Page 7 of Off Limits

And if I’m honest, it’s not really Cal’s company I’m missing. If I were, I would’ve stayed out.

No.

Having Ellie here last night was … unexpectedly pleasant. She’s funny. Sweet and pretty in an unpretentious, unassuming way, and even though she didn’t hide how much she was checking me out when I answered the door shirtless, she didn’t throw herself at me or do anything to make the situation awkward. And I usually get annoyed when people talk during shows and movies, but her observations made me laugh and think by turns. Her conflicting emotions about the story arcs for the different characters made me do more than just passively observe the show unfolding on the screen in front of me and engage with it more deeply.

It was fun.

Watching the show without her tonight doesn’t hold the same magic.

I’m getting up to put the ice pack back in the freezer when there’s a knock on the front door.

Frowning, I yell, “Coming!” as I close the freezer door and head down the hall, wondering who the hell it could be this time. To my surprise, Ellie’s on the other side, a square white bakery box held in front of her like an offering and a sunny smile stretching her glossy pink lips wide.

“Hi!” she says brightly. “Cal kicked me out before I saw you this morning, so I got some cookies for you as a belated thank you.” She thrusts the box at me, her eyes lingering on my bare chest as she waits for me to accept the box.

“You got me cookies?” Slowly, my hands come up and lift the box out of hers, and I can’t help noticing how small and delicate her hands are compared to mine. Because of course they are. Compared to me, she’s tiny.

“Yup!” she chirps, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. She has it loose tonight, and it falls in a sleek curtain just past her shoulders. “I figured since I didn’t get to at least say thank you in person or make you breakfast this morning, I’d drop by with these. But, um, well, I’m sure Cal doesn’t want me hanging around. I’m not fishing for an invite inside or anything. Just dropping off cookies.” She gestures at the box in my hands, as though I might not realize which cookies she’s referring to. “Anyway. Thanks again.” She gives a little wave. “See you around.”

She’s stepping backwards, half turned to navigate the stairs back down, when the impulse to stop her becomes too overwhelming. “Wait.”

She stops and turns back to me, one hand on the banister, one foot in mid air, poised to take the first step down. “I got a bunch of kinds,” she says. “I wasn’t sure what your favorite cookie is, so there’s two of every kind they sell.”

Chuckling, I gesture inside with my head. “I can’t be expected to eat all of these myself. Come in and have one at least.”

Her dark eyes sharpen, and she examines my face, clearly hesitant to accept my invitation.

“Or did you get a ride from someone?” I lean out the door and peer behind her to see if there’s a car waiting and that’s why she’s hesitant. But I don’t see anyone.

“No,” she confirms. “I walked.” Still, she’s just staring at me. Her mouth opens, but she doesn’t say anything for a beat.

“Cal’s not home,” I put in before she can say no. Because I know that’s what she’s going to say.

She closes her mouth and sucks in a deep breath, the red cotton of her scoop neck T-shirt stretching tight across her chest. But I can see her changing her mind. That detail seems to be all she needed.

“Alright,” she says softly, turning back toward the door. She holds up one finger. “One cookie. Then I need to head home. I’m not spending the night again.” She gives me a lopsided grin as she passes me. “Where to?” she asks as I close the door behind her. “Are you afood belongs in the kitchen onlykind of guy? Or would you rather eat cookies in front of the TV?”

Chuckling, I head into the living room, deliberately brushing past her. “TV. I was about to watchCobra Kaiagain. Want to join me?” I sit on the couch and set the box on the coffee table in front of me, glancing up at her before opening the lid.

She’s still standing in the middle of the living room, her arms crossed as she gives me that same piercing look from a minute ago. “One episode,” she says at last.

I shrug like it makes no real difference to me either way. One cookie. One episode. I’ll take what I can get.

I open the box as she curls in her spot on the other end of the couch. The box is packed with giant cookies in neat rows. Chocolate chip. Peanut butter. Snickerdoodles. Ginger. Several different frosted cookies. Something that looks like caramel and chocolate swirled in a sugar cookie base.

“Holy shit, Ellie. Are you trying to get me kicked off the team for failing my diet plan?”

She snickers, leaning in close to look in the box, and I get a hit of her scent. Something fruity and sweet. Is it her shampoo? Lotion? Perfume?

“Did I go too far overboard?” she asks, and I turn my head to look at her face. She’s peering into the box, her nose wrinkling adorably. “Sorry. I normally would’ve just baked a batch like a normal person, but who knows how well the dorm kitchen is equipped, and I’d have to buy all the ingredients, and …” She trails off as her eyes raise to mine, then sits back quickly, like she just realized how close our faces were. Only a few inches separated us. To a casual observer—or her brother barging in—it might look like we were about to kiss.

Not that I’d kiss Ellie. Not in real life. Nope, that will just happen in dreams and fantasies, and dammit, I really should’ve stayed out with the guys and found an appropriate chick to take the edge off because maybe then I’d be less intoxicated by Ellie’s scent and the idea of discovering what her lips taste like.

Clearing my throat, I pluck a cookie out of the box—a chocolate-caramel swirl one—and settle back into my corner, nodding at the box for Ellie to take her pick.

She grins at me. “Those ones are delicious. And since these are supposed to be thank-you cookies for you, I’ll leave you the second one as well. You’ll be happy I did once you taste that one.” She picks one of the frosted cookies and scoots back into her corner, taking a big bite and catching the crumbs with her other hand.

Doing my best to ignore her, I pick up the remote and start the episode over so Ellie’s not behind.

---