Don't Let Go

by Nona Raines

  Annalee exchanged a glance with Eric, silently acknowledging how lucky Dee and Thom were to have found each other. Dee couldn’t have picked a finer husband, and Thom picked pretty well himself.

  Dee gulped down the remainder of her ginger ale and eyed Annalee. “I need to go to the ladies’ room. Come with me?”

  Annalee hid her smile. It was a ploy to get away from the guys so Dee could give her the third degree. Dee thought she was slick.

  In the ladies’ lounge, Dee zeroed in on the plush velour chaise longue the way a castaway would set sights on a desert island. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.” She lowered herself onto it with an “oomph,” then kicked off her shoes. “God, those things are killing me. I’ve gotten so big during this pregnancy, even my feet are fat. Ugh. Who knew you could gain weight in your feet?”

  “You’re not fat at all,” Annalee said. “You look beautiful.”

  “I know. I glow. Isn’t that what all pregnant women do? Glow?” She swung her legs up, lay down, and wiggled her toes.

  “Make yourself at home,” Annalee joked as her friend reclined.

  “Thanks, I will. Now all I need are a couple of hunks. One to fan me with a palm frond and one to feed me grapes.”

  Annalee took a lipstick from her purse and turned to the mirror to freshen her face. Another woman entered the lounge, and Dee gave her a little wave. The woman smiled and disappeared into a stall.

  Dee gave Annalee an innocent look that was anything but. “So. Are you enjoying yourself tonight?”

  “I am.” Annalee carefully smoothed the peachy color across her bottom lip.

  “I’ve hardly had a chance to talk to you all evening.” Dee gave a mock pout. “Eric’s been hogging you.”

  “Hogging me?”

  “Dancing almost every dance with you. Sneaking you off into private corners…” She raised her eyebrows, inviting Annalee to share about those private corners.

  She’d wait a long time. Avoiding Dee’s curious gaze, Annalee slipped her lipstick into her purse as she remembered the intimate moment in the garden.

  “It’s good to see you smile,” Dee said softly.

  What an odd thing to say. “What do you mean? I don’t smile enough?”

  “Tonight you’re smiling like you really mean it. Not like someone who has to prove how well she’s doing.”

  The statement startled her, like a splash of cold water to the face. A toilet flushed behind the closed stall door, and the woman who stepped in a few minutes ago emerged, washed her hands at the sink, and left.

  When they were alone, Dee spoke. “I just meant—”

  “No. It’s all right.” Annalee’s brain clouded with confusion. She thought she’d moved on, that the divorce no longer affected her. Was she only fooling herself?

  The door opened again, and a young woman came in.

  She noticed Dee first on the chaise and hesitated. Dee smiled and wiggled her toes in greeting. “Don’t mind me. We preggos need to put our feet up from time to time.”

  “That’s all right.” The woman—more a girl, really—spoke in a soft voice. She was fashionably thin, which meant she looked undernourished, and wore a red party dress spangled with sequins. She glanced from Dee to Annalee, who smiled.

  “Congratulations,” the girl told Dee.

  “Thank you.”

  “How far along are you?”

  “Going into my sixth month.” Dee placed a hand over her burgeoning belly.

  “That’s awesome. You look really good.”

  Dee’s mouth scrunched up. “You mean for a whale?”

  “No, seriously. You do.” The girl sat in an upholstered chair and pushed her long dark hair behind her ear. “I hope I look as good as you do when I’m that far along.”

  Annalee could almost see Dee’s ears perk up. “Oh, are you pregnant?”

  “Yeah.” The brunette placed a hand on her flat stomach, mirroring Dee’s gesture. A twinge of regret pinged Annalee. Denny had always put off having children. It was never the right time. There was always something else needing to be done first, always another excuse why they should wait. It wasn’t until after the divorce Annalee realized he’d never wanted kids and hadn’t the guts to tell her.

  It might not have made a difference in her decision to marry him. But she should have had the choice. He should have told her the truth from the start.

  “I know nothing shows yet,” the girl said. “I can’t wait ’til it does. I hope I get huge.”

  Dee groaned and rolled her eyes. Annalee grinned.

