Looking for Love
Page 25
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Ross didn’t know where he drove; he just drove. Eventually, he found himself at the mall and walking toward the grocery store. What did he think he’d find there? Ella’s confession of love?
Maybe he should just give her time. Maybe she’d come round. He had a bad feeling about this, though. Like every time things had gone wrong between them—it had always been preceded by a horrible creeping dread that began in his gut and proceeded to every extremity of his body. Everything around him seemed dark. Maybe it was the dark clouds on the horizon threatening a storm, or could it be more than that?
He had to find a way forward without Ella. He’d survived without her definite love for so long—surely, he could survive now. He walked through the Boardwalk shopping centre, past all the clothing outlets and specialty stores, hardly taking in what he passed, yet not wanting to go home or do anything else.
Whop! He slammed into something soft yet firm. Hands grasped him and he looked right into the big blue eyes of Ella.
“Ella?”
“Phew, you are a hard one to find.”
Her face was lit up, her cheeks flushed, and tears made her lashes sparkle. He’d never seen her so beautiful, and the ache bloomed in his chest.
“Why were you looking for me?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, you were looking for me. I asked you why.”
“I said yes. Yes, I will marry you, Ross Mitchell.”
“You will?”
He stepped back and looked her up and down to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. He took her hands and bent down to kiss her. Maybe if she kissed him back, he’d know for sure. Dare he try? He hesitated a moment, but before he could blink, her lips were pressed against his—sweet, soft, and gloriously hot.
He plunged a hungry tongue into her mouth and all the sorrow fled. She was his and the world wasn’t a dark place. His sense of dread had been unfounded. How many times had he closed himself off from Ella because of this false sense of unease? Would it have gone easier with her if he’d just given his whole heart in the beginning?
“Shhh.” She pressed a soft finger to his temple. “Stop thinking so hard. Just kiss me.”
At that moment, rain pelted down outside and he realised he had been heading out toward the back entrance. How had he got so far? Where exactly had he walked and for how long?
“I saw your car in the parking area about an hour ago but couldn’t find you. I walked up and down this place. It’s really large when you’re worried about someone and searching for them.”
He smiled. “You were worried about me?”
“And rightly so. I treated you so badly. You deserve someone better than me.”
“No, Ella. I only want you.”
“I know.” She kissed him again and then spoke in his ear, her breath sending sweet shivers through him and making his pants uncomfortable. “Exactly why I love you more than anyone else in the whole universe.”
He engulfed her mouth and pressed his hands around her neck, then ran them down her sweet soft shoulders, to rest upon her waist. She shivered and curled up closer to him and everything else faded in the perfection of her arms.