Chapter 17
Matt
Bam!
“Holy Shit. That was close!” I exclaim as I drive through the torrential rain toward Mom’s house. I realize the farther I go, the loud noise is more likely, a blown transformer versus the ground-shaking thunder I’ve grown accustomed to.
Using the Bluetooth technology through my dash, I instruct my phone to call Harry.
“Hello?”
“Hey, man. I was just verifying you were relieving the sitter to stay with Mom tonight.”
“Yeah, I’m here now. Why? You got plans in the middle of this storm?”
“No. I’ve got a bad feeling about this thing.”
“What do you mean? You’ve been gone too long. We get these all the time.”
“I know. But I didn’t tell you the other night. I drove Ellie home a few days ago after her truck broke down. Hell, Harry, she and her grandpa live in a double-wide in the middle of nowhere. It makes Eminem’s place in 8 Mile look like The Ritz. I honestly don’t know how it’s still standing after the storms that’ve blown through here in the last few years. The roof looks like it’s patched together with duct tape, and the front porch could fly off if I sneezed too hard.”
“Shit.”
“What’s worse, her Pops is on oxygen twenty-four seven. And you need power for that. I can guarantee if they have a generator, it doesn’t work.”
“No, you’re right. Now I have a bad feeling.”
I scratch the back of my head, stumped as to what I’ll do if I can’t convince them to come with me. I can’t take them back to Mom’s house. It’ll only rattle her more than she already is, having people in her home she doesn’t recognize.
“You still there?”
“Yeah. I’m just trying to figure out what to do once I get there. I can’t bring them to Mom’s.”
“You’re right. You could use my place, but I’ve rented it out for the week. Wait. I think I have an idea. You check on them, and I’ll message you in a bit.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
As his call disconnects, I attempt to see through the sheets of rain coming down to get my bearings on where I am. It’s challenging without any street lamps. They don’t live far from Salty Jo’s, so I direct my GPS to head in that direction and decide to continue driving until I see a mailbox I recognize.
Twenty minutes later, I’m still driving, unsure where her farm is.
Bzzz. Bzzz.
“Hey, Harry. Any idea what their address is? I drove past Salty Jo’s, but with this downpour, I can’t see any landmarks, and I’ve been driving for a while.”
“I don’t know the exact address. But try searching for Albright Farm.”
I pull the car over and type Albright farm into the GPS, and immediately the address pops up. “You’re a genius. I past it about two miles back.” I make sure no headlights are in the distance before making a U-turn in the middle of the highway to head back in the right direction.
“Once you get there, head to The Sugar Plum Inn. They’ve got one room left and are holding it for you. Those two are proud, Matt. They won’t accept handouts. They’ve worked hard and taken care of their neighbors for as long as I can remember. I think you’ll have to convince Ellie that you’re staying there and focus on getting her grandpa’s oxygen working and a safe place to eat and sleep until the storm blows over.”
“You’re right. Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“Just stay safe out there.”
Hanging up the call, I drive slowly with my high beams on, hoping to catch sight of her mailbox when I finally spot it. Turning into the drive, I pray she’ll come along without an argument. Harry’s right. I need to focus on Pops.
Pulling up in front of this catastrophe of a mobile home, I reach for my umbrella before exiting the truck. It does little to protect me from the elements as the rain is practically coming down perpendicular to the ground with the wind gusts. I carefully reach for the door to the screen porch, worried the damn thing will come off in my hand. Once inside, I make my way to the front door and bang as hard as I can to be heard over the rain beating down on their roof. If it’s in a similar shape to this screen porch, they probably need umbrellas inside.
I begin to pound on the door again when it swings open, and Ellie stands before me with a stunned expression on her face.
“Get your stuff. You two are coming with me.”
“What?”
“Do you have a generator?”
“Well, no. But─”
“But nothing. You said your grandpa was on oxygen around the clock now. You need power for that. And don’t give me any crap about him having a portable canister. Those things don’t last long. You willing to risk it?”
Her head drops.
Stepping inside, I grab her arm. “Baby, there’s nothing to be upset about. You can’t help this weather. Before he needed oxygen twenty-four seven, you could stick it out. But not anymore.” I activate the flashlight on my phone. “Show me where he is so we can get him and his unit into the truck.”
“Okay.”
I follow her down the dark, narrow hallway to the bedroom, where her grandfather sits on the edge of the bed.
