Chapter One

“Hey Holly, how about that one?” nudged Holly’s hopeless romantic, yet judgmental, friend, Elaine, as she discretely eyeballed the tall, curiously handsome man leaning against the bar while restlessly sizing up the room.

“You mean the suit ‘n tie? Uh…nope! No wedding ring,” Holly pointed out after making a quick observation of his left hand and lock-down finger.

“Are you kidding me? Do you know how many women would kill for a man not wearing a wedding ring? And he’s gorgeous, in a George Clooney kind of way. Yum!”

“Well, where are those women right now? Because he looks ready, willing, and definitely able.” As soon as she said that, the debonair bachelor winked at her. She returned a courteous smile, but turned away uninterested.

“You’re crazy, you know! And, I wish you would stop all that nonsense. You’re better than that.”

“Oh, here we go again. Better than what, Elaine? I’m perfectly content with my life and lifestyle. I’ve told you a hundred times. I’m okay with what I’m doing and it suits me.”

“But seriously, do you ever think about the wife—what you’re doing to her?”

“No, why should I? That’s her problem, not mine.”

“Holly! You’re being selfish and, and…”

“And what, Elaine?”

“It’s wrong!”

“Excuse me. Are you judging me? After all we’ve been through, I can’t believe you can sit there and judge me. Do I even have to bring up that infamous party on campus back in college when you and that girl, what’s her name…?”

“Okay! You’re right.”

“That’s what I thought. Don’t get all self-righteous on me. I never questioned any of your relationship choices.”

“I’m married, Hol!”

“Oh, so you think I’m going to pounce on your husband?”

“Well, no.”

“Of course not. But if he makes a pass at me…” Elaine shoots a look of horror toward Holly. “I’m kidding, but my point is, it’s not me, it’s them, Elaine. They come on to me and I, well…reciprocate with what they’re looking for.”

“It’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny, I’m lavishing in the royal treatment. Don’t you see? Most single guys don’t have a clue. They put their best foot forward in the beginning…holding the door, picking up the tab, remembering special days, buying little gifts... But after the newness and the novelty wear off, and they get you into bed, I might add, it’s only a matter of time before they’re lazy, self-absorbed and neglectful. Even the sex turns mediocre. What intelligent, discerning woman wants to settle for that? Most married men, after a few years of marriage don’t have a clue either. But when married men step out and take a mistress, every day is Christmas for the mistress. Or here’s an analogy you can relate to, it’s like always being in honeymoon-mode. And the sex…girl, the excitement never diminishes because no one takes the other for granted and the affair never becomes monotonous. And sometimes all they want is someone who will act out their fantasies with them or in some cases, only to feel they’re the center of attention. It’s exciting because of the risk—and by that I mean, everyone brings his ‘A’ game. We never know when it’ll be the last time. The more risky, the more adventurous and hot it is. At least that’s been my experience.”

“How long do you plan to do this? You’re very attractive, smart, you’re a good catch for any single guy; why do this? I mean, don’t you ever want to settle down and get married?”

“Are you kidding? And fall for that ‘to-love-and-to-cherish’ nonsense? No offense. But let me ask you, how long have you been married now?”

“Three years.”

“And the sex…how’s that going for ya?”

“It’s okay,” Elaine answered passively, knowing that her sex life rarely exceeded or even met her expectations.

“No, seriously. Are you having as much intimacy, and is it as creative as when you were dating your husband?”

“It’s good. I’m not complaining.” She tried to sound convincing not only to Holly, but to herself as well.

“You’re not answering my question. You know what, don’t bother. I rest my case. Why should I give up hot, wicked, swinging-from-the-rafters sex, in the finest hotel suites and villas sex, in any city I want sex, at any time of day or night sex, all for what, routine? Uh… no thank you!”

“But they’re married!”

“That’s what makes it so exciting! I don’t want to date them—not turned on by the possibility of them becoming boring. If it even remotely becomes stale, I’ve got an easy out; no questions asked. That’s incentive for them to apply their very best at all times. Sure, if single guys were the least bit attentive like that after the sex has been introduced, then maybe, just maybe I’d consider dating them. But that rarely happens.” She stretched the truth a bit and immediately thought of at least one exception in her life—her last serious relationship with her boyfriend, Eric. “Elaine, I’m happy. I get a lot out of this situation. We both get what we want and there’s none of that messy relationship drama. We’re always happy and having a good time—hell, a great time! We’re focused, you could say, ‘cause we don’t have time to waste and squander.” Holly took a long sip of her wine, as she wondered if what she said sounded plausible.

“It’s just wrong!”

“Yeah, well, then I’ll take wrong. I once dated a guy who showed no objection when I offered to pay the dinner tab. It was as if he expected it. I dated a guy who totally forgot about my birthday. One guy gave me a practical gift for Christmas. I ask you, who wants a practical gift for Christmas? Unless maybe you’re married.” She noticed that Elaine started to object. “I said maybe! What I’m saying is I can buy practical gifts for myself, or buy me a practical gift on a Tuesday just because, not on a special gift-giving day. I have horror stories about Valentine’s Day, too, if you care to hear those. It goes on and on…the disappointments. Who needs it? Not me, and not anymore.” Holly paused for only a second to entertain a brief flashback of exceptional Eric before she continued.

“Now, as an example of the reciprocity that I spoke to earlier, I’m smothered in premium gifts from Gucci, Prada, Neiman Marcus, Sax, Armani, Tiffany’s; I fly first class to places like Italy, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Japan, Australia, Jamaica, France, you name it—and not because I’m a flight attendant, but I’m talkin’ as a personal guest. And, I’ve stayed in swanky hotels like the Ritz, The Four Seasons, The Omni, The Peninsula, and lots of charming Inns, resorts, bungalows, and Bed and Breakfast places on the coast or in romantic settings on private golf courses or in the mountains. I’ve gone skiing, sailing, yachting, and even a gondola ride in Venice. And, the restaurants… My point being, the flushed married men who I keep company with have willingly paid for it all and have treated me like a queen, and I take care of them, so why would I, or should I, give all that up? And speaking of the sex…holy cow! So many positions, so many venues, so many times… It never gets stale or mundane for either one of us,” she proudly boasted, scanning the bar for potential conquests. Being somewhat distracted, she remarked, “These are the best fun times, with a man, I’ve ever had.” Then Eric came to mind once again.

