“Don’t worry,” Ellie whispered as she took her hand and squeezed. “Nicky will understand. He loves you; just rest.”
My grandmother’s chest rose, and she sighed with relief. She smiled at Ellie and shut her eyes. She had loved my mother like her own daughter. Ellie’s act gave her the peace she needed to relax.
At that moment, I fell so hard for Ellie, I could barely stand.
My parents were gone, but not a day went by that I didn’t think of them, especially my father. Her mistake both rattled and gutted me. A tear escaped the corner of my eye at how, even while under sedation from a bad fall and not knowing what year or day it was, I was her first thought. Marilyn would have a field day with that one.
“Hey,” Ellie whispered as she wrapped her arms around me from behind when she caught up to me. “If you need to cry a little, it’s okay. She loves you, and she’s tough. I bet she’s back on that ladder anyway.” I turned to Ellie’s sweet smile and pulled her into my chest, doing my best to ward off the stinging in my eyes. Today exhausted me in every way possible.
“Nick!” Marilyn screamed as she raced down the hallway. “Is she okay?”
I nodded. “She’s fine. Just out of it. Fell off the ladder and knocked herself out. She may need a hip operation, but they’ll tell us for sure tomorrow. I was going to head home; you can go see her, and I’ll wait.”
Marilyn looked between us and squeezed Ellie’s shoulder. “I’m glad you were here.”
“Me too,” Ellie answered Marilyn but kept her eyes on me. “I better go,” she whispered.
I walked Ellie to the elevator. “Thank you.” I took her face in my hands and rested my forehead against hers. I didn't ask her to come here. Or to sit with me for hours. She ran here without me asking. Without her, I would’ve lost my mind for sure. Her lips curved into a smile as she leaned into me.
“No need to thank me. Glad I could be here.” She ran her hands up and down my arms and smiled.
“Ellie . . . I . . .” The words lodged in my throat.
I love you. I want you to be mine. Really mine.Everything I wanted to say gathered into a lump I couldn't swallow.
“What, baby?” she crooned as she ran her hand along the stubble on my jaw.Baby. That word falling from her lips made my heart both soar and sink.
“I adore you, Ella-Jane.” I more than adored her. I fucking worshiped everything about her. The beauty that brought me to my knees, how she always put herself last, the way she was so full of love it seeped out of her veins. Adore sounded safer than love, although I meant exactly that.
“I adore you too, Nicholas Patrick,” she whispered in my ear before pressing a lingering kiss to my cheek.
The elevator dinged with its arrival, and Ellie stepped on.
“Be careful getting home.” I held the door open and planted a quick peck on her lips. “Text me when you get there.”
“You got it, Lieutenant.” Ellie waved, her eyes still locked with mine before the door closed.
I’d never loved anyone the way I loved Ellie, and I knew with a shitload of certainty I would never love anyone else this way again. My heart was hers to do what she wanted, and I prayed what she wanted was to keep it, along with me.
I SPOKE TONick with the phone cradled between my shoulder and chin as I put lunches together for tomorrow. “I visited your grandmother today.” She was in a nursing home recuperating from hip surgery. I never had a grandmother, and I was growing to love that lady something fierce. She even insisted I call herAbuela. Every time I visited, she treated me to another hilarious tidbit from Nick’s childhood.
“What embarrassing shit did she tell you now?” he grumbled. He was on night shifts this week and, thankfully, tonight was his last one. We talked and texted until I went to sleep, but I had become a little too used to a warm, tattooed body wrapped around me in bed. Over the past few weeks, Nick had been staying over more and more. It became more of a given than a novelty.
“Nothing that juicy,Fireman Nicky.I wanted to find out how to make stuff you like. Jack is sleeping at his grandparents’ this weekend so I thought we could have a nice dinner at home.Alone.”
“Sweetheart, why didn't you say that? And you already know what I like.”
“I've never cooked for you other than pizza, and that doesn't count.” I would never be as good a cook as Nick, but for him, I wanted to try.
“If we're alone, I don't need you to cook anything. You're all I want to eat.” I heard the smile in his voice and could picture the sexy smirk tipping his lips.
I groaned and scowled at the phone, crossing my legs tightly to lessen the ache caused by the husky tone of his words.Bastard.
“Stop it, Nick,” I whispered into the receiver.
“Stop what, Ella-Jane?” His voice lowered an octave when he said my name.Damnit,he knew he had me.
“You know very well what.”
