CM Fic - In Love With the Girl - Part 2/?
Title: In Love With the Girl
Author: Smacky30
Rating: FRAO
Pairing: Rossi/Prentiss, JJ/Will, JJ/Hotch, Henry/Ella
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: This started as a story about Dave & Emily and how they would react to their daughter marrying JJ and Will's son Henry. Then it became a story about Henry and Ella - from the day she was born until the wedding. I am breaking it into multiple parts for length and to help out my poor, beleaguered betas.
A/N: Thanks so much to mingsmommy and losingntrnslatn for their constant support and their ability to withstand all whining and hysterics. They are the world's greatest betas - all mistakes are because I didn't pay attention to them.
Emily slipped between the sheets and leaned back against the headboard. “Ella has a date on Saturday.”
Dave lowered the book to his lap and slipped the reading glasses off his face. “She has a what?” His eyebrow was climbing steadily toward his hairline. Surely he’d misunderstood Emily. Ella having a date just wasn’t a possibility.
Shaking her head, a smile playing over her mouth, Emily said, “A date, Dave. You remember those?”
“I remember. I might be old, but I’m not senile.” Dave could feel his blood pressure rising. Even knowing this day would come, he wasn’t prepared. When he looked at her he still saw that little girl with the chocolate curls who kissed his cheek on the first day of kindergarten. Then he would blink and she was this leggy brunette who definitely would have turned his head if he weren’t her father.
“Dave,” Emily laid a hand on his arm. “It’s a date. A movie and something to eat.”
“I was a teenage boy once, Emily.” He sucked in a deep breath. “To Ella it’s a movie. To him it’s a chance to get really close to my daughter in the dark.”
Shaking her head, she chuckled. “She’s not a little girl. We have to let her do this at some point.”
“So, you’re okay with this?”
“No.” Emily shrugged and he saw Ella in the movement. “The very idea makes me feel a little nauseated. But we can’t keep her locked up until she’s thirty.” She slid her hand down and twined her fingers with his. “People like that are the reason I still have a job and you keep selling those books.”
Chuckling, Dave squeezed her hand. “Is it supposed to be this hard?”
“Yeah. I think it is,” she murmured. “I really think we’re getting it right.”
Still not happy, but more or less resigned to this next milestone, he said, “I think so, too.”
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“You’re going out with who?” Henry’s fingers dug into the phone hard enough to leave dents.
“Brandon Pike,” Ella said, and he could almost see her chin jut out and her eyes shoot fire at him.
He knew the surge of anger was ridiculous and he wasn’t even sure where it was coming from. “He’s an ass. You can do better.”
She gasped and then she made that little growling noise that told him she was pissed. “You’re an ass, Henry.” Her voice was sharp and hard, the same voice Uncle Dave used when he was really mad. “You don’t get to pick my dates.”
“Well, somebody should. ‘Cause you aren’t doing such a great job on your own.” Seriously, what the hell was she thinking going out with that loser? Was she trying to ruin her reputation? He’d heard the way Brandon talked about the girls he went out with, the way he bragged about all the stuff they did with him. Not that Henry was a virgin, but all the men in his life had taught him to respect women and to never, ever kiss and tell.
“What is wrong with you? If I didn’t know better I’d think you were jealous.” She sounded smug, like she’d won some kind of contest with that one. “You are, aren’t you?”
“Hell no!” The girl had obviously gone crazy. He had a girlfriend. The hottest girl in the senior class. Why would he be jealous of Ella going out with some stupid jerk? “In case you forgot, genius, I’ve got a girlfriend.”
If he knew her, she was rolling her eyes, like she did every time he mentioned Ashley. “How could I forget when you keep reminding me?”
Barking out a laugh, he let satisfaction flood through him. “Now who’s jealous, Ella?”
“I am not!” Then she started to sputter, which was a dead giveaway that she was lying. And Henry honestly didn’t know how he felt about that.
She was Ella. Isabella Grace Rossi. The first girl he ever kissed, even if she was just a few hours old. Actually, the first girl he ever kissed period. Even though he’d had sex with Ashley, it was Ella’s face that haunted his dreams, Ella in that damned bright orange bikini that had him waking up so hard he hurt. Ella with her long legs and soft dark skin, that white smile and those eyes that showed him everything she thought she was hiding. She was beautiful. Even more beautiful than Ashley.
But she was Ella. His best friend. His confidante. The one person he could go to when things went wrong.
And she was jealous?
What about him? Was that why he was so pissed off that she was going out with Brandon? Would it be different if it was some other guy? Or would he still have that hot, sick feeling in his chest?
“You know what? I don’t have time for this crap.” He forced himself to sound like he didn’t care, forced the lie past his lips. “I’ve gotta call Ash before I go to bed. I’ll talk to you later.”
Snapping the phone shut, he closed his eyes and willed away the images of Ella.
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Having grown up in a house with David Rossi, Ella had watched old movies her entire life and officially fell in love with Audrey Hepburn when she was about twelve. So, when she saw the little black dress with the oversized hot pink bow at the waist she knew she had to have it. Convincing her mother of that fact had proven harder than Ella imagined. But with her hair up in a French twist, her feet encased in strappy black sandals and huge silver hoops dangling from her ears she knew all the begging had been worth it.
“Wanna dance?” Henry practically had to scream to be heard over the pounding music.
Brandon had abandoned her almost from the moment they arrived and she was sure an hour had passed since she’d last seen him dancing with Stacy Watson. “Yeah, sure.” She grinned up at Henry, her heart swelling just a little because the best looking boy in school was asking her to dance, even if it was because he felt sorry for her. “Ashley won’t be mad?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “She’s cool.”
“Okay.” She placed her hand in his and let him lead her to the dance floor, her stomach fluttering.
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Henry put his arms around Ella’s waist and pulled her against him. Without a word, he started to sway, taking care not to step on her feet. As the song played, he relaxed for the first time all night. Ashley was driving him crazy with her constant chatter. It was nice to take a minute and dance with Ella, a girl who knew how to be quiet and breathe.
He glanced down and she was looking up at him, her eyes shining in the sparkling lights of the ballroom. She’s stunning, he thought. With her hair up, her neck was long and graceful and even though he’d never thought about a girl’s neck before, he found himself wanting to press his lips there.
His eyes dipped just a little farther, slipping past the delicate jut of her collarbones and settling on the swell of her breasts above the top of her dress. Suddenly, he wasn’t relaxed. He was hard. And hoping desperately she wouldn’t notice.
Because his luck wasn’t always good, Ella pressed a little closer and rested her head on his shoulder. And he knew the second she realized what was happening. Her head came up and her mouth was as round as her eyes. Then she blushed, bright spots of color high on her cheeks.
“Oh,” she breathed out and Henry was sure he got harder. “I…uh…I…” She trailed off, her hands brushing over the back of his neck and her eyes searching his face.
