“Say what!”

A couple people turned to see what the commotion was about, but neither girl cared as Elli jumped into details about the amazing night with Shea. Harper listened intently, until the bride and groom walked in. Then they went back to work, promising to finish their conversation later.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch; the bride and groom’s night was captured with each click of Elli’s camera. Each shot was perfect. The ones where John took such care feeding Kylie her cake, and then the ones where Kylie just slammed the cake in John’s face were priceless. The night was wonderful in Elli’s opinion, and she just wished all weddings went as well as this one had.

Elli and Harper walked out together and gathered around Elli’s truck. Harper was basically bouncing. She had wanted to hear all about what had happened between Elli and Shea, their whole night, and she was ready to bust with questions.

Of course, she asked if Shea was stacked and Elli could only blush, causing Harper to laugh her ass off. But after that, she bombarded Elli with questions and Elli couldn’t be happier than to share. It had been so long since she got to have girl talk about sex, so she was basking in happiness!

“So, you think you’re ready for the main course?”

Elli thought it over. She was ready, but she was still scared.

“I think if it was dark again I could do it, but not in the light. But then I don’t know if I want to, you know?”

“Why?” Harper asked with a scrunched up face.

“What if we do it, and you know me, I’ll put my heart into it, and then he meets my family and all hell breaks loose?”

Harper rolled her eyes.

“I mean really, I haven’t told him about Justin or being on Broadway. I haven’t really told him anything personal. So I don’t know, I kinda wanna wait.”

“Well, he’s waited this long. When’s the dinner? In two weeks right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I still think you need to tell him before then, though. About everything, because you know your family will bust you out left and right. They are going to try to make you look bad.”

“I know, but I don’t want to talk about Justin or the Broadway shit, you know? It’s my past.”

“I know, Elli, but your mom doesn’t understand that. She thinks God and everyone else needs to know about your failing career, your failing engagement, and your failing life, basically.”

Harper shook her head as Elli nodded.

“But you know I don’t think its failing,” Harper reassured her friend.

“Oh, hush,” Elli said with a grin, “I know it’s not true, but when you hear it enough it still messes with you.”

“I know, babe, but look at you now! You’re so happy! When are you going to bring him to friend night?”

Elli shrugged her shoulders, and then smiled.

“When are you bringing Jakob?”

Harper grinned and said, “Actually, they are going to be home in December for it, so I am bringing him then, thank you very much!”

Elli grinned, as Harper bounced up and down.

“Well, if Shea hasn’t dumped me, I’ll ask him to come.”

“He isn't gonna dump you! Come on! He’s totally smitten with you.”

Elli smiled at the thought; she was totally smitten too. Harper was right, she needed to talk to Shea.

She’d do it when she arrived home.

Home?

When did Shea’s home become her home?

Well, hells bells.

When Elli got to Shea’s condo that night, talking to him went straight out the window. When she had opened the door and saw the red rose petals all over the floor that made a trail to the kitchen, her breath caught. She looked around the room and saw the soft lighting of white candles. Tall candles, short candles on little plates, tea cup candles, and big fat ones that had four wicks to them. They were everywhere.

Elli smiled to herself as she locked the door, and laid her bag down.

“Shea?” she called out as she followed the trail to the kitchen. When she turned the corner and saw the island covered in rose petals with two plate settings, lit only by candlelight, she covered her mouth in shock.

It was so romantic, so sweet; he had really done all of this for her?

Shea came from the bedroom, with a shy smile on his face. He was wearing a pair of jeans and black button up shirt, with bare feet. His hair was perfectly messy, and he wasn’t wearing his glasses.

“I thought you would be later,” he said as he came to her, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her softly.

“I guess the bride and groom were in a hurry,” Elli said with a grin. She nodded towards the island, “What’s all this?”

“I can't have dinner waiting for my beautiful girlfriend?”

Elli narrowed her eyes, with a playful grin, “Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Adler?”

He let her go to put his hands on his chest with an innocent smile on his face.

“Me? Never,” he said, before wrapping her up in his arms again, kissing her deeply. She basked in his kisses, holding onto him like her life depended on it. He hugged her back, nuzzling her neck.

Shea pulled back some to smile down at her before asking, “Are you hungry?”

“I am,” she answered.

He nodded before letting her go and going to the oven. He pulled out a box of pizza and Elli just giggled.

“What? I can make sandwiches and soup. After that, it’s takeout and pizza.”