Inside Out - Lauren Dane [31]
Ella sipped her champagne, liking the way his attention worked with the bubbles to make her feel light and silly. “So what you’re saying is breasts just happen?”
“If the day is very good, yes.” He grinned, and she laughed. “Come walk with me, Ella. Protect my honor.”
Ella rolled her eyes at him but linked her arm through his. “Where are you taking me?”
He drew her away, weaving them through the tables and around the people until they’d ended up on an overlook with a pretty wooden bench. “How about here?”
She sat and looked out over the water, glittering with the light of reflected stars. “So pretty tonight.” Shivering, she didn’t relay the next part, which was that it was cold.
“Here.” He took his suit coat off and put it over her shoulders. Instantly she sighed as his warmth surrounded her.
“God, thank you. That’s so much better.”
“Glad to be of service,” he murmured, his body very close to hers. “I haven’t told you in about an hour or so, but you look gorgeous. Purple is really your color.”
“Thank you. I was afraid I was too pale or that the freckles would overwhelm the color.”
“You have the most beautiful skin, seeing more of it only helps. Speaking of seeing more, I caught a glimpse of the tattoo. I forgot to ask you last night, but when will it be totally finished?”
“Brody will put on the final touches when I finish at the end of this quarter.”
“He’s adding a piece with each milestone?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I know some might think it’s silly to place so much importance on finishing a paper or whatever. But considering where my life has been, they’re huge steps.”
“They are. I agree. So how are you? I mean really?”
She looked at him in the quiet dark and thought about the million ways she could answer that question. “Depends on what you’re asking.”
He took her hand and she let him, liking that he held her without crushing her, but also with some pressure. The scent rising from the inside of his suit coat made her feel drunk. He smelled really good, making it hard to think clearly without just sniffing him.
“I’m asking whatever you want to answer.” He paused for a while, and she let him. “I figure it this way, you’re surrounded by people who care about you, and they are afraid to stir up bad feelings. So they don’t talk about it, the attack and your recovery. Now, it could be you don’t want to talk about it ever again, and I respect that. But I figure it could also be that you’d like to talk about it every once in a while with someone who has watched you triumph over a series of events that would have driven a lesser person to insanity.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat.
“I’m good. With everything.” She shrugged and continued to look out over the water. “Two years ago I didn’t even know if I’d be able to walk again. Hell, five years ago I had to ask for permission to wear a certain sweater or even answer the phone.” She hadn’t meant to reveal that last bit.
He held her hand and said nothing.
“I’m nearly done with all this school. I may have a job when the new year starts. I have friends and family who care about me.” She sipped her champagne, draining it.
“I’ll be back in a moment. Don’t move!” He got up and jogged around the bend. While he was out of sight, she gave in and let herself bounce her knee to free some of her nervous energy. Damn, he got to her. Maybe it was the way he was so steadfast and strong. Or his voice. Or the way he focused so totally on her, listening to what she said. Or the way he looked. Whatever it was, he left her scatterbrained and blurty.
He came back into view with an armful of things.
“First.” He put the things down on the bench before unfurling a blanket. “Here, this should help. Adrian told me to let you know he has more if you need them.” He sat again, getting tucked in beneath it with her. He then handed her another glass, this one warm. “Mulled wine. Erin says it’s her best recipe and to drink an extra mug for her.”
Ella laughed. “Done.” She sipped, the warmth trailing down her throat and into her belly. “She wasn’t lying.”
“Last, I’m so hungry