“But what happens when he starts to feel guilty and decides he doesn’t want to betray his wife or hurt his family?” challenged Elaine, as she tried to point out the injustice.

“I don’t dwell on that, plus I’m not holding a gun to anyone’s head to cheat with me. They do what they want to do. These men are already committed to cheating before meeting me. If they want to stop, we stop. That’s why I’m not tied down to only one married man. I’m not emotionally invested, and never will I plan to become that sucker. And, even some married men have a tendency to become too lax, but I suspect not, if he knows there’s competition. I can present competition to a married man and he can’t do much about it, but compete; up his game—it becomes a new game for him. If it’s more than a one-night stand and it works for him, he’ll be back. A single guy could get jealous, become territorial or even walk. Look, I don’t want to justify my decision anymore. I’m happy—bottom line. I’m extremely content—I’m set. And, I’ll continue to do this for as long as it works for me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a very hot prospect over there who’s been eyeing me for the past ten minutes and he’s headed this way. And, he’s wearing a ring. Don’t blow this for me!”

“Holly! Don’t do it. Stop wrecking marriages!”

“Elaine, please. If this is going to upset your delicate moral sensibilities, then please take a walk. Hurry, he’s coming!”

Elaine chafed at the fact that she couldn’t influence Holly, and excused herself to the restroom in a huff precisely as Sean walked up.

“Hi, I couldn’t help but notice that you looked thirsty from across the room, and since I was headed toward the bar…”

“I’ll have a Chardonnay,” Holly responded readily at Sean’s cheesy line.

“Excellent; I’ll be right back. Oh, I’m Sean.” Sean extended his hand.

“Holly.” She shook it, as she stared back with ratifying dark brown eyes.

They both grinned at each other before Sean left to fetch their drinks. 

As Holly sat perched across from Sean, sipping on her Chardonnay and half listening to him drone on about his college days, she sized him up, studied the gold band on his “lock-down” finger and smiled. He definitely had possibilities—tall, rich, handsome, and hitched.

“So, Sean,” she interrupted, “how long have you been married?”

“Uh, eleven years. Are you married?”

“Oh hell no!”

“Wow, that was loaded. Why so emphatic?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so blunt. It’s just that it’s not for me, that’s all.”

“Have you ever been married?”

“No… no, no, no, no. But I give a lot of credit to those who are. They’re much more into making sacrifices than I am. I guess I love my freedom too much.”

“I see.” Her comment made Sean stop and reflect on his own sacrifices—eleven years worth of them. Then he focused back on Holly’s lips, her eyes, her breasts…

“So, are you from Denver or visiting?” she asked.

“Uh, visiting. I’m from Seattle.”

“Are you here on business?”

“As a matter of fact…no. I’m here for a wedding of an old college roommate—the one I mentioned who lives here.”

“Really? You’re here for a wedding, alone?” she inquired, wondering about the wife.

“Why would you think I’m here alone?”

“You’re in here, talking to me, trying to feel me out and contemplating a fling because you’re finally free of the wife, and with all the bachelor party activities going on for your friend, you’re wondering if you could pull it off—a fling—go wild for once in your predictable life.”

“Interesting.”

“Am I right?”

“Umm, not quite, but close.”

“What part isn’t right?”

“You’re pretty direct.”

“I don’t believe in wasting time. When I see something I like I usually go after it. Thanks for the drink by the way.”

“You’re welcome. So, what’s your story? You’re not married; you obviously have some aversion to it…” they both laughed. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a flight attendant—out of DIA. And, let me be clear about one thing, I love marriage—for other people, just not for me. So, where’s your wife?”

“My wife is…I don’t know where my wife is. We’re separated actually. I thought it was temporary, but it turns out she wants to make it permanent.”

Holly’s excitement over meeting Sean instantly deflated. She didn’t want to start up something with someone who had baggage and would eventually make her want to leave him, too. She wanted adventures, risks, and hot, stimulating affairs!

“Oh. Well, you know…Sean…it was nice meeting you. I think I should be going now. I’ve got an early flight in the morning and lots to do before that.” She stood up.

“What? Why? You haven’t finished your wine…”

She turned up the glass, swallowing the last of the wine in one gulp. “Finished. And thanks!”

“Is it because I’m married? We’re separated and I’ll be divorced soon.”

“Nooo…” she looked at his face. He looked so sincere and honest. “I think you’re attractive, even sexy, and you seem like a good guy from what I can tell after one drink and twenty minutes of conversation, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Okay then, but I think you’re wrong about passing up the opportunity to get to know me.“

“I wish I was wrong, but I don’t think so,” she replied as she lightly touched his hand.

Well, it was nice meeting you, Holly.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out his business card and handed it to her. “Here’s my contact information. If you’re ever in Seattle, look me up.”

“And, if you ever get married again, look me up.” She turned his card over and jotted down her number. Sean shot her a puzzled look, completely confused by her remark, and then she strutted away leaving him even more curious about her.

Whatever reasons Sean and his wife had for separating, Holly didn’t want to replace her. She always said that once a man’s been married and especially if he’s had young children, he will forever have baggage! She wanted no part of that. The more married and committed he was, the more interested she became—like a craving or addiction. She made it clear that she didn’t want to give up her “commitment-free” lifestyle.

Holly found Elaine in the Ladies Lounge, talking on the phone—no doubt to her husband.

“So, what happened?” asked Elaine, wondering what transpired between Holly and the hottie.

“Great guy and all, but he’s getting a divorce.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, me too!”

“You’re nuts, you know. That’s not what I meant.”

“Let’s go.”

Elaine carried more on her mind than what her “couch-potato” husband wanted for dinner. She’d seen her friend settle for less and break up marriages at the same time and she couldn’t turn a blind eye to it anymore. She wanted to do something to open Holly’s eyes to the disservice she was doing to herself and to others, especially unsuspecting wives.

