AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I leaned in, lowering my voice. “There’s no chance with Morgan. She’s getting married in three months.”
Michael’s face fell. “Don’t remind me.”
As the waiter placed our drinks on the black linen tablecloth and took our dinner orders, we signaled for more time. I wasn’t in the mood for food, not with the weight of our conversation.
“You need to move on,” I said, taking a sip of my scotch. “Erika told me Morgan’s in love with Slade now.”
Michael’s eyes hardened. “She’s still in love with me.”
“How could you possibly know that?” I asked, disbelief coloring my tone.
“Because I saw her,” Michael said quietly. “I stopped by her apartment.”
I nearly choked on my drink. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”
“No,” he said firmly. “I love her too. The entire time I was away, I knew something was missing. Morgan was missing. Just thinking about her makes my heart ache.”
“I sort of know how you feel,” I admitted.
Michael leaned forward, his interest piqued. “How did you get involved with Erika? She’s a little spitfire.”
I chuckled, a grin spreading across my face. “She is. I met her over the phone during a negotiation, but I didn’t know who she was. We met in person at Surge.”
“And?” Michael pressed.
“And what?” I countered, a teasing edge in my voice.
“Are you finally thinking of settling down?”
“She’s got me,” I said, my voice softening. “I think I love her.”
Michael laughed. “I told you it would happen eventually. Maybe all the Elliott boys fall hard.”
“I thought I was different until I met Erika,” I said. “I even brought up marriage with her.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “She bit you?”
I grimaced, trying to hide my discomfort. “You don’t know the half of it,” I mumbled.
“Pardon?”
I shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to dive into the details of my intense relationship with Erika. The bite marks on my shoulder were a testament to the passionate nature of our connection, but I kept that part to myself.
“Nothing,” I said, picking up my menu. “I’m thinking of going with the pasta primavera. Not in the mood for meat.”
Dinner was a good conversation, but my heart weighed heavy for Michael. The thought of him yearning for a woman committed to another man was a painful reminder of how complicated love could be.
“Erika?” I called, frustration creeping into my voice as the call dropped. The taxi zipped through Fifth Avenue traffic, and I glared at my phone, willing it to reconnect. No bars. Perfect. I clenched the device, tempted to throw it out the window, but just as I was about to give up, it rang. Her name flashed across the screen.
“Where are you, Elliott?” Erika’s voice was calm, almost too calm, but I could detect the slight edge of playfulness beneath it.
“Almost to my apartment,” I replied, glancing out the window at the familiar streets. “Are you home?”
“Home and in the bathtub,” she said, a hint of a smile lacing her words.
“So, you’re naked and wet?” I couldn’t help but let a smirk form on my lips.
She let out a light laugh. “You make it sound so sordid.”
