Felix
Never in his life, not even in all the fights he’d ever been in, had Felix felt the adrenaline pummel through him like it had the moment he’d seen Ella slip in the back way and rush into the stairwell. He’d almost missed her, but he’d done a double take when he saw her. Then he practically sprinted towards the stairwell door, turning a few heads in the process, but he’d been going mad waiting for her to get back. Now that she had, he wasn’t waiting even a second to talk to her. If there had ever been any doubt that he had it bad for this girl, there was zero now.
The moment she sped away in Grayson’s squad car and he realized what had just happened, Felix had jumped in his own car ready to chase after them. It was only after a moment of clarity that he decided not to. Chasing after a cop car wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do, and the last thing he needed was another scandal all over the tabloids, especially one that might drag not just 5th Street but Ella down with him too.
Already, she’d begun to shoot him down in the car before Grayson showed up, and he had a feeling he knew why. It was what he’d worried about all along, that she might think their lives too incompatible. Getting her name dragged through the tabloids would just further her hesitation. But he felt even more determined suddenly to try and convince her to give him a chance.
“Ella!” he called out as soon as he rushed into the stairwell.
She was halfway up the first flight of stairs when she froze in her tracks but didn’t turn to face him.
“What happened?” He rushed up to meet her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, yet she still didn’t turn to face him. “I’m sorry. Grayson gets . . . I just didn’t want him to say anything that might . . .”
Finally, she turned to him, her eyes welling up. Instinctively, he touched her face and felt a fire ignite inside him like he only remembered feeling once before in his life. “What’s wrong? Did he do something to you?”
“No.” She shook her head, her eyes glued to his. “He didn’t. I’m just embarrassed and—”
“Embarrassed? About what?”
His heart raced but for more than one reason now. While the adrenaline and fire still surged through him, he stared at her lips and had to fight the incredible urge to kiss them. “Why are you embarrassed?” he asked a little gentler—calmer—this time, tearing his eyes from her lips to look into her eyes.
“Because of the way I just left with him. I just didn’t want him to say or do anything rude.”
“Are you still seeing him?”
“No.” She shook her head immediately.
Almost afraid to ask, he did anyway. “Hector said you were considering going out with him again. Are you?”
She shook her head again. “Not after what he did today.”
That almost made it worth having been left standing in the parking lot like an idiot. Almost. He stared at her, unable to take his hand away from her face where she leaned into it. Incapable of holding back anymore, he leaned in and kissed her softly. She tasted as good as he’d imagined. To his relief, she didn’t protest, so he kissed her again.
“Felix, I can’t,” she whispered against his lips with her eyes closed, but she didn’t pull away.
“Why?” he asked, leaning his forehead against hers, still savoring her taste on his lips.
“I’m not like the other girls you go out with. I can’t just turn it on and off.”
“Good.” He smiled, kissing her again. “I don’t want you turning it off.”
“That’s not what I meant.” This time she did pull away. “As tempting as it is, and believe me you have no idea how tempted I am, I can’t do this.”
“But you’re not giving me a reason,” he said, reaching out for her hand and lacing his fingers through hers like he’d thought about doing so much since that first time. “Why not?”
“Because I’m just not like that.”
Now he pulled away, peering at her curiously. “What exactly do you think I’m asking you to do?”
For the first time since they’d been standing there, she looked as confused as he felt. Her eyes opened wide and her face flushed. “To sleep with you, right?”
Felix couldn’t help but laugh at her adorable expression. “That’s what you think I’m asking you to do? Right here?”
Her face got even brighter red, and it was refreshing to see someone he’d thought so unruffled and composed blush like a schoolgirl for once. “Well, no, but soon.” She appeared to gather herself and lifted her chin a little. “I just don’t do that, and . . .” She stopped and looked at him with that same adorably confused expression as earlier. “What are you asking me to do?”
Felix let go of her hand and brought his hands up to cup her face, kissing her softly again because he just couldn’t resist anymore. “I’m asking you to give me a chance,” he said between kisses.
“A chance for what?” she whispered but kissed him back as eagerly as he’d begun to kiss her.