“Ella,” Henry tried to put some distance between them. “Please don’t say anything. This is humiliating enough without you giving me shit.” He could feel the heat of embarrassment on his cheeks and closed his eyes, hoping to block the entire moment from his mind. When he opened them, Ella was watching him with a gleam in her eyes he’d never seen before.
“Is that because of me?”
Even her voice sounded different. Lower, throatier, sexier. And he wanted her. Not just sex. But sex with Ella. He wanted her naked and pressed against him. He wanted to see her eyes shining up at him while he pushed inside her. The fierceness of it surprised him. He didn’t feel that way about her. He was absolutely, positively sure he didn’t. So what the hell is this all about?
“No.” He shook his head and managed to roll his eyes. “I’m a guy. This happens when the wind changes direction. Trust me; it has nothing to do with you.”
The gleam in her eye faded and she seemed to shrink a little. “Oh. Well, okay.” She swallowed hard and, without meeting his eyes, said, “I need to use the bathroom. Thanks for the dance.” Then she slipped out of his arms and was gone. For a moment, he simply stood and watched her go, his heart breaking with the knowledge that he’d hurt her, but not sure what to do to make it right.
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“Hey, Princess,” Dave looked up from his computer screen when Ella dropped like a stone into the chair across from his desk. “What’s up?”
She heaved out a very dramatic sigh and he had to fight back a smile. “Henry isn’t coming to my graduation.” Her voice was wobbly and there were tears in her eyes. “He has finals.”
“Ah.” Dave nodded, watching his daughter’s face. She was hurting but, she was determined not to show it. “Well, I’m sure he wants to be there.”
She shrugged and turned her head away, blinking furiously at the tears in her eyes. “I guess.”
“Ella,” he chided. “I know this is important to you, but you can’t expect him to miss finals just to drive all the way here for your high school graduation.”
“I went to his.” She wrapped her arms around her waist and her lower lip trembled and she looked like she did when she was six and wanted to get her way.
“You did,” he agreed, “and you were officially out of school for the summer, and lived ten minutes from where the ceremony was taking place. He’s two hundred miles away.”
“But if I was away, I’d come back for him.” She looked at him and then something in her eyes clicked with him.
Shit! She has a crush on him. Dave swallowed hard, taking a minute to gather his thoughts. “Ella, you’ve been friends with Henry your whole life, right?”
“Yeah.” She turned sideways in the chair, draping her legs across the arm.
“He’s always looked out for you and wanted what was best for you, right?”
She rolled her eyes, but nodded.
“Don’t you want the same for him?”
“But…” She groaned and threw up her hands. “Whatever.” Unfolding her body from the chair she headed for the door, throwing back over her shoulder, “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
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“Did you know Ella has a crush on Henry?” Dave wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped out of the shower.
Emily laughed and nodded. “Only since she was about ten.”
“I don’t mean that.” He waved a dismissive hand. “I mean, she thinks she’s in love with him.”
“And you’re surprised?” She smoothed moisturizer over her face.
“You’re not?” He paused with the comb halfway to his hair.
Chuckling, she shook her head. “No.”
She watched his face, the play of emotions as he struggled to come to grips with this newest realization, and had to fight the urge to pat him on the shoulder and tell him everything would be okay. Dave refused to realize that their little girl wasn’t a little girl at all. She was a young woman, with everything that came with it. And while she was pretty sure Ella had never done anything about it, Emily was positive she had feelings for Henry that went way beyond friendship.
“She’s not old enough,” he grumbled. “She’s only seventeen.”
“Dave, she’ll be eighteen next month, but that doesn’t have anything to do with it.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and rested a hip against the bathroom counter. “How old were you when you decided that Emma was the one?”
Dropping the comb in the drawer and pushing it closed, he removed his towel and started pulling on his boxers. “That was different. We were…more mature.”
“Really?” Emily didn’t even try to hide her smile. “You were more mature at eighteen than Ella is now?”
“Times were different, Em.” He pulled a t-shirt over his head. “We grew up faster.”
“Maybe,” she ran a brush through her hair and watched as he frowned. “Look, Dave, I’m not saying she needs to run off and get married. I want her to go to college. I want her to have a career and a life of her own before she settles down. But we don’t always get what we want.”
“So you think…” He trailed off as if the words were too painful.
“I don’t think anything of the sort.” Setting the brush on the counter she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Henry doesn’t seem to know how she feels. So I don’t think they are going to be eloping. And college will be good for her. New people, new friends, new guys. She’ll fall in and out of love a dozen times before she finally figures it all out.”
“Is that how you did it?” His arms went around her and he rubbed his cheek against hers.
“No,” she murmured. “Just once. With you.”
“I’m not sure if that should make me feel better or not.” He grinned and squeezed her tight.
Snaking a hand down, she palmed his ass. “I think you need to take your mind off this for a bit. And I think I can help.”
His mouth hovering over hers, he said, “What were we talking about?” When she laughed, he captured it with a kiss.
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“I’m so sorry, Ella.” Henry sounded tired. “I really want to be there.”
Swallowing against the lump in her throat, she nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “It’s okay. I know you have finals. We’ll just take lots of pictures so my mom can drive you nuts with them later.”
“Actually, Mom is going to video it for me.”
“Really?” She forced her voice to be cool when she really wanted to squeal with delight. He’s going to watch the video so he doesn’t completely miss it! “Why?”
“Why do you think?” He stifled a yawn. “You’re my best friend, practically the sister I never had, and you’re Valedictorian. How could I miss that?”
There was a knot in her chest. A fist squeezed everything together until she couldn’t breathe. She tried, sucking at the air like a fish out of water, but nothing happened. “Great,” she managed to choke out. “Look, I need to get some sleep. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay,” Henry yawned again. “Night, Ella.”
“Night.”
The phone snapped shut before the tears came. She couldn’t believe she’d held them in that long. How was it possible that Henry thought of her as a sister when she loved him?
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Dropping the phone, Henry closed his eyes and let out a strangled curse. The sister I never had? What the fuck are you doing?
“Was that her?” his roommate Carson asked without looking up from his computer.
Henry laid an arm over his eyes and mentally kicked himself one more time. “Yeah.”
“What was that shit about her being your sister? I don’t know any guys around here who have a picture of their sister on their desks…not unless the whole family is in it.” Carson spun his chair around and grinned at Henry. “And even then that’s a little weird.”
“You’ve seen her, man. You know I don’t stand a chance in hell of ever getting her to go out with me.” Henry sighed and scrubbed at his face. “She’s way outta my league.”
Carson opened his mouth to argue then, disgusted, turned back to his studying. “I’m not arguing about this shit with you again. If you want the girl, Henry, go get her. If you don’t, then stop sweating every damned date she has.”
“Fuck you,” Henry said without rancor.
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“Hey,” Henry grinned down at her.
Ella opened her eyes and looked up at him. The sun was behind him, casting his face in shadows, making his hair look like a golden halo. “Hey.” Even though her heart did that familiar flip, she kept her voice cool and her sunglasses in place.
“Ummmmm,” he gestured to the lounge chair beside her. “Mind if I sit down?”
