Ready for Romance

by Debbie Macomber

  “This elevator is moving at death-defying speeds. Who knows the last time it was checked for safety.”

  “Thursday,” came her glib reply.

  Damian laughed delightedly.

  “I don’t know,” she teased. “You might be right.” Jokingly she squinted her eyes closed, but when she did, Damian kissed her.

  It took Jessica a moment to realize what had happened. Damian had actually kissed her. It was a simple, uncomplicated kiss, the kind a brother gives a sister. One pair of lips touching another.

  Only it didn’t feel simple.

  If anything, it left her longing for much, much more. Dumbstruck, she blinked up at him, not knowing how to respond.

  “Don’t look so shocked,” Damian muttered.

  “I…” She closed her mouth to stop herself from asking him to kiss her again.

  “It was just a kiss.”

  “I know,” she muttered. She realized he regretted the impulse and wished she knew of some way to tell him how thoroughly she’d enjoyed it. But before she could find the words, the elevator stopped.

  Jessica led the way to her apartment and unlocked the door. Turning on the light, she moved into the cheery yellow kitchen and, as was her habit, flipped the switch to her answering machine. Cathy Hudson’s voice greeted her.

  “Jess. Hi, it’s me. I haven’t heard from you in days, and of course I want to know how the barbecue went with Lover Boy today. Give me a call when you can.”

  “So your friend knows about Evan?” Damian asked casually, making himself comfortable at her round oak table. He leafed through a newsmagazine she’d been reading that morning.

  “I might have mentioned him, but certainly not as Lover Boy, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “That’s not what she said.”

  “She’s teasing,” Jessica insisted. She hadn’t talked to her friend about her new feelings for Damian and was sorry now, because Cathy, like everyone else, it seemed, was intensely curious about the relationship between Jessica and Evan. “I made the mistake of telling her I once had a crush on Evan and she assumed…Well, you just heard.” Jessica took out the coffee canister and poured some grounds into the paper filter. The rich coffee aroma filled the room. “This will only take a minute,” she promised.

  “Listen, don’t bother. It’s later than I realized.”

  “You’re sure?” Jessica said, disappointed.

  “Positive.” He set aside the magazine and stood. Pausing in front of her, he drew his hand against the side of her face. “Thank you for a wonderful day, Jessica.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered back.

  The apartment seemed unnaturally empty when Damian was gone. She’d hoped he’d kiss her again before he left. He’d been tempted, she could see it in his eyes, but he’d resisted, apparently wanting to keep an emotional distance from her.

  Jessica wasn’t at all tired and, needing to talk, dialed her friend’s number.

  A groggy Cathy answered on the fourth ring.

  “I didn’t wake you, did I?” Jessica said with a giggle, delighted to pay back her friend for all the times Cathy had phoned her in the middle of the night.

  “From the dead. What are you doing calling so late and sounding so damned cheerful? There should be a law against that. Let me guess. You were with Evan.”

  “No! Damian and I went to the—”

  “Damian? You’re dating Evan’s brother?” Cathy sounded wide-awake now and interested. Very interested.

  “I know in that silly romantic heart of yours you figured once I was working with Evan, all the unrequited love I’d stored up years ago would suddenly blossom.”

  “Those were my thoughts exactly,” Cathy said.

  “Cathy, listen to me. Evan Dryden is a terrific guy, but he isn’t the man for me.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because…well, because I just am.” Even now it was difficult to talk about her feelings for Damian. She wasn’t sure how to describe them. “For one thing, Evan’s in no emotional shape to get involved in another romance, which is fine by me.”

  “What happened?” Cathy demanded. “I thought he asked you to his family’s barbecue.”

  “He did, but only because Damian prompted him. By the time I arrived he’d met a lovely European woman and the two were inseparable.”

  “How rude!”

  If she’d had her heart set on Evan it would have been devastating, but she didn’t, and as a consequence she’d spent a glorious night in Damian’s company. She wouldn’t have traded the evening for anything. “No, not at all,” she said.

