“So you want me to meet your friends in something hot?”

Shea thought that over and smiled as he said, “No, I want you to wear something hot for me, then I’ll introduce you to my friends.”

She smiled at that, but didn’t look up at him.

“What time Thursday?”

“What time can you be available?”

“Eight. I have a baby shower from four to six, at Yancy’s down the road.” Shea nodded and thought about it for a moment.

“Well, why don’t you just bring everything you need here and get ready, then we can be there only an hour after it starts.”

Elli sat for a moment, before looking up at him.

“Okay,” she said, with a small nervous smile. He smiled back, and then leaned in to kiss her softly. Shea meant to leave it at a small kiss, but Elli slid her hand up his chest to his throat, and he began kissing her with more need. Again he maneuvered her onto her back, with him between her legs, and this time she didn’t stop him as they kissed and teased each other through their clothes.

“I see how it is. During my movie we can make out, but not during yours,” he whispered against her neck as he nibbled and licked. She let out a breathy little giggle as she ran her hands through his hair.

“My movie needs all the attention.”

He pulled up, lust filling his eyes as he looked down at her.

“Baby, when you’re in the room, you’re the only thing that has my attention.”

She had this little grin along with half lidded eyes going on, and he had to suppress the groan that was building at the base of his throat. He leaned down and kissed her again, hooking her leg around his waist, pressing his hard length onto her. She wanted this; she was just as hot as he was. Yes, this was going to happen. Was it too early? Did he want to involve sex so early?

Elli ran her hands down the back of his arms, cupping his elbows and wiggled a little underneath him.

Yes, yes, he did want to involve sex. Right now.

Shea kissed down her neck, moving his hand to go under her shirt when Elli’s hands stopped him. He pulled back and looked down at her. Her eyes were wide and she looked nervous.

Fuck.

“I’m sorry, I need to go.”

“Huh? What?” he asked as she moved herself out from underneath him. She stood up, fixing her shorts, and then her shirt as she looked everywhere but him. She was breathing just as hard as he was. The fall and rise of her chest had him becoming harder by the second.

“Elli, wait,” he said when he saw her slide her shoes on, and then grab her hat.

“I’m sorry, Shea. I’ll call you.”

She looked as if she was going to cry.

He had to stop her.

Elli had to get out of there. Like ten minutes ago. What was she thinking? He almost touched her skin under the clothes that she hid under. There was no way in hell Shea Adler was going to see or touch her under her clothes. No way. No sweet words or amazing hot kisses could make that happen. Elli reached the door and almost grasped the handle, just as Shea wrapped his arms around her from behind. She could feel the length of him on her ass, and God, how she wanted him.

Bad.

That was the only way she could describe it. But unless they invented a new way of having sex with your clothes on, that wasn’t going to happen. Elli was pretty darn sure Shea wanted her naked, though. So again, not going to happen.

“Baby, slow down. Please,” he whispered against her ear. Her eyes drifted shut while her heart still banged against her chest. Somehow, he ended up in front of her when she opened her eyes. His eyes were searching hers, pleading for her to slow down. The blue was a little darker, not the sky blue they usually were. His hand came from around her to cup her face, holding her two plump cheeks in his massive hands. She wanted to sigh at the feeling, hard against soft, but she needed to go.

“Hey, you don’t have to go. We can watch the movie,” he said sweetly.

“No, I need do some cleaning, let my dog out, and get ready for when everyone comes over.”

“I thought they weren’t coming until eight.”

“Yeah, but Harper usually shows up early and I just need to go.”

Elli tried to get away, but he wasn’t letting her go. She had to get out of there before she started crying. She was beyond embarrassed. This was Shea Adler, he had females throwing themselves at him left and right, and she wouldn’t even let him grope her. He probably thought she was a freak!

“Elli, please. Look at me.”

Of course she wouldn’t do that! But being the persistent little ass that he was, he moved her face up so she had nowhere to look but into his eyes. “Baby, please. Don’t let what happened affect what we have going here. It’s not a big deal. We can watch a movie, and just be together.”

The tears were welling up, he was so sweet, so amazing. And if she didn’t get out of there, she would embarrass herself even more by crying in front of him. She caught him off guard and kissed his cheek softly, before turning out of his embrace and opening the door.

“I’ll call you,” she practically whispered as she ran out. She heard him call her name but she kept going. By the time she hit the stairs, she was crying profusely. Big crocodile tears fell down her burning red cheeks. Her mother used to always tease her about how foolish she looked when she cried. Elli had always been embarrassed after that. But when she got her first roll on Broadway, it was because of her voice and the fact that when she cried the tears were so big that they made the scene more dramatic. The director loved her, at least until Elli got fat.