Diving Into You

Chapter Ten

Elliot

I knew the moment Marissa walked into the lounge, I didn’t need to turn around , didn’t even need to raise my eyes to the window to see her reflected there.

The air seemed to be sucked out of the room, all eyes swivelled in her direction. She just had that kind of presence. To everyone but me.

She didn’t make me want to make love to her with my eyes or sell my own grandmother for a night with her but I could see why others were obsessed.

She had always been a pretty thing and that pretty had blossomed into something else the older she got.

No Marissa wasn’t just pretty with her perfect blonde hair and perfect figure. She was perfect. To perfect.

And she didn’t appeal to me at all.

Her laughter tinkled across the room, just the right combination of girly and throaty sec kitten.

“Oh please.” The air moved behind me as she stepped up to my back, her hand swiping across the small of my back in a gesture that was pure ownership.

I frowned at our images in the floor to glass windows. She was always doing s**t like that. Tiny little things to stake her claim.

I wasn’t hers to claim.

“It’s not like she’s the only one to ever touch his ass.” As if to cement her word she palmed my ass. “Isn’t that right baby?”

Making a sound in the back of my throat I turned, capturing her wrist before she could grab at me again.

“Don’t do that Marissa.” I dropped her hand like it burnt me and took a step back. Wanting the distance between us.

Marissa was beautiful but cloying.

“Oh come on baby.” Her wide blue eyes , the lashes thick and black fluttered seductively. “Don’t be like that. Come and say hello to your oldest friends.”Her chin tilted and I gave her the expected kiss on both cheeks. Her fingers squeezed my shoulders. Nails digging in. “I wanted you to hear my news from me and not someone else, come.” She tugged on my hand , leading me to a cluster of seats in the far corner. “Guess who has a job.”

“Marissa you are never short on work.” With a sigh I settled myself into the seat, my long legs crossed at the ankle.

Marissa was a model. Not the i********: wanna be type model either she was beautiful and profession and had adorned many high end glossy beauty magazines. She was in high demand.

A job was nothing to get excited about.

“Oh silly.” She grinned as if I paid her a glowing compliment and not just stated a fact. “I have a job next month in Tokyo,” her hands clapped together and I felt my frown deepen. “I’ll be there the same time as you. Will be able to cheer you on pretty much every day.”

Dammit.

She was always doing things like this. Injecting herself into my life in any way she could. And for the most part I let her. She was my oldest friend but I knew she wanted more.

It was the more I had a problem with.

“Why?”

“Why?” She repeated and her overly glossy mouth fell open. “It’s my job Elliot.”

“You aren’t … Marissa there is no need for you to come to Tokyo for…”

“I am not coming for you Elliot Davis, get over yourself already.” She shook her mane of platinum blonde hair as if it was the most absurd thing she had ever heard. “But I will get to cheer you on and that’s a bonus right…”

“Elliot.” Barry hovered. “You need to look at this.” He waved the piece of paper in my face.

“What is it?”

“List of reporters assigned to you for the Games.” He tapped the paper about half way down.

News Centre- Riley O’Brian

The girl from the bar , hadn’t her name been Riley? Her small hand rubbing my chest… my ass.

The same Riley who had flashed my ass to the world only yesterday?

The girl who was making me and her trend on social media as the world went crazy to find out a relationship status?

That Riley was going to be accompany me?

My palms were suddenly sweaty.

“Ok.”

“She’s waiting to meet with you.”