While leaving the bar, Holly ran into Jarred Reese, her closest male friend and confidante. She and Jarred met about five years ago when they used to live in the same community. Although they shared a lot in common and would make an ideal couple, Jarred, handsome and very much single when they met, couldn’t persuade Holly to date him. However, their chemistry and sense of humor kept them always finding themselves in the same place at the same time. Holly, thirty at the time; Jarred, thirty-one, spent quite a bit of time discovering eclectic pockets in Denver, particularly lower Downtown Denver, otherwise known as the LoDo District. It was there that they compared their interests in the arts and the cuisine—from seafood sampled in exceptional restaurants like the Oceanaire Seafood Room, to burgers belted at Johnny Rockets, and pizzas, steaks, salads, and pastas in every Tavern, Pub, Bistro, and Bar & Grill in-between. Holly’s favorite yogurt spot, Kuulture, brought her and Jarred together on more than a few occasions during any one of Denver’s hot summer days. On Friday nights, when Holly wasn’t flying, she and Jarred usually found themselves among the locals in LoDo, during happy hour, being carefree in one of the many hip bars or taverns. In the summer, it was customary to take in a Rockies game at Coors Field. And when it was bearable, a Bronco’s game at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium in the winter. She wanted to experience all of what Colorado, and Denver, had to offer.

Although, not native to Colorado, Holly claimed Denver as her second home almost immediately after relocating there. Living at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains became an awe-inspiring experience for her. As a fan of nature and the outdoors, she had an abundance of scenic adventures right at her doorstep. Some of her favorite pastimes included hiking in the Garden of the Gods and taking in a concert at the Red Rock Amphitheater, to name a few. She also learned to ski, but hadn’t quite perfected the advanced slopes.

Initially, Jarred found Holly’s physical attributes desirable—her five-foot-six stature, her athletic build, brown skin, large, seductive eyes, and what he focused on the most, her plump, but firm rear-end. And, for Holly, Jarred had it all—six feet tall, well-groomed, fit, muscles in all the right places, good teeth that gave him the sexiest smile she had ever seen on a man; and a charming, yet bold, personality. They eventually cultivated a friendship that often left their friends baffled as to why they never pursued anything more seriously. Jarred persisted in his attempts to spend time with her, romantically, on several occasions in the past, but eventually bailed when she explained her new affinity for married men. He didn’t understand her logic, especially when he’d heard the complaints from women about not finding available men to date. But the more he spent time with Holly and had gotten to know her better, the more he learned of her history. It eventually made sense to him, although he didn’t agree with it and felt she owed herself more than what she resigned to give herself. Not many had committed to getting to know the real Holly Anderson and what created the driven force and attraction to married men—what her underlying issues were for entertaining that kind of behavior. But Jarred had uncovered a theory through time and trust, and as a good friend, he respected her, regardless of her preferences.

“Hey Holly, how’s it going?”

“What’s up Jarred! How are ya?”

“I’m cool. Just stopping in here to chill for a minute. Hey Elaine.”

“Hi Jarred,” acknowledged Elaine.

“Oh hey, this is my boy, Kevin. Kevin, this is Holly and Elaine.”

“Nice to meet you,” replied Holly. Elaine waited her turn and then extended her hand.

“Ladies,” responded Kevin. He acknowledged them both, but took a second and longer glance at Holly. They exchanged a few more pleasantries before going their separate ways.

“What’s the story with your friend Holly? She’s pretty hot!” Kevin inquired.

“Let me tell you right off, dude, you’re not her type.”

“What does that mean? She doesn’t go for sophisticated, debonair, successful and charming men?”

“Where? Do you see any? I’m joking.” They laughed. “No, she does, but you’re missing one more important element.”

“What’s that? I said successful.”

“You’re not married.”

“What? Is she married?”

“No and probably never will be. Truth be told, she only dates married men.”

“For real? Why? What kind of sense does that make?”

“That’s her. The more married, the better. She wouldn’t give you the time of day if she didn’t spot the ring first.”

“Is that right? She has something against single men?”

“Oh don’t get me started on her list. She has everything against single men. Apparently with married men, and the more committed the better, the world’s her oyster and she’s not about to give it up. She gets off on that kind of adventure—the fact that it’s never boring and there’s no commitment. She thinks it’s the shit. And, only because I know her, I know why she thinks that way. She’s a great person and she’s happy—that’s all that matters.”

“So, are you saying you’ve never ‘hit’ it?”

“Nope. Tried, when we first met five years ago, but no ring, no chance in hell.”

“Damn, she’s gorgeous! How can she do this to me?”

“You and a bunch of other dudes drooling after her with ‘hard’ inspirations.”

“But she hasn’t gotten to know me.”

“Kevin, give it up. Without the wifey, you’re not in the game; not even in the ballpark.”

“Oh I’ll get her.”

“Oh yeah, how?”

“My charm, brotha. Step aside and let Mr. Smooth show you a thing or two.”

Jarred laughed at Kevin, who was pretending to have a superficial and inflated ego. Kevin was one of his most successful and accomplished friends, and especially unpretentious. Kevin was also probably the “whitest” black guy Jarred had ever known personally. And if anyone deserved a legitimate shot at Holly, Kevin did. They were perfect for each other. Jarred didn’t have a doubt in his mind that Kevin could make Holly happy, but he knew with all certainty that she wouldn’t give him the time of day. Therefore, he didn’t want to witness the brutal rejection that Kevin would suffer, but he warned him.

“Don’t come crying to me when she cuts you down like a Blue Spruce at Christmas because I told you...”

“Yeah, you told me. Care to make a sizeable wager?”

“Oh, you’re on. This will be the easiest bet I’ll ever win.”

“Not so fast. You forget who’s in the driver’s seat. She better buckle up, ‘cause she’s in for the ride of her life. I will have her shouting my name in less than two weeks, maybe even a week!”

Jarred doubled over in laughter. “Oh, I can’t wait to see this. This is gonna hurt, man.”

“Once I get a little tēte-à-tēte going, she’s done.”

They continued to tease and banter each other with their witticisms, while Kevin desperately devised a plan in his head—a clever scheme in which to convince Holly Anderson to reconsider her choice of men and fall victim to love with one of the most attractive, trustworthy, eligible bachelors in the market—him. 

