Game of Love(8)

“Chill out.” The guy from the bar stood before her wearing nothing but a T-shirt, and he was clearly aroused.

“Dina?” she called out.

“Shh.” He stumbled backward. “She’s asleep,” the guy said. He stretched, and his erection bounced against him.

“Jesus. Why are you out here? Get some clothes on.” Ellie pushed her feet into her boots. No matter what this guy’s excuse was for standing there with his dick out, there was no way it would be a good one. She stuffed her toiletry bag into her suitcase.

“I came out to use the bathroom and saw you on the couch. Dee didn’t say anything about a roommate.” He yawned, looking entirely too comfortable with his nudity.

“Dina,” she snapped. “Her name is Dina.” She stuffed her clothes into her bag and zipped it up. This was all she needed. There was no way in hell she was staying here.

“Yeah, whatever. What are you doing?” He took a step closer to her.

“Stop.” She held her hand up. “Just…stay there. I’m going to a friend’s. Tell Dina I said thanks for everything.” She left the key on the counter and walked out the door.

“You don’t have to leave,” he said before it slammed.

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Ellie hurried down the stairs with her purse over her shoulder and her suitcase thunking down the steps behind her. Seeing a naked guy was nothing new to her. Living in the dorms and then sharing an apartment with three women meant seeing more unclothed men than she cared to admit, usually running into them coming or going in the middle of the night on their way to the bathroom or coming out of the shower. But waking up to him so close to her had caught her completely off guard. And after what had happened when she lived on Carlisle Street, her mind screamed, Run. Get out. Now.

The night air stung her cheeks. The streets were eerily quiet, except for the cachunk, cachunk of her suitcase as she dragged it along the sidewalk. Now what am I going to do? Her interview was in a few short hours, and she desperately needed to shower before showing up, not to mention sleep. She stopped into the nearest diner open at 4:45 in the morning for a cup of coffee, then leaned against the front of the building, both hands wrapped around the cup to warm them. She never saw the hooded man until he was already upon her. He slowed just long enough to snag her purse right off her arm, sending her coffee into the air, and took off down the alley.

“Hey!” She grabbed her suitcase and ran after him, giving up a block later when he disappeared into the pre-dawn darkness. Ellie stomped her foot. “Fuck!” She went back out to the main drag, willing away the tears that threatened to send her legs crumbling beneath her. Suck it up. You’re fine. Figure it out.

She had no money, no place to stay, and an interview she’d surely bomb on the horizon. She was screwed.

Ellie pulled out her best pep talk. I made it through ten foster homes, almost being raped, college, and Bruce. I can’t give up now. This is a setback. That’s it. Figure it the fuck out.

Dexy.

No. She couldn’t do that to him. She shivered from the situation and from the cool air. I’m not a sixteen-year-old kid in the system anymore. Her asshole social worker’s voice came back to her—Once the system touches you, you’re always a product of the system—whatever the hell that meant. She’d said it with a slant of negativity in her voice. That damn social worker was the impetus for Ellie to pursue her master’s in minority and urban education. Even though she had no idea what she’d meant by “always a product of the system,” Ellie had felt the need to prove her wrong. Even if it took forever. Even if it sucked along the way.

Ellie pulled her shoulders back and tucked her pride somewhere deep within her, where she could pull it out when she needed it, but not close enough to the surface to make her stop from going to the only place she could. And maybe even the only place she wanted to.





Chapter Eight


DEX ROLLED OVER to silence the banging noise in his head. He needed sleep, and whatever Regina was doing, she’d better stop. Now.

His bedroom door opened, and Regina’s voice filtered into his exhausted mind. “Dex?”

He flipped onto his back and laid his arm over his eyes. “Hmm?”

“Were you expecting someone?”

“What?” He lowered his arm and pushed himself up on one elbow. Regina stood in her tank top and underwear. Without a bra, she had little breast buds, almost nonexistent, her hip bones jutted out above the slim lines of her silk panties, and her straight black hair was now tangled and mussed. Dex had become so used to seeing her in her various states of undress that he had no reaction, as if she were his sister.

