“I thought you had to wear a brace.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m not planning on doing a lot of walking. How about you?”
She turned in his arms and shook her head. She was scared and excited to be in his arms again. Were they really going to have sex tonight? She hoped so, but she had a few things to say first. “I figured something out tonight.”
“What’s that?”
“Maybe we weren’t meant to be together all those years ago.” She placed her hand on Ford’s chest, felt the firm warmth. “Think how everything would have been different. If I hadn’t married Gary, there would be no Shay or Rob. If you hadn’t married Irene, there would have been no Jason or Julie.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his. “I don’t want to imagine a world without our children in it.”
“I don’t either. Maybe you’re right.” Ford brushed her hair back from her face and gazed at her deeply. “Diane, I want to tell you something. I don’t know why Irene lied to me and I’m sorry that she hurt you. That she made me hurt you. I wish I could change that choice I made when I was young and foolish. But I can’t.”
Diane nodded, but couldn’t find anything to say in response.
“I want you to know whatever happened, how it happened, I loved Irene. I would never have married her otherwise.”
It hurt to hear it. “I know.”
Ford cupped her jaw. “But I never stopped loving you.”
Her breath caught. “Oh.”
“It killed me when you married Gary so quickly. It shouldn’t have, I know. But it did.”
“I never loved him like I should have. I’m ashamed to realize that now. I was young and foolish, and I think I probably pushed Gary to get married at least partly to get back at you.” She threaded her fingers into Ford’s thick hair. “I never stopped loving you either.”
“Good to know.” His voice was a little rougher than it had been a moment before. He brushed his lips over hers. “Now when we make love we’ll know it means something.”
Diane took in a shaky breath. They were going to have sex. Make love.
He cupped her face in both hands. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
His mouth descended on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into the kiss. His warm, hard body pressed against her. He ran his hands down her back and she arched with delight. She opened to his searching tongue, drinking him in.
Ford slipped his hands beneath her loose tee. “I like this shirt.” He smiled, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. “Easy access.”
She loved the slide of his hand against her skin. Then she gasped as he found her breast and tweaked her nipple.
“Good?” he asked.
Diane nodded. “Again?”
“You got it.” But first he grabbed the hem of her shirt and drew it over her head. His glance caressed her as he swept his gaze from her face to her chest. He reached out for her necklace and traced the chain with his fingers. When he fondled the charms, the brush of his fingers took her mind off the fact that he was seeing her no-longer-so-tight body naked. “I’d say you’re going to get lucky tonight.”
She laughed and when he caught her nipple in his mouth, she moaned.
Diane slipped her hands beneath his soft sweatshirt and smoothed her palms over the warm skin of his back. In another moment, she yanked on the hem of his sweatshirt, desperate to feel him skin to skin. He helped her drag it over his head and then he pulled her onto his lap.
The years flew away as they explored, reacquainting themselves with the shape, the taste, the scent of each other. Their mouths moved over each other as they feasted, moaned, laughed. Diane nibbled on his mouth, drawing out the kisses, before Ford groaned and plunged his tongue between her lips.
Breathless, Diane met him with equal passion, wriggling on his lap as if she were a kid again. Ford’s hard erection pressed against her. Need built, a need she’d almost forgotten. An urgency she thought she’d never feel again. The sex she’d imagined enjoying with Ford again was going to happen and the feeling she had now was one of anticipation. Of joy.
A good feeling. She had a very good feeling about this.
Chapter 7
Diane reluctantly pulled away from the all-consuming kiss. “The first time we had sex was on a couch, remember?”
He nodded, his hands still on her hips. His breathing was passion-rough, matching hers. His eyes were shadowed with need and she wondered if hers appeared the same. He looked as if he wanted to drag her back for another kiss, but he cleared his throat and sent her a sexy grin. “I’d never forget. On that saggy old couch. In that little apartment you shared with Lynn. We had a lot of sex on that sofa.”
It had been a one-bedroom apartment, with bunk beds so they had more space. She and Ford had often done their fooling around on the living room sofa after her roommate had crawled into her upper bunk in the next room. Thank goodness that only lasted a year.
“Right now I’d rather have sex in a big bed,” she told him with a sigh. “Guess I’m getting old.”
“Not old, sweetheart. Sensible.” He groaned and wiped his hand over his face. “That sounds terrible. Not what I meant at all.” He ran his hands over her shoulders, along her arms and down to her hips. “Sensible doesn’t sound sexy and you are so sexy right now.”
“You make me feel sexy.” And that was amazing because she hadn’t felt like an attractive woman in years. She leaned in and brushed her breasts against his bare chest. The sprinkling of hair tickled and teased her nipples. “I think you’re sexy too.”
His hands tightened on her hips. “Let’s find that bed.”
Diane gave Ford a quick, hard kiss, then climbed off his lap. She held out her hand and his eyes sparkled as he let her pull him to his feet. She led him through the house, her heart racing. As they stepped into the large master bedroom, she was glad she hadn’t been running late this morning or likely the bed wouldn’t have been made and who knew what clothing might have been left strewn around the room.
