A Winter Love Story- Book One in the Ellie & Josh Series

Ellie

I wake up, yawn, and sit up in bed. I see that Josh is still asleep, and I get up to get ready to go Christmas shopping. I curl my hair (which is naturally slightly wavy, but I like to have my hair a bit wavier), and I pull my hair into a ponytail and finish getting ready. I go over to the kitchen and grab some eggs, and milk from the fridge. I grab a bowl and whisk out of the cabinet, I crack the eggs and splash in some milk. I wisk it all together and throw it into a pan. I mix it around and pop some bread into the toaster. Once the eggs are done, and the bread is toasted I slice a tomato and butter my bread, I put the eggs on the bread, and put the tomato on it. I sit down at the table and dig in. About 5 minutes later Josh walks in. 

"Hey Ellie, do you have any extra eggs?" Josh asks popping some bread in the toaster. 

"Yep, I put them on a plate in the microwave,"  I say, taking a bite of my sandwich. We finish our breakfast, and we walk out of the house. We head to the mall and we break up and we go to all the stores. A few hours later we meet at Starbucks, and we get our drinks. 

"Ellie!" Josh says giving me a hug. "I got your matcha green latte with soy milk." He says placing the drink in front of me. 

"Thanks, Josh" I sit down grab the drink, and take a sip. 

"Hey, why do you even like this drink?" Josh asks

"My aunt. It was my aunt's favorite drink, before, before she died." I say hesitantly, tears brimming in my eyes.

"Oh god, Ellie I'm sorry, I had no idea, I mean I knew your aunt died but I had no idea it affected you so much." He says hugging me, he stops hugging me and wipes my eyes.  

"Do you want to go home?" Josh asks into my head.

"Sure. I got most of the shopping done let's go home." I say quietly. 

"Okay, I'm gonna drop you off at home then I have to go grab one more thing," Josh says with a grin. We get in the car, and Josh surprises me. 

"Hey, Ellie? I got you something, it's not for Christmas, but yeah." He reaches back and grabs a bag. 

"Here."

I open the bag and see OMG it is the Lush wait no 3 big Lush boxes. 

"Josh!" I say throwing my hands around his neck and I kiss him. We get home, and I run a bath, I put a bath bomb in and get in the tub, the pink bomb smells like lavender and it is amazing! I start reading on my Kindle and the next thing I know I'm crying over this super sad part in my book. Guse what? Jayden died. Just kidding, well sorta the doctors in the story made her come back! I get out of the tub and dry off. I put on my dress, and wrap myself in a bathrobe. I sit on our freshly made bed (Awwww Josh made our bed this morning) and start reading the next book in my series. Josh walks in. 

"Hey, Ellie!" He leans in and gives me a kiss. 

"You smell amazing!" Josh exclaims. I smile and give him a kiss. 

"Where were you?" I ask.

"Where I was is not important, what I got is important," Josh explains. "Gimme a second, and I'll grab the gift" Josh continues. He runs out of the room and comes back in. I sit up. 

"what is it!" I ask. 

"It's a special embroidered hoop thing" Josh exclaims 

"It's so pretty," I say as I touch the embroidery. I kiss Josh, he deepens the kiss. I really never have made-out with someone. One time I have made-out with someone was at Becca's wedding reception (it was with Josh we unknown to us we're gonna break up soon, and that was like out the last hurrah)  and wow that was something, and somehow this is so much better. I move my arms behind my back and start to un-clasp my bra. Josh reaches under my shirt and pulls my bra down. His hand brushes my boob and the spark that I had been feeling up to that moment went out. I pull away and put my arms over my chest. 

"Ellie?" Josh asks concern in his eyes and voice

"I'm sorry I can't," I say tears spilling out of my eyes

"Then tell me why," Josh says taking my hand in his looking in my eyes. I take a deep breath and tell him what only Becca knows. 

"My dad was an ass. He would hit my mom and once me." I say hesitantly. I see the look on Joshes face, and I continue

"That's not even the worst of it. He would have other women over, sometimes not even women. He would fuck them in front of me and my mom, and then he would fuck my mom. One time he touched me." I say quietly, tears falling from my eyes. 

"Oh, Ellie. I'm so sorry. I had no idea your dad was such an ass." Josh says giving my hand a massage. 

"Yeah. But there is some good that comes out of the story. Like why I love winter. It was in winter when my mom kicked my dad out of the house. It was in winter when they got divorced. It was in winter when my mom got a restraining order put on him. It was in winter I meet you. It was in winter I had my first kiss with you. It was in winter we started dating. It was in winter we got crowded, Homecoming king and queen. This year... well this winter, we got engaged." with that I give him a soft kiss. I start to lay down and put my head on his chest, but Josh moves up and looks me in the eyes. 

"Ellie I need to promise you something. I will never let someone hurt you again. You are the best person in the world and no one is ever going to hurt you again. I promise." Josh says hugging me close, my chin rests on his shoulder, and Josh rubs my back, and I fall asleep.