Chapter 12 #2
He looks skeptically at me. “Could we have sleepovers? I’m gonna want to sleep in that cool room again.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I say with a chuckle.
Ilook at the clock, willing it to be further along than the last time I looked. Shit. Three-fifteen. Literally only five minutes have passed since I looked. I can’t will my mind to calm down.
I’ve always been incredibly lucky in the sleep department.
It’s like there’s a switch in my brain, and when it’s time to sleep, I simply turn it off.
Not tonight, however. Ella is in my house.
All I can think about is wondering what she’s wearing.
How I’ll probably creepily smell the sheets when she’s gone to see if they have her vanilla scent.
Sighing, I flip so I’m on my stomach, staring at the clock on my nightstand.
Only three-sixteen now. Christ almighty.
Should I count sheep? Sing Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall?
Hum the Jeopardy tune for Final Jeopardy?
I bet none of it works, because a room across the house holds the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and she may or may not be wearing next to nothing.
Occasionally, Ella would break out lingerie.
It would be a sexy nightgown, or a matching bra and panties set.
Never anything out of her comfort zone, which I loved about her.
I don’t need bondage or things that make no sense.
I always wanted her to feel confident. But, in all honesty, what I liked best was when she wore one of my tee shirts to bed.
It was, without a doubt, the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
I have a feeling, though, had that phone call we just had been a video call, it would have been sexier than anything I could ever imagine.
“Shit,” I groan, feeling my dick come to attention. Just the thought of her in my tee shirt, and it’s trying to force its way through the mattress. Rolling over, I palm it through my comforter, willing it to calm down.
Sitting up, I sigh in frustration. This is never going to work. I’m too keyed up. The best bet for me tonight is to make a glass of tea and try to calm down. Grabbing a pair of sweats, I slide them on, then make my way out of my bedroom.
Quietly ambling into my kitchen, I come to an abrupt stop when I find Ella at the stove, waiting for my tea kettle to heat up. Fucking hell. She’s wearing an oversized shirt that hangs down to just above her knees, and it looks somewhat familiar. “Is that my shirt?”
Ella shrieks, jumping as she whirls around, her eyes wide. When I see the front of the shirt is almost completely faded, where I can barely make out the Denver Wolves logo, I know it’s mine. “Jesus, Leo! You scared me half to death!”
I ignore that. “You still sleep in that? When did I give that to you?”
Her face flames in embarrassment. “I’m not sure you gave it to me. I think I may have liberated it from your closet when we were in high school.”
I take a step toward her. “How often do you wear it? Looks pretty worn out.”
“I don’t know,” she murmurs, her eyes wide as I take another step.
“Do you still have all of the clothes you’ve liberated from my closets over the years? There must be a couple of hoodies in there too.”
Ella bites her lip as she nods. “Three hoodies.”
I take another step, my heart beating erratically, sensing a change in the air. It’s heavy, primed with anticipation. “Do you wear them often?”
She nods again. “They’re comfortable. And they …”
“They what?” I ask when she trails off, and I step even closer. So close our toes almost touch.
Ella sighs. “They’ve always made me feel closer to you.”
God dammit.
I’m not sure who moves first. All I know is one moment Ella is looking at me, and the next she’s in my arms, her lips plastered to mine.
It’s my first kiss since we broke up. Years I’ve gone without this connection, because I couldn’t kiss anyone unless it was her. Kissing is one of the most intimate things we do in life. I wasn’t about to give that to someone else.
Ella sighs against me, and I pick her up, her legs automatically wrapping around me. I feel the heat of her core hitting my rapidly growing cock, and I revel in it. Fuck, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed the sex, sure. But this moment, where we’re caught up in the feel of each other, is perfection.
Sliding a hand up her spine and into her hair, I grip her head, moving it to the side so I can deepen the kiss.
Her tongue tentatively skirts out to touch mine, and I groan.
Her taste explodes on my tongue, and I suck it deeper into my mouth.