“To prove to you that I want more,” he said, kissing her deeper than he had that whole time then stopped to take a breath—calm himself—or he’d be stuck in the stairwell for a while nursing the biggest hard-on he’d had in a long time. “I know what you’re thinking.” He stared at her, feeling a sudden fear in his heart. “Up until earlier today, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted, but I can tell you one thing with all certainty. I don’t just want to sleep with you. We can hold off on that for as long as you want. I’ll do whatever it takes. Just give me a chance”—he kissed her again, softly this time—“please.”
She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “I’ll need time,” she whispered. “If I do this, I really have to think it over. I’m just—”
“Take all the time you need,” he said, licking her bottom lip. “I told you. I’ll do whatever it takes, and if that means waiting, so be it.” Backing her up slowly until she was against the wall, he leaned his body against her and unleashed the need that had been mounting all week. He devoured every inch of her mouth. Never had kissing someone felt so damn intoxicating. Already he knew he could easily get addicted to this.
She kissed him back just as impassioned. It lessened the fear he was still feeling in his gut that he was in this alone. But it didn’t completely eliminate it. She hadn’t agreed to anything yet. And there was still the galling fact that up until just a little while ago, when that asshole showed up, she was actually considering possibly getting back together with him. That could mean she still had feelings for him. It could also mean he was part of the reason for her hesitation.
“Felix,” she whispered breathlessly, making a weak attempt to push him away.
Felix couldn’t get enough of her mouth now. The more he tasted it, the more he wanted.
“Felix,” she whispered again. “This isn’t waiting.”
He kissed her one last time with a guilty smirk and pulled away to look at her, but her eyes were still closed as she attempted to calm her own breathing.
“Oops.” He grinned. “Got a little carried away there.”
“You’re gonna have to be patient with me.” She licked her lips, her eyes still tightly closed.
He kissed the lid of one of her eyes softly. “It’ll be tough,” he said, kissing the other lid next, “but I’m up for the challenge.” Her eyes flew open and her entire body tensed. “What?” he asked, searching her eyes.
The change in her mood was so erratic, as he’d seen her do before, but this time he didn’t like it. He’d obviously said something wrong. She moved away from the wall and him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, slipping his hand in hers because he was afraid she might actually walk away.
“Nothing,” she said, quickly shaking her head, but it was completely unconvincing.
How could she go from looking as if she were still savoring the taste of his mouth on her lips one second to this? She shook her head again but was doing something so unlike her—avoiding looking him in the eyes.
Felix touched her chin gently, turning it to him. “Look at me.” She did and he gazed deep into those troubled eyes. “Tell me. What is it?”
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment; then she looked up. Finally they were back on his but not before she exhaled. “One of the things Grayson said to me just now was . . .” She shook her head abruptly. “Never mind. I don’t know why I’m putting any weight on anything he says about you. He doesn’t know you.”
“About me?” Felix furrowed his brows, feeling that instant ignition inside him.
She was right. What did that fucker know about him? But he was curious now. What had he said to her that would ruin the moment like it had? And what set her off? Felix wanted to make sure that never happened again.
He peered at her curiously. “What did he say?”
There was no hiding the frustration in her eyes. She was upset with herself now for having brought it up in the first place, but Felix still wanted to know.
“Just tell me. I promise there’s not a single disparaging rumor that hasn’t already been said about me.” He smiled, making sure she kept her eyes on his. “I’m just curious.”
She fidgeted for a moment then shrugged. “My class is waiting, Felix. I’m so late now.” Felix lifted a stubborn brow, refusing to let her off the hook. He had to know now. “Okay,” she finally agreed. “He said he was certain I was nothing more than a challenge to you.”
He felt his eyes open as wide as hers had earlier. The bell to the start of one of his fights may as well have been going off like a clamoring alarm because that’s how bad he suddenly felt like taking a hard swing at someone. Then it hit him.
“That’s not what I meant,” he said quickly, “when I said I was up for the challenge. I just meant I’d do anything you ask but not for the reason that asshole wants you to think. Look. I’ll be honest with you. Up until just moments ago, when I asked you to give me a chance, I hadn’t even thought about what I’d do if you did. This will be challenge. But the challenge will be to prove to you that I want more than what you’re thinking. I’ve only ever even tried the relationship thing once before and . . .” He pressed his lips together for a moment, hating that he had to get into this right now, but he wanted to make sure she understood this. “Well, I guess everybody knows I blew that one. Trust me. I can understand why you’d be hesitant, but I will promise you this. That disastrous relationship I had with Bianca wasn’t all for nothing. I did learn a few things from it, and I promise you if you give us a chance I won’t be making the same mistakes again.”
