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And nothing caused a media sensation like controversy.
By tomorrow, sound bites from his impassioned speech would be replayed from one end of the country to another.
After the show, hed gone straight to his hotel to call Birdie. There had been no answer. Then he called his daughters. There, too, no answer.
Disappointed, hed wandered down to the lobby bar and ordered a drink. A double Dewars on the rocks.
Now, an hour later, he was on his second round.
He drank it down, then stared at the empty glass. Weak light created myriad colors in the melting ice. Hed never been good at being alone, and it was worse at a moment like this. "You shouldnt be alone tonight. "
Jack looked up. Sally stood beside him, wearing a clingy blue dress that was held in place by two impossibly skinny shoulder straps. A glittery dark butterfly clip anchored the hair away from her face. Her cleavage was milky white.
She smiled, and it took his breath away.
"Are you going to invite me to sit down?"
"Of course. " His voice was thick and raspy. He cleared his throat. "I thought you were off to your aunts house tonight. "
She laughed and sidled into the booth. "A few hours in suburbia is plenty for me. One more anecdote about little Charlies first tooth would have sent me screaming into a busy street. I mean its a tooth, for Gods sake. Everyone gets them. Its not like he wrote a piano concerto. "
Jack felt her leg against his. The heat of her body felt so good. He tried to remember the last time Elizabeth had looked at him as if she truly desired him; that memory would form his armor. But he couldnt find it. Elizabeth hadnt reached for him in bed in years. It was easy now to forget how hot their sex used to be. Some fires just went out and left you icy cold.
The waitress came by. Jack looked at Sally. "Margarita on the rocks, no salt, right?"
"You remembered. "
He downed his own drink and ordered another. He could practically hear the steel girders of his marriage vows weakening. It made a low, grinding noise that sounded like a mans despair.
"You were phenomenal today," she said when they were alone again.
"Thanks. "
The waitress came, delivered the drinks and left. Somewhere, a jukebox started. "Time After Time" started to play.
"Youll be a star after tonight. "
Her words struck that soft, needy core deep inside him. He felt suddenly as if he were the young one and she had all the experience. He couldnt help looking up.
"I know youre married," she whispered. "I dont want to ruin that. I just want to spend a night with you. One night, then we can forget it ever happened. No one ever has to know. "
Jack tried to summon Elizabeths face, but he couldnt remember what she looked like, and he hadnt touched her in so long he couldnt even pretend to recall how she felt. For the first time in forever, he felt wanted. His body ached to give in to desire. "Id know," he managed to say.
She touched his face, forced him to look at her. "Just a kiss, then," she murmured.
He felt her breath against his mouth, hot and moist. He almost groaned.
"You can say it was a victory kiss. "
Now she was even closer. He could smell her perfume and the sweet scent of her shampoo. Her lips brushed his.
"Theres nothing wrong with a victory kiss," she said, and he could hear the new harshness in her voice. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. If he reached under the table now, and slid his hand under her dress and into her panties, shed be wet for him already.
"No," he said softly, groaning at his own weakness. "I have to go. " He stood up.
It took everything in him to walk away.
The next morning, Elizabeth was wakened by the phone. She rolled over and answered sleepily. "Hello?"