  “You aren’t disappointed?”

  Apparently Cathy wasn’t as awake as Jessica had believed. “Not in the least. Damian and I drove out to Cannon Beach and rode the roller coaster.”

  “You? The original wimp on that monster ride? You didn’t really, did you?”

  “Yes, I did,” she announced proudly, “and it was fabulous.” She spent the next few minutes relaying the highlights of the evening—Damian’s winning the stuffed elephant for her and their walking along the pier and sharing cotton candy. When she finished there was a short silence.

  “Hmm,” said Cathy thoughtfully. “This could be very interesting.”

  JESSICA ARRIVED bright and early at the office Monday morning. Evan had apparently been to work at some point during the weekend, for he’d left her a list of instructions. His notes included a series of laws he needed her to research. Jessica got to the task right away.

  Damian found her in the library some time later. “So you are here,” he said, sounding surprised. “Mrs. Sterling didn’t think you’d come in for the day. I phoned your apartment and got the answering machine.”

  Jessica straightened in her chair and arched her back, hoping to relieve the tension in her tired muscles. A glance at her watch told her it was nearly eleven. She’d been so involved in her research she hadn’t noticed the time.

  “I’ve been in here all morning,” she explained, pinching the bridge of her nose. The words were beginning to blur in front of her eyes. Some of the reading was dull, but there were several cases she found intriguing.

  Damian left and returned a moment later with a steaming cup of coffee. “Here,” he said, handing it to her. “Take a break before you go blind.”

  “Has Evan shown up yet?” The coffee tasted like ambrosia.

  Damian sighed. “Not yet. But Evan comes and goes at will, or at least he has for the past several months.”

  “Well, he left me some work to do, so he must have been in yesterday.” She paused. “What about him and Romilda?” She sincerely hoped those two were enthralled with each other.

  “It’s too soon to tell, but maybe there’s some hope there.” Good. Damian sounded as if he really meant it.

  “I want Evan to be happy,” she said, not exactly sure why it was important Damian know that.

  “Exactly.” Damian smiled and got up to walk over to the polished bookcase. He pulled down a well-used volume. “Take some advice,” he said tucking the book under his arm.

  “Sure.”

  “Don’t skip lunch.”

  “I won’t,” she promised.

  He left then and Jessica smiled and closed her eyes. After a moment she returned to her research. A long time passed before her smile faded.

  As promised, Jessica took her lunch hour and returned to find Evan searching for her. He sat down next to her in the library and reviewed her notes, asked a series of intelligent questions and made comments every now and then about her progress. Several times he praised her efforts. He made a few notations himself, and they spent the better part of an hour discussing different aspects of the Earl Kress case.

  After Evan left, Jessica was exhilarated. Damian had revealed a keen insight into his brother’s personality by assigning Evan to this important case. Representing Earl Kress had given Evan the challenge he needed; had given him a purpose, a cause. Evan was no slouch. He was dynamic, sharp an
d dedicated to representing this former athlete to the best of his ability and to the full extent of the law.

  Several hours of research remained, and although it was late, Jessica decided to trudge on until she was finished.

  “It’s six o’clock and time for you to go home,” Damian said from behind her in the tone she recognized. It was the one he used when he wouldn’t listen to a word of argument. The kind that swayed juries.

  “I’ll be finished in a bit.”

  “You’re finished now.”

  “Damian.”

  “Don’t argue with me, Jessica. It won’t do any good.”

  She closed the book she was reading and stood up. Every small movement of her lithe body spelled reluctance.

  “Did you take time for lunch?”

  “You’re beginning to sound like my guardian!”

  “I see you didn’t eat, otherwise you wouldn’t be snapping at me.”

  “I did so—and I’m not snapping!”

  “That does it!”

  Was he about to fire her for insubordination? Jessica wondered. She stared up at him, wondering what would happen next.

  “We’re going to dinner,” he muttered.

