What would it be like to be kissed for real by him?
“I could feel his muscles when he lifted me into my car. Good grief, girl! I can only imagine what he looks like naked. But then you got a glimpse.”
“Yes! Yes, I did. And he was ripped, okay? He was gorgeous. Part of me wanted to run my hands over his chest just to enjoy the feel of him.”
“So call him. You’ve got his number, right?”
“I’m not sure I can.”
“You’re not sure you can call him? Did you forget how to use a phone?”
“No! I’m not sure I can sleep with him. What if we’re in bed together and all I can think about is Dan?”
“Did you think about Dan when he kissed you?”
The answer to that question hit her squarely in the forehead. “No.”
“Call him, Ellie. Give him a chance. How many more years are you planning to live this sexless existence? You deserve happiness. Dan didn’t want you to be lonely. He wanted you to have a full life. You know that.”
Dan had told her more than once that she was to live her life to the fullest should anything happen to him. She’d promised to do just that. But she’d never imagined how hard it would be to live with that promise.
Ellie nodded, her throat tight.
“So you’ll call him?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Ellie was still thinking about it when her father came to pick her up and to check on his younger daughter. She thought about it all the way up the canyon. She thought about it when she gave the kids their bath, read them stories, and put them to bed.
She walked into the kitchen to pour herself some wine. But rather than getting a glass out of the cupboard, she walked to the rear window and looked across her backyard and up the mountainside toward his cabin. There, among the trees, she caught a glimpse of golden light spilling from his kitchen window.
She picked up Jesse’s business card, which still sat on the kitchen counter, then reached for the phone.
Chapter 7
Jesse had turnedoff the water in the shower when his cell phone rang. He reached for a towel, strode naked into the living room, and grabbed the phone off the coffee table. His heart gave a hard knock when he saw the name on the display.
Ellie.
He answered. “Moretti.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Hi, Jesse. It’s Ellie. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“It’s not quite my bedtime yet.” Tomorrow was his day off.
“I wanted to thank you for helping my sister this afternoon.” The nervousness in her voice told him this wasnotwhy she’d called.
“I was happy to do it.”
“Also, I appreciated your honesty. I know it’s not easy sometimes—you know, communication and relationships. Not that you and I are in a relationship or anything. I didn’t mean to suggest that.”
Okay, this was funny. “I got what you meant.”
“Anyway, I’m grateful we had a chance to talk today.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”