Better Than Before (RightMatch.com Trilogy) (8 page)

Her eyes sparked with mischief. “I want to kiss you, too.”

“We’ve been talking for more than a month now. I’d say it warrants—”

“Spence, we already kissed once. And I said yes.”

“That you did.” Leaning over, cursing the gear shift, he drew her to him. Inhaling her scent, he clasped his other hand on her neck and took her mouth.

o0o

 Annie expected gentleness from Spence, a widower who, she’d bet her last dollar, had been a tender lover with his beloved wife. And she got it. For about ten seconds. But after the first soft brush of his lips against hers, he deepened the kiss.

Which she was grateful for because Annie didn’t want chaste contact. She returned the pressure, angled her head, moved in as close as she could get. One of his hands tangled in her hair, the other slipped around her back. His mouth became more insistent, he coaxed open her lips and slid his tongue inside.

She welcomed the intrusion. He tasted male, masculine, macho. His scent, something woodsy, filled her head and she felt her body tighten, felt herself go damp. She gripped his shoulders. “Not enough,” she finally mumbled against his mouth.

“No, not enough.”

Coming up on her knees, she climbed over the gear shift so she could straddle him. Ohmigod, he was hard and hot and heavy, nestled between her legs. He clasped her in an embrace so tight she felt totally possessed. She welcomed it, welcomed the alive, sexual buzz she hadn’t felt in years.

Spence was breathing so hard he thought he might explode. Annie was draped over him, killing him with the way she tasted, the texture of her hair, her body pressing every lovely curve against him. When she flicked open the buttons on his shirt and kissed the skin she bared, licked it, he was afraid he might go off like a kid with his girlfriend in the backseat of his father’s car.

Yet, he couldn’t stop. Fleetingly, he thought again about how he’d always been in control with a woman. But not now. His hands went to her blouse. “Can I?”

“Oh, Lord, yes.”

He had enough sanity to be careful with the buttons and when he tugged the material out of her jeans. The dark, lacy bra she wore registered. It had a front clasp, which he released with shaky fingers. She was full, womanly in his palms. His mind blanked and he acted on instinct. Massaged her. Lifted her. Took a nipple into his mouth. Her hair curtained them and the feel of it made him granite hard. His face was buried in her neck when he heard the pounding on the hood.

“Hey, get a room.” A brash voice from outside their cocoon broke the sexual spell.

“You’re fogging up the windows,” another shouted.

The sounds soon became distant as the intruders moved on.

Annie collapsed against him. He held her tight, their hearts beating in a wild tattoo.

Then she began to laugh.

So did he.

And he’d be damned, he enjoyed the mirth, even though his body was humming with desire.

It was then that Spence realized how much this woman had come to mean to him. His feelings had snuck up on him, and now the force of them both frightened him and filled him with joy greater than he’d ever experienced.

He had no idea what to do with all these emotions for the woman on his lap.

Chapter 4

Every spring, Julia, Lauren and Annie went to the Corn Hill Arts Festival held in a re-gentrified neighborhood of Rockland. At first, when none of the couples had children, they attended as a six-some with their husbands. Then they brought babies along in strollers. Now that she and Keith were divorced, the three women kept up the tradition with only the kids in tow. As it was Thursday, the day the festival began, they had to wait until the kids were done with school but there was plenty of daylight left.

They stopped first at a booth which was selling silk scarves. “These are beautiful,” Annie said, running her fingers over the soft material.

“They are.” Julia watched her. “How about if I buy us all one as a treat?” She was so generous and knew Annie couldn’t afford the steep prices at the festival.

“No, thanks. But get something for yourself.”

Combing through a stack of scarves, Julia asked, “So how was your date with the online guy?”

“Great.”

“Oh, my God, she’s blushing,” Lauren put in. “She has more to share, I know it.”

Annie motioned to the woman behind the table. “Not now.” Her words were hushed and she cleared her throat. “I’m going outside to keep an eye on the kids.”

The boys, Alex and Julia’s son, Mark, browsed at a pennant booth next to the scarves, and the girls, Hope and Lauren’s twins, Colleen and Cora, checked out purses right across from them.

When she stepped into the sunlight, the guys hurried over. “Mom,” Alex said excitedly. “Mark says they got a game area. He found it online. It’s new this year. Can him and me go there and play?”

