Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“I’m not sure what you think is so funny. I’m trying to protect you.” Ellie starts to stand, her ass barely out of the seat. She looks adorable.
“Sit down.” Any humor that might have been in my tone dies out. Ellie freezes, and I watch as a smart-ass comment forms in her head. “Yeah, right now I am the boss of you, so sit your pretty ass back down in the chair.”
“Well then.” Ellie lets out a small huff, but her ass goes back into that seat. “That was rude.” She folds her arms over her chest.
“Drop the attitude and eat.” I push the chocolate croissant closer to her. Her bottom lip puffs out with a slight tremble to it. Fuck me. Does this girl have any clue how wrapped around her finger she has me?
I can’t stand to see her upset. There’s only one way for me to remedy this, and I don’t care if she likes it or not. I stand from where I’m sitting, walk over, and pluck her out of her seat and into my lap.
“I had my own chair. You’re making a scene.” She may be uttering those words, but her body nestles into mine. She’ll learn sooner than later that I’ll do whatever I need to when it comes to her.
I know part of her attitude is her being more upset with herself. When I told her that I was hurt by her actions instead of being mad, she took that to heart.
“You think I care if I make a scene?” I could give two shits if people stare. You have to care what others think of you, and I don’t. Not when they are random people I’ll never see again.
“That really is a Marino family trait.”
I can’t argue with that. I don’t think War even ponders over what anyone else would think besides his wife. As for my sister, Cosima, she will make a scene and ass of herself if it’s to take attention off a person that doesn’t want it or to make everyone laugh.
“How are you feeling?” I run my hand up and down her back.
“Still worried.” She lets out a sniffle. “I’m falling for you, and if you get…” Ellie trails off, not wanting to say the words out loud.
“Falling? This morning you said you love me.” Ellie jerks back her head, flying up, her eyes locked with mine.
“You were awake?”
“You don’t take a breath that I miss.” I pay attention to everything, especially when it comes to her. It’s how you stay alive. It’s not even a thing I have to remind myself to do. My mind clocks these things all on its own. It’s always been second nature to me.
I can tell you that the brunette barista who took our order and brought our food out is left-handed, didn’t sleep for shit last night, and is having an argument with someone on her phone. If I had to guess, it’s a lover.
The blonde who is making the coffee is a struggling college student, which is evident because she was quick to look at how much we tipped, and her right sneaker has a clear piece of tape on it keeping the sole in place.
From the way she handles the pots of coffee, favoring her left hand, which shouldn’t be her dominant hand since she writes with her right hand, I’d guess she broke her right wrist as a kid, and it still tends to ache, having not gotten the proper medical attention it would have needed to heal correctly through surgery.
“Well, you didn’t say it back,” Ellie snips. I’ll have her being a smart-ass over almost crying any day.
“You really don’t want to talk about trying to give me the slip.”
“I did give you the slip. I made it all the way here.”
“Because I let you.” Her lips press into a firm line, but she shifts in my lap. Ellie is always wrestling with her feelings. It would make things easier for her if she just let it happen. She’s not there yet, but I’ll get her there. “Don’t pretend to be mad. You’d be disappointed if I hadn’t found you.” She gives a small nod.
“I think part of me knew you’d come after me. I’m glad you didn’t let me get away. If I’m being honest.” Those tears start to form in her eyes again. “I didn’t want to leave you; I just don’t know what to do.” Ellie buries her face in my neck.
“It’s all right,” I reassure her. Ellie doesn’t let people close for fear of losing them. I’m sure that goes all the way back to her mother dying when she was younger. It has to be hard to be so damn smart and feel powerless to help the person you love.
When I was younger, my mother was kidnapped. I was a kid, and she came home safely, but that fucked with my head too. From a young age, I learned that one should not blindly trust the words of others. You have to watch them. Their actions will tell you all you need to know about them without ever having to hear them utter a word.