Page 25 of Not a Perfect Save

Ella shoots me a glance. “None of them liked Thai. Deal breaker for me.”

“I like Thai.” My voice emerges husky as I hold her green stare with my eyes.

Just like that, the energy in the room changes. We both know we aren’t talking about cuisines anymore.

“You do?” Her voice is soft.

“Yes. I didn’t know I liked it before. Maybe I just needed a taste.”

Our breath mingles, and the air grows thick around us. Reaching out, I carefully thread my fingers through Ella’s curls and draw her close. My mouth slowly lowers to hers, and I wait to see if she pulls away. She doesn’t. Instead, she meets me halfway. The kiss starts off slow, an exploration. Her tongue dips between my lips and I taste sweet chili sauce. There’s nothing shy or timid about this Ella.

And then it’s not so gentle anymore. I haul her onto my lap, and she moans against my mouth. I swallow the sound as I kiss her hungrily.

My hands slide across her back, tracing her curves through her clothes. My fingers find the bottom of her shirt and slip under it, dying to feel the softness of her skin with nothing between us.

A loud honk outside makes Ella jerk back. My fingers tighten a fraction before I let her go. She’s still on my lap, looking dazed. But the moment she realizes she’s perched on my hardness, she stiffens and almost topples back. I catch her and gently lift her off me, careful of her foot. Her eyes are bright with confusion and her lips are kiss-swollen and all I want to do is haul her back into my arms.

We’re both breathing hard. Ella’s face is flushed and she won’t meet my gaze. Instead, she worries her bottom lip with her teeth. I reach out to stroke it with a thumb. She releases it with a gasp, her eyes flying up to mine.Fuck, I want her.

But I clear my throat and stand. I don’t want to leave, but it’s obvious that Ella’s freaking out and needs her space. I don’t want to come on too strong, even though everything in me wants to bulldoze through any of her excuses before she kicks me out again. But one last thing.

“Give me your phone.”

She looks at me, still a little bewildered, so I look for it myself. Grabbing it from the kitchen counter, I give it to her to unlock before taking it back and punching in my number. I’m not flattering myself when I say those digits are highly coveted. I call myself and save her name to my contacts list.

She tilts her head at me when I press it back into her hands. “Just in case.”

Chapter Thirteen

ELLA

Sleep has been crap.The first night back at my apartment, thoughts of the robbery kept playing on rewind in my head.I eventually dozed off in the dawn hours, only to be awakened by the insistent ringing of my phone, my concerned mother.I'd barely hung up when Hannah called.Her inquiries were less solicitous.She was more interested in pumping me for information on Connor for Hank and talking about the various events at her upcoming wedding week. My opinion is that it will more closely resemble an all-inclusive stay in purgatory.

I zombied around for the rest of the day.Then Connor showed up.With Thai food.He is what Mom and Dad would call a keeper.Dangerously close to the type they favor.And the kicker? I was happy to see him, too.

How is it that I’m attracted to Mr. All American? It’s like Freaky Friday, except I’m exchanging places with a younger version of myself.

Stop overthinking.Don't they say that traumatic situations bring two people together?

Fine. So Connor and I have a fleeting affinity.It's like a temporary tattoo—it will wear off soon enough.

But the stupid kiss has imprinted on my brain, rattling around and keeping me awake a second night.It’s barely dawn and all I want to do is go all ostrich on the world and hide my head in the concrete rather than face the day.Completely unacceptable. Especially since last night was a fluke. An aberration in the space-time continuum. A skipped stitch in a couture outfit.

I need to clear my head.Caffeine.And I have none stocked up.

What Idohave is a number on my phone that I'll never use, a bit of useless temptation.It’s like when there’s a new flavor at the ice cream parlor and ask for a sample even though you know you're going to order your go-to anyway.

Now, I need a palate cleanser—sorbet, caffeine—whatever.I have to wipe the taste of Connor Hall from my tongue so I can settle back into my life.

I pull up his number.I bite my lip as my index finger hovers over the delete button. I squeeze my lids shut, and bring it down—right as the phone rings. My eyes pop open and I barely manage to keep the screen showing Hannah’s face from vibrating out of my hands. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

"Hello?"A sleepy, sexy male voice emerges from the device. My heart stops. Not. Hannah. Not unless hormone supplements are the latest diet de rigueur.

"Ella?"Connor says again, more alert now."Do you need anything?"

It’s like a cat’s gotten my tongue and took my brain along with it.I had a game plan.What was the game plan?Fuccing Boy Scout, always screwing things up.

"I, ah—“ So flustered, I end up hanging up instead of trying to fake my way through a conversation. I delete his number immediately after.What Ineedis to find my fuccing mind.

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