Page 111 of Reconciling With the Rival

I brush her hair out of her face, my hand massaging the delicate skin around her neck and back.

It’s criminal I only see her like this every once in a while. Her guard is always up at work until I break it down through our bickering. I like seeing her with no armor, with nothing between us. Because even though I like seeing her fire, I like it even more when it’s on a low simmer—when it’s just beginning to spark.

I feel like I’m going crazy, and every touch of her skin is causing all these emotions to stir inside me.

Gone are the feelings I’m not good enough. Gone is the guilt I feel for being away from my parents. Somehow, while Ella and I connect in a different way, I feel like everything is going to be okay.

With her in my arms, how could it fucking not be?

I lean down to her ear as her eyes flutter. “Stay the night with me.” Her eyes are wide open now, surprised by my statement. It wasn't a question, and she knows it. It was more like a plea, because I don’t want whatever is going on tonight to end.

“Leo…”

God, I could hear my name on her lips like that for the rest of eternity.

“Please, Ella. Just let me hold you and shield you from whatever is hurting you tonight.” The next words come out roughly. “Just for tonight.”

She turns her head to look me in my eyes, wanting assurance the two of us can keep whatever this is to one singular night.

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Because you’re always too busy taking care of others to remember you exist too. Because someone needs to take care of you for once, and I know if I said that to you, you’d deny it, so this is the only way I can do that.

“Because I want to.”

After another hour of me stealing as many touches as I can, her head starts to dip, the exhaustion or adrenaline from whatever happened tonight finally getting to her. I sit both of us up, grab her in both of my arms, and lift her out of the tub as it drains.

“I can do it myself, Leo.”

I grab her a towel from the warmer. “I know you can, darling.” I wrap it around her, tucking part of it in so it doesn't fall. “But it doesn't mean you have to.”

To my surprise, she doesn't fight me. Ella’s lips only turn up as she stands and looks at herself in the mirror. I wonder what she sees right now.

Because when I look at her like this, all I see is strength.

I head out to my room that’s barely unpacked or organized and throw on some sweats, grabbing a pair of boxers and a shirt for her to wear. When I get back into the bathroom, I set it on the counter, but she’s in the same position she was in when I left.

“What’s got your mind all up in arms, Ella? And how can I help to soothe it?”

“You’ve done more than enough.” She spots the clothes I brought her. “Thank you.”

I grab the shirt from where I set it and start to unfold it.

“I—”

“Let me take care of you tonight. You can go back to fighting your own battles tomorrow.” I shove the shirt over her head before she has a chance to say anything else, and when I get on my knees and hold the shorts out, she steps into them.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“Thank you, Leo. Don’t get used to hearing that.”

I shake my head at her. “I won’t.”

I grab her hand and lead her over to my bed. “Do you need anything before bed? Your phone? Anything in your purse?”

“No. My phone’s off, and I told your sister I was staying over at my dad’s.” She flinches when she says the worddad, so I assume something happened tonight with her family. I can’t imagine what. Ella has always been ride or die for the people she cares about, and I hope whatever happened tonight is fixable.

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