Chapter Two

Before Holly’s schedule sent her back up in the air, she cleared a spot on her calendar for Lawrence Christy—an attentive lover to her, and a distracted husband to someone else—who kept her refrigerator full and her sexual appetite fulfilled. Lawrence, at forty-nine, had fourteen years on Holly, but their frequent trysts kept him fit and famished for her, more than his desires for his self-absorbed wife. Holly met him during a sudden rainstorm when they both ran for shelter in the Oxford Hotel on 17^th Street in downtown Denver, located only steps away from Union Station where Lawrence was headed, but cutoff by the downpour. While they waited out the storm, they ordered a few cocktails in the Cruise Room Martini Bar adjacent to the hotel’s lobby, where they found the atmosphere and comfort of the historical hotel unexpectedly conducive for developing a special friendship. That friendship, of course, eventually evolved into a convenient, frequent, fun-loving, “friendship with benefits” situation.

♥♥♥

Lawrence became easily mesmerized by Holly’s understated beauty, her natural wit, and refined charm. Something about her grabbed him the moment their eyes locked, but it wasn’t just her beauty that enticed him into wanting to flirt with her; he’d been contemplating a tryst with a stranger for some time. That fateful day provided him the opportunity, and Holly’s sex appeal provided the motivation.

Once Holly noticed the equipment—the ring—on the finger of the attractive, older gentleman, who seemed to have taken a liking to her, she worked her magic. Targeting these men became like a game to her. She charmed her way into engaging and provocative conversations before even realizing what she was doing. And, within a matter of minutes, she’d nearly tremble from the arousing thrill of the challenge to secure another fish—hook, line, and sinker. Although not accustomed to sleeping with men upon their first meeting, she made an exception with Lawrence. They didn’t leave the luxury hotel that day until several stimulating hours later—long after the storm had passed and the strong Colorado sunlight once again brightened the deep blue skies.

When the moment approached to part ways, neither Holly nor Lawrence entertained a doubt in their minds that they wouldn’t see each other again. In fact, they made certain it did happen again, and again, and again. Holly had awakened something dormant within Lawrence that even he didn’t realize had gone into hibernation. The zest in his lovemaking came rushing back. Sex wasn’t routine with her, but rather different, exciting, refreshing, provocative, and not to mention, explosive, like a volcanic intensity. After twenty years of marriage to a woman who basically approached sex like a routine visit to the dentist’s office, Lawrence had forgotten how spontaneous and adventurous it could be. Holly did that for him. She enjoyed him, too. Once he learned to let go of his seriousness and have fun, he provided her with hours of enraptured, gratifying, and multiple indulgence that left her counting the days until their next scheduled rendezvous. 

♥♥♥

But it was Evan DuPage who’d take her mind off of Lawrence in-between visits.  Evan, thirty-five at the time of their first encounter, and horny all of the time, was initially dealing with a pregnant wife who seemed to have lost her desires for sex altogether. He loved his wife and embraced the impending birth of their first child, but thought he would go crazy if he didn’t feel the warmth of his wife soon. He couldn’t get her to be intimate with him to save his life. She used every excuse in the book to not have sex. She mostly used the pregnancy as a shield to deter her husband’s needs.

When Evan ran into Holly in the Crate and Barrel at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center a few years ago, they were delighted to see one another again, after meeting several years prior through a mutual friend at a political fund raiser. Evan looked at Holly in a strange way after their second meeting. Strong sexual urges raged through him when he stared at her. He asked her to join him for a cup of coffee, and then one thing led to another. Once she determined that he was coming on to her, she simply invited him to join her at a jazz lounge the following weekend, which he eagerly accepted.

After Evan had walked Holly home at the end of their enjoyable evening at the jazz supper club, she invited him in. An hour and a half later, Evan felt relaxed and mellow once again. In the process, he had also discovered his strong physical attraction to her. It wasn’t exclusively her mastery bedroom skills and talents that drew him in, she possessed deftness to the way she communicated—with or without words. Some would say she was crafty, but she would say she possessed finesse. She could finesse her way into or out of most situations with great ease and success.

Evan’s daughter had since turned four. Between his job and his responsibilities at home, he still found some time to spend with Holly in her bed or in a cross-town hotel room. She never hid the fact that she slept with other men, but Evan’s addictive behavior toward her evoked a little jealous energy on his part—wanting to be the only source of her sexual desires; and of course she would have none of that. Evan came from an adultery household growing up and didn’t know any different when it came to relationships with women. In his world, romancing more than one woman, simultaneously, only seemed normal and natural to him. But he would never be comfortable accepting his women cheating on him with other men.

♥♥♥

A few days after meeting Holly, Kevin devised a plan to woo her and persuade this special woman to go out with him. However, he knew that if he revealed his plan to Jarred, Jarred wouldn’t go for it and would call him on it, so he schemed to deceive them both—ultimately getting what he wanted. What he wanted was a chance to romance the beautiful Holly Anderson and, in the process, convince her to give up the married men and to choose only him. His first goal was talking Jarred into arranging a meeting with Holly in a casual LoDo restaurant so he could execute his covert plan.

“Thanks for arranging the hook-up. Leave the rest up to me.”

“Well, it is up to you because I plan on winning this bet.”

“Oh, you might as well hand over the…hey what are we betting anyway?” ask Kevin.

“How about a hundred dollars?”

“You don’t have much faith do you?”

“She’s not going to go for you so I’ll give you a chance to change your mind.”

“Nonsense. How do I look? Now, after we sit down, excuse yourself to the bathroom and give me about seven minutes.”

“Seven minutes? It’s not going to take you seven seconds before she knows she’s not interested in you.”

“Just do it. I’m not only going to get her extremely interested in talking to me tonight; I’m going to mesmerize her into my arms and give her a good time she will never forget.”

“Now, wait. I don’t want to be a part of getting her hurt or setting her up like that.” Jarred stiffened up when Kevin’s intentions were revealed.

“She’s going to fall for me—that’s the bet.”

“Here she is,” Jarred announced, when he saw Holly approaching them at the bar. “I mean it, dude, don’t…”

“A bet is a bet,” Kevin quickly remarked.

“Hey Jarred!” she hugged her friend. “Oh hi,” she acknowledged Kevin.

“Holly, you remember my friend, Kevin.”

“Hi again.” She quickly glanced at his left hand out of habit. Then she remembered that had she noticed a ring the first time she saw him, she might have been with him by now. Then she noticed the way he looked at her.

“Let’s grab a table. Kevin stopped by for a few moments, and then he has to take off.”

“I do?” Kevin winked at Jarred. Jarred returned a sharp, no nonsense look. “Right, I do.”

