A question pops into Elsie’s head at John’s response.
“How many presents did you bring, John?” she asks him, as she puts her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes at him, while trying not to smile.
His face turns a deep red because he feels like he’s been caught red handed at something he was trying to hide, “I don’t know.”
“Don’t let him shit you, Elsie. He had to back his pick-up truck in to unload them all. There had to be at least ten laptops in that mess,” Janie’s voice comes from over Elsie’s shoulder.
Stunned, Elsie is speechless as she looks at this enigma of a man standing before her. She doesn’t know what to think. Her heart wants to burst from all of the emotions she’s feeling right now, and most of them are because of this man in front of her. It takes every ounce of her control to not to throw her arms around his neck, and cover his face with kisses. She wants to shower him with everything in her, the joy, the happiness, and all of the pent-up longing. Despite the December chill, she can feel a piece of the ice inside her beginning to melt away.
For the first time, Elsie feels that she just might be able to trust a man. Just maybe.
“Stop, Janie, it wasn’t that much. I just couldn’t carry it all over here, and, um, I was too lazy to make a couple of trips,” he says trying to sound convincing.
“That’s crap, John, but I’m not got going to tease you about it. You, and the rest of the guys, have made sure the kids are going to have an amazing Christmas.”
“Oh my God, John, that’s incredible,” Elsie can’t help but beam at John.
John shakes his head as the blush begins to fade, “It wasn’t that much,” he tries to insist.
He looks into Elsie’s face, his heart skipping a beat at the unguarded emotion he sees there, and it makes him smile. He wants to kiss her, and let all of the goodness he’s feeling pour into her and fill her up until it pushes away all of that hidden sadness within her forever.
“Uh huh,” Janie mocks him playfully. “Anyway, I just came over, before I have to do my stretches, to say thank you, John. You really are a big teddy bear underneath all of that brawn,” she says, all signs of joking gone. Then turning to Elsie she continues, “And thank you Babes, for coming out this morning,” Janie says taking Elsie in her arms for a quick hug.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything, Honey.”
“Here are your hot chocolates,” the kid in the booth says, trying to get their attention.
John turns to him and pulls out a $20 bill, passing it to him, “Thanks, dude, keep the change…for the charity.”
Both cups are practically overflowing with whipped cream, as John hands Elsie hers.
“I’d like to invite you ladies over to my house, after the run, for a tree trimming party. Some of the guys are going to be there, including Brian,” he glances to Elsie, “Scott,” and he turns his eyes to Janie, “And I think Marco and Elizabeth are coming as well.”
“Hi guys!” Elizabeth shouts as she and Marco walk towards them.
“We heard our names, what’s up?” Marco asks John.
“You guys are coming over today for the tree decorating, right?” John asks them both.
“Of course we are, you two are coming too, no buts about it,” Elizabeth answers John looking at both Janie and Elsie.
“Well, I’ll have to run home and turn back into a fairy princess from the Sweat Hog Ogre I’m going to be after the run. Just text me the address with the time and I’ll meet everyone there, ok? I’ve got to go start my stretches, see you guys afterwards.” Janie quickly walks off towards the other runners who were already beginning their preparations.
This is Elsie’s first opportunity to see the soccer players from UNCW’s Hammerheads team. What a sight they are, lean, and toned, and sexy.
“We can definitely kick all of their asses at the same time, can’t we John?” Brian’s comment pulls Elsie’s attention back. She didn’t realize she’d been ogling their tight little asses, as they were bending over stretching their legs.
“Damn right we can, but I’m not going to waste my energy on them, Bro,” John answers him, unintentionally puffing his chest out as he does.
“You guys are jealous,” Elsie laughs, looking back and forth between the two of them.
“Jealous, of those puny little guys? Hardly,” Brian scoffs.
“Come on, boys, no need to get your cock feathers all bent out of shape over the little guys,” Marco can’t resist busting their humps as well.
Elizabeth leans into Elsie’s ear and whispers loudly, “I think that they’re worried one of those guys will steal you away, since they haven’t been able to steal you for themselves.”
Elsie’s eyes widen as she stares at Elizabeth.
There’s no way she can know what John and Brian had insinuated at the Halloween party, no freakin’ way! Elsie shouts in her head.
Elizabeth’s face is filled with amusement as she raises an eyebrow at the two guys.
No, she doesn’t, she was just playing around. Oh my God, I would have died.
“Elizabeth, my dear, it will be a cold day in hell before I worry about a puny soccer player taking anything I want. You can bet on that,” John tells her, calm certainty in his steely voice.
“That’s my boy,” Marco laughs, slapping both John and Brian on their backs. “Tell us what we can bring today, John,” Marco asks, breaking the now uncomfortable subject.
This is going to be long day, Elsie thinks to herself, as she internally rolls her eyes.
“I’ve got everything covered, but if you’d like to bring some eggnog, we can never have too much of that,” he smiles at his friend.
“Believe it or not, Dude, I make killer eggnog,” Marco smiles, shaking his head at the fact he just admitted it in front of his
