Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
PATRICK
Afterglow Elle almost makes me come in my sweats. She’d done something to her shirt that pulled it up slightly, a sliver of her pale skin exposed above the band of her shorts. Combine that with her actually giggling and I was a goner. I had to get my hands back on her.
Refractory period, who?
I had to threaten Elle to get her to settle and keep myself from showing her how much of an ass man I could be. God. Would that be something she would be interested in? I need to stop that train of thought. Elle and I had a marathon workout and we both needed the calories to keep us going.
As I dish up a plate for each of us, I get lost in thought.
The things Elle had told me about her ex and how he treated her made me see red.
Elle was a goddess, perfect in every way I could imagine.
I’d joked about falling for her when I first met her but my feelings for her were continuing to grow and it was starting to feel like less and less of a joke.
Considering my past and the promise I made to myself after my parents died, the thought of being serious with Elle should have frightened me but when I thought about a future with her something settled in me.
Tension that had coiled in my body that I hadn't been aware of loosened as I let myself sink into the fantasy of a life with Elle.
Once both of our plates are piled high with more than enough food. I call upon my past as a dishwasher turned food runner turned waiter, I’m able to carry both of our plates to my front room without dropping anything.
My grumpy goddess relaxed on the couch, the remote in her hand and pointed at the tv like she was picking something for us to watch, but her pretty face showed confusion that sent a shot of anxiety through my chest. Quickly placing our plates on my coffee table, my focus returns to her.
I kneel in front of her and study her beautiful, confused face.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Her eyes won’t leave my entertainment system, I’m tempted to turn and see what she’s looking at but I’m too focused on how she’s returned to a tense frown on her face.
I cup her cheeks and shift completely in front of her, breaking her gaze and forcing her to make eye contact with me. “Where'd you go?” My question comes out in a whisper like I’m afraid of her answer. Elle tips her head to the side, pressing against my palm and it calms my racing heart.
“I was looking for something to watch.” She cuts herself off and rolls her lips.
I turn my head slightly and see that my TV is showing off the queued up screen of her show.
I haven’t been able to watch much because I’ve been spending my nights with Elle, going out to dinner with Paul and Bennett, exploring this small town I’ve decided was going to be home.
I drop my hands from her face and keep my gaze focused on the tv screen.
“Oh, uh, yeah. Mabel recommended it to me.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. I like it.” Trying to be casual, I shrug my shoulders but I can feel my ears start to turn red with embarrassment. “It’s my favorite show.” The confusion is gone from her voice but I’m still nervous to turn back and look at her.
Arms snake across my shoulders, hands run down my chest and circle me into a tight hug. Warm breath tickles my neck and soon enough, Elle’s chin is resting on my shoulder. “You’re making it too easy, you know that, Intruder?”
“Making what too easy?” My heart is racing.
This all feels too right, the only thing that would be more correct would be to have my arms around her or being inside her again.
“You make it too easy to like you. Get on this couch, I’m hungry and want to watch my favorite show with my guy.
” Elle kisses my cheek and grabs one of the plates before pressing play on the next episode.
As the opening credits play, she starts to hum along and I’m awestruck. This woman, my woman, has no idea that she just rocked my world—the foundation of locking away the need and promising never to care about another person crumbles around me.
I don’t think I’m going to be able to let her go.