I take in Marian’s official but sexy top that teases by showing a small amount of her cleavage. “You look incredible,” I tell her. “I’m tempted to take you to Pine Place and devour you.”
Her eyes widen before she adopts a cynical look. “We’re alone now. We don’t need to act like a couple in love.”
“I’m not acting,” I tell her. “I want you.”
A pink shade tints her cheeks. “I can’t believe you’re saying these things to me in public.”
“You’re my wife,” I remind her.
“Your fake wife.”
Before I can answer, Jim, one of the bar owners, comes to take our order, and I introduce Marian.
“You’ve got a special place here,” Marian says, and the silver-haired man grins, pleased with the compliment.
He goes on to tell her how he and his partner, Marcus, started it after they both retired as firefighters. I’ve heard the story many times before, but I listen, nonetheless.
They love their jobs, and I love how they can stay close to the community and do something constructive with their lives.
After he leaves with our orders, Marian turns to me. “We’ll pop in next door to look at the shop, won’t we?”
“Yes, if you like.”
She nods. A solemn look covers her pretty features. “Can we talk about my previous marriage and get it out of the way?”
I’m surprised that she’s brought it up and my admiration for her knows no bounds. When Marian’s mom dropped that bomb, my blood had gone cold and then hot. Now, embers of the same return but in a milder form. My stomach churns at the thought of Marian with someone else.
“Sure,” I tell her.
“Leonard and I were married for five years,” she says.
“What happened?” I say.
A closed look comes over her features. She shrugs. “Same thing that makes a lot of people divorce. We were wrong for each other.” That’s not much of an answer, but I won’t push it. I realize that divorce is a highly personal matter.
Helen, one of the servers, brings the water we ordered with Jim following closely behind with our food.
“The Mrs. has sent instructions,” Jim says. “You are to eat it immediately before it goes cold.”
Marian and I laugh and send back compliments on the food.
“Lilly Love,” I say when we’re alone again. “What made you choose that name?”
She goes still and then looks up and smiles. “I love the name Lilly, and the word love suits a wedding planning outfit, don’t you think?”
“It does,” I say enthusiastically.
I note that her spirits go down a notch after that. I can’t figure out what I said or did. “Is something wrong?” I finally ask her.
She looks up in surprise. “No, nothing at all. I’m just enjoying this delicious food.”
“I’ve brought clothes for a week with me.” I stare at her to gauge her reaction.
Her face lights up. Genuine happiness that I’m moving into her house for the week. Relief floods me. I’m excited to live in the same house as Marian, but I need her to want it too.
“I’m glad,” she says. “We can go home after we’re done with next door.”
“You don’t have to,” I tell her feeling guilty at the hell I gave her the day she left me alone in her house. “You don’t need to babysit me. I know you have work to do.”
She laughs softly. “Babysitting is not what I had in mind.”
Heat whips through me. My cock rouses itself like a sleeping giant and the need courses through me. “Do you know what that does to me?”
“What?” she asks, batting her eyelashes.
“We’re going home now,” I growl. “As soon as I’m decent enough to stand up and go and pay the bill.”
She smiles sweetly. “I’ll go and pay it.”
She stands up and sashays toward the counter, her curvy ass straining against her skirt. I remember how it feels like to cup it in my hands and almost groan out loud.
I imagine taking her from behind when she’s on all fours, and my erection grows even larger. Marian returns to the table carrying two more bottles of water.
“I thought you might need this,” she says as she hands me the bottle.
“You’ll pay for this,” I tell her and take a swig of the water.
She adopts an innocent, puzzled look. “What have I done?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a tease?” I ask her.
She sticks her tongue out. “No. Now let’s get out of here. We must take your luggage home,” she says, her voice husky and suggestive.
My shirt is untucked, and I hope that my cock will behave itself and stay hidden. It helps that Marian walks ahead of me, and when we’re safely in the car, I gesture at the swell of my pants. “See what your teasing has done?”
“Mmm,” she says and places a hand over my pants. I groan as she cups my cock.