Ugh. Ella was so confused.
She'd done a good job avoiding guys after the few hairy incidences in her youth. She wasn't experienced in reading their intentions. Of course, none of the men she encountered in the past had been half as difficult to ignore as Wolf. He radiated a power all his own. She was inexplicably drawn to him like a magnet.
"Things don't really get going till nine." Wolf ran his hand through his unruly black hair. Ella watched the compelling casual gesture, wondering how it would feel to run her fingers through his wavy mane. "You might wear something a bit more relaxed," Wolf added, snapping Ella out of her day dream.
Get it together, Ella. I hope he didn't see you ogling him. That man doesn't need the added ego boost. Why does he have to be so sexy?
"Okay, see you there. Good night," she replied.
Ella opened her door and quickly fled inside. Wright was desperate to go for a walk, but Ella waited, hoping Wolf had gone into his own apartment, before she headed back out again.
3 A Game of Telephone
Wolf
Wolf stood at Ella's door debating what he should say. The handprint mishap yesterday had obviously embarrassed her. Ella's stiff demeanor had started to ease, then his idiot pack arrived, and she clammed up again. No girl likes being laughed at. Hopefully Ella wasn't still upset. She'd need tough skin around his pack. They weren't known for going easy on people.
Then again Wolf couldn't really blame the guys. There was something about Ella, that made him want to ruffle her feathers.
Maybe she'll agree to catch a bite to eat with me.
Wolf's hand was poised to knock on her door when he heard Ella talking to someone on the other side.
"He grabbed my butt, Sabine. I was so mortified, I nearly had a conniption fit right then and there," Wolf heard her say through the door. Ella sounded like she was pacing as she squealed into the phone. "Yeah. God, I hope he doesn't think I'm interested in him, cause that's never gonna happen."
Wolf froze as indignation surged through him.
She thinks an awful lot of herself.
He turned and stomped back into his apartment, grabbed the stale pizza out of the fridge, only to toss it untouched onto the counter. Wolf had been shot down before. It didn't happen often, but it had happened. The most frustrating part, was that he hadn't even put the moves on Ella, not really.
"Of all the stuck-up," he growled. "If I ever decide to man-handle her, she certainly won't be complaining about it afterward."
Wolf stalked into the bedroom and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He was instantly disgusted. For some inane reason, he'd put on a pair of black pants and a dress shirt.
"Fuck this shit."
Wolf tore off the button-down shirt, trading it for a wife-beater that would show off the ink on his back and shoulders. Then pulled out a pair of well-worn jeans and tugged them on.
"I doubt the librarian even owns a pair of jeans," he muttered. "The gloves are off. If Little-Miss-Straight-Laced wants to be mortified, I'll give her something to be mortified about. And she better deliver a fucking awesome plan for the clubhouse, or she's out on her ass."
Although Wolf knew he wouldn't toss her out, the comment still made him feel better.
Ella
"Hello."
"Oh, thank god. I was worried you'd be asleep," Ella said as Sabine answered the phone.
"What's up Bella Bear? What's wrong?" Sabine heard the panic in Ella's voice.
"I just need you to talk me down from the bell tower." Ella paced in front of her closet ready to run screaming into the night. "I have to go to a biker party and I don't know what to wear. And I'm not sure if I can face my neighbor. Ugh," Ella moaned.
She'd been thinking about the incident at the clubhouse the entire day, and she was still as turned around as ever. Ella was certain Wolf had genuinely offered her the job, and in retrospect grabbing her butt probably hadn't been intentional. On the other hand, she also had no difficulty believing Wolf was a consummate playboy. The whole situation was beyond embarrassing, and now, Ella had no idea how to act around Wolf. She liked him, but she shouldn't, she couldn't. Wolf had her twisted in knots.
"Okay, back up. You're going to a biker party with that hot neighbor you told me about?"
"Yes and no. Wolf actually owns the apartment and he's giving us a break on rent in exchange for some work on his biker clubhouse."