She stared at him for a few agonizing long silent moments. “Us,” she whispered, her eyes displaying the tiniest bit of excitement.
He nodded, feeling exhilaration he never would’ve imagined feeling. But she lifted a brow quickly, her excitement turning into a warning look. “I need time, Felix.”
“You got it,” he said immediately but pulled her to him anyway.
He almost let it slip—the question on the tip of his tongue. What about Grayson? Would she still be considering him too? Then he thought better of it. It was definitely something he’d be addressing, but this was too soon. He’d give her time to let this sink in first before he started making what he knew would sound more like a demand than a simple question.
“So is this a secret?” he asked instead. “Or can I still do this?”
He pecked her softly again, only this time he traced her lips with tongue slowly, feeling her entire body shiver in response. He was about to devour her mouth like he had earlier, when she flattened her hand against his chest, exhaling slowly. “I doubt I’ll be able keep you from doing that.”
“Just say the word,” he said, wanting to assure her he’d never force anything on her.
Her laughter surprised him. “Yeah, well therein lies the problem. My will to just say the word may not be strong enough to fight the urge to just give in.”
He smiled, loosening his hold around her waist. “I’ll try to behave,” he whispered, pecking her one last time.
“As for keeping anything a secret,” she said, squeezing his hand. “That’s entirely up to you. You’re the one on blast all the time. If the press sees us doing anything like . . .” She smiled timidly.
“Like this?” he said, taking advantage of the moment to feed his now insatiable craving for her, and kissed her just under her ear. “Or this?” he whispered against her neck, licking it softly because he loved feeling her shiver like she was doing already.
Giggling nervously and a bit breathlessly, she pulled away. “Or just this,” she said, lifting their enlaced fingers. “You know it’ll be all over the tabloids.”
“In case you haven’t picked up on this yet, I’ve never given a shit what the tabloids have to say about me.” He winced playfully. “Kind of why my last publicist bowed out of his job.”
She lifted a brow, and he was relieved that her mood had now taken a positive turn because she, too, smirked playfully. “I heard you fired him.”
Felix shrugged. “Minor details. My point is I don’t care what they say if they see us together; I just don’t want youfeeling uncomfortable. So for the sake of them not turning your life into a circus just yet, maybe we should keep this under the radar—for now.” He gave her a warning look. “Because once you decide”—he squeezed her hand—“if you do give me a chance and you’re in this all the way, then I want everyone to know, especially Grayson.”
Oh yeah. He knew there’d be no way he’d hold off too long without at least mentioning it. Given her playful mood just moments ago, he expected her to laugh, at the very least smile; instead that seemed to wipe the playfulness from her eyes.
“You’re right,” she agreed too quickly and too seriously. “It probably is best if we’re as discreet as possible.”
She smiled, bringing an end to their fateful time in that stairwell. They started up the stairs to the door at the second floor hand in hand, but once they reached the top, she dropped his hand. Before she could open the door, Felix reached for her hand again and tugged at it. She turned back and he kissed her one last time—deeply. “I’ll be dying to be alone with you again,” he whispered against her lips.
The relief was instant. Seeing the twinkle in her eyes chased away the concern in them, making Felix feel a little better. But something gnawed at him even more now. She hadn’t even tried to mask the fact that the mere mention of making sure Grayson knew about them had changed her mood considerably.
That Grayson discussion he thought could wait was going to happen a lot sooner now. The need to know exactly what her feelings were for the prick had just spiked tenfold. He’d get to it the very next time he got her alone again.
~*~
Ella
As late as Ella already was, she knew Carmen could handle the one o’clock class alone for a little longer. She headed straight to the ladies’ room, her heart hammering in her chest. This wasn’t really happening, was it? Felix Sanchez was asking her to consider a relationship with him? Everyone had noticed and mentioned Felix’s interest in her, even Grayson. Now Felix himself was declaring his feelings for her—feelings he couldn’t even explain. All Ella could think was why her?
The moment she closed the door to the bathroom stall, her mom’s words came to her.
La suerte de la fea, la bonita la desea.
Ella hadn’t thought of the saying in years. Ironically, Carmen, who’d taken offense to the saying when Ella had first translated it to her years ago, had been the one to bring it up just last week. Technically, the saying translated as “the fate of the ugly girl, the pretty girl desires.” But that’s not how her mom had meant it when she’d used the saying to point something out to Ella.