  “Seriously. My husband, you wouldn’t believe how excited he is. I mean, he’s like over the moon. It’s our first.”

  “Mine, too,” Dee said.

  The girl’s smile faltered as though she couldn’t quite believe someone as old as Dee was having her first child. “Cool.”

  Dee and the brunette began to converse in pregnant women’s special language, about morning sickness and the merits of breast feeding. Annalee couldn’t help but feel a bit excluded. This stranger and Dee had a bond she couldn’t share—the mystery of impending motherhood.

  “Yeah,” the brunette went on. “I’m doing the whole natural childbirth thing, and Denny’s on board with it, too. I just hope he doesn’t pass out in the delivery room.” She laughed.

  Annalee went still. Her tongue froze to the roof of her mouth.

  Dee’s mouth fell open. She cleared her throat. “Did you say Denny?”

  “Uh-huh. Denny Donovan. Oh, you two are from the class, right? Maybe you know him, then.” She smiled at them brightly.

  “Uh, yeah.” Dee glanced again at Annalee and struggled to sit up. The girl gave her a hand then passed Dee her shoes. “Thanks.”

  Dee gave Annalee a look of panic. Let’s get out of here, quick.

  Annalee on the other hand felt nothing. She could almost hear the ice crackle in her veins. So she’s the one. God, she’s just a kid.

  The brunette’s smile faded a bit in the stilted silence. “So, um, you should come by our table, say hi. My name’s Marlie, by the way. Marlie Castle…um…Donovan.”

  Dee nervously glanced at Annalee. “Thanks. We’ll see…”

  Dee got to her feet, and the girl stood up, too. “Well, nice talking to you.”

  Annalee didn’t move. Dee hurried over to her, took her by the arm. “Let’s go,” she murmured. From the look on her face, she feared Annalee might raise a ruckus, maybe even attack the girl.

  Annalee hadn’t known what her reaction would be to Denny’s new wife. But now, in her presence, she wanted to grab the girl by the shoulders. Shake her. Warn her. He’ll hurt you. He’ll break your heart. Don’t trust him. Don’t be as stupid as I was.

  But young Marlie wouldn’t believe her. Just as she wouldn’t have believed such warnings ten years ago.

  Dee tugged her arm, her eyes wide and alarmed. “Annalee. Come on.”

  They were silent as they headed out of the lounge, into the vestibule, and toward the ballroom.

  “Are you all right?” Dee finally asked.

  She nodded. “Yes.” Was she? Dee’s face, the people they passed, all looked blurry, as though she were seeing them through a fishbowl.

  “The two of them must have just arrived, huh?” Dee hesitated then asked, “How old do you think she is?”

  “Denny’s not dumb enough to chase jail bait. She’s got to be at least eighteen. I’d put her at twenty, twenty-one.” Old enough, sure. But too young to know what she’s in for.

  “Yeah.” Dee bit her lip. “You’re sure you—”

  Annalee shook her head. “I wish you’d stop asking that.” They reached their table, where Thom was seated.

  “What’s happening?” His dark-rimmed eyeglasses couldn’t hide the concern in his gaze.

  “Nothing. Dee can tell you.”

  “Anna—”

  She waved away Dee’s worried exclamation as she scanned the room, searching for Eric.

  Something shifted ins
ide her. She was tired of waiting. She didn’t even want to wait ’til the party was over. She wanted to feel beautiful, feel wanted. Not like someone’s cast-off. She wanted to feel alive, and the man who would help her was sitting at the bar, gazing into a highball glass.

  As she moved toward him, the nods and smiles of those she passed barely registered. The room and all the people around her faded behind a gauzy curtain. Their chatter and laughter became a buzz in her ears. All she could focus on was Eric. Everything else was a dream.

  She reached him, took the glass from his hand, and set it on the bar. Ignoring his raised eyebrows, she pressed hard against him, flung her arm around his neck and pulled him down into a devouring kiss.

  When she released him, they were both gasping for air. His eyes were ablaze. Her head reeled. She was dizzy with need. “Let’s get out of here. Take me home, right now.”

