to talk about that night in London if you don’t want to. I’m eager to keep this professional. I don’t want you to feel threatened in any way.”
I nod. I’m glad to hear it, but there’s a part of me that wants to ditch the professional distance between us. I just want to relive that night with him. Kiss him again. Experience that feeling of turning in my seat at the bar and seeing him for the first time and being totally floored.
But Reed is serious about this job. He wants me to find his family, and I don’t want to disappoint him.
5
Reed
Ella’s face is framed by her bronze shimmering curls. She has tied her hair up in a neat bun and it’s changed the shape of her face, or rather the way I remember it from that night. Neither does she smell of that neon strawberry slushie. But she still has those magically green-brown eyes and a full figure, accentuated by the tight skirt and top she’s wearing.
Her lipstick is a dark wine red to match her top. She’s not in heels today, unlike that night in London. In many ways, this is a completely different girl standing before me, but the way she looks up at me and how her full lips part slightly when she stares are the same.
It’s the same girl I’ve been dreaming about every night for the last six months.
Maybe I should feel guilty.
I’ve lied to her already and told her I didn’t hunt her down, that her role at the college just happened to cross my desk. But I don’t feel guilty at all. I know what I wanted.
I wanted to see her again. And I got what I wanted. Nobody is hurt. Why should I feel guilty about that?
And now she’s even agreed to dig up my family history. It’s literally a win-win situation.
But I still don’t know what she wants. At first, she seemed angry and then horrified when she saw me. Now she seems more relaxed, but not like she wants to be in my arms. I can’t kiss her now. Not like this. I can’t invite her to follow me to my bedroom for an afternoon of rollicking delight.
I don’t want to scare her away.
Instead, I watch as she makes herself comfortable behind my desk. All she has is my name and the social services agents who used to work with me when I was growing up. For now, she claims she needs nothing more. She has a lot of digging to do, especially if the government agencies don’t want to work with her on this. I know it’s not going to be an easy ride, but she seems eager to do it. Something tells me she’s going to be good at this job.
She’s a beautiful young thing, but Ella Davies knows how to take care of herself. She’s not someone you mess with. Heck, from the information Tom has given me, she went backpacking all over Europe by herself.
I watch her in silence as she tinkers around on my computer; her head is bent over the keyboard. I still can’t believe she’s really here. Right here in my study.
“I think I’m all set,” she finally says, looking up at me with a smile. “I’m going to do my best.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you but you have already signed a confidentiality agreement.”
“Yes, I remember signing that. Mary Delaney made sure to go over each point in great detail. I’m aware of what I signed up for, I just didn’t realize you were on the other side.”
“There is still time to walk away from all of this, Ella, if you’re too uncomfortable. I’m sure the college can arrange for someone else to take your place.”
“I think I’m going to like this job, and maybe I’ll enjoy…working alongside you,” she says, and that gives me some hope. When Ella smiles at me, I know she means it. She’s not the kind of girl to put on a show. She’s a straight talker and expects everyone else to be too.
“I will certainly enjoy having you around,” I reply, and she stands up slowly. “And my assistant, Tom, whom you’ve met already, is going to be at your disposal for anything you need. I’ll get him to come in here and formally introduce himself to you.”
“Cool. He seems like a nice guy.”
“He’s good at his job.”
Ella walks around the desk and comes towards me. I know if she