Free Heart of the Matter by KI Thompson Page B

until she rocked hard, its force lifting her upper body off the bed.
    Ellen fell back onto the pillows and simultaneously switched the vibrator to low. It continued to draw out the last echoes of her orgasm until she went limp and turned it off. She sighed contentedly, wishing for someone to cuddle and talk with in the aftermath of lovemaking. Perhaps Sandra? She wouldn’t know for sure for a while, but Sandra was certainly the nearest potential she had found in a long time. What would making love with her be like? She was warm, witty, and funny. Ellen felt comfortable around her in public, but how would she feel in private, and naked?
    ❖
    Ellen climbed out of the tub and grabbed the phone she’d left by the sink. She’d been expecting Sandra to call all week and was trying not to read anything into the silence.
    “Hello?” She dried her hair with one hand while holding the phone with the other.
    “Hi, Ellen, it’s Kate.”
    Ellen slowly let the towel drop to her side.
    “Listen, about the way I acted last week,” Kate continued in the kind of tone newsreaders used when they tried to convey sincerity while remaining detached, “well, all I can say is, it must have been the pain pills. Too much, too little, I don’t know. Anyway, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did. That wasn’t right.”
    Ellen was unaware she’d been holding her breath. When she finally drew in a gulp of air, she didn’t know if she would laugh or cry. “Oh, Kate. I’m so sorry I left that note. You didn’t deserve that. I was insensitive.”
    “No, no, you were absolutely right,” Kate said. “I wouldn’t have been half as nice as you were if someone had been so rude to me. People have told me my temper would get me into trouble. After all you’ve done for me, there was no excuse. I’m sorry if I caused you pain.”
    “Like I said, it’s nothing, really. And I’m happy to help, if there’s anything I can do. As a matter of fact, I was about to run out and I know you could probably use some things, right?” There was a pause on the other end.
    “Well…” Kate began.
    “Tell me what you need.” Ellen went in search of a pen and paper.
    ❖
    Ellen pushed her cart into the kitchen. It was heavier when half of the groceries were Kate’s. Yet she enjoyed shopping for her, enjoyed picking out exactly the right things when Kate wasn’t sure what she wanted. She frowned when she thought about the amount of alcohol Kate had been consuming lately.
    And she wondered when Kate would get out of her funk and back to real life. The scar was healing well, but half of her face was permanently disfigured. Ellen saw only how handsome she was, although she could imagine how Kate must feel. As she put away her groceries, she had an idea and began to prepare dinner—for two.
    After knocking on Kate’s door, she waited a few minutes until it opened. “Hi, Kate. This time you got everything on your wish list.”
    “Ellen.” Kate nodded. “Thanks.” She took the grocery bags out of Ellen’s arms and began to retreat.
    “Uh, listen, Kate,” Ellen continued. “I was wondering, if you weren’t busy tonight, I…that is, I meant, if you were interested in doing something different…”
    Kate stared at her, then finally said, “Tell me what you want, Ellen. As you so astutely observed, I have no pressing engagements at the moment.”
    Ellen knew she had turned red. How stupid could those stammered comments be? She had completely started off on the wrong foot.
    “Sorry, Kate. I thought you might like to have dinner…with me…at my place, tonight.”
    Kate appeared dumbstruck but, with a surprised expression, finally said, “So what are we having?” Ellen was delighted.
    ❖
    Kate couldn’t recall the last time someone had offered to make dinner for her—that is, without an ulterior motive. Those times she seldom wound up eating the meal. She entered Ellen’s condo with trepidation. It was strange