Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(76)

But curiosity got the better of me, and hiding the paper as much as I could, I continued on with Kellan’s sort of erotic love letter.

You wonder why I’m constantly aroused, and I guess I’m telling you. Your body fires me. Your fingertips brushing over my skin, ignites me. Your breath washing over me, enflames me. Everything about you is sensual, and you have no idea…none. When you stare at me with those smoky eyes, undressing me like I undress you, all of the blood rushes down, and I want you…so bad. I’m pretty sure that wherever I am right now, I have an ache, a hard, nearly painful ache…because I’m thinking of you.

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I had to stop reading again as a painful ache started building in me.

Good God, if just reading his words did this to me, hearing him actually say these things would probably undo me. Adjusting my posture, I glanced around the room and then returned to my scandalous note.

My day isn’t complete until I’m deep inside you. Your body wrapped around mine is the only way I feel whole. But don’t think it’s just sex and a physical response to you that I’m feeling. It’s not…it’s so much more. You’ve opened me in a way that leaves me bleeding, vulnerable. Being with you, making love to you, it only solidifies what I feel for you. I know that I’ve become one of those spouting, love-sick idiots, but what it all boils down to is three words that don’t mean nearly enough…I love you.

I closed my eyes, silently sending my own repeated proclamation of love out into the ether, hoping he somehow heard it. Reopening them, I read his last line.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry for not having a chance to call you yet…and if I have called you tonight…well, then, disregard this whole letter. Kellan.

I laughed at his last line and shook my head. Glancing up, I noticed Kate still watching me, her head tilted with a wistful smile on her lips.

Kate read a lot of romance novels in her spare time. I was sure she loved hearing Kellan’s version of being romantic. Hot and sexy, but romantic, too…just like him.

Letting out a long, stuttered breath, I shoved the note in my apron and pulled out an apple lollipop. They were supposed to be for customers but I suddenly needed something in my mouth to suck on.

It was three hours later, when I was tiredly crawling into my bed, when my phone rang, and the man who’d been cropping up all throughout my day finally spoke to me again. Sounding energetically awake, he murmured in my ear, “Hey, gorgeous. Did I wake you or are you just lying down?”

Grinning ear to ear, I stretched out under the covers. “Just crawled in-to my large, cold bed.”

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Kellan sighed, the sound husky and sensual. “Ah…God that sounds nice. I wish I was there with you.”

Sighing, I laid my hand over where his body would have been. “You are, remember? Our bed is just too big for me to feel you, is all.” He laughed, amused. “Yeah, that’s right. Well, I’d wrap my leg around yours and bury my head in your neck if I were closer…” He sighed. “I miss the smell of you…”

I bit my lip, imagining his perfect bone structure in front of me. “I was going to say the exact same thing.”

He laughed again, softly. “Hey, did you get any of my notes?” Grinning like an idiot again, I rolled onto my back. “Yeah, I did.” I laughed. “When did you find time to do all that?”

“What do you think I do while you’re at school?” He laughed out.

Shaking my head, I shrugged, even though he couldn’t see it. “Sleep would be my guess.”

Kellan sighed, the sound full of love. “Not this week…I had much more important things to do.”

My corresponding sigh matched his. “Well, I loved them all…it nearly felt like you were still here.”

“Good, that was the point. Did Kate give you hers?” The way he said it was odd, like he wasn’t sure how I’d respond to his seductive letter.

I flushed in my dark bedroom, remembering the steamy things he’d written. Man, he was good at expressing himself on paper. “Um, yes, she did,” I whispered, embarrassed, even alone.

“And…did you like it?” he whispered, his voice husky again.

“Yes,” was all I could get out.

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“Good…because I meant every word. What you do to me, the way you affect me… I know you don’t think you’re anything special, and I think you even sometimes feel like you’re not attractive enough for me, but you are. My body burns for you…I can’t deny that…I never could.”

“It’s the same for me, Kellan…all of it. How you affect me, how much I love you…all of it.”

He sighed, sounding completely satisfied. “Good…I like that we feel the same. It makes me think…everything is going to be fine.” Once again, I heard the words that I’d nearly said to Denny rattling around in my head— I hope so. I didn’t say them to Kellan, though. Instead, I shifted the conversation to where he was and what he’d done today. Telling me about all of the radio interviews he’d had to call in for once they’d pulled into the city, I began to understand a little more why he hadn’t had time to call me, not that I’d really expected him to. I knew he was busy. I knew I’d get to talk to him when he was ready.