Inside Out - Lauren Dane [52]
Ella laughed. “He did?”
“He did. I’m guessing there was some guy meeting or something. Erin and I have been taunting them that five beefy dudes have to unite to stand against us three. Pfft. I think they just want to give you both some space. They’re already sure of Cope’s intentions toward you. Brody said he couldn’t think of a better man for you.”
“Aww! So sweet, these boys. All right. He’s supposed to be here in fifteen minutes, so go on home. I’ll see you all in a bit.”
Elise hugged her. “I’m so excited for you! I felt like such a rock star each time Brody looked at me when we were falling in love. I still do. Cope looks at you that way. It makes me giddy just watching you two.”
“Stop planning our wedding already!” She gave her friend a playful swat. “It’s our first date. Let’s not rush this. I’m having this lovely time with a man I’ve crushed on for years. I know he’s a nice guy, but he comes in bad boy wrapping paper. This is all a lot of wonderful stuff. Enough wonderful without all the forever I see in your eyes.”
Elise, still laughing, left with promises to see her again shortly.
Cope stood on her doorstep and took a deep breath. Damn, it felt good to finally be in this place. Years he’d wanted her. At first he told himself it was stupid and to ignore it. Then he knew she wasn’t ready, but he never let go of his attraction to her. And then she began to blossom and open herself up to more. And led him to be standing on her doorstep ready to take her on their first official date.
He wasn’t outwardly spiritual or woo woo in any way, but he did believe, quite strongly, in fate. He knew he was right where he was supposed to be. Taking the first step in what he hoped would be many into a relationship with Ella.
He knew exactly what he wanted, and it was right on the other side of the door.
He heard music, her scratchy, cartoon-voiced humming and her steps as she moved around. He smiled as he knocked.
When she opened the door, her gaze slid up his body and to his face, her lips curved into a smile he knew was just for him as she caught sight of the armful of flowers he carried. All as he stood there stunned. Her hair was tousled, like she’d just woken up and rolled from bed. Her eyes, normally gorgeous and often doe-wide, looked mysterious and smoky. The sweater molded to her breasts and down her waist to well-worn jeans.
She looked good enough to taste. He’d developed some sort of physical addiction to her, to touching her now that he could after so many years of yearning.
“Hello, Andrew. You look very handsome.” She managed to be sweet and come-hither all at once as he handed her the flowers.
“Honey, whatever I am, it pales next to you.” He reached up, caressing the side of her neck, up the smooth silk of her skin into her hair. Many men had a thing for long hair, but he loved the sight of a woman’s neck, and hers was the ultimate aphrodisiac.
“You look beautiful. Sexy.” He moved closer to her; she held her ground, looking up into his face. Without breaking his gaze away, he closed the door at his back. They stood alone in the quiet, small entry. She wore perfume, earthy and spicy. Interesting, he hadn’t noticed any perfume before. How could he have missed it?
“I’ve never experienced anyone like you before,” she whispered.
“How so, Red?” He kissed the tip of her nose because he could and because those freckles called to him.
“No one has ...” She licked her lips. “You look at me, and I feel like I’ve had a glass of champagne or something. You make me drunk with, gah, I don’t know, your sexuality maybe, your presence. Whatever it is, you have it on at ten, and I can’t seem to get enough.”
Her skin, so pale, sprinkled with ginger freckles; the curve of her cheeks, the lush pillow of her bottom lip, that red hair he was so in love with, that and her voice, the voice no one else on earth had, everything about Ella Tipton called to him. No one was like her. He wanted to laugh, but she’d just exposed herself in some