by Codi Gary
“Jenny, I hope you made enough for two, because I am hung…”
Her words trailed off as she stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene.
Jenny was standing behind Dalton Mitchel, her arms wrapped around him from behind. Dalton was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and Jenny was clad in her favorite sleep shirt. The whole thing was incredibly cozy, and Ellie wished she could back away slowly so she didn’t disturb them.
“Dalton! Hi! I didn’t expect to see you here this morning.” She shot Jenny a “What the hell happened last night?” look and her friend just smiled, her cheeks flushed red.
“Sorry, El, I didn’t know you were home,” Jenny said. “I didn’t see your car when we got home.”
“I left my car at Buck’s, remember?” Ellie didn’t elaborate that Mike had driven her to pick it up early this morning, or Jenny would have more questions Ellie couldn’t answer. Like what was going on between her and Mike.
She still remembered the heat of his hand on her back. The warmth of his breath against the shell of her ear.
And the hard arousal pressing against her stomach.
It had been all she could do not to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him for real.
But that would have been a mistake. Hanging out with Mike last night had been fun, comfortable, and she wanted to do it again. If she hooked up with him, their budding friendship would be over.
“So, you were here all night?” Jenny asked.
Ellie snuck around the two of them and poured herself a cup of coffee from the full pot, ignoring the question. Once she’d doctored the hot liquid to her satisfaction, she faced them again. “So. How long has this been going on?”
Dalton turned around and kissed Jenny’s forehead. “About eight hours.” He touched Jenny’s lips with his so sweetly, that Ellie had to look away. When he finally broke the kiss, he said, “I’m going to go get dressed. Can you watch breakfast?”
“Yeah, sure.” Jenny’s face was split with a sappy grin and the minute that Ellie heard the door close behind Dalton, she squealed.
“I can’t believe it! How did it happen? Tell me everything!”
“Well, he drove me home, and he was lecturing me about not starting shit with drunk assholes like the Coulters. I got mad and told him to stop treating me like a baby. He responded with something idiotic and when I got out of the car, and stomped up to the door, he caught me and then we were kissing…all the way into the bedroom.”
Ellie couldn’t believe her shy, sweet roomie had been so bold. “So, what happens now?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it yet.”
Ellie took another gulp of her coffee. “Then I will take this into my room, and get dressed, and make myself scarce while the two of you figure things out.”
“Hey, where were you, though? When I asked if you were here all night, you avoided the question.”
“Did I?” Ellie watched Jenny over the rim of her coffee cup.
Jenny’s mouth flew open. “Oh, my God, did you hook up with Mike?”
“No, of course not! We just watched The Lord of the Rings movies until we both fell asleep, and then he took me to my car.”
“Let me get this straight. You watched The Lord of the Rings movies…willingly?” Jenny flipped over the eggs in the pan and shook her head. “I have been trying to get you to watch them with me for years!”
Dalton came back into the kitchen and Ellie said, “That’s my cue. See you two later.”
She moved as fast as she could without spilling her coffee, and closed the door on Jenny shouting her name.
“Mom, I’ll be there. When have I ever missed Dad’s birthday?” Mike asked into the phone as he secured the back onto Ellie’s computer. Mike hadn’t heard from Ellie yet today, although he had seen her car parked in the Local Bean’s parking lot as he had driven by this morning.
After almost kissing her, he’d dropped her at her car outside of Buck’s and she’d barely mumbled thanks before escaping him. Maybe he’d come off a little intense, but she was making him crazy, especially because wanting her wasn’t part of his plan.
“Well, you never know,” his mother, Karen Stevens, said, sounding way too innocent. “Maybe you had a girlfriend you failed to mention, and you had plans with her.”
“Nope, no girlfriend, so I guess you’re just stuck with me.”
“Nonsense. I love it when you come over. I feel like we never see you, and with you living so close…”
It was a familiar guilt trip, and one that he had grown immune to. He loved his mother, but she’d been overprotective and controlling since he was born and no matter how hard she tried, he’d never been a mama’s boy. She hated that she had no say in his friends or who he dated, but was never shy about sharing her opinion or advice. It was why he kept his life to himself unless there was something to tell.
“Yeah, I know, I am a terrible son.”
“Don’t you get smart with me! That is not what I said!” Her sigh was loud and weary in his ear. “I just worry about you. I’m your mother, it’s my job.”
“Yeah, so you’ve told me but I’m thirty-four. At some point, you gotta realize I’m going to figure it out on my own.”
“I saw Gemma the other day,” his mother said casually. “She looks great. I wonder if she’s really happy.”
Mike closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His mother adored Gemma and had wanted them together so badly. When Gemma and Travis had reunited, his mother was actually more upset than he was. Since it happened, his mother never missed an opportunity to let him know if she sensed any tension between Travis and Gemma. Even though he’d told her a hundred times he was happy for them, she still wouldn’t let up.
“Okay, you know what, Mom? I have to go. I need to call a couple clients to pick up their computers. Tell Dad hi for me and I’ll see you Saturday.”
