Elly in Love. Colleen Oakes

Чтение книги онлайн.

      After dinner and a horrible movie—a raunchy guy comedy involving far too many boob jokes, Elly felt Keith softly nudge her out of a comatose state. They were snuggled up on the couch, Elly’s head tucked under Keith’s chin.

      “Hey! Let’s go up to the roof for dessert.”

      She turned her head and viewed him with skepticism. “After that cinematic treasure, dessert sounds wonderful.”

      Keith twirled his fingers through Elly’s blond tendrils. “Sorry about the movie. Dave told me it was hilarious.” He paused. “Actually, I thought it was pretty funny.”

      Elly gave a moan. “The only female characters were a shrill wife and a hooker!”

      “At least the hooker was nice.” He kissed her forehead. “I think I have a better idea than the movie, but you have to give me ten minutes.”

      Elly closed her eyelids. “Granted. Wake me up when you need me.”

      A few minutes later, Keith led Elly up to her roof-deck. She had poured a portion of her payment from last spring’s gigantic wedding—her ex-husband Aaron’s wedding— onto her roof-deck, and why not? It was her favorite spot in the world. A large wood pergola now stretched its rustic arms out over the concrete space. Her orange couches had remained and were now covered with bright-colored paisley pillows, all made with water proof fabric and adorned with the emblem of a sheepdog stitched in the middle. Dangling fairy lights dipped and danced down from the pergola and the whole area oozed charm. Elly grimaced as she thought of her first decorating attempt; it had not been as successful. Three boxes of pink Christmas lights were pushed up against the wall, along with plastic pink flamingoes and an unopened kiddie pool. “Paradise Found” had been her idea, but her best friend Kim’s look of disgust had shut that down immediately. Even though Elly had loathed her for a couple of days, she had been right. “Vintage Arts and Craft Loft” had been a much better theme. Elly had an impeccable eye for floral and wedding design, but she wasn’t as gifted in home design.

      As Elly came up the landing, she gasped with delight. On her low coffee table, a few generic candles lit the darkness around them, sending flickers of light across a bottle of her favorite wine. Elly clutched his arm. “Are you trying to seduce me?” She quickly kissed his cheek and she could hear a happy sigh under his breath.

      “Maybe.”

      “I don’t deserve you. You know that, right?”

      Keith’s arms tightened around her. “I hate when you say stuff like that, Elly. You do deserve me. I deserve you. We deserve each other.” He rested his heavy head on her blond curls. “I mean, I’m a mildly attractive but chubby man, and you are a curvy Grecian goddess. We’re perfect together.”

      Elly’s loud laugh was muffled in Keith’s shirt.

      “C’mon,” he said. “Let’s bust open this extravagant bottle of fifteen-dollar wine.”

      Elly settled back on the couch and watched as Keith uncorked the bottle. He glanced up at her, winked and began pouring. Elly closed her eyes and leaned back. When he began humming the opening bars to “Moon River” in his low register, she was instantly taken back to their first kiss.