Love on the Line Read online

  “Yeah, right. Like thirty-five is past your prime or something,” AJ scoffed. “The fact that you’re set in your career means stability. And as far as travelling, it’s still possible with kids. Just takes more patience and planning, I would imagine.”

  “Along with the right woman in my life,” he said softly.

  The tone of the conversation seemed to be getting more somber and serious, and AJ wasn’t sure what to say next. Luckily, Mathias spared her from saying anything awkward or regretful.

  “Sorry again, I really didn’t mean to get all serious and reflective. Our talks are meant to be fun and informative, right?”

  “Well, the topic is informative, but if you want to steer more toward fun, I can do that.”

  “So what’s on your dinner menu? Hopefully I won’t make you choke anymore and you can enjoy whatever you’re having.”

  “I’m having cold smoked salmon with smoked Gouda, and a refreshing Riesling. How about you? Did you already eat?”

  “I did, although yours sounds much better than what I settled for, which was leftover pizza.”

  “Nothing wrong with that. Leftover pizza hits the spot, including cold pizza for breakfast with an ice cold glass of chocolate milk. Well, I just enjoy chocolate milk regardless.” AJ chuckled.

  “Duly noted. Wine instead of beer this evening?”

  “Yes, I do enjoy an occasional glass of the vino. You know, break up the monotony.”

  “Of course. And was your afternoon productive with your project?”

  “Indeed it was. I turned in my summary for the project and felt it was some of my best work recently.”

  “You sound confident and happy. That’s great.”

  “Thanks. I realized I’ve had enough moping around. No more letting the past dictate my future. Time for better days.”

  “Very inspirational.” Mathias chuckled. “But seriously, AJ, that sounds great.”

  “Thanks.” AJ beamed at his compliment, smiling broadly despite the fact he couldn’t see her face. She drained the rest of her wine, and deciding she wanted another glass, lifted herself off the couch to head to the kitchen. Putting her phone on speaker, she continued talking while bustling around the kitchen. “I’m not one to sit idle or feel sorry for myself, and I realized that’s just what I was doing. It was beginning to sicken me and I hated that. I was ready to move on.”

  “Good for you. No need to dwell on the past. Concentrate only on the future.”

  “Exactly. And my immediate future consists of me enjoying another glass of wine and delightful conversation.”

  “Delightful, huh? Well then, you won’t mind if I have a beer, and I’ll try not to disappoint.” He chuckled.

  “Better not, because I can one-click on my Kindle like nobody’s business.” AJ laughed.

  “Sounds serious. Do I need to develop a twelve-step program for this addiction?”

  “Absolutely not. I do have some self-control.”

  “Uh huh, and how many reads do you have in your TBR queue?”

  “About thirty,” she mumbled into her glass as she made her way back to the couch. She propped herself against the armrest and kicked her feet up onto pillows.

  “Excuse me, I didn’t quite hear you?” he teased.

  “Thirty, okay.” AJ giggled. “That’s about average, right?”

  “Actually, I wouldn’t know. I don’t own a Kindle, or a Nook, or—”

  “Wait. Are you telling me you don’t read anything electronically? How is that possible in today’s world?”

  “I do have a tablet, and I read some things on it, but I actually like to frequent bookstores. I like holding a book in my hand. And at the rate I read, I’m lucky to get through one leisurely read in a month.”

  “Wow! You’re an anomaly, aren’t you? So how many books on your TBR shelf? I’m assuming you have a physical bookshelf, right?”

  “Yes, I do, and I have about ten books awaiting my attention.”

  “Only ten? Well, you better pick up the pace there, mister.”

  “Are we in a competition?”

  “No, I’m teasing. Everyone reads at their own pace. So what genre do you like?” AJ took another sip of her wine, the liquid infusing her with a comforting warmth she felt spreading across her skin and through her body. Usually one drink a night was her limit, but tonight she felt like celebrating, so why not an extra glass?

  “Thrillers and suspense, some nonfiction about history. What about you? No, wait, let me guess. Romance.”