“There’s a knock at the door. I was gonna get it, but…”

“What? Knock?” Shit. Now what? He pulled himself from the bed and lumbered down the hall with Regina on his heels. He ran through the possibilities. Mitch? Had a key. Siena? Had a key. Another of his siblings? They’d have called. He looked out the peephole and unlocked the door as quickly as he could.

“Ellie?”

She blushed. “I’m sorry.”

He pulled her inside and shut the door. “What’s wrong?” He looked her up and down, as if the answer might be written in indelible ink for all to see. He knew better.

She lifted her eyes to Regina and took a step back. “I’m sorry. I’ll go. I just—”

Dex looked from Regina to Ellie, then back again. Shit. “It’s not what it looks like.” He glared at Regina as if she’d done something wrong.

Regina folded her arms over her stomach.

“Ellie, come in.” He set her suitcase by the door and guided her past Regina and into the living room. “Reg, can you make some coffee?”

“On it,” she answered.

Ellie was trembling. She had that faraway look in her eyes again.

“Ellie, what happened? Did something happen with your friend?” The protective urges he’d carried with him whenever she was around came back in full force. Every muscle tensed.

She licked her lips and fiddled with the edge of her T-shirt. Her eyes skirted over his chest, lingering at each of his tattoos. “Nothing happened with her.” She dropped her eyes and they locked on his boxers and held just long enough for his body to warm.

Shit. No matter how much he tried, Dex couldn’t separate his feelings for Ellie from his need to remain numb and protect his heart, and if she continued to stare at his groin, it would take less than a minute before she’d see just how much he wanted her.

She looked away, and Dex let out a relieved sigh. He watched her survey his belongings. The distressed leather sofa, marble fireplace, expansive hardwood floors, and balcony overlooking Central Park. He could almost see the doors to her emotions slamming and locking as she noted each item. Dex glanced behind him, seeing his apartment through Ellie’s eyes for the first time. Exclusive. Extravagant. Even if not furnished as such, with recycled furniture and eclectic pieces that looked distressed, more worn than new. He took her hand and pulled her down beside him on the sofa.

Regina came out with two cups of coffee. “Everything okay?” she asked.

“I’m so embarrassed. I’m sorry I woke you guys up.” She pushed to her feet, and Dex tugged her down again.

“Sit.”

“No, really—” She tried to rise to her feet again, but he held on tight, pinning her to the couch.

“Ellie, tell me what happened.”

She looked at Regina, then lowered her eyes again.

“You know, I think I’ll go back to bed. Sorry for whatever happened, Ellie, but whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be okay. Dex is good at fixing things.” She flashed a friendly smile and left the room.

“Oh my God, Dex. You should have told me. I never would have showed up,” she whispered, whipping her head around toward the hall.

“Would you stop? Regina and I aren’t…we don’t…she’s a friend, and not that kind of friend. We worked until four in the morning, so she crashed here.”

Ellie pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows in a gesture that Dex remembered to mean, You don’t think I believe that, do you?

“Ellie, come here.” He tugged her to her feet, glad to feel her trembling had subsided, and he walked her to the hall. “See the open door? That’s my bedroom.” He pointed to another door. “See that one? Guest room. That’s where Regina stays.”

“You don’t have to answer to me. I’m not even sure what I’m doing here. I just had no place else to go.” She headed for the front door, and he settled a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t run, Ellie.”

She stood stock-still. Silent.

Dex couldn’t believe he’d said it aloud. He’d never called Ellie on her inability to stick around before. She’d stopped. She was still there. Thank God. He stepped in front of her and brushed her hair from in front of her face, noting the fear that still hovered in her eyes. He pulled her close and felt her resist. He wondered what it would be like if she didn’t resist one day. Her face rested on his chest, and he held her there, fighting against her tension and holding her still once again, until her demons left her and her body melted into his. Only then did he take her hand and guide her back to the couch.