Before she could say anything more, he hung up. He’d hear about it later, but sometimes he just needed to escape. She wanted him settled, he got that, but he wasn’t going to settle down with any woman that she thought would be good for him. He was the only one who knew what was right for him.
He slid his thumb across his phone screen, and stared at Ellie’s number. Was she good for him? No, she wasn’t what he was looking for, but she was exciting. And he felt amazing when he was around her—alive and a little bit out of control. Why did he like that the most?
Mike enjoyed it when his life ran smoothly, but the last six months or so he’d been restless. He’d wanted a change, something to liven up the mundane.
Swiping his thumb across the screen, he called Ellie, but it went straight to voicemail. Disappointed that she didn’t answer, he left her a message when the phone beeped. “Hey, Ellie, it’s Mike. I just wanted to let you know your computer is finished, so give me a call or just come by the shop to pick it up.”
He hung up, and shoved the phone back in his pocket. It was probably a good thing she was putting some distance between them. He hated being the subject of gossip and there was no doubt that hanging with Ellie would lead to not just Miss Know-It-All sticking her nose into his life, but every other good-natured soul would be giving him advice. It was the way it had always been, from the time he was the skinny kid getting bullied in school.
Only as an adult, the advice cropped up when he drew attention to himself. So, if word got around that Ellie and he were more than friends, the razzing and helpful tips would start up. It had happened when he’d first really started pursuing Gemma, and when he’d lost her. All the good-natured clucking and positive quotes had been humiliating.
His phone rang and he jumped, then grabbed for his back pocket excitedly. When Drew’s face popped up on the screen, Mike swallowed his disappointment as he answered. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Guys’ night, man! The new Seth Rogan movie is out and we are seeing it! We got a group going because I think a few of the guys need a night away from their women.”
“I tho
ught you were itching to get back to work?” Mike asked.
“I’m hoping the doctor clears me next week before the alumni football game so I can play, but until he tells me I’m good to go, I’ll be taking advantage of being home.”
“What about the woman who’s going to make you change your ways?” Mike asked.
“I’m working on her, but I can’t ignore my career. I need to get back out there so they remember who I am. Getting injured sucks.”
“I bet.” Mike didn’t even bother bringing up retiring. Drew wasn’t ready to hang it up, even though he was pushing thirty-seven and there were younger guys fighting for his position.
“Anyway, I’ll come by and pick you up around seven, and we’ll go grab something to eat. Maybe a few beers.”
“Yeah, sure, sounds great.” His call waiting beeped and he saw Ellie’s number pop up. “Hey, man, I’ll talk to you later.”
Clicking over quickly, he said, “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”
“Me, avoid you? Never.” Her tone had a nervous edge to it. “Are you still at your shop? I have a little bit before I have to be at Buck’s and I can swing by to get my laptop.”
“Yeah, sure, I’ll be here.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was five after five in the afternoon, and he should have locked up already, but he could wait a few more minutes. He’d stayed open for other people.
Except she’s not just other people and you want to see her.
Mike finished packing up the rest of his stuff and slid on the leather jacket Ellie had bought him. When she walked through the door, he gave her a cool once over, even though his pulse leaped at his first look at her.
She was wearing an off-the-shoulder blouse and faded jeans, her hair in a messy topknot. She gave him a tentative smile. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Where’s my puppy?” she asked.
“I hired a puppy sitter. Kind of. He’s at Gemma and Travis’s, being puppy-sat by their son, Charlie.”
Ellie appeared disappointed. “Ah, I see. Well, I believe you have something of mine?”
Mike held out the laptop with the bill on top. “I went ahead and did a complete overhaul on it, including a hard drive replacement and file backup.”
“That sounds expensive,” Ellie said, looking at the bill. Her brow furrowed and she glanced up at him curiously. “Or not as bad as I thought.”
“I gave you the friends and family discount.” Mike could feel his cheeks flush as she continued to stare at him, and he added, “I figured I owed you for all the help.”
Ellie set the computer and bill on the workbench to her left before speaking. “Look, about last night. I shouldn’t have behaved that way with you. We need to keep this professional.”
“So, what do you suggest?” Mike asked.
“Well, I was thinking we could have another fresh start, only this time, I really mean it. Respect each other and just get back to the goal.”
“You mean the rules?” Mike waited until she nodded before he smiled. “We could do that.”
She seemed to melt with relief, until he added, “Or, you could come for a ride with me. You said yourself you wanted to ride on my bike.”
Ellie looked tempted. “It’s probably not a good idea.”
“I brought my extra helmet, and we won’t go far. I’ll have you back to your car with plenty of time to get to work.”
Ellie’s lips twitched as if she was fighting a laugh. “Weren’t you the one who told me I didn’t know what kind of driver you are?”
“And you didn’t seem to care.” Mike walked past her and started closing the blinds. When all he had left was the front door, he looked back at her with his hand on the knob.
“What do you say? Wanna go for a ride with me?”
Chapter Fourteen
Every fiber in her body screamed this was a bad idea. But with Mike standing there in his leather jacket, buzzed head, and the scruff she’d left him with filling out into a short beard, he was temptation defined.