  “Stereotype much?” AJ laughed and Mathias joined her. “But to be honest, yes, I like all sorts of romance stories. Some involve suspense, some humor and emotion, even ero-, er, paranormal.”

  “Amelia Jane, you were about to confess your like of erotic romance, weren’t you?”

  Oh God, she didn’t need to hear him say those words in that sultry voice of his and have wild images take shape in her mind. So, she tried for deflection. “So what are you currently reading? Do you like Lee Child? My friend Jen loves him, but I haven’t read any yet. I did see the Jack Reacher movie and really enjoyed it, but most say that isn’t the same. And too many thought Tom Cruise wasn’t even a good representation of the character, so—”

  “AJ, you’re rambling, and definitely avoiding my question.”

  “Um, yeah, we don’t need to talk about that. Let’s just move on to another subject.” She took a fortifying drink of her wine, noticing her second glass was now empty.

  Huh.

  “But I’d really like to know the answer,” he playfully whined.

  AJ laughed. “Nope, not going there, because then I’ll forever be embarrassed.”

  “Well, that alone gives me my answer. And there’s nothing wrong with you enjoying erotic romance. In fact, I just may have to research the genre and select a read. Any recommendations?” His teasing tone made AJ laugh even more.

  “You’re really not going to let this go, are you?”

  “I’m really not.”

  “Fine. But I’m only going to give you a name, and then it’s up to you to do the research and decide from there.”

  Mathias chuckled. “Okay. I’m ready.”

  “Sam Crescent.”

  When there was no response, the silence made AJ curious, and nervous. “Um, Mathias, you still there?”

  “Mm hmm,” was his only reply.

  She chuckled. “Okay, so what are you doing? Why are you suddenly quiet? What happened to our conversation?”

  “Shhh, I’m researching so I can make an informed decision.” AJ snorted into the silence, causing Mathias to chuckle. “It’s really cute when you do that.”

  “Snort? Pfft, it’s not very ladylike.”

  “Who says you always need to act like a lady?”

  “Well, my mother, for one.”

  “Which reminds me, we never got around to talking about your family. Parents? Siblings?”

  “Oh, sure, change the subject again.”

  “Fills the silence.”

  “All right. I have an older brother who joined the Army and is currently an instructor in Georgia. My parents are happily retired and split time between here and New Mexico. I had planned to spend New Year’s with them down south this year.”

  “New Mexico is wonderful. Besides the Heritage sites, there are plenty of other amazing sites to see and activities to enjoy.”

  “I had a brief visit this past spring after my parents settled into their home, but it wasn’t near enough time to scope out wish-list destina—”

  “Got it!” Mathias suddenly exclaimed.

  “Okay,” AJ chuckled. “Whacha got?”

  “My next read. A couple, in fact. Such a variety.”

  “Care to share?”

  “Nope, I’m going to leave it to your imagination and we’ll discuss when I’m finished.”

  “Sheesh,” she mumbled.

  “Maybe a better idea would be to read to one another. What do you think, Amelia Jane?”

  AJ
involuntarily moaned. His voice, those words, the thought of reading erotic to one another suddenly made her panties wet.

  “That’s a sexy little moan. Care to tell me your thoughts?”

  “Not so much,” she strained to say.

  “Maybe another glass of wine to loosen your inhibitions?”

  “I don’t think so. One beer a night is usually my limit, and I’ve already downed two glasses of wine.”

  “You’re safely at home, so you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving. And I assume you’re settled in nicely for the night.”

  “I am indeed. Mathias, how long has it been since you were involved with someone?”

  “Talk about changing the subject,” he said lightly.

  “Too soon to get that personal? Never mind, I’m sorry.”

  “AJ, please stop apologizing. I don’t mind talking about it.”

  “Very gracious of you, considering I was so tight-lipped about it myself.”

  “But that was yesterday, and today we know so much more about one another. We’re more comfortable with each other. At least I am.”

  “Oh, I am too,” AJ quickly added. “Do you think that’s weird? I mean, we’ve spoken two nights and I feel as if I could tell you almost anything.”

