“You’re an awesome teacher.”
She was blushing again. She was so damn beautiful, it ripped at his heart not to touch her.
“I have to go change,” she said, patting her forehead with a hand towel.
“You don’t wear that?” He pointed at her sexy black outfit.
“The girls request a certain leotard for every class.”
Charlie’s mind went a little wild at the thought. “What’s it today?”
“Red.”
He grinned. “Nice choice.”
“Well, I guess I should…”
It was hard to even think about leaving, but he knew they had to separate now. His only solace was that he’d get to hold her again…hopefully very soon. “Okay,” he said. “Um, thanks for, you know, the lesson.”
“You’re welcome. See you at the WS later?”
“I’ll be there.”
Chapter Nine
Ellie lined up the tip of her stick to the cue ball. It should’ve been an easy shot, but her mind wasn’t on the game. “Nine in the corner,” she said. But not only did the nine not go in the pocket, it went flying off the table.
“Yeah, niiiiice,” Jane said.
Ellie groaned and looked up. Jane wasn’t watching their game, but the game across from them, or rather the four guys playing pool at the table across from them, a dreamy look in her eyes.
“See.” Ellie smiled. “I knew you’d like this place.”
“What’s not to like?” Jane said over her shoulder, still gawking at the guys. “I feel like pitching a tent and moving in.” Finally she pulled her gaze away and looked at Ellie, gripping her pool stick. “Why didn’t you tell me the guys here were so…fit? Hey.” She nodded toward the ping pong table where there was a very lively doubles game going on. “Let’s go over there.”
Ellie held up her stick, about to point out they were in the middle of a game. But she was losing and didn’t feel like playing. Anyway, it was more fun to watch Jane drool. Proverbial kid in a candy store.
The two of them stood around a tall, bar-like table, Jane facing the ping pongers. They didn’t talk much, which was why it surprised Ellie when Jane blurted: “You are crazy.”
“Why?”
“Because that guy is insanely hot.”
“What guy?” she asked, glancing around, wondering which military man she’d finally settled on.
“Hunter.” Jane pounded her fist on the table.
“Jane,” Ellie whispered. “People can hear you.” She leaned across the table so she didn’t have to raise her voice. “Why are you talking about Hunter? Concentrate on your…game.”
“That’s what made me think of it,” Jane said, nodding toward the guy about to serve. “I saw you two in the studio this morning. The way you were going at it.”
“We weren’t going at it.” Ellie rested her elbows on the high table. “I was teaching him a box step.”
“With your hands in his hair? And his hands on your—”
Ellie covered her face. “Stop it.” She didn’t need the reminder of where Hunter’s hands had been. Or how he smelled, how he looked. It was all pretty much burned on her brain. She could still feel his strong arms around her. Never had she felt so safe and swept away at the same time. Had he known how badly she wanted to be kissed by him at the precise moment he’d pulled her close?
“The whole thing’s moot,” Ellie said, forcing her heart to slow down. “I can’t pursue anything until—”
“Don’t even start about your stupid single year. You’re less than one month short. It’s close enough.”
“It isn’t stupid,” Ellie said quietly. “Keeping that promise is important to me. I need to do it. I’m going to do it.” She bit her thumbnail, picturing the bedroom from her teenage years, the wipe board of goals hanging on the wall. Her new goals wouldn’t be on her wall anymore, but in a file on her computer. Ellie couldn’t stop herself from picturing her laptop at home…an e-mail on the screen.
“Here.” She slammed her cell phone on the table. “Delete.”
“Delete what?”
“The e-mails, his e-mails.”
Jane stared at her. “Are we back to Charlie? Girl, you’re giving me whiplash.”
“That’s why I need you to delete them. I’m obsessing over a man I’ve never met. That’s almost on the same level as purposefully dating a bad boy. Two unhealthy behaviors I am now done with.” She scooted her phone toward Jane. “Charlie will be out of my system in no time and once my year is up, I’ll be able to focus elsewhere.”
