Chapter 26 #2
“I don’t know. Would you expect me to put out?”
He chuckled. “And be naked the entire time.”
“I’m not sure, that’s a lot to ask. I mean, I do look stunning in your clothes.” I tugged at the collar of his shirt.
“You look glorious out of it.” He put his hand on my knee.
“I suppose I could squeeze you into my busy social calendar.”
“Let me take you out to dinner tonight.”
“You mean like put clothes on and be with other people?”
“I think if we went to a restaurant, then yes, clothes would be mandatory.”
“All I want is you, naked, holding me.”
“A much better idea. Although I will have to put some on to go to the market—I’m afraid the cupboards are bare.”
“You should probably drive into town by yourself in case you run into anyone.”
“I hate that we have to hide,” he said.
“I think it’s sort of sexy and mysterious. Sneaking around. Having a secret.”
I could tell he wasn’t buying it either.
After Teddy left to go shopping, I sniffed the collar of his shirt. I loved his natural aroma. A friend told me that when she met the man she eventually married, she knew he was the one because of his scent. I had never thought about smells that way but now I understood.
I poured another cup of coffee and went back outside.
A motorboat circling with water-skiers and the laughter of campers drifted up from the lake.
I wondered if Zelda or Hazel were one of them.
I found a pair of binoculars on the side table.
If I walked to the left-most part of the porch and stood on my toes, I could see through the willow trees.
The lake was filled with boys. I tried to locate Max, but I couldn’t find him.
Max was between my girls’ ages. I allowed myself to daydream about our kids growing up together. But where? There was no way Ronnie would ever let me take the kids to live in another country, and I was sure Teddy and Max couldn’t come to New York.
In my imagination, the five of us would live in this house and have the camp as our playground. It was an impossible dream.
Divorcing Ronnie. Could I? Would I? It seemed as if we’d lost our passion for each other.
He said he wanted to work on improving our relationship.
How would I go about doing that when I’d started one with another man?
So many emotions were whirling around my brain—mostly confusion, uncertainty, despair, and a little guilt.
Hell, why should I feel guilty? Ronnie never showed signs of remorse when he did things that hurt and disappointed me.
I let my mind play out more scenarios and all of them came to dead ends. Hazel was the youngest—ten more years until she started college. A lifetime.
I closed my eyes, transported to a hammock hung between palm trees, drinking a mai tai with Teddy fanning me. I heard three low whistles in the distance. Was I daydreaming or was Teddy back? What I knew for sure was that I felt a tingle throughout my body.
I felt the gentlest kiss on my head and Teddy’s hands on my shoulders. I placed my hands over his and sighed.
“Lunch is ready for you, my love.”
I stood up and surprised us both by taking Teddy’s hand and placing it between my legs. “This is what happens when I hear your whistle.”
The way he looked at me, full of desire, made my body tremble. He scooped me up, brought me inside, and put me down on the couch. I lay back panting.
“I do that to you, just by whistling?”
“Every time,” I said.
He kissed me forcefully, passionately.
“You’ve got me well trained,” I said, “like Pavlov’s puppy. But now it’s your turn. Tell me how you’d like your afternoon orgasm served?”
He leered at me, squeezing my butt with both hands.
After, as we lay strewn across each other on the couch, I said, “I think we are in need of a new rule.”
“What’s that?”
“For every two orgasms, we eat.”
He laughed. “To be clear, are those yours, mine, or a combination of both?”
I laughed with him. “All of the above.”
“Okay, as I said earlier, before I was, ahem, interrupted, lunch is waiting.”
In the kitchen, a platter of food sat on the counter and a single majestic sunflower stood in a water glass.
“I love sunflowers,” I said. “They make me think of summertime. From now on they’ll always make me think of you. Thank you, it’s perfect.”
“Like you.” He squeezed me into him.
“And look at this impressive spread.” There were meats, cheeses, fruits, olives, and a freshly baked baguette.
“I realized when I was in the market that aside from this morning’s poor excuse for a breakfast, we’ve never eaten a meal together. I’d no idea what you liked, so I bought a little bit of everything.”
“Uh oh, you broke my number one rule.”
“And what would that be?”
“I don’t sleep with a guy unless he’s at least bought me dinner. How’d you manage to get away with that?” I asked.
“Aren’t I a clever lad?”
After a decadent late afternoon nap, Teddy threw dinner together.
“The gourmet market in town is owned by a fellow countryman. He carries two of my favorites from when I was a boy, Heinz Salad Cream and Branston Pickles.” He held each in a hand.
“Nan used to make a special sandwich for me in the summertime, and now it’s one of Max’s favorites. I hope you’ll like it.”
“The nan who called you Teddy?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yes, the only other person who got away with calling me that.”
Teddy had cut the remainder of the baguette lengthwise and toasted it. Then he slathered the bread with the salad cream, filled it with the leftover meat and cheeses, and generously dispersed the pickles throughout.
“Here in the US, we call this a hero or a sub.”
He poured what was left of last night’s wine.
“Are you Yanks familiar with the Earl of Sandwich? When I saw the condiments, I thought it would be fun to share something from my childhood with you, though it’s probably not up to your New York City gourmet standards. I’ll be better prepared next week.”
“I don’t consider myself a food snob. I mean, come on, I’ve managed to eat whatever the camp cook dishes out, and if this is your favorite, I’m sure I’ll like it. I’m touched that you wanted to share it with me.”