Ford tugged on her hand and turned her into his arms. “I don’t have a condom with me. I haven’t had sex with anyone in the three years since Irene’s been gone.”
“I haven’t since Gary left either.” She pressed against him, felt him hard against her hip. Her sex clenched with anticipation. “And pregnancy is no longer an issue.” One benefit of getting older.
“If I didn’t have this bum leg, I’d sweep you up in my arms and carry you over to the bed.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t need that.”
“But you deserve it. You deserve it all, Diane.”
Tears prickled her lids. “So do you. What do you say we cross the room together?”
Arms around each other’s waists, they crossed the few feet to the king-sized bed. Ford sat on the edge of the mattress and pulled her in between his legs. Her breasts were even with his mouth and she grasped his head as he loved on them for a few delirious moments.
Then she stepped out of her pants and helped him out of his clothes. They rested on the mattress face to face, skin to skin. Diane explored his body, learning him anew with her hands and mouth. That ticklish spot in the crook of his neck. The sensitive skin between his hip bone and groin. His erection shot up long and tall, and she teased him with a quick kiss to the head before she went lower.
She spent a few moments massaging his legs. They’d had a hard time of it lately and when Ford moaned in delight, she lavished a little more care there. His arousal was tempting her with its strength and musky scent, but she’d be giving that part of his body special attention soon, so she continued to focus on his thighs.
Then he suddenly grasped her by the waist and flipped her so she was the one flat on her back. “My turn,” he growled. Then his hands and mouth were sweeping sensuously over her body, along her throat, her breasts, her abdomen, the arches of her feet. Shivers danced along her skin, her entire body sensitized by his touch. His lips tickled the soles of her feet and then he headed
up her body again.
When his mouth settled between her legs, she lifted off the bed.
“Ford!” Soon she was wriggling and moaning as his tongue swept along her sensitive flesh. She slipped her fingers into his hair and held on tight while he worked his mouth over her. It had been such a long time. With just a few strokes, Ford pushed her to the brink. Her moans grew louder, but she couldn’t stop them. Ford chuckled and the bursts of warm breath tickled her. One more long, rough lick sent her over the edge and she screamed with her release.
Ford settled over her, his body pressing her into the mattress. “I’ve missed that scream.”
“I never scream.”
“You used to scream with me.” Satisfaction filled his voice.
“I did?” Diane didn’t expect her face to grow warm. “I don’t remember.”
“I do,” Ford said, his voice low. Then he slid into her with one long thrust and they were together again. Where they belonged. Nothing had ever felt so right.
This was no slow, comfortable coupling. It was hard and frantic and nearly out of control. Taking them back to where they used to be. And when he drove them both over the edge, they flew together, each of them shouting out their release.
But as she lay there later, her head on his shoulder as he slept, the elation dimmed and the fear slunk in to take its place. Was this the right thing to do? A relationship with Ford would not be easy. Already her emotions were going crazy. Her body craved more. Her heart did too.
Could she handle the wild ride? She knew it would be exhilarating, but what about when they plunged down the other side? She was too old to expect a happy ending. There were always lows after the highs. There was always bad luck after good. Ford had betrayed her thirty years ago. Could she trust him not to do it this time?
Ford’s heart was full when he woke up in Diane’s arms. The ringing of her phone penetrated the warm, morning-after cocoon, pulling her away from him. She shivered when her naked body hit the cold air. As soon as she grabbed the phone off the nightstand, Ford pulled her back to him in the middle of the bed and drew the blankets up to cover their bare shoulders.
“Hey, Jimmy.” Her voice was a little just-woke-up rough. It was very sexy. She cleared her throat as she listened. “Really? Okay. See you tomorrow.” She dropped the phone and glanced at Ford. “I guess there’s a ton of snow out there and it’s still coming down. The county has declared a state of emergency and a driving ban. The BB&G is closed. No work today.”
Why didn’t she look as happy as he felt? Ford pulled her close and at least she didn’t fight him on that. He brushed his hand along her hip. “You mean we can fool around all day?”
She glanced past his shoulder at the window. Morning light sliced through the blinds. “I guess so.”
“Hmm.” Why was she pulling away? He studied her and she finally met his eye. “Is this just an awkward morning-after thing or is something wrong?”
“Sorry.” She snuggled up to him and Ford rubbed her back, trying to calm his own apprehension as well as hers. “I’m telling myself to just enjoy this. And I am enjoying being with you. Really. But part of me can’t help but wonder where this is going. I know it’s too early to wonder something like that but I can’t help it.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s okay. I don’t think either one of us casually sleeps around.”
“Yeah. You’re right about that.”
Ford took a deep breath, then offered what he didn’t want to. “Do you want me to go home?”
She pulled back and glared at him. “No!”
He let the breath out on a relieved sigh. “Good. I hear there’s a ton of snow out there.”
She finally smiled for a brief moment, then dropped it again. “I haven’t slept around at all and I think I’m justified in feeling a little anxious. We both said the L word last night.”
It probably wasn’t a good sign that she couldn’t say the L word. “Yes, we did.” He cupped her face. He needed to touch her more than he needed to breathe. “I still love you this morning. Have your feelings changed?”
