“I was.” His laugh is a dry, hollow sound. “But now the only person I’m pissed at is myself for not fighting him for you two years ago.”
My stomach flips.
He waves toward the en suite. “I’m gonna take a shower. There’s another bathroom down by your . . .”
We both know he was going to say your bedroom. But he doesn’t. Maybe because it only brings more attention to the fact that I’m the one who came to his door, that I’m the one who crawled into his bed when I was too scared to sleep alone.
“There’s a bathroom by the guestroom. Help yourself to towels and whatever.” He disappears into the bathroom and shuts the door.
I take a step to go after him before I stop myself. It wouldn’t change anything. He’s still my fiancé’s best friend. And I’m still the woman who slept with Levi and then planned to marry Colton. The woman who loves them both.
Levi
Ellie looks so damn gorgeous standing in the middle of my kitchen in her shorts and baggy T-shirt. The sight of her undoes any good my cold shower did for me.
“Are you okay?” She wraps her hands around her mug.
I arch a brow. “Yeah, why?”
She blushes. “Your lips are blue.”
I shrug, as if it’s nothing. As if a cold shower is a normal choice I’d make. That was a first for me, and I can’t say I’m a fan.
“Do you have plans today?” Clearly she’s as anxious to change the subject as I am.
“Nope. I should probably get into the gym to train at some point, but other than that . . .” I shrug. The truth is that I don’t want to let her out of my sight.
“I can go back to my place this morning.”
“Don’t,” I blurt. When she meets my eyes, I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “Don’t leave. Stay here. I like knowing you’re okay.”
She looks into her coffee. “I really want to take you up on that, even though I feel like I shouldn’t. I think if I stay here, we both need—”
Before she can finish, there’s a sharp rap on the front door.
“Levi,” Molly says. “We’re here to get the ladders for decorating the bar.”
When Molly and Jake come through the front door, I regret giving Jake a damn key to my house. Ellie and I have been dancing around what is and was between us, and I want to know what she was going to say.
“They’re in the garage,” I say, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. It’s not their fault my life is screwed up right now.
Jake steps into the kitchen and stops suddenly when he spots Ellie. His gaze ping-pongs between us, his eyes wide. “Oh, shit. I didn’t realize . . .”
Molly follows behind him and puts her hand over her mouth. “Ellie is here. Okay . . .”
“She didn’t want to stay alone,” I mutter, irritated that I feel like I have to explain.
“Of course not,” Jake says, and Molly adds, “Who could blame her?”
Ellie has gone stone still. She’s staring at Molly.
“Shit, sorry. Ellie, this is Molly, Colton’s stepsister,” I say.
Ellie’s face pales, and she sets her coffee mug on the counter with a clatter. “Yes. E
xcuse me. I need to go . . . check on something.”
I frown. “Ellie doesn’t remember you yet,” I tell Molly. “Not more than a name from Colton’s stories.”