Lost and Found Husband

Once they were both bare and pressed together, he buried his face against her neck and breathed her in. Sweet heaven. Was it his imagination or did she smell like his favorite dessert?

“Am I crazy?” he asked.

“What?”

“I could swear you smell like cherry pie.”

She smiled, her lipstick lustfully smeared. “It’s cherry blossom perfume. I wore it just for you.”

“I didn’t notice it until now.” But damn, he was glad that she’d sprayed it on her skin. “If I had some ice cream, I’d gobble you up a la mode.”

She put her hand between his thighs. “If you had some ice cream, I’d let you.”

He felt as if he was going to explode. Had he ever been this aroused? They rolled over the bed, tangling the bedding more than it already was. They did thrilling things to each other, too.

Hot, wild foreplay.

He grabbed for the condoms, tore into one and put it on. Dana arched beneath him, eager and willing. He saw the fire in her eyes, so blue, so blazing, so enticing.

Fast and furious, they made hammering love. He couldn’t slow down if he tried. But she obviously didn’t want him to. She matched him, stroke for heart-thundering stroke.

They reached the peak together, or that was how it seemed. He couldn’t be sure. He was too blinded by his own hunger to gauge her orgasm.

By the time it was completely over and they separated, they were beaded with sweat and staring up at the ceiling, their fingertips still touching.

“Wow,” she said.

“Double wow.” He turned to look at her. “That was fun.”

“Just as it was supposed to be.” She planted a soft little kiss on his shoulder.

Now that it had ended, her affection made him uncomfortable. But most women got cozy afterward, he supposed, so why would she be the exception? He told himself that it didn’t mean anything.

Eric got up and used her bathroom to dispose of the protection. He returned to Dana, and her tousled blond hair made him smile. He’d run his hands through it during their foreplay. He’d messed it up but good.

“Will you stay the night?” she asked.

“Sure. Why not?” He got back into bed with her. His discomfort had lessened. Besides, she deserved to be cuddled. To leave her alone now would have been disrespectful.

She said, “I can’t wait to tell Candy how amazing my date with you was.”

“Candy?”

“My landlord.”

“You’re not going to tell her you slept with me, are you?”

“Of course I am. That’s a major part of how amazing it was.”

“Why are girls allowed to kiss and tell and boys aren’t?”

“Boys tell plenty.”

“I never have.”

“You’re one of the good ones.”

He didn’t consider himself good or bad. He simply was what he was. “I’m just private about things like that.”

“Candy is different from most girls. She hardly says anything about herself. She’s divorced and is having a tough time with it. But she hasn’t told me any of the details.”

“It takes time to get over someone.” He frowned. “I’ve heard that divorce can be as traumatic as what I went through. They say it’s like death, only without the body.”

“I’ve never thought of it like that before. But I never had cause to think about it before now. Candy is the only divorced friend I have.” She nuzzled closer. “And you’re the only widowed person I know. I’m so sorry you lost the woman you loved.”

“I appreciate that you’re able to discuss it with me without acting strange. I learned early on to keep most of it to myself. But with you, it’s been easy.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m so easy.” She nudged her nakedness against his and laughed at her own bawdy joke.

Such joy. Such innocence. He envied her that. “Someday some young guy is going to fall desperately in love with you.”

She made a dreamy sound. “I hope so.”

“It’ll happen. Mark my words.”

“Marking them now.” She grabbed a pen off the nightstand and wrote L-O-V-E on her stomach.

He poked a finger into her navel. “That looks like a really bad tattoo.”

“That’s what we should do if we ever see each other again. We should get tattoos. A hunky guy like you should have something tribal and a bohemian girl like me should have something...” She seemed to be at a loss when it came to knowing what she should have.

He went ahead and made a few suggestions. “How about something flowery? Like cherry blossoms? Or something magical? Like a unicorn or a winged tigress?”

“Those are great ideas. I think I like the tigress the best.” She purred playfully at him.

“That’s sweet. But tigers don’t purr. They chuff, like this.” He made a breathy snort, mimicking the big cats.

“Oh, that’s sexy. Maybe you should get the tiger tattoo.”

“I think we should get some sleep.” He adjusted his arm, giving her room to nestle in the crook of it.

She accepted his invitation and closed her eyes, and he watched her until she dozed off. He couldn’t help it.

He simply liked looking at her.

* * *

Dana expected Eric to awaken first, but she beat him to it. She discovered him, rough and rugged, and conked out beside her. His straight dark hair was spiked against the pillow and his jaw bore a bit of whisker stubble.