“You mean focus on Hunter,” Jane said with a smile.
Hunter, Ellie thought. Is he the answer?
“He…confuses me,” she admitted. “All that stuff Sam told me about him. I don’t see it. He doesn’t act like a womanizer. He listens to me and we can talk. He’s sweet.”
“Huh,” Jane huffed.
“Huh, what?”
“That’s pretty much how you described Charlie.”
Ellie stared at her. Was she really so muddled that Hunter and Charlie were becoming interchangeable in her mind? Of course not! Hunter was all animalistic and charismatic and damn near irresistible, while Charlie was…well…
“Hi, El.”
Ellie jumped about a foot. “Sammy.” She caught her breath, gaping up at her brother. “Hi.”
“You were playing pool when I left,” he said. “I challenge the winner.”
“We quit,” Jane said. “Ellie’s mind wasn’t on the game.” She kicked her under the table.
“I’m…having an existential crisis,” Ellie said, rubbing her leg.
Sam put his hands in his pockets and leaned away. “Sounds female. I don’t think I can help with that.”
Ellie picked at the side of her nail. She wasn’t sure if she should bring it up again with Sam or not. But after what happened with Hunter at the studio earlier—or what almost happened—she really did need more information on the subject, once and for all.
“Actually, Sammy,” she said while giving Jane the eye, “I think you can help. Can we go somewhere else?”
Sam scratched his head but when Ellie motioned to a quieter side of the WS with a pair of armchairs, her brother followed. “So?” he said, moving to the edge of his seat. “What’s up?”
There really was no easy way to broach it. “Well,” she said, diving right in, “you know how you came home early from your last deployment…”
“Yeah?” He leaned an elbow on the armrest. Ellie could see one of his tattoos, reminding her of the one similar to Hunter’s, and then she pictured the one on his chest. She didn’t know what the crossed rifles meant, but she figured it was Army-related. Nothing quite as permanent as a tattoo.
Hunter must be in the military for the long haul. Ellie still wasn’t sure how she felt about that, about getting involved with someone who might be called away to possible dangerous situations. And if their relationship got serious, she would be moving with him every few years. Would that be as adventurous as she imagined? Or a pain?
“Do you know,” she continued, trying to keep her thoughts on track, “is your whole unit home now?”
“Yes,” Sam said. “Everyone made it back.”
Ellie felt her palms start to sweat. “So that means Charlie Johansson is on leave.”
Sam rubbed his chin. “Yeah, Charlie’s home,” he said, looking down at his watch, tugging at the band.
“Have you talked to him?”
Sam was slow to answer. “Um, yeah. He’s been home a few days. We’ve talked a couple times.”
Ellie took in another deep breath. “Does he know…I mean, you’re my brother. Has he asked about me?”
“Ellie, come on.”
Indignity made her huff. Meanwhile, Sam was all but obsessed with tightening his watchband, his eyes flicking to her only once.
“What, Sam? Either he has or he hasn’t. Why do you look so guilty?”
Then the answer slowly dawned on her.
; “Oh… He hasn’t asked about me.”
All those thoughts, those silly daydreams about meeting Charlie, thanking him in person for saving Sam and for being the most important person in her life for two months…that was all they were: daydreams. He was home now, on U.S. soil, but he didn’t feel the need to reach out. Didn’t care like she thought he did.
What was it she’d read in that one dating book? Sometimes no answer is a clear answer.
“I’m the first to admit it, Ellie,” Sam said. “Men are asses.”
She felt tears behind her eyes, stupid, foolish tears for someone she didn’t even know. Suddenly she longed for comfort…from the most unlikely place.
Whiplash…
“Not all of them,” she said, pushing the daydream of Charlie away. “Not Hunter.”
“Whoa, what?”
She blinked at her brother. “He’s not. We’ve been having the best time together. He’s great.”
Sam made a fist and cupped his other hand around it. “You know what I told you about him.”