“Suit yourself,” she said, shifting her bare legs and suppressing a grin when he turned his head to look at them. The pink bikini was the color of cotton candy and it practically glowed against her tan. She knew just how good she looked in it. And based on the way Henry was looking at her, he knew it too. Raising her arms, she stretched and smiled up at him, fighting back a laugh when she heard him swallow. Sister he never had, my ass.
Slipping his shirt over his head, Henry settled in the chair beside her and put his hands behind his head. “When does your summer job start?”
“I have to work tonight.” She dragged a hand over her stomach. “How about you?’
“Not until Friday.” He reached for her glass of water and took a long drink. “I figured I’d earned a couple of days off.”
“You did okay on your finals?” Ella twirled a strand of hair around a finger and licked her lips.
Henry shifted in the chair, bending a knee and resting his forearm on it. “Yeah. Should pull at least a ‘B’ in every class.”
“Cool.” She stood up and sauntered over to the edge of the pool. Bending down, she dragged a hand through the cool, blue water.
“So, you wanna go to the lake tomorrow?” She could feel his eyes on her.
Standing, she shook the water from her hand and said, “No. I’ve already got plans.”
“Oh, okay.” Henry was silent for a long time and she fought back the urge to say something. Finally, he asked, “Are you pissed about something?”
“What would I be pissed about?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. You’re just acting weird.”
“I just have a lot going on. It’s my last few weeks before I go away to school and I’ve got a bunch of crap to get done.” Absently, she dipped her foot in the water, her back to him.
“It’s okay. I know how that goes.” Henry stood up and walked around to the diving board. “When do classes start?”
“August twenty-eighth.” She watched as he dove in, his lean muscular body cleaving the water with barely a splash. It had been almost a year since she’d seen him without a shirt and he seemed different. Thicker, broader, more masculine.
He surfaced less than a foot from where she stood at the edge of the pool and wrapped a wet hand around her ankle. His grin was mischievous and his eyes glinted. “You coming in?”
“Henry,” she warned, “you don’t want to do that.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He tugged gently, almost experimentally. “Come on, Ella. Jump in.”
Then he had a hand on each ankle and his thumbs rubbed gently over the bones, the gesture totally unconscious, and she couldn’t think about anything but how his hands felt. Shaking her head, she slowly backed away. “What are you doing?”
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“Huh?” Henry looked up at her and felt his stomach tighten. She had that look on her face. Even though her eyes were hidden by sunglasses, the set of her mouth, the spots of color on her cheeks told him he wasn’t going to like whatever what coming next.
“I thought you said I was like the sister you never had. Well, if that’s true stop looking at me like I’m what you’re having for dinner.” Ella stomped over to her lounge chair, her bare feet slapping against the concrete.
“Wait,” he clambered out of the pool and followed her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit,” she snapped. “I’ve had guys looking at me like that since I was fourteen. You think you’re the only one? You think I don’t know what those kind of looks mean?”
“I…uh…,” he just stopped and shrugged helplessly.
She pushed her glasses up on top of her head and stared at him for a moment then rolled her eyes. “God, you are so stupid.”
“I’m not stupid.” He glared at her, arms crossed over his chest.
“Yeah, right.” She practically spit the words at him. “Prove it.”
Henry watched her warily, not really sure what he was supposed to say. The one thing he did know was that she was beautiful on any day, but when she was mad, she was stunning. Her breathing was rapid and harsh and he couldn’t take his eyes off the way her breasts were rising and falling under the tiny triangles of her top. Her eyes were shooting daggers at him and her chin was jutted out. And, honestly, he wanted to kiss her so bad, he could actually feel his lips tingle.
“How the hell am I supposed to prove I’m not stupid?” he hissed.
Triumph gleaming in her eyes, Ella gave him a slow smile. “Ask me out.”
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“Who’s the lucky girl?” Hotch glanced over at J.J. from the opposite end of the sofa as Henry ran up the stairs like the hounds of hell were chasing him.
She gave him that grin, the one that said she knew a secret, and nudged his leg with her bare foot. “Ella.”
He nodded, and then the import of what she said hit him. “Ella? As in Rossi?”
Her look said she personally knew the cat that swallowed the canary. “Yep.”
“Christ,” he ran a hand over his hair. “Dave’s gonna kill him.”
“Hotch, she’s been dating for a couple of years now. I think Rossi’s past the killing stage.”
“Have you met him?” Hotch laughed.
J.J. grinned and shook her head. “I’ve heard the stories, too.”
“This is his little girl we’re talking about.” He argued. “Those stories don’t matter.”
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His shorts were just the right amount of baggy. His shirt was just the right amount of tight. And the flip flops were just the right amount of worn. After all, he didn’t want Ella to think he’d gone to too much trouble for this date she’d tricked him in to.
The blanket was in the trunk of the car along with the cooler. He’d wracked his brain all week trying to think of somewhere to take her that would be different, but wouldn’t require him to spend too much time with her alone. Not that he didn’t want to be alone with her, nothing could be further from the truth. That was why he was determined to go somewhere very public.
“Where are we going?” She grinned at him from the passenger’s seat.
Henry let his eyes drift over her. God, she was gorgeous. And she smelled so good. Sweet and floral. Very feminine. Dragging his eyes back to the road, he said, “Potomac Overlook. There’s a concert tonight.”
“Sweet.” She shifted in the seat so she could reach the radio, turning up the volume. “You gonna feed me?”
Laughing, Henry nodded. “Thought we’d stop at Paulo’s for subs, if that’s okay. I’ve got a cooler with drinks in the back.”
“Oooooooooooo. I love Paulo’s.” She leaned back and ran a hand through the black silk of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “But no onions, Henry.”
“What? Why?” He saw her watching him with those big dark eyes, a teasing half smile on her generous mouth and he had to grip the steering wheel tighter to keep from touching her. “Gotcha,” he mumbled.
Ella reached out and laid a cool hand on his arm. “It wouldn’t be a date without a goodnight kiss.”
Henry wanted to say something funny or snarky, something to break the tension and set her back a step or two, but the only thing he could think of was how much he wanted to kiss her. And he didn’t want to wait hours for that to happen.
“What if I want to kiss you now?” The words tumbled out before he could stop them.
Her head snapped around and she stared at him, her lips parted in surprise. Then she smiled, slow and knowing. “Maybe you should stop the car first. We might have a wreck.”
The sign for Paulo’s was just up ahead and the sight of it had his body tightening in anticipation. God knows he had tried to stay away from her, but she wasn’t cooperating. So, if she wanted this, really wanted it, then who was he to argue. Flipping on his blinker, he moved to the turn lane and then pulled into the parking lot.
Without the noise of the engine or the radio the silence in the car seemed deafening. Henry released his seatbelt and turned to face Ella, his hand coming up to brush her cheek. “It’s not too late,” he said, his eyes searching hers.
She leaned toward him. “Yes it is,” she whispered.
