“Really? Are you sure?” When I nod, Ellie grins, leans over, and quickly kisses me. “Thanks, Hudson.”
“Any time.”
She then dives into talking about her work and her boss, who sounds like an ass. She briefly talks about the dinner she has to go to and her eyes light up. Ellie can’t wait to wear that dress and I can’t wait to see her in it. After dinner, we clean up the kitchen together. I can’t help but notice how relaxed Ellie seems tonight. She takes my hand, leading me out to her back porch, where it has started to rain.
There’s a two person rocking chair and Ellie sits down, bringing me to sit next to her. We listen to the drops of rain hitting the various objects, making a different sound for each one to create one overall noise.
“This is my favorite thing about this place. I love to sit on the porch,” Ellie says, resting her chin on my shoulder as she looks at me.
“Really? So if you’re not in a good mood, I should make you sit out here with me so you will feel better?”
She smiles and nods. “Mhm. Thank you so much for the dress and everything. I still can’t believe you did that.”
Angling myself towards her better, I kiss her softly and rest my forehead against hers. “It was my pleasure, Ellie.”
Her eyes search mine for a moment. I catch myself wondering what she’s thinking, what does she see, and what she’s searching for? Before she can say anything, I push her hair behind her ear, my hand staying tangled in her hair at the base of her neck and mumble, “You’re gorgeous.”
My eyes keep jumping between her mouth and her eyes.
Faintly, Ellie says, “What are you waiting for?” The corner of her mouth lifts a little into a smile.
“You,” I answer before pressing my lips to hers.
Ellie’s tongue quickly finds mine causing me to groan a little. To be more comfortable, I grab her hips, lift her, and sit her in my lap, so she’s straddling me. Her hands loosely wrap around my neck, and I pull away to kiss her cheek. I’m about to make sure she’s still okay, but Ellie’s lips find mine before I can ask.
Her fingers run into my hair as I taste her. Then I kiss my way along her jaw and down her neck. Her head tilts backwards, her eyes closed, lost in the heat of our bodies. I run my nose along her collarbone. To ground myself, I grab her thighs and then find her mouth again, sucking her tongue between my lips. Ellie starts to kiss me harder as she leans into me. My hands seem to have a mind of their own as they travel up her thighs to her hips around to her back, slipping underneath her shirt.
It takes everything within me to keep them at her lower back. Ellie’s hands, however, show no restraint as they move away from my neck. Her fingers glide down my arms t
o my elbows, back up and then down my chest, stopping midway before repeating the process. Just when I’m about to explode with the need to have her, Ellie pulls away.
She bites her lower lip as she tries to slow down her breathing. Her eyes snap to where her hands are low on my stomach before she looks back at me, a smile playing on perfect, just-kissed lips.
“Sorry,” she breathes, placing her hands on my shoulders. “I forgot my manners.”
I grin. “Yes, you did.”
The wind shifts causing the rain to start blowing on us. Ellie stands, takes my hand, and says, “C’mon. Let’s go back inside. Do you want some water?”
“Yes, thank you.”
While she’s opening the fridge and getting the bottled water, she asks, “There’s one more thing I want to ask you.” When she hands me the bottle, she adds, “Would you like to be my date for the dinner?”
“When is it?”
Her eyes squint as she thinks. “The 10th of next month, I think.”
The date rings a bell and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a fundraiser I’m attending that night. “I wish I could, but there’s something with work I have to go to that night and there’s no way I can cancel. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Hudson. I understand. I figured if you were my date, then you could see me in the dress.”
“Since I can’t, why don’t you go put it on right now?”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Now?” She asks, her voice a little high as if it suddenly scares her.
“Yes, now. I want to see how stunning you look in it. Please, Ellie? Before I have to go home?”
She seems to think about it and then says, “If I put it on, will you stay the night? It is a bit late and it’s raining too. Plus, I want you to stay.” That last sentence comes out in a whisper. “Unless you really have to go,” she adds.