Page 65 of Defying Ella
“The way you talk, you’d think you didn’t grow up withthree hormonal sisters.” Any urge to cry at his kind words faded away, happily replaced by his groans of despair.
“Shit, don’t remind me.” The fingers caressing my neck froze. Wait, is that why you were crying on tour? You were on your period?” At my nod, he blew out a breath. “Okay, good. I thought I’d upset you.”
“You did.” I rolled my eyes. “PMS robbed me of the ability to hide it.”
“Oh fuck, Els. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I reached for his face, or at least where I thought his face was. He leaned his cheek into my hand. “All that’s in the past.”
“I know but I’m really fucking sorry for taking my issues out on you.”
“I forgive you, Jared.” My hands coasted up his side. “But if you feel like you still need to atone, I’ll happily take my payment in gifts.”
“What kind of gifts?” he asked, a definite smile in his voice.
“Books are always a good start.”
He chuckled. “I’ll get right on that.”
Butterflies took flight in my stomach. The need to pinch myself surfaced. No way could I be this happy.
If someone had told me two weeks ago that we’d end up right here, actually getting on, on the cusp of deepening our relationship, I’d have called them a liar.
Two weeks ago, all I wanted to do was either escape him or tear him down just as he tried to do me.
Now I couldn’t stop craving the heat of his body against mine. Or the sight of that self-satisfied smirk. Oh, how things changed.
“So about these distraction tactics…”
Jared chuckled. “I’ll happily give you a demonstration, Sparky.”
His hand glided down my neck. Heat engulfed my breastas he cupped me. I arched into his touch, fully approving of these tactics.
I never thought I’d be grateful for getting snowed-in. With Jared whispering in my ear while he teased my body, I would happily stay locked-in with him forever.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Truck engines rumbled outside around lunchtime, the only thing to break the stifling quiet all day. Jared made it to the front door and flung it open.
The wall of ice remained, but the sound of machinery rang through the house with deafening clarity. The shouts of voices beyond filtered through, snippets of Italian catching in my mind.
I stood behind Jared, stunned and frozen to the spot. We’d been stuck so long, I got comfortable. As implausible as it seemed, I’d almost expected rescue to never come. My gaze raked down Jared’s back as he bounced on the spot. Maybe I’d hoped for more time with him being his sweet and wonderful real self.
My heart sank while he raced off to pack his bags without so much as a glance at me. I knew what would come. I’d never been an optimist. The reality of people had always been far too stark for me to develop that kind of outlook, but I’d always tried.
I tried with Jared.
Maybe you shouldn’t have,a small voice whispered as I followed him downstairs at a much more sedate pace.
Maybe then I wouldn’t feel like the world would crumble around us the moment we stepped beyond the confines of the cabin.
“Pick up the pace, Els,” Jared shouted as he rushed out of his room with a bag in tow, bumping into me as I neared his door.
I fell back against the wall and watched him race past without looking at me still.
Time to harden your heart, Ella.
“Freedom at last!” He took the stairs two at a time on the way back.
