She couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stop touching her lips and imagining the way his mouth felt and tasted. The way his short facial scruff felt against her soft skin, or the way her stomach did flip-flops when Gentry had pushed his tongue past her lips.
She hadn’t been kissed like that in…well…ever. The way she was with Gentry couldn’t be compared to anyone else, not even Matt.
Her phone lit up and vibrated against the counter in front of her. Ashlyn’s name came across the caller ID, and Blaire smiled as she answered. “Yes, I’m still alive, no I didn’t get lost for long, and no, I’m not working. Anymore.”
“Ew, Hayward, please tell me you didn’t bring manuscripts with you on freaking vacation.”
“I can’t help it. I left for this trip last minute, and I wasn’t caught up. I have deadlines, you know.”
Ashlyn made a gagging sound.
“I do have something that will make you happy, though.”
“Good, my day sucked balls. I need good news.”
“Wait, what happened?”
“Gary from the office downstairs asked me out again.”
“Butt-grab Gary?”
“Yes, he won’t take no for an answer, and I got stuck, literally stuck, in the elevator with him this afternoon. I’m pretty sure he was the one who pulled the alarm. He tried to kiss me. I almost pepper-sprayed him.”
“Ash, it’s time to go to HR about him.”
“Yeah I know, but I hate being a whiny rat. I wanted to handle it on my own and just be done with it. Tell me good news so I can stop imagining his fish lips coming at my face.”
“Okay, okay, guess who I called a little while ago?”
“I swear to God if you say Matt, I’m going to reach through the phone and give you two purple nurples.”
Blaire covered her nipples protectively on instinct. Ashlyn didn’t bluff about that stuff. “No! I called that realtor you told me about. Andrew.”
Ashlyn gasped really loud into the phone. “Say it fast, Hayward.”
“I’m putting the house on the market.”
Ashlyn crowed like a rooster so loud Blaire had to pull away the phone. “Finally ladies and gents, she is moving on from Matt the Chode!”
“Don’t call him that. He was family for a long time, and he wasn’t so bad.”
“Cough, cough, bullshit, you are too forgiving. You should move to my apartment complex. We can be neighbors.”
Blaire giggled and leaned her elbows on the counter. “I haven’t thought about where I want to live yet, but I’ll start looking when I get back.”
In a softer voice, Ashlyn said, “I knew this vacation would be good for you. I just had this feeling when I was looking for cabins that this one was special. And look. Day one of getting out of here and out of that damn house you used to share with him, and you already sound so much happier.”
And here was the moment. It was the moment she was supposed to tell Ashlyn about Gentry because, really, he could be credited with starting the change in her. Oh, she had no grand illusions about them ending up a couple and having a hundred babies and growing old together, but he’d made her realize something pivotal. She wasn’t dead, and neither was her heart. And holding on to Matt would only hurt possible relationships in the future. Gentry made her want better. He made her want companionship again, flirting, sex, affection, having someone be there to ask how her day was, and her listen to their day in return. She wanted someone to eat meals with, and that wasn’t going to happen in a house full of the ghost of her broken marriage.
But right as she parted her lips to tell Ashlyn about the man who was creating big changes in her heart, headlights arced across the front window, and the studly studmuffin himself was home.
A huge swell of relief filled her. It was as if she’d released a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. Maybe it was from him coming home last night all beat up, and she was worried. Or perhaps a little piece of her thought he would bolt and not come back until her vacation was finished. He’d been upfront with his urge to roam.
“Hey, I have to go,” Ashlyn said. “My mom has called three times, so it must be important. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. No working!”
“I’ll try not to.”
“And take lots of pictures and send them to me so I can live vicariously through you while I karate chop Gary’s kisses away.”
Blaire snorted. “Okay deal, I’ll send you snow pictures tomorrow. It’s beautiful up here. There’s even a wolf.”
“Oh, get pictures of the wolf. I want that, too. Gah, Mom is calling again. She’s probably on Web MD freaking herself out.”
“Tell her I said hi.”
“Will do, bye-bye now.”
Blaire ended the call and grinned big when a knock sounded at the door. She really liked that he came to see her before he even went into his house.
When she opened the door, he stood there in an unbuttoned tan winter jacket and tight V-neck sweater, exposing the top of the perfect line between his pecs. His winter hat was pulled low, but it’s dark color made his green eyes look even brighter. Arms locked against the door frame, he canted his head and gave her a crooked smile that made her ovaries go boom.
“I got you a birthday present,” he said in that sexy, deep rumble of his.
“Is it…something dirty?” she asked hopefully.
“Oh, it’s filthy.” His smile stretched wider, and inside, her inner sex goddess bounced and clapped like a seal.