Page 79 of The Forever Christmas Tree

Her climax came in a burst of wildfire that spread in ripples and rushes throughout her body. Even her fingertips and toes tingled.

She must have passed out for a moment because when she opened her eyes she was up on the bed, the high heels gone, and Ethan poised above her body, gazing down at her, expectantly. Why? She wasn’t sure. It was as if he was waiting for some cue from her. A condom had already been rolled over his erection. What was he waiting for?

She wanted to remind him that she was safe, but her tongue wouldn’t work. She wanted to say there was no reason for him to hesitate, she was willing. She wanted to ask why he always looked so sad, even when he was smiling. She wanted to say so many things. Like:

“I have missed you so much. It was dumb to leave.”

“Will it always be this way?”

“I left a piece of my dumb heart in Bell Cove.”

“Will my already broken heart be broken more when I leave this time?”

“I want you.”

“I love you madly, I love you gladly. I love you dumbly, I love you smartly. I love you, love you, love you.”

But the only thing that came out when he continued to stare at her inquiringly, waiting for something . . . maybe a commentary on his performance, was, “Hoo-yah!”

How dumb was that?

Chapter 19

Smile while your heart is breaking? . . .

Hoo-yah? What the hell does that mean? Ethan wondered as he stared down at Wendy, offended at her lack of sentiment.

A simple “I love you” would be nice. Or thanks for the Big O. But, no, Wendy has to remind me that she’s in the military now, and old times are long forgotten.

This was sex, and nothing more.

At least from her side.

From his side, it was love, always had been, always would be. And he’d told her so a few moments ago before she’d swooned off to La-La Land. Either she hadn’t heard him, or she’d chosen to ignore his declaration with that casual “Hoo-yah!”

“I love you, Wendy,” he’d said.

“Hoo-yah!” she’d replied.

I’ll be damned if I say those three words out loud again.

When will I stop hoping that we still have a chance? They say hope is eternal. Hah! Hope is a big fat kick in the gut.

He probably would have gone flaccid then, except Wendy had him by the base of his shaft now . . . UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE! . . . and was guiding him . . . AY-YI-YI! . . . into her rippling folds. He was panting like a race horse, trying to avoid going over the finish line waytoofast.

She must have sensed his negative—or shocked, take your pick—emotions because her voice was quivery as she said, “Make love to me, Ethan. Please.”

Not “Fuck me.”

Or “screw me silly” for closure.

Not even, “Do it!”

She’d used the word “love,” even if inadvertently.

So, sucker that he was, that’s just what he did. Made love to Wendy.

And he was good.