“Hi. I’m Matt. I’m a friend of Ellie’s. She’s going to pack some things for the two of you, and you’re coming to The Sugar Plum Inn with me. They have a generator.”
He looks as shocked as she did when she came to the door. “I’m a firefighter EMT. I’ll grab your oxygen unit and get it into the truck so you can sleep well tonight. We can come back after this storm blows over.” He remains sitting like a statue, and I start to panic. I don’t want Ellie to have to beg him to go now that I finally convinced her it was the right thing to do. She might change her mind.
Squatting down on one knee, I try to make eye contact with him. “Sir, please? Do it for Ellie. She won’t get a moment’s rest worrying about you. You know that.”
It’s with this statement his head rises, and I can see I’ve gotten through to him.
“Thank you,” he says. Despite the storm, I can hear the fragility in his voice.
“It’s no more than you’d do for someone else,” I reassure him. This garners a smile, and I start to relax.
* * *
Once I’ve got Ellie and her grandpa settled in the inn, and he’s resting in bed with his oxygen on, I tell her I’m going to see if I can find something to eat. Luckily, she doesn’t argue, and I head down to the lobby.
I approach the kind lady at the counter who registered us earlier. “Hi. Thank you again for accommodating us on such short notice.”
“Oh, I’m happy to do it. Harry told me what was happening with the Albrights, and I’m glad I had room tonight. You be sure to tell them to call anytime they lose power. As much as they’ve done for this community, it’s the least I can do for them.”
This makes me smile. “I’ll be sure to tell them. But those two are pretty stubborn. Do you happen to have anything left over from dinner? I hate to ask. But I doubt they’ve eaten, and I hate to go back out there if I can help it.”
“We only did sandwiches and fruit due to the generator. Is that okay?”
“It’s more than okay. What do I owe you?”
“Not a thing, son. You just wait right here, and I’ll bring enough for the three of you.”
I pace the lobby while the kind Innkeeper prepares dinner for the three of us. The room Harry secured has one bedroom for Pops and a sitting room. I’ll gladly sleep on the floor or head back to Mom’s house if need be. Ellie will need to take the couch.
“Here you go, Matthew. There’s bottled water in the bag along with some potato salad.”
“You’re a gem. Thank you. Are there extra sheets in the room for the couch? Ellie’s grandpa is settled in the bed.”
“Yes. It’s a pull-out sofa. There are sheets, extra pillows, and a blanket in the closet.”
“Thanks.”
I return to the room, and a sense of calm takes over that I haven’t felt in ages. Knowing they’re okay has had a bigger impact than I expected when I first started driving in their direction tonight. I knock on the door before reaching for the knob. “Hey, it’s me. I’ve got dinner.”
Ellie turns, and I stand frozen to my spot on the floor. I notice she’s changed. Her hair is still damp, but her skin is clear of the makeup that was smeared under her eyes earlier. I can see a few extra freckles that I hadn’t noticed before. She’s wearing a dry Rolling Stones T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. She’s like a wet dream come to life.
She slowly walks over and takes the bag from my hands before placing it on the table beside her. I expect her to start taking inventory of what’s packed inside, but instead, she spins back to me and circles her arms around my waist before burying her face in my chest. “I don’t know what I would’ve done.” She chokes out a sob. “If something had happened to him and─”
“Shhh. You do so much. You’re only human, El.” I bury my nose in her damp hair and hold her close, hoping to offer comfort to this strong-willed superhero. “It’s okay to let someone else help once in a while.” I kiss her temple before I realize what I’m doing and quickly try to change the subject. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to sleep on the pull-out tonight, though.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure it’s better than the one I have at home.”
My heart squeezes . I should’ve known .
She abruptly pulls back from me. “Where are you sleeping? Do you have to go back out in this mess?”
“I’ll be okay. Or I can sleep on the floor.”
“No, of course not. I’d do that before I’d let you. Not after all you’ve done for us.”
“Well, let’s get you fed before we worry about that.” I walk over to the bag the Innkeeper packed, retrieve a sandwich, some fruit, and a bottle of water, and give it to Ellie. “Take this to Pops. We can eat after he’s settled.”
She returns moments later, and we eat in comfortable silence, the sound of the rain hitting the inn’s metal roof creating the perfect accompaniment to our meal. I have to keep my eyes trained on my food. It’s hard to swallow when the sight of her nearly steals my breath.
