porch steps with glasses of wine. The night was alive with chirping crickets and shouting locusts. The lingering storm clouds had finally blown over the mountain, so the stars twinkled bright and lovely around the high crescent moon.
Ed seemed pensive, but Ella didn’t dare ask what bothered him. She was too worried about what would happen when the seven days ended, too worried about facing reality after saying good-bye to this temporary, perfect world. Perhaps Ed was brooding over the very same problem. It hurt her deeply that Ed might still return her for the reward money, and she kept pushing the thought into the back of her mind with every other unpleasant thought she tirelessly worked to avoid.
Maybe I should tell him how I feel, she thought, resting her head against his shoulder as they shared their first moment of awkward silence. But how did she feel? She cared for Ed, but did she love him?
Could she love someone after only knowing him a few days?
Ella’s heart fluttered when Ed pulled her closer.
He kissed the top of her head and softly ran his fingers through her long locks. She listened to the beating of his heart for what seemed like hours. That night in bed, for the first time since they’d begun their unusual relationship, Ed made love to her slow and gentle, silently holding her eyes in his magnetic gaze for the duration until his climax. It was the closest she’d ever felt to anyone, though no words were spoken.
As Ella drifted to sleep, she prayed for the courage to confess her feelings to Ed. Prayed that he cared for her. Though he hadn’t said I love you, she at least thought he harbored tender feelings for her. Oh God, she begged. Please let this work out somehow.
Please don’t let this end badly.
Ella awoke several times that night, her mind too restless to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time.
She watched the steady rise and fall of Ed’s broad chest, and a sudden thought riddled her with fear. He was in his forties and had never married. Maybe he didn’t want a lasting relationship with anyone.
Maybe she was a fool and he was using her. Maybe she shouldn’t trust him.
Uncertainty ate at her until her mind was spinning like a whirlwind. She decided against confessing her true feelings to Ed, even if she managed to find the courage to do so. Brandon had made a fool of her far too many times, and there was no way in hell Ella would allow another man to make a fool of her. If Ed didn’t reciprocate her spoken endearments, the role of the fool would be hers again.
No, she would wait for Ed to share his feelings with her first, and only then would Ella open her heart up all the way and speak aloud the three little words on the tip of her tongue.
She hoped Ed wouldn’t sense her worries over the next few days. She pushed her troubles away for the thousandth time, vowing not to allow Ed to notice her lapse in happiness.
If he really cared for her, he’d tell her before returning her to her family. Satisfied with her logic, Ella managed to catch two uninterrupted hours of sleep, though her dreams were haunted by images of her worried family. She saw her mother and father crying, but when she spoke to them, they disappeared into thin air.
As the specifics of the dream faded, fingers of sunlight stretched across the bedroom. Ella snuggled against Ed and remained at his side until he awoke.
The day passed just as wonderfully as the preceding days, but neither of them spoke any endearments aloud.
The clock was ticking.
Chapter Five
Ed pulled the covers over Ella and kissed her forehead. She was already sound asleep in his bed.
And it was only 9:30 p.m. He smiled. Some night owl.
Their evening walk around the lake had exhausted her…along with a few other activities afterwardin bed.
As he walked around the house, checking the windows and doors before setting the alarm, the phone rang. It was Randy. Ed hadn’t heard from the whiz kid in four days.
“The reward just shot up
Ed seemed pensive, but Ella didn’t dare ask what bothered him. She was too worried about what would happen when the seven days ended, too worried about facing reality after saying good-bye to this temporary, perfect world. Perhaps Ed was brooding over the very same problem. It hurt her deeply that Ed might still return her for the reward money, and she kept pushing the thought into the back of her mind with every other unpleasant thought she tirelessly worked to avoid.
Maybe I should tell him how I feel, she thought, resting her head against his shoulder as they shared their first moment of awkward silence. But how did she feel? She cared for Ed, but did she love him?
Could she love someone after only knowing him a few days?
Ella’s heart fluttered when Ed pulled her closer.
He kissed the top of her head and softly ran his fingers through her long locks. She listened to the beating of his heart for what seemed like hours. That night in bed, for the first time since they’d begun their unusual relationship, Ed made love to her slow and gentle, silently holding her eyes in his magnetic gaze for the duration until his climax. It was the closest she’d ever felt to anyone, though no words were spoken.
As Ella drifted to sleep, she prayed for the courage to confess her feelings to Ed. Prayed that he cared for her. Though he hadn’t said I love you, she at least thought he harbored tender feelings for her. Oh God, she begged. Please let this work out somehow.
Please don’t let this end badly.
Ella awoke several times that night, her mind too restless to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time.
She watched the steady rise and fall of Ed’s broad chest, and a sudden thought riddled her with fear. He was in his forties and had never married. Maybe he didn’t want a lasting relationship with anyone.
Maybe she was a fool and he was using her. Maybe she shouldn’t trust him.
Uncertainty ate at her until her mind was spinning like a whirlwind. She decided against confessing her true feelings to Ed, even if she managed to find the courage to do so. Brandon had made a fool of her far too many times, and there was no way in hell Ella would allow another man to make a fool of her. If Ed didn’t reciprocate her spoken endearments, the role of the fool would be hers again.
No, she would wait for Ed to share his feelings with her first, and only then would Ella open her heart up all the way and speak aloud the three little words on the tip of her tongue.
She hoped Ed wouldn’t sense her worries over the next few days. She pushed her troubles away for the thousandth time, vowing not to allow Ed to notice her lapse in happiness.
If he really cared for her, he’d tell her before returning her to her family. Satisfied with her logic, Ella managed to catch two uninterrupted hours of sleep, though her dreams were haunted by images of her worried family. She saw her mother and father crying, but when she spoke to them, they disappeared into thin air.
As the specifics of the dream faded, fingers of sunlight stretched across the bedroom. Ella snuggled against Ed and remained at his side until he awoke.
The day passed just as wonderfully as the preceding days, but neither of them spoke any endearments aloud.
The clock was ticking.
Chapter Five
Ed pulled the covers over Ella and kissed her forehead. She was already sound asleep in his bed.
And it was only 9:30 p.m. He smiled. Some night owl.
Their evening walk around the lake had exhausted her…along with a few other activities afterwardin bed.
As he walked around the house, checking the windows and doors before setting the alarm, the phone rang. It was Randy. Ed hadn’t heard from the whiz kid in four days.
“The reward just shot up
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