“We can’t.” I pleaded. “Grim’s here.”
“I know.” She whispered. “I’m sorry for asking. I wanted to remember…”
Weak, I released her head and framed her face with both palms. I trembled as I lifted her chin. I tried fighting what I knew I wanted. Her breath hot and reassuring on my skin made it impossible to resist.
She pushed forward, trying to take my lips but I held her hair, keeping her away as my breathing whooshed from my body.
I gave in because Ellie made me weak. She took away my every control and left me wanting her in a way I never imagined possible. I kissed her deeper, than before, until I tasted her tears.
Ellie’s body shaking with sobs caused me to step away.
“Tell me what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
I used a finger to wipe a tear from her cheek. “You know you can tell me…”
“I didn’t mean to cry.” She sniffled and patted at the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. “Maybe I could come back after Grim leaves.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” I said. “If you want to leave, I’ll ask Grim to take you back to the hospital.”
“I don’t want to leave.” She laid her forehead to my chest. “I don’t want to ever leave. But just because I don’t want to do something doesn’t mean it isn’t the right thing to do—and I need to do the right thing.”
“Tell you what.” I pulled her into a hug. “Talk to your father…”
“He has no say in this.”
“And I respect that.” I cleared my throat. “But right now, he still believes I violated you. Aside from the fact that he can come after my badge—I don’t want anyone thinking that about me.”
She nodded. “I’ll talk to him.”
“And once you do, come find me.” I told her. “In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for Otis—how’s Lilo?”
“He misses you.” She told me. “He’s talking more, eating everything and sleeping more.”
I chuckled. “I’ll have Grim take you back.”
“Could you take me?”
I paused for a second.
“And I give you permission to feel me up in the car.”
I couldn’t resist then—I had to laugh. “I’m trying to be mad at you.”
She smiled. “I’d rather you look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
She blushed. “Softness, lust.”
I kissed the side of her head. “We’ll work on this—okay?”
Ellie nodded. “But I don’t want to go back to the hospital. Do you think Reaper and Star would mind if I stayed with them for now? I know it’s a big ask because they’re already so awesome to Lilo and taking him to see me and…”
“I’ll talk to them…in the meantime—you can stay here but I have no clothes for you.”
“Am I really going to need clothes?”
