Getting sexy: Obsession / Getting Some / Getting Even

I push myself up off the floor and walk out of the closet. I plop myself onto the bed. After a moment, I reach for the phone. I want to call Claudia, but then I remember she’s in New York for her fitting. Lishelle’s no doubt at the studio, so I don’t want to bother her there.

Instead, I find myself calling Charles. The man I swore to be faithful to until death parts us.

“Charles Crawford’s office,” his receptionist says pleasantly.

“Emily, it’s Annelise. Is Charles available?”

“Oh, sure. Hold on a sec.”

A moment later, Charles comes onto the line.

“Annelise, hi.”

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking about you. I wanted to hear your voice.”

“Everything all right?”

“Yeah,” I lie. “I’m fine. Just…missing you.” And feeling incredibly guilty for my mental infidelity!

“I’m sorry about last night,” he says, surprising me. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe what we need to do is plan some time away. I’m always so busy with work. Maybe if I get the hell away from this place…”

My heart fills with hope. All this time, I thought my suggestions were going in one ear and out the other. But Charles was listening. He really was.

“Oh, Charles. That would be fantastic. Do you really think you can get the time?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Okay. That’s all I can ask.” I pause. “What about tonight? Do you want to go out for dinner?” I ask him. “It’s a Tuesday, it shouldn’t be hard to get reservations.”

“Sure. We haven’t done that in a while, have we?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“I can’t believe how caught up with work I get. I’ll have to make a better effort.”

Charles is being so agreeable, I could cry.

“I’ll call around and find someplace suitable. Is a reservation for seven o’clock okay?”

“Perfect. Now, I hate to cut this short—”

“Charles,” I say quickly.

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

There’s a pause. I’m wondering if Charles is going to say anything when he finally speaks. “I know you do, sweetheart. And I love you, too.”

When I hang up the phone, I immediately go to my purse and dig out the card Dominic gave me earlier. I rip it to shreds. Then I walk to the bathroom where I flush them down the toilet.

Chapter Nine

Lishelle

I’m gazing into Glenn’s eyes. Yes, gazing. And holding his hand as we lie in my bed face-to-face, naked as the day we were born. One of Glenn’s legs is slung over both of mine. This feels so natural—like he’s been in my life and my bed forever.

I could stare into those mesmerizing hazel eyes all day. You’d think I’ve never been with a man before and Glenn’s got some kind of spell on me.

But hey, I’m in love. And the truth is, I’ve never loved anyone like I love Glenn.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask him.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re trying to eat me up with your eyes.”

“You want me to stop?” he asks.

“Not a chance. I want to stay here like this forever with you.”

“I know what you mean.”

A beat passes. I yawn. “I’m so exhausted. Thanks to you.”

“You weren’t complaining last night.”

“I sure wasn’t,” I reply, chuckling softly. “What a start to my weekend!”

After speaking with Glenn during the week, I didn’t expect him until today. But he surprised me by calling me at the studio last night and telling me he was in town.

We’ve been fucking ever since.

What can I say? I haven’t had sex in two years. I’m going to take as much of it as I can get these days.

Glenn lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses it. “I aim to please.”

“Did you ever!”

We both giggle, then gaze. Sheesh, you’d think we were fifteen and had just shared our first sexual experience together.

“You ready to get up?” Glenn asks me. Of course, he asks this as he tweaks one of my nipples.

“Oh, you don’t play fair, do you?”