Deliver Me (29 page)

The fact that the
staff at Methodist Memorial had made her feel at home had also played a huge
part in her decision to stay in New Orleans. Monica loved her job more than she
ever thought possible. And the charity banquet preparations were going even
better than she could have hoped for.

She had Eli to thank
for much of that.

He had taken his
role seriously, and since their relationship had escalated to this new level,
he seemed to work even harder.

“Are you sure you
like this color,” Eli asked, holding up the color sample Monica had handed to
him on the way to Home Depot.

“The Venetian Red is
perfect for the kitchen and living room. She took the color palette and held it
up to the tiny fabric sample she’d cut from the under hem of the chair in her
living room. “Don’t you see how well it goes with the rest of the décor?”

“I guess,” Eli
shrugged.

Monica snorted. “As
if you know anything about style. I’ll bet your house is still sporting colors
from the Eighties.”

He leaned over and
whispered in her ear, “Why don’t you come on over and find out?”

A tingle of
excitement swept across Monica’s skin. “Eventually,” she promised with a shy
smile.

“From your beautiful
lips to God’s ears.” He nipped playfully at her ear.

If he continued with
this pursuit of the Most Charming Man in America award, Monica would find
herself in his bed earlier then she had anticipated. Elijah Holmes was becoming
impossible to resist.

When was the last
time she had engaged in love play in public? Monica could barely recall even
kissing Patrick outside of the bedroom. He’d told her they were under constant
scrutiny because of his father’s position in the community, and needed to avoid
anything the media could turn into a scandal. His rule had changed after he got
married. The few times Monica had run into him and his wife, they’d looked to
be on the verge of getting a motel room.

Apparently, Patrick
wasn’t against public displays of affection, as long as they were not with
her
.

Eli had no qualms
with allowing the world to see how he felt about her. Whether they were at
Ethel’s, his mother’s, or even in the hospital halls, Eli constantly bestowed
light touches and soft kisses.

Monica was still
unsure of the decision to make their relationship known at the hospital, but to
her chagrin, no one seemed surprised. In fact, when she finally imparted the
news to some of the ER nurses who had become more than just co-workers, but
friends, many asked why it had taken so long. The nursing staff claimed to have
seen the sparks between Eli and Monica ever since their first encounter.

Eli wrapped his arms
around her, and Monica nestled her back against his chest, melting into the
solid strength of his arms. They rocked slightly side to side as they waited
for the sales associate to mix the paint combination.

“Do you want Chinese
or pizza?” Eli inquired softly in her ear. His sensual voice could make even
the most mundane question erotic.

“Why don’t you
choose,” Monica answered.

“Hmm...well, I say
we forgo painting for tonight, make another stop—this time to the grocery
store—and I cook dinner for you at my place.”

Monica turned around
so sharply she nearly bumped his chin. “You cook?”

“Of course I cook.
You’ve met my mother. Do you honestly think I could grow up in that house and
not learn my way around a kitchen?”

“Dr. Holmes, you
continue to surprise me,” she grinned.

“That’s a good
thing. I’ve heard dullness has a bad affect on relationships.”

He let her go and
deposited the three paint cans into the basket. “So, what do you say? Do you
think you can live with those depressing white walls until next weekend?”

Monica hesitated.
She knew accepting this invitation may lead to more than just dinner, but she
was willing to take the risk. Sleeping with him was inevitable. Eli had left
the decision of when it would happen to her, but Monica knew sooner or later it
definitely
would
happen.

A mixture of
excitement and fear spread through her belly at the thought of it possibly
happening tonight.

“I’m in the mood for
steak,” she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

Although Eli said he
had T-bones in his freezer, they stopped at the grocery store since the meat
would have to defrost. In addition to the steaks, they bought baking potatoes,
a bag of Caesar salad mix and a bottle of Merlot.

Standing in his
kitchen, Monica had to admit she was impressed. The layout was worthy of a
gourmet chef, and the rest of the open living, dining, and kitchen area looked
to be straight out of the pages of
Architectural
Digest
.

“What’s with the
face?” Eli asked.

Monica doubted he
realized how sexy he looked with that apron tied around his waist. He sprinkled
cayenne pepper on the steaks and rubbed the two pieces of meat together, then
set the glass dish aside.

“Just admiring your
house,” she answered. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Why don’t I give
you a tour while the steaks marinate,” he said, untying the apron at the back.

Wrapping her arms
around him, Monica stilled his hands. “Leave it on. I like this look on you.”

The grin on his face
spread from his mouth up to his eyes. “Far be it for me to go against the lady’s
wishes. You’re not going to attack me in a fit of passion when I pick up the
grilling tools, will you?”

She raised a brow. “And
you would have a problem with that?”

“Hell no.”

Laughing, Monica
grabbed him by the hand. “Come on. I want to see the rest of this place.”

Impressive didn’t
begin to describe the house. The décor was both rich and inviting, and even
though he used more neutral colors than the bold ones she gravitated to, the
soft browns, muted golds, and pale yellows suited him. The intricate woodwork
on the banister and crown molding must have taken months to complete.

“Eli, this is
beautiful,” Monica called out as she stood in his granite and marble bathroom. “You
can fit my entire apartment in this shower.” She turned to where he stood in
the doorway and sent him a teasing smile. “I guess this is what you get when
you’re Super Doc, huh?” She turned back to admire the chrome and gold-plated
fixtures.

“This is what you
get when you learn to appreciate the finer things in life,” he said, his voice
hushed, sensual.