Hope and Lauren’s twins approached her, too. “I’m bored,” Cora said. She resembled Lauren while Colleen favored Nick, her doctor father.

Lauren and Julia joined them. “What’s up?” Julia asked.

She told her friends the dilemma and suggested, “Why don’t I take all the kids to the playground. You two can keep shopping.”

“No fair, Mom.” Alex again. “We’re too big for the playground.”

Mark, fifteen, added, “We’re old enough to be on our own, Mrs. Kennedy. Honest.” Her friends’ kids kept forgetting she was no longer Mrs. Kennedy.

Julia squeezed Annie’s shoulder. “I think we can let the boys go off by themselves for a bit.”

Again, Annie hesitated. She was too protective, she knew that. But the Camp and Lanahan kids were older than hers, and she wasn’t used to her own children’s independence. Still, her friends had a point and had been helpful with their parenting advice so far. “Go ahead. You have a cell phone, Mark?”

“Yep.”

The boys took off and Annie turned to the women. “Where shall I meet you?”

“We’re coming with you.” Lauren poked her ribs. “So we can pump you for details.”

At the play area, the three of them settled in the shade on the grass and the girls headed for the jungle gym. Lauren passed out bottled water she’d bought for the three of them.

“So spill.” Again, Lauren was smiling, which she hadn’t done much of lately. “What’s going on with the hot construction worker?”

Annie had shown them Spence’s picture on line. Though the women knew she was seeing him, she hadn’t shared any intimate details. Now a little girl-talk felt right. “He’s a fabulous kisser.”

“At least it’s gone that far.” Lauren had encouraged her the most, so was obviously happy about this development.

“We’ve only had two dates, a third coming up next weekend.”

“You talked to him online for a month, right?” Julia’s tone was concerned. “And liked him?”

“Yeah, but he’s so much…more, in the flesh. Honestly, his presence is a bit overwhelming. And it shocked me. He’s so mildmannered online.”

“Be careful. Those sites are safe when you’re literally on the computer, but I’ve heard rumors about stalkers and predators. I worried about that when we signed you up, but Lauren convinced me. Just remember, you still don’t know this guy very well.”

Annie was distracted when Hope climbed to the top of the monkey bars. She called out, “Be careful, Hope. You’re not used to this playground.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

Lauren picked up the thread of conversation. “I miss that rush of new feelings, of awareness, of yearning to be with someone again.” Her tone was nostalgic.

“It
is
fun.”

When Lauren didn’t say more, Annie added, “But there are advantages to being an old married couple. I envy you both that.”

Lauren looked away. “Well, don’t envy me too much.”

Suspecting something was wrong with her friend for a while now, Annie decided to get to the bottom of it. “Lauren,
what
is going on with you?”

“I haven’t been sleeping well.”

Annie took her hand. “You haven’t been yourself lately, either.”

“Tell us,” Julia coaxed.

“I can’t. It’s too personal.”

A very unpleasant thought occurred to Annie. “Are you and Nick having problems?”

“Uh-huh.” Now, Lauren’s eyes misted. “I can’t tell you about them. He wants his privacy, is entitled to it.”

“We don’t count, honey,” Julia said. “We’re like sisters.”

“No. I can’t. Maybe in a while. But being with you helps.” She pointed to the playground. “At least the girls aren’t aware of what’s happening.” Annie tracked her gaze. The twins were now pushing Hope on the swing.

Julia’s phone rang. She answered, then said, “It’s the boys. They want to know if they can eat by themselves.”

Annie scanned the crowd. “There are so many people here.”

“They’ll be fine.” Julia was beginning to get impatient now.

“He’s only eleven.”

“Almost twelve, and Mark is nearly sixteen.”

“All right. Tell him to go ahead. But set a time and place for us to meet.”

After she hung up, Julia squeezed her arm. “See, that didn’t kill you.”

“I know. I gotta get a life!”

“You are, honey, with Spence.” Lauren smiled again. “Now, when will you have prurient details to share?”

