Chapter 16

16

E lias

That Friday

My parents were celebrating their anniversary with family today and planned to go to Hawaii Sunday. Regardless of how I insisted they let EJ stay home this weekend so they could leave earlier, they were against it and didn’t want to miss their time with their only grandson. This evening was the first time I’d been in the same space as Amanda in what felt like forever. Our conversation had been done via text and that was short, only concerning EJ. I felt like it was because of Fiona, so I didn’t bother addressing it.

I couldn’t deny how good it felt to see her again and be in the same room as my baby mama. She smelled and looked good, as always. After we spoke to each other, that was pretty much the end of our conversation until EJ asked if he could go to some summer camp with his best friend for the first three weeks of the summer. We told him we’d look into it before agreeing. If it looked safe and like something he’d enjoy, we were cool with it.

After dinner, I said my goodbyes to everyone and decided to head out when Amanda did. As we walked side by side, she looked up at me with a comfortable smile.

“It was good seeing you,” I said.

“It’s always good seeing you, Elias.”

“How have you been?”

Her mouth twisted slightly before she smiled and licked her lips. “Really good, actually. You?”

“Same.”

“And Fiona?”

“She’s good, Amanda.”

“Good.”

As I opened the door for her, my heart burned. Regardless of how much I wanted to hold on to Amanda, I felt the tether unraveling. The urge to hold on tighter consumed me, but I knew this was a bond I had to release.

“I guess I’ll see you for family day.”

“Actually, I won’t be able to do family day next week,” she said, getting into her Wagon.

“Why not?”

“I have a meeting.”

“You have a meeting?” She nodded. “We’ve been doing family day the same day for years, Mandy. Wassup?”

“I have to go to Memphis, and this is the only free week I could get on this person’s schedule.”

“Who? What is this about?”

She sighed and buckled her seat belt. “I don’t want to talk about it yet.”

“Fine. I don’t like how this sounds or feels, but I can track your location. Check in so I’ll know you’re good.”

“I will. Bye.”

“B—”

Before I could even finish, she shut the door. I took a few steps back as I chuckled. Yeah, things were definitely changing. This time, I’d let them change so I could see things through with Fiona.

A Few Hours Later

I wasn’t as present as I usually was with Fiona tonight, so I was surprised when she still wanted to go to the hotel. She was cool, but I wasn’t ready to share with her where I lived just yet, and since she planned to stay with her parents until she was married, I understood her not wanting me there. It had been on my mind to reach out to Declan about us, but I wanted to get a few more dates in and let her know about Amanda first. Though at this point, I wasn’t sure if what was going on with me and Amanda was even worth telling.

Instead of getting a suite at The Rose Valley Hotel, I booked one at a boutique hotel that was closer to the countryside of Rose Valley Hills and not as popular. It was just as nice, though, and would give the privacy of us not having to worry about running into anyone we knew. Since I’d already checked in and made arrangements for us, I was in no rush to get out of the car until we actually talked.

“Before we go in, there’s something we need to discuss,” I said, cutting my Porsche off.

“What’s on your mind?” Fiona asked sweetly, turning slightly to face me under the moonlight.

“Are you expecting this night to end with sex?”

She bashfully looked away as her thighs closed and hand slid down her neck. “Um…”

“Nah.”

Gently, I took her by the chin and turned her face back in my direction. “Be a big girl, look me in my eyes, and tell me exactly what you want, Fiona.”

Nibbling her bottom lip, she swallowed hard and nodded. “I was hoping it did. Is that okay with you?”

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about how her pussy would feel. We’d bonded more than I expected, and I was at a point where I was more sexually attracted to her than any other woman in years. Focusing on her was probably why I hadn’t been more intentional about pulling up on Amanda. I didn’t want her to feel like I was coming over after spending time with Fiona because I wanted her pussy.

“I would love to explore your body, but I have to be honest with you about Amanda.”

She sat back in her seat and cupped her hands in her lap. “Okay. Go ahead.”

“She’s the only woman I’ve had sex with in the past five years. I only have sex with one woman at a time. She and I agreed we’d keep things how they are between us until one of us was ready to get into a committed relationship. So, before we take that step, I have to end the sexual agreement I made with her.”

Fiona released a shaky breath as she nodded. “Thanks for being honest with me. You plan to do that soon?”

“With things progressing how they are between us…yes. She’ll be out of town next week, apparently, but when she comes back, I’ll handle it.”

“You can’t just text it to her?” Between the innocence of her voice and serious expression on her face, I could only laugh.

“I mean…yeah. I could. But we’ve never operated like that. I owe her a face-to-face conversation.”

The pout she did made me want to renege, but I wouldn’t do that to my girl.

“Okay. Well, I can wait. I still want to spend the night with you if that’s cool.”

“Of course. I’d love to see how it feels to fall asleep with you in my arms. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“I appreciate that. I also want you to know that I don’t expect you to really stop having sex with her or anyone else. I know the average man values quantity over quality and can’t be faithful. The moment she offers herself to you again, you’re going to take it and—”

“Whoa.” I chuckled and licked my lips as I sat up in my seat. “Let’s get this clear right now. Amanda’s not that kind of woman. We haven’t had sex in a while out of her respect for you. Trust me, I’ve tried, but she wanted to respect what I’m trying to build with you.” Her head lowered for a while, but she quickly lifted it. “When I tell her I’m committed to you, she will never try me like that. Ever. But even if she did, I’m a faithful man. I always have been, and I always will be.”

Fiona sighed and shook her head. “If you say so, Elias.”

I scratched through my beard and took what I needed to be a calming breath. “You really expect me to cheat on you, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” She laughed. “I mean…look at you. You’re fine as hell. I’m sure women throw themselves at you all the time. Plus, you have money and status here. You’re charming, and from what I’ve felt, your dick is big. And you expect me to believe you’re faithful?”

“Yeah, I do, because I am. Regardless of who wants me, I have autonomy over my body. I’m a grown ass man with discipline and morals. I’m not a cheater. You can trust in that.”

Her frame relaxed. “Okay…I’m so used to wealthy men cheating. If you decide to, just do it with respect and discretion. I’m loyal, so as long as you take care of me and keep me safe, I won’t leave. But…if you say I can trust you—”

“You can,” I told her softly, taking her hand into mine. “You will have the security of knowing only you have access to my body. I don’t lessen my value to a woman by making myself available to others. I’ll be yours alone, Fi. I promise.”

She released a low giggle that made my heart skip a beat. “That actually makes me feel really good, Elias. I like the idea of that.”

“I’m glad. And it’s not an idea—it’s the truth. It’s reality. I’m going to be faithful to you.”

“Seeing as you won’t touch me until you’ve talked to her, that’s a sign that I can trust you. So okay. I trust you.”

“Good. The room’s already ready. Let’s head up.”

As I got out of the car, I couldn’t help but wonder about the kind of men she’d dated and her upbringing…if she said what she said because she saw her father cheating on her mother. If so, that would change my perception of her father for sure. For right now, though, that didn’t matter. I actually looked forward to spending the night with Fiona and seeing if that was something I could get used to.