She shook her head. “No. That hasn’t changed.”
“Good. We don’t have to make any plans for the future right now,” he told her, even though he thought he might be ready to make a commitment to her right then and there.
After Irene died, he’d expected to be alone for the rest of his life. The thought of going out and dating had turned his stomach, but the thought of having a life with Diane made him feel on top of the world. Why didn’t she feel the same way?
He wished he had the sexual stamina he had when they’d been together before. Man, he didn’t appreciate what he’d had in his early twenties. He’d keep her in bed all day long if he could. But that wasn’t going to happen.
“Let’s see how things go,” he said. “Remember, we’re not planning out the rest of our lives today. We can just enjoy some time together.”
“Okay.” Her smile was brighter and he couldn’t be sorry for that. “Let’s make some breakfast.”
“Not so fast.” Ford rolled over and pinned her to the mattress. He was hard for her again and he didn’t want to pass up another opportunity to make love with her. He nuzzled his face between her breasts and she wriggled beneath him, wrapping her legs around his hips. Her sex was soft and warm against him and he resisted the urge to plunge into her right away. She closed her eyes and threw her head back against the pillow as she moaned.
Ford slid one hand between them and tested the sensitive flesh between her legs. She was wet and ready and her shaky gasp when he touched her made him smile. “I’ve got you,” he murmured.
He found her slippery clitoris and played it with the tip of his fingers. She gasped again and her eyes flew open. Her gaze locked with his as she came.
The sensation of her bucking beneath him was more than he could take. He thrust into her welcoming heat, savoring the feeling of her surrounding him, pulsing around him. She wrapped her arms and legs around him. He’d finally come home.
Their gazes held as he moved in her, loving her, showing her how much with every touch, with every slide, every breath. And when he came, he took her with him, their cries of completion echoing in the bedroom as the morning sunlight streamed through the lacy curtains.
It wasn’t until he slid out of her warm body and sat up on the mattress that Ford noticed the white, antiqued frame that hung over the bed. Surrounded by a wide white mat was a deep-green four-leaf clover pressed behind glass.
“That’s not…”
Diane followed his gaze. “The one I found on our first date? Yep.” She sighed. “It didn’t bring me luck, but I can’t bring myself to take it down.”
His heart broke for the little girl who’d had bad luck drilled into her head since she was a child. “You haven’t been all that unlucky, have you?”
She climbed out of bed and pulled on a robe, cinching it tight. “I guess not, but it didn’t bring me the luck I thought it would.”
“It’s not luck, Di. Everyone has ups and downs. It’s not bad luck or good luck. It’s just life.”
She shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. I’m going to take a shower. You can use the bathroom at the end of the hall.”
Ford stood there as she disappeared into the master bathroom. He wished he knew what she was thinking. He grabbed his clothes and took a quick shower. When he was done, he headed for the kitchen to start some coffee. The snow was still coming down heavily, piling up on top of what had already settled on the ground overnight.
Once he started the coffee brewing, he wandered back into the cozy dining room. Four matching chairs with comfortable-looking blue cushions surrounded a round wooden table. Instead of a centerpiece, there was a pile of papers stacked there. He didn’t intend to pry, but curiosity had him leaning in to take a peek at the top paper. Then he reached for the pile and started shuffling through the papers.
State University of New York? Community college catalog? Course d
escriptions?
“What are you doing?” Diane grabbed the papers out of his hands. “You should respect someone else’s privacy.”
He gestured toward the table. “They were right out here in the open.”
“There was no sign that said pick me up and read me.”
Why did she sound so defensive? “You’re right. I’m sorry. But college, Di? That’s great!”
Diane shrugged, gathered up the papers and shoved them in a drawer in the hutch that sat against the back wall. She whirled around and plastered a fake smile on her face. “I’m hungry. Want some eggs?”
“Wait a minute. You don’t want to talk about this?” With me?
“Not before I’ve had my coffee.” She brushed past him into the kitchen. She poured two cups and handed one to him. “Maybe later, okay?”
“Okay.” He would accept that for the time being. He wanted some coffee and a relaxing day with her. He didn’t want any more arguments. But before he said good-bye, he hoped to convince Diane to trust him enough to confess her dreams.
Chapter 8
Cooking breakfast together turned out to be fun. Diane hadn’t known how to react to Ford’s question about college. How could she have forgotten she’d left all the stuff out in plain sight? He would push her to do it and she hadn’t decided yet if she wanted to.
Once they were seated at the table with eggs and bacon and toast, Diane wanted to steer the direction of the conversation before the college subject could come up. Weather and the kids were the safe topics but one glance out at the drifts of snow told them all they needed to know about the weather.
Kids then. “There’s a rumor going around that Julie has a new boyfriend but no one knows who he is. Do you?”
Ford’s gaze flew from his cup to Diane. “She hasn’t mentioned a new man to me.”
“Well, you know Jimmy gets things wrong about half the time. Comes from listening to snippets of too many conversations around the bar.”
Hot Silver Nights: Silver Fox Romance Collection Page 44