  ****

  She was afraid to touch him on the ride home. Afraid to sit too close to him. If even their shoulders brushed, she might claw her clothes off and his, too, to get at him. She was in a fever for Eric. Her lips and mouth were parched, her skin aflame.

  She didn’t wait for him to help her out of the car once they pulled into her driveway. She walked ahead of him to her front door.

  The heat of his large body scorched her as she unlocked the door. Before she could turn the knob, his hand was there, opening it for her. She stepped into the hallway and turned as he entered behind her. Before she even heard the click of the latch, Annalee grabbed him by the tie and pulled him down for a kiss.

  She didn’t kiss his mouth as much as consume it. Any shyness vanished, and all she wanted now was to get him undressed and into the bedroom. Into her.

  Bobo had managed somehow to escape the spare room. He barreled in from who knew where, trying to nuzzle between them. Eric broke free, sucking in air as he grabbed the dog’s collar. “Where can I put this cock-blocker?”

  “Spare room.” She pointed. “Make sure the door’s shut tight.”

  As he led Bobo away, Annalee was grateful for the dog’s interference. It gave her a moment to regain her senses. She’d waited too long for this and she wanted to savor it. No frantic, up-against-the-wall knee tremblers. She smiled. Well, not for starters, anyway.

  She unfastened the top hook at the back of her dress as she strolled to her bedroom. Once there, she turned to face the open doorway and unzipped the dress. The spare room door snicked shut, and Eric’s voice echoed in the hallway. “Annalee?”

  “In here.”

  When he stepped into the doorway, she shrugged off the dress, letting it pool in a black puddle around her feet. Tempted though she was to kick it aside, she didn’t want to destroy a two-hundred dollar garment after only one wearing. But she took a moment before picking it up, letting him drink in the sight of her black bra and panty set. She was no supermodel, not by a long shot, but the heat in his gaze filled her with pride.

  “Just a moment.” She picked up the dress and boldly turned her back on him, giving him a prime view of her backside as she draped the outfit over a chair. Swiveling on her heel, Annalee sent him a naughty smile before she traipsed over to the bed. She slid onto the coverlet and reclined against the pillows, her legs splayed, her knees bent. Still wearing her silver heels.

  Eric slowly unknotted his tie, slipped it off, and tossed it aside. Next came the suit coat. He took his time unbuttoning the cuffs on his dress shirt. Then the buttons down the front. One by one.

  His gaze seared Annalee. She couldn’t look away. His movements were purposeful and intent. There were no smirks or winks, no slick moves. His striptease was all the sexier for that.

  He slipped off the shirt and laid it over the chair, on top of her dress. Annalee sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. He stood beside the bed, staring down at her. Then he pulled his wallet from his pants and produced two packets, which he placed on the bedside table.

  He shucked off the rest of his clothes quickly and covered her body with his, cupping her chin and hungrily sealing his lips to hers.

  She grabbed his broad shoulders, loving the smoothness of his skin. The way he hovered over her possessively yet tenderly. Why had she waited such a long time to be with a man again, to be kissed and touched? How stupid to hold back, to be cold and alone all these months.

  It wouldn’t be this way with any other man, though. Only with Eric would she feel so safe. Only he would show her this care.

  God, she was thinking too much. Getting too emotional. Get a grip. This is a fling.

  Eric rained scalding kisses down her neck to her shoulder. She arched as he unhooked her bra. Slipping the straps down her arms, he kissed lower, at last pulling her hard nipple between his lips.

  The heat of his mouth sent a sheet of flame through her. Annalee grabbed the back of his head. Her core clenched as he sucked.

  “Up here, up here,” she gasped, pulling at him, wanting his kiss again.

  Eric released her nipple with a pop and moved up to crush his lips to hers. Soon kisses were not enough. She tugged at his briefs to touch his hardness. He pulled her panties down as she caressed him. They untangled themselves only long enough to discard their undergarments, but Eric stopped her when she went to peel off her thigh high stockings.

  “Leave them.” He gave her a wicked grin. “They’re hot.”

  As he knelt between her splayed legs, Eric showed just how much he enjoyed the stockings by taking her foot in his hand and licking a path from her calf to her thigh. She squeaked when he took a play bite at the meaty part of her bare thigh and sighed as he kissed the fold where her leg and torso joined. When he licked higher, an electric current zapped up her spine.

