EXCERPT
The rain came down so hard it bounced off the car. Ellie banged her fist on the steering wheel. Fine, she’d wait it out. But after ten minutes, the downpour continued. She had no choice but to unblock Jordan and let him know she had to stay put.
Her fingers hovered over her phone. What if he got the wrong idea and figured she’d unblocked him because of last Monday night? And if she unblocked him after sharing a text, she couldn’t very well re-block him. That bordered on childishness.
Screw it. She had no choice. Cursing under her breath, she called up the last and final text he’d sent, typing in…
It’s pouring rain. I’m waiting for it to let up. Give me another five or ten minutes. I’m outside in my car.
Finger shaking, she hit send and waited. He didn’t respond. Maybe he’d blocked her? Annoyance gathered at the back of her neck. What excuse did he have? He was the one who’d run off to Winnipeg.
A message popped up. She checked her screen.
There’s an umbrella here. I’ll come and get you.
What? She didn’t want to be anywhere within two feet of him. She quickly typed back…
It’s okay. I’ll wait out the rain.
We got a lot to do. Who knows how long the rain will last? I hope you don’t mind hot-pink umbrellas. I’m not sure who left it here.
Hot pink? You’re kidding. Okay. Come and get me.
Ellie tossed her phone back into her purse. Her lungs were expanding. Her breath came faster. She squeezed her fingers and toes. No, she wasn’t going to get anxious about being near him. They’d had their one night.
The big door opened. Jordan came out with a bright-pink umbrella over him. Normally, Ellie would’ve laughed, but there wasn’t anything funny about her predicament. She snatched her purse.
Jordan dashed over, dodging puddles with a hip and a hop. He stood beside her door, waiting for her to leave the car.
Ellie pushed away her hesitation. She couldn’t let him stand in the rain, so she darted from the vehicle and huddled safely under the umbrella. Besides the clean scent of the rain bringing to life the aroma of the spruce and pine trees, Jordan’s fragrance was under her nose, a reminder of what they’d done last Monday.
She was squashed up against him, close enough to brush his side, his firm muscles waiting for the same taste she’d given him a week ago.
“We’re gonna have to run together so neither of us get soaked.” He put his arm around her shoulder.
She almost recoiled at his touch, but she knew he had no choice, otherwise he’d have to scrunch down to reach her waist.
“Do you mind?” Jordan asked. “It’ll be easier for us to run in sync.”
His palm was searing her bare arm like a blacksmith branding an iron. She cursed the humidity that had compelled her to don a sleeveless polo shirt. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, on the count of three. One…two…three…”
She dashed along beside him, having to run faster to keep up with his long legs since he towered over her. Their bodies moved as one, reminiscent of…no way, she wasn’t going there. Instead, she kept her head down, doing her best to avoid the puddles that Jordan stepped in to keep her feet dry. Damn him and his gallantness. Fucking gentleman.
They were upon the door and beneath the cement awning above them. Dry. And safe. Well, she couldn’t say safe. She had her ex-boyfriend to contend with.
Maggie Blackbird 