Page 60 of Fighting for Ella

Even though he’d told her he had something on with his team tonight and couldn’t make dinner, he’d still come by.

After hanging with the Prey people all afternoon, she’d come home feeling like things weren't completely hopeless when it came to them, that maybe those relationships could be salvaged if she gave it a little time. But as soon as she’d walked back into her home, she’d been hit by that wave of loneliness again.

There had been only one person she’d wanted to call.

Just one.

Miguel Aguilar.

Not her family, not her friends, just him.

She’d gone so far as to bring up his name on her phone, but her finger had hovered above the call option, unable to make herself do it because of fear of rejection. If she told Miguel that she had feelings for him that were more than just wanting to be his friend, she knew what would happen.

He’d vanish from her life like a puff of smoke.

“Ella?” Miguel stood before her and she realized she’d been standing stock still, lost in thought, trapped in an internal battleof wanting to ask Miguel for more while also attempting to be content with what he was comfortable offering.

“Mmm?” When he was standing close enough, she could feel the heat pouring off his body and engulfing her in a heady brew of comfort, strength, and arousal it was hard to concentrate on anything other than that she craved more. More of his presence, more of his touch, more kisses, more pleasure, more everything.

“Are you okay?”

Lifting her head to meet his gaze, she saw the same things she felt reflected back at her. Miguel might not like it, but he craved her, too. How badly she wished he would give in to his desire, pick her up, carry her to her bed, make sweet love to her, and then hold her all night while she slept.

In his presence, she didn't care about the short time they’d known each other, or the intensity of her feelings. She didn't care about anything other than him and her, the two of them, together.

When his palm cradled her cheek, she released a soft sigh, nuzzling into his hand. Was she okay? No, of course not. Would she be? Yeah. One day at least.

“I have an appointment tomorrow with a therapist,” she admitted, a little conflicted on how she felt about that. On the one hand, she knew she needed it, on the other, it would feel weird talking to a stranger about things they couldn’t understand. Not that it was a complete stranger. Piper Hamilton-Eden was Prey’s on-staff psychiatrist who was flying out there to stay for the next few weeks so she could counsel not just Ella but all of Athena Team. Of course, she knew what Piper had been through, and the woman was married to Antonio “Arrow” Eden from Prey’s Alpha Team, if anyone could help, it was certainly Piper.

“You feeling okay about it?”

“Kind of. I know it will help.”

“I’m sure it will,” he agreed. “You have anyone to take you?”

“Take me? Umm … no. I was going to drive myself.”

“I’ll drive you.”

It didn't sound like an offer, it sounded more like an order, like he had already decided that was what was going to happen.

This man.

He made her feel like he saw her as someone who could be more than a friend, and yet he also seemed to make it clear that friendship was all he was offering. All he would ever be offering. Then he went and did something like this, offering to be there for her when they both knew she would likely wind up needing some support.

How was she supposed to figure out if she had a chance with him when he kept sending her these mixed signals?

February 10th

2:37 P.M.

It feltlike ants were crawling all over his skin.

Not a sensation he should be having when all he was doing was sitting in his car outside a small house where Prey’s on-staff psychiatrist, Piper, her husband Arrow, and their baby daughter Dana were staying for the next month while they stayed in San Diego so Piper could help Athena Team.

Only Ella wasn't in his line of sight.

For some reason that was beginning to cause issues for him.

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