I hold Ellie in my arms as she snuggles against me with a million stars twinkling over our heads.
“Too much too fast?” I exhale breathless, suddenly worried.
She shakes her head. “If I didn’t want to, I would have said no.”
I tilt her head up so I can look at her.
“You can always say no.”
She kisses me lightly, “I know.”
“Good.”
“Can we still go skinny dipping?”
“Sure,” I chuckle.
“Good.” She nestles herself back up against me. “It will be nice to see you naked and wet for a change.”
“Ellie.” I laugh, hugging her tight.
I may never, ever let go.
I’M COLD. IT FEELS LIKEmy heart has stopped pumping blood through my body. I roll over to reach for Ellie, but she’s not there. I snap open my eyes and sit up. It’s still dark out. I get out of bed and search the bungalow, tearing through the living room, bathroom, and sundeck like a madman. I check upstairs as well before my craziness gets the best of me, and I open the front door.
She’s gone.
A streak of dread runs through me. Did she just leave? I check the closet. All her things are still exactly where I put them.
Did someone take her? Paranoia flares.
I storm into the bedroom and swipe my phone off the end table. Just as I’m about to dial Jett, I hear the front door open and shut. It feels like all the organs inside me sag in relief when Ellie walks into the bedroom.
“You’re up,” she says surprised, wearing tight black shorts and one of my white wife beaters.
“Yeah. Apparently, so are you,” I snap sharply. “Where were you?” I don’t mean to bite her head off, but she just fucking left. In the middle of the night. Without telling me. Does she have any idea how neurotic I can be?
Of course she doesn’t. You haven’t shown her your self-deprecating, mistrusting, shithead side yet that’s wracked with mommy issues.
“I went for a walk,” she wraps her arms around herself.
“In the dark?”
Ellie nods.
“By yourself?”
Ellie bites her lip. “I wasn’t exactly alone.”
“You were with someone?” I raise my eyebrows about to blow.
She nods again.
“London?”
She shakes her head.
“Jett?” I try again.
