Chapter 31
I’d let go of my anxieties and didn’t hesitate to make the left turn. For the past week, my mind had kept drifting back to our time together at the lake house. I went to place a water bottle in the cup holder and saw my wedding band there—I hadn’t noticed I wasn’t wearing it. I closed the cover.
He was waiting for me, the sun shining on his bronzed face. So handsome, so sexy, I couldn’t believe that this beautiful man wanted me. This time I wasn’t nervous, only eager to be alone with him. Behind closed doors.
He grinned when I pulled into the driveway. I didn’t wait for him to open the door—I jumped out, threw my arms around his neck, and kissed him.
“This has been the longest week of my life. I felt like a child counting the days until I could unwrap my Christmas gift,” he said.
“But we snog behind the laundry shack every night.”
“True, but undressing you and having you naked in bed with me is a whole other level of . . .”
He hesitated so I offered, “Intimacy?”
His grin grew wider. “Yes, let’s go get intimate.”
A bowl of peaches sat on the kitchen counter next to one filled with blueberries, and a single perfect sunflower stood in a glass vase.
“The sunflower is beautiful, tall and perfect like you.” I had my arm around his waist.
He squeezed my hand. “I was toying with getting you a bouquet of—”
I cut him off. “I adore that you buy me a sunflower because it makes you think of me.” I smiled. “I was about to say with no strings attached, but our rendezvous do have certain expectations.”
He tilted my chin up. “And you’ve more than lived up to mine. This week I’m better prepared to properly take care of you. I hope I meet your expectations.”
I hadn’t been in the forethought of anyone’s mind in a very long time.
We held hands as we walked up the stairs to our bedroom.
He pulled my shirt over my head and then stopped. “Maybe we should eat first?”
“Consider me the appetizer.” I let my bra fall to the floor.
Satiated, he collapsed on me, both of us panting.
He propped himself up, looking at me. “You are very much worth the wait.” He kissed me and plopped back down.
We stayed like that, sprawled on each other, my fingers massaging his scalp until he said, “That was two orgasms—it must be time to eat.”
There were bottles of water on the nightstand and a bowl of grapes.
“I’m impressed. Not only did you buy food, you thought to bring snacks upstairs.”
“I’m here to satiate every part of your body.” He rolled off me, reached over, and picked up a small bunch of grapes. He pulled one off the stem, placed it between his lips, and kissed it into my mouth.
I laughed.
“Are you mocking me?” he asked.
“Quite the opposite. Sex with a beautiful man who feeds me grapes. All my fantasies are coming true without me even telling you what they are.”
He popped another into my mouth. “Let’s make some new ones together.”
I sighed. “I’m pretty sure I’m living one right now.”
“No more going to bed on an empty stomach.” He was talking to me with his head in the fridge as he pulled ingredients out.
Teddy was indeed prepared. There were steaks that had marinated overnight and fresh local corn to barbecue. I tossed a salad while he grilled. There was also a lime next to a bottle of Tanqueray.
The meal was yummy, but I was more enamored that he’d shopped and prepared dinner. After we cleaned up, we sat next to each other sipping gin the August humidity had returned.
“By the way, you broke another one of my rules,” I said.
“Let’s see, I fed you after two orgasms. Not only did I buy you dinner last night, I cooked it for you. There’s more?”
“My mother told me, ‘Lori, never perform fellatio on a man unless he’s buying you a house.’”
Teddy almost choked on his tea, then started laughing. “You’re serious?”
“My mother was a real New York City broad, a ballbuster. She didn’t hold back any thought or opinion.”
“I admire that in you.”
I bristled, but then a mixture of pride and elation overcame me. “I hadn’t realized that I’d turned into my mother.”
He gave me a dazzling smile and placed his hand on mine as we sat. I was basking in the sun, the afterglow of our steamy bathroom sex and making him laugh. What I experienced with Teddy was better than anything I could’ve ever dreamed up. I’d never felt as sensual or desired.
He broke the silence. “Woodlands has been my second home for over twenty years. It’s the only place where I feel like my life is uncomplicated. Max loves it here. I met you here.” He squeezed my hand.
I understood his feelings. My kids were having a great summer, and I could easily get used to sitting next to Teddy every day.
I lifted his hand to my lips and kissed it. “Yes, life is perfect at camp.”
He turned on the radio and we danced around the kitchen while cleaning up. We decided to spend the remainder of the morning relaxing on the porch in our bathing suits to soak up the sun. I laughed when he pulled on a pair of very short trunks with the Union Jack across his delectable ass.
“What’s so funny? I’m a proud Englishman.” He shook his butt at me.
I gave it a squeeze.
“This is how we Brits dress when we’re not surrounded by prudish Americans. Come on, join me. Throw on a bikini.”
“I haven’t owned a two piece in well over ten years.”
“Why the hell not? You’ve got great curves you should be proud to show off. Next time I’m in town, I’m buying you one.”
I wished I could see myself through his eyes.
He grabbed his knapsack. “I’m sorry, but I promised Bob I’d take care of some things for Color War. I don’t want it to interfere with our day, so I thought this would be a good time. I’ll get it done quickly, and then my attention will be solely on you.”
I picked up the dog-eared book on the nightstand. “In that case can I read your book? Huh, I’ve never read John le Carré.”
“My dad’s favorite author. He introduced me to him when I was in secondary school, and now I read at least one each summer.”
“Subterfuge, crossing lines, secrets. I can relate to that.”
Settled back on the porch, we were serenaded by motorboats and the laughter of campers as the sun washed over us.
Teddy started working, but I couldn’t focus on the book—I kept sneaking peeks at him.
He was so engrossed in figuring out the rosters that he didn’t notice me watching him.
I was captivated by the way his eyebrows arched when he concentrated, the way he held the pencil as he scribbled notes.
I wanted to remember everything about him, how he put his hand to his mouth when he was thinking, or absently ran his fingers through his hair, the mole on his left shoulder blade.
I took mental snapshots to store for when I couldn’t be sitting next to him. I started counting down the days—not like the homesick campers, the exact opposite. I didn’t want the summer or our romance to end.