Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
COLE
Walking out of the barn, I pull the doors shut behind me, giving a once over to make sure everything is cleaned up. Cash is back on the road heading to another rodeo and Cade had to go into Cheyenne to meet with our accountant.
I walk along the gravel drive heading towards my truck, glancing up at the ever-changing colors of the sky as the sun begins to set off to the west. It’s decorated in varying shades of orange and pink, along with wispy clouds scattered within the colors.
It’s something I missed when I was away.
Coming home and being able to see the sunsets like this again truly is a gift.
I glance at the time on the dashboard as I climb into my truck.
It's eight o'clock at night and I know tonight is one Ella typically works.
It's been four days since I kissed her in her art room.
For four days, I've been living as a starved man.
The text messages between us aren't cutting it anymore.
I need to see her before I end up losing my mind.
Without a second thought, I turn on my truck and head off the ranch, driving in the direction of the lake. I don’t stop until I’m pulling into a spot outside of the bar.
My footsteps are light, yet purposeful as I stride down the dock, not stopping until I'm walking deep inside the building, heading straight to the counter. There's a man getting up from his stool and I use the opportunity to sit down when I see he paid his tab and is leaving for the night.
The place is unbelievably packed and so busy. It tends to calm down a bit after the dinner rush is over, but right now, it's hard to see an end in sight.
My eyes scan the bar and I catch a glimpse of Ella working on the other side. Her hair is pulled back in a high ponytail and she's looking down as she finishes garnishing a drink. I watch her body as she moves along the counter, smiling at a woman while she hands her a drink.
“Cole, what a surprise to see you here,” Remi greets me with a wink as she clears the plate and empty glass away from me. She grabs a bottle of spray and a rag and quickly wipes down the spot in front of me.
“I thought I'd stop by for a drink after work.”
She sets a square napkin in front of me. “I bet you did,” she says, like she has a little inside joke I don't know about. I chuckle, winking at her. Jokes on her because I know all about it.
“What can I get you?”
I smile at her. “Ella would be nice.”
Remi snorts, rolling her eyes as she shakes her head with a smirk. “I'll get her.”
She walks over to Ella and her gaze collides with mine as she turns around. Her eyes are momentarily wide, almost as if she's shocked to see me here. She nods at Remi and I see her lips move as she says something to her. A shy smile drifts across her mouth as she quickly walks over to me.
“Hey cowboy,” she says in greeting, her voice soft and a little breathless. “I'm getting ready to go on break. Did you want to meet me out back?”
“Absolutely,” I nod, rising to my feet. She looks around for a moment, almost as if she's in a panic before looking at the clock and back to me. I can see the conflict in her expression and take the opportunity to ease her worried mind. “Take your time, El. I'm not goin’ anywhere.”
She gives me a small smile and bobs her head. “Thank you.”
I watch her head over to the other side of the bar before I walk to the front door and slip outside.
Walking through a few groups, I round the side of the restaurant and head to the back of the building.
There's no one out here, so I lean against the railing, watching the water splashing against the poles buried deep beneath the surface.
A few minutes pass before I hear the door behind me open and close. Pushing away from the railing, I turn around and see Ella as she walks closer to me.
“It is insane in there tonight,” she says with a sigh as she adjusts her ponytail. She walks past me and leans her back against the trailing as we both turn to face one another.
“Has it been this busy all day?”
Ella shakes her head. “It's been like this lately in the evenings.” She tilts her head back, looking up at the night sky. “Don't get me wrong, I love working here. I am so grateful for the opportunities Iris and Remi have given me, but I do not want to do this forever.”
I walk over to the railing and link my fingers together as I lean against it again, looking out to the lake. “What do you wanna do?”
“I don't know,” she says softly as she lifts her head upright. “I haven't really given it much thought.”
“What about your art?”
Ella half snorts and half laughs. “That's only a hobby, Cole. It's not something I could ever plan on making a career out of.”
My head moves sideways and I study her profile, counting the freckles on the right side of her nose. “Says who?”
“Do you hear how ridiculous that sounds?” She laughs to cover up the pain as she looks at me. I don't miss the way it swirls within the depths of her irises. “I have no formal training or experience. I didn't go to college and study art. It's something I do for myself.”
“Don't do that, Ella,” I say as I stand upright, my hands gripping the railing.
She turns her body as I do the same. “Do what?”
“Don't discredit yourself like that. Art can’t be taught, it can only be felt. There are plenty of people who try to learn it and lack natural ability.” I pause for a second, calculating my moves before following through on the thought.
“You are incredibly talented, El. It's not something you should let go to waste.”
Emotion washes over her expression as she stares at me for a breath. She blinks, as if she’s pulling herself from the moment and drops her gaze to the wooden floorboards beneath us. “It’s a nice thought, but I don’t even know how I would go about trying to get my art out there.”
I watch her as she lifts her head back up and gives me a sad smile. I’ve witnessed a multitude of emotions on Ella’s face since I’ve met her and I think I’ve just encountered the one I dislike the most. The one I never want to see dancing in her irises again.
“Austin’s cousin owns a gallery in the city.” My mind drifts to Vera. I’ve met her before at Austin’s house. “She's an art dealer and has a lot of big spending, high profile clientele.”
Her eyes widen and her lips momentarily part as if my words surprise her.
She clamps her mouth shut and swallows roughly before shaking her head.
“I can’t ask you to say anything to Austin.
” She looks down at her hands, picking at her nail bed.
