Moments (Breath of Life Book 3) by Sara Marion

you," she paused. "This is something I don't want to be tangled up in. She is appearing for a reason and I don't want to get on the bad side of fate or your wife. She wants you to stop for a reason, probably a good one. The Fates have decided something for you and Ella is trying to get you to that point."
     
    Duke realized that he really didn't know the wonderful woman standing in front of him. Tonight he had learned many things about Lexi and her beliefs, her background. Maybe she was right. Maybe Ella was trying to push him to wherever he needed to be. It was twice now that she stopped him from being intimate with a woman. First Paxton when he kissed her and now Lexi.
     
    While lost in his own thoughts, he heard the front door close. Looking up, he saw that Lexi left before he could even respond. Duke sighed, "Ella, what are you doing?" He asked the empty room, almost expecting her to answer, but she never did. She didn't appear to him at all after Lexi left and Duke went to bed more frustrated than ever.

     
    FIFTEEN
     
    "Duke, what on Earth are you doing?" Ella's demanding tone stopped Duke from what he was working on.
     
    "Nothing."
     
    "Why are you in my dark room trying to develop pictures when you don't have the slightest idea how?"
     
    "I know what I'm doing, I learned from the best," he turned and kissed her on the nose trying to calm her down. He knew she didn't like him being in her dark room, but he was trying to work on a surprise piece for her.
     
    "Ass-kisser," she accused. "Let me see if you are even doing it right." She grabbed the photo-tongs and picked up the picture from the liquid. She hung it to dry on the line staring at it. It was a picture of them on their first date. She picked up each picture he had in separate bins. Each one depicted a first they did.
     
    "Duke," she whispered.
     
    "It was supposed to be a surprise and as you can see, I know what I'm doing," he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him before she continued to stare at the pictures hanging on the line.
     
    He knew he captured a lot of good memories from the negatives he picked out of her neatly organized photo boxes. He would never admit that he googled the development process, but he was going to surprise her with a scrapbook. He was going to propose soon and he wanted to start their lives in their own house, not the small rental they currently had. He found the perfect one she would like. Thank goodness he didn't develop the picture of the house or him holding as sign telling her it was theirs. He had a plan to drive her out after she flipped to the last page. He was going to take her on a tour, so they could see where they had all their firsts again.
     
    He kissed her neck and she reached back and let her hand run through his hair. "I love you," she said before turning around.
     
    "I love you too, Ellie-bear. Forever, for always, for eternity."
     
    "That's not long enough," she giggled. Duke loved her giggle, her laugh, her smile, her everything. He knew their life together would be perfect and he couldn't wait to grow old with her, have children, become grandparents together. They were on top of the world and nothing could ever get in their way, but first they had to get married.
     
    Duke woke up and reached over to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Ella was not there with him, it was another dream. He looked over at the clock and saw that he had only been asleep for a couple hours. He stared back up at the ceiling knowing he was wide-awake, afraid to close his eyes and see her. His most cherished memories now becoming his most beautiful nightmares. Moments with Ella were haunting him in his sleep, more than ever lately.
     
    He turned on his side and took a deep breath. Knowing that he had to get to work in the morning, Duke needed to try to get back to sleep or risk a really long day with his kids. Neither one seemed appealing at the moment. He had a long weekend and was already not