She’d never considered herself ugly, nor had she ever been insecure about her looks, but she hardly considered herself to be stunning, and she liked things that way at that age. Though she admitted even now she preferred blending in rather than standing out. Ella hadn’t even worn makeup at fifteen, and she hadn’t plucked her brows nor did she possess the talent to do fancy things to her hair like some of other girly-girls in high school. They obviously spent hours on their looks while Ella spent most of her time around her brother and her also non-girly-girlfriend Carmen, mastering their skateboarding skills and running amuck at the park.
So when boys—cute boys—began to show an interest in her, she was at a loss. The other prettier girly-girls made no secret that they were just as much at a loss as she was. Her mother’s theory was that she appealed to boys for more than just her looks. There wasn’t a snooty or difficult bone in her body. More than anything she was easy to talk to, and boys, no matter how cute and experienced she might think them, appreciated that.
Her mother often raved about being the luckiest mom on earth to have had a daughter who hadn’t gone through those awful teen years. Of course, her mom was likely biased, but she did tell Ella she had one of the most pleasant and likeable personalities of anyone she’d ever known. One thing her mother always said she was sure of was that Ella had gotten one of her best qualities from her late grandmother—her dad’s mom, the woman her mother called the personification of grace under fire.
Maybe it was the power of thought because Ella had always believed it. In hindsight, it was probably why she’d never had an insecure bone in her body either, not when it came to boys or going after what she wanted in life.
“You already have so much more to offer than any of those girls,” her mother had said. “Just wait. One day when you get older and learn the only tricks those empty-headed girls have—the makeup, the hair, and the pretty clothes—none of them will stand a chance. The boys already see the difference now. Just imagine then.”
It was a point that had once again been brought to her attention by Carmen just a week ago when Ella had insisted Carmen was crazy for thinking Felix might be interested in Ella. “He could have any and as many girls as he wants,” Ella had argued. “Probably at the same time too.” She laughed. “What in the world could he want with me?”
It seemed her mom was once again right. But was she? There was still Grayson’s theory, and Felix pointing out that he was up for the challenge couldn’t have been just an eerie coincidence, could it? Though Ella had to admit his explanation had been quite a sincere one.
At the same time, Ella was trying to be smarter than to let someone like Grayson get in her head. So far it was working. She’d decided to give Felix the opportunity to prove himself, but there was something else now that worried her.
“Mommy,” she whispered, eyes tightly shut. “I’m not ashamed of Daddy. You know this. But what if this doesn’t work out? It wouldn’t be a quiet breakup like with Grayson.”
It’d be so much more painful.
Ella fisted the fabric of her blouse against her chest. She couldn’t even bring herself to say it aloud here just between her and her mother. Knowing her mother, Ella assumed she already knew what Ella feared. Already she could tell that, if she let herself give into Felix, she’d be falling for him hard. Harder than she’d ever fallen for anyone. What if she was wrong about his sincerity?
Ella was good about putting on a facade—grace under fire. It was what she’d done most of her life. When she was scared or sad or nervous, she’d somehow summon the strength to not be defeated by any of those emotions. Just as she had from the moment she’d met Felix, she’d managed to not turn into a puddle at his feet all this time from just hearing his voice then seeing those amazing eyes gaze deeply into hers. But now she’d been treated to his kisses, had his hard body pressed against hers, and felt what he was feeling for her in his touch—the very thing he said he couldn’t begin to explain. If she gave into it, she’d be a goner. Ella didn’t know if she had the strength to get past the potential heartache. She felt it already. Felix had the power to break her.
“What about Daddy?” she whispered. “What if I break and it makes him worse?”
“Ella?” Carmen’s worried voice called out, startling her out of her thoughts. “Are you in here?”
Her eyes shot open, and she flushed the toilet with her foot. “Yeah,” she said. “I’ll be right out.”
“Oh, thank God.” She heard Carmen exhale. “I started jumping to all these conclusions.”
Ella walked out of stall and smiled at Carmen. “Why? Because I’m late? I know I should’ve texted or called.”
