“I’m stopping by tomorrow after I get off work to check on her. You guys please let me know if you need my help.”

“You’re leaving? Come on inside and have a glass of wine with us.” Brody touched her hand.

“Thanks. No, Elise already asked, but I do have to go. I have a really full schedule tomorrow, so I need to get home to rest.”

They both escorted her to her car. And it was then Andrew pulled up. Her heart skipped a beat as she took him in, saw the surprised pleasure on his face at the sight of her.

“That’s our cue to beat it.” Adrian knocked once on her car’s roof. “Have a good night, Ella. See you soon.” He and Brody waved at Cope and headed inside, while Cope headed straight to her.

“Hey, Red, fancy seeing you here.” He leaned in her window and kissed her soundly. “That’s better. Takes the edge off.”

She just let that soak in, smiling at him. “I was just on my way out. Glad I didn’t miss you.”

“Are you free tonight? I know I slept over last night too, but I’ve come to notice something peculiar, Ella. I sleep much better with you next to me.” He leaned closer. “I promise to make you breakfast in the morning.”

She groaned. “I’m mightily tempted.”

He brushed his thumb against her cheek. “I didn’t notice these dark smudges until just now. Here’s what I’m going to do. Come to my house. I’ll run you a bath, complete with Epsom salts. Fix you a cup of tea and tuck you into bed relatively unmolested. I’d say totally, but we both know I can’t resist just a little bit of kissing and touching.”

“I have to get up at five. You don’t have to be up until seven. That’s a lot to ask when sex isn’t on the table.”

“We haven’t done it on a table yet. I’ll put it on the list for next time.” He touched her again, just a butterfly against her cheek. “It’s up to you, but I don’t care if I only have you until five, I just want to be with you. Though, how about we switch locations since you’re so tired and you have to be up really early. Your house?”

She smiled. “All right. But I can’t guarantee I’ll be awake if you aren’t there in half an hour or so.” Yawning hugely, she turned the car on, and he stepped back.

“Be right there. I was just stopping off to check in with Brody about something. That can wait, though. I’ll call him about it.”

Before she could protest, he’d jogged his very fine ass back to his truck, making her all swoony and lightheaded.

He knocked on her door, excited to see her, to be able to touch her. Silly how quickly seeing her every day had become necessary.

She opened, and he realized just how tired she must have been. Even her normally very straight posture was slumped a bit. He stepped inside, waiting for her to close and lock the door before he took her into his arms.

“Baby, you’re knackered. I’m sorry I pushed to come over. I’ll go home.” The last thing he wanted was to make her more tired.

She smiled up at him. “Plate on the table for you. I need to shower. Cookies in the jar.”

Okay then. He considered following her into the bathroom to help with relaxation and stress relief. He sure knew a bunch of ways to work out the kinks. But that’s what most likely kept her awake the night before.

He looked at her table, where she’d prepared not just one sandwich, but three. Meatloaf? Awesome.

“The woman is a goddess,” he mumbled as he put on a pot of tea for her.

He loved the way she looked all fresh from the shower. Her hair pulled away from her face only emphasized the beauty of her features, the size of her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said, taking the mug of tea. The apartment was cold, he knew, due to an aging radiator. But she had on her sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. He made a mental note to bring her some wool socks and to look into radiant heat for the floors in his bathrooms.

Wow. He stilled a moment, startling himself with the idea of living with her. And then being stupefied that he’d startled as he was ass over teakettle in love.

Living together was a huge step. Natural with the course they’d set. His place was bigger and safer for her. He thought of his house with her stamp on it, that simple femininity she had, the bold sense of colors and style.

He thought of his brother and the melding of three very distinct styles and personalities in their apartment. They worked as a unit. He admired their effort and commitment to each other, their energy put into maintaining such a complicated but totally loving relationship, which was not only intact but thriving.

For a time, Cope had worried that Ben would fall away from Erin and Todd, that in the end, Ben would end up alone and broken. Now he knew that wouldn’t happen, but there was still the worry of loss. He’d spoken with Ben earlier that day, and his brother had been scared shitless and trying to hold it together when he was around Erin.

It hurt, seeing his brother so worried and not being able to help. He worried about Erin too, but she wasn’t his wife. What would it be like to have that threatened? It made his anger at his father even worse.

Still, he was there with Ella, and for that moment, everything was right. He watched her as she laid out her clothes for the following morning, content to simply be with her.

She yawned, and he turned to the bed, pulling the blankets back. “Get in, babe. Snuggle down, and let’s go to sleep.”

“Mmm, that sounds very good.” She drained the tea, and he took the mug and the plate his sandwiches had been on and put them in her dishwasher.