The Last Thing She Wants (Chestnut Hills #1)

26

ellie

Throughout the night, we continued to explore each other’s bodies…thoroughly. Even once in the shower. I cursed myself, realizing this was what I had been missing. Waking slowly, my eyes were still heavy as the sun threatened to break through the curtains.

“Wake up, gorgeous. We have reservations in an hour at Bells,” said a gruff voice into my neck, peppering me with kisses.

My eyes still closed, I hummed, reached over, and pinched at his stomach.

“Ow! What was that for?” he laughed, rubbing at the reddened spot. I silently held up my arm. “What?”

“My turn, pinch me.”

“No,” he swatted me away between laughs.

With careful movement, I shifted onto my elbows and slowly opened my eyes. Soaking in his sleepy features, his lopsided smile, drooped eyelids, I sighed. “Just making sure this isn’t a dream. ”

“No, my gorgeous girl, this is real.” Looping his arm around me, he scooped me into him and gave me a firm kiss on the head. “Come on, I know you like time to get ready. We leave in thirty.”

A fit of giggles exploded from me as he rolled off the bed, still firmly holding me to him. Effortlessly, he carried me into the shower.

I still couldn’t believe the turn of events. My cheeks hurt from smiling constantly. When was the last time that happened? The morning had been perfect. We walked to the restaurant hand in hand, soaking in the heat of the summer late-morning sun.

Me and my man . I indulged in the possessiveness that the statement held.

The drive home was equally peaceful. With one hand on the steering wheel, Theo kept his other hand on my knee. Tendrils of tingles wrapped around me as he drew lazy circles on the inside of my thigh.

With laughter filling the air and the car finally unloaded, we made our way towards the apartment building. Surprise stopped us in our tracks as we noticed a man sitting on the curb. I swore I could hear us both gulp, his grip on my hand tightening at the sight.

Shane’s chuckle was made of disbelief as he shook his head and stood.

“Can we help you?” It was Theo who opened the conversation with the curt question.

What the heck was he doing here?

Shane’s eyes locked on our joined hands. He brought his gaze up to level with me, ignoring Theo’s question. “You look good, Ellie.”

Defensively, Theo stepped in front of me. Placing himself between us, I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make my heart skip a beat. Oh, he was so getting a blow job later.

“Can we help you?” Theo asked again, more firmly.

“I just came by to see if I left my golf clubs behind. They would be in the storage unit.” He hooked his finger over his shoulder, pointing to the building behind the leasing office.

Clearing my throat, I tapped on Theo’s shoulder. “Why don’t you take the bags up? I have a key to the unit; I’ll go with him and be right back.”

Swearing I saw him snarl at the idea, I rubbed his arm assuredly. “It’s okay, I got this.”

He leaned down, speaking for only me to hear. “Ellie, the guy’s a dick. I don’t want him around you.”

“I know, but I will be okay. I promise.” With alight kiss on the lips, I reassured him again. “I’ll be right back. Meet me at my place?”

Theo disappeared into the building, our bags in tow. After a minute of silence, Shane was the first to speak. “So, you and the douche bag, huh?”

With my eyes fixed on our path, I refused to give into the rage that simmered under my skin.

“He is not a douche bag. You know nothing about him. He is kind, caring, funny, smart, and loyal.” I said the last word with ferocity for him to read between the lines.

Unlocking the unit and tugging the metal garage door up, it opened with a loud bang. Shane took a few minutes to look around. Finding his golf bag and clubs, he dug them out and slung them over his shoulder. Clanging the door shut, I could feel his presence as he stood behind me, waiting for me to lock the door back in place.

“You can go,” I said without turning, dismissing him. He made no effort to move, and his presence still loomed over me. I swung around in a fury at him, as he once again dismissed me and tried to intimidate me. “I said you can go. ”

Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Look at you. Finally have a backbone, I see.”

I felt myself involuntarily shrink at his words. He leaned in, bringing his mouth within an inch of my ear, and whispered.

“You can wear pink dresses and lipstick, and stomp your pretty little heels at me, but you are still little defenseless Ellie Branson. You will always be the frail bumpkin girl, looking for someone to love her for who she is.

“I was the closest you’ll ever get to that. This fling you have with him is just that. A fling. Soon, he will see the true value you bring, which is none. You will be thrown out with the trash, where you belong. When you come crawling back to me, I’m going to remind you of this moment when you thought you deserved more, and I will remind you that you deserve nothing.”

The rage that simmered under my skin came to a full boil. Screeching and without a second thought, I rammed my knee up, straight into his groin. He fell over in pain, clutching at his center as I stumbled back.

“You fucking bitch,” he grunted into the gravel under him.

Regaining my composition, I took a step forward and looked down on the man I once thought I had a future with. “That was me reminding you of what you deserve. Asshole.”

Turning on my heel, I confidently marched back to my apartment, where my sexy new boyfriend was waiting.