“Ellie? Are you okay?”
I roll away from him and climb out of the bed, putting my hand over my mouth as I shake my head. “I’m sorry.” I swallow. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were . . .” The moment I see Levi pale is the moment I wish I’d never started that sentence. Levi doesn’t want to hear that I thought he was Colton. I grimace. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”
He climbs out of bed, his thick erection obvious through his athletic shorts. I make myself turn away. Now, thinking about how good he felt pressed against me, I want to look. I want to rewind and let myself experience waking up in Levi’s arms. Levi, who’s good and strong and steady. Levi, who’s safe and warm and . . . more. I wish I understood exactly what he is to me, but this feeling I get in my chest when he’s close isn’t something that can be answered with a simple question. I need my memories.
“Sorry.” His voice is low and husky, and it does something to my belly. When I peek at him in my peripheral vision, he’s grabbing clothes from his closet, still not looking at me. “I should have known you were sleeping. I should have—”
“Don’t. Please, Levi? Don’t take the blame for this.”
He turns to meet my eyes. “This isn’t all or nothing for me, Ellie. I didn’t let you stay here because I expected anything to happen, and I don’t need more than friendship from you if that’s all you have to give.”
No wonder I feel this connection to him. So much for being a bad boy like I thought the night we met. Levi’s gotta be the best guy I’ve ever known. “I don’t know what I want.”
“You don’t need to. You’ve been through a lot. I’m not some asshole who doesn’t understand that.” He grimaces and drags a hand through his hair. “You tell me not to take the blame for this, but the truth is, I shouldn’t have touched you.”
I stare at him, fighting back the urge to argue. I don’t want to betray Colton with Levi, but I don’t want him to feel like he needs to keep his distance from me either. I bite my tongue to keep myself from trying to explain feelings I don’t understand myself. “I was wearing his ring. Aren’t you pissed at me for that? Even a little?”
“I was.” His laugh is a dry, hollow sound. “But now the only person I’m pissed at is myself for not fighting him for you two years ago.”
My stomach flips.
He waves toward the en suite. “I’m gonna take a shower. There’s another bathroom down by your . . .”
We both know he was going to say your bedroom. But he doesn’t. Maybe because it only brings more attention to the fact that I’m the one who came to his door, that I’m the one who crawled into his bed when I was too scared to sleep alone.
“There’s a bathroom by the guestroom. Help yourself to towels and whatever.” He disappears into the bathroom and shuts the door.
I take a step to go after him before I stop myself. It wouldn’t change anything. He’s still my fiancé’s best friend. And I’m still the woman who slept with Levi and then planned to marry Colton. The woman who loves them both.
Levi
Ellie looks so damn gorgeous standing in the middle of my kitchen in her shorts and baggy T-shirt. The sight of her undoes any good my cold shower did for me.
“Are you okay?” She wraps her hands around her mug.
I arch a brow. “Yeah, why?”
She blushes. “Your lips are blue.”
I shrug, as if it’s nothing. As if a cold shower is a normal choice I’d make. That was a first for me, and I can’t say I’m a fan.
“Do you have plans today?” Clearly she’s as anxious to change the subject as I am.
“Nope. I should probably get into the gym to train at some point, but other than that . . .” I shrug. The truth is that I don’t want to let her out of my sight.
“I can go back to my place this morning.”
“Don’t,” I blurt. When she meets my eyes, I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “Don’t leave. Stay here. I like knowing you’re okay.”
She looks into her coffee. “I really want to take you up on that, even though I feel like I shouldn’t. I think if I stay here, we both need—”
Before she can finish, there’s a sharp rap on the front door.
“Levi,” Molly says. “We’re here to get the ladders for decorating the bar.”
When Molly and Jake come through the front door, I regret giving Jake a damn key to my house. Ellie and I have been dancing around what is and was between us, and I want to know what she was going to say.
“They’re in the garage,” I say, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. It’s not their fault my life is screwed up right now.
Jake steps into the kitchen and stops suddenly when he spots Ellie. His gaze ping-pongs between us, his eyes wide. “Oh, shit. I didn’t realize . . .”
Molly follows behind him and puts her hand over her mouth. “Ellie is here. Okay . . .”
“She didn’t want to stay alone,” I mutter, irritated that I feel like I have to explain.
“Of course not,” Jake says, and Molly adds, “Who could blame her?”
Ellie has gone stone still. She’s staring at Molly.
“Shit, sorry. Ellie, this is Molly, Colton’s stepsister,” I say.
Ellie’s face pales, and she sets her coffee mug on the counter with a clatter. “Yes. Excuse me. I need to go . . . check on something.”
I frown. “Ellie doesn’t remember you yet,” I tell Molly. “Not more than a name from Colton’s stories.”
“Yeah, well, I remember now.” Ellie leaves the kitchen, and I hear the door to the guest bedroom click closed.
Molly closes her eyes and exhales slowly. “That could have gone better.”
Jake shrugs. “Could’ve gone worse, too.” I glare at him. “What? It’s true.”
Ellie
Saturday, August 25th
If I catch my boyfriend ogling the blonde across from us one more time, I swear to all that is holy I’m going to knee him in the balls so hard he can taste his own sperm. God knows those little fuckers have caused me enough grief.
Colton sits in the booth next to me, but his eyes are on his stepsister—the beautiful Molly McKinley, the object of all his adolescent fantasies. Before Molly showed up tonight, Colton was twitchy and agitated—as if he was only here because he was expected to be. As if he’d rather be anywhere else than next to me. But ever since Molly joined our festive little celebration, he’s been in no hurry to leave. Fucker.
“I can’t wait until you move home,” Ava says to Molly. “I can’t decide if I’m more excited about spending time with you or Noah.”
My stomach heaves, and I suck on a piece of ice to calm it. I thought the nausea was supposed to be better by now. “You’re moving to Jackson Harbor?” I ask Molly. “I had no idea.”
Molly looks at Colton for a beat before settling her gaze on me. “That’s the plan. Just as soon as I work out a couple of personal details.”
“We’ll get you all set,” he says.
We? They’re a we now?
“Just let us know if you need any help finding a place to stay,” Ava says. “Ellie’s in real estate, so she can find you something that’s not going to blow the budget.”
I try to smile instead of glaring at my friend. She used to be the one who couldn’t stand Molly, but now it’s my turn. Lucky me. “There aren’t many options around here. Everything’s pretty pricy thanks to all the tourists.”
Molly laughs. “Can’t be half as bad as New York.”
“True,” I mutter, dropping my gaze back to my drink.
“So, when’s the wedding?” Molly asks Ava.
Right. Because Ava and Jake brought us here to announce their engagement, not so Molly McKinley could steal my boyfriend and fuck up my life. How could I forget?
“I’m not sure yet,” Ava says.
Jake wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her into his side. “As soon as possible.”
“We agreed we need to make our plans around Ethan and Nic,” she says. She turns to Molly. “Jake’s brother and his girlfriend got engaged in July, and we don’t want to steal their thunder.”