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“I’m starving. Let’s get some food and you can tell me what chased you to find Nana Bee.” He wasn’t asking.
She looked as if she was having an internal battle for a moment, then her shoulders sagged and he knew he’d won. Good. He wasn’t leaving her in this condition and he was shocked to find he really did want to know what was going on in her life. Ella wasn’t just any woman, she was special.
He was finding she was more special than he realized. She might be the one he didn’t want to ever get away. Only time would tell.
Chapter Seventeen
Ella
Ella insisted on taking her vehicle home. She wasn’t leaving it at the cemetery. It might not be worth much, but it was all she had. Bass reluctantly agreed to follow her, and it gave her a few minutes to think about what she wanted. By the time they arrived back at her place, she knew she wanted to stop feeling like a victim, stop being afraid and sad. She wanted to feel pleasure. How was she going to make that happen? She wasn’t sure, but she knew Bass wanted her. That was a start.
She waited by her car and Bass approached with a smile. “You look better,” he said as he looked over her face.
“I feel better,” she said with a confident smile. She’d faked it till she made it before, and she could do it on this day.
“Good. Pack a bag,” he told her.
She wasn’t expecting that. She’d just decided she wanted something to happen between them, but this was fast and she was nervous. As if he could read her thoughts, he laughed.
“If there’s a chance of making love, I’m not going to turn it down, but I’m also not going to pressure you. I’m staying at a hotel resort though, and I think you could use a massage. We’re going to be pampered, have dinner while you tell me what’s been bothering you, and then I’ll get you a room connected to mine. You’re under no obligation for something to happen.”
She thought about it for all of thirty seconds and then she grinned at him. “Okay.”
She didn’t add more, just went up the stairs into her apartment and packed an overnight bag. She was shaking with emotion, not sure what she was feeling more. He didn’t say anything more to her. She thought he might be afraid if he spoke she’d be spooked and run away. That wasn’t going to happen.
Within a few minutes she was in the vehicle with Bass, his scent surrounding her, making her more confident that this was what she wanted. Could this be the night she made love to Bass? Maybe. She was more than ready for it to happen. Sheneededit to happen. She’d been alone for far too long, and to have someone’s arms around her would end the last of the worries surrounding her.
The past few weeks had her on a rollercoaster of emotions. Losing Nana Bee had been the hardest thing she’d ever gone through, and that was saying something with the life she’d led. Then dealing with the return of her father and the hostile looks from Rafe had topped a really rotten few weeks off. There was nothing she wanted more than to forget all of the bad by going to another world in the arms of the man beside her.
She was sure Bass could make all of her worries disappear. She bet he was an incredible lover. He’d been a playboy ever since she’d first known him. With his looks, charm, and money, women threw themselves at him. If he hadn’t perfected making love in his many years of doing it, there was no hope for the man.
Ella’s only lover had been terrible. Well, in his defense he hadn’t been awful, he’d just been . . . boring. He hadn’t made her body sing like she’d read about. He hadn’t made her tingle all over or see stars. Could Bass do that for her? She had a feeling he could. The thought of it made her thighs squeeze shut as heat flooded her core.
It wasn’t long before Bass pulled down a road to the exclusive five-star hotel spa she’d always dreamed of going to. Her body responded as if they were heading straight to his room. She’d forgo dinner to be in his arms. Maybe they could go straight to lovemaking and then top it all off with a massage. She shouldn’t accept such an expensive gift from him, but then again, hewasfilthy rich. This wouldn’t even dent his wallet, but it would be a treat that would last a lifetime for her.
The two of them walked through the lobby that was grander than any she’s seen before, and that was saying something considering she’d been at some seriously extravagant venues for her brides. She’d never been there though. She was glad she had no memories here and could simply enjoy her time with Bass and have only memories of them together. If it lasted a day, a few days, or a week, she’d treasure it for the rest of her life, no doubt about it.
Ella waited in the gorgeous lobby, moving to the counter with fresh baked cookies while Bass went to the registration desk. She grabbed a cookie and ate a bite, letting out a sigh. She’d stayed at many hotels because of her job, and she could say with confidence, that was the best cookie she’d had at any of them. She loved places that offered treats to their customers. It was funny how few people took them. She never turned down free stuff, no way.
She was also one of those guests who tookallof the travel size shampoos and lotions. It was great stuff and it saved her money. Considering she didn’t have to pay for the rooms since it was a work expense, it was even better that she got the free items. Every little dime she saved had been one more she’d been able to pay toward her father’s debt. It hadn’t been enough, but that money was now back with her and it gave her a bit of grace while she decided how she was going to write the next chapter in her life.
She wasn’t going to talk to Bass about that. Nope. This night was about easing stress, letting go of the bad, enjoying herself. She could do it. She grabbed another cookie and was munching on it when Bass came back to her and chuckled.
“These are so good. You have to try one,” she told him as she picked up a cookie. He took it and bit into it with such delicateness it made her stomach flip. If he bit a cookie so seductively she couldn’t imagine what he’d do to her body. She quickly looked at the floor before she was tempted to jump him.
Bass took her to the elevator and they didn’t speak as they went up and up and up. Soon, they stepped out and he put a key in the door. It opened and she stepped inside before him. A huge entryway opened into a living area that had multiple doors off of it. It didn’t take her long to figure out there were two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a small kitchen. When she stepped into one of the rooms, she saw a large bathroom with a spa tub and counter space for miles, a dream come true.
When she dragged herself out of the bedroom, she quickly opened a sliding glass door and stepped out onto a wide balcony that had a gas firepit and two chairs. She could live in that suite for the rest of her life and be a very happy woman. She couldn’t afford it, but if she could choose a dream location this would be it.
“This place is fantastic,” she told him when he joined her on the balcony.
“I get sick of hotels, but I like it here,” he said.
“Have you been staying here this whole time?” she asked. He’d been back for over two weeks. She couldn’t even imagine the cost.
“I’ve been at this hotel. I just upgraded to this suite for your visit,” he said with a smile that melted her all over.
“I should tell you it’s too much, but I like it,” she admitted.