“You two go ahead; I’ll be right back,” said Jarred.

“Where are you going?” asked Holly.

“To the john. Order me a drink.”

“I can’t stay long. We can just sit here if that’s okay,” Holly suggested.

“That’s cool,” Kevin and Jarred both replied.

Holly and Kevin sat down at the bar and gave the bartender their order: two beers and an iced tea. In addition to the iced tea, Holly ordered a sandwich to go.

“So, Holly, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a fight attendant. What do you do?”

“I’m a software engineer slash graphics designer. But most days I think I’m Bank of America the way my wife spends money.”

“You’re married?” She shifted her body language and discretely glanced at his left hand again. For a second, she thought maybe she missed it, but she hadn’t. He read her expression.

“I don’t wear a ring. I’m not one for the jewelry. But as for my wife, now she’s a different story, if you know what I mean. That woman spends more time in the jewelry store than she does in the kitchen, that’s for sure. Are you married?” he asked, as he looked her up and down, giving her the eyes of approval. She perked up.

“No, not me. Not interested.”

“Look, I don’t mean to be forward and forgive me if I am, but you seem like a woman who appreciates good music and the arts. Am I right?”

“I like Jazz, R&B yes.” She smiled. She continued to check him out.

“I know of this real cool lounge and I think you should check it out sometime.”

“Would you be there?” That was music to his ears.

“I could if you’d like me to be there.”

“I think I’d like you to be there.”

“Can I have your number?”

“You can. Do you have something to write it on?” He reached in his wallet and pulled out his business card, turned it over and handed it to her. She jotted down her cell phone number and slid the card back to him.

Kevin leaned over the table, letting her see him take a glimpse at her cleavage, and whispered, “Do me a favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t mention any of this to Jarred. I don’t need any static from my wife. I’m not looking to get divorced, but if I were, this would be a good way to go. Can you do that for me?” He touched her arm. “I wouldn’t want to give Jarred the wrong idea, plus I like to keep my personal business private.”

“Oh, you can count on me. I’m like a vault.”

“Thanks. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

“Likewise.”

“I’ll call you,” he concluded, as he tucked the business card back into his pocket.

“Hey, what are you two talking about?” asked Jarred, eyeing Kevin suspiciously. Kevin returned a disapproving look after glancing at his watch, indicating that his time wasn’t up. But it didn’t matter; he had accomplished what he set out to do.

“Uh, nothing much. Just waiting for you to return.” Holly answered, as she approvingly glanced at Kevin again while wondering how soon he would call. She definitely liked what she saw and the secrecy intrigued her. Kevin looked back at her and flashed a subtle wink.

“Look, I’m going to take off. I got some things to take care of. Holly, it was a pleasure seeing you again. Enjoy your evening. Jarred, I’ll catch you later, dude.”

“Yeah, alright. I’ll be in touch.” Jarred suspiciously wondered what happened.

Kevin walked out with a huge grin on his face. He pulled out the card with Holly’s phone number and kissed it.

“So, Kevin is an interesting guy,” she started, but switched during mid-thought. “Oh hey! I almost forgot! Would you like to go to this party with me? A friend of mine is throwing this…this…thing and…”

“See, this is where dating single men comes in handy.”

“You sound like Elaine. Do you want to go with me or not?”

“When and where, and who?”

“Cheryl, the flight attendant…”

“Why didn’t you say so? Of course, I’m in! When is it?”

“You’re silly. You know, now that you mentioned it, I might know this single guy who would be interested in going.”

“No, you’re taking me and that’s final!”

“That’s what I thought. It’s next Thursday night around eight. Are you free?”

“I’ll make sure I am.”

“Don’t you want to know what it’s for?”

“Who cares, as long as there’ll be alcohol and some snacks, and your other flight attendant friends.”

“Yep, some of them at least; some have to work.”

“Want another iced tea?” asked Jarred, signaling the bartender.

“No, I need to head on out. I’ve got an early flight in the morning. My D.C. trip, and I have a million things to do today.”

“How many married men do you have in the nation’s capitol?”

“None there, but you should see how many politicians some of my co-workers hook up with on occasion.”

“I don’t think I want to know.”

“Personally, I stay away from them. Who knows how many women or, rather, prostitutes they’re sleeping with? I mean just by looking at their wives, you know they’re not getting any ‘special’ attention. And if their wives aren’t taking care of them on occasion at least, they’re going to get it elsewhere. It’s a fact that women can’t grasp. Plus, I don’t want to get mixed up with a man with that much control and power. Their egos aren’t going to keep them to one extramarital affair,” she laughed. “Plus, I don’t want my name and face plastered all over the news when his stupid ass screws up! I like to keep things a little low key.”

“You got a point there.”

“I need to get going. I’ll call you in a few days.” She stood up and grabbed her lunch just as the bartender placed it in front of her.

“I’ll walk you out.” Jarred left some cash for the tab.

When Holly started walking toward the parking lot, she thought about Kevin again. He had a quality about him that intrigued her. He had the sexiest eyes she’d ever seen, and perfect white teeth. She loved a man with perfect teeth. When he smiled, his whole face lit up. And, she couldn’t say enough about his physique. He definitely worked out and cared about his body. If she had to guess, she’d guess he had less than six percent body fat. He wasn’t the bulkiest guy she’d ever seen, but he definitely had a toned leanness about him, and he looked strong. She stood five feet, six inches, and guessed him to reach at least five-eleven. She wondered when he would call. She had a feeling that they would hit it off famously. She smiled all the way home.

When she reached her front door, her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but got a gut feeling.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Are you smiling? I hear it in your voice.”

“Yeeesss…”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you since I left you. This is Kevin by the way.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home. Why?”

“Just wondered where you’re calling from. I’m picking up on some strong vibes from you, but I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

“I know. You did something to me, and I better be careful or else I’m going to get into a lot of trouble.”

“We can’t have that now, can we?”

“Not a good idea, especially since I’m very interested in getting to know you better.”

“Oh yeah; how much better?”

“As much as you’ll let me.”

“I see. Well, I’m intrigued with you—I think we have a lot in common.”

“Like what?”

“Discretion for one. And, a sense of adventure for another.”

“That’s definitely on target. You’re good.”

“I’m fantastic, actually. Look, I’m just walking in and I have some things I need to take care of. When can we continue this conversation?”