“No, that’s fine.” Her friend quickly went into one of her excited blithering rambles. “It’s just that someone said he’d seen you get in a cop car outside and leave, which I assumed was Grayson’s, but then someone else said she’d seen the cop car speed away with the lights on and you in it. Then just now I overheard someone say he’d nearly been knocked over by Felix rushing through the gym like a madman, and then Drew comes in looking for you, saying you left with Felix and she was dying to know what happened. I was like what in the world? I don’t think you’ve ever just not shown up to class with at least getting a text into someone. So you know me. I was having all these crazy thoughts.” She took a quick breath, making Ella laugh. “I’m serious. I was like did something happen to her dad or maybe Grayson saw you with Felix and pulled one of his asshole stunts tricking you to get in the car with him so he can whisk you away or—”
“He didn’t trick me,” Ella said, lowering her voice then looking around to make sure they were the only ones in the ladies’ room.
“What?” Incredibly, Carmen’s eyes went even more animated than they’d been that whole time. “He saw you with—” Ella nodded, putting her finger over her mouth. “And he—”
“I got in willingly,” Ella explained. “But, yeah, it was pretty much what you said happened. C’mon. Let’s get back to the class. Who’s running it right now?” Ella asked, suddenly getting her priorities back on track.
“Sonia’s here,” Carmen said quickly as they walked out of the ladies’ room. “So what happened? Why was Felix—?”
“Shhh!” Ella said, looking around. “Don’t say his name.
“Okay, okay,” Carmen whispered loudly. “So why was he running through the gym like madman?”
“I don’t know,” Ella said, her heart swelling suddenly at the thought that Felix was that concerned for her; then she remembered the fire in his eyes when he’d seen her tears. “Maybe it’s when he saw me come in through the back and go up the stairwell. He caught me halfway up and we talked.”
They walked a few steps without a word until her friend squeezed her arm. “And what?”
“I can’t tell you here.” Ella glanced around nervously. “But what you said . . .” She glanced around again. “What I told you Charlee said . . . I guess you were both right. He wants to . . .” She gulped. Having to actually say it out loud felt even more absurd. It was still so surreal.
“Wants to what, Ella?” Carmen asked, looking as if she were ready to burst. “You’re killing me!”
“He wants me to give him a chance,” Ella whispered as they reached the door of the self-defense classroom.
“A chance for what?”
“Oh, don’t make me spell it out,” Ella finally stopped whispering and laughed nervously. “And guess what else,” she added quickly before her friend could start rambling again. “He doesn’t wear cologne.”
As if she hadn’t already dropped a bomb on Carmen, her friend stared at her, her mouth forming a perfectly shaped O. Ella was sure she’d worn the same expression when she’d asked Felix what brand of cologne he wore before they left the stairwell. He’d laughed at her reaction, explaining he only wore antiperspirant when he worked out. Maybe a little lotion but otherwise that amazing scent was all him.
Ella tried to calm herself, but the emotion running through her was unreal. She only wished it was all good. As thrilled as she felt one moment losing her train of thought constantly because she’d remember Felix’s amazing kisses, in the very next moment she was so consumed with the paralyzing fear that this euphoria could all come crashing down on her. And if it did, it would be bad. After only a few kisses from him, she already knew. Just like he said he’d be dying until the next time he had her alone, just thinking about it made her tingle all over. Even in places that had her feeling flushed.
She could not, would not, let it go there any time soon. If his kissing alone had her feeling this way already, she could only imagine if . . .
That’s why she wouldn’t even imagine it.
~~~
The being discreet thing wasn’t going to last. Ella had lost count of how many times Felix had pulled her into the stairwell since that first time almost a week ago. Each time things got a little more frenzied.
“There are security cameras in here, you know,” she’d pointed out one of the times in between kisses.
“Doesn’t matter. Only people who’ll ever see this would never leak it.”
If it weren’t for the hours they’d begun to spend on the phone a few nights ago, she might still be holding on to the theory that this was all just a challenge to him. That and the fact that she’d made it clear she didn’t date guys who smoked. The very next day he’d proudly showed off his nicotine patch.
“I told you whatever it takes.” His smile had been so breathtaking it’d taken everything in her not to kiss him right there in the middle of the gym for everyone to see. “Not that I really need it,” he’d added. “I haven’t been smoking that long, but I figured I can hold on to the patches afterward and we can put them in the scrapbook we’ll start about the story of us, just as soon as you say you’re in this all the way. That’d be something cool to show our kids, no?”
