Ok, I can't stay away from this story. I literally wrote this out while my kids played with their easter toys. I think I'm hooked.
Alright, you can do this, she thought to herself as Josh rang the doorbell. Laci came to the door, opening it with a smile on her face.
"Hey there you guys. Have a good time today?" she asked innocently, a small smile on her lips. "Was Josh a good tour guide?"
Eliza just glared at her friend, willing her to shut her mouth. "It was great," she replied, following Laci into the house, "Alice and I got to see a lot of cool things." She kept following Laci, out into the backyard, where she was greeted by new and familiar faces. She saw Mike and John hanging out by the grill together, along with a new face. There were 3 men standing by a table in the opposite corner of the deck, and a woman out in the yard, watching two kids play. Eliza gave a small smile and Laci ushered her over to the grill. Alice took off into the backyard to play and Josh joined the men at the table.
"Eliza, you remember John," Mike said when they got closer, nodding towards him. "This is his brother, Andy. They are my captains on the Time Bandit."
"Nice to meet you." Andy said with a wink. "Hope my idiot brother didn't break anything at your house."
Eliza laughed and responded, "I think everything is intact."
"Damn straight it is." John replied gruffly, playfully slinging an arm around Eliza's shoulder. "You don't mind him sweetheart. I'm the fun Captain." Eliza had to admit, there was something about him that just oozed sex appeal. If she thought he might be interested in something other than sex, Josh wouldn't have a chance. However, she was not looking to get involved with another bad boy anytime soon. Yea, cuz that turned out so great the first time. She thought to herself sarcastically.
In the meantime, Josh had wandered over to the table that housed 3 Hansen brothers. "How's it going guys? Jake mentioned you were finishing up some stuff for the boat. Didn't think you'd be here this early." He said, leaning against the deck railing.
"We finished up earlier than we thought. Junior is getting your brother." Edgar replied, then nodded his head towards Eliza. "Norm wants to know who that bombshell over there is."
Norman's face turned red and he glared at Edgar, "I just asked who she was." He responded quietly.
"That's Eliza." Josh answered trying to sound casual. "She's Laci's friend, the one this party is for."
"Wow, is she single?" Edgar glanced over at her again, watching her laugh at something Andy said.
"Yeah, she is. But back off please, I really like her and she seems to like me too." Josh quickly answered, no longer sounding remotely casual about it. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I even like her kid."
A smirk crossed Edgar's face and Josh knew he was about to get some ribbing from the older man. "Josh has a crush." He said in an obnoxious sing song voice. Josh rolled his eyes, not bothering to acknowledge what was said.
"Leave the kid alone, I'm trying to relax here." Sig spoke up for the first time, mock glaring over at his youngest brother. "Jake Squared will be here soon, then there will be no rest for the weary."
All four laughed at that. Josh saw Eliza headed their way, John right behind her. He was checking out her backside as she walked, not bothering to hide what he was doing. Josh instantly found himself growing upset. Why can't everyone just back the fuck off, he thought to himself.
"Eliza, this is Edgar, Norman, and Sig. They own and operate the Northwestern." Josh introduced them, sliding over so Eliza could stand next to him.
"Nice to meet you." Eliza answered, a shy smile on her face. "I'm going to have to watch the show just to keep track of everyone."
"You don't watch the show? I figured being a friend of Laci's, you would have seen it just cuz of Mike." Edgar looked surprised. "Besides, why else would you be interested in Josh?" He said the last part with a shit eating grin on his face. Both Josh and Eliza blushed, and before she got a chance to respond, John was singing loudly, "Josh and Liza sitting in a tree, F-U-C-..OWW!" Josh punched him in the arm hard, glaring at the captain. "You are so dead Harris."
With that, both men took off into the yard, John running after Josh, yelling about how he "needed to respect his elders and Captains."
"What's going on out there?" asked a new voice, the sound of the sliding door preceding the statement.
Eliza turned around to see two men in the doorway, the one from the boat earlier and a dark haired tattooed man. "John's teasing Josh about his crush on Eliza here." Edgar said, taking Josh's spot beside Eliza. "So, you interested in Josh too hun?"
Eliza could feel her cheeks heating up, knowing she was turning red. Damn my pale complexion, she thought. "Um, I mean I like him, if that's what you're asking." She responded deciding it was high time to seek Laci out. "I'll see you guys later." She retreated to the house, recalling Laci stepping back inside a few minutes earlier.
"Good job, Ed. You successfully ran her off." Sig said after she had left.
"She's too shy, she needs to lighten up if she's gonna hang with us fishermen." Ed shrugged it off, trying not to feel bad about his teasing.
"That Eliza?" Jake H. asked taking a seat at the table. "My brother wouldn't shut up about her last night. I see why, she's hot."
"Yea, she was with him earlier at the docks. He said he was showing her around Seattle, aka He's trying to hit that." Jake A joined the conversation, also taking a seat.