“Can I call you later tonight?”

“Oh, so you have a lot of flexibility,” she surmised.

“Sometimes.”

“Well, actually, I’m going to be tied up tonight.” She was thinking literally. “And, then I fly out early in the morning. I’ll be flying for about three days. You should be able to reach me on my cell. All my flights are during the early part of the day, so you might be able to reach me in the evenings, otherwise, I’ll be back in town Sunday night.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Have a safe trip.”

“Good night.”

“Good night.” He hung up while grinning.

Kevin was more than eager to taste Holly’s sweet lips. She drove him wild over the phone. She was definitely someone with whom he wanted to spend many intimate moments. He specifically had to remember to act married—very married. And, from what he gathered from Jarred, Holly sounded like a very busy girl—juggling married men, so he had his work cut out for him. He expected not only to entice her to desire him, but desire him exclusively. He became obsessed in proving to Jarred, and to himself, that he could get any girl like Holly to change once she falls in love with him. But his sights were set on Holly primarily. He felt he had enough self-confidence, and game, to accomplish such a task. At that point, he hoped her attraction for him would outweigh the enormous lie about his marital status. But he’d cross that bridge when he’d get there.

♥♥♥

“Evan, come on in.”

“Hey gorgeous. I’m sorry I’m a little late. Some unexpected things came up and I couldn’t get out as early as I’d hope. I have my boy covering for me so I can’t stay too long.”

“We could have made it another night.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m here aren’t I? Girl, you smell delicious. Come here and let me get a sampling of you.” Evan grabbed Holly and pulled her hard into his body. He didn’t want to waste any time. He thought about their night together all day and couldn’t wait to see her. She’d become an addiction to him—a habit he would have a hard time breaking if he had to.

Although Holly enjoyed her time spent with Evan, she didn’t like to rush the sex. As much as she preferred her men to be married, she didn’t like it when they acted like it. If their time spent together didn’t feel natural or sexy, it turned her off. Evan’s behavior that night seemed desperate and rushed. She went along with it, but she wasn’t into it as much because it was obvious that Evan was under a lot of pressure. Instead, while making love to only Evan, her distraction kept her focused on Kevin. She found herself looking forward to their first encounter, should it go that way. And, from what she could tell by their phone conversation, it was only a matter of time. In fact, she wished she’d shared her time with him that night instead of Evan.

“Oh God yes!” exclaimed Evan just before he rolled off of Holly, dripping with perspiration. “Damn! What the hell did you do to me?” He continued to breathe heavily, sounding almost winded. “That was nice—real nice, baby girl.”

“Uh-huh,” she agreed with a little less enthusiasm than her partner. Her mind remained fixed on Kevin.

“Look, I hate to rush off, but that appetizer from you earlier felt so good we lost track of time. I didn’t want that to end. I’ll get you the next time. Promise.” He gave her a quick kiss on her breast, scrambled out of bed, disposed of his condom, and gathered up his clothes in the process.

“Yeah, okay.” She glanced at the clock, while Evan stumbled around looking for his tie. It was nine forty-five and Evan was gone. She got up to take a shower and pack her bag. She needed to arrive at the airport by six in the morning.

♥♥♥

At seven a.m., Holly was in the air and by eight that evening, she was back in another hotel room, exhausted and famished. She decided to order in from room service rather than eat out with her crew members because she wanted to get to bed early. She regretted losing sleep after a mediocre evening with Evan. Now into their fourth year of the affair, she figured that maybe it had run its course. He disappointingly became the exception of the group in terms of growing mundane and taking their sex for granted. She could easily dispense of him and replace him with fresh Kevin. She still had Lawrence there in town, Bill in Las Vegas, Conner in Dallas, and Steve in San Francisco.

The minute she closed her eyes as she drifted off to sleep in her hotel bed, her phone rang. She thought for a minute of not answering it, thinking it might be James, the co-pilot. They slept together once several months ago and she hadn’t seen him again prior to their flight that morning. Secretly, she hoped not to do that again because it proved too risky—for their careers. She didn’t want any of the other flight attendants getting wind of it. Sleeping with the pilots didn’t bode well for her untarnished reputation. She regretted it the minute that it happened and thought he would understand the risks as well and not pursue her again. Of course, he had contemplated the consequences and shuddered at the thought of their tryst being exposed, but he hadn’t completely eliminated the possibility of continuing it either.

“Hello,” she sounded sleepy.

“Did I wake you?”

“Who’s this?”

“It’s Kevin…Summerfield.”

“Oh, hi. No, I wasn’t asleep yet—although pretty close.”

“I’m sorry. I can call you another time.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m awake. I don’t usually go to bed this early…”

“Well, if I were there with you, I doubt that you would be going to sleep right now.”

“I’m intrigued. And, why would that be?”

“Because the massage I’d give you, after your long, stressful day dealing with the drunks and disorderlies on the plane, would put you in the mood to grant me every wish I desired…that is after I grant every last one of yours.”

She sat up and smiled. “I see. That sounds like an offer I cannot refuse.”

“That’s what I was hoping. When do you get home?”

“Sunday night.”

“That’s too bad. But good things come to those who wait.”

“That’s what I’ve heard.”

“Listen, I know you’re tired and I don’t want to keep you. Where do you fly tomorrow?”

“Uh, Dallas.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure. I should get in after six Central Time.”

“I hope they at least put you up in a decent hotel.”

“They do. We usually stay at the Renaissance, so we can’t complain. Thanks for calling.”

“It was a pleasure hearing your voice; looking forward to seeing you soon.”

“Me, too.”

“Oh, and remember, please don’t mention any of this to Jarred. This is just between us. Good night.”

“No worries; good night.”

When Kevin hung up he immediately began planning for his big date with Holly. He would downplay the whole thing with Jarred until he got her chasing after him and ultimately caught in his fishnet.

Chapter Three

After Holly’s flight landed in Dallas, she gathered her things and walked quickly through the airport terminal with her co-workers to catch their shuttle to the hotel. She looked forward to getting out of her uniform and shoes and relaxing before they headed out to dinner. Moments after getting into the shuttle and turning on her phone, it rang. She saw the display and discretely answered.

“Hi.”

“Hello beautiful. Are you here in town?” It was Connor—her Dallas connection.

