Seconds later, Chelsea and Eli were in the bedroom. “What did you find out?” Chelsea asked as she went to the bathroom to repair her makeup.
“The kid is heartbroken about Abby going out with another guy. I know how he feels. You in that pink dress with Axel. I saw him a few years ago. He has a beer belly and he’s behind on his child support.”
Chelsea glared at him in the mirror. “Could you stop with the guilt? I’m here now and if we ever get any time alone, I’m going to rip your clothes off. Isn’t that enough for you?”
Eli gave a one-sided smile. “How about a quickie up against a wall?”
Chelsea halted with the lipstick tube in her hand as she considered, but then applied it. “Tempting, but we can’t. Kids have no sense of time or privacy. Besides, I’m beginning to think all this is serious. Abby is afraid of Peterson. What have you heard from your dad?”
“Just that nothing has been found out. But I don’t think Peterson would go to Grace if she didn’t have something he wanted. We just need to figure out what it is.”
Chelsea stepped back into the bedroom. “You don’t think there’s more than money involved in this, do you?”
Eli knew what she meant. He lowered his voice. “That maybe Abby’s father didn’t commit suicide? That maybe Peterson had a hand in his death? Yeah, I do. And I worry about Abby and Grace. I have Mike Newcomb looking into it.”
“Who is he?”
Quickly, Eli told her of his conversation with his mother.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“I would have, but you were in the kitchen wearing my underwear and flirting with Lanny.”
“And I got a lot of information about Grace from him and his brother. You’d be amazed at what long, naked legs can accomplish.”
“The same with shirtless men and women,” Eli shot back at her.
For a moment they looked at each other, their eyes angry, but they soon turned to hot. Eli grabbed Chelsea’s arm and spun her around so her back was to the wall. His mouth was on hers before she hit.
His tongue searched her mouth, his hands slid down to her round bottom, and he lifted her up. Her leg came up around his hip. As his kiss went deeper, he lifted her so both her long, slim legs were around his waist.
Her hands slipped under his shirt, running over the muscles, feeling the strength of him, the very maleness of him.
There was a knock on the bedroom door but they ignored it.
Eli’s hand went to Chelsea’s breast.
The knock came again, followed by a turning of the doorknob. If Eli hadn’t locked the door, it would have opened.
“Hey!” Abby said from the other side of the door. “My mom just texted me that she’s on her way home. I don’t want her there alone with that man, so could we go?”
Reluctantly, Eli removed his mouth from Chelsea’s skin. “Be there in a minute.” He set her to the floor and looked at her. His eyes were still fiery, but also full of regret. He stepped away from her. “You go. I’ll be out there when I’m presentable.”
She glanced downward. He wasn’t in any condition to be seen. “I’ll take Abby home, then I’ll come back here. No. Actually, I have to talk to Pilar, but you and I will have dinner together and—”
“I can’t. Jeff wants us to go out with him and Melissa. I think he wants to tell me that he’s going to quit working for me. He—”
Again, Abby knocked on the door.
With a sigh, Chelsea opened it.
“What happened to your lipstick?” Abby asked.
“It was kissed away.” Chelsea stepped into the hall, closing the door
behind her. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, sure,” Abby said. When she passed Scully, she gave a lift to her eyebrows and followed Chelsea to the front door. The two women left the house.