Page 31 of Learning at 40

Me: Just ten minutes. I can be quick. I recall how quickly she came last night, two times, and I want a repeat. I’ll give her ten orgasms if she’ll just meet me in her yard.

River: Just took my clothes off. A smiley face emoji follows, and I realize I might need a little longer than ten minutes with her.

Me: Clothing optional then. I respond with my own winky face emoji and wonder who I’ve become. I don’t emoji. I don’t do smiley faces, and I don’t think I’ve ever tried to flirt through text messages.

Only for River would I do such a thing.

River: 10. For half a second, I wonder if she’s read my thoughts about those ten orgasms, and then I realize she means minutes. She’ll give me ten minutes, and I’m racing for the door, shooting off a text, begging Calvin, Anna’s oldest, to listen for my boys. The older boys have been exceptional at dealing with my younger ones, and I owe Bryce and Calvin. Hell, I’ll pay for their college education if it buys me time with the woman next door.

When I enter River’s yard, I find her near the cliff. There’s a sharp drop off the property but a staircase nearby with roughly the same number of stairs to descend to the beach below as Anna’s next door. I would know. I helped my dad repair them year after year.

River’s back is to me as I approach, and I place my hands on her hips, leaning in to kiss her neck. Unfortunately, she’s dressed, but I’m not complaining.

“I didn’t get a proper good night kiss. I’m here to collect.”

“I think you’re the one with poor negotiation skills.” She spins in my arms, and her hands land on my chest. She immediately drops her gaze to my lips.

“How’s that, angel?” I tease, licking my lower lip before biting it, and observe her eyes widen as she watches me.

“You shouldn’t be jealous of your boys.”

This surprises me. “I’m not.”

“Lawyers shouldn’t lie.” She tilts her head, glancing up to my eyes as she calls me out. I peek up at the lake in the distance behind her. She’s right. I am jealous. She promised time with them and hadn’t asked me to join.

If you want something, you should ask for it. Hadn’t I been doing that? Maybe she’s the one who doesn’t want time with me.

“You’re so good with them, and they adore you.”

“Well, I adore them.”

I adore her, and I want her to like me, too. “I suck at flirting,” I say instead of my actual thought and recall our first kiss and how she turned me down for more that night. I’m still fucking up if she likes my kids but isn’t so certain about me.

“You’re getting better at it. Like anything, it takes practice.” Her hands have slid upward, and her fingertips massage the back of my neck.

“Mason’s good at flirting.”

“I don’t want Mason,” she says, her tone clear.

“He was flirting with you at Logan’s.” I sound like a jealous teenager, but I don’t want River falling for Mason. It occurs to me that Mason presently lives next door, and he’ll be sticking around for longer than ten days. I don’t like the possibility that River and Mason could have more time. The proximity is too tempting. Then again, Mason already said River wasn’t his type, and if it wasn’t that I knew who his type was, I’d call out his bullshit.

“That’s just who Mason is. I have his number,” she knowingly states. I imagine many men have hit on River over the years. She might have a whole little black book of numbers.

“And what number is that?” I question, tugging at her hips to pull her tighter to me.

“Zero.” She slowly smiles. “He has zero chance with me.”

“And what about me?” What are my chances of getting more from her? Getting to know her better? Being more than zero with her?

“It’s up for negotiation.” She laughs after her statement, and I join her laughter.

“I don’t have long tonight,” I say, getting back to my purpose.

“Where are your boys?”

“In bed. I bribed Calvin to listen for them. I told him I’d only be half an hour tops.” I pause, biting my lower lip and watching her repeat the motion. “But I couldn’t sleep without a good night kiss from you. I want to feel your lips on mine and smell your scent on my fingers.”

She blows out a breath. “You might be getting better at this flirting thing.”