Taking Shots (Assassins) (20 page)

Awesome, I can’t wait to see you tonight.

Me neither.

Elli smiled to herself.

Yes, she was dating Shea Adler, and he couldn’t wait to see her.

Later that afternoon, as Elli was finishing up with an edit on a family shoot, the business line rang. She picked it up with her regular greeting, and then froze in a cringe as her mother’s voice rang over the line.

“
Eleanor Ray! I have been trying to get a hold of you for weeks! You gave me no choice but to call you at your so called work!”

“
Oh, mother, and you wonder why I ignore your calls. I’m busy working, are you dying?”

“
No.”

“
Okay, so I’ll talk to you later.”

“
You hang up on me, I will tell your father!” Olivia warned. Darn it, her dad would be so mad at Elli, that’s why she usually just ignored the calls. Elli talked to her father at least once a week. She loved her daddy, but that was probably because he wasn’t crazy like the rest of the family.

“
Fine, mother, I got four minutes before my next appointment comes in, what do you need?”

“
I need to meet your boyfriend!”

“
I don’t have a boyfriend, mom.”

“
So you are making out with random men at the park in front of my grandchildren!”

“
He wasn’t random, mom, just a friend.”

“
What, are you are trollop!”

“
For the love of God,” Elli muttered, putting her face in her hand, “Mom, he’s a guy I’m dating right now.”

“
What’s his name?”

“
Shea.”

“
Shea, as in hockey player Shea? The one that covers the walls of that small house you own?”

And people wonder why Elli didn’t answer her mother’s calls.

“
Yes, mom.”

“
Victoria says there’s no way.”

“
Victoria is a bitch and I’m not going to defend myself. Believe me or not, I don’t care.”

“
Such language, bring him to the house for dinner.”

“
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I subject Shea to you people.”

“
Eleanor Ray! You will bring him to dinner; he is the first guy I have heard of since Justin.”

“
There’s a reason for that,” Elli commented as she fixed a red spot on the baby’s face in the picture. “I don’t really like family dinners with you people.”

“
Eleanor, you heard me. Dinner, next month, since this month was canceled.”

“
Mom, I don’t even know if this will last past this week. Plus, if it does, I don’t know if he’ll be in town.”

“
Find out and give me a date that he will be in town, sometime next month. You have until next Sunday to give me an answer Eleanor, dear. Or I will sic your father on you!”

“
Okay, mom.” Elli sneered. She was not happy and her mother would know it.

“
I’m pretty sure I can convince him to drop you from the will.”

“
Whatever, dad loves me more than you, he wouldn’t do that, he would just be mad at me, and you’re lucky I don’t want that.”

“
Whatever you say darling, love you. Tootles!”

The line went dead and Elli closed her eyes. That woman drove her bat shit crazy just like her sister. Hell, her whole family did, except her daddy, and the kids, they were the only normal ones. Elli thought she could always call and beg her dad not to make her do it, but then he would want to meet Shea, and no telling how that would go since the last time he saw Justin he had pulled a shotgun on him.

Well, hells bells.

“
So, killer,” Elli looked up to Harper leaning against the doorframe. “How was last night? You seem extra happy this morning.”

“
It was nice, I guess.”

“
Please don’t ever tell Shea that you called sex with him nice.”

“
We didn’t have sex,” Elli informed her as she saved the pictures and shut the program down. When she looked over at Harper, she was just staring at Elli.

“
What do you mean y’all didn’t have sex? I picked you up from his house.”

“
We didn’t, we just cuddled, slept. What?” she asked when Harper started looking at her like she was crazy.

“
That’s depressing El, you have a fine piece of man meat lying right beside you and you didn’t even touch him?”

“
We made out a little, then went to sleep,” Elli said with a shrug as she passed by Harper. Harper followed her down the hall to the front room and stood by as Elli set up for the newborn shoot she had.

“
Are you crazy? You’re still trying to hide your body, aren’t you! I thought you talked to him about it.”

“
We did, but it doesn’t mean I’m gonna have sex with him now. I’m scared, Harp, let me be.”

“
Sex is nothing to be scared of, do it, you’ll like it. I promise.”

Elli shook her head. Of course, she wanted to have sex with Shea, but the thought just drove her crazy, “I probably wouldn’t even know how to do it,” she admitted quietly, “It’s been years, Harp. Not only would I be scared because he’d be seeing me naked, but then I would be crazy nervous I would mess something up.”

“
El, it’s pretty cut and dry, one thing goes in the other and magic happens. Plus, it’s like riding a bike, you never forget,” she said with a devilish smile, while Elli rolled her eyes, “But if you’re nervous about it, just do it in steps, tell him your ready to take making out to another level but not ready for sex.”

“
Does the next level of making out involve me showing him my body?”

“
Why, yes, it does.”

“
Then I’m not ready,” Elli said as the door open and a young couple came in with a bright pink car seat, that no kidding, had feathers on it.

“
Hello! Welcome to Time Standing Still. I’m Elli.” And off she went, into photographer mode, putting her issues of sex and Shea in the back of her mind as she worked, but like always Shea managed to make an appearance, especially when the father of the baby kissed the mommy’s neck. It made Elli think of him, since he loved doing that. Elli sighed as she positioned the beautiful baby girl on a bright pink flower pillow. What would it be like if this was her baby and Shea was standing behind her kissing her neck?

It would be her happily ever after.

Shea sat in his condo, waiting on Elli. She was running late, but she had texted and already warned him, saying the baby shower ran over a little. He sat in his black Armani suit, with a light blue shirt underneath it with no tie, just the first two buttons open; he had his favorite black chucks on and his glasses, since Elli didn’t mind them. She kind of liked them, which made him happy since he hated his contacts. He got up, going to the kitchen for a glass of wine, when the door open and Elli sailed through going straight by him to the bed.

