Lulu's Loves by Barbara S Stewart Page B

told me to say.” He paused, looked again, and continued.
    “I’m not going to like it when you leave tomorrow. What time do you need to go?”
    “It’s only about five hours, but I’d like to be home in time to have dinner ready for my dad when he comes in. It’ll be a nice surprise for him.” Thinking about it made me smile.
    “Just you and your dad?” Thom asked. I hadn’t told him about Dad and me. I hadn’t told him about my mom, except that I looked like her. I knew this conversation would have me do that.
    “My mom passed away when I was eight. Breast cancer.” Just saying those two words caused tears to fill my eyes. I swiped my hand across them to wipe the tears away. “It’s just been the two of us. He’s been both the mother and the father all these years.”
    “Seems he did a good job. He raised a beautiful, smart, interesting woman.”
    “Thank you for sharing this with me, all of it, Thom. This has been the best vacation. I couldn’t have imagined a better time.”
    “Neither could I, Lulu.”
    He was quiet for a moment and I waited.
    “I’m staying tonight, Lulu, but we aren’t going to make love,” he said finally, wrapping his arms around me.
    “We aren’t?” I asked.
    “No. I’m going to hold you. I’m going to kiss you passionately to get a taste of you, but that will be all. We’ll talk while you’re home and we’ll dream about making love when you come back. I’ll be anxious.”
    “Me, too,” I said. He pulled me close and lowered his lips to meet mine. The kiss, as he promised, was passionate. I felt myself melt into him. He rose, reached for my hand and led me to the bedroom.
    “Before we get in that bed.” He paused. I felt his eyes on me. Anticipation and hesitation filled his gaze. “I have to know that you’re okay with this. We aren’t making love, Lulu. Are you okay with that?”
    “I think I have to be, or you’ll leave.”
    He pulled his shirt over his head. I’d seen his chest at the beach, but this; this was different. He slipped his pants off, and then, to my surprise, he slipped his underwear off. Naked, he crawled in my bed. The sight of him left me breathless.
    His body is beautiful…Breathe, Lulu. Breathe! You have to get naked too, but naked bodies sharing kisses, in a bed with this gorgeous man with no sex, is more than I think I can bear.
    He lay there waiting – watching. Finally, I gathered the courage and slipped down to my underwear. I took a deep breath. Biting my bottom lip nervously, I continued until I too was naked.
    “Oh my God, Thom. I don’t know if I’m as strong as you think I am.” I laughed, nervously, pushing my hand through my hair.
    “We can do it, Lulu.”
    I crawled in beside him and he pulled me close. The feel of his skin touching mine left me excited in ways I’d never felt. He turned me in his arms, so that he was holding my body, spooning me. He kissed the nape of my neck and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me even closer. I held my breath.
    “What are you doing?” he whispered in my ear.
    “Praying,” I said with a sigh.
    “Me, too.” 
     
    We stayed just like that most of the night. I dreamed, but it wasn’t in my sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I dreamt of him making love to me. I dreamt of ‘the next time,’ wondering when that might be. I dreamt of the exploration–the pleasure. I dreamt of the feel of him inside me.
    At six, he stirred; it only made me want him more. “Are you awake?” he whispered.
    “Yes.” He raised the covers and scooted closer. He’d never moved very far away, but there we were once more, skin touching skin.
    “Don’t. Move. A. Muscle,” I said, when he finally had his arms around me.
    “What?” He laughed, nuzzling my neck.
    “I mean it. Lay still. I haven’t slept all night. All I could think about was you making love to me, and if you’re moving around, I just don’t think I can be strong a minute longer.”
    “Tell me your dreams, Lulu.” He kissed the