The Last Thing She Wants (Chestnut Hills #1)

24

theo

In place of our evening workout, Friday after work was reserved for packing my Prius and driving to Philly just in time for alate dinner. Luggage secured, we took our spots: me behind the wheel, Ellie in the passenger seat. Excited to charm her with my thoughtfulness, I pressed play on my Southern Charm playlist. The tunes consisted mainly of Taylor Black, with similar artists sprinkled throughout.

The brightness in her eyes at the recognition of my gift was enough to fill my heart that evening. I’d been wanting more since the first day we met, and now it was no secret. That, however, didn’t mean I couldn’t be a gentleman about wooing her.

After the run in with Lucy, I knew she was going to withdraw again. Every time we made physical contact, it felt as if our fire was being reignited. Instead of leaning into the warmth, she always pulled away. I figured the best way to go about things was to continue to act normally, everything unchanged.

Monday, I reached out to Daisy to ask for her help with Ellie. Hopeful that she could get her to at least agree to go to the gym with me again, I was very fortunate Daisy seemed to be a sideline cheerleader for us. She did, however, threaten to cut my pinkie toes off if I hurt Ellie. An odd threat, but one to be expected from the free-spirited artist.

I spent all week meticulously showing Ellie just how not-awkward things were between us and she seemed to be getting comfortable again. No pinkie-toe victims here.

A childish giggle filled the air as Ellie flopped on one of the two queen-sized beds.

“I love hotel beds,” she managed to say amid her laughter whilst making snow angels on the comforter. My chest swelled at the sight, etching the moment into my memory. Her pure joy radiating was contagious.

“Not that I don’t love this scene in front of me, but I need you to move to the other bed.” I gestured to the adjacent, unbothered, bed. “This one is closest to the door.”

Confusion transformed into humor as she made sense of the meaning. “Oh, is big bad Theo going to protect little ol’ me?” she took on a caricature of a southern belle accent.

“Hey, I work out.” I flexed my biceps in jest but still caught the slight widening of Ellie’s eyes. Acquiescing, she scooted off the bed and reenacted the snow angel scene on the undisturbed bed.

For dinner, I made reservations at FISH, an upscale sushi restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. While the fish was fresh and beautifully presented, it was also obscenely overpriced.

“There’s an ice cream shop a block over. Would you care to go there for some dessert?” I asked, having just paid the bill.

“That depends. Can I pay?”

“Not a penny,” I offered my most charming smile.

“Then, no thanks. ”

Although Ellie had already paid for the hotel and tickets, she insisted we also cover our own expenses for the trip. I, on the other hand, refused to let that happen, sneaking my card to the server before they could bring us the bill.

I promised it was not in an effort to woo her and that I was just being courteous and fair. In my mind, I was trying to woo her. At least just a little.

“Liar,” I stood and pulled her chair out for her, helping her stand. Grabbing her hand, I led her through the busy restaurant onto the equally busy city sidewalk. Our fingers laced together felt easy, like it was a sure thing. Inevitable, even. That was until she pulled away.

Approaching the ice cream shop, a pianist played on the corner. String lights canopied over the intersection, and in the summer night, it felt like we’d been transported from the city to the middle of afield of fireflies. Watching her pause in awe with her head tilted to the sky, I placed my hand on the small of her back. Coming around to the front of her, I grabbed her other hand and held it up. Naturally, her other hand came up and rested on my shoulder.

We swayed with two other pairs that stopped to enjoy the moment. Releasing her back and bringing our joined hands up, she twirled, and her laugh acted as an accent to the music. Moving in silence, we dared not say a word as to break the spell. With no spoken words, our heart beats did the talking as we were pressed chest to chest, our bodies in sync.

Sudden clapping brought us back to the present, causing us to separate. As we continued on our path, I catalogued the small victory.

Though the concert wasn’t until eight the next night, Ellie insisted on being back at the hotel room four hours prior. We spent the morning sipping coffee and snacking on pastries as we toured the Magical Gardens and walked along the water. We welcomed a slow morning as we lazily chatted, sometimes opting to silently take in our surroundings.

However, this was go time. She needed time for a quick nap and a full body shower, which confused me because I thought all showers were full body showers. Like, by definition.

Apparently, that was just the prep. Then she needed time to do her hair and makeup.

While Ellie sequestered herself in the bathroom, I thought it smart to pick up something to eat, unsure of how robust the coffeehouse’s dinner menu would be.

Returning, my hands were full of three large brown paper bags. I hitched my hip against the door and caught just the right angle to strategically place the room key against the reader. Slamming the door shut with my foot, I looked up to find a surprised Ellie.

