PRESENT
Ellie is giggling as I help her out of the passenger seat. The sound so sweet and carefree, I close my eyes for a moment just to let it wash over me. After tonight, she deserves to have a moment not laced with all the shit that’s going on.
I haven’t seen her like this in a while. She’s drunk, way too drunk, and I can’t let myself enjoy it. Not tonight.
She seemed somewhat sober when we left the bar, but by the time we pulled into the driveway, the drunk haze was back in her eyes. Either the alcohol she’d been tossing back all night finally hit her, or she had something while I dealt with the Stuart situation.
“Dominic,” she slurs, gripping my arm as I guide her to the door. “You saved me. You saved me and it was so hot.”
Yeah, she’s definitely shit faced. Sober Ellie would never admit that.
She’s swaying on her feet, clinging to my arm so tightly,her nails are digging into it. Her nearness is doing something dangerous to my self-control.
Inside, the air is quiet and still. I set up security cameras around the perimeter of her property and didn’t get one alert while we were gone.
While it’s only been a few days, her space is already feeling like home. Maybe it’s because my house in massive disarray, or maybe it’s because this is Ellie’s home, and wherever she is feels like exactly where I need to be.
She leans into me, her body warm and soft, and I hate myself for noticing, especially when she’s too drunk to realize what’s she’s doing. I want her touch, but only when her mind is clear, and she wants it as much as I do.
“Come on, let’s get you some water.” I steer her toward the couch.
“Water’s boring,” she mumbles, pulling away. She stumbles slightly, and I catch her by the waist, steadying her before she can fall.
Fuck, she feels good. What I wouldn’t give to be able to bury my face in her neck and suck on the pulse jumping out of it. Lick down it, suck on her?—
“You’re not boring, though,” she teases, brushing her breasts against me. “You’re all…big and muscley and…” Her fingers trail up my chest, and I grab her wrist gently, stopping her movements.
“Ellie,” I warn.
This is torture.
“What?” She blinks up at me, her wide, pale green eyes full of mischief. “I’m just saying you’re sexy. Is that a crime now? Are you going to arrest me,Deputy Alvarez?”
I close my eyes briefly, fighting for composure. I’m not going to survive this. “You’ve had too much to drink. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“So?” she counters, leaning closer. “I know what I want,and I want you.” Her breath is warm against my neck, and I can feel her smile. “We’ve had sex drunk before.”
I swallow down a choke.
We have had sex drunk before. But we were young and stupid, andbothdrunk. This is different.
“You know,” she continues. “You don’t have to sleep on the couch. My bed’s big enough. I think you earned it tonight.”
I laugh, despite myself, and step back, putting some much-needed space between us.
I’m being punished. I’ve been wanting her since I moved back. Hell, I’ve been yearning for her from the moment I lost her. Now, the one time she can’t keep her hands off me, I have to push her away.
“Maybe you should sit down.”
She pouts but obeys, collapsing onto the couch in a flurry of dramatic sighs that cause my dick to jerk to attention. “You’re no fun.”
“You’ll thank me in the morning.” I grab a bottle of water from the kitchen and hand it to her.
She takes it begrudgingly, twisting the cap off clumsily. “You should’ve had some drinks tonight. Maybe then you’d stop being such a buzz kill.”
Setting aside the water, she stands, and her dress rises dangerously high. Enough for me to get a peek at her underwear. Red lace. So fucking sexy my mouth starts to water.
“Since you’re so hell-bent on staying here and protecting me,” she says, stepping toward me. “Maybe you can take care of some of my other needs, too.”