“If his cousin has clients like that, I’m sure they have specific tastes or are looking for specific pieces. ”
Irritation pricks my skin—not because of her, but because of whoever ruined her confidence. I can’t help myself and I don’t bother to control my actions and abruptly close the distance between us. Sliding my finger beneath her chin, I tilt her head backwards until she’s looking up at me.
“I swear to God, El. If I ever meet the man who made you feel this fucking small, it will not end well.” I pause, letting out a ragged breath as she stares back at me with doe eyes.
“You are talented. You are smart. You are insanely beautiful. There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that your dreams are attainable.
” I slip my fingers beneath her jaw, trailing them across her flesh.
“Tell me, darlin’. What are your dreams? ”
Her throat bobs as she swallows hard. “For Chloe and I to both be happy and healthy.”
“What else?”
She blinks twice. “For us to be safe.”
The muscle in my jaw ticks at the thought of her feeling unsafe, but I don’t visit that topic… not now. “What else?” I press. “You don’t want to work in a restaurant and bar forever. What is your dream career?”
A soft breath escapes her. “I want to own a gallery. I want my paintings all over the world, hanging on the walls inside people's homes.”
Relief floods me as she finally speaks her true dreams out loud. I want her to reach past the stars. To wrap her delicate fingers around them and pluck them from the sky. Every single star belongs to Ella Daniels.
“Can you do something for me, El?”
“Maybe,” she says gently as the corners of her mouth twitch. The moonlight above shimmers within the depths of her eyes.
My hand cups the side of her face, my thumb softly stroking her cheek. “Finish the paintings you haven’t finished. Start new ones. Just paint until your fingers stop working.”
“And then what?”
I smile at her, my mouth inching closer to hers. “Then you watch as the stars align and your dreams come true.”
“The stars aren’t aligning if you’re playing God with my dreams,” she breathes against my lips as they drift across hers.
“Maybe I point a telescope at the stars that deserve to be seen,” I murmur against her mouth. “What happens after that is beyond my control. Your art will speak for itself and I won’t need to play God.”
Ella surprises me as she steps closer, pressing her body flush against mine as she lifts her arms and encircles the back of my neck with her hands.
Her mouth crashes into mine, her lips soft and plump as she kisses me with tenderness.
There’s a part of her that is hesitant, like she doesn’t fully trust herself in this moment.
With one hand caressing the side of her neck, I drop my other to her waist and hold her tightly against my body.
I ignore the way blood rushes to my cock, knowing damn well she can feel the hardness pressing against her.
The movement alone supports the confidence Ella was struggling to wrap her mind around.
The tips of her fingers dig into my skin as her tongue sweeps along the seam of my lips.
Without a second thought, I part them, letting her in.
Gone is the hesitancy she was once feeling.
Instead, Ella takes what she wants. Her tongue dances with mine, both of us caught up in the moment as she breathes me in.
Our surroundings fade away and it’s the two of us.
Nothing else matters. The water laps against the pillars under the pier.
The moon casts its glow across us and bounces off the surface of the lake.
Ella has me completely captivated. She’s stolen my heart—her and that blue eyed little girl of hers—and she doesn’t even know it.
And I won’t be the one to tell her until the timing is right.
There’s a vibration that sounds as if it’s off in the distance. As my mind is pulled away from the moment between us, I realize it’s coming from her pocket. Ella breaks from my lips, but she doesn’t move away. Her lips are red and swollen and she looks up at me with a dazed stare.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, blush creeping across her cheeks. I smile to myself, knowing I’m the one who put it there. “It might be Iris.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Ella,” I assure her, taking a step away to give her space. Chloe is her top priority, as she should be. I am more than okay with being second place to that little girl.
She pulls her phone out of her pocket, her eyebrows pulling together as she looks at the screen. “Maybe it decided to block her information,” Ella wonders out loud as she answers the call.
I watch her for a moment, confusion washing over her face as her eyebrows pull together and she says hello again. She pulls her phone away from her ear, looks at the screen, and repeats herself once again.
A frown tugs her lips downwards as she ends the call and stares at the device for a lingering moment. “That was strange.”
“Who was it?” I question her out of curiosity and concern.
Ella looks back to me and shrugs as she tucks her phone back into her pocket. “It must have been a wrong number.” She lets out a breath and shakes her head. “As much as I don’t want to go back inside, I’m afraid I need to get back in there.”
Disappointment weighs down my shoulders, but I brush the feeling away, giving her a smile. “I’m sure Remi is wondering if I stole you away for the night.” I let out a soft chuckle. “I should have.”
“That sounds very enticing,” she laughs as her smile reaches her eyes. I’m addicted to the sound of her laughter. It’s delicate, like the finest silk against my eardrums.
“How about a rain check?” I ask, taking a step closer to her. “Are you able to get away for an evening soon? I have somethin’ I’d like to show you.”
She tilts her head to the side, her face lighting up with curiosity. “I might be able to later this week. Can I see if Remi or Iris can watch Chloe and let you know?”
“That sounds perfect,” I murmur, bringing my face down to hers.
I sweep my mouth across her soft lips, kissing her gently before I pull away.
“I have no intention of pushin’ you to do somethin’ you don’t feel comfortable doin’, but I want you to know that Chloe is welcome to come along if you can’t find a sitter. ”
Her throat bobs as she swallows roughly. “I appreciate that,” she says quietly with a nod. Her lips part like she’s about to say something else, but the conflict is evident in her gaze. She gives me a small smile before she continues. “I will let you know.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
Ella’s smile grows as the blush creeps across her face. “Goodnight, cowboy.”
“Goodnight, darlin’.”