want it ever leaving our circle.”
“I can see why.” I stare at the beautiful vaulted ceiling with wood beams and an understated black-framed candle chandelier. “This place is stunning.”
“Yeah, I can think of something more stunning.” I look over at him. His eyes are trained on me.
“Are you flirting with me, Eli Hornsby?”
“I’m appreciating you.” He sits up on his elbows. “I know you can have your pick of any goddamn guy in this world, and for some reason, you’re choosing me, a choice I’m not sure I’ll ever understand.”
I move toward the bed and climb up on it so I’m straddling his lap. “You should talk. I’m sure there were girls lined up at your hotel room, waiting to get their chance when you were away.”
“There weren’t,” he says. “They all hang out at the bar, and I was nowhere near that.”
“I wasn’t implying—”
“I know,” he says. “Just want to clarify any chance I get.”
I move my hands under his shirt. “You have been more than vocal about that.” My hands glide over his abs and then up to his pecs. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink as he lets me feel his impeccable body. “But thank you for appreciating me. Do you think you can appreciate me in the bathtub?”
“You want to take a bath?” he asks.
I nod. “My back is sore from the drive, and there’s a huge tub in the bathroom calling my name. I also saw some lavender salts.” I smooth my fingers over his nipples. “I’d love for you to join me.”
His brow creases. “Are you allowed to take a bath?”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Well, doesn’t it, you know, boil things if you sit in hot water?”
“Oh my God, Eli, I don’t have an actual egg inside me.”
“I know that,” he groans. “I just thought, you know, it could hurt the baby.”
“No, baths are completely normal.”
“Are you sure? Maybe we should ask Big Pecs.”
“Do you really want to call him?”
Eli winces. “No.”
“That’s what I thought. Seriously, it’s okay, and I could really, really use one right now. Please.”
“Babe, you naked and wet is not something you need to beg for. Just fucking show me the way.”
Chuckling, I lean down and press a kiss to his lips before getting off his lap and heading to the bathroom, him trailing behind me.
I start the tub, toss some salts inside, and then turn toward him and lift my arms up in the air. “Help me?”
“You realize you’re going to make me hard, right?”
“Nothing wrong with that.” I smirk at him.
Deliberately, he moves my shirt up and over my body and drops it on the floor. He squats down in front of me, presses both hands to my growing stomach, and kisses it gently before helping me out of my pants and underwear. His fingers drag up my inner thigh, and as he stands, he carefully turns me around so my back is to his chest. His hands glide up my sides, then down to the clasp of my bra, where he undoes it, then removes the thin straps from my body. The bra is tossed with the rest of my clothes right before his hand reaches around and grasps my breasts.