Read Heart of the Matter for Free Online

hadn’t seen before, she closed it.
    Damn. She’d eaten the rest of the peanut butter for dinner, along with a can of sardines, and the bottle of chardonnay was half gone as well. All that remained were two bottles of beer, some spices and condiments, coffee, and a little sugar. She leaned her head against the refrigerator, a lump in her throat. How had everything changed so quickly?
    “Ah, screw it.”
    She returned to the front door and opened it. After picking up the groceries in one hand while juggling the still-warm lasagna in the other, she kicked the door closed and put everything on the kitchen counter. The lasagna smelled heavenly, and she had to stop herself from taking a fork and digging into the large aluminum container.
    The frozen pizzas and Diet Pepsi delighted her, the microwavable popcorn surprised her, and the toilet paper and toothpaste, among other things, embarrassed her.
    She shoved the pizzas into the freezer, then scooped a large piece of lasagna onto a plate. The first bite was ecstasy, and she held it on her tongue to savor the full panoply of ricotta, oregano, and béchamel.
    After finding a bottle of cabernet on the wine rack, she filled a glass and took it and her plate back to the couch and the movie. Just this once she would accept assistance. But only because she was still recovering. One thing Kate had learned covering news stories was that people had a basic need to play Good Samaritan. What harm would it do to allow Ellen to indulge herself for a day or two? Kate would soon be back on her feet and in control again.
    God, I suppose now I have to give her a thank-you note or something. She took the last bite of lasagna, finished the glass of wine, and sat back on the sofa completely satisfied. By the time Richard Crenna returned to kill Audrey Hepburn, Kate’s eyelids drooped heavily and she felt herself drifting off.
    ❖
    Around eight o’clock Ellen couldn’t stand the suspense anymore. She quietly cracked her front door open and peered into the hallway. Yes . She pumped her fist and skipped back into her living room. General Beauregard eyed her suspiciously from his comfortable spot on the couch.
    “She took them, General. She took them, and right now Kate Foster is eating my lasagna.”
    He watched her dance around the room for a few seconds, then slowly closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Kate’s acceptance of her offering only confirmed she had needed the groceries in the first place. She must not have anyone to turn to right now . A woman who had been severely injured, lived alone, and refused to come out into the world might be suffering from more than just a physical trauma.
    Well, Ellen would have to take it one step at a time. Kate was too proud to accept any help beyond groceries, and she’d resisted even those. Now Kate had enough to eat for at least a few days, but Ellen would get her to give her a list of things she needed. How she would do that she hadn’t figured out yet.
    She poured herself a glass of wine and went into the bathroom to fill the tub. When it was the perfect temperature, she climbed in and soaked, letting the warm water soothe and relax her. Maybe Kate could use a nice hot bath. She made a mental note to add a jar of bath salts to her grocery list. Thoughts of Kate and bubble baths drifted sensually into Ellen’s mind and she closed her eyes.
    “Oh, Ellen, yes, please take me, fill me, I need you so much.”
    “Shh, it’s all right, Kate. I’ll give you that and so much more.”
    She kissed Kate, gently but firmly, her tongue pushing against her lips until she was allowed entrance.
    Ellen’s nipples tightened and a dull ache asserted itself between her legs. The mere thought of Kate touching her, of feeling her skin against Kate’s skin always turned her on. She could easily imagine the strong, athletic body and the power of her lovemaking.
    But in her fantasy world, Ellen also possessed a firm, slender figure—womanly, of course, but much