"That's smart. You do awesome work. Did you seriously say his name was Wolf?" Sabine choked out a snicker.
"What's so funny?" Ella scowled as she pulled out a navy top, frowned at it, then hung it back up again.
"A sexy biker named Wolf," Sabine said, attempting not to giggle. "Oh, Bella Bear, or should I say Little Red Riding Hood. Watch out or he'll gobble you up."
"Zip it, Sabine. You're not helping." Ella's cheeks flamed as illicit thoughts entered her mind, courtesy of her rowdy sister.
"I can hear the hamster turning in the wheel. What are you thinking?"
"Nothing. Shut up," Ella groaned. Damn her sister. Sometimes Ella wondered if they could read each other's mind.
"Spill it, or I'll call mom and give her our new address."
"Don't you dare." Ella loved her mother, but she'd grown eccentric after their father died. "Fine, I was thinking, ‘Wolf, what big hands you have.'" Ella cringed as the words came out of her mouth.
Sabine's eardrum shattering cackle, had Ella pulling the phone away from her ear. Ella noticed the clothes rattling in her closet, and threw up her hands in disgust at herself. She tried to relax, but her usual tricks didn't work. Her tops and dresses just danced on their hangers, mocking her. Ella stared cross-eyed at them.
Stop it!
"I seriously need your advice, Sabine," her voice came out high-pitched and strained.
"You've got it bad, don't you? I'm sorry Bella Bear. You need to grab a glass of wine and relax."
Ella nodded. That was the first sage advice, her sister had offered so far.
"I don't know what to do. You'll never believe what happened. I don't know if I can show my face. Yesterday, I went with Wolf to see his clubhouse. I tripped over some tools, and he kept me from falling," Ella related as she walked toward the kitchen.
"That was nice." The way Sabine made the comment, Ella knew there was an, ‘And … ' tacked on to the end.
"He grabbed my butt, Sabine. I was so mortified, I nearly had a conniption fit right then and there," Ella screeched as she paced.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. God, I hope he doesn't think I'm interested in him, cause that's never gonna happen," Ella whined as she walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a wineglass.
"Would that really be so bad?"
"Yes! Do I need to repeat what I told you? EARTHQUAKE, Sabine. Besides I've got a feeling he's not hurting for female affection. I don't need to pile onto that party bus. Ugh. I don't know what to think or do."
"I didn't say you had to fuck him."
"Sabine, you have the mouth of a sailor," Ella admonished.
"Whatever. I'm just suggesting you have some fun. Flirt. Tease. Live a little."
"Yeah and then I wake up from a raunchy dream, to find the building has fallen down. I just need to do this job, then keep my distance."
"Bella Bear, why can't we have normal lives?" Sabine sighed in resignation.
"I don't know, Sis." Ella closed her eyes, sharing her sister's misery.
"Hey, enough poor us bullshit. You said you need something to wear, right?"
"Yep, potty-mouth."
"Okay," Sabine snorted at the rebuke. "Put on a pair of skinny jeans and that silky green halter top. It accentuates your eyes and makes your ta-tas look great."
"Sabine you're incorrigible."
"Yeah, but you love me," Sabine yawned.
"I do. Thank you. I always feel better after talking with you." Ella's worst nightmare was the thought Sabine might not be there one day.
"Anytime. Good night, and have fun, Bella."
"Good night."
Ella hung up with a smile, then eyed the sleek emerald green halter in her closet. She'd only worn it a few times, since it wasn't business attire. And she rarely went anywhere that called for such a saucy shirt. There wasn't much to the top. It left her entire back exposed.
Ella drained her glass of wine, called upon the liquid courage, and proceeded to get dressed. After another hour fussing in the mirror, Ella struck out for the clubhouse. She was glad it was a warm evening as the sun dipped past the horizon. Ella liked this burb. It had more green space than the city. She paused to watch a bat flit out from the eaves of and old Victorian, hunting bugs in the waning light.