All day she’d been telling herself to keep her distance, telling herself she just needed space to figure out what was going through her head. On one hand, she had been more than willing to throw caution to the wind and poke the bear, so to speak, just to see if Mike would really make good on his threat to give her what she needed.
But then, reality and common sense had reared their ugly heads. She wasn’t Mike’s end game. He wanted someone who would make the perfect little homemaker and wife. She was the girl guys fooled around with until they wanted to get serious. And that was okay, really. That was exactly what she was looking for.
A small part of her wondered what it would be like to believe Mike was the right kind of guy. One who had made a mistake and a bad first impression, but there was more to him. Maybe he really was the good guy with no evil scheme to screw her over or anyone else.
Right now, he didn’t look like the nice, clean-cut guy she’d first met. He looked like a hot piece of trouble she wanted to get into.
And just like that, she was walking past him out the door. “Just a short ride.”
“No problem,” Mike said. She waited as he locked up the door, knowing deep down this probably wasn’t a good idea, but unable to stop it.
Okay, so maybe she just didn’t want to. It was just a ride, right?
As he followed him to the motorcycle, she couldn’t help thinking of how good he looked as he swung his leg over the bike, straddling it. He reached behind and grabbed the helmets, handing her one. She took out her bun and put the helmet on.
Mike had already secured his and had the visor flipped up as he watched her.
“Hop on.”
Ellie did what he said, climbing on behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. It wasn’t her first time on the back of a bike, but just being pressed flush against Mike’s back was titillating. With the thick leather of his jacket between them, there was no way he could feel the hardened nubs of her nipples, but her hands were settled over his stomach under it. His sculpted, rock-hard stomach.
“You ready?” Mike asked over his shoulder.
“Yeah!” Ellie held on as he revved up and took off, heading east down Main Street. The cool wind stung Ellie’s bare skin and she looked out across the peach and purple sky as they sped up. It was beautiful, and as Mike turned left and headed out of town, she didn’t protest or ask where they were going. She just wanted to enjoy the ride.
Ellie’s hands dug into his muscles, and when they flexed, she smiled. Had it been voluntary? And what had possessed him to invite her on this sunset ride?
Or was this another attempt to make up for his bad behavior?
Ellie couldn’t explain it, but she didn’t want every moment or gesture with Mike defined by their mistakes and apologies.
He took another back road and a homemade sign that read Willowmead Bed and Breakfast popped up a few miles down the road. Mike slowed down and finally stopped. He shut off the bike and removed his helmet, turning to face her in the seat.
“How was that?”
“I never had any doubts you would drive safely, but I told you I had to be back soon. What are we doing here?” Ellie swung off the back and took off her helmet, taming her messy hair with the hair band again.
“I thought you might like to check out the sunset from a special vantage point.” Mike took off his helmet and hooked it to the back. As he stood, he pointed behind her. “Through that trail is a spectacular little grove I want to show you. No ulterior motive, no scheming. Just you, me, and the birds.”
Without waiting for her to argue or say okay, he started toward the trail.
“Hey, hang on! You can’t just ditch me like that.”
“I’m not. You got two good legs and I’m walking slowly. You can keep up.”
His words were true, but the stubborn side of Ellie wanted to rebel, to simply wait by the bike until he returned.
But it was being out voted by the curious, entranced par
t of her that caught up to him at a jog. In the distance, the first hoot of an owl sung its haunting song and the canopy of trees overhead had her looking around for any other critters coming out to greet the moon.
“Are you nervous or something?” Mike asked.
“No, I just hate surprises,” Ellie said.
Mike shot her another sly grin. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to like this one.”
Still skeptical, she followed him until they came to the bank of the Snake River, and Mike pointed up into a huge bare tree on the other side of the bank.
“Watch. He always flies home just about sundown.”
Ellie knew the large nest in the tree had to belong to an eagle. It was just too big to be a hawk’s nest.
Sure enough, a few moments later, Ellie caught her breath. The bald eagle flying above their heads was glorious. His wide, black wings glided on the wind as he soared closer to his nest, and they tucked as he landed. She wished she had binoculars or something so she could get a closer look. She could tell his head was turning this way and that, as if he sensed them there.
“He’s beautiful,” she said breathlessly. “I’m surprised he stays for the trout when he could migrate.”
“There is another nest on the way to Buhl, but for the most part, they don’t hang long. There is this place in Wendell where they gather during their migration and you’ll see upwards of a hundred, several on every branch. It’s amazing. If you stop by the photography studio in town, Gregg or Ryan Phillips will show you.”
“I’ve never seen them migrate,” Ellie said.
“You’ve lived here your whole life and never seen it?”
She shook her head.
“If you’re nice to me, maybe I’ll take you,” Mike said.
Ellie shifted her gaze from the bird to the man. “When does this happen?”
“April.”
Ellie’s heart hammered at the implication. “I guess I better be on my best behavior.”
Mike didn’t say anything but his intense, dark stare was turning her insides to goo.