  “Dinner! But Damian, you’ve already—”

  “Pizza,” he said, “the deep-dish variety. There’s a small Italian restaurant around the corner. I swear it’s one of the best-kept secrets in Boston.”

  “Pizza,” Jessica repeated slowly and her stomach growled in anticipation. “Well, if you insist, and it seems that you do.” She reached for her purse.

  They walked to the restaurant, which was nestled in the basement of one of the older buildings. The marble floors were badly worn, and the architecture showed that the structure had been built in the early thirties. Jessica had passed the building a hundred times and barely given it a second’s notice.

  “How’d you hear about this restaurant?” she asked.

  “From the security guard. He eats here regularly and recommended it to me. I’ve never tasted better Italian food.”

  The proprietor greeted Damian as if he were a long-lost cousin, kissing him on both cheeks and speaking in Italian as he looked approvingly at Jessica.

  “What did he say?” she asked when they were seated at a table covered with a red-and-white-checked cloth. A candle flickered from inside a small red vase, and shadows danced across the opposite wall.

  “I’m not entirely sure. I only know a few words myself.”

  “In that case you did a good job of faking it.”

  “All right, if you must know, Antonio assumed we’re lovers,” Damian said casually, opening the menu.

  “You corrected him, didn’t you?” she demanded, putting a hand to her chest. She could feel the color rush into her face.

  “No.”

  “Damian, you can’t let that man believe you and I…”

  “You’re probably right, I shouldn’t. Especially when it’s my brother you’re in love with, not me.”

  Jessica set the menu aside and leaned forward until her stomach pressed against the edge of the table. They needed to get this straight between them once and for all. “I’m not in love with Evan,” she whispered heatedly.

  “All right, all right.”

  “You don’t sound convinced.”

  “I’m convinced,” he said, without looking at her. Whatever was offered on the menu had apparently captured his full attention.

  “Good,” she said, reaching for her own menu. She was about to suggest the sausage pizza when a basket of warm bread was brought to their table. The lovely dark-haired woman who’d delivered it caught Damian’s face between her hands and kissed him soundly on both cheeks. Jessica must have looked shocked, because the older woman laughed delightedly. “You don’t need to worry—I won’t steal Damian away from you,” she said, then added something in Italian.

  Damian seemed to go pale at the woman’s words. Jessica’s own knowledge of Italian was scant, but she knew what bambino meant.

  “Damian, tell me what she said.”

  He was silent while the same woman poured them each a glass of wine and brought a plate of antipasto. Then he sighed. “Nona says you seem good and sturdy.”

  “What? Anyway, she said more than that.”

  “Jessica, I already explained I only know a few words of Italian.”

  “You know more than me. She said bambino. Doesn’t that mean ‘baby’?”

  Damian sighed again. “Yes. If you must know, Nona said you’ll make a good mother to my children.”

  “Oh.” Jessica glanced at the woman, who was standing on the other side of the room, busy ladling minestrone soup into two ceramic bowls, which she then brought.

  “I guess we aren’t going to get that pizza,” Damian muttered after the soup was served.

  Antonio returned with the bottle of Italian wine and replenished their glasses with many exclamations of pleasure. Damian thanked him in Italian, then they spoke for a minute or two.

  “When did you learn to speak Italian?” Jessica asked.

  “I didn’t. I picked up a smidgen here and there over the years. I spent a couple of months in Italy before I entered law school and muddled my way through the country. That’s about it.”

  “You’re a man of many talents,” she said, picking up her spoon and sampling the soup. It was rich and flavorful. In fact, everything was excellent—the meal, the smooth red wine, the cappucino and dessert. Each time she was convinced she couldn’t swallow another bite, Nona would bring them something else she insisted they try.

  “Either we leave now, or you’ll have to roll me out of here,” Jessica said.

  Damian chuckled, settled the bill, and together they walked back to the office high rise. The evening was glorious, and Jessica felt wonderful. She wasn’t sure if it was the result of the weather, the delicious food and wine or the company—or maybe all of them.