“That’s not who I met three days ago, Sam,” she insisted. “The guy you told me about is not the same man who gave me ice cream for lunch, or ran countless tutus up and down a flight of stairs for Jane, or volunteered to dance the tango with me in front of two hundred people.”
“Hunter’s doing what?”
Ellie stopped to catch her breath. “Chick didn’t tell you? That’s the fund-raiser. We’re having a charity ball, all donations to save the WS. Hunter’s got a friend who owns a newspaper. We’re getting publicity and everything.”
“Really? He’s doing all that and for nothing? I mean, you swear to me nothing is going on between you two?”
“He hasn’t laid a hand on me,” Ellie said, though she kind of wished this wasn’t the truth. “You’ve known him for years, fought side by side with him. You claim he’s one of your best friends. Why are you so surprised?”
Sam shrugged. “Because I am. I mean, he told me he changed, but I didn’t believe him.”
“I do,” Ellie said, running the back of her hand across her forehead, remembering how it felt when Hunter was there.
“Look.” Sam scooted his chair closer. “I know you’re capable of making your own decisions about dating, but will you just trust me on this? Maybe he’s changed, maybe not. Either way, I told him he’s not allowed to try out his new life change on you.”
Ellie stared at him, indignity rushing heat to her face. “You told him to stay away from me?”
“More or less. What? Does that make you want him more?” He shook his head and sat back. “Clueless.”
“I’m not clueless.”
“I meant what I said, Ellie.” Sam looked her dead in the eyes. “You don’t know everything that’s going on.”
“Oh, really?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Enlighten me.”
…
“I don’t know what to do,” Charlie said, running both hands over his head. “I’ve never felt this way.”
“It’s the thrill of the chase, man. That’s all.”
Charlie leaned back in Jack’s swivel chair. He’d been in the coach’s private office hundreds of times when he was on the high school football team, but never on this side of the desk. “It’s not the thrill of the chase,” he argued.
Jack glanced up from the playbook he was flipping though. “Are you sure?”
“It’s not only that she’s beautiful. She’s smart and we have fun together. You should see her with those kids, man. It’s amazing.”
After they’d said good-bye that morning at the ballet studio, Charlie hadn’t left right away, but stayed and watched, just for a little while. He couldn’t get over how well she interacted with her tiny students, talking to them like friends, listening, laughing, teaching…probably like a mother would. Was that the key to interacting with children? Treating them like people?
The concept felt right to Charlie, and he almost couldn’t wait to try it out. He smiled to himself, truly excited to be an uncle for the first time.
“Have you two…” Jack tapped his pen on the clipboard.
“Dude, no. We met three days ago.”
“So?”
Charlie hated that the assumption he could’ve already slept with Ellie was completely acceptable to his brother-in-law. Probably to Sam, too. No wonder Sam wanted him nowhere near his sister. He was seriously starting to loathe himself.
He’d held her in his arms, touched her, whispered her name, was one millisecond away from kissing her like she’d never been kissed before. How could he look into those open and trusting eyes and tell her he’d been dishonest for three days about who he really was?
The only thing he could hope was that Ellie would somehow fall for him as hard as he was falling for her.
“I have to head up to the field,” Jack said, shoving a binder into his carrier bag. “Want to check out the recruits?”
“No, thanks.” Charlie pushed back from the desk and stood. “Mac’s got her free period now. I’ll swing by her classroom on my way out.”
“Hey, you should run the situation by her,” Jack suggested as he slid on a ball cap. “She’s always good for advice, especially the kind you don’t want to hear.”
Charlie snorted a laugh. “Maybe I will.”
Twenty minutes later, as he crossed the high school parking lot toward his car, he was cursing himself. Jack had been right, Charlie didn’t want to hear Mackenzie’s opinion, which was: “Come clean immediately, you giant ape ass.”
He spotted Ellie and Sam the minute he entered the WS. Sam looked glum and Ellie looked kind of ticked off, but the moment she saw him, her face broke into a smile.