Henry knew she was right, because her breath ghosted along his mouth and her lips fit with his and her little sigh of pleasure sounded just the way he’d always thought it would. Then she opened her mouth and her tongue touched his and he fell just a little deeper.
Sweet. That was the one word running through his mind. She tasted so sweet. Like strawberries, he realized. Her tongue was rough and warm on his, sliding and teasing as her hand clutched at his thigh. For the first time, he allowed himself to thread his fingers through her hair, cup the back of her head and kiss her the way he’d dreamed about for as long as he could remember.
They were both straining against the console, trying in vain to get closer when a sharp rap on the roof of the car had them jumping apart.
“You know, this isn’t the best place for that, right?” Will’s voice drawled in through the half open window.
Henry could feel himself blushing as he turned to face his father. “Yes, sir. I know.” He turned the key and lowered the window the rest of the way. “I…uh…I…”
Will chuckled. “Are you going in? Or were you planning on staying out here all night?”
“We’re going in. Gonna pick up some sandwiches and then head to Potomac Park for the concert.”
Will leaned down and said, “Hi. I’m…” His voice trailed off and his eyes widened in surprise. “Hey, Ella. How’ve you been?”
She gave a slight wave. “I’ve been good, Uncle Will.”
“Good. Why don’t you two get out and quit giving these nice folks such a show.” Will looked like he was trying to decide if he should laugh at them or give them a lecture. “You have time to eat with your old man?”
Henry and Ella climbed out of the car and Henry shook his head. “Sorry, Dad. The show starts at 8:30 and we’ll never get a good spot if we don’t get there early.”
Once inside, Ella excused herself to go to the bathroom. Henry was pretty sure it was more from embarrassment than anything else. Will waited until she was just out of earshot before saying, “Henry, do you know what you’re doing?”
He wanted to blow his father’s question off. After all, he was twenty and plenty old enough to make his own decisions. But something inside him actually wanted his dad’s advice. “I don’t have a clue.”
Will smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You two have been friends for a very long time. The easiest way to lose a friend is by making them a girlfriend.”
Henry shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded. “I know. And I tried to stay away from her. I swear,” he stressed. “She…she tricked me.” He actually felt like hanging his head at that.
“You’ll have to tell me that story one day.” Will laughed. “Just make sure you know what you want. And remember, if you hurt her, even I won’t be able to protect you from David Rossi.”
The thought made Henry more than a little nervous. He had always been convinced that Uncle Dave had connections with the kind of people who would be all too happy to make him disappear.
Ella was heading back from the restroom when Will leaned over and whispered in his ear. “And if your Aunt Emily realizes you’re even thinking about having sex with her little girl, she’ll hunt you down and cut it off.”
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“I don’t want him here unless one of us is at home.” Dave snapped, his lips turned down in a frown.
Shock rippled through her. Gaping at her father, Ella threw up her hands. “Mom?” she spun, her eyes pleading with Emily for help.
Emily shook her head. “Sorry, Ella. I’m with your dad on this one.”
“But…but…that’s so stupid.” She was so mad she couldn’t even think of anything else to say.
“It may be,” Emily replied laying a hand on Dave’s shoulder, in what Ella knew was a show of solidarity. “But those are the rules.”
“Well, they don’t make any sense.” Then she realized why they were being so weird about this and she rolled her eyes. “Henry’s been hanging out here with me alone since he could drive. I’ve managed not to jump his bones before now.”
“You weren’t dating him then.” Dave pointed out, his eyes hard and unyielding.
Hurt, she barked out a harsh laugh. “I can’t believe you don’t trust me.”
“Ella, it isn’t that we don’t trust you.” Emily tried to soothe her.
“Then what is it?” Ella shook her head. “That’s exactly what the problem is. You think that a couple of movies and a concert and I’m gonna…” She broke off, tears swimming in her eyes, too humiliated to even say the words.
“Ella,” Emily said, “that’s not what we think.”
“Sure it is.” She gulped back tears. “Thanks a lot.”
Turning, she fled up the stairs to her room.
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“Sometimes I just hate them.” Ella sniffled, her voice thick with tears.
Henry sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. “No, you don’t. You’re just pissed.”
“And you’re not?” She barked out a laugh.
He was silent for a bit, gathering his thoughts. “Not really.” At her humph of disbelief, he added, “I’d probably be the same way if it was my kid.”
“That’s total bullshit. They should trust us.” He could hear her breathing hard. “I think we should do it anyway.”
Although he was pretty sure she didn’t mean do it, he couldn’t help the reaction of his body. “Do what?”
“You should come over tomorrow just like we planned.” He could almost see the gears turning in her mind. “It’s not like they would ever know. Mom is teaching that class all day and Dad is taking the shuttle to New York to meet with his publisher. I’ll have the whole place to myself.”
“No.” Henry pushed away the thought of being alone with her, truly alone, and called on the lessons his parents had tried so hard to teach him. “That’s a bad plan.”
“Why?” Now she was pissed at him too, her voice incredulous. “You don’t want to be alone with me?”
“No!” Realizing how that sounded, he changed his tune. “Yes. Damnit, Ella, don’t confuse me. I want to be alone with you.” He dragged a hand over his face and sighed. “For exactly the same reason your parents don’t want me to be.”
“You mean you want to…,” her voice trailed off and he kicked himself for being such an idiot. She was probably never going to speak to him again after that. “Henry?”
“Yeah. Of course I want to.” Too late to turn back now. “Since that summer when you had that one bathing suit that was brown with the blue trim.”
“I was fourteen.” She sounded mystified.
“You were hot.” It was the truth. Somehow, when he wasn’t paying attention, she’d changed. She had curves where there hadn’t been any, and her too skinny legs had turned long and shapely. And for the first time he’d realized how incredible she really was.
Her voice was husky when she asked, “Are you sure? I don’t have to be at work until six.”
Closing his eyes he let her face invade his mind. Her smile would be just a little sexier than normal, her eyes a little more knowing, and she’d twirl her hair around her finger and tilt her head to the side and he would be gone. What he really wanted to know was where did girls learn those things? Was there a class? Did their mothers pull them aside and say, “Hey, there are some things you need to know?” And why the hell didn’t dads tell their sons how to fight it?
“I really, really want to. But I can’t disrespect your parents that way. I just can’t.”
Her sigh was long suffering and he wanted to laugh because he’d heard that sound a million times before. “I know,” she whined. “But I really want to see you.”
“Then let’s meet up somewhere. We can go to Upton Hill.” He paused then said, “We can play putt-putt and I’ll let you win.”
“You don’t have to let me!” she shrieked. “I can beat you with one hand tied behind my back.”
The sad part about that was she could. Since she was tall enough to hold a club she’d been playing golf with her dad. She might not be ready to join the LPGA tour, but she was really good. Will had been good for teaching Henry how to fish, but golf wasn’t his thing. And Henry’s relationship with Hotch had been too strained for too long for Henry to learn the game from him. So, yeah, she could beat him with one hand tied behind her back.
“So, are we on?” He felt himself grinning like an idiot.
