Taking Shots (Assassins) Read online

  Shea had never cried in front of a woman. Okay, well, he did cry in front of Grace once, and his mom was always there when he cried, but he had never cried in front of a woman he was dating, but he felt like the tears were about to fall. He tried so hard to keep them at bay because he didn’t want to seem weak, but she wasn’t saying anything, she was just looking at him, tears rolling down her cheeks onto his hands. He could except the fact that she didn’t love him, because he knew she would later, but the fact that she wanted to break up, no he couldn’t except that, wouldn’t except that.

  She took a deep breath, and then said “I don’t deserve you Shea.”

  His heart melted, “Of course, you do, baby.”

  “No, I really don’t, you’re too patient, too nice. You deal with my craziness, my insecurities, why Shea? Why do I deserve you?”

  He smiled, moving his thumbs back and forth against her cheeks, “Because, I said so,” he said with a wink, “Now stop over thinking us. I’ll leave the moving thing alone; let you make the decision, okay?”

  She nodded before wrapping her arms around his middle, nuzzling her nose in his neck, getting snot and tears all over him, but he didn’t care. He held her close, kissing her wet hair, inhaling her scent. They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other until his phone rang. He pulled back a little pulling the phone out of his pocket.

  “Shit,” he said, “Its Grace.”

  “Crap, I gotta finish my hair!” she placed a quick kiss to his lips before turning back around going to the sink.

  “Hey.”

  “Where the hell are you?”

  “We’re running late.”

  “I mean Jesus, can’t you guys wait until tonight?!”

  “For your information we weren’t having sex, we did that earlier in her office.”

  She let out a disgusted cry, “Wonderful, now if I’m ever in her office that’s what I’ll imagine.”

  “Hey, it was good stuff.”

  “Ugh, anyways, when will you be here? Mom is waiting…and she is not happy about it.”

  “Sorry, we’ll stay later, Elli’s doing her hair now, we should be out of here in…hey, baby, how long you going to be?” he asked Elli.

  “Give me fifteen, I promise I’m hurrying.”

  Yeah right, fifteen minutes?

  “We’ll be over within the hour,” he said instead.

  “Fine!” Grace hung up, as he shook his head.

  Damn women in his life drove him nuts!

  Elli wanted to call Harper, not go to Grace’s house to meet Shea’s parents. She was still on edge from their fight, from almost throwing away the most amazing man in the world. She just didn’t understand what her problem was, why couldn’t she just let it go. Shea was not going to hurt her, but it didn’t matter how many times she told herself that, it still sat in the back of her mind.

  Elli wasn’t happy with the way she looked either, she only had time to straighten her hair when she wanted to put big curls in, and she didn’t get to spend much time on her makeup, so she knew Shea’s family was gonna think she was a ugly, frumpy, gold digging whore not worthy of their amazing son. She was more nervous about meeting his family than she was about him meeting hers.

  Gosh, this sucked.

  When they pulled into Grace’s driveway, Shea cut the truck off but didn’t get out. He still had her hand in his, moving his thumb back and forth on the back of her hand as he looked up at Grace’s house. He looked over at her, and she looked at him, nervously.

  “Are you nervous?” he asked.

  She gave him a shaky smile, “Yeah.”

  He smiled back, taking a deep breath. “I’m not, they’re going to love you. I just hope they don’t embarrass me too much,” he said before kissing the back of her hand and getting out, coming around to the other side to help her out.

  Elli really should have rethought the heels, yes, they were super beautiful, but her feet already hurt, and it was just the beginning of the night. As they made their way up the walkway to the door, Shea held Elli’s hand, running his thumb along the back of her hand. She was starting to think he was lying about not being nervous.

  The door opened before they even reached it, and Grace stood with her hands on her hips.

  “I mean people around here do like to eat,” she said with a huff.

  “Be quiet; we’re what, fifteen minutes late?” Shea said, kissing her cheek before pulling Elli past her and into the house. He let go of her hand when who she guessed was his dad came into the room, with grin on his face that was as big as Shea’s. “Hey, Dad!” Shea said wrapping his arms around his dad, giving him a back slapping hug before pulling back. Shea reached for Elli and she came willingly to his side, smiling up at his dad.

  “Dad, this is Elli, this is my dad, Mark.” Elli held out her hand, and Mark took it eagerly, grinning ear to ear at her. Mark was a good looking man, tall like Shea, not thick but not skinny, he was a good healthy size. Shea and Grace must have gotten their nose and eyes from Mark, since his eyes were the exact same color as Mark’s.

  “Hey, how are you?” she asked with a nervous grin, Mark started laughing, looking over at Shea.

  “You weren’t kidding about the country accent, it’s thick,” he looked back at Elli as she turned deep red, “I’m fine, thank you, and you?”

  “Good, thank you.”

  “It's about damn time!” Elli turned to see Shea’s mother coming in the room. Elli had remembered Shea saying that people thought she was Grace’s sister instead of her mother, and it was the truth. She didn’t look a day over thirty. When she set her eyes on Elli, she grinned so fully that Elli thought she was gonna be blinded by the whites of her teeth. “Well, hello! I’m Jenna Adler, you must be Elli.” Elli nodded as Jenna took her hand in hers, shaking it slowly, looking Elli over.

  “Yes, ma’am I am, it’s nice to meet you.”

  Jenna grinned widely up at Shea, and Elli saw where Shea got the one dimple from. Jenna had hers on the exact same cheeks as he did, and it made Elli smile.

  “Shea told us you were Southern, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so thick, I like it, though.” She added quickly.

  Elli smiled, “Yes ma’am, I’m country to the core.”

  Shea smiled, wrapping his arm around Elli, “I love her accent.”

  Both his parents beamed and Elli looked up at him, biting her lip. He smiled down at her, before bring his finger to her lip, pushing it out of the hold her teeth had it in.

  “Obviously, can we eat?” Grace said. Shea looked over at her, glaring.

  “Grace, what’s your deal?”

  “I’m freaking hungry!”

  “Obviously. God!” Shea complained as he put his hand on the small of Elli’s back and walked into Grace’s dining room as everyone laughed.

  They all sat down as the people Grace hired came to bring the food out. Elli slowly slid her shoes off, running her aching feet along the hardwood of Grace’s floor. The floors were so cold that it soothed Elli’s feet and she found herself sighing in pleasure. Shea cut her a questioning look.

  “You okay?” he asked, leaning over towards her.

  “My feet are killing me.”

  He gave her a cute little smirk before his mother started talking, “So Elli, you take pictures for a living, right?”

  “Yes ma’am. I’ve been doing it for almost seven years now.”

  “I’ve seen some of your work. You’re very good, I must say.”

  “Thank you,” Elli gushed with a grin; Jenna smiled sweetly before reaching for her fork.

  Elli looked over at Grace, and she was giving her a sweet smile. “I meant to tell you Elli, I love your shoes.”

  Elli smiled back, “Thank you, they are Christian Louboutin, and let me tell you, they hurt like the dickens.” Grace started laughing as the rest of the table joined in and that’s when Elli felt comfortable.

  The rest of the dinner went without a hitch. Elli adored Mark and Jenna. They were am