“I’ll miss you, too.” She’d tried so hard not to be drawn into his life, but it was like swimming against a strong current. As soon as she thought she was making progress, another wave swept her ten feet forward.
Matthew had the life he’d always dreamed about and family and friends who loved him. If she’d been able to find half of what he had, she would have been happy.
He touched the side of her face. “You don’t need to leave permanently. You could come back. Stay here.”
“I can’t.”
His face was inches from hers. “You could.”
When his lips touched her mouth, Ashley sighed. His softly spoken words had unraveled something inside her, something she’d ignored for a long time.
She leaned toward him, returning his kiss with the same gentle persuasion she felt in him. The last three years melted away, stripping her heart bare and reminding her what it felt like to be loved.
When Matthew groaned and deepened the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on tight. She gave up thinking, gave up believing that she knew what was best for her.
Because deep down, she had a feeling that what was best for her was wrapped in her arms.
***
Matthew loaded the last dinner plate into the dishwasher. He should have been worried about kissing Ashley, but he wasn’t. He wanted her to be part of his life.
Sean looked around the kitchen. “Have you seen Ashley?”
“She’s in the laundry getting another load of washing ready.”
“What’s going on? You’ve been acting strange since I arrived home.”
Matthew leaned against the counter. “I kissed Ashley.”
“You what?”
“Kissed her,” he whispered.
“What did you do that for?”
“It felt right.”
“So does ice cream, but we don’t buy it every week because it’s not good for us.”
Matthew smiled. “Are you comparing the way I kiss to a frozen tub of ice cream?”
Sean picked up the bottle of ketchup. “You’re crazy.”
“Probably, but it doesn’t feel like it.”
“Have you thought about what’s going to happen when she leaves?”
Matthew turned on the dishwasher. “She might change her mind.”
“You’re dreaming. She’ll never come back, not after living in New York.”
“She won’t stay in Bozeman if I don’t tell her how I feel.”
“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Matthew knew his brother meant well, but Sean over-analyzed everything. “If it doesn’t work, you’ll know you were right.”
The kitchen door swung open. “Is there anything in the kitchen that needs to be washed?” Ashley looked at both brothers.
