Why Not Tonight?

Adam had said she looked sexy, and she couldn’t deny that she agreed. Sexy and…aroused. Which she’d definitely been. Which is precisely how she’d hoped to look.

Only problem was that it wasn’t thoughts of Greg that had inspired her arousal. It was memories of Adam.

“Argh!” She pressed her fingers to her temples in a fruitless attempt to change the direction of her thoughts then slipped the photos back into the envelope, where she couldn’t see them taunting her, whispering, Adam is the one you were posing for. Whose hands and lips and tongue you imagined touching your body.

Damn it, just as she’d feared, having lunch with him today had been a bad idea. An exercise in futility that had sorely tested her self-control. The effort she’d expended not to touch him, to keep her thoughts on track, to suppress the memories of their affair, to resist the urge to delve more deeply into his personal life, had left her frustrated and emotionally exhausted.

She absolutely shouldn’t have spent any more time with him-time that had only fueled more memories and fantasies. When his lips had brushed her fingertips while taking a bite of her onion ring, the vivid images pounding through her brain had stolen her breath. How many hours had they spent feeding each other? Everything from grapes to Hershey’s Kisses to French fries. It had become a game, a form of foreplay that had always ended with them making love. Feeding him today had resulted in a bolt of lust that had practically incinerated her. It had required all her willpower to hide her reaction, and she wasn’t certain she’d succeeded.

Then, when they’d parted, that light kiss on the cheek…

Her eyes slid closed and she instantly recalled how great he smelled. Clean, with just a hint of fresh-smelling soap. He’d never cared for wearing cologne, and clearly his preference hadn’t changed. She recalled how she used to love burying her face in the deliciously warm spot where his neck and shoulder met and just breathe him in.

Opening her eyes, she sighed. His suggestion that they stay in touch had hit her with the cold, wet washcloth of reality. Definitely not a good idea. Especially since she’d wanted so badly to agree-a fact that only made her feel more guilty and disloyal toward Greg. She’d demurred, but the effort had cost her. As it had cost her to walk away after he’d weakened her knees with that single word: six.

A heated flush engulfed her. He’d remembered they’d made love six times that afternoon on the boat. And God help her, she’d never forgotten.

Her cell phone rang, yanking her from her thoughts, and she dug the flip phone from her handbag. Her caller ID informed her it was Kellie. Before Mallory could so much as say hello, her best friend said, “Okay, out with it. How’d the pictures come out?”

Mallory’s glance cut to the manila envelope. “Surprisingly well.”

“Where are you now?”

“At the office.”

“Good. Stay there. I’m only a few minutes away. Bye.”

Mallory closed her phone, then, determined to concentrate on work until Kellie arrived, spent the next ten minutes pulling up new home listings in the area on her computer. She didn’t look up until the front door opened.

Kellie Straton walked into the office with the bubbly enthusiasm of a teenager. Dressed in cutoffs and a tank top over a neon-pink bathing suit, her honey-blond hair pulled back into a haphazard ponytail and designer sunglasses resting on top of her head, she looked cool and perky-or at least as cool and perky as one could be during a July heat wave.

“Off to the beach?” Mallory asked.

“Absolutely. It’s the only place to be on a beastly day like this.”

“And what about Kellie’s Korner?” she asked, referring to the funky clothing-and-jewelry boutique Kellie owned in the center of town.

“The air-conditioning unit broke down during lunch and the repairman can’t come until Monday. I stayed open for a couple hours, but when it became too hot inside, I closed up shop.”

“Sorry to hear about the air-conditioning.”

“Me, too. But business was slow anyway. So c’mon. I have an extra bathing suit in my bag,” she said, patting the huge bright green terry-cloth satchel hanging on her shoulder. “You can change here and come with me. I’ll look at your pictures while I wait.”

“Wish I could, but I still have work here.”

Kellie made a tsking sound. “You know, this ‘all work, no play’ is turning you into a dull girl.”

Mallory cocked a brow and slid the envelope toward her friend. “Dull, you say? Take a look at these and tell me if you still think I’m dull.”

Kellie slid out the photos and Mallory had the satisfaction of seeing her friend’s eyes widen. “Holy smoke, Mal. These are hot.” She plopped down into a chair and studied the sheets closely. “The photographer did an excellent job of capturing your inner sexiness. I think I might have to schedule an appointment and have some of these babies taken.”

An unpleasant sensation she absolutely refused to examine prowled through Mallory at the thought of Kellie posing for Adam. After a quick inner debate, Mallory decided to share the details. “The photographer did a really excellent job, considering he’s a stockbroker.”

Kellie looked up. “Huh?”

After pulling in a bracing breath, she quickly told Kellie her history with Adam. When she finished, Kellie folded her arms across her chest and tapped her pink flip-flop on the hardwood floor. “We’ve known each other for four years and you’ve never mentioned this guy?”

“I guess I just kept him in the past-where he belonged.”

“And now you’ve waited an entire week to tell me you saw him again?” she asked, sounding both miffed and hurt. “What’s up with that?”

“I’m sorry,” Mallory said, twisting her fingers together. “Really. I’ve honestly wanted to talk to you about it, but we’ve both been busy and I just didn’t…know what to say,” she finished lamely.

“So what’s this Adam Clayton like now?” Kellie asked.

“He’s…the same.”

Kellie shook her head. “Uh-uh. No way. No guy is the same at thirty as he was at twenty. Either he’s worse, as in his six-pack abs are now a keg and he’s losing his hair, or he’s better-more rugged and manly, with an air of some experience about him. So which one is it?”

Mallory plopped into the chair opposite Kellie and huffed out a long sigh. “More rugged and manly.”

“Uh-huh. Based on these pictures, I figured as much.” Kellie studied her for several seconds then reached out and clasped her hand. “I’m guessing you’ve been thinking about him this entire last week?”

“Can’t get him out of my mind,” Mallory admitted with a defeated, humorless smile.

“I can see you’re upset, Mal, but hey-it’s not a crime to reminisce about the past. Or to think another guy is attractive. The world is littered with gorgeous men. Believe me, I know. I see their pictures in People magazine all the time.”

Mallory attempted a weak grin. “Yeah, but half of what’s going through my mind is X-rated.”

“Half-or more like three-quarters? ’Cause I don’t think it really constitutes a problem unless it’s at least three- quarters.”

“The problem is that for the past week, thoughts of Adam filled my mind ninety-nine percent of the time. Didn’t leave much time for Greg-you know, the guy I’m supposed to be thinking about. I just feel confused and disloyal and guilty as hell.”

“Maybe this is a sign that you and Greg are coming to the end of the line. There’s been trouble on your horizon for a while now.”

Mallory wanted to refute Kellie’s words, but she couldn’t. After all, wasn’t taking the sexy photos an effort to try to fix what was wrong between her and Greg? “I know, but these pictures were supposed to help with the problems-not cause more.” She shook her head, feeling lost and confused and not liking it one bit. “Maybe we are coming to the end, but I won’t know unless I give it my best shot. Greg has his faults, but he’s a good man. Steady. Stable. Dependable. You know how important that is to me. And you know how unsuccessful I’ve been in my attempt to find a guy who wants more than a fling. Who isn’t a slacker or a jerk