I take a step to the right, away from the stove, and set her down on the counter.
I need my hands to be available, because I can’t wait another moment. I have to touch her, right fucking now.
Breaking off the kiss, I drag my lips along her chin and onto her neck, enjoying the tiny moans and whimpers of pleasure Ella lets out quietly.
I nibble on her collarbone as my hands slide up and down her thighs, goosebumps erupting in their wake.
I’m remembering every curve of her body like I just touched her yesterday.
The curve of her hips, the divot above her ass, the spot on the back of her knee that is remarkably ticklish.
I’ve explored every inch of her, and God, I didn’t know how much I missed it. How desperately I’ve craved her.
As I begin to slide my fingers up the inside of her thighs, feeling heat the closer I get to her pussy, the tea kettle screams, making both of us jolt.
Ella pushes me away, jumping down from the counter.
Her eyes are wild, but I can’t get over how deliciously swollen her lips are.
Ella takes the kettle off the burner, then looks at me.
“That shouldn’t have happened,” she stammers, crossing her arms over her chest, not knowing it pushes her tits out more. I’m bummed I didn’t get a handful before the kettle was done.
“Agree to disagree,” I respond easily, stepping back so I’m leaning on the opposite counter. Her mouth drops open. “What?”
“You think that should have happened?” she asks incredulously.
I shrug. “Yeah. I’d like it to happen again. Often, actually. With less clothing.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my Leo?”
I smile wolfishly. “Your Leo?”
“You know I didn’t mean that literally,” Ella snaps.
“You may not think so, but it’s my opinion that your subconscious is working here. I think even your body knows what it needs.”
Ella shakes her head vehemently. “No. We’re not doing this. I’m not — I’m not in a place where I can do this, Leo. I’m just not. That kiss never should have happened.”
She rushes past me, but I grab her wrist. “You can deny all you want, Ladybug. But this is happening, whether you want to admit it or not.”
Ripping her wrist out of my hand, she flounces down the hallway.
Expecting her to slam the door, I’m surprised when I hear it close quietly, then remember the presence of two children in the home.
Even when she’s mad at me, she thinks about them, choosing to quietly stew in private instead of making a loud ruckus.
Chuckling, I open the cabinet behind me, pulling out my favorite sleepy time tea.
Iwake completely disoriented at the amount of light in my room. It’s never this light at seven in the morning. I’m almost always awake around sunrise, which means during the summer months, I’m awake at an ungodly early hour.
Shit. I overslept.
I roll over, my feet slipping over the edge of the mattress.
Raising my head, I find that I’m across the bed.
How the hell did that happen? Wait? Why is it so quiet?
There’s no way Oliver is still asleep. I squint at the clock, noting it’s after nine.
Holy shit! I can’t remember the last time I slept this late.
Grabbing a shirt, I pull it on as I open my bedroom door. The house is way too quiet for a four-year-old and an infant. “Ella? Ladybug?”
As I stride toward the other side of the house, I see a piece of paper on the kitchen counter. Fuck. Walking over, I grab it with a huff of frustration. I already know what it’ll say without even reading it, but I still take in Ella’s words.
Leo,
Thank you for coming to get us last night. Sleeping comfortably was much appreciated, as was the extra dinner. Power has been restored to the town, and I called an Uber to come get us so it wouldn’t impact your sleep. I removed the car seats from your car.
What happened between us cannot happen again. As nice as it was to revisit the past, I don’t have the luxury of doing that. My priority is parenting Oliver and Violet. You deserve someone who can give their all to you, and I simply can’t do that. You need to forget about me.
- Ella
I laugh as I read her words again. Fat fucking chance. No way in hell am I forgetting about her. This woman is engrained in my soul. She’s tattooed on my heart. No one could ever take her place.
I guess I’ll just have to patiently remind her how wonderful we are together. And since I’m arguably the most patient man in the world, I fully expect her to capitulate before I would ever give up.
Game on, Ella Langley.