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Suddenly, the perfect idea popped into my head. “Hey Ellie, do you have any plans next weekend?”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and scooped up a half-full mug. “Um, I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Why?”
My heart sped up to double time, but I spat the words out. “I’m taking Ethan and Olivia into town for the Aspen Ridge Oktoberfest, and I was wondering if you’d like to come? They’ve been asking about you since the Fall Fest.”
She glanced up in surprise. “They have? That’s sweet. Yeah, Oktoberfest is a pretty big event around here. The town actually throws a lot of celebrations. It feels like there’s always something going on.”
“So… would you like to go with us?” I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“Sure, that would be fun. My friend Tessa owns the Aspen Ridge Brewery, they always have a booth with these great bratwurst. And there’s another place that does giant soft pretzels. Ethan will love them.”
Emotion over her thinking of my kids warred for control with the gratification that she had accepted my proposal. Sure, it wasn’t a proper ‘date’ date, but she was agreeing to hang out with me, and my kids, outside of work. That meant something for sure. “Great, we can just meet you there, if you like?”
“Yeah, let’s talk about it next week. It’ll be a good time.” She carried the remaining glasses to the bar and packed up her laptop bag.
We waved goodnight to the bartender, and I followed her outside, my heart pounding. The thought that I needed to proactively kiss her, so she knew how I felt, beat like a drum in my mind. But I couldn’t figure out how to make it happen.
“Tonight was fun,” she commented as we stepped outside.
The temperature had noticeably dropped, and goosebumps rose on my bare arms in response. I felt as if my body were on fire.
“Yeah, it was,” I agreed. “And good job with the questions. I got some wrong, and I had to type all the answers for the slide show.”
She laughed, and my heart thumped again in response. I honestly had no idea why, but Ellie thought I was funny. And I loved the way she laughed, her head tilted back and her eyes sparkling in genuine amusement. Ellie never did things by half measures, she was fully in, whatever it was.
Acting on some powerful instinct I didn’t know I possessed, I reached out and cupped the back of her head, pulling her mouth to mine.
This time I didn’t freeze; my lips moved against hers with determination, and after a second, a sigh escaped Ellie’s throat and she kissed me back. Her lips were eager, as if she’d just been waiting for me to make this move, and when her tongue slid along my lower lip, I chased it enthusiastically. The memory of how right it felt to kiss Ellie that very first night—the sparks flying around us like a meteor shower—surged back in my brain. This was so right; and it had always been right.
Ellie’s body pressed against mine, and I wrapped my free hand around her waist, feeling the heat of her skin beneath her thin camisole. I don’t know how long we kissed. The taste of peppermint on her tongue, the warm amber vanilla fragrance of her filling my senses.
I was dragged back to reality when Ellie shivered violently against my body. My hand slid along her arm, finding her skin chilly and covered with goosebumps.
I pulled back slowly, rubbing my hands along her arms. “Are you cold?”
“Y-yeah,” she admitted, a slight tremor in her voice as she huddled close.
My body was an inferno from the rush of blood, so I definitely couldn’t relate, but I knew the right thing to do. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, resting my chin on her head as I pulled her in tight. “Okay, let’s get you warm. Where’d you park?”
She pointed, and it was as natural as breathing to slide my fingers between hers and guide her to her car.
Suddenly bashful, she fumbled her keys and glanced up at me shyly. I waited for her to get inside and get her Jeep running, heat blasting immediately from the vents, before I leaned in to the door frame.
“Drive safe, okay?” She nodded, and I leaned in to press one more soft kiss to her lips before I let her drive off.
When I pulled back, Ellie’s eyes were closed, a dreamy expression on her face as her lips chased mine.
Finding me gone, her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. “Goodnight, Jake.”
“Goodnight, Ellie. If you think of it, shoot me a message and let me know you get home safe.”
“You got it, Captain Wright,” she grinned, and I stepped aside so I could close the door.
With a little flirtatious wave, she drove off, and I watched until her taillights had disappeared into the trees.
Chapter10
Ellie
