“What are you talking about? You have performed your wifely duties excellently,” I say with a laugh too.
Just a few more minutes and I know I’ll be ready for her again. I need to keep it under control. Remind myself this was her first time. She should take it slow.
She throws an arm over my chest and it feels warm and comfortable lying with her like this. It feels normal. I’m not thinking about the fact that she’s technically one of my employees.
“Reed, can I ask you why you want to disappear from their lives?” she speaks again.
“I’m here because I’m curious. When I leave this place, I won’t be curious anymore. They’re not my parents.”
“So you don’t think they really matter?” she asks.
“I can see you’ve formed an attachment with them.”
“Haven’t you? You looked like you had a fun evening. Hasn’t it been nice here?” she asks.
Ella has lifted her head up slightly to look at me more closely. I don’t know what to tell her, how to explain myself to her.
“Yeah, sure, it’s been nice, but I have no intention of doing it again.” I know I have spoken firmly this time. I want her to know she can’t change my mind. That is not what she’s here for.
She searches my face and then rests herself back into my arms again.
“Okay, if that is what you really want, I don’t want to push you into anything. You’re the boss,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.
If it were any other woman, I’d be urging her out the door by now, but with Ella, I kiss her instead. Deep and slow. We press into each other again and I know she wants me. I want her too.
But I pull her arms away from around my shoulder and shift a few paces.
“We should get some sleep. It’s been a busy day for us both,” I say as kindly as possible. I don’t want her to think it’s a rejection. I just want her to know what she’s doing. Really think about it.
If I didn’t give a shit about her, things would be different. But I don’t want Ella’s memory of me to be filled with regret.
She nods lightly and turns away in the bed. I wait a few beats and then throw my arm around her. I spoon her, and she slowly pushes her butt into me, arching and molding her body to mine.
This is exactly how I pictured us falling asleep that first night we met, and now it’s really happening.
I fall asleep with the smell of her perfume around me.
In the morning, I’ve woken up in bed alone. I look around the room and Ella is nowhere in sight. I run my arm on her side of the bed, and it’s still warm, so I guess she hasn’t been out too long.
I sit up and rub my eyes. Last night was amazing. I’ve woken up with a hard-on because even though she was in my arms the whole time, I had fantasies about her.
This is the first time I have woken up wishing I could see someone’s face. Her face.
I go through the motions of jumping in the shower, changing in the room, checking my emails. By the time I go back down, I can hear Ella’s voice. She is in the kitchen with Sally and it seems like they’re baking.
“Sally’s teaching me how to make butter croissants!” Ella exclaims when she sees me.
I go straight up to her and grab her by her hips and turn her around to face me. I want her to know exactly how much I’ve been longing for her. Besides, I plan on taking full advantage of our current situation while I can.
Ella’s hands are covered in flour and I lean in to give her a kiss. So hard that she bends backward, clinging to my arms. The kiss is strong and firm, but I pull away quickly. I have every intention of leaving her breathless and asking for more.
When we turn, we see Sally and Matthew standing by the kitchen counter watching us. They both have pleased expressions on their faces. Neither of them is embarrassed, and it makes me want to laugh.
Maybe I would have fit in right here with them if things had gone differently for me.
“Well, looks like you won’t need any sugar in your coffee. You got it all right there!” Sally jokes, tipping her head towards Ella, who is profusely blushing by