Page 84 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

“I do act that way. And this coming from the girl who used to be a feature in Miss Know-It-All’s column.”

“Hey, I’m getting better,” Ellie said.

“Exactly my point. You used to just tell it like it is, and now you’re acting like a scared, ass-kissing rabbit. So what’s up with you?”

“Honestly, I think it’s all the crazy shit. The vandalism and the creepy phone calls.”

“You need to get a gun, or something.”

“Thank you for making me feel so much better.”

“I just mean, you should get some protection.”

“Well, for your information, Mike has been staying with me every night.”

“I didn’t know you two were shacking up,” Caroline said.

“I can’t help it. He’s irresistible,” Ellie said, sheepishly. “And, he’s the first guy who has ever seen me, you know?”

Caroline laughed. “Oh, I know exactly how that is. Believe me, I tried to keep Gabe at a distance, but the damn man was just too much.”

“Exactly. It’s like I wasn’t expecting him, at all, and now I can’t stop wanting him. I’m just worried about what happens after the honeymoon stage is over and he realizes I’m not what he wants.”

“What do you want?” Caroline asked.

“I don’t know. It’s like, on one hand he makes me laugh and I’m happy, but on the other, I can help thinking that what we have is just temporary and eventually he’s going to realize that I’m not what he had planned for his future.”

“I have never heard you doubt your awesomeness before.”

“I don’t doubt myself. I just doubt that Mike really wants me, you know? He’s the guy who gets the perfect life and mine is pure chaos. I just think it’s more about fun and him finding himself,” Ellie said.

“And you want more?”

“Part of me does,” Ellie said, grabbing a bottle of wine off the shelf. “The rest of me wants to run like hell before I get my heart smashed.”

“Okay, you are covered in bullshit frosting. You might not have been planning on each other, but that doesn’t make your feelings any less real.”

Ellie frowned, wishing she could argue with Caroline’s assessment, but the truth was she hadn’t been obsessing about their differences as much as she said. Which was bad, because the farther she lowered her guard, the more she started to think that just maybe this was real.

Mike climbed the steps to Ellie’s place, shifting the bouquet in his hand. He’d thought about shaving off his goatee, knowing his mother hated it, but Ellie’s taunting voice had echoed in his head. So, he’d left it and dressed in a casual T-shirt and blue jeans. Almost every year he’d shown up in a shirt and tie, and been uncomfortable as hell, but Ellie had been a guiding influence to him.

He knocked on the door and waited.

Ellie pulled the door open, wearing a navy wrap dress and tan gladiator sandals, her dark hair pulled back in a loose do, thick curls trailing over her shoulders and down her back.

“What, no compliment?” Ellie asked, her glossy lips pulled into a wide smile.

Mike reached out with his free hand and gripped her waist. The beautiful bouquet was dropped and forgotten as he gathered her to him and couldn’t stop tasting her. She was sweet and warm and as she melted into him, he was tempted to back her into the house and tell his family he was sick. Her lips responded hungrily, and he leaned with her against the door jam, pressing their bodies together.

“You two need to get a room!” Jenny hollered from inside.

“Shut up, Jen!” Mike kissed Ellie again, mumbling against her lips, “What’s her problem?”

“I think she’s jealous. Apparently, she likes having you and your culinary skills all to herself.”

Mike had stayed over the past four nights and Jenny seemed to love one of his fried eggs over her meal. Ellie had accused him of spoiling her, but Mike had just responded that the way to a woman’s heart was through her friends.

It had actually surprised him how easily it had been to settle into Ellie’s life. It had actually started giving him ideas, but it was too soon to even contemplate them out loud.

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