Embracing Ellie (K&S Securities 3)
I shouldn’t, I don’t know him well enough, but I want to accept. I half-heartedly attempt to pull away from the gentle shackle of his grip. “I have errands to run before I go home.” I tug against his hold again, more firmly this time. “I’m going to miss the bus.”
Too late, I just did. Heaving an annoyed sigh, I turn and look at him. I guess I can afford to get a cab this one time. I glance around, looking for one stopped nearby. I’m sure that he can see my frustration, but he just smiles, happy to be getting his way. I know that I shouldn’t accept a ride from him. I barely know him, but for some reason I trust him implicitly. I know he’ll take me where I need to go and will get me home safely. For some reason I have all the confidence in the world.
Giving in gracefully I bestow him a small smile and reach into my purse for my phone to let my mom know that I’m catching a ride with someone from work and will be home after I stop at Wal-Mart. The way he returns my smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
“I needed to go to Wal-Mart. Do you mind?” I ask.
“No, that’s fine. I’m parked right over there,” he points to a black SUV waiting near the valet station. His hand stays curled around my arm the whole time, keeping me so close that his warm masculine smell envelopes me and his arm brushes against my shoulder. Surreptitiously I inhale, drawing into my lungs the same aroma that made me want to crawl into his bed. I could seriously get addicted to his smell. Is that weird? I think it probably is, but as he helps me into the vehicle I breathe deeply again. I guess I don’t care if it’s weird after all.
I don’t know why I thought being alone with Blake in the car would feel awkward, but it didn’t. Not even a little bit. He didn’t even laugh when I was a little in awe of the luxurious interior, fancy stereo and all the gadgets! What can I say? I’ve never been in a car with heated and cooled seats and satellite radio. I did catch him glancing at me, an amused smile flirting with the corners of his kissable lips more than once, but I didn’t mind. I never felt for even a moment that he was laughing at me.
I don’t even mind him taking the cart from me as we walk around the Super Wal-Mart. He doesn’t say a word about me keeping track of how much I’m spending with the calculator on my phone as I load up on necessities like diapers and wipes before adding a glitter lip gloss set for Lizzie and new building blocks for Auggie. We never have extra money, so I’m almost skipping around the aisles beside him while looking at everything. I know it’s just Wal-Mart, but right now I feel like the richest person in the world! Even if I have to be careful that I don’t spend more than what I allotted myself for this shopping spree.
Passing the clothing aisle on our way to the groceries I pause in front of a display of graphic t-shirts. Lizzie started wearing her old ones when we brought her home and I grab the brightest, most obnoxious one on the rack. She will love it!
Chuckling and shaking his head, Blake asks, “Is that for you, angel?”
With a happy smile I drop the soft cotton shirt in the cart, “Nope,” I can’t help popping the P like my sister does sometimes. “It’s for my sister, Lizzie. She’s crazy about them.”
“She lives with you, right?” he asks, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s heard any of the gossip about my family. I know he’s only been here for a few days, but he seems to make the rounds and has been talking to everyone. It’s not like it’s a big secret or anything, it’s just something that I prefer that people hear from me. When I’m ready to share. When they hear it from someone else things inevitably get made into something that they aren’t.
“She does,” I tell him hesitantly.
Indicating the childish tee, he probes further, “Is she a lot younger than you?”
Again, I shake my head, biting my lip. “She’s my twin.” I tell him with a shy smile.
“No shit? There’s two of you?” my skin tingles in response as his eyes rake down my body, seeming to linger on my breasts and the soft swell of my hips longer than is proper.
“We’re fraternal twins, so we look a lot alike, but we’re not identical. Liz favors our dad, while I look more like Mama,” I tell him with a small giggle, letting my own eyes rove over his tall frame the same way he just checked me out.
He winks, knowing what I’m up to, and a flood of heat races up my neck. What on earth did I do that for? OMG! I’m such a dork! I have no idea how to flirt. Not with anyone, but especially not with a guy who looks like he could model expensive underwear if he wanted to. He could model naked if he wanted to! Oh my heck! My entire body lights up at the thought of Blake naked and I clamp my thighs together to quell the sudden ache at the apex of them.
Pressing my lips together tightly to remind myself to shut up, I keep my eyes on the toes of his shoes and turn toward the produce aisle. Low, rumbling laughter wraps around me from behind, making me smile even though I’m embarrassed that he saw me gobbling him up like eye candy. Ugh! L.A.M.E. that’s me! I bet even Lizzie could have checked him out without being as obvious as me, and she is trapped in the mind of her teenage self!
I stop in front of a display of tomatoes and avocados. Guacamole and chips! We haven’t made it in ages! Distracted from my feelings of gracelessness I start gathering up the essential ingredients, we have onions and spices at home, so there isn’t much.
“Chips!” I mutter, more to myself than to Blake.
“Making guac?” his words sound hopeful, drawing my gaze to his. The wistfulness in his voice wiggles into my brain, and my heart, making me want to share the treat.
“Wanna have some with us?” I offer. It’s not like Mom will mind having a handsome man around the house; neither will Lizzie. It will be something new for Auggie though, someone coming to visit our house. It’s been a long time since anyone has dropped by. Lizzie’s friends don’t know how to handle her altered state of mind, and since they were my friends too, they left me behind when they ditched her.
“You want to feed me?” his voice is full of amazement and I can’t help but wonder how long it’s been since he’s had an impromptu invitation to share a meal with someone’s family. I nod, slipping my hand in my pocket and withdrawing my phone. I’ll need to send Mama a text and let her know that we’ll have company.
Bringing a friend from work home for dinner.
Her reply is almost immediate. ??Ok, get extra stuff.
That’s one thing that I love about Mama. No questions, no fussing. She just accepts things as they come. I’m not sure she would have survived losing dad, and then Lizzie’s accident just a couple of years later, otherwise. Tucking my phone away I tip my head back and smile up into Blake’s stunned face.
“All set. Let’s go get some chicken.” He opens his mouth to say something then closes it again with a nod and a small quirk of his soft looking lips. Every time I look at them, I can’t stop thinking about kissing him. Sucking in a steadying breath I return his smile and lead him toward the meat department.
I really want to kiss him.
Chapter Fifteen
Blake