“Just tell me where and when.” She laughed and his heart did a slow flip in his chest.
Author: Smacky30
Rating: FRAO
Pairing: Rossi/Prentiss, JJ/Will, JJ/Hotch, Henry/Ella
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: This started as a story about Dave & Emily and how they would react to their daughter marrying JJ and Will's son Henry. Then it became a story about Henry and Ella - from the day she was born until the wedding. I am breaking it into multiple parts for length and to help out my poor, beleaguered betas.
A/N: Thanks so much to mingsmommy and losingntrnslatn for their constant support and their ability to withstand all whining and hysterics. They are the world's greatest betas - all mistakes are because I didn't pay attention to them.
Emily slipped between the sheets and leaned back against the headboard. “Ella has a date on Saturday.”
Dave lowered the book to his lap and slipped the reading glasses off his face. “She has a what?” His eyebrow was climbing steadily toward his hairline. Surely he’d misunderstood Emily. Ella having a date just wasn’t a possibility.
Shaking her head, a smile playing over her mouth, Emily said, “A date, Dave. You remember those?”
“I remember. I might be old, but I’m not senile.” Dave could feel his blood pressure rising. Even knowing this day would come, he wasn’t prepared. When he looked at her he still saw that little girl with the chocolate curls who kissed his cheek on the first day of kindergarten. Then he would blink and she was this leggy brunette who definitely would have turned his head if he weren’t her father.
“Dave,” Emily laid a hand on his arm. “It’s a date. A movie and something to eat.”
“I was a teenage boy once, Emily.” He sucked in a deep breath. “To Ella it’s a movie. To him it’s a chance to get really close to my daughter in the dark.”
Shaking her head, she chuckled. “She’s not a little girl. We have to let her do this at some point.”
“So, you’re okay with this?”
“No.” Emily shrugged and he saw Ella in the movement. “The very idea makes me feel a little nauseated. But we can’t keep her locked up until she’s thirty.” She slid her hand down and twined her fingers with his. “People like that are the reason I still have a job and you keep selling those books.”
Chuckling, Dave squeezed her hand. “Is it supposed to be this hard?”
“Yeah. I think it is,” she murmured. “I really think we’re getting it right.”
Still not happy, but more or less resigned to this next milestone, he said, “I think so, too.”
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“You’re going out with who?” Henry’s fingers dug into the phone hard enough to leave dents.
“Brandon Pike,” Ella said, and he could almost see her chin jut out and her eyes shoot fire at him.
He knew the surge of anger was ridiculous and he wasn’t even sure where it was coming from. “He’s an ass. You can do better.”
She gasped and then she made that little growling noise that told him she was pissed. “You’re an ass, Henry.” Her voice was sharp and hard, the same voice Uncle Dave used when he was really mad. “You don’t get to pick my dates.”
“Well, somebody should. ‘Cause you aren’t doing such a great job on your own.” Seriously, what the hell was she thinking going out with that loser? Was she trying to ruin her reputation? He’d heard the way Brandon talked about the girls he went out with, the way he bragged about all the stuff they did with him. Not that Henry was a virgin, but all the men in his life had taught him to respect women and to never, ever kiss and tell.
“What is wrong with you? If I didn’t know better I’d think you were jealous.” She sounded smug, like she’d won some kind of contest with that one. “You are, aren’t you?”
“Hell no!” The girl had obviously gone crazy. He had a girlfriend. The hottest girl in the senior class. Why would he be jealous of Ella going out with some stupid jerk? “In case you forgot, genius, I’ve got a girlfriend.”
If he knew her, she was rolling her eyes, like she did every time he mentioned Ashley. “How could I forget when you keep reminding me?”
Barking out a laugh, he let satisfaction flood through him. “Now who’s jealous, Ella?”
“I am not!” Then she started to sputter, which was a dead giveaway that she was lying. And Henry honestly didn’t know how he felt about that.
She was Ella. Isabella Grace Rossi. The first girl he ever kissed, even if she was just a few hours old. Actually, the first girl he ever kissed period. Even though he’d had sex with Ashley, it was Ella’s face that haunted his dreams, Ella in that damned bright orange bikini that had him waking up so hard he hurt. Ella with her long legs and soft dark skin, that white smile and those eyes that showed him everything she thought she was hiding. She was beautiful. Even more beautiful than Ashley.
But she was Ella. His best friend. His confidante. The one person he could go to when things went wrong.
And she was jealous?
What about him? Was that why he was so pissed off that she was going out with Brandon? Would it be different if it was some other guy? Or would he still have that hot, sick feeling in his chest?
“You know what? I don’t have time for this crap.” He forced himself to sound like he didn’t care, forced the lie past his lips. “I’ve gotta call Ash before I go to bed. I’ll talk to you later.”
Snapping the phone shut, he closed his eyes and willed away the images of Ella.
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Having grown up in a house with David Rossi, Ella had watched old movies her entire life and officially fell in love with Audrey Hepburn when she was about twelve. So, when she saw the little black dress with the oversized hot pink bow at the waist she knew she had to have it. Convincing her mother of that fact had proven harder than Ella imagined. But with her hair up in a French twist, her feet encased in strappy black sandals and huge silver hoops dangling from her ears she knew all the begging had been worth it.
“Wanna dance?” Henry practically had to scream to be heard over the pounding music.
Brandon had abandoned her almost from the moment they arrived and she was sure an hour had passed since she’d last seen him dancing with Stacy Watson. “Yeah, sure.” She grinned up at Henry, her heart swelling just a little because the best looking boy in school was asking her to dance, even if it was because he felt sorry for her. “Ashley won’t be mad?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “She’s cool.”
“Okay.” She placed her hand in his and let him lead her to the dance floor, her stomach fluttering.
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Henry put his arms around Ella’s waist and pulled her against him. Without a word, he started to sway, taking care not to step on her feet. As the song played, he relaxed for the first time all night. Ashley was driving him crazy with her constant chatter. It was nice to take a minute and dance with Ella, a girl who knew how to be quiet and breathe.
He glanced down and she was looking up at him, her eyes shining in the sparkling lights of the ballroom. She’s stunning, he thought. With her hair up, her neck was long and graceful and even though he’d never thought about a girl’s neck before, he found himself wanting to press his lips there.
His eyes dipped just a little farther, slipping past the delicate jut of her collarbones and settling on the swell of her breasts above the top of her dress. Suddenly, he wasn’t relaxed. He was hard. And hoping desperately she wouldn’t notice.
Because his luck wasn’t always good, Ella pressed a little closer and rested her head on his shoulder. And he knew the second she realized what was happening. Her head came up and her mouth was as round as her eyes. Then she blushed, bright spots of color high on her cheeks.
“Oh,” she breathed out and Henry was sure he got harder. “I…uh…I…” She trailed off, her hands brushing over the back of his neck and her eyes searching his face.
“Ella,” Henry tried to put some distance between them. “Please don’t say anything. This is humiliating enough without you giving me shit.” He could feel the heat of embarrassment on his cheeks and closed his eyes, hoping to block the entire moment from his mind. When he opened them, Ella was watching him with a gleam in her eyes he’d never seen before.