  “Almost anything, huh?” he teased.

  “Well, yeah, I mean, let’s not get too crazy. I may need another day or two to really get to know you more before I start spilling certain secrets. Or another five drinks.” She softly added that last bit with a giggle.

  “Feel free to have all the drinks you’d like. And what could be a bigger secret than you enjoying erotic romance? Unless of course you like to engage in—”

  “Hey, hey, hey, okay, moving on. What say we talk about something else?” AJ was beginning to rethink having another glass of wine, but decided against it. Once again she went to the kitchen, this time getting a glass of water. She had to maintain some semblance of control, right? Part of her couldn’t believe how much she and Mathias had already shared, and another part wanted to share oh, so much more. Like how she missed cuddling up with a warm, male body, not that Brad actually liked to cuddle all that much. Or how it was nice to have someone to laugh with during comedy movies, even if Brad always preferred the action flicks. Or how nice it was to have a running partner, someone who would motivate you and make the exercise seem less grueling. And that’s why it’d been a year since she last ran because Brad hated the activity.

  “Goddammit,” AJ muttered as she sniffled, her eyes now misty.

  “Well, hey, you asked.”

  Once again, Mathias had been talking and she had completely tuned him out. Instead, she’d been thinking about things she wished had been true about her past relationship, only now realizing what she had put up with. Settled for. Sacrificed. Her two years with Brad had been a joke, and she never saw that more clearly than she did now.

  “Such a fool,” she continued to mumble, forgetting all about answering Mathias.

  “AJ, what’s wrong?”

  She sniffled again and reached for a nearby tissue. After wiping her nose, she released a heavy sigh. “I was such a fool. How did I lose myself so completely? Why couldn’t I see what he was doing to me?”

  “Who, AJ?” Mathias asked gently.

  “My ex, Brad,” she said with contempt. “Two years, Mathias, two years I wasted on him. Two years of making myself believe what we had had been worth planning a future for. Two years with blinders on and settling for what I thought was good enough. Two years I’ll never get back, thanks to that asshole!”

  The air became silent, yet charged. AJ’s temper flared and she didn’t know how to rein it in. But she didn’t want to take it out on Mathias. Before he had a chance to say a thing, AJ continued. “God, I’m so sorry! That was completely uncalled for and I should probably hang up and let you—”

  “No, AJ, it’s fine…”

  “It’s not fine. I sound like a complete lunatic, and I’m sure you’d rather—”

  “There’s nothing I’d rather do than keep talking with you.”

  “Yeah, right,” she said skeptically. “Look, Mathias, I should—”

  “What you should do is let me talk now while you relax and listen. Can you do that for a bit, AJ?”

  She gulped. Although his tone wasn’t harsh by any means, it was definitely laced with authority. “Yes.”

  “Okay. Good.” He cleared his throat before starting again. “It’s been three years since I was in a relationship. And yes, that means three years since I’ve been with a woman.” AJ’s quick intake didn’t deter him as he continued. “I don’t do casual sex, much to the disappointment of my so-called buddies. I’m just not wired that way. Maybe I’m old-fashioned or a freak, but for me, being intimate is meant to be more than just a physical release.

  “Christina and I were together for two years and began planning our wedding. We were the complete opposite of one another, but thought we balanced each other perfectly. My adventurous streak brought her out of her shell, and her calm demeanor grounded me and kept me focused. While I was rash and spontaneous, she was the voice of reason.”

  When he was quiet for a moment, AJ broke the silence. “What happened, Mathias?” she asked gently.

  “She fell in love with someone else, married him, and moved to Central Washington.”

  “Wait, what? Who? How?” AJ was flabbergasted, especially at his matter-of-fact tone. As if the entire incident had been no more upsetting than ordering curly fries, only to receive the crinkle cut.

  “AJ, the particulars don’t really matter. What matters is I devoted years to a woman I thought I loved, whom I thought loved me, only to see her affections given to another—a coworker she had barely known a month but said was her soul mate. Do I believe in something like that? Not personally. Was I angry? Yes. Was I hurt? Absolutely. But I couldn’t fault her for feeling she had found her true love.”

