his life. Long ago when he and his ex-wife were newlyweds, he’d sit on
the edge of the bathtub and study her as she picked up various containers, dabbing
here and rubbing there. While he didn’t understand the ritual, he always admired the
results.
When he stepped back into the kitchen, Dani had one knee on the counter, the opposite
foot braced on the seat of a chair she’d pulled tight against the bottom cupboard.
As she reached for the highest shelf, the chair leg scratched across the linoleum
in a slow slide. In a few long strides, he caught her around the waist just as the
chair skidded away and she lost her balance.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured against her ear. Her body released a small shiver. She
had one hand on the wineglass and her other hand gripped his forearm. He moved her
away from the counter to lower her to the ground. He kept the journey slow. Deliberately.
Her descent caused her shirt to shift until it rode up to expose a thin line of flesh.
His lucky hand encountered a patch of silky skin, and her tight rear end skimmed down
his body. It’d be a miracle if he avoided embarrassment. He knew he should loosen
his hold. And he would.
In a minute.
First, he rewarded himself a selfish moment to breathe in her scented shampoo, her
skin. She smelled fresh and clean, like she’d just stepped from the shower. He skated
his hand along her belly as he made slow progress to release her, and his body tightened
with need. If he hadn’t been so close, he’d have missed the little sound she made—a
cross between a sigh and a moan.
Somewhere in his lust-filled brain, he registered the squeak of a screen door hinge.
The distinctive slap of a wood door hitting its stop sent Larry into a barking frenzy.
Still entwined with Dani, Matt swiveled them toward the doorway.
Rachel and the boys skidded to a halt. “Oh, hey,” Rachel said. “Sorry to interrupt
your, uh, whatever it was you were doing.” The smirk on her face suggested she knew
exactly what they’d been up to.
Dani pulled out of Matt’s arms then scooted the chair back to the table.
“Just about to make dinner.”
Rachel sighed, a wistful glow on her face. “I remember what it was like to make dinner . The boy’s father and I would get so hungry that we couldn’t even wait to…” She cast
a glance at the kids. “To, uh, set the table.”
Matt chuckled. “Someday, Rach, you’ll get your appetite back, I’m sure.”
“Who said it was gone? DIY is fine for installing a ceiling fan, but other things
are definitely better with a partner.”
The boys jiggled around, unable to stand still. “Dad, you remembered about the drive-in,
right?” Sam asked.
Matt’s brain conjured up a mental Post-it Note. He’d promised to take all the boys
to the drive-in the first night they showed the newest ninja zombie flick. “That’s
tonight?”
“Yeah. You said it’d start when it gets dark. We gotta go, Dad. Now.”
Guess he’d be DIYing tonight, too.
Chapter Five
Early the next evening, Dani and Rachel strolled toward the cottages after an energizing
walk along the beach. Warm air drifted from the lake as the early evening sun reflected
off the water, and silverware clattering against plates harmonized to create a dinnertime
melody from the nearby cottages. The only sound at Dani’s table would be supplied
by the radio. The loneliness hit her like a fist to the gut.
Larry belted out a few excited barks and charged toward the cottage.
Rachel grinned. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
Sam and Matt tossed around a ball, apparently killing time until she returned. Something
deep inside her swelled at the unexpected treat of being greeted at home. Just as
fast, she reminded herself not to get used to it.
Rachel turned her attention to the nearby playground where an argument had broken
out between her boys.
“Sorry. I gotta run before they kill each other. Let’s go
the edge of the bathtub and study her as she picked up various containers, dabbing
here and rubbing there. While he didn’t understand the ritual, he always admired the
results.
When he stepped back into the kitchen, Dani had one knee on the counter, the opposite
foot braced on the seat of a chair she’d pulled tight against the bottom cupboard.
As she reached for the highest shelf, the chair leg scratched across the linoleum
in a slow slide. In a few long strides, he caught her around the waist just as the
chair skidded away and she lost her balance.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured against her ear. Her body released a small shiver. She
had one hand on the wineglass and her other hand gripped his forearm. He moved her
away from the counter to lower her to the ground. He kept the journey slow. Deliberately.
Her descent caused her shirt to shift until it rode up to expose a thin line of flesh.
His lucky hand encountered a patch of silky skin, and her tight rear end skimmed down
his body. It’d be a miracle if he avoided embarrassment. He knew he should loosen
his hold. And he would.
In a minute.
First, he rewarded himself a selfish moment to breathe in her scented shampoo, her
skin. She smelled fresh and clean, like she’d just stepped from the shower. He skated
his hand along her belly as he made slow progress to release her, and his body tightened
with need. If he hadn’t been so close, he’d have missed the little sound she made—a
cross between a sigh and a moan.
Somewhere in his lust-filled brain, he registered the squeak of a screen door hinge.
The distinctive slap of a wood door hitting its stop sent Larry into a barking frenzy.
Still entwined with Dani, Matt swiveled them toward the doorway.
Rachel and the boys skidded to a halt. “Oh, hey,” Rachel said. “Sorry to interrupt
your, uh, whatever it was you were doing.” The smirk on her face suggested she knew
exactly what they’d been up to.
Dani pulled out of Matt’s arms then scooted the chair back to the table.
“Just about to make dinner.”
Rachel sighed, a wistful glow on her face. “I remember what it was like to make dinner . The boy’s father and I would get so hungry that we couldn’t even wait to…” She cast
a glance at the kids. “To, uh, set the table.”
Matt chuckled. “Someday, Rach, you’ll get your appetite back, I’m sure.”
“Who said it was gone? DIY is fine for installing a ceiling fan, but other things
are definitely better with a partner.”
The boys jiggled around, unable to stand still. “Dad, you remembered about the drive-in,
right?” Sam asked.
Matt’s brain conjured up a mental Post-it Note. He’d promised to take all the boys
to the drive-in the first night they showed the newest ninja zombie flick. “That’s
tonight?”
“Yeah. You said it’d start when it gets dark. We gotta go, Dad. Now.”
Guess he’d be DIYing tonight, too.
Chapter Five
Early the next evening, Dani and Rachel strolled toward the cottages after an energizing
walk along the beach. Warm air drifted from the lake as the early evening sun reflected
off the water, and silverware clattering against plates harmonized to create a dinnertime
melody from the nearby cottages. The only sound at Dani’s table would be supplied
by the radio. The loneliness hit her like a fist to the gut.
Larry belted out a few excited barks and charged toward the cottage.
Rachel grinned. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
Sam and Matt tossed around a ball, apparently killing time until she returned. Something
deep inside her swelled at the unexpected treat of being greeted at home. Just as
fast, she reminded herself not to get used to it.
Rachel turned her attention to the nearby playground where an argument had broken
out between her boys.
“Sorry. I gotta run before they kill each other. Let’s go
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