  She palmed the bedside stand and handed him a condom.

  “Already?” he asked in a mock-innocent tone. “Don’t you want to play more?”

  “No more playing,” she growled. “Do me.”

  God, with his mussed hair and cocky grin, he was gorgeous. Annalee wanted to eat him up spoonful by spoonful, like a strawberry sundae with whipped cream.

  He tore the wrapper and removed the condom.

  “Wait,” she said. “Let me.” Light-headed with desire, she had to touch him.

  His eyes widened in surprise as he gave her the condom. She gripped his erection and stroked it.

  “Two can play at that,” he told her, dipping his thumb into her slickness and smoothing it around her hard nub. They tortured each other until Annalee could take no more.

  “Okay.” She squeezed the air out of the tip and rolled the condom down his shaft.

  “Okay,” he agreed, gliding his length through her slippery folds. They were both breathless. “Okay.” He grasped her hips and nudged forward, sliding in only a bit.

  Annalee trembled as she felt the stretch and waited for him to surge ahead.

  “It’s all right?” Eric murmured. He was trying to be gentle, go slow. But the corded muscles in his throat showed his strain.

  Tenderness rolled through her at his care and thoughtfulness. She blinked back tears as she nodded. “Yes.”

  He pushed in a little more, and her core rippled, trying to draw him deeper. He checked with her again. “Good?”

  “Yes. Yes. Please.” Annalee lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, drumming her shoes against his back as he slid all the way home. She moaned in an agony of ecstasy, and Eric’s groan echoed hers.

  They moved in a horizontal tango, bumping and swiveling, simultaneously withdrawing and homing in. Annalee tightened her inner muscles around Eric, teasing him each time he tried to pull out. He grinned down at her. “You’re bad, aren’t you?”

  She hoped so. If she was bad, then she wasn’t ordinary, dull Annalee Mondello. She was hot.

  And hot Annalee was having the time of her life. She might not have had sex in ages, but she had no trouble keeping up. It was just like riding a bike. Oh, who was she kidding? Riding a bike with Denny had never been this amazing.

  Her
entire body vibrated with need. “Oh.” Sparks burst as he thrust once more. Then she came, her body stiffening, her feet arching as the orgasm shimmered through her.

  Eric stiffened above her, pressing deep inside. “God. Yeah.”

  She opened her eyes in time to see him come, glad she hadn’t missed it. The muscles of his arms bunched as he held his weight off her. Annalee smoothed her hands over them, her eyes wet, her throat tight.

  “Ah…” He sighed and opened his eyes, smiling down at her. “Hey.”

  Her skin felt tingly and oversensitive. Little aftershocks trembled through her. “Mmm.”

  “That was incredible.” He lowered himself to lie beside her.

  “Yeah.” They lay together, their hands joined. When Eric kissed each of her knuckles, Annalee blinked away a few tears. Silly to feel sadness creeping up on her all of a sudden.

  After tonight, they’d go back to being “just friends.” Would it be weird, then, seeing him occasionally when he came to visit his family? Seeing him with a new love? A man as fine as Eric wouldn’t remain unattached long. Some smart woman would be sure to snatch him up.

  Annalee was saddened to think she might have been that woman, had she made better choices in her life. If she hadn’t hitched her wagon to Denny.

  “You look sleepy,” he murmured, his own eyelids at half-mast.

  She shook her head on the pillow. “I’m not.”

  “Okay.” He stole a kiss and rolled off the bed to get rid of the condom in the master bath.

  Upon his return, he settled beside her, giving her a big goofy grin. The same one he’d given her after he fell in the honeysuckle bush, so many years ago.

  It felt so natural, being with him. She could imagine being with Eric, waking up next to him for the rest of her life. Living with him, loving him…

  Wait. What? No. This episode with Eric was temporary. He’d be returning to Albany, to his life, in a day or two.

  “What happened between you and Katie?”

  He lifted himself on his elbow and looked down at her. “Where’d that come from?”

  She’d surprised herself with the question as much she’d surprised him. She didn’t want to think about why she’d asked. “I just wondered. You were together for quite a while.”