Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(142)

Damn women.

Shea got up and cringed a little as he moved to take his glass to the sink. Elli stood wearing one of his old buttoned up shirts with only panties under it. He watched her for a moment, loving the way she moved and the way she pushed her hair off her shoulders. She was so hot that even with all the pain he was in; he still wanted to take her to bed.

He didn’t know what she had planned for Christmas, since he wasn’t supposed to be there but in Chicago, but he needed to ask. His mother wanted him home, even if it was only for Christmas. It would at least shut her up and leave him alone for the length of the injury. As he watched Elli, he wondered if she would come home with him. He hated being away from her and the fact that the studio was closed until the beginning of the New Year, he didn’t see a reason why she wouldn’t want to go home with him.

Except that she might want to spend time with her family for Christmas. After the birthday party, Elli had talked to her mother twice. Both times were good, Elli actually hung up smiling. Shea didn’t want to come between the reunion of mother and daughter, but he also wanted her to come home with him, show her around Boston. He didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving with her, and he definitely wanted to spend her favorite holiday with her.

When Elli glanced up seeing he was watching her, she smiled.

“I know that look, Shea Adler, you aren’t getting any anytime soon.”

A slow grin went over his face, she knew him so well. “Come home with me.”

She looked up at him, confusion all over her face, “I am home.”

“No, I mean come home to Boston with me for Christmas. My mom wants me to come home since I’m hurt, and I wanna go, but I don’t want to leave you.”

Elli blinked a few times before looking down at the sink, “I have Christmas with my family, though.”

“I know and I know things are good right now with your family, but this is probably the only time we’ll be able to go home for Christmas. I really want you to come spend some time with my family, get to know them.”

Shea watched as she nodded, moving away from the sink towards the fridge. “I,” she stopped moving in front of the island. She then leaned against it as she looked over at him, “Yeah, okay.” Shea had a huge grin go across his face as Elli went on, “I’ll have to call to have Adler boarded and I’ll have to run to Clarksville to drop off the gifts I got my family. So can we leave tomorrow?”

“That’s fine. I’ll call my mom and get us tickets while you do what you need to do.”

“Okay,” she came over to him, kissing him softly before walking towards the bedroom.

Shea had a feeling she wasn’t happy, though.





The next morning, Shea boarded a plane with Elli after spending an hour trying to get dressed. He learned quickly that he was going to look like a one armed man while he was hurt since he couldn’t run around with no shirt in 30 degree weather. He was embarrassed by the way he looked, but what was he supposed to do, put a fake arm in the other sleeve? It didn’t seem to bother Elli, though; she just smiled, holding his other hand as they walk through the airport onto the plane. He hated that she had to put their carry-ons in the space above their seats, but again it wasn’t like he could do anything, he was a one armed man.

Elli hadn’t said much since their conversation in the kitchen. She took Adler to the boarding house before running back to Clarksville to drop off gifts for the family. When she came back, Shea could tell she had been crying, but when he asked, she said everything was fine.

“I figured we could go shopping when we land, before heading to my mom’s. I haven’t bought anything for my family yet.”

Elli nodded, “I already packed my gifts for them, but I don’t mind going shopping again. We all know I love to shop.”

“You already got my family gifts?”

“Yeah, like a month ago.”

“What did you get?” he asked, as she smiled over at him.

“Stuff. Why?”

“Cause I didn’t get squat! Plus, I thought maybe we would do it together,” he said with a shrug.

“You were supposed to be in Chicago. I was just gonna send the package up to Boston.”

“Oh, well I guess that makes sense. Getting hurt has messed up a lot of people’s plans.”

Elli shrugged, “It’s no big deal, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“No, you’re mad because you’re not home with your family. I bet the only reason you’re here is because you’re worried about my arm, and you probably don’t even want to go home with me.” Elli cut him a look, surprised by his outburst. Hell, he was surprised by it. She narrowed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“Um, for one, I’m not mad. Yeah, I’m gonna miss my family during the holidays, but I realize that my life is changing. I can’t worry about just me anymore, I have you now. Second, I do want to go home with you. I love your family and you know I do. Third, if you don’t lose your little attitude, I’m gonna kick your ass.” She smiled sweetly before pulling out her book and started reading. He couldn’t help the scoff that escaped his mouth, but he wished he had because Elli looked back over at him, madder than hell. “Are you laughing at me?”

He shook his head, “Never.”