There was too much of the thick dressing for my taste, but I wasn’t complaining. A hot man who wanted to cook for me and couldn’t keep his hands off me—I was good.
We quietly ate until I broke the silence. “I just realized we didn’t smoke last night, and we both survived.”
He hesitated a moment. “I need to come clean. I hope you won’t be angry with me.”
“What is it?”
“Do you remember the first time you caught me smoking, and I told you I don’t do it every day?
” he asked. “Generally, I only smoke when I’m stressed or upset.
At the beginning of camp, my ex was driving me barmy.
I needed to be alone, to think and unwind.
But then you showed up and everything got better.
You listened to me, and because of you, I was able to do something I was never fully able to do with anyone else—express and share my feelings.
Talk things out.” He chuckled. “Listen to me, I’m evolving before your very ears. ”
I smiled and Teddy continued, “I was running across the soccer field and had trouble catching my breath. I decided, no more cigarettes. But that night in bed I thought, Idiot! No smoking means no Lori. Smoking became an excuse for me to enjoy your lovely company.” He reached across the table and took my hand in his.
“I swore that night I’d meet you anytime, anywhere. ”
I laughed. “That’s funny and sweet. I don’t want to smoke either.” I wrapped my other hand around his. “Can we stop and still meet every night?”
“Perfect. I need to keep my body healthy, so I can do my job and still have the energy to properly shag you into our old age.”
My body was covered in goosebumps. I was simultaneously thrilled that he planned on screwing me for the rest of my life and scared that he planned on screwing me for the rest of my life. From every angle, I was screwed.
“Truth. Honesty. From now on, you and me, always.” I stuck out a finger. “Pinky promise.” We hooked pinkies as he ogled me from across the table and took our entwined fingers in his mouth. I pushed my half-eaten plate away and pulled him to his feet, heading for the stairs.
Teddy grinned. “What about dessert? I bought you pie and ice cream.”
“Bring it.”
The sun woke me as it peeked through the windows.
My head was on Teddy’s chest, his arms securely around me, his eyes closed.
I wondered what I expected to get out of our time together.
My vision was short-term, blurred by the idea of sex with Teddy, an athlete, a jock, the kind of guy who’d never given me a second glance in high school.
Was my fantasy over, or had it just begun?
The reality of our fling, who was I kidding, our affair, far exceeded my expectations.
Now it was hard to see my life without Teddy in it.
At the same time, I couldn’t picture my life without Ronnie in it.
What I’d thought would be a summer thing—what happened at camp stayed at camp—was morphing into so much more.
We were up early, cleaning, throwing our things together.
No more lazing in bed. Teddy’s day started earlier than mine; he had to be at the Bergers’ morning meeting where he’d be briefed about what happened while he was off cavorting with me.
I didn’t have to show up until breakfast. The plan was I’d wait fifteen minutes while he jogged back to camp, then I’d drive over and meet my coffee klatch.
He leaned against my car, his hands on my ass. I felt like I was in high school dating the captain of the football team, American football. The fact that we wore sneakers, shorts, and T-shirts only added to the vibe.
“Thank you for bringing excitement back into my life,” Teddy said.
“What does that mean exactly, you know, for us?”
He held my gaze but didn’t answer right away. “I guess, well, considering our circumstances, it means that when the summer’s over, so are we.”
Disappointment and relief flooded my senses simultaneously. “Then we’ll have to make the most of our time together.”
“I’m already thinking about the different ways I want to make love to you next week.”
It was a good thing Teddy was holding me because my knees went weak.
I watched him walk away, no swagger, looking like a half boy, half man in his soccer uniform. He glanced over his shoulder knowing full well I’d be checking him out, and he gave me that look, that look that made me blush. He took my breath away. I had to lean against the car for balance.
I was in deep. I turned the key in the ignition and thought, Let the lying commence.
Reluctantly, I drove back to camp. I needed to focus on the day ahead and let go of the erotic time I’d had with Teddy. If anyone asked how my time off was, I’d say it was relaxing and I’d spent most of it in bed. This way I’d keep my fibbing to a minimum.
Abby, Maggie, and Roger were in their usual seats sipping coffee.
“Anything interesting happen while I was off?” I poured myself a cup and joined them.
“Drama free,” Abby said.
“Zelda and Hazel good?” I asked.
“I had them both in the studio yesterday. They were enjoying themselves. I don’t think they realized you weren’t here,” Maggie said.
I was back into the mundane, but things were never going to be the same.
At breakfast, I walked around the Cubs tables to say hello.
“Lori, I missed you. Where were you?”
“I had my day off.”
“Did you get to see your parents?”
If only I could. “Unfortunately, no.”
“Did you bring me anything?”
I laughed. These kids really did think of me as their mother. “Sorry, no.”
Most of the counselors told me they missed me. Their job was more difficult when I wasn’t there to run interference.
Amber stood up, unclipped the radio from her pocket, and bent at the waist, holding her arms forward as if it were a sacred offering. “Lori, thank you for entrusting me with the responsibility of being in charge.”
I hugged her. “No, thank you, Amber, for allowing me to be off without worrying.”
That night I got to Mindy’s room on the early side and ran through the evening ritual of mixing drinks. I wanted to catch up with my friends but was anxious to see Teddy. He walked in with Bob about twenty minutes later. I barely looked at them as I prepared their drinks.
Teddy smiled. “Thank you, Lori, I missed your G I wasn’t really paying attention to anything but my inner thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Teddy nod his head slightly. I stood up and stretched, said my goodnights, and headed to my cabin.