“Maybe soon. I’m seeing him again this week”

Which she was almost too excited about. For one thing, Julia was right, she still didn’t know Spence well. But she hoped to, soon. She hoped for many more dates with this man who intrigued her.

o0o

Seated next to Spence at the theater, Annie sniffed back sappy tears at one of the romantic comedies that she loved. Keith would never go to this kind of film, but Spence had readily agreed. She was grateful they liked the same recreational activities. At first, she and Keith had taken pleasure in what they did together, but after a while, their interests had no longer coincided, and toward the end, they hadn’t had any fun as a couple.

Sliding his arm around her, Spence bent to her ear. “You all right?” His tone was amused.

“Yeah, I’m sentimental at movies.”

“Now, why am I not surprised? I like that in you, though.”

Once again, she basked in his approval. She’d never had unconditional acceptance from a man in her life, and it was heady.

This was their first date after the sexual explosion in her car last weekend. The kids were with their grandmother, and though she and Spence had talked online, he’d been away at a contractor’s conference all week. Annie was supposed to work at the restaurant, but when he got back, Spence had wanted to see her and the café didn’t have many reservations, so she’d been able to take the night off to be with him. That she’d rearrange her life for him made her uncomfortable. He’d said more than once he wished they had more time together, but building her schedule around him disconcerted her. Oh, well, it was only one night.

Though the movie plot was predictable, Annie enjoyed the storyline. The incredibly sexy Hugh Jackman screwed up, groveled with appropriate angst and the story ended on a high note, illustrating how redemption and forgiveness are possible.

Spence was watching her as the lights went on.

“What?”

He angled his chin at the screen. “Pretty farfetched, I think.”

“You don’t believe in happily-ever-after?”

His lips thinned and she remembered that the last movie he’d seen was with his wife. “Not much, no.” He stood and followed her out of their row, then down the crowded aisle. In the lobby, he again slid his arm around her.

“Did this bring back memories for you?” she asked. “Sad ones?”

“Excuse me?”

“You said you haven’t been to a movie since the last one you saw with your wife.”

“You know what? It didn’t.” He tugged her to his side. “Must be the company was too distracting.”

Annie noticed a man motioning them in the crowd. He called out, “Hey, Spence.”

Suddenly, tension radiated throughout Spence’s whole body. He kept threading his way through the throng.

Annie nudged him. “Spence, that man is waving to you.”

“Ignore him. I—”

But the couple caught up to them. “Hey, Spence,” the guy said again.

“Hello, Michael.” Spence’s voice had gone flat.

“You remember my wife, Karen. You met her at Harris’s party last year.”

“Of course. Karen. This is Annie Hopkins.”

“Interesting movie, wasn’t it?” Karen asked.

Annie grinned. “I loved it.”

Spence started to edge away. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re on to our next stop of the night.”

That was odd. Spence was so formal and rude. When they got outside and walked toward the cars, he was silent, too.

“Who were those people?” she asked.

He took her hand. “Work related.”

“Don’t you like them?”

“I never liked Mike Williams. He’s a lawyer.”

“Who’s Harris?”

“A partner in his firm.”

They reached Spence’s car and he peered down at her. “So, where to?”

She wanted to continue the conversation, but could tell Spence didn’t. Keith said she never gave people room to have their own feelings, that she always pushed to know what they were thinking and why, so she answered his question. “I’m hungry.”

Again, he seemed to relax. “No surprise, there. It’s amazing you don’t weigh two hundred pounds.”

“Fast metabolism.”

“And how you’re active every minute. Where would like to eat?”

“How about the Village Gate? My treat, though.”

“Annie, I can afford a meal.”

“Sorry, I insist. You paid for bowling and ice cream the last time.”

“Ah, yes, the last time.” The tone of his voice was low and husky.

The whole night had been tinged with sensual awareness. There wasn’t anything really special about his casual khakis and light blue shirt, but the clothes made Annie long to take them off him.

“Want to ride with me? We can come back and get your car.”

“I think, Spencer Tracy Brewer, if we get in a car together, we’re going to forget all about eating.”

He kissed her nose. “I’ll follow you over to the square.”

When Annie got in her car, her thoughts turned to what happened in her front seat the last time she was with Spence. They’d almost gotten it on in the parking lot of a bowling alley! But instead of being embarrassed, Annie had cherished the experience. Keith had been too sophisticated to ever make out in the front seat of a car.