Heart of the Matter (27 page)

“I love that you did this. It means everything to me. Mom was fine with it, and she knows how important this is to me. My father is doing very well, but I can be back on a flight and home if I have to. I need to do this, need to be with you so I can make a decision. We won’t know what our lives can be unless we start somewhere.”

“If you’re not happy in London, we can think of something else,” Kate insisted. “I can look for a job in Washington. Something will turn up eventually. I could—”

“Shh.” Ellen pressed her fingers to Kate’s lips. “One step at a time. Let’s just wait and see.”

Ellen leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Still holding Kate’s hand, she felt their unbreakable connection. She had visited London many times and loved the city, but she couldn’t help but think about her home, her career, her family and friends.
Could I
give it all up for this woman?

Kate lifted Ellen’s hand to her lips, kissed it, then rested her cheek against it.

Yes, I could.

KI Thompson began her writing career when her first short story, “The Blue Line,” appeared in the Lambda Literary Award–winning anthology
Erotic Interludes 2:
Stolen Moments
from Bold Strokes Books. She has published numerous short stories, as well as a novel,
House of Clouds
, a romantic saga set during the Civil War. Her forthcoming book,
Cooper’s Deale
, will be released in September 2008.

Kim resides in the Washington, DC area with her partner and two very spoiled but much-loved cats. Her interests include American history, Southwest Native American art and culture, and the culinary arts. She can be reached at www.kithompson.com.

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