“I’m going to hop in the shower real quick. I was leaving work when the storm hit, and I’m pretty gross.”
“Of course,” she reassures me.
Grabbing the bag, I keep in my car with a spare set of clothes for when I’m so hot from working on the construction site with Harry that I can’t even stand to smell myself for my ride home, I head to the bathroom and try not to disturb her grandpa. Looking toward the bed, it appears he’s already succumbed to sleep. I’m sure all of the commotion tonight has completely worn him out.
I make quick work of showering and don a clean T-shirt and shorts. I have to go commando, as I don’t typically have an extra pair of boxers in my car. But if I’m sleeping on the floor tonight, I’m not pushing it by wearing wet boxer briefs all night.
As I walk back into the sitting room, I find Ellie has set up the sofa bed and is curled on her side under the blanket. Scanning the room, I decide to use the extra pillow and crash near the bookshelves in the corner until I hear her.
“It’s a double. I trust you, Matt. Please don’t sleep on the floor.”
Holy shit. It might be easier to sleep on the floor. How am I supposed to lie next to the one girl I’ve dreamed of more than any other? “Um. Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” She reaches for the lamp on the table beside her, and I climb in as the room goes dark.
My heart is thudding in my chest. God. Can she hear it? The lightning intermittently flashing through the blinds illuminates her silhouette and causes my dick to swell. I clamp my eyes closed and try to think about Jimmy Dean. Anything to make my cock behave next to this sweet, beautiful girl.
Ellie rolls to face me. I try to lie still, not wanting to make her uncomfortable after she’s just told me she trusts me. After a few moments, she leans forward and lets the pads of her fingers tease the stubble on my jaw. “You might need a trim soon.”
I gulp. The feel of her stroking my chin is causing my breath to catch.
“Or people will start mistaking you for Milo.”
“Who?” I whisper, praying she won’t stop touching me.
“He’s the marine biologist who came into Salty Jo’s the other day when you were there. The guy with the ornaments hanging from his beard. He works as the marine vet at the local refuge,” she says, her voice sounding gravelly as she continues to stroke my jaw. I swallow hard. I’m not sure I caught a word she just said, completely distracted. My dick literally has its own heartbeat right now.
With that, she places a kiss on my cheek. Sweet Jesus, what kind of torture is this? “Good night, Matt.” Her breath dusts over my whiskers, fanning the flames of this fire.
Fuck . I want to kiss her. To wrap her in my arms and kiss her until the sun comes up. I’ll just have to tell her to ignore the steel pipe in the bed between us. I start to throw caution to the wind and reach for her when thunder booms, shaking the walls of the inn.
Her eyes fly wide, either at realizing what we’re doing or Mother Nature’s intrusion. Either way, she drops her hand from my face and swiftly rolls away from me.
I can’t help but scoot closer. But only to comfort her. I’m not taking advantage of her like this. No matter how much I want her. Placing my hand gently on her shoulder, I lean into her now dry hair. It smells like Christmas spice and sex. Okay, everything about this girl does that to me. She’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m just a little rattled, I think.”
“I get it.” I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. “Ellie?”
“Yeah?”
“If I promise, nothing else will happen… can I hold you?” I swear I hear her gasp. But that could’ve been my conscience exasperated by my brazen question.
“Yes.”
Relief washes over me, and I instantly pull her close, hoping she won’t change her mind when she feels how hard she makes me. “Goodnight.”
* * *
I awaken to bright light streaming through the tacky, floral Christmas drapes, birds chirping like they’re auditioning for the next animated Disney movie, and Pops standing over our bed as I lie with my limbs entwined in Ellie’s. I attempt to pull back slowly. “Mornin’, sir.”
“Good morning,” he whispers, his face unreadable.
The two of us just blink at one another. This is awkward as hell.
“Don’t hurt her.”
I can’t help but shudder at the enormity of his words. I’d never intentionally do anything to hurt Ellie. But I’m returning home in a few more weeks while she’s staying here. If I’m not careful, we’re both liable to get hurt. So I respond honestly. “I don’t ever want to see her hurt, sir.”
With that, he gives me a pat on the shoulder and returns to his bedroom. He’s right. I need to tread very carefully with this woman. Because the very last thing I want to do is cause her any pain.