Monica had the
feeling he was no longer talking about the house. She became aware of him right
behind her. The massive bathroom suddenly became too small. Slowly, she turned
to face him, and the smoldering look in his eyes confirmed her thoughts.

Eli continued. “I
treat my home the way I treat everything else in life.”

“And how’s that,”
Monica panted, mesmerized by the intoxicating timbre of his softly spoken
words.

He stepped an inch
closer, their bodies nearly touching. Eli’s voice was almost a whisper as he
said, “When I see something I want, I go for it. No matter the cost.”

Elijah Holmes had
the power to tear down her defenses. After an entire year behind the wall she’d
erected around her heart, Monica could feel the barrier slowly crumbling. She
didn’t want to shield herself any longer. She wanted to give herself fully,
freely over to him.

“I used to worry
about paying the price for what I wanted,” Monica admitted.

“And now?”

“Now...now, it doesn’t
matter. I don’t care about the price anymore. I want to go for what I want.”

He trailed a finger
down the length of her jaw. “And what do you want?”

She swallowed. “You,”
Monica answered truthfully. She refused to hold back any longer. She was tired
of denying herself, tired of living in fear of what would happen tomorrow. She
was ready to live for today—for this very moment.

“I want you, Eli.”
Monica said more forcefully. “Right now.”

“I want you, too,”
he said. Taking her by the hand, Eli led her out of the bathroom and into his
master bedroom. The large wrought iron bed presented a picture of down-filled
heaven, with mountains of stuffed pillows in various shades and sizes.

“Wait,” Monica
stopped him. “Before we go one step further, I want you to tell me the truth.”
She saw the dejection on his face. Monica inwardly smiled. “You didn’t decorate
this house by yourself, did you?”

The sexy grin upon
his lips lit a fire deep within Monica’s belly. “I didn’t decorate it at all.
My cousin, Indina, is an interior designer. This is all her doing.”

“I knew it was too
good to be true.” She returned his grin.

“Give me a couple of
minutes, I’ll show you something that’s truly too good to be true.”

The excited rush
that flashed through her body was enough to weaken her knees. It didn’t matter
since Eli swooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

With painstaking
slowness, he undid the buttons of her blouse and peeled the silky fabric from
her fevered skin. He trailed light kisses upon her flesh as he revealed more of
it to his gaze.

She lay against the
backdrop of pillows, clad only in a lace bra and panty set Nia had bought her
as a gag gift. She had not worn it in ages. Monica wondered if she’d
unconsciously known this would happen today.

She languidly
reclined against the pillows as she watched Eli undress. He stripped out of his
shirt and khakis, then hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his silk boxers
and drew them down his legs.

Monica’s eyes
widened.

He was gorgeous.

And he was hers.

“Come here,” she
said, pushing up from her reclining position. Eli crawled to meet her in the
center of the massive bed, their lips the first part of their anatomy to meet.

Monica moaned as Eli’s
tongue invaded her mouth. An onslaught of hedonistic pleasure coursed through
her body as he plunged into the deep recesses of her mouth, lavishing her in an
erotic rhythm Monica could only hope was a precursor to what was to come.

Her back arched
instinctively as his fingers traveled along her spine, finding the clasp of her
bra and releasing her breasts from their lacy confinement.

Monica sighed in
ecstasy as Eli’s hands closed over her aching breasts. He cupped them, sending
pleasurable sparks streaming through her body as his thumbs played upon her
sensitized nipples.

“You feel so good,”
he breathed against her neck. He trailed his tongue across her collarbone
nipping her skin with his teeth. “Lie down,” Eli commanded.

Monica floated as he
lowered her onto the mound of pillows and covered her body with his. His tongue
skimmed her shoulder on its way to the valley between her breasts. He traveled
down the length of her body, punctuating her flesh with hot, moist kisses.

Monica moaned in
satisfaction as he found his way to her stomach. Her lower muscles tightened as
Eli burrowed his face against her abdomen, then he caught the edge of her lace
panties between his teeth and tugged.

She lifted slightly
off the bed so he could pull the flimsy garment down her legs. Monica lay
before him completely naked, and to her astonishment, totally unselfconscious.

The embarrassment
that usually overwhelmed her whenever she’d made love to Patrick was absent.
She didn’t feel gauche or awkward in Eli’s arms. She felt womanly. Alive.
Wanted.

Reclaiming her lips,
Eli crushed her to him. Monica’s body responded violently to the sensation of
Eli’s muscled form flush against her naked skin, her limbs shaking in stark
excitement.

“Give me a minute,
baby,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. “I’ll give you a reason to tremble.”

Capturing her knees,
Eli spread her legs open and plunged deep inside of her. Monica’s head reared
back as her entire body arched off the bed. She clutched the silk sheets,
lifting her hips to meet his insistent, methodical thrusts.

The sensation
started deep in the pit of her belly, rapidly escalating as Eli repeatedly
drove into her with his hard body. Monica opened her legs wider, wrapping them
around his hips as they pumped in a rhythm that reverberated throughout her
being. She ran her hands up and down his back, gripping the solid muscles and
squeezing.

His pace quickened.

Surrendering to her
body’s demands, Monica started to tremble as waves of passion spiraled through
her.

The pleasure was
pure and explosive. She cried out in exquisite release, her inner muscles
clutching Eli’s flesh that continued to pulsate inside of her.

Taking shallow
breaths, Monica tried to bring herself back to a place she recognized. Eli had
just taken her to heights unparalleled, and for many moments after they were
done, Monica was unsure of what to say or do.

In the end, all she
could do was slip into blissful sleep, wrapped in the warmth of Eli’s strong
embrace.