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His eyes narrowed as he shook his head. “No.”
“Then what’s wrong? I’ve been your roommate for over a month. I may not know you through and through but I can tell that you’re upset about something.” I slowly dropped my grip on his arm. “Just tell me. If I left something out or made a mess, or something, I’ll take care of it. Just tell me.”
He threw the towel to the floor and shook his head. “I saw you sneaking out of Fisher’s room this morning.”
Oh, there was that shame. I took a step back and nodded, never one to lie about things I did. Unless Vaughn asked about Fisher, because that lie would save everyone a headache. “Okay.”
He groaned. “It’s nothing, Ella. I’m just in a shit mood. Ignore it.”
“No. Why are you upset about that? I promise I won’t turn into a crazy person over Fisher. I’m not going to mess up things in the house.”
“I’m not upset with you, Ella. Not really. I’m just… I was hoping you wouldn’t fall for Fisher’s charm.” He locked his hands behind his neck and I nearly swooned over the muscles, despite our conversation. “He’s my best friend and I love him but… It’s shitty in his shadow sometimes.”
I snorted at the thought of Booth in anyone’s shadow but cut myself off at the dark look he sent me. “I’m not laughing at you, Booth. I just think it’s crazy that you think you’re in his shadow.”
He stepped closer to me. “Am I not?”
“No! How could you be, Booth? You’re a completely different person and you’re each great for your own reasons.” I smiled to try to lighten the mood. “Plus, you create shadows, Booth. You’re too tall to stand in other people’s.”
He turned to walk away but I grabbed his arm again. When he turned back to me, he let out a laugh. “It’s fine. I’ll get over it.”
“Get over what, Booth?”
“That he gets to touch you, Ella!” He walked me backwards until my back hit the mirror. Coming as close as he could while still not touching me, he dropped his voice as he spoke next to my ear. “I usually don’t give a fuck that people fall for Fisher’s charm. This time is different, though. I’m jealous. I’m jealous and I hate it.”
“You’re jealous?” I leaned into his heat and nearly whined when he moved with me to keep our bodies apart.
“I wanted it to be my room you were sneaking out of this morning.”
My jaw loosened and I couldn’t come up with words to make a reasonable response. I opened and shut my lips a few times before Booth gave up on me.
“It’s not a big deal. I shouldn’t have said anything. I should’ve just handled my emotions like a fucking adult.” Booth took a step back and grunted when I basically threw myself into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tight so he couldn’t push me away. “What are you doing, Ella?”
“I didn’t know you were interested.” I breathed him in and shuddered. “I’m sorry. I’d only ever slept with one person before last night and I don’t know what’s happening, but I want to kiss you, Booth. And you should tell me to go fuck myself after what you saw, but-”
He grabbed my thighs and lifted me off the ground. I gasped and leaned back so I could see his face, but I still couldn’t read his expression. “The things I want… I can’t, though. Not when you’re confused.”
I gasped when he pressed me into the mirror and trailed his nose up the side of my neck. I could feel him stiffen against my center and I tightened my hold on him. “Booth…”
He brushed his lips over my ear as he spoke in a gravel-filled voice. “I’m going to put you down and walk out of here before I do something we both regret.”
“I’m not going-”
Booth rocked his hips into me and then swore. He unwrapped my arms from around his neck and put me down on my own two feet. Backing away, his eyes were all over me. “If I slid my hand inside those tempting shorts, would you be wet for me, Ella?”
I leaned heavily against the mirror and bit my lip hard. Nodding, I silently begged him to come back and continue touching me.
He looked pained as he rubbed his hands down his face and stole one more glance at me before turning around and leaving the room. Without his presence in the room, it felt a lot bigger and a lot cooler. I fanned myself and sank down on the weight bench.
I stared down at my vagina and held up my hands like it would see the question and be able to answer it. “What the hell? Is this how you handle being cheated on? You can’t have two men. You can’t have any men. You need to relax. Jesus.”
“I’ll come back later.” A middle-aged woman with a look on her face that said she’d heard every word I said, backed out of the open doorway of the gym. “It’s not even that dirty.”
“I’m sorry that-” I was talking to an empty room. She was gone. I recognized her as one of the cleaning staff Fisher brought in. I thought her name was Mallory, but I wasn’t sure. What I did know was that I could never see her again.
21
***Vaughn***