Haphazardly stretching a red dress across her body, I caught glimpses of a red strapless bra and matching underwear. A lump quickly grew in my throat, and I struggled to not only speak but also swallow.

“You scared the shit out of me,” she said, exasperated. The breathless tone made me wonder if that was how she would sound after a night together in bed. “Could you, uh, look away, please?”

Quickly turning and focusing my eyes on the top corner of the doorway, I heard her scurry into the bathroom. “Sorry,” I cleared my throat. “I just ran out for something to eat before we go.”

“Did you buy the entire store?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer.” Hearing her turn off the bathroom light, I consciously kept my attention on taking the food out of their respective bags. “I got french fries, a hamburger, a cheeseburger, and cheesecakes from the burger shop; falafels and hummus from the place next to that; then, an Italian sub, meatball sub, and chips from the sandwich shop next to that.”

“Wow…that’s really thoughtful. Thank you.”

Time froze when I lifted my gaze, slowly drinking in the image of her. From her red painted toenails to her deliciously wide hips being hugged by the tight red dress from earlier, I held my breath. Slowly remembering to expand my lungs, I took in the curve of her waist and the lift of her breasts, held in place by two thin straps. She had her hair pinned back with two free pieces framing her face. Gloss and glitter coated her plush lips.

“What do you think?” she slid her hands down the front of her dress.

Impulse took control, and I walked towards where she stood firmly in place. Placing a finger under her chin, I tilted her head to bring us to eye contact. Taking that hand, I gently caressed the side of her face in such a way that I barely felt it, save for her body heat.

“I think I want to tell you that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I think I want to show you all the things I think about you as you stand here, taking my breath away. I think I want to say nothing else, and use my mouth for nothing else, than to lick every inch of you.”

I felt my groin swell at the thought. The quickening of her breath against my face only sped up the process. Taking a step back, I motioned to the food displayed on the room’s desk. “Now, pick your poison. Burger, falafel, or sandwich?”

Ellie ate her Italian sandwich in stunned silence as I took my turn in the bathroom, getting dressed. Faint classic rock played from my phone on the entertainment stand, filling the room .

My gray slacks tugged around my hips and carried down in a slim fit through the legs. The top few buttons of my fitted black collared shirt showed a sliver of my chest. A chest that looked pretty damn good, if I said so myself. Between classes on Thursday, I had my beard cleaned up, and now I also slicked back my hair and wore my glasses.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Ellie held the sandwich mid-bite. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and I took that as a good sign.

“Do I look worthy of standing next to the temptress in red?”

She took the bite of the stacked bread and nodded silently as she chewed.

This time when I grabbed for her hand on the busy street, she didn’t pull away. Hands joined, we weaved through throngs of people and pride swelled in my chest as I walked next to her.

The coffeehouse was just that, a coffeehouse. The store front was quaint, but the size was deceiving. While the front held a handful of café tables, a darkened hallway led back to a gorgeous café garden. Communal seating filled the floral outdoor space. Couches, lounge chairs, and coffee tables were strategically placed around the patio. Several tables stood between the varied seating, already filled with larger groups.

Across the patio, lanterns hung, bringing a warm light to the space. Noticing more than one person, men and women alike, checking out Ellie, I confidently led her to a vacant loveseat.

Settling in, she leaned back and crossed her ankles. Adjusting myself, I brought my arm around her. Even if she wasn’t ready yet to agree to be more than friends, I needed to be sure to send a signal to every person there. She was mine .

Surprising me, she leaned in and I triumphantly accepted the move.

As Taylor Black crooned his heartfelt lyrics, I periodically found myself gently stroking her arm or smelling in her perfume of amber. At one point, she had also laid her head on my shoulder and let her hand rest on my knee. We stayed in each other’s arms, neither breaking contact for an hour and a half.

“Alight folks,” Taylor spoke into the microphone with his light country drawl. “I want to thank y’all for coming out tonight. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect night to play under the stars. Before we close out this evening, I’d like to play one last song. I originally wrote this when I was a teenager, having found my first love. I’ve since tweaked it, but the meaning is still there for me.”

Music about the beauty and ferocity of true love filled the air. The melody of the guitar was soft, calming our frenzied hearts. I turned to examine Ellie’s profile as she closed her eyes, taking in the music. A silent tear trailed from the corner of her eye.

As much as I wanted to wipe it away, I didn’t want to disturb the moment for her, one that clearly held a lot of meaning. The song ended, and upon opening her eyes, she turned to find me still looking at her. She gave me a smile and wiped away the tear.

I returned the soft smile with my own and kissed her temple.