At that moment, Josh and John were returning to the deck, both sporting wrinkled clothes and some grass stains. "What's up?" Josh asked, slapping hands with his brother before resuming his previous position, shoving Ed over. "Where's Liza?"
"Ed embarrassed her, she went inside." Jake H answered his brother's question. "I heard her say she likes you before she left though."
Josh tried to contain his grin, the guys were already giving him shit as it was. "That's cool." Internally however, he was not so calm. She likes me, she likes me.
Inside, Eliza had tracked down Laci in the kitchen, and was helping her chop some veggies to be grilled later.
"Alright, spill it girl. What's going on with you and Josh?" Laci said from the other side of the island they were working on. "I saw the way you two were looking at each other."
"Well, I cooked him dinner last night since he was still working on my cable." Eliza began, and then proceeded to tell her friend the whole story. After she finished, Laci ran around the counter and squeezed her in a tight hug. "Oh my god Eliza, this is so awesome. Josh is a really great guy and it's about time you found someone!"
"Slow down Laci, it's not like we're dating or anything. He was just being nice and EVERY guy flirts." Eliza responded, trying not to get too excited. What if it was nothing?
"Oh whatever, Liza. He totally wants you." Laci resumed her chopping, waving her knife towards Eliza casually. "I give it a week tops and you guys will have totally made out."
Eliza blushed at this thought. No way he was into her like that. She was a divorced single mom. Guys didn't want all that baggage. But she found herself imagining them kissing, wondering what his lips would feel like against hers, his hand tangling itself in her hair…
"Earth to Eliza." She heard Laci saying, a huge smile on her face. "You are so into him. Quit imaging him naked and go take this out to Mike and Andy." She passed Eliza a bowl of chopped up squash, zuccinni, and broccoli. With a bright red blush, Eliza took the bowl and headed for the door.
Upon opening the door, she heard Alice laughing loudly and screaming "you can't catch me!" Eliza looked into the yard to see Josh chasing her around, making ridiculous dinosaur noises. She smiled and brought the bowl of vegetables over to Mike and Andy. They looked at her knowingly, and Mike spoke up, "He's playing with your kid. He definitely wants you."
Eliza didn't blush this time, just smiled and watched the two playing in the yard. "She's never like this with strangers, especially guys."
Andy patted her on the back, a smirk on his face. "It's gonna break my brother's heart that you hooking up with Josh." Eliza rolled her eyes, knowing it was not his heart that would be affected.
30 minutes later, they were getting ready to eat. Eliza had discovered the blonde woman in the yard was June Hansen, Sig's wife. Their daughters, Nina and Mandy were at a friend's house, having no interest in the get together. The two kids were Edgar's youngest two, his oldest being with his ex-wife Louise. They had a great meal, Eliza getting sat between Josh and Jake A, with Alice choosing to sit between Josh and Laci. After dinner, Alice began yawning and Eliza saw that as her cue to get going.
"We should probably head out now, Alice needs to get to bed." Eliza said, getting up from the table. "It was really great meeting everyone."
"I'll drive you home and pick up my car." Josh said also standing with her. This got a raised eyebrow from a few of the guys that didn't know they had been together all day. "Later guys."
They all got loaded into the car, and before she knew Eliza had fallen asleep. The next thing she knew, she was being gently shaken awake. She opened her eyes to find a pair of chocolate brown ones right in front of her. "Hey, did I fall asleep?" she asked groggily, stretching to wake herself up. It put her closer to Josh, and before she knew it, he was kissing her. His lips were surprisingly soft, and he swept his tongue across her bottom lip. She moaned softly in response and opened her mouth up to his probing tongue. They kissed for a while, until Eliza remembered Alice was still in the car. She broke away from the kiss and glanced into the backseat, frowning with she saw the empty booster seat.
"She was asleep, so I put her in her bed. I took off her shoes and covered her up. She's fine." Josh answered my question before I even had a chance to ask it. His voice was huskier than normal, and Eliza was happy that she had that effect on him. "I'll let you go in and get to bed."
Eliza smirked up at him from her spot in the passenger seat, "What if I want to keep kissing you?" she asked in a sultry voice she didn't even recognize.
Josh chuckled and pulled her up from the seat, helping her get out of the car. Once she was out, he closed the door and turned back to her. She was leaning against the side of the SUV, biting her lip. He pushed his body against her, grasping her hair in one hand and using it to angle her face upwards. "That can be arranged." He whispered before placing his lips on hers again. Things quickly heated up again, and Eliza felt his hands sliding up the back of her t-shirt. She pulled away from his lips, resting her forehead on his shoulder, trying to catch her breath.
"I'm going to go inside before I do something we both regret." She whispered, once she could speak again.
"Ok, call me tomorrow sometime." He said, taking a step back. He walked her to the door and with another small peck on the lips, she went inside. She slid down the closed door, placing her hands in her hands. Holy shit, she thought to herself. That was intense.
And there it is, Josh makes his move. Let me know how I did!