“Is that because of me?”
Even her voice sounded different. Lower, throatier, sexier. And he wanted her. Not just sex. But sex with Ella. He wanted her naked and pressed against him. He wanted to see her eyes shining up at him while he pushed inside her. The fierceness of it surprised him. He didn’t feel that way about her. He was absolutely, positively sure he didn’t. So what the hell is this all about?
“No.” He shook his head and managed to roll his eyes. “I’m a guy. This happens when the wind changes direction. Trust me; it has nothing to do with you.”
The gleam in her eye faded and she seemed to shrink a little. “Oh. Well, okay.” She swallowed hard and, without meeting his eyes, said, “I need to use the bathroom. Thanks for the dance.” Then she slipped out of his arms and was gone. For a moment, he simply stood and watched her go, his heart breaking with the knowledge that he’d hurt her, but not sure what to do to make it right.
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“Hey, Princess,” Dave looked up from his computer screen when Ella dropped like a stone into the chair across from his desk. “What’s up?”
She heaved out a very dramatic sigh and he had to fight back a smile. “Henry isn’t coming to my graduation.” Her voice was wobbly and there were tears in her eyes. “He has finals.”
“Ah.” Dave nodded, watching his daughter’s face. She was hurting but, she was determined not to show it. “Well, I’m sure he wants to be there.”
She shrugged and turned her head away, blinking furiously at the tears in her eyes. “I guess.”
“Ella,” he chided. “I know this is important to you, but you can’t expect him to miss finals just to drive all the way here for your high school graduation.”
“I went to his.” She wrapped her arms around her waist and her lower lip trembled and she looked like she did when she was six and wanted to get her way.
“You did,” he agreed, “and you were officially out of school for the summer, and lived ten minutes from where the ceremony was taking place. He’s two hundred miles away.”
“But if I was away, I’d come back for him.” She looked at him and then something in her eyes clicked with him.
Shit! She has a crush on him. Dave swallowed hard, taking a minute to gather his thoughts. “Ella, you’ve been friends with Henry your whole life, right?”
“Yeah.” She turned sideways in the chair, draping her legs across the arm.
“He’s always looked out for you and wanted what was best for you, right?”
She rolled her eyes, but nodded.
“Don’t you want the same for him?”
“But…” She groaned and threw up her hands. “Whatever.” Unfolding her body from the chair she headed for the door, throwing back over her shoulder, “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
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“Did you know Ella has a crush on Henry?” Dave wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped out of the shower.
Emily laughed and nodded. “Only since she was about ten.”
“I don’t mean that.” He waved a dismissive hand. “I mean, she thinks she’s in love with him.”
“And you’re surprised?” She smoothed moisturizer over her face.
“You’re not?” He paused with the comb halfway to his hair.
Chuckling, she shook her head. “No.”
She watched his face, the play of emotions as he struggled to come to grips with this newest realization, and had to fight the urge to pat him on the shoulder and tell him everything would be okay. Dave refused to realize that their little girl wasn’t a little girl at all. She was a young woman, with everything that came with it. And while she was pretty sure Ella had never done anything about it, Emily was positive she had feelings for Henry that went way beyond friendship.
“She’s not old enough,” he grumbled. “She’s only seventeen.”
“Dave, she’ll be eighteen next month, but that doesn’t have anything to do with it.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and rested a hip against the bathroom counter. “How old were you when you decided that Emma was the one?”
Dropping the comb in the drawer and pushing it closed, he removed his towel and started pulling on his boxers. “That was different. We were…more mature.”
“Really?” Emily didn’t even try to hide her smile. “You were more mature at eighteen than Ella is now?”
“Times were different, Em.” He pulled a t-shirt over his head. “We grew up faster.”
“Maybe,” she ran a brush through her hair and watched as he frowned. “Look, Dave, I’m not saying she needs to run off and get married. I want her to go to college. I want her to have a career and a life of her own before she settles down. But we don’t always get what we want.”
“So you think…” He trailed off as if the words were too painful.
“I don’t think anything of the sort.” Setting the brush on the counter she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Henry doesn’t seem to know how she feels. So I don’t think they are going to be eloping. And college will be good for her. New people, new friends, new guys. She’ll fall in and out of love a dozen times before she finally figures it all out.”
“Is that how you did it?” His arms went around her and he rubbed his cheek against hers.
“No,” she murmured. “Just once. With you.”
“I’m not sure if that should make me feel better or not.” He grinned and squeezed her tight.
Snaking a hand down, she palmed his ass. “I think you need to take your mind off this for a bit. And I think I can help.”
His mouth hovering over hers, he said, “What were we talking about?” When she laughed, he captured it with a kiss.
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“I’m so sorry, Ella.” Henry sounded tired. “I really want to be there.”
Swallowing against the lump in her throat, she nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “It’s okay. I know you have finals. We’ll just take lots of pictures so my mom can drive you nuts with them later.”
“Actually, Mom is going to video it for me.”
“Really?” She forced her voice to be cool when she really wanted to squeal with delight. He’s going to watch the video so he doesn’t completely miss it! “Why?”
“Why do you think?” He stifled a yawn. “You’re my best friend, practically the sister I never had, and you’re Valedictorian. How could I miss that?”
There was a knot in her chest. A fist squeezed everything together until she couldn’t breathe. She tried, sucking at the air like a fish out of water, but nothing happened. “Great,” she managed to choke out. “Look, I need to get some sleep. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay,” Henry yawned again. “Night, Ella.”
“Night.”
The phone snapped shut before the tears came. She couldn’t believe she’d held them in that long. How was it possible that Henry thought of her as a sister when she loved him?
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Dropping the phone, Henry closed his eyes and let out a strangled curse. The sister I never had? What the fuck are you doing?
“Was that her?” his roommate Carson asked without looking up from his computer.
Henry laid an arm over his eyes and mentally kicked himself one more time. “Yeah.”
“What was that shit about her being your sister? I don’t know any guys around here who have a picture of their sister on their desks…not unless the whole family is in it.” Carson spun his chair around and grinned at Henry. “And even then that’s a little weird.”
“You’ve seen her, man. You know I don’t stand a chance in hell of ever getting her to go out with me.” Henry sighed and scrubbed at his face. “She’s way outta my league.”
Carson opened his mouth to argue then, disgusted, turned back to his studying. “I’m not arguing about this shit with you again. If you want the girl, Henry, go get her. If you don’t, then stop sweating every damned date she has.”
“Fuck you,” Henry said without rancor.
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“Hey,” Henry grinned down at her.
Ella opened her eyes and looked up at him. The sun was behind him, casting his face in shadows, making his hair look like a golden halo. “Hey.” Even though her heart did that familiar flip, she kept her voice cool and her sunglasses in place.
“Ummmmm,” he gestured to the lounge chair beside her. “Mind if I sit down?”