“Yes, how did you know?” She’d been thinking about Kevin so much, she forgot about Connor since landing in Dallas.

“You told me the last time when you’d be back. I don’t forget important dates or people, especially someone as extraordinary as you. I arranged for us to spend some time together. I’m in the clear.”

“Oh, right. Okay.”

“Well, are you here, and when can I see you?”

“Yes, we just got in. I’m on my way to the hotel now,” she whispered.

“Great. I’ll see you in one hour. I have a surprise for you.”

“What’s that?”

“I said it’s a surprise—you’ll see. I’m glad you’re here. I’ll see you shortly.” Connor hung up.

Holly stared blankly at her phone for a minute before someone in the shuttle said something to her to snap her out of her trance. She looked somewhat embarrassed because it seemed apparent to everyone that her call was personal. But no one had any idea, though, that plans of an illicit affair dominated Holly’s thoughts and phone conversation. She took drastic measures to keep her private life, private, especially from her co-workers.

When she arrived at her hotel room at the Renaissance, Holly received another phone call.

“Hey, what’s up?” she answered.

“Where are you?” asked Jarred.

“Just got into Dallas. I’m at the room, but I can’t talk long.”

“Oh…why not?”

“I’m getting ready for dinner. What’s going on?” She had a hunch what he was getting at.

“I’m just checking in—making sure you’re okay and seeing if you need anything.”

“I’m fine. What’s really on your mind?” A knock came at the door and startled her. “Hold on.”

When she answered the door, she was greeted by one of the hotel staff holding a very large vase with at least three dozen beautiful yellow roses spilling out of it. She motioned for the guy holding them to carefully put them on the table. She thanked him and waited until he left.

“I’m back. I was just delivered a ton of roses. I’m sure they’re from Connor. He knows I’m here. It’s totally like him to do something so extravagant like that.”

“Are you still seeing that old geezer?”

“He’s not that old and he’s not a geezer. And, why not? He’s…”

“Loaded. Is that the only reason you’re sleeping with him?”

“No, of course not. He’s kind and I like him. He treats me so special.”

“You mean he can crack the nut.”

“Jarred, what’s with you?”

“I don’t know. I worry about you sometimes. Are you really happy and content with getting only pieces of these guys and not having a real relationship?”

“Damn-it, Jarred! I thought you of all people understood me. You’re starting to sound like Elaine. This is who I am and you know that. This is the extent of my relationships—my real relationships—with anyone. It’s just sex and that’s it. I don’t want anything more with anyone—ever!”

“Eric really fucked you up.”

“Why the hell are you bringing him up? Why did you call anyway, to talk about that, now?”

“Everyone’s not like him, Holly.”

“I know that. I never said anyone was like him nor am I holding anyone else responsible for what he did. I’m over that and have let it go, why can’t you do the same?”

“Because I wish you’d stop doing this nonsense and give yourself more.”

“Really, Jarred, now? What is this really about?”

“Anyone else but you, Hol.”

“You know what? Connor’s going to be here any minute and I need to jump in the shower. I’ll call you later. And, when I do, let’s change the tune on this broken record, okay?”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

Before Holly got in the shower, she sent Connor a text message with her room number. Thirty minutes later, she answered the soft knock at the door. Sixty-six year-old, agriculture tycoon, Connor Upshaw stood at the threshold of her hotel door with two dozen red roses and a bottle of premium champagne.

“More roses? Connor, what are you doing to me? They’re beautiful!”

“What do you mean more roses?” He walked in further and immediately spotted the vase of flowers. “Who are these from?” he asked pointing to the beautiful display of yellow roses on the desk. “You’re very popular today.”

“What? Aren’t they from you?”

“No, these are.” He handed her his enormous bouquet of red roses.

Holly went over to the other roses and found a card tucked in the middle next to the only red rose nestled among the yellow ones. She quickly read the card and saw that they were from Kevin. She felt embarrassed and excited at the same time. She was completely shocked by his gesture. He did some sneaky detective work to find out where she was staying. She liked a man who put forth some effort to surprise her. She wanted to call him so badly and thank him, but she didn’t dare; she never called the husbands.

“Well, who are they from?”

“Oh, they’re from a friend. I love your flowers, Connor—you shouldn’t have.” She took them from him.

“Of course I should have. You know I enjoy making you happy, and I know how much you love beautiful things. And, I love you.”

“You love your wife, Connor.”

“Of course, I love my wife, but I love you, too. Now, let’s stop all this chatter and let me show you how much I do love you.” Connor took her hand and led her to the king-size bed where they both displayed tremendous appreciation for each other well into the night, in-between short breaks, resting, and talking.

“Holly, what I said to you earlier, I meant it.”

“What’s that?”

“That I love you.”

“But Connor…”

“Let me explain, darling. I’m well aware of our agreement here. I’m not changing the arrangement or making a grand gesture. I want you to know what you mean to me.” Connor shifted in his position, propped a pillow behind his head and began to focus on the ceiling. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m old, I know.”

“You’re not old.”

“Thank you, but I’m well aware of how I feel sometimes. The thing is, I don’t feel old when I’m with you. I feel youthful, virile, and alive, and it’s all because of you. You do that to me. Before I met you, all I could think about was aging and quite honestly, it scared me. I have been with my wife for twenty-seven years, but before that, I was a ladies’ man and quite handsome, if I should say so.”

“You’re still handsome, Connor,” she complimented.

“I appreciate you saying that. Meeting you two years ago at DFW was probably the best thing that has happened to me. I’m not saying that I’m proud of deceiving my wife, but without you in my life, I’m not sure what kind of husband or even person I would be today. I think I was heading down the path of cheating with multiple and random women because I felt desperate. Desperate to feel young and…sexy. Then you were there and thank goodness you paid attention to me and we had that private exchange at the airport. I owe so much gratitude to you. I willingly entered into this dalliance with anonymity. But somewhere along the way, it manifested into something extraordinary—at least for me.”

“I don’t know what to say. You’ve been so good to me, especially respectful, and I appreciate you. You are a sexy, virile man and I don’t think it has anything to do with me.”

Connor turned toward Holly. “Oh, you don’t, do you? Well, I’ll show you again, just how much you’re responsible for my virility.” Connor positioned himself on top of Holly and prepared to make love to her for the second time that evening, which he did—slowly and deliberately—until they both lay spent.

