Page 74 of New Growth
“I’ll be okay, Peanut,” he reassured calmly before standing and grabbing his fallen durag from the armrest. “Walk me out?”
My chest tightened as he headed for the door. My gut twisted with unease, and words left my mouth before I could second-guess them. “You want to stay here tonight?”
He paused mid-step. “What?”
I asked myself the same question.
Where did this boldness come from? The hand-holding? The wine? The comfort of my head on his chest?Whatever it was, it screamed for him to stay. It beckoned me to his side. I wanted him to stay—No. I needed him to.
I swallowed, nerves creeping in. “It could be like a sleepover. We can share my bed if you promise to behave.”
Elliot chuckled, shaking his head. “As tempting as that sounds, Elliot. That’s really unnecessary. I’ll be okay, I promise. I’ll call you when I get in.”
“I don’t want you to go, Elliot. I don’t want you to drive,” I said in an authoritative tone that made him straighten up.
He faced me fully then, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he watched me carefully.
“Why not?”
I took a deep breath. “Because. My daddy fell asleep at the wheel once after working late. He got into an accident that messed up his back, made him retire from the warehouse he worked at, and got him on disability where he ate and drank himself into the health conditions that led to his death.”
Silence.
“Wow,” he eventually said in a quiet tone after my extreme trauma dump.
“Exactly. I don’t want that for you. So please, stay the night. I’ll worry if you leave.”
Our eyes locked, and I gave my best pouted expression. Elliot exhaled, running a hand over his jaw. Then, finally—
“Okay.”
Relief flooded through me. “Thank you.”
After I led him upstairs to my room, I nodded towards my bathroom door.
“Go wash the mask off,” I commanded.
Again, without another word, he did what I said.No arguments.
Disappointed yet again, I removed my robe, leaving me in my black nightgown. Then, I laid on my stomach, hugging a pillow, and considered what I was doing. A one-night stand was out of the question; that much I was sure of.
But what was I looking for?
Of course, I was worried about him driving so late, but that wasn’t the only reason I invited him to stay. In retrospect, I could have just made him a cup of coffee like that night after the club and sent him on his merry way. Yet, for reasons I was still figuring out, I wanted him in my bed tonight. My hand flexed again like it did when I came for the face mask, the tension of his grasp haunting me like a cursed mark.
The moment El stepped into my room, he glanced around and raised a brow. “Kinda plain for a hairstylist. I thought this place would be packed with hair products and stuff.”
“I try not to bring work home,” I explained with a shrug.
Elliot snorted at my answer, looking at the photo I kept of Daddy on my dresser. “You’d hate my place.”
Just as I sat up to respond, he pulled his shirt over his head, and my mouth went dry.
“Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?” I exclaimed.
He grinned, clearly amused by my reaction. “I sleep in my briefs. Is that a problem?”
My gaze flickered just for a moment over his chest.
