Page 55 of After Care

The restaurant was fancy, with white linen tablecloths and a sunset view, but the only thing I wanted to watch was the man across from me. Dressed in a white dress shirt rolled to the elbows, a gray suit vest, and black jeans, his cleaned-up appearance took his hot factor to a new level of off the charts. We ordered wine. We chatted. It was another official date, and I wanted to believe the future held more times like this, but it didn’t.

Tommy had brought me to another place that had a dance floor and music playing.

“Isn’t this song typically a tango?” I asked, listening intently to the lulling sound.

“It’s ‘Sway’ by Dean Martin, but Bublé made it popular again,” Tommy said, listening as well to the sultry interpretation from the female singer accompanied by a piano. He reached across the table and stood, taking my hand and guiding me to the dance floor without asking me to dance. While he knew my apprehension, I trusted him to lead me. This wasn’t the swirling fun of a dive bar and the Bee Gees, this was the serious tempo of a seductive song. A violin was added to the mix. Tommy’s hip pressed near mine, and sliding a foot between my feet, he moved me to the lyrics about eyes for only one person and being swayed into seduction. His dancing skills were impeccable, and our bodies rolled together, gliding back and forth. A rippling embrace was the best description.

My fingers curled into the hair at the nape of his neck and his hand rested on my upper back. Chest pressed to chest, he held my hand propped between us. The singer shifted to a more modern song I recognized but couldn’t exactly place with my spotty musical knowledge. Tommy began to hum in my ear, as the song had a slightly stronger tempo and a clapping beat. The lyrics asked if the person wanted to fall in love, say the words, I love you.

“I love this song,” I said by way of catching myself from spilling my emotions to Tommy. The music washed over me as the warmth of his body added to the seduction of the music.

“Mmmm…I write songs,” he said, and I nearly tripped on his feet.

“What?”

“The black book. That’s what it’s for. I wrote many of the successful songs for Chrome Teardrops, Kit and Colt, and Collision. Sometimes, I collaborate with Gage to perfect them.” He nuzzled at my ear. “You inspire me.”

I blinked up at this man, who had one surprising secret after another. “Can you sing one for me?”

“One day,” he chuckled, leaning forward and kissing my neck, returning to hum the current melody.

“You’re an incredibly talented man, Tommy. Do you know that? I mean, really know that. You’re kind and generous, and a gentleman, and that’s a rare talent as well.” He pulled back to look down at me. His expressions sobered.

“Don’t make me feel like I could love you all the days of my life, Edie.” His tone teased, but his eyes remained dark, serious.

“Don’t make me want to fall in love with you, Tommy.” I tried to keep my voice even, steady, but it shook. It was too late, I thought. I was already in love with him.

“I wouldn’t,” he replied, his eyes opening wide, scared almost, as the chocolate melted to black.

“We shouldn’t,” I replied, trying to stay strong, attempting to keep my voice light, as I teased him. It was definitely a bad idea to fall in love with each other. But love had already tricked me, and one-sided love was never a good idea.

“But I could,” he teased, lowering his voice, raising one brow, and tilting his head.

“Don’t say that.” My eyes closed, needing to shut him out and catch my breath for a second. I couldn’t play any longer. The conversation had turned too serious despite the teasing undertones in our voices.

“Don’t say goodbye, darlin’. Not yet.” His voice returned to pebbles plopping in a puddle, and I wanted to capture the sound and carry it home in my pocket. My eyes slowly opened, and I combed through the curling hair at his neck. We continued to sway.

Not ever, I wanted to reply, but didn’t. “No goodbye.” I whispered.

Later that night, we made love like we danced, and I melted under him, melding my body to his as he led me in ways I’d never moved before. Unhurried and honey-sweet, his movements were like warm syrup poured over pancakes—deliberate, drizzling, and layering me in sticky goodness and tender sweetness. My orgasm wasn’t an explosion of excitement but a tender rush, like water rippling over rocks, trickling slowly as I released and lingering as it flowed, coating my entire body from the tips of my fingers to the back of my neck in a glorious out-of-body experience. As I came down from the high, and he stilled to empty inside me, I knew I’d never be the same. Tommy Carrigan had swayed me, and I loved him.

11

Timing

I recruited Tommy for help the morning of our last day in Hawaii. With a mixing bowl, a stack of measuring cups, and a bag of ingredients, he opened the door to the penthouse for me. I set everything in the kitchen area and followed Tommy to Emaline and Ava’s room.

“Good mornin’, sleeping beauties,” Tommy softly greeted them, and they turned with sheet-creased faces and bedhead hair to look at their great uncle.

“Want to make pancakes?” I whispered, to which Ava sat upright and Emaline brushed back her mop of wayward blonde curls.

“Can I stir?” Ava asked.

“Mix, stir and pour,” I offered, holding out a hand for her. The brunette beauty stood in her princess nightgown and walked with me back to the kitchen. Under my direction, the girls measured ingredients, filled the bowl, and stirred. Tommy sat at the island, drinking coffee, and smiling in the atmosphere of excited little girls messing up a kitchen.

“What’s going on?” Gage asked, rubbing at the back of his head and standing in a pair of forest green boxer briefs. Averting my eyes, I raised my hands like blinders, whispering loudly, “Daddy’s in his underwear,” sounding like a child. Emaline giggled.

“Pancakes,” Ava announced, and Gage stared at Tommy before looking back at me. I peeked between separated fingers and then closed my eyes, telling myself not to admire his under-thirty body of steel and the strip of dark hair climbing to his belly button.