Eli held a pool party at his place the day before he was scheduled to get back on the road for the campaign. All of his staff was invited, including his traveling press pool... and Meredith.

It was a decidedly casual affair. He wanted a chance to unwind and relax, and he hoped his guests would share this sentiment.

Looking at the crowd gathered by the pool, Eli searched for the one person he wanted to see. But it looked like Meredith hadn't yet arrived. If she was even coming to his party.

“Looking for someone?” Sosie asked.

She looked stunning in a yellow sundress. Eli had to admit she was gorgeous. And he was aware she had a thing for him.

He suspected it was her romantic feelings for him that had prompted her to volunteer to run his campaign.

And Eli was sincerely thankful for that.

But he didn't think he'd ever be able to return her feelings, as much as he wished he could sometimes. Then maybe things wouldn't seem so complicated.

“Nope,” he said, walking away before she could respond. He headed across the patio to where a large folding table had been set up to hold various party snacks and finger foods.

He poured himself a drink and stood next to the table, sipping at his whisky and tapping his foot impatiently against the ground. The party had started over thirty minutes ago, and Meredith still hadn't arrived.

Where the hell is she?

Eli didn't know why he was so eager to see Meredith. He'd just seen her two days ago when they'd returned to D.C. for the weekend. Those days had felt like months though.

He missed her.

“Pining for some jailbait is not a good look,” he heard Sosie practically snarl at his side.

Yes, he knew that Sosie was only looking out for him – and his political career. But there were times when he wanted to snap at her and tell her to mind her own business. Times like right now, for instance.

“I'm not pining for anyone,” he replied, smiling at Ava as she walked past them.

“I’m just reminding you to be careful,” Sosie murmured, tugging firmly at his sleeve.

“I already know that, Sosie. I’ll be fine. Now go have fun,” he said, shooing her away to avoid prolonging the conversation.

“Alright. Alright,” she grumbled, walking away from him, joining the group of women sitting by the pool who were soaking their feet in the water.

A few moments later, Eli headed inside. He didn't want to ruin the party for everyone else just because he was in a bad mood. He heard one of his favorite songs come on as he was washing his hands.

At least there's one thing I can enjoy about this stupid party, he thought, singing along with the song at the top of his lungs while he looked at his reflection in the mirror. That seemed to do the trick.

Feeling a little better, he went back to the pool to accommodate his guests. He needed to be a good host instead of feeling sorry for himself.

Looking around, he saw Meredith chatting with Ava and some other people. She looked stunning in a dark denim dress and flats. Her hair was arranged into a messy bun with wispy strands surrounding her face, and she had worn minimal makeup. He found the whole look incredibly attractive.

Hanging back so she wouldn't see him, he continued to study her. He was captivated by all her mannerisms and quirks.

He watched as she licked at her luscious lips, and though it wasn't a sexual gesture, his thoughts quickly turned sexual in nature. He imagined how it would feel to fuck her in the pool, the water warm and only adding to their mutual pleasure.

“Eli!” he heard a familiar voice say behind him, jolting him out of his fantasy, back to reality. Familiar, but completely unexpected.

He turned to greet his younger brother, Ryan Scott.

“Ryan? What are you doing here?” he asked, embracing his brother in a tight hug. Now this was a pleasant surprise, but also a much-needed distraction.

Eli hadn't expected to see his brother at all this year. A decorated officer on active duty, Ryan Scott was rarely home for more than few days at a time. They'd barely seen each other since Eli had gone into politics, and his brother had joined the military.

“I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you,” his brother said with a wink as they shared a laugh. The joke never got old, and Eli knew there was probably a hint of truth to the statement.

“I'm gonna grab a drink,” Ryan said. “Be right back.”

Eli watched as his younger brother approached the table to get a drink. And he found himself holding his breath when Meredith accidentally bumped into him. She looked quite taken aback when she looked at Ryan.

Not that he was particularly surprised by her reaction.

Ryan looked like a younger version of him. They had the same frame, but Ryan was a few inches shorter than Eli. When they were kids, they were often mistaken for twins.

His hands balled into fists when they continued to talk even after Ryan had finished pouring himself a drink. Not that he thought Meredith was encouraging his brother or anything like that. But he knew Ryan was a goddamn player when it came to women. And Meredith was obviously his next target.

Eli watched them as they moved to the edge of the pool, growing increasingly jealous. He heard Meredith laugh at something Ryan had whispered, and suddenly he was seeing red. Seeing her happy and smiling because of someone else made him unreasonably angry. What was worse was that it wasn't some stranger making her laugh. It was his brother.

He wasn't sure how long Ryan had been flirting with her before she headed inside the house. Eli followed her indoors, and waited for her to finish up using the bathroom.

He was furious, and he knew he had no right to be. It wasn't like they were even together. But he didn't care. All he knew was that he couldn't let her end up with his brother.

When she exited the bathroom, he grabbed her by the wrist, making her gasp in surprise. “Eli? What are you doing?” she asked.

Without bothering to reply, he dragged her down the hallway to the laundry room and shut the door, making sure they would be alone. She angrily jerked out of his grasp.

“What are you –“

He pulled her close and planted a savage kiss on her lips. It was neither soft nor sweet. He continued to devour her mouth ruthlessly, punishing her for making him feel this way.

He could feel her struggling in his arms, doing her best to pull away. That just made him angrier. He kissed her even harder, not stopping until he tasted blood.

Had he gone too far?

Meredith immediately slapped him hard on the face, looking at him with disgust and anger. His eyes widened when he noticed her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Fuck. What the hell was the matter with him?

Eli wanted to kick his own ass when his eyes landed on her mouth. Her lips were bleeding and swollen. He'd hurt her.

He hadn't meant to.

And it hadn't been his intention to upset her.

“Let's just forget this happened,” she said, wiping at her mouth.

“Why? I enjoyed it,” he said angrily. He swore he could see steam coming out from his nostrils.

“Well, I didn’t,” she fired back immediately, eyes bulging in anger.

“I suppose you’d say otherwise if it had been Ryan,” he sneered.

“What –“

“Stop flirting with my brother, Miss Fields. You want to play? I'm up for it anytime. But leave my brother out of this.”

With that he stormed out of the room, slamming the door hard behind him. He wasn't sure if his words made any sense, but at that moment, he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted to make it clear to her that he wasn't happy.

He let out a deep sigh when he reached his bedroom. He'd hang out here for a few minutes and compose himself, so none of his guests would see him acting like a neanderthal. But what was wrong with him? He had no right to be this upset. And what was wrong with Ryan making a move on her?

You're just jealous because you know they could have a shot at a real relationship, unlike you and Meredith.

Jealous?

Gritting his teeth, Eli examined his reflection in the mirror. He closed his eyes and cracked his neck, hoping to relieve some of the tension he was feeling.

He opened his eyes after a few moments, then sighed.

Yes, he was jealous.