He wanted to push. To find out every fucking word that jerk had said. But this wasn’t the time or place.
Reluctantly, he nodded and stepped back. He’d stop asking for now, but hewouldfind out what Casper had said. That was a guarantee.
CHAPTER 26
She was too quiet. Had been quiet since they’d left the café.
The hum of the engine was the only sound in the car. He hated it. Which was fucking hypocritical, because it washewho’d been quiet the last few days while he’d been obsessing over every little thing. But now, with her barely speaking to him, it made him want to take back all those wasted moments. Talk to her about anything and everything.
He slipped a hand over her thigh. He’d already tried to ask about Casper again, but so far hadn’t had any luck getting a straight answer out of her. She just kept telling him she didn’t want to talk about it. That what Casper had said didn’t matter.
But itdidmatter. Everything the asshole said mattered, because it clearly affected her.
He pulled into his driveway. He hadn’t even asked her which house they should go to, his or her apartment, they’d just started staying at his place most nights.
He climbed from the car and moved around to her side, scanning the area as he went. He’d been so damn on edge for weeks that keeping his head on a swivel had become the norm even now, when he wasn’t deployed.
When they stepped into the house, he turned the lock.
“Hungry?” he asked, moving to the kitchen. “I could make some gumbo?”
Her lips twitched. They’d once attempted gumbo as teenagers, and it had been a disaster, mostly because he’d refused to read the recipe and had thrown in whatever he liked.
“I’m not very hungry.” She slipped off her shoes. “I might jump into the shower really quick.”
Before he could respond, she turned and headed into their bedroom. He grabbed the edge of the counter, fingers tight as anger swam through his veins. What the hell had Casper said to her?
He tried to busy himself in the kitchen and living area, but his gaze kept shifting back to the bedroom door. Ten minutes later, he gave up.
Screw it.
He crossed the space to the bedroom and walked straight through to the bathroom. The lights were dimmed, and Elle had her back to him, her face turned up to the water as she stood in the shower. He didn’t think about what he was doing, just moved on instinct, stripping off his clothes and stepping into the shower behind her.
When he slipped his arms around her waist, she gasped. “Jace! I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I need to know what’s going on in your head, Tink. What did he say? You’re killing me with your silence.”
She ran her fingers over his arm, taking a few breaths before she answered. “You’re going to think I’m being stupid.”
He kissed her shoulder. “If it upset you, it’s not stupid.”
There was a beat of silence as she dipped her chin to her chest. “Casper just made some stupid comments about you and me and…”
“And what?”
“And our relationship in high school. He reminded me of how many girls you dated thatweren’tme, and how I looked back then.”
Every muscle in his body grew so tight, it was an effort to remain exactly where he was. To not turn, storm right out of the shower, and go find the asshole.
“Elle, look at me.”
She turned, her gray eyes burning into him.
“From the first day I laid eyes on you, I felt something stir inside me. I don’t even know how to describe it. It was this need to be around you. It was so strong that you were all I thought about that day. And you’ve been in my head every single day since. I didn’t think I was near good enough for you, but the stupid teenage version of me tried to have you withoutactuallyhaving you. That was my mistake. Now that we’re together, now that you’re mine, I can’t let you go. I am literally not capable of it.”
Tears burned her eyes. “Really?”
“You actually think I could live without you?”