The way that made Charlie feel was so indescribable, he almost tripped over his own feet. Not a good impression to make on the woman he was supposed to dazzle with his smooth dance moves.
“Hey,” he said, approaching them.
Sam immediately rose to his feet. “Hello, Hunter.”
“Sam.” The guy was one of his closest friends, but if Sammy called him Hunter like that again, even in jest, they might have a problem. “Ellie, hi.”
“Hey,” she said. “So I talked to Chick earlier, and he doesn’t have much for us to do this afternoon. He thinks maybe we should be practicing for the ball.”
Charlie chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Not a terrible idea.”
“Do you want to head back to the studio? It should be empty in about an hour.”
“Works for me.” He was dying to be alone with her. The guilt was really getting to him and being close to her made it less so. The sick twist of irony was not lost on him. He needed to tell her the truth. And soon. But the way Sam was shooting not-so-subtle dagger glares at him, like he knew what Charlie had in mind, he thought maybe he should wait.
“Let me just check with Chick one last time,” Ellie said. “Be right back.”
Charlie watched her leave, her red hair swinging, leaving behind an addictive perfume that made his head feel as if it was going to float away like a hot air balloon.
“Don’t look at my sister like that.”
“I like your sister,” Charlie stated honestly. “A lot. You need to know.”
“She and I had another little chat before you got here.” Sam folded his arms and grinned. “I told her to stay away from you.”
Even though Sam’s demeanor seemed untroubled—if not overly smug—dread gnawed at Charlie’s stomach. Or maybe it was because Sam was so calm. “What did she say?”
Sam kept his steady focus pinned on Charlie, but a moment later, he blinked and rubbed his jaw. “She told me to mind my own business, then threatened to kick my ass.”
Charlie laughed out loud as relief replaced the dread. He turned his gaze back to Ellie, who was standing outside Chick’s office, notepad in her hand, pencil behind an ear. Yeah, he really liked this woman. Although “like” didn’t seem accurate.
“If she can’t bear to keep away from you,” S
am said, “then maybe you should give it a try.”
“I can’t,” Charlie replied. “Even if I wanted to.”
“Watch what you say, buddy.” Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “You sound like you’re in love with her.”
“I’m…” He didn’t know how to finish, but allowed the idea to run through his brain.
“To get her to fall for you, then break her heart, is a real dick move.”
Charlie remained still for a moment, then raked both hands through his hair. “That’s not what I’m doing, Sammy.”
“Hunter—”
“Dude, please don’t call me that. Seriously.”
“Well, I’m not going to call you Charlie. Ellie won’t find out that way.”
“I agree, but I’m not agreeing to stay away—”
“Hey, guys.” Ellie suddenly appeared, and Charlie stepped back from Sam. “Why are… What are you doing?” she asked, looking back and forth at them.
“Nothing,” Sam said, rubbing a hand over his shaved head, taking his own step back.
Ellie glared at him then turned to Charlie, her expression softer. “You okay?”
“Me?” He cut a look to Sam. “I’ve never been better.”
“Ohh…kay.” She took a beat. “Well, Chick said we’re free, so do you want to hang out here or—”
“I do not.” Charlie grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Ten
Ellie had no idea what was going on between Sam and Hunter. But she was too miffed at her brother, and then too dizzy from Hunter grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door, to think about much of anything.
“How was your afternoon?” Hunter asked as they crossed the parking lot.
“Good,” she said. “Three classes. It was loud but fun.”
“It’s remarkable what you do. Honestly.”
“Well, you can put together a rifle blindfolded, so we both have our talents.”
Hunter’s blue eyes glanced at her and he laughed. “You’re something else. Where are you going?” he asked when she veered to the right. “I’m driving.”
“No, I’m—”
He caught her wrist, then his hand slid down and clasped around her hand. Her skin prickled happily at his touch. “Ellie, I worked on my car for seven years. Please give me this one.”
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