A warm hand briefly touched her back.Or was she hallucinating?
“So what story is going around town about you in Becket’s arms, Ellie?”Arlene asked, all smiles.
Ellie gasped, not believing what she was hearing.She’d heard about the gossip mill, several rumors had even reached her ears, but she’d never been the subject of one.“I… um…” she stuttered.
Becket groaned.“What is up with people in this town?Ellie was standing on an unsteady ladder.I was in time to stop her from falling and hurting herself.That’s what happened.”
“If you say so,” his mother chuckled.
Someone tapped on the microphone.The band was back.Ellie sighed in relief.Thank goodness.
“Are you ready?”Janice called out.“The band is ready to perform!”
Huddling into Becket’s jacket, Ellie tried to find a comfortable way to sit.It was difficult.Janice’s chair was in front of her and Cooper was sitting to her right and if she scooted back so she could sit cross-legged, she was even closer to Becket.
“Here,” Becket said from behind her and the next moment, she was pulled against a solid wall of muscle.
She tried to move away, but his legs were on either side of her, his arms resting on his knees.
“I don’t bite.”His voice in her ear sent delicious chills down her back.
Oh, my goodness, she was behaving like a starstruck teenager.She should get up and go home as soon as possible.But the singer of the band was crooning something about slow hands and for the life of her, she couldn’t move.Didn’t want to move.Didn’t want to leave the cocoon of Becket’s body.
Ignoring the hysterical little voice and the warning lights exploding all around her, urging her to get up and leave, she found herself relaxing against Becket’s firm, warm body.
Nothing could happen.His family was here.She was merely leaning against him.
Minutes later, she had to gulp in some air.Oh, my.Was it her imagination or was it getting hotter by the minute?Nobody else seemed to have a problem, though; it seemed like it was just her.
Becket’s scent had found its way through every pore of her body.It was in her bloodstream, rushing through her veins, making her more aware of him with every passing minute.And oh, my goodness, she was hot.There was a real possibility she’d go up in flames at any moment.It was absolute torture to be so close to him, to feel his breath on her neck, to hear his heartbeat.Or was it hers?
One thing was very clear, though—she had to stay as far away as possible from Becket Weston.He’d managed to light a fire inside her, one which was urging her to throw caution to the wind, forget about being safe and staying in her lane, and hurl herself into his arms.And that would not do.
Chapter Four
Becket gritted histeeth.It was fast becoming unbearable to sit this close to the lovely Ellie and keep his body under control.He had no idea what song the band was singing; the roaring of his heated blood through his ears had rendered him deaf to any other sound.
All his senses were focused on her—the flowery scent laced with citrus he’d picked up on Wednesday, the soft curls inches in front of his face, the beautiful line of her neck when she turned her head, her infectious laugh every now and again.He was aching to touch her, to find out whether her skin was as silky as it looked.Damn, this wasn’t helping.
Trying to focus on his breathing, he willed his body to behave.The band stopped again for a short break and Janice got up.Leaning forward, she touched Ellie’s hand.“Please don’t move, you look so comfortable, but I don’t want to drive back in the dark.Thanks for coming with me.”
Ellie scrambled up quickly.“It’s way past my bedtime too.”She shrugged Becket’s jacket from her shoulders and handed it to him.“Thank you.You must be so cold by now.”She made sure they didn’t make any eye contact.“It was lovely to see all of you.”
Cooper also got up.“Give me your phone,” he asked Ellie.
Ellie frowned.“Why?”
“I need your number so that we can arrange for you to come and meet Marmalade and Duke.”
Ellie took out her phone and gave it to Cooper.“Oh, of course.Thank you.But not right now, only when I have a place.”
“Well, if one of them likes you we can maybe ask Becket if they could stay with him until you’re ready to fetch them.My place is getting a bit crowded.Becket?Do you think Harper, Jack and Sadie will welcome two newcomers?”
“Oh, please don’t worry about it.I’ll give you a call when I’m ready, you really…”
Becket finally felt comfortable enough to stand up.“I don’t think they’ll mind,” he interrupted her.“Harper will have to give her blessing, though,” he joked.“She’s in charge.
“Those are Becket’s dogs.”His mother smiled as she also got up.“I’m also heading home.See you all Sunday?”