“Suit yourself,” she said, shifting her bare legs and suppressing a grin when he turned his head to look at them. The pink bikini was the color of cotton candy and it practically glowed against her tan. She knew just how good she looked in it. And based on the way Henry was looking at her, he knew it too. Raising her arms, she stretched and smiled up at him, fighting back a laugh when she heard him swallow. Sister he never had, my ass.
Slipping his shirt over his head, Henry settled in the chair beside her and put his hands behind his head. “When does your summer job start?”
“I have to work tonight.” She dragged a hand over her stomach. “How about you?’
“Not until Friday.” He reached for her glass of water and took a long drink. “I figured I’d earned a couple of days off.”
“You did okay on your finals?” Ella twirled a strand of hair around a finger and licked her lips.
Henry shifted in the chair, bending a knee and resting his forearm on it. “Yeah. Should pull at least a ‘B’ in every class.”
“Cool.” She stood up and sauntered over to the edge of the pool. Bending down, she dragged a hand through the cool, blue water.
“So, you wanna go to the lake tomorrow?” She could feel his eyes on her.
Standing, she shook the water from her hand and said, “No. I’ve already got plans.”
“Oh, okay.” Henry was silent for a long time and she fought back the urge to say something. Finally, he asked, “Are you pissed about something?”
“What would I be pissed about?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. You’re just acting weird.”
“I just have a lot going on. It’s my last few weeks before I go away to school and I’ve got a bunch of crap to get done.” Absently, she dipped her foot in the water, her back to him.
“It’s okay. I know how that goes.” Henry stood up and walked around to the diving board. “When do classes start?”
“August twenty-eighth.” She watched as he dove in, his lean muscular body cleaving the water with barely a splash. It had been almost a year since she’d seen him without a shirt and he seemed different. Thicker, broader, more masculine.
He surfaced less than a foot from where she stood at the edge of the pool and wrapped a wet hand around her ankle. His grin was mischievous and his eyes glinted. “You coming in?”
“Henry,” she warned, “you don’t want to do that.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He tugged gently, almost experimentally. “Come on, Ella. Jump in.”
Then he had a hand on each ankle and his thumbs rubbed gently over the bones, the gesture totally unconscious, and she couldn’t think about anything but how his hands felt. Shaking her head, she slowly backed away. “What are you doing?”
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“Huh?” Henry looked up at her and felt his stomach tighten. She had that look on her face. Even though her eyes were hidden by sunglasses, the set of her mouth, the spots of color on her cheeks told him he wasn’t going to like whatever what coming next.
“I thought you said I was like the sister you never had. Well, if that’s true stop looking at me like I’m what you’re having for dinner.” Ella stomped over to her lounge chair, her bare feet slapping against the concrete.
“Wait,” he clambered out of the pool and followed her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit,” she snapped. “I’ve had guys looking at me like that since I was fourteen. You think you’re the only one? You think I don’t know what those kind of looks mean?”
“I…uh…,” he just stopped and shrugged helplessly.
She pushed her glasses up on top of her head and stared at him for a moment then rolled her eyes. “God, you are so stupid.”
“I’m not stupid.” He glared at her, arms crossed over his chest.
“Yeah, right.” She practically spit the words at him. “Prove it.”
Henry watched her warily, not really sure what he was supposed to say. The one thing he did know was that she was beautiful on any day, but when she was mad, she was stunning. Her breathing was rapid and harsh and he couldn’t take his eyes off the way her breasts were rising and falling under the tiny triangles of her top. Her eyes were shooting daggers at him and her chin was jutted out. And, honestly, he wanted to kiss her so bad, he could actually feel his lips tingle.
“How the hell am I supposed to prove I’m not stupid?” he hissed.
Triumph gleaming in her eyes, Ella gave him a slow smile. “Ask me out.”
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“Who’s the lucky girl?” Hotch glanced over at J.J. from the opposite end of the sofa as Henry ran up the stairs like the hounds of hell were chasing him.
She gave him that grin, the one that said she knew a secret, and nudged his leg with her bare foot. “Ella.”
He nodded, and then the import of what she said hit him. “Ella? As in Rossi?”
Her look said she personally knew the cat that swallowed the canary. “Yep.”
“Christ,” he ran a hand over his hair. “Dave’s gonna kill him.”
“Hotch, she’s been dating for a couple of years now. I think Rossi’s past the killing stage.”
“Have you met him?” Hotch laughed.
J.J. grinned and shook her head. “I’ve heard the stories, too.”
“This is his little girl we’re talking about.” He argued. “Those stories don’t matter.”
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His shorts were just the right amount of baggy. His shirt was just the right amount of tight. And the flip flops were just the right amount of worn. After all, he didn’t want Ella to think he’d gone to too much trouble for this date she’d tricked him in to.
The blanket was in the trunk of the car along with the cooler. He’d wracked his brain all week trying to think of somewhere to take her that would be different, but wouldn’t require him to spend too much time with her alone. Not that he didn’t want to be alone with her, nothing could be further from the truth. That was why he was determined to go somewhere very public.
“Where are we going?” She grinned at him from the passenger’s seat.
Henry let his eyes drift over her. God, she was gorgeous. And she smelled so good. Sweet and floral. Very feminine. Dragging his eyes back to the road, he said, “Potomac Overlook. There’s a concert tonight.”
“Sweet.” She shifted in the seat so she could reach the radio, turning up the volume. “You gonna feed me?”
Laughing, Henry nodded. “Thought we’d stop at Paulo’s for subs, if that’s okay. I’ve got a cooler with drinks in the back.”
“Oooooooooooo. I love Paulo’s.” She leaned back and ran a hand through the black silk of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “But no onions, Henry.”
“What? Why?” He saw her watching him with those big dark eyes, a teasing half smile on her generous mouth and he had to grip the steering wheel tighter to keep from touching her. “Gotcha,” he mumbled.
Ella reached out and laid a cool hand on his arm. “It wouldn’t be a date without a goodnight kiss.”
Henry wanted to say something funny or snarky, something to break the tension and set her back a step or two, but the only thing he could think of was how much he wanted to kiss her. And he didn’t want to wait hours for that to happen.
“What if I want to kiss you now?” The words tumbled out before he could stop them.
Her head snapped around and she stared at him, her lips parted in surprise. Then she smiled, slow and knowing. “Maybe you should stop the car first. We might have a wreck.”
The sign for Paulo’s was just up ahead and the sight of it had his body tightening in anticipation. God knows he had tried to stay away from her, but she wasn’t cooperating. So, if she wanted this, really wanted it, then who was he to argue. Flipping on his blinker, he moved to the turn lane and then pulled into the parking lot.
Without the noise of the engine or the radio the silence in the car seemed deafening. Henry released his seatbelt and turned to face Ella, his hand coming up to brush her cheek. “It’s not too late,” he said, his eyes searching hers.
She leaned toward him. “Yes it is,” she whispered.
Henry knew she was right, because her breath ghosted along his mouth and her lips fit with his and her little sigh of pleasure sounded just the way he’d always thought it would. Then she opened her mouth and her tongue touched his and he fell just a little deeper.
