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She glanced toward the DJ booth as saw Alexis standing there with a big grin on her face.
Not the universe. Her sister.
She should stop this before it went any further. She should?—
Her thoughts ground to a halt when Cal pulled her into his arms. God, he felt good, and she couldn’t seem to find the willpower to step away.
“Relax,” he murmured in her ear, his breath tickling her skin. “I’m not going to bite. Unless you ask.”
She gave a soft laugh despite herself. “That’s not what I’m afraid of.”
His arms tightened around her. “Then what?”
She didn’t answer. How could she? How could she explain that she was afraid of how he made her feel—afraid of the way her heart throbbed when he looked at her, afraid of how easily she could fall into his arms and forget everything else. Callum Holden was too much. Too beautiful, too kind, too dangerous. He was a whirlwind, and he’d crash through her barriers and then leave her shattered and breathless in his wake. The closer she got to him, the more she risked losing herself.
He moved with an easy grace that Ellie couldn’t quite match, but he made her feel as though she was floating. His hand was firm and comforting on the small of her back and his warmth radiated into her as if he were her own personal sun. For a moment, just a moment, Ellie closed her eyes and let herself imagine what it would be like to truly let go. To let Cal hold her, to feel his arms around her not in a dance, but in life. To listen to his heart beat against her ear each night as they fell asleep. To know the feel of his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her skin on a Sunday morning. To feel the imprint of his lips on hers, not stolen in a quick, heated moment but given freely and with abandon.
A soft sigh escaped her lips. She hadn’t realized how tense she was until she felt him gently rub circles on her back. His touch was soothing, grounding. A reminder that this was real, that he was real.
What was she afraid of?
“I’m afraid to let you in,” she whispered against his chest. “But I still want to.”
He stilled. She didn’t need to see his face to feel his surprise. “What did you say?”
She shook her head, instantly regretting her boldness. The words had slipped out before she could catch them. “Nothing.”
Cal tightened his hold on her, and she opened her eyes to look at him. His gaze was intense, focused solely on her. She could see the concern there, the question he wanted to ask.
He never got the chance. The song ended and the DJ announced it was time for the newlyweds to cut the cake. The soft bubble around them burst, the noise of the other wedding guests flooding back in. She drew away from him, but he tightened his hold for an instant as if unwilling to let her go.
“I… need to go, Cal.”
Emotions battled over his expression, but then his cheerful smile returned, only slightly strained around the edges.
“All right,” he said, stepping back and giving her the space she desperately needed.
She turned and fled, all but pushing people out of the way as she made a beeline for the restroom. The door closed behind her with a soft click and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Her heart fluttered like a frightened bird behind her ribs. She leaned on the bathroom sink and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes wide with shock. She looked like a woman who had just been kissed for the first time.
But she hadn’t been kissed. She had danced with Callum Holden, and she had loved every second of it.
And that terrified her more than anything else.
chapter
six
The rest of the evening was a blur. The cake cutting, the toasts, the laughs and smiles— Ellie participated in all of it, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She kept stealing glances at Cal, who was mingling and laughing with guests, always so charming.
It was infuriating.
And exhausting.
By the time the boisterous crowd sent the newlyweds off on their honeymoon, she was completely drained and just a bit tipsy from too much champagne. Maybe she shouldn’t have grabbed a glass every time Cal got close.
As soon as her duty as maid of honor ended, she escaped onto a terrace below the hotel overlooking the ocean and drew in several deep breaths of the cool air. She was finally alone, with only the rolling waves below to keep her company…
