Page 30 of Lulu’s Recipe for Cajun Sass

Having fun, like other people my age, who are single. To fill a hole of loneliness in my life, the other side of her admittedly sex-hazy brain replied.

What about the future?

There is no future. Justin will be leaving in a few weeks.

So, sex without commitment?

Exactly. Why not? It works for men.

What about love?

Not a problem.

The sound in her head now was either a snicker or a snort, and she knew exactly where it came from. St. Jude had a habit of showing up at the most inconvenient times.

She brushed the tangle out as best she could and she put on the nightgown she’d brought with her from the bedroom, where it had been inside out and laying on the floor. Leaving the bathroom, she checked on Adèle, whom she could see clearly by the night light in the room, which she’d decorated in lavender, Adèle’s favorite color, and white…all ruffles and lace. She picked up a teddy bear and placed it on the bed next to her daughter, who slept soundly, like she usually did. Leaning down, she pulled the light sheet over her little body and kissed her on the cheek.

When she returned to her bedroom, she saw that Justin, too, was sleeping sounding. Nude as a newborn babe, arm tossed over his head, his flaccid penis nestled between legs that were spread wide, taking up the whole mattress.

“Tsk-tsk!” she said. “Wake up, Justin.”

Nothing, except for a snore.

She nudged his shoulder with her hand and said, louder, “Justin! You have to get up. Time to go home.”

He opened one eye and peered up at her. Before she knew what he was about, he grabbed her arm and yanked her over and on top of him.

“You can’t be here in the morning when Adèle wakes up,” she told him as she tried to squirm out of his arms.

He held on tighter, his hands caressing her back from shoulder to buttocks. “You got dressed,” he protested. “Not fair!”

She wasn’t going to be diverted from what she’d been telling him. “Really, Justin, you can’t stay overnight. Not just because of Adèle, but God forbid, your Boudreaux General Store truck is in the driveway when cars go by on the way to work. With the bayou grapevine, I’d be getting a dozen phone calls by noon asking if I’d got a nighttime delivery. They’d be calling me the bayou floozy. Talk about!”

“Floozy? And, actually, you could say I delivered.”

She smacked him on the arm for his teasing.

“If you must know, I didn’t drive the store truck. I borrowed my mother’s car.”

“You numbskull! Everyone recognizes your mother’s red DeSoto.”

“Guess I forgot in the heat of the moment.” He laughed.

“It’s not funny.”

“Don’t worry, honey. We have plenty of time till morning.”

“For what?” she asked, as if she didn’t know.

“More exploring,” he said.

“Does that go both ways?”

“For sure, darlin’. I can’t wait.”

“I can tell,” she said saucily, as she wiggled her hips over the newly blooming erection pressed up against her belly, evidence of his anticipation.

“Vixen,” he said, leaning up to give her a quick kiss. “I must say, Louise, you are a total surprise to me.”