aerodynamic?”
“I did. Very flattering.”
“I bet. How long before the next class?”
“Forty-five minutes.”
“Long enough.” He began to back her toward the house.
She kept her eyes on his, and he saw the laugh in them, a sparkle on the serene blue. “No ‘Would you like to?’ or ‘I can’t resist you’?”
“No.” He clamped her waist, lifted her up the porch steps.
“If I said I’m not in the mood?”
“I’d be disappointed, and you’d be lying.”
“You’re right about the lying. So...” She pulled the door open, tugged him inside.
But when she backed toward the steps, he shifted directions.
“Couch is closer.”
It was also softer than the dining room table, at least until they rolled off and hit the floor. And it was, Fiona thought when she lay beside him trying to regain her breath and the path to coherent thought, every bit as exciting.
“Eventually we might make it to a bed.”
He trailed, very lightly, a fingertip over her breast. “Cancel the class and we’ll go up now.”
“It’s a shame I’m a responsible woman—and one who barely has time to take a shower.”
“Oh yeah, the obligatory shower. I could use one.”
“Doubling up would only lead to shower sex.”
“Damn straight.”
“Which, while fun, I have no time for. Besides, you and Jaws can’t do the next class. It risks overtraining. But you could—” She broke off when the dogs announced visitors. “Oh hell, oh shit!” Scrambling, she grabbed her shirt, her pants, bundled them in front of her as she hunched toward the window.
“It’s James, and oh God, Lori. It’s James and Lori and I’m naked in the living room on a Sunday afternoon.” She glanced back. “And you’re naked on the floor.”
She looked so sexily flustered, a little wild in the eye and pink from her toes to her hairline.
Delicious, he thought. He could’ve lapped her up like ice cream. “I like it here.”
“No! No! Get up!” She waved her hands, dropped her shirt, grabbed it again. “Up, get something on. Go... go tell them I’ll be out in five minutes.”
“Because you’re taking an after-sex shower?”
“Just... get your pants on!” Still hunched, she sprinted for the stairs.
Grinning—she looked even more interesting running naked—he tugged on his pants, tossed on his shirt and, grabbing his socks and boots, strolled out onto the porch.
James and Lori stopped greeting the dogs. James’s eyes narrowed. Lori flushed.
“She’ll be out in a couple minutes.” Simon sat to put on his socks and boots. Jaws instantly made a lunge for a boot. Simon swung it out of reach, said, “Cut it out.”
“Nice-looking dog. How’s his training coming?”
“It’s coming. We just took in a class.”
James’s eyes stayed narrowed. “Is that what you just did?”
Simon laced up his boot, smiled coolly. “Among other things. Is that a problem for you?”
Lori patted frantically at James’s arm. “We just dropped by to see if Fiona wanted to grab some dinner after her classes. You could join us.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got to get on. See you around.” He walked to his truck. Jaws danced in place, obviously torn, then ran after Simon, leaped into the cab of the truck.
“I don’t know about this,” James muttered.
“It’s not our business—exactly.”
“It’s the middle of the afternoon, practically. It’s daylight.”
“Prude.” Lori elbowed him and laughed.
“I’m not a prude, but—”
“People make love in the daylight, James. Plus I like knowing he’s around, spending time with her. Didn’t you say we should come by just to check on her?”
“Yeah, but we’re her friends.”
“I think Fee and Simon are pretty friendly. Just a wild guess. I’m sorry if you’re jealous, but—”
“I’m not.” Genuinely surprised, he stopped scowling after Simon and turned to her.
“I know you and Fee are close,” Lori began, lowering her lashes.
“Wow. No. Not that way.”
The lashes lifted again. “At all?”
“At all, as in never. Jeez, do people actually think... ?”
“Oh, I don’t know about people. I guess I just thought you were, or had been or maybe hoped to.” She managed an embarrassed laugh. “I’ll shut up now.”
“Listen, Fee and I are... we’re like family. I don’t think about her that way. I don’t think that way.” He paused until she looked at him, looked in his eyes. “About Fee.”
“Maybe you think that way about somebody else?”
“All the time.”
“Oh.” She laughed again. “Thank God.”
He started to touch her; she started to let him. And Fiona rushed out of the house.
“Hey! Hi. It’s my day for pals. Did Simon leave?”
James let out a long breath. “Yeah, he said he had to go.”
“Sorry,” Lori put in. “Lousy timing.”
“Actually, it could’ve been worse. Or much more embarrassing for all. Let’s just close the door on all that. So.” She offered a big, bright smile. “What are you two up to?”
Thirteen
“Organic milk.” Fiona unloaded the items she’d picked up for Sylvia. “Free-range eggs, goat cheese, lentils, brown rice and one shiny eggplant. Mmm, yummy.”
“I shudder to think what you’ve got in the car.”
“Besides Bogart? You’re better off not knowing.”
“Fat, salt, starch and sugar.”
“Maybe, but also a couple of very pretty apples. And look what I got for you,” she said to Oreo, “because you’re so cute.”
She pulled out a squeaky toy, gave it a squeeze and sent the little dog into a quiver of delight. “Sylvia,” she said when she offered the toy, and Oreo pranced off with it. “I’m having an affair.” With a laugh she turned two quick circles. “I’m closing in on thirty, and I’ve never been able to say that before. I’m having a hot, steamy, crazy affair.”
With the one shiny eggplant in her hand, Sylvia smiled. “It’s certainly giving you a relaxed, happy glow.”
“Is it?” Fiona laid her hands on her own cheeks. “Well, I am relaxed and happy. You know it was never an affair with Greg. It was friendship and a crush and a relationship one after another, or altogether. But a slow build. And this? This has been
She leaned on the kitchen counter, grinned. “I’m having scorching, no-strings sex, and it’s fabulous.”
“Do you want to keep it that way?” Sylvia gave Fiona’s hair, loose today, swinging, a quick stroke. “The no strings?”
“I’m not thinking about that yet.” Fiona lifted her shoulders, let them fall in a kind of internal hug. “I like this phase of not thinking about it.”
“Exciting. A little dangerous. Unpredictable.”
