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Van dug morosely into his steak and fries, but everyone at the table pretended to cheer up until it was at least a little real. Even Mary told herself to be satisfied with what she had from Van so far. Don’t be greedy. Yet.
Van lifted his slab of beef and stabbed a morsel under it. “Wait a minute. What’s this?” He waved his forkful in the air.
“Well, son.” Gus slowly scratched his belly, “I reckon I’m a little surprised if you don’t know what an oyster is.”
“It was my idea,” Lola Rose said. “I thought the oysters might be a good addition to your plate.”
“Why on earth would you want to adulterate my steak?”
“We figure you might need a little — encouragement,” Lola Rose said. “It looks to us as though things might be progressing — a little too slowly — between you and Mary here.”
LolaRosebattedhereyelashes,whichweresoaked in enough mascara to float an ocean liner, at her husband. “We’d be happy to give you a few pointers about — what do them eggheads call it? — pre-marital and intra-marital bliss too.”
Gus roared with laughter and slammed his Sugarplum against his side, where she bounced a little against his generous build before melting her angles into his curves.
Mary could swear a growl was gathering in Van’s throat. She couldn’t resist diving in.
“Why, Gus and Lola Rose, it’s so sweet of you to take action on my behalf. I do believe it’s thousands ofyearsnowthattheselittletidbitshavebeenknown to be helpful in certain circumstances — ”
Mary braced herself. Here it came.
“Idonot—”Vanroared,“—needanaphrodisiac!”
Chapter Nineteen
Oooooh-la-la
V
AN STOPPED THE CARin Mary’s driveway, refusing to think about oysters. He did let his mind flit through other things, related, perhaps. Would she invitehimin?Didhewanthertoinvitehimin?Should he cut and run before she could invite him in?
Some things he knew beyond a doubt. He didn’t know what to make of her, how to handle her, where messing around with her would take him. He did know Gus, Lola Rose, and Weed not only approved of her, but trusted her too. All three people were among the sharpest judges of character he knew. Unfortunately,theirenthusiasticendorsementofher asapersondidnotmeanshewasrightforamanwho wanted no histrionics when their relationship went nowhere past the nearest bed.
He raked his hands through his hair. With the obedience of long habit, without even hearing a replay of his father’s gravel voice telling him to pull himself together or his father would take him apart, he checkedhimselfintherear-viewmirror.Anddecided, never mind. His always unruly cowlick, surrounded by kinks and curls, stood straight up from the crown of his head. At the moment, he felt like a guy with a cowlick standing straight up from the crown of his head. He might as well look like one.
He was also a guy with an agenda, although a revised one. It still included the Husband Hunt, but farther down in priority. He’d capitulated completely on the quid pro quo, but if he didn’t get some changes in the quid, he’d quietly go insane.
The former Number 2, talking. Never mind that.Which left Number 3. The going to bed. The hot, wild, tempestuous going to bed. Suddenly, he knew beyond any doubt that Number 3 had to become Number 1. He’d find a way to shut up his conscience.
Now for the anticipation. He knew how to take his time, when the time was worth taking. With her, it definitely was. Right now, he wanted to look at her. Just look at her. With the “her” he was looking at, it was a bigger rush than heating the sheets with some other women.
Soft, creamy skin he would love stroking. Teasing, laughing, brilliantly blue eyes. He would love watchingthemdarkenwithpureanimallust,forhim.Agrin wider than the Grand Canyon, lips that …
What was she doing? Bringing her lips close, that’s what. So close to his he could feel her breath licking him with fire.
And twirling his cowlick around her finger, that’s what else she was doing. The one standing straight up from his crown.
Then she was tugging on his hair. Gently. It felt good. Like something even better was about to happen, and that would be phenomenally fine.
Then she was pulling his head down, bringing his lips right smack dab onto hers.
Vanmadesomediscoveries.Patienceandthethrill ofanticipationcouldbewayover-rated.Thiswasone of those times. Sometimes looking just didn’t cut it. This was one of those times. And kissing Mary Samuel was more mind-blowing than a wild romp in the sheets with most women. He kissed her some more.
She purred. The erotic little wordless song gathered in her throat and trembled on her lips under his. Mmmmm.Onlyonethingcouldbebetter.Tastingthe song nearer its source, on the warm, velvet skin in one of the beguiling hollows of her throat.
Yes,itwasevenbetter.Butherearwascallingnow, with its secret, seductive places. His mouth closed over her earlobe.
She exploded in his arms. The blast went straight to his groin.
