A/n Banner on the side made by the appetence. 

Chapter 3

Eli slumps into his couch and takes a swig of his beer. He clicks his fingers before reaching for his laptop to scour the internet to find all he can about Ivy Stanford. Well, at least he can now put a name to a face, even if he can’t get a date with her. Although obtaining that name hadn’t been very difficult. It’d been just his luck when he’d met a female employee of the diner at his club last night. Naturally with it being his club and him being a Carter, the girl had willing parted with the information. Unfortunately she hadn’t been working there long so didn’t know much. Nonetheless, with his skills all he needs is a name and every piece of item to do with Ivy Stanford on the internet can be found.

An hour later and Eli has to slam the laptop lid down. What the hell?! Has she never heard of Facebook, Twitter, the internet?! Great. Now what’s he going to do. He knows absolutely nothing about her and if wants to find out about her, he’ll have to do it the traditional way. Get her to talk to him. Something which judging by their previous ‘conversations’ isn’t exactly a brilliant plan.

“Jake?”
“Yeah, what’s up, Eli?” mumbles the voice on the other end of the phone.
“How quick do you think you can get over here?” asks Eli.
“Shit. Another threesome?! Dude, it’s like mid-day. But...is she hot?-”
“No it’s not that....It’s...something else. I need your help,” explains Eli, receiving silence on the other end.
“Jake?”
“You’re not coming out are you?”
“No! Look, just get your lazy ass over here,” he commands annoyed before hanging up.

As Jake knocks on the door, Eli lets him in only to have him follow behind into the lounge.
“So what’s wrong?” he asks, seeing his best friend, sat thinking hard. At the question Eli sighs and runs his hand through his hair.
“I found my mate,” he explains, the one sentence bringing silence throughout the room.
“And?” asks Jake after a moment.
“What do you mean ‘and’? She won’t fucking go on a date with me!” exasperates Eli. Jake’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion as he tries to process what his friend just said actually meant.
“You mean...you actually want to be with her?” he slowly questions.
“Duh, of course I do,” shrugs Eli.
“But why? You and me, bro, we don’t do serious...relationships, remember?” Jake points out. Since meeting 5 years ago, both Jake and Eli, had hit it off due to their very womanizing ways. At first it was petty rivalry to see who get the most women, who was the ultimate man-slut; but throughout the years, this competition was pushed aside for a greater, stronger bond of bothers. Nonetheless, neither were prepared nor willing to be in a committed relationship and the very prospect of that would scare them both-or at least, it had.

“Jake, you don’t understand. My parents would kill me-they’d hate me-if I reject my mate. You have no idea how much shit I would be in if...I have to...I don’t know, get her to like me? Date her, I’m not sure. But I just can’t...reject her,” tries explaining Eli; although, even to him it’s puzzling. It’s not like he wants to give up the great, carefree life he has now for a more complicated relationship, but he just can’t let his mate go. His parents had raised him not to do that, his father being confident he wouldn’t; so doing what he wants is simply out of the question. Perhaps it won’t be too bad, pipes Eli’s mind. Maybe, a real relationship will be...nice. Yeah right, he then snorts to himself. As if. All the dates to remember, all the things he’ll have to do, dealing with her when she’s on her period or feeling sour...no way can he cope with all that....but he has to try.
“Alright....so date her,” answers Jake causing Eli to sigh dramatically.
“That’s what I’m saying! She won’t go on a date with me!” cries Eli, arms flying helplessly up to try express his annoyance.
“You’re kidding right?! She won’t go on a date with you?!” chuckles Jake in glee at the expense of his friend.
“Asshole,” mutters Eli, chucking a couch cushion into Jake’s face.
“I think we need to record this, actually. The great Eli Carter, can’t even get a date with his mate! Oh God...That’s hilarious,” caries on teasing Jake much to Eli’s fury.
“Yeah, ha-ha, you should be a stand-up comedian...” he sarcastically retorts, “no, but seriously. What do I do?”
Letting himself chuckle a few more times, Jake then sobers up and ponders over the predicament.

“Hmm...Well you’ve tried charming her...Why not blackmail? Force her!” he cries out in thinking it a moment of genius.
“No. I’m not going to force her to be with me. Psh, you know that’s more Ade’s style. Besides, I doubt she’d stand for that, to be honest. No, I need to do something else. What other ways can I get her attention? How can I get her interested in me? Think, Jake!” orders Eli dramatically.
“Ah! Alright um....flowers, chocolate, serenading...Girls like that crap right? I don’t know...be the ‘sensitive guy’.”
“The ‘sensitive guy’? What the hell? How the fuck am I meant to be that?...And, I’ve already tried flowers.”
“Sensitive guy. You know, talk about your feelings and shit. Give her compliments. Proper ones though, like I don’t know, tell her, her eyes shine like stars or you love her warm, funny personality.”
“They’re crap-”
“Well, sorry for helping. But it’s not like you could think of any better...”mockingly glares Jake.
“Whatever...let’s just Google some. But that gives me an idea. You know you said about that serenading thing?-”
“Eli, please, please don’t do it. You know you can’t sing. You’ll have all the dogs howling and barking. Seriously, do you want to deafen this girl?”
“Shut up. I haven’t even told you the plan yet...”

Ivy tosses in her sleep before lying still for a moment. She swears she heard something. Sighing she figures it must be her imagination when suddenly another click is heard. What the....There it again, another click echoing through the room. She pushes back the comforters and looks around the room, waiting for another sound. It takes longer this time but it doesn’t disappoint. As the noise rings throughout, she realises it’s from the window. Pulling back the curtains she can see a man stood outside on her yard. A guitar is slung over his torso and as she makes out messy blonde hair and a cocky grin, she knows immediately who the lunatic is. Good God.