That time it’d been her who’d pulled him out into the stairwell where she’d jumped in his arms and he’d immediately pinned her against the wall. It’d been one of the hottest and longest sessions they’d had to date. Yep. Their discreet days were numbered, and she knew that her time to make up her mind was too. If he kept doing and saying things like that, she already knew which way her heart would be siding. Again, this, too, thrilled her as much as it terrified her.
“So let me get this straight,” Felix said as Ella glanced at the clock radio on her nightstand and realized they were past the two-hour mark tonight. “You can watch classic baseball match ups, entire series even, but you won’t watch a classic boxing match?”
She smiled. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t. I said I never have,” she explained. “Baseball to me is like boxing is to you.” As soon as she said it, she laughed out loud. “Okay, maybe not exactly. I’ve never even really been good at it. And I guess we can say you’re good at boxing.” She giggled, feeling silly. “But like you, the classic games bring back good memories, especially the ones I actually lived through and remember watching with my parents. Vin Scully is like an old friend of the family around here.” Her other line beeped, and she frowned when she saw it was Grayson—again. “Let me get my other line this time, okay?”
“Go ahead. You want me to call you back?”
“No. It’s just the third time he’s called since I’ve been talking to you. I just wanna make sure really quick that it’s not an emergency or anything unless, of course, you wanna hang up now.”
He was quiet for a moment before he cleared his throat. “I’ll wait.”
She clicked over, trying to put on her most unfriendly voice then nearly laughed at the idea. How was she supposed to say hello in a mean way? “Hello?”
Her calculating backfired on her because her pathetic attempt to sound annoyed when she answered came out more like chuckling, and that seemed to amuse Grayson. “You’re in a good mood.”
“I’m on the other line, Grayson. Is this important?”
“Well, that’s a matter of opinion. I think it is. I wanna talk to you.”
“I meant is it an emergency? The only reason I answered is because this is the third time you called. I’m busy right now. I can’t talk.”
“To me,” he said, stating the obvious. “Because I’m guessing you’ve been on the phone all this time talking with someone else.”
“Yes, I have someone on the other line, and unless this is an emergency, which clearly it’s not, then I gotta get back to him.”
“Who you talking to? Gabe?”
“No,” she said, refusing anything more.
“Then who?”
“That’s none of your—”
“Ella,” he cut in raising his voice. “Please tell me that isn’t Felix on the other line.”
She didn’t say anything, and she was ready to click back over to Felix because she could already tell this was about to get ugly—he’d never change.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Ella!”
She clicked back to Felix before Grayson could go on but was annoyed that he’d had managed to rattle her. “Hey,” she said softly. Her heart rate had picked up a little, and she hoped Felix wouldn’t notice her sudden unease.
“That was fast,” he said, a little too seriously, and she wondered if maybe he was getting tired. “I take it that wasn’t an emergency.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“But he called three times? You mind me asking who he is?”
Okay, maybe he wasn’t tired, but his tone sounded more annoyed now.
“That was Grayson,” she said simply.
He was quiet again as he had been when she mentioned this was the third time he’d called, and she wondered now why the hell had she mentioned that. She was certain he hadn’t even noticed she’d had a call coming in the first two times.
“You still talk to him a lot?”
“Not as much as we used to. It’s why I wanted to take the call just now. He never calls that many times in one night, so I just wanted to check to see if everything was okay.”
“Hmm” was all he said.
There was another long pause from Felix, and Ella had just removed all doubt. She was an idiot. Not only had she mentioned Grayson calling three times tonight, but now she’d just confirmed it wasn’t for any other reason than how much he wanted to talk to her.
“I guess this makes for a perfect intro to bring up something I’ve been meaning to ask you about,” Felix began. Ignoring her other line that was beeping again, Ella lay back on her bed, bringing her hand over her eyes, and braced herself. “I know you’re not sure about this yet, and I’ll give you as much time as you need, but being that every time I talk to you, every moment I’m around you now, and every time I kiss your lips, Ella, I fall harder, is there something I should know about your relationship with Grayson before I’m in too deep?”
Hating how the angst over this unexpected new topic took from the swelling of her heart, Ella glanced at the clock again. She’d already told him earlier that tomorrow was her only morning all week to sleep in. She had no excuse for having to get off the phone anytime soon. This two-hour call was about to get a lot longer.