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Chapter Seventeen
Dani’s hands are shaking,her fingers still twitching from all the rounds she fired at the range, as they head back home along I-95.
“You okay?” Nick asks.
“I’m fine.”More than fine,she thinks, her head spinning. In truth, she’s exhilarated.
Exhilarated and confused.
“More fun than you thought it would be,” her husband says, not bothering to minimize the “I told you so” in his voice.
“It was.” Dani had been prepared, indeed had been expecting, to hate everything about this morning’s excursion. And she had—right up until the minute she held that damn gun in her hands and squeezed the trigger.
The fact is that Dani is almost embarrassed by how much she enjoyed the experience, especially once she got the hang of lining up the gun’s sights to the target and balancing the weapon properly with both hands, remembering to exhale as she pulled the trigger. She’d been initially startled by the force of the bullets as they exited the gun, but what really astonished her was the degree of pleasure she’d felt, the sublime sense of release firing that damn thing had provided.
The first time she actually hit the target sheet, albeit only the edge of its white border, she’d felt an unmistakable surge of pride. The first time she hit inside the outline’s torso, she’d felt a rush of adrenaline so strong it almost knocked her off her feet. When subsequent bullets pierced the outline’s head and heart, she’d experienced a wave of satisfaction so strong, it was almost sexual.
As if Nick instinctively understands what she’s feeling, his hand reaches over to caress her inner thigh, his fingers disappearing between her legs, reaching ever higher. Dani squirms, glancing quickly toward the backseat to make sure her sons aren’t watching. But Tyler is busy playing with his Super Mario stuffed figurine and Ben is staring absently out the side window. She opens her legs slightly to accommodate Nick’s probing fingers.
What a day this is turning out to be,she thinks, giving herself over to the surprising gentleness of his touch.Maybe this morning is the start of a new beginning,she tells herself. As bizarre as it sounds, as bizarre as itis,maybe this activity is something that will bring them closer together. As a couple. As a family.
The family that shoots together…
The boys had been less successful in their efforts. Ben, despite his eagerness and bravado, had a tough time balancing the gun and a tougher time lining up his sights to the target. Tyler had better luck lining up the sights but lost his balance each time he pulled the trigger, causing the bullets to fly off in all directions except, of course, the right one.
But perhaps the most surprising thing about the morning was how patient Nick had been with all of them. He never lost his temper, never so much as uttered a disparaging rebuke. It was all “Good effort” and “Don’t worry. Keep trying. You’ll do better next time.”
Next time,Dani finds herself thinking as the car leaves the highway at PGA Boulevard, heading west toward Military Trail. Next time can’t come soon enough as far as she’s concerned. Firing that gun has given her a sense of power she hasn’t felt in years.
She can’t wait to do it again.
Ten minutes later they reach Hood Road, and minutes after that, the small cul-de-sac that is Carlyle Terrace. “You boys find something to keep you busy for a bit,” Nick instructs, taking Dani’s hand and leading her toward the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Tyler asks.
“Your mother and I have some business to take care of,” Nick tells him, not breaking stride.
“What kind of business?”
Dani opens her mouth to object, but the sound that emerges is more a groan of anticipation than protest.
“I’m hungry,” says Ben.
“Have a glass of milk,” Nick calls down from the top of the stairs.
“But—”
“You heard me.” Nick guides Dani into the bedroom and locks the door behind them.
Dani can’t remember the last time she was so turned on. Her entire body is tingling as Nick pushes her back on the bed, pulling off her shorts and panties in one expert swoop, his head quickly disappearing between her legs, his tongue finishing the job his fingers started in the car. She cries out as she climaxes, a sound so guttural she can hardly believe it’s coming from her.
Seconds later, he is on her and inside her, surrounding her with tenderness, and she is almost weeping with pleasure.
And then, suddenly, everything changes.
“My turn,” he says, pulling out of her and flipping her over onto her stomach.
“What are you…?”