And here she was thinking he’d finally decided to leave her be.
Throwing open her window, Ivy climbs to sit on her windowsill so she can shout out at him to go away.
“What are you doing?! Get lost!” she shouts at him, well aware of her mother sleeping in the other room. Thankfully, her mother’s a deep sleeper and with the drugs in her system she’s an even deeper sleeper.
“Not until you agree to go on a date with me,” he screams back the shuffling in his pocket before taking out a pick and strumming the guitar.

Eli prays that this will plan out perfectly as he practiced as he mockingly strums the guitar and mouths the words to the song. Under his jacket the recording starts playing clear and loud.
Ivy’s protests suddenly stop and her jaw slightly drops as she hears the words of Maroon 5 starting to play out. There’s no possible way he could have known it to be one of her favourite songs, and his voice and playing just keeps her completely mesmerised. She feels her defences come down and heart stutter at the gesture.
As the last few notes drift into the night, Ivy slides off the windowsill, causing Eli to nearly curse. She can’t have hated it that much, he reasons. So where did she go?!

Just as he’s about to chuck another pebble from his pocket to her window, he hears the front door opening. His face immediately lights up in a wide grin watching her strut down to him. Her arms wrap around her middle as she hugs herself for warmth. He’s not surprised she’s cold. In only a pair of pyjama shorts and a vest top, anyone would be. Although, he must admit she’s totally hot. Sure, she doesn’t have the luscious, defined curves but they’re there. And he can work with that. Well, truthfully, he can work with anything, he’s not too fussy. But her legs. Damn, her legs. Now they, definitely catch his attention and he has to admit they’re so long and slim for a girl of her height; absolutely gorgeous.

“All that for a date?” questions Ivy as she comes to stand in front of him, bare-footed and shivering slightly. Rushing outside into the freezing night is definitely a better idea in a movie.
“All that for you,” answers Eli, truthfully. Despite her intentions and resolve to remain strong to his advances, a small blush creeps itself onto her cheeks.
Ivy can’t help but droop her shoulders in defeat, her arms uncrossing and reaching forth for him. She goes to give him a quick hug, being mindful of the guitar slung on his back, but his arms coil around her tiny waist and hold her in position. His warmth radiates onto her creating shivers of a different sort as she feels the toned muscles of his chest and the thickness of his arms enclosed around her. Oh God...
Eli breathes in her caramel-sugary scent, savouring the moment of holding her. For once, he doesn’t feel any ulterior motive for clutching a woman like so. As her soft chest presses against him and lean body gets almost engulfed in his much larger form, he can’t help the lustful thoughts coursing through his body.
“Ow, what is that?” mumbles Ivy as her breast gets squashed against something hard in his breast pocket.

Eli freezes for a moment before uncoiling his arms from her and stepping back.
“Nothing,” he defensively retorts. Ivy’s eyes narrow in suspicion as she darts for his coat.
“Let me see then-“
“No, look, I swear it’s nothing-“
“Well show me then-“
“It’s just...It’s just my wallet!”
They continue to bicker while struggling; Ivy trying to reach in to grab whatever it is and Eli twisting and turning to stop her from doing so. Although he’s much stronger and larger than her, he doesn’t really want to hurt her so only defends himself half-heartedly. Ivy on the other hand was determined to cease her curiosity.

As a black box slips into her hands, she triumphantly pulls it away from him. Examining it, she presses a few buttons on the thing only to have the soft melody of the song play out. Realisation dawns on her, and she can’t help but be furious, and shocked! Does he really think he can just play her like that?! Use a recording to fool her, trick her.

“You...you..asshole!” she hisses, chucking the thing back at him.
“And to think I was actually contemplating going on a date with you,” Ivy fumes before spinning away to stomp back into her bed. Suddenly large hands pull her back and stop her leaving.
“Wait..wait. Please, wait. Hear me out, first, please?” begs Eli. Oh God, he can’t believe he’s forced to beg now. Why does she have to be so uptight? Can’t she just have laughed at him having used a recording instead of actually serenading her? Why does it matter anyway?! Women. They are so goddamn hard to please.
“Let go of me. Leave me alone, you...dick,” she snarls cursing him further.
“I can’t play the guitar and I can’t sing, Tinks. Okay? That’s why I used a recording instead. I’m sorry, but come on! I’m trying my best. You’ve got to toss a guy a bone here. I’m running out of ideas and I need to go on a date with you, Ivy. I want to, I have to,” he tells her truthfully. His honesty seems to take her by surprise for a moment. Perhaps the fact that he’s switched to a more serious demeanour is probably why she stops struggling and actually listens to him.

“...Why?” finally asks Ivy.
“Do you believe in soul-mates?” He rhetorically questions, “you’re my soul-mate, Ivy.”
Ivy can’t help but snort in disbelief as she shrugs his hand off her.
“Unbelievable...Just when I think you can’t surprise me anymore, you do. You’re just so full of bullshit...Just-no, get off. Just leave me alone,” she coldly proclaims, shaking her head as she strides inside.
Eli stands there stunned. He can’t believe she’d do that. She’d say that. Just when he’s being brutally honest. Ouch, now, that stings, he thinks to himself frowning as he heads back home.

A/n Next chapter! Not sure when the one after will be, coz I'm pretty busy atm, but it'll be as soon as I can write it, really. Are we hating Ivy? Feeling sorry for Eli? He will prevail though, don't worry about that ;) xx