She laughed again.
We walked in silence for a bit, but this time, it wasn’t quite so awkward. Still, it took me all of thirty seconds to blurt out, “Whyaren’tyou seeing anyone, Ellie?” Because even taking me out of the picture, I was unable to contain my curiosity on thispoint. Ellie was amazing. I knew a hundred guys who’d line up for the chance to date someone like her. And I’d fight every single one if I thought I’d have a chance.
Ellie sighed. She bit her lip again, like I learned she did when she was deciding whether to say something, “Because of Tommy.”
I lifted my brows. “Tommy?”
“Well, not just him. But…” she looked over at me. “Do you really want to know?”
I really did. “Only if you want to tell me.”
She pressed her lips together. Then said, “The very short version is that I don’t attract the best men into my life. The last guy I let in who seemed okay at first, thought Tommy’s behavior needed to be dealt with through military-style discipline.”
Ellie massaged her hand. I’d seen her do that before, like she was in pain. But this time she was pressing hard enough her fingertips went white.
“How did that go over?” I asked.
“It drove a wedge between me and my son. I left him over it, but Tommy and I still don’t have the last of those splinters out.”
My heart hurt picturing some asshole yelling at that kid. Tommy acted all tough, but I could see glimpses of a softness under all that. It was especially clear when he was with his brother.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Yeah, well, lesson learned.”
I got it now. I understood her reasoning. Maybe I couldn’t turn off my feelings like a tap, but that wasmyproblem. Besides, I couldn’t vouch for how I’d be even if she did want something more with me. Knowing me, I’d do something to fuck it up, even if I wasn’t Ron. Or whatever.
I didn’t know whether I should say something else. But I was saved from having to figure it out by a loud rumble.
“Oh shit.” I looked out through the trees. We were nearly back at the park, but being undercover meant I hadn’t noticed those dark clouds taking over the sky. As we emerged out onto the grass, the first drop of rain fell. I pulled my hoodie off, stuffing it under the stroller as the rain started falling in earnest.
The parking lot was on the far side of the park, but the gazebo was only twenty feet away.
“Run?” I asked.
Ellie flipped the top of the stroller down, covering Henry just as the sky fully opened up. “Run!”
CHAPTER 13
Out of the Rain
SAM
It was only a thirty-second sprint to the gazebo, but by the time we got there, we were both soaked. Henry was shrieking, but as I came around the side to lift the stroller up the stairs—no time to unbuckle him—I saw it was with happiness. He was flapping his arms like a bird, screaming with laughter. Thanks to the cover, he’d only gotten a little wet.
When I looked at Ellie though, I felt my stomach drop. She was drenched. I should have brought an umbrella. Fuck.
But then my eyes took in the rest of her. She had her hands on her hips as she looked out onto the storm. She didn’t look unhappy. She was smiling. She looked…beautiful.But worse, her outfit was clinging to her body in a slightly obscene way. I forced myself to look up to her face, where her hair lay flat and stuck to her cheeks.
Thank fuck she wasn’t looking at me, but out at the river, where lightning cracked over the water, making Henry’s smile freeze on his face.
“It’s okay, baby,” she cooed, leaning into the stroller and kissing his cheek. “Thunderstorms are fun, I promise!” Then she laughed, standing up straight again.
And then all the work I’d done in my head folded in on itself like a cheap lawn chair.
Ellie’s wild, soft curls were one of my favorite things about her. But she was in the process of slicking her hair back away from her face, and it felt like it was going in slow motion. Her eyes closed as she curved her palms over her crown. Her face was now clear and unobstructed, her lashes rain-soaked; her skin dewy over her cheekbones. And her body—fuck.She looked like a Renaissance painting, only with bigger—Oh, hell.Her nipples were visible. But I couldn’t stop staring. She looked like a goddess. Like a statue. Like fucking Botticelli had pulled her out of his head and stuck her here in front of me. I wanted to drop to my knees before her.
To worship at her fucking altar.
