AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She is all woman.
Her makeup is done to perfection, showing off her high cheekbones. Her cute cupid’s bow lips are painted a glistening dusky pink. But her eyes are the same—mischievous and intelligent.
“Hi, I’m Elle,” she says awkwardly, lifting her hand in greeting and smiling at us. I must have been staring, because I can see the nerves she’s trying to hide in the way she twists her hands in front of her.
“Don’t you recognize me?” I ask, sure she should remember me.
“What he means to say is … Please have a seat, Elle,” Jared says, getting up and gesturing for her to sit down.
“I’m sorry, I forgot my manners.” I get up too late, as she’s already shifting her chair closer to the table next to me.
She smiles at me, recognition flashing in her rich brown eyes. “The way I remember, Harrison, you had too many manners,” she quips, looking at me from beneath her dark lashes.
Fuck, how she intimidated me that summer so long ago. She was the smartest person I had ever met, and she was only in high school. Elle wasn’t afraid to ask questions. She wasn’t a know-it-all. I was always tongue-tied and awkward around her. Too scared to say something and come across as stupid. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t always trying to be around her.
I met her brother in college. We had both been studying computer science at UMaine, and had hit it off after we had to do a group assignment together. We quickly became best friends, which led me to join him for summer break at his home.
I wish I could go back in time and not go with him, not meet Elle. But I did, and I lost my best friend because I was almost in love with his younger sister—way younger sister. She was only seventeen to our twenty-four.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off her that summer, lounging outside in those fucking bikinis and skimpy clothes, reading books on astrology, engineering, and her brother’s computer science textbooks. I even caught her reading a smutty romance once. She’d just laughed when I asked her about it, saying everyone needed a well-rounded knowledge of the world.
I despised myself. I wasn’t supposed to be lusting after a seventeen-year-old. I was seven years her senior, almost graduating college. Our friendship ended when Alex caught me almost kissing her. Things were said and I lost my best friend—but I couldn’t forget Elle. Not even after all these years.
Seeing that same mischievous glint in her eyes has me sporting a semi, and I groan at my own stupidity.
“Well, this is a new level of Neanderthal, even for you,” she says with a teasing smile.
“Let me introduce myself, as I see Harrison here isn’t himself at the moment. I’m Jared Stone, Harrison’s friend from work. Can I order you something to drink?” he asks, ever the gentleman.
“Some champagne would be great. Thank you, Jared,” Elle replies, her words like whiskey burning my throat, flaying my skin, piercing my heart. She sweeps her hair over her left shoulder, sending it cascading down to her chest, and I want to feel if it’s as soft as it looks.
Why is she affecting me like this? I’m a grown-ass man. I’ve been with women before, dammit. I can be charming.
Why am I acting the fool now?
My brain supplies the obvious answer.Because you’re a fool for her, idiot.
I turn toward her, and my tongue feels like a piece of lead in my mouth. She is so fucking beautiful.
“I’m surprised you’d want to speak to me, let alone bid on me, Harrison,” Elle says, leaning in to speak to me while Jared is ordering the drinks.
The auction is still going on, but I can’t focus on anything but her.
“What do you mean?” I ask, confused by her question.
“You disappeared that summer. I had hoped that you would come back … for me, that is. I know that Alex hated you after you almost kissed me that night at the party, and when you didn’t come back I thought that maybe you hated me too,” she says quietly, her hands twisting in her lap.
I fist my hands as she talks, not knowing how to reply. I did disappear. I did it for her own good. For my sanity.
And having her this close, hearing her voice, is playing havoc on my resolve to not touch her, to stay away from her, like I promised her brother.
“I know. I’m sorry—” I start.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you had your reasons,” Elle says almost dismissively, but I can just make out the clenching of her jaw, as if she wants to say something else.
I try to find the words to explain my feelings, but the lights brighten and the auctioneer announces that after a small break the virgin lots will be up for bidding. As the auctioneer leaves the podium, waiters swarm to the tables and lay out small plates of canapés.
I’m locked up in my head. I have no clue what to do. My whole life I’ve had a plan. I knew which path to take to get to this future. I also know what I need to do to keep on working for an even better one, but here, now, in this situation—I’m stumped.