Sweet. That was the one word running through his mind. She tasted so sweet. Like strawberries, he realized. Her tongue was rough and warm on his, sliding and teasing as her hand clutched at his thigh. For the first time, he allowed himself to thread his fingers through her hair, cup the back of her head and kiss her the way he’d dreamed about for as long as he could remember.
They were both straining against the console, trying in vain to get closer when a sharp rap on the roof of the car had them jumping apart.
“You know, this isn’t the best place for that, right?” Will’s voice drawled in through the half open window.
Henry could feel himself blushing as he turned to face his father. “Yes, sir. I know.” He turned the key and lowered the window the rest of the way. “I…uh…I…”
Will chuckled. “Are you going in? Or were you planning on staying out here all night?”
“We’re going in. Gonna pick up some sandwiches and then head to Potomac Park for the concert.”
Will leaned down and said, “Hi. I’m…” His voice trailed off and his eyes widened in surprise. “Hey, Ella. How’ve you been?”
She gave a slight wave. “I’ve been good, Uncle Will.”
“Good. Why don’t you two get out and quit giving these nice folks such a show.” Will looked like he was trying to decide if he should laugh at them or give them a lecture. “You have time to eat with your old man?”
Henry and Ella climbed out of the car and Henry shook his head. “Sorry, Dad. The show starts at 8:30 and we’ll never get a good spot if we don’t get there early.”
Once inside, Ella excused herself to go to the bathroom. Henry was pretty sure it was more from embarrassment than anything else. Will waited until she was just out of earshot before saying, “Henry, do you know what you’re doing?”
He wanted to blow his father’s question off. After all, he was twenty and plenty old enough to make his own decisions. But something inside him actually wanted his dad’s advice. “I don’t have a clue.”
Will smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You two have been friends for a very long time. The easiest way to lose a friend is by making them a girlfriend.”
Henry shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded. “I know. And I tried to stay away from her. I swear,” he stressed. “She…she tricked me.” He actually felt like hanging his head at that.
“You’ll have to tell me that story one day.” Will laughed. “Just make sure you know what you want. And remember, if you hurt her, even I won’t be able to protect you from David Rossi.”
The thought made Henry more than a little nervous. He had always been convinced that Uncle Dave had connections with the kind of people who would be all too happy to make him disappear.
Ella was heading back from the restroom when Will leaned over and whispered in his ear. “And if your Aunt Emily realizes you’re even thinking about having sex with her little girl, she’ll hunt you down and cut it off.”
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“I don’t want him here unless one of us is at home.” Dave snapped, his lips turned down in a frown.
Shock rippled through her. Gaping at her father, Ella threw up her hands. “Mom?” she spun, her eyes pleading with Emily for help.
Emily shook her head. “Sorry, Ella. I’m with your dad on this one.”
“But…but…that’s so stupid.” She was so mad she couldn’t even think of anything else to say.
“It may be,” Emily replied laying a hand on Dave’s shoulder, in what Ella knew was a show of solidarity. “But those are the rules.”
“Well, they don’t make any sense.” Then she realized why they were being so weird about this and she rolled her eyes. “Henry’s been hanging out here with me alone since he could drive. I’ve managed not to jump his bones before now.”
“You weren’t dating him then.” Dave pointed out, his eyes hard and unyielding.
Hurt, she barked out a harsh laugh. “I can’t believe you don’t trust me.”
“Ella, it isn’t that we don’t trust you.” Emily tried to soothe her.
“Then what is it?” Ella shook her head. “That’s exactly what the problem is. You think that a couple of movies and a concert and I’m gonna…” She broke off, tears swimming in her eyes, too humiliated to even say the words.
“Ella,” Emily said, “that’s not what we think.”
“Sure it is.” She gulped back tears. “Thanks a lot.”
Turning, she fled up the stairs to her room.
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“Sometimes I just hate them.” Ella sniffled, her voice thick with tears.
Henry sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. “No, you don’t. You’re just pissed.”
“And you’re not?” She barked out a laugh.
He was silent for a bit, gathering his thoughts. “Not really.” At her humph of disbelief, he added, “I’d probably be the same way if it was my kid.”
“That’s total bullshit. They should trust us.” He could hear her breathing hard. “I think we should do it anyway.”
Although he was pretty sure she didn’t mean do it, he couldn’t help the reaction of his body. “Do what?”
“You should come over tomorrow just like we planned.” He could almost see the gears turning in her mind. “It’s not like they would ever know. Mom is teaching that class all day and Dad is taking the shuttle to New York to meet with his publisher. I’ll have the whole place to myself.”
“No.” Henry pushed away the thought of being alone with her, truly alone, and called on the lessons his parents had tried so hard to teach him. “That’s a bad plan.”
“Why?” Now she was pissed at him too, her voice incredulous. “You don’t want to be alone with me?”
“No!” Realizing how that sounded, he changed his tune. “Yes. Damnit, Ella, don’t confuse me. I want to be alone with you.” He dragged a hand over his face and sighed. “For exactly the same reason your parents don’t want me to be.”
“You mean you want to…,” her voice trailed off and he kicked himself for being such an idiot. She was probably never going to speak to him again after that. “Henry?”
“Yeah. Of course I want to.” Too late to turn back now. “Since that summer when you had that one bathing suit that was brown with the blue trim.”
“I was fourteen.” She sounded mystified.
“You were hot.” It was the truth. Somehow, when he wasn’t paying attention, she’d changed. She had curves where there hadn’t been any, and her too skinny legs had turned long and shapely. And for the first time he’d realized how incredible she really was.
Her voice was husky when she asked, “Are you sure? I don’t have to be at work until six.”
Closing his eyes he let her face invade his mind. Her smile would be just a little sexier than normal, her eyes a little more knowing, and she’d twirl her hair around her finger and tilt her head to the side and he would be gone. What he really wanted to know was where did girls learn those things? Was there a class? Did their mothers pull them aside and say, “Hey, there are some things you need to know?” And why the hell didn’t dads tell their sons how to fight it?
“I really, really want to. But I can’t disrespect your parents that way. I just can’t.”
Her sigh was long suffering and he wanted to laugh because he’d heard that sound a million times before. “I know,” she whined. “But I really want to see you.”
“Then let’s meet up somewhere. We can go to Upton Hill.” He paused then said, “We can play putt-putt and I’ll let you win.”
“You don’t have to let me!” she shrieked. “I can beat you with one hand tied behind my back.”
The sad part about that was she could. Since she was tall enough to hold a club she’d been playing golf with her dad. She might not be ready to join the LPGA tour, but she was really good. Will had been good for teaching Henry how to fish, but golf wasn’t his thing. And Henry’s relationship with Hotch had been too strained for too long for Henry to learn the game from him. So, yeah, she could beat him with one hand tied behind her back.
“So, are we on?” He felt himself grinning like an idiot.
“Just tell me where and when.” She laughed and his heart did a slow flip in his chest.