Yours Completely(10)

“Since you know the place so well, do you know any good places to hide?” Jace finished his question. It took a moment for Ella's brain to follow, especially since she wanted his words to be something else entirely.

“Other than your room?” she replied, knowing it was a lame answer. She just needed a moment to resettle herself.

“I can only hide out there so long before they learn how to pick the locks,” Jace teased. Ella couldn't stop the smile from crossing her lips.

“Well, guests aren't really allowed in here, but I name you honorary stable boy. You can hide out in here,” she offered. Secretly, she hoped she'd run into him again and at the same time she prayed they wouldn't. He couldn't be hers and it was just asking for heartache to even imagine that she had a chance.

“No one else is going to yell at me? Threaten to throw brushes at my head?”

“I didn't threaten to throw a brush!” Ella laughed as he mimicked her stance when she first found him, finding that she did have the brush ready to use as a weapon. She rolled her eyes, making him laugh.

“I don't know if I can take any other beautiful women threatening me this week,” Jace teased.

She tried to ignore the word beautiful in the sentence. “I have a teenager come in and help out, but she won't give you any trouble. And if you see Magnus, the carriage driver, just tell him I said you could be here.”

“Thank you.” He smiled at her and she knew he meant it. Her heart melted just a little bit more, which wasn't fair at all.

“The only other place I would recommend is the gazebo by the lake. Not the big one where the wedding will take place, but the smaller one just a little further down the path. It's hidden, but it's actually prettier than the big one.” Ella tucked a strand of hair out of her face and shrugged. “Not many people go there.”

“Thank you, Ella.”

The way he said her name made her shiver. He probably did that to all the women. He was a rich, handsome man about to marry a billionaire's sister. That meant he had to have some charm. This was probably just a normal day for him.

He probably broke hearts just by breathing and never even know it.

Her phone chimed, reminding her that the watch beep was just the warning. She had to get going now, especially if she wanted to change and not smell like horse for the rest of the evening.

“I have to go,” she said, turning off the alarm in her pocket.

“More horses to groom?” Jace teased, his smile so sweet it made her ache.

“Something like that,” she agreed. “I have a strict bedtime I have to adhere to. And lots of work before that.”

“I don't want you to go, but I'd hate for you to turn into a pumpkin at midnight if I don't.” He grinned. Again, why did he have to be so damn charming?

“Will you clean up when you're done?” she asked, motioning to the brushes and pointing to the spot where they belonged.

“Of course,” he replied with a nod. “It would be my pleasure.”

She had to go. Delores would know if she was late or if she arrived back smelling like horse and she'd never hear the end of it. Yet, her feet didn't want to move. She forced herself to pat Commander one last time, and then to move her feet away.

As she walked to the barn door, she knew Jace would clean up and make sure that the two horses were ready for the evening. She knew it as surely as she knew her own name. She just wished she had a better excuse for when she eventually came back here later this evening, hoping to still catch him here. He'd be long gone by then, but she still knew she'd come check. Not on the horses, but for him.

“Ella?” Jace's voice caught her as she pulled open the door, making her stomach do back-flips and her heart flutter. She turned, seeing his blue eyes over the stall door. “Thank you.”

His gratitude was palpable and it made her chest ache. It was the first time in a long time that someone had legitimately thanked her for something more than a fresh set of towels or a cleaned room. It felt wonderful.

“You're welcome,” she whispered, not really trusting her voice. Before she could do anything else she would regret, like kissing an engaged man, she hurried out the door and into the deepening night.

As she ran along the path back toward the inn, she hoped that scrubbing down the kitchen, starting the laundry, and all the other chores she still had to do would distract her from thinking of those blue-green eyes and soft smile.

But she had a feeling they wouldn't.





Chapter Four


Jace was the only thing on Ella's mind.

She didn't want him to be, but like a splinter that she couldn't quite remove, he was in her thoughts. All night, her imagination had revolved around him. She could smell the soft woodsy scent of his skin, the way the light reflected blue and green at the same time in his eyes, and the soft curve of his lips as he bent to kiss her.