  “Wow. You were much more understanding than I would’ve been. Unbelievable,” she muttered.

  “What’s unbelievable is spending the past three years fearful of getting close to someone again because I couldn’t stand the thought of going through the heartache again. Of course my friends’ cure to that situation was to love ‘em and leave ‘em. Enjoy women without any attachment. But I’m not that guy.”

  “I’m glad you’re not. I’m glad you exist, and I hope there’s a lot more like you out there.”

  Mathias scoffed. “Yeah, because I’m so honorable.”

  “Hey, you are. You aren’t a user, a cheat, or an imposter. You don’t hide a monster behind a false façade.”

  “And that’s what you dealt with.”

  AJ sighed, realizing at some point she’d have to confess. And honestly, it didn’t upset her as much as it might have a week ago. Hell, even a few days ago. The past was right where it belonged, and AJ was ready to move forward.

  “Yes. Brad was an imposter. A wolf in sheep’s clothing. He was a coworker, someone I was immediately attracted to because of his intelligence and aggressive work ethic. And okay, sure, he was physically striking. But good looks mean nothing when there’s a cheating, pompous asshole lurking behind that fake exterior. He rode the backs of others, stealing their ideas and passing them off as his own. He was resentful that I held a position over him, and when his duplicity became known, he was fired. And before I had a chance to break it off with him, he turned the tables by dumping me and accusing me of not supporting him.”

  “So for years while I was reluctant to put myself out there, you were giving it your all, only to have it thrown back in your face.”

  “Yeah,” AJ scoffed. “Funny how life works, huh?”

  “Sure, if that’s how you choose to look at it.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to sound so—”

  “AJ, I said to stop apologizing, so stop apologizing. We all deal with shit in our own way, and whatever brings us out on the better side is fine by me.”
<
br />   AJ chuckled. “You’re right.”

  “Of course I am,” he said quickly.

  “’Member what I said about confidence and cockiness?”

  Mathias laughed. “Yes, indeed—a fine line.”

  “So, now that we know so much more about one another, whatever shall we discuss next?”

  “Music.” Mathias’s suggestion came out of left field, which was most likely the intention, and AJ was definitely ready for a topic switch. The two spent the next thirty minutes playfully arguing over true country versus much of today’s pop country, as well as the days of good rock and roll being long gone.

  And when AJ couldn’t stifle her yawns, Mathias kindly suggested they call it a night.

  “Mathias?”

  “Yes, Amelia Jane?”

  “Thank you.” She said nothing else, hoping he’d understand there was a wealth of emotion behind those two words. She smiled broadly to herself when he whispered “You’re welcome.”

  Once again, they agreed to talk the next evening at the same time.

  “Good night, Mathias.”

  “Good night, Amelia Jane. Sleep well.”

  She yawned as she said, “You, too.”

  He chuckled when he said, “I most certainly will now.”

  Before she could process his words and comment, he disconnected. AJ shook her head and extracted herself from the couch, taking her phone to the counter to charge. She dragged herself upstairs with just enough energy to brush her teeth and strip down before flopping into her bed, where she was asleep within seconds.

  ****

  AJ spent the following three mornings at Camel’s Back Park getting back into her exercise routine, and also wishing she’d run into the gorgeous stranger. Alas, she saw no glimpse of the man, but that didn’t prevent her imagination from conjuring sinfully wicked scenes in her mind. Especially when she and Mathias spent those three nights talking for hours about nothing and everything, from their work, friends, and pet peeves, to movies and holidays.

  The subtle sexual undertones of their conversation progressed as each day passed, and it was a challenge to keep certain things left unsaid. AJ thought she could detect the same restraint in Mathias’s voice as well. And oh, what a voice. She couldn’t get enough of his sexy timbre as it washed over her like a reverent touch. It drifted into her dreams, causing her to wake with such need, she had no choice but to satisfy herself. Her fingers were a poor substitute to hot, male body parts, but they’d have to do until circumstances changed.