  “Thank you,” she said in the elevator.

  “You’re welcome.” Damian fell strangely quiet as they walked to the law library. Before she left for the night, Jessica wanted to shelve the volumes she’d been studying. Damian worked silently with her. When they were finished, he preceded her from the room, automatically turning off the light.

  The room was suddenly dark and Jessica bumped into a table.

  “Jessica.”

  “I’m fine,” she assured him, walking toward the hall light.

  “That’s the problem,” he muttered, reaching for her. She was in his arms before she realized it. “I’m not.” With that his mouth came down on hers.

  Five

  This kiss wasn’t brotherly, nor was it uncomplicated. Damian’s mouth fit over hers, warm and coaxing. Jessica sighed and relaxed against him, giving herself up to the sensation. It felt right to be in his arms, that was all there was to it.

  Her hands gripped the lapels of his jacket, her fingers crushing the soft wool as his mouth moved against hers. Damian’s hand curved around the side of her neck, his touch tender as though he feared hurting her.

  The kiss was unlike any Jessica had ever experienced. She felt the sensual power of it all the way to her toes, the impact stealing her breath. She moaned and Damian did, too. When they broke apart, neither spoke. Jessica wished he’d say something, anything, to break the silence. She needed him to explain what was happening, because she was lost, taken by surprise, yet delighted to the very depths of her being.

  Instead, Damian turned and walked away.

  She couldn’t believe it. A tear slipped unnoticed down her cheek and dropped onto her silk blouse, the droplet bleeding into a small circle. She raised her hand to her face, surprised by the tear.

  Funny that when she couldn’t find the words to say what she felt, a tear would speak for her. She’d learned that lesson years earlier. Her mother’s tears had fallen onto her grandmother’s casket, and they had said far more than a whispered farewell. Tearstains on a letter revealed more than its words.

  A tear on her che
ek now, after she’d shared a kiss with this man, spelled out volumes. Only to Jessica the language was one she couldn’t fully understand.

  The sudden need to escape overwhelmed her. Collecting her purse, she stepped out of the library and proceeded down the hallway. She paused outside Damian’s open door. She saw him standing in front of his window, looking into the night. His hands were clasped behind his back.

  “Good night,” she called softly.

  He turned and smiled briefly. “Good night, Jessica. See you in the morning.”

  She wished they could sit down and discuss what had happened, but one look told her Damian was confused and not nearly as delighted as she was. He seemed troubled, burdened somehow. She wondered if he regretted having kissed her.

  “Thank you for dinner,” she said. “You were right. It’s the best Italian food I’ve ever had.” She didn’t want to leave, but didn’t have an excuse to stay.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  Jessica headed for the elevator. Her thoughts remained so muddled that she nearly missed her subway stop on the ride home. The first thing she did when she walked into her apartment was reach for the purple elephant Damian had won for her. She wrapped her arms around it and hugged it tight. It made her feel close to Damian. All she needed to do was shut her eyes and the memories of their night together at Cannon Beach filled her mind. She could almost hear the sound of the carousel, the echo of her own laughter when Damian insisted on winning her the elephant. She could hear the roller coaster as the riders shrieked past and smell the popcorn, candy apples and hot dogs.

  Keeping the elephant pressed to her, Jessica slumped into the overstuffed chair and reached for her phone, dialing the number of her best friend. Cathy was far more insightful in these matters than she was. She would help her make sense of Damian’s kiss.

  “Hi,” Jessica murmured when her friend answered.

  Her greeting was met with a slight hesitation. “What’s wrong?”

  It didn’t surprise her that her friend knew her so well. “What makes you think anything’s wrong?”

  “I recognize that tone of voice.”

  Smiling to herself, Jessica brought up her knees and rested her chin there as she assembled her thoughts. There didn’t seem to be an easy way of explaining what had happened. Best just to blurt it out. “Damian kissed me tonight.”