Page 43 of The Hook Up
“I do want to know what you’re thinking,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear. “But I also kinda want to have you again. Just once more.”
“Once,” he repeated, trying not to let the dismay show on his face. “So, you’re thinking of this as a one-time hookup?”
Ellie blinked then shook her head “No!” Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. “I meant once more this morning. Like—before my family comes home. After that—um—well. How about we just see?”
Ty laughed, still reeling from the surge of unexpected emotion. Still shocked to discover how much it stung in those five seconds he thought he might never get to have Ellie again.
He didn’t like it one bit.
But he did like the way Ellie was looking at him now, with heat and desire and warmth flooding those bright blue eyes. Ty held out his hand and smiled. “Come here,” he said, relieved when she put her hand in his without question. “Now that we’ve established the terms of our hookup, let’s see how we do with the quickie.”
Ellie laughed and let him pull her back down onto the bed, curving her body against his like she belonged there.
It took everything he had to convince his heart not to believe that.
* * *
Two hours later,Ty was home watching football and eating Doritos straight from the bag. They tasted stale and chalky, nothing at all like the homemade waffles and bacon Ellie had insisted on feeding him before he’d left her house just before eleven.
They’d said good-bye on her porch with a hug that warmed him to the core and a kiss that tasted faintly of maple syrup.
“Let’s do this again sometime,” Ty had murmured into her hair.
“Definitely.”
Neither of them had named a date.
When his phone buzzed on the couch beside him, a jolt of excitement hit him in the gut. Maybe it was Ellie. Maybe she wanted to meet for lunch or set a date for later in the week.
He glanced at the readout on his phone and tried not to be disappointed at the sight of his sister’s name.
“Hey, Anna,” he said. “Sorry I haven’t emailed back. Work’s been crazy.”
“No problem.” Her voice was cheerful and much more understanding than he deserved. “Did you have a chance to figure out if any of those dates will work for you? To meet Martin, I mean.”
“Right, yes.” He tried to remember the dates she’d listed, pretty sure the next week was wide open. “I was thinking next Friday.”
“Ugh. I was afraid you’d pick that one.”
“Am I too late?”
“No, it’s not your fault. It’s just that my new in-laws called last night and asked to take us out that night to celebrate. They’re super jazzed about the wedding. Martin is an only child, so they’re going crazy putting engagement announcements in the paper and offering to help with wedding plans.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“Good, I think. Actually, really great. I’ve had friends complain about their meddling in-laws, but I don’t feel like that,” she said. “Honestly, it’s just nice to have someone care. My mom isn’t into weddings, and, obviously, Dad’s not involved.”
“Obviously,” Ty muttered, the familiar prickle of ice trickling through his chest.
“I guess it’s kinda fun to have family that takes an interest.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.” Ty closed his eyes, wishing he’d done a better job of being there for his sister. He hated the thought of disappointing her. “I know I haven’t always been there for you, and I promise?—”
“What? No, Ty—that’s not what I meant at all,” she said. “You’re a great brother. I was talking about adults.”
He snorted and stuck a hand in the Doritos bag. “And all this time I thought I did a pretty good job impersonating a grown-up.”
Anna laughed. “You know what I mean. Parental figures. My mom had so many different boyfriends after Dad left, and they were all such jerks. Between that and Dad making all kinds of promises he’d end up breaking because he was going back to prison, I kinda learned a bad father figure is worse than none at all, you know?”
