Sunny

Chapter 23

Rhea spent the rest of the afternoon surrounded by the Stevens women. They were a force to be reckoned with. She was amazed at their ability to work together as a team while keeping up a constant stream of conversation between them.

She took her time watching them all, Cassie was only allowed to stir and chop, and everyone did their best to keep her away from the stove, but it was done in such a way that she didn't feel left out. Laura was the head cook and she didn't have much to say for herself, but she looked beautiful as she stirred a pot of greens in a beautiful dress that Rhea bet cost more than a month's salary when she had worked for Eli. Lizzy was not as reserved as she first presented and the more she talked the warmer she became, she had the same kindness reflected in her eyes as her mother Elizabeth had, but Rhea had the suspicion that her kindness wasn't a freely given as her mother's kindness was. Dana was obviously a nurturer, and she had a way of soothing everyone around her with her warm smile and gentle voice. Bryce's wife, Grace, eventually joined them, and as fair as the other women were that was as dark as she was, her skin was like alabaster but her dark curly hair piled high on her head gave her a regal look and she stood out from the other women. When she told Rhea that she was from Savannah they found a lot to talk about and it finally made Rhea feel at ease among all of the beautiful women that surrounded her.

They had everything prepped and ready to go for the following day and they had done it in a matter of hours, but when they were done it was time for dinner and Rhea was trying to wrap her head around what the options might be when Otto pushed through the back door with a pile of pizzas.

"Pizza anyone?" he asked as he put the pile down on the counter. He looked almost giddy as a few of the women hugged him and called him their hero. "I can't take the credit, Eli insisted. He said that there was no way he was going to allow you all to be trapped in the kitchen all night."

"Where is he?" Cassie asked as she bit into a slice of pepperoni.

Otto shrugged as Onyx and Victoria suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"We were feeling left out and we thought that we would come and see if you needed any help?" Victoria said in her most charming voice.

The Stevens women only stared at her, the only sound was Cassie munching away on her slice of Pizza.

Rhea watched in amazement while the women, as a unified force, blocked Victoria. Not a word was spoken but she got their point, and she couldn't contain the blush of mortification that covered her face before she turned and walked out of the kitchen with Onyx on her heels.

"Normally, I would never allow for such rudeness from anyone in this family, but there is nothing redeeming in that woman."

"When you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. That's something we learned from Laura." Dana said to Rhea in an aside as she smiled over at Laura who, surprisingly, smiled back.

"And sometimes silence is more powerful than words ever could be," Cassie agreed.

"Since when have you ever used silence as a weapon Cassie?" Grace asked as she walked over to the Pizza to see what kind there was.

Cassie shrugged, not at all upset by Grace's comment. "I guess since today, you're never too old to learn."

"Unless you're a Stevens man, they don't seem to learn all that well." Laura said with an unladylike like snort.

"Lucky for you!" Lizzy said with a smirk.

Laura met Lizzy's eyes and smiled again. "Yes, very luck for me." A silent message was passed between the two women that everyone around seemed not to take notice of and Rhea didn't understand.

"I don't know, Mason has learned a lot these past few years, about a lot of things." Cassie smirked this time.

"Noooo, la la la la, I don't hear you!" Lizzy said as she put her fingers in her ears.

"Mason and Lizzy are twins." Dana shared and this surprised Rhea. She didn't know Mason was a twin.

"Rhea, do you have a minute, I have something at the boat that I need to give you, I couldn't manage with all of the Pizzas and it would save me time if you would walk with me and get it now," Otto said softly next to her.

She nodded and followed Otto out the door and down the path to the boat, leaving the warm friendly vibe in the kitchen. The day had warmed up considerably and it couldn't feel less like Thanksgiving. It was almost eighty degrees and the late afternoon sun was high over their heads.

"Did my Father send you with something for me?" Rhea asked, trying to figure out what he could possibly have for her, she wasn't expecting anything.

Otto held out his hand and helped her onto the boat. "It's over here." He pushed her towards the front of the boat and she let out a yelp as a hand reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her down onto the bench in front of the wheelhouse and out of sight.

Rhea looked up after she landed to see Eli hovering above her.

"Eli-"

"Shh, this is a kidnapping, don't make me tie you up." He held firm to her arm as Otto castoff and started the engine.

"I don't think-"

"Even better, don't think." Eli agreed as he held her tightly. Rhea let him hold her close and wrap his arm around her. "I have a surprise for you," he whispered in her ear and she shivered as his warm breath ran across her ear and down her neck.

"I don't like surprises," Rhea said in a petulant voice.

Eli's response was to kiss her senseless. "What about kisses, do you like those?"

Rhea shrugged, unwilling to give in and admit anything.

Eli laughed softly in her ear and she shivered again. "You're a stubborn little brat, but you're my stubborn little brat." He pulled her tighter against him.

"Eli, Victoria-"

"Doesn't matter, trust me Sunny" he tilted her face up to look at his, "she does not matter. There is nothing that she can say or do to change my mind or alter our future."

Rhea felt a warm glow of hope as it spread through her at his words.

"Now, no more talking, we're going to sit here quietly and cuddle and kiss until we get where we're going."

"Then what?" Rhea asked breathlessly.

"Then it'll just be us, just like it was five years ago."

Rhea nodded giving up. She wasn't going to fight him, at least not for the moment. She would take what he was offering and make another memory to keep her warm at night. She knew that there was no way that they could ever be together, not with Victoria's plan, but she could have one more night in his arms.

"Stop thinking Sunny," Eli said just before his lips descended on hers once more and she did, she stopped thinking about everything but him and the feel of his arms around her.