“
I’m so sorry!” she called as she rushed into the room, shutting the door. He shook his head with a smile as the door opened back up and she stood there gawking at him.

“
Damn, Mr. Adler, you’re looking mighty fine.” He smiled, smoothing his jacket down.

“
Why, thank you.” She gave him a wink, then shut the door. Shea smiled and poured himself a glass before going back into the living room to wait. It seemed so normal, so comfortable. Him, waiting on his girl. He liked it, he thought with a shrug and a smile. He watched all of Sport Center before Elli finally emerged, looking so damn hot; it was hard for him to breathe. Her hair was in big curls, framing her face and shoulders. Her pretty little thighs were peeking out the wide skirt and her beautifully sculpted ankles were brought out by the high heels she wore.

God, she was gorgeous.

“
Damn, Elli, I can’t take you out in public, I’ll be fighting everyone at the damn party.” She grinned, coming towards him. He noticed her lips were painted red and luscious was the only word that came to mind. He wrapped her up in his arms, pressing her closer against him.

“
I could say the same about you, you know.”

“
You could, but you don’t have to, because I got eyes only for you.”

“
Sure,” she teased as she leaned up, kissing him softly against the lips.

“
Mm, come back here,” he said when she pulled back. He covered her mouth with his, kissing her the way he had been wanting to all day. He had missed her, a lot. Waking up with her in his house had kept her on his mind all day. If it was like this now, without the sex, no telling what it would be like when they finally did it. He probably would be like a hemorrhoid, never leaving her ass alone.

“
Mm, goodness, do I even have lipstick still on?” she asked as she looked up at him, she giggled as she wiped his mouth. “I guess not, you might want to wipe that off, while I reapply,” she said as she walked back into the bedroom. He had a crooked grin on his face as he wiped off his mouth, when she reappeared, new lipstick applied, they gathered their things and left.

Alex Welch and his wife, Mary Ann always held the opening game party at Union Station, which was a ritzy hotel in downtown Nashville. Shea loved the place, thought it was beautiful and the food was amazing. He was really excited about taking Elli there because he was pretty sure she hadn’t been there before. After giving his truck over to the valet, Shea led Elli inside, his hand on the small of her back. As they walked through the beautiful hotel to the meeting hall, he could tell that Elli was nervous. She was doing that lip biting thing, along with moving her hands a lot. He finally took her hand in his, squeezing lightly.

“
It’s going to be fine, baby.”

She smiled nervously, “I’m just nervous your friends won’t like me.”

“
They’ll love you,” he reassured her; she gave him a small smile as they entered the hall. All his friends and teammates were there, with their wives or girlfriends. Some were talking, while others danced. Dinner hadn’t been served yet, so everyone was snacking on the hor' dourves while they drank. When Shea saw Alex and Mary Ann, he led Elli towards them. Alex smiled when he saw Shea, before turning Mary Ann a little to greet him.

“
Hey, Bro,” Alex said, shaking hands with Shea. Mary Ann smiled big, leaning up and kissing Shea’s cheek. Mary Ann used to be a model or something like that, but when she and Alex got married, she gave it up to have children and to be a wife. She was stunningly beautiful and very sweet; Shea liked her best out of all the wives.

“
Shea! How are you!” she said in her thick country accent. She had grown up in Nashville.

“
I’m good, Mary Ann, I want you guys to meet my…”

Shit, his what? He looked over at Elli and she smiled nervously, taking Alex’s hand. “His date, Eleanor Fisher, but I go by Elli,” she said, shaking Alex’s hand. Alex looked surprised but smiled as he returned the gesture.

“
Well, hello, this is my wife Mary Ann.”

“
Hi,” Elli said. Mary Ann smiled, hugging Elli instead of shaking her hand.

“
Hi! How are you! You’re just too beautiful for words! I love your eyes!” Mary Ann was also very loud, but she meant well.

“
Thank you so much. Your maiden name is Ryan right?”

“
It is!”

“
I’ve seen your work, a friend of mine used to shoot for you back in the day”

“
Alli Richardson?”

“
Yup, I went to school with her.”

“
Wow! Small world huh?!”

“
Sure is,” Elli said giving Shea a grin, and off they went, into a very elaborate conversation about this person and that person. Shea and Alex stood for a few minutes before they both didn’t know what the hell the women were talking about, so they excused themselves, going straight for the bar. Alex ordered them both a beer and the men stood drinking them as they made small talk.

“
She’s nice, Shea,” Alex said with a nod towards Elli and Mary Ann.

“
I think so.”

“
She was the photographer from the team pictures we did, right?”

“
Yeah, that’s where I met her.”

“
Okay, I was thinking she was new because I haven’t seen you with anyone in a while.”

“
Changing it up, I guess.”

“
You can say that again. She is not your norm, Shea, not at all. Mary Ann loves her.” Shea smiled, watching Elli talk with her hands, before letting out a gut busting laugh. She was intoxicating; she looked over at him giving him a smile, which he returned.

“
She’s something.”

“
Is it serious?” Shea looked over at Alex. He had known Alex for a very long time. They both joined the Assassins the same year and they both played in the amateur league together, too.

“
I think so, but you know me,” Alex nodded, and then Shea said, “but then again, she’s the only thing I want right now.”

Alex nodded his head, then grinned up at Shea. “That’s great, man, I hope it works out.”

“
Me and you both.”

Elli was beyond nervous when she walked into the Union Station. She had been here before with her family for family events, but that didn’t help her nerves. First, she was running late, which made Shea late, but he didn’t seem to mind. Then she was meeting his friends, his people. What if they didn’t like her? Thought she was a fat cow or something?