Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,125

forward over Zora, hiding her from whatever was there.

“Walker Leffersbee? Is that you out there?”

The sound of an engine reached us, followed by a door slamming.

I didn’t have time to do much more than tuck Zora under the quilt before Jackson James’s face appeared next to the flashlight he held at his ear.

He took in the sight of us in one sweeping glance, then turned with a curse.

“Jesus, Zora!”

Beneath me, she covered her eyes.

“Go away, Jackson!”

“What are y’all doing out here? You know we’re cracking down on vehicles parked out here all times of night. I thought this was Walker’s truck. Last thing I expected to see was Nick’s ass looking back at me.”

“Just go.”

“I’m going.”

Something fluttered into the bed. I snatched it up once the intrusive light was removed and peered at it in the scant light from the lanterns.

“Did you—did you just write out a ticket? For what?”

“I imagine you both have an idea.” Laughter choked Jackson’s voice. “I’ll see you later. Y’all have a good night.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Nick

How was it possible to feel two extremely different emotions at the same time?

I was due at Zora’s office in ten minutes. She wouldn’t say what we were doing or where we were going, but I figured it must have been important. She’d reminded me to show up at the appointed time twice over the last two days, which wasn’t like her.

And strange, considering we saw each other every night now.

Knowing I’d soon see her and her smile quickened my step across campus.

I wasn’t entirely surprised that we’d fallen into our current rhythm so easily, but it was not at all what I’d expected prior to arriving in Green Valley.

It was far more than I’d even dared to hope for.

Being with Zora, laughing with Zora, making love to Zora—it was like stepping back into a favorite dream, or reliving a perfect memory.

It was also exciting, like discovering new terrain on a well-worn path, and realizing the opportunity for a new, divergent adventure.

My feelings for Zora were far from small or insignificant. In a very short amount of time, she’d reclaimed the reins to my heart.

I didn’t want anyone else. I’d be perfectly content to spend the rest of my days with her. Learning her. Loving her.

Knowing she felt the same about me made me feel like the luckiest man in the world.

Eighteen-year-old Nick, dejected and despondent as he boarded a plane for Michigan and the unknown, would have been thrilled with this development.

I was happy.

Happy.

I turned the word around in my mind, examined it for flaws in logic or conclusion.

It was true.

For the first time in as long as I could remember, I thought the wolf might not be waiting outside my door anymore. Everything was fine. Better than fine, really.

I had Zora back.

However, a grim premonition wound itself around that hope and threatened to choke the life out of it.

I still hadn’t told Zora about the deal I’d offered Nellie. The part of me that always waited for the other shoe to drop, for the boom to lower, worried. Eddie’s words ran through my mind on a constant loop. It was true; I should have told her what I’d done, but now I’d waited too long. I knew her well enough to anticipate her response. She’d be pissed. Beyond angry.

Yet there was no way I could live without her again.

My mind fought against the reality of my impending doom even as my feet brought me closer to her.

If there was a way out of this, I hadn’t found it yet. All I could do was hope she never found out. The deception of it didn’t sit right with me, but my intentions were pure. There was hardly anything I wouldn’t do for her.

I reached the open doorway of her office. Counseled myself to mentally reshelve the matter. I’d retrieve and re-examine the dilemma with a tactician’s perspective later. When dread wasn’t knotting my gut.

I took a moment to observe her. Her back was to me, just as it had been when I first showed up here. She sat at her newly cleared desk, chin propped up on her fist, gazing at her computer with a pained expression. A few curls had escaped the back of her ponytail and grazed the back of her neck. My groin tightened, remembering the previous night. I’d taken her from behind, one steadying hand on her hip while the fingers of my other hand plumbed the softest part of her. Then she’d looked over her