19. Bodhi
19
BODHI
E lla’s lips part on a gasp and honestly, same—because who am I?
I’ve never talked to a woman like this, although to be fair, I’ve never let anyone get close enough to even try. But Ella had been thrust into my space, and any resistance I’d had went out the window.
She just feels so good.
It’s the kind of thing that you don’t miss if you’ve never had it, but the second you have, you’ll never stop wanting it.
An addiction.
I’ve fooled around a couple of times before but nothing like with Ella.
No one like Ella.
I’m half out of my mind for her already, driving to some unknown little North Carolina town in the middle of nowhere all because she looked sad.
She’d already taken care of me when I’d barely been able to string a sentence together in the car, and then last night… God, it’d been amazing having her in my arms.
Like a dream.
One I never want to wake from.
She’s about to say something when the sound of tires on gravel comes from somewhere behind us.
Her cousin.
Perfect timing.
Pushing back from the truck, I swallow hard and try like hell to settle myself before I meet her family. But I can’t think of anything I want to do less.
Hell, there’s nothing I can even do to look busy or blend in right now, and that’s a survival skill I learned before anything else being in the system.
What the fuck was I thinking being here?
“Roman!” Ella screeches the second the car is put in park, the woods no longer peaceful. He unfolds himself from the driver’s seat and wraps his arms around her when she crashes into his chest.
And then he just holds her.
Quiet.
Real.
Emotion pours from them, their embrace so much more than just I missed you but rather I haven’t been whole since you’ve been gone.
“Hey, I’m Eden,” a woman says from my left, startling me from my trance. Her dark hair is pulled back from her pretty face, her dark eyes assessing as she holds her hand out to me. “Roman is my younger brother.”
“Oh, uh, Bodhi.” I stumble through the words as mischief flits across her gaze. My handshake is solid—thank fuck—because that’s the exact moment Ella and Roman turn to look at us.
Ella squeals and doubles back, her arms outstretched, Eden mimicking the action in turn, the two of them colliding as Roman comes to stand at my side.
“How’s it goin’, man? I’m Roman.”
“Bodhi,” I reply, repeating the handshake without reacting to the extra pressure he applies. “Welcome home.”
“Thanks. She hasn’t mentioned you,” he says offhandedly as if he’s trying to get a rise out of me but is trying to be nonchalant about it.
“Can’t imagine she would.”
“And why’s that?” he retorts as I turn my head back toward where the girls are animatedly talking about one thing or another.
“Cause we were just supposed to be picking up a countertop,” I say, letting the words linger between us before turning back to face him, “but family means a hell of a lot to her so we’re here.”
I reply simply because she already told him and I’m not big on sharing extraneous information.
“Well, I appreciate it.”
I nod because I get it and I’m thankful that this little bonding moment is over. “I’m gonna grab our bags.”
“Yeah, cool. I’ll try not to totally hold it against you that you took my spot to crash this weekend.” He smirks and heads off toward the girls as I disappear around the far side of the truck and release a shaky breath as I pull my phone out.
BODHI: We made it
BODHI: Tell everyone thank you
MASON: That’s what family does and you can do this
BODHI: Do what?
MASON: You’re gonna be with hers – I know that’s a lot for you
BODHI: I already met two cousins
MASON: You like her?
I stare at the message then glance over at Ella, her laugh echoing through the trees and making the tightness in my chest ease the slightest bit.
BODHI: I didn’t mean to
MASON: Nobody does
MASON: But it’s a hell of a good time when you let yourself enjoy
BODHI: Enjoy her?
MASON: Her. Life. All of it.
MASON: Don’t overthink it
MASON: Be easy
BODHI: Easy and free
Don’t overthink it.
Sure, let’s go with that.