When Connor got up to get dressed an hour later, Holly had fallen asleep. Before he left, he leaned down and kissed her softly on her lips. She stirred when she felt his lips press on hers, but didn’t open her eyes. He always expressed appreciation for what Holly did for him, along with not being the possessive type. She made it easy; maybe too easy. He truly loved her making each rendezvous special and personal, and particularly for her discretion, considering what he risked losing should his wife discover his affair. But that time in particular, he felt closer to her when they made love. Something in the way she glued herself to him and clutched him; the way she called his name, the way she peered deeply into his eyes, the way she kissed his body, and the way she took care of him sexually. He stared at her for a long time before leaving.

Four hours later when Holly answered her wake-up call at five a.m., she slowly lifted her head, picked up the phone and ordered coffee to ward off her exhaustion and grogginess. The night before had taken a tremendous toll on her, mentally. She always pushed to give one hundred percent of herself to the men in her life. They did so much for her in return. She knew she couldn’t continue at an impossible pace and work alert, which concerned her. She didn’t want to jeopardize her job any more than she already had when she chose to sleep with the co-pilot, James.

When she rolled out of bed ten minutes later and dragged herself to the shower, it wasn’t until she stepped into the shower that she noticed the sparkly diamond anklet that dangled around her ankle. She gasped with wide eyes! She couldn’t believe it. Connor had slipped the diamond anklet on her while she slept. Then she remembered him saying he had a surprise for her. She thought it was the flowers and champagne. She removed the anklet and looked at it more closely. There had to have been at least two carats of brilliant, dazzling diamonds set in it. It looked unbelievably expensive. The extravagant and exquisite gift stirred up her heartfelt emotions, as she carefully placed it on the counter.

The whole time she showered, Holly couldn’t get her mind off the generous gift. Connor had given her many gifts throughout their two-year affair, but never a two-carat anything! She couldn’t get over how it made her feel. She wanted to call him right then and thank him, but knew he would be home in bed with his wife of twenty-seven years—Carla. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how well he took care of Carla, financially. She never allowed herself to think of the wife—none of them. She didn’t want to think about what she did with their husbands or what the affair would do to them if they would ever find out—according to Elaine.

While Holly continued to wake up in the shower, she dwelled on the things Connor confessed and professed to her. She didn’t know what to make of his announcement expressing his love for her. It only made her think about the one time she truly loved someone and conversely how she had the shit kicked out of her by love. She still struggled with what happened back then—among deferred hopes and canceled plans—but rarely allowed herself to ponder it, unless someone like Jarred brought it up.

Jarred wanted her to cope with her breakup in a productive way so she would recover from the pain, and ultimately stop depriving herself of real love. Sleeping with married men, in his opinion, only masked a bigger problem with a potentially dangerous outcome. All betting and kidding aside, he knew that Kevin would be great for her. And if Kevin did win her over, it would be one bet he wouldn’t mind losing.

Holly stepped out of the shower remembering the flowers Kevin had sent her. How would she manage five dozen roses on an airplane? And, how would she explain them? It wasn’t her birthday or Valentine’s Day, nor did she win the Miss America Pageant. But they were too beautiful to leave behind. She didn’t have to worry about Connor’s flowers, but she wasn’t sure how Kevin would take it if he knew she didn’t keep them.

So, on her way out, she clumsily grabbed the five-dozen roses, vases and all, along with her bags, which concealed her expensive diamond gift, and headed toward the lobby to catch the six a.m. shuttle to the airport. And, as expected, she received a lot of looks and attention from the other flight attendants, as well as the pilots. She kept their questions at bay and her answers short, but everyone knew she stood them up for dinner and surmised that she had a hot, secret affair going on. When they teased her about having an undisclosed relationship, she instinctively glanced at James, the co-pilot, and caught his reaction. He sat quiet, but pretended to spur on the bantering. Her smile faded a bit when she noticed him looking uninterested in the joke. Then she thought of the particularly amorous evening spent with Connor, his gift, and his sentiments of love for her. It was all a game to her—a way to invoke self-preservation. But in her reflective process, she couldn’t help but wonder if the men really could have deep feelings for her?

When Jarred’s pleas for her to give up married men entered Holly’s mind for a split second, she cringed and knew almost immediately that she didn’t want to. Then she couldn’t discern between wanting to and being able to. She’d always accused the men of being adrenaline junkies—addicted to the risk of having an affair, but now she wondered if she, too, was an adrenaline junkie. She’d become increasingly turned on by the risk, therefore craving more and more of the experience. Losing sleep occasionally presented only a minor inconvenience compared to the big payout, which translated into hours of gratifying sex. The personal attention and extravagant perks from handsome and virile men all vying for her, favored her argument. It definitely created a rush for her.

When Holly focused back on the conversation in the van, she relaxed, realizing that her fellow co-workers had finally changed the subject. When she turned to look behind her, James looked up at her. She turned back around and quietly admired the flowers swallowing up her lap.

♥♥♥

The trip ended as their flight touched down in Phoenix—one place where Holly figured she could manage to enjoy uninterrupted sleep. With the temperature soaring above one hundred and five degrees, any desire to leave the hotel faded quickly. She looked forward to returning home the next morning. To ward off further suspicion with the crew, she agreed to have dinner with them that evening even though she’d much rather take a long, hot bath and go straight to bed. No doubt that she was spent.

After dinner, when the group walked back to the hotel and parted ways once the elevator deposited each of them on their respective floors, Holly immediately ran a hot bath in preparation for a quiet, relaxing evening. Seconds after she stepped out of the bathtub, a knocked came at her door. She couldn’t remember if she’d ordered something from room service, which she frequently did, and opened the door without hesitation.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped, startled to see James, the co-pilot standing at the door. She tightened the belt on her robe.

“Are you going to leave me standing out here or can I please come in?”

“Sure, come on in.” She quickly closed the door once he entered. “I don’t think it’s a good idea that you come in here. Wendy is right next door.”

“I know, I thought about it, but I had to see you. We haven’t done a trip together in a while and I thought…” He couldn’t take his eyes off of her lips and breasts.

“James, we shouldn’t hook up when we’re on the same trip. It’s not wise. We must remain focused when we’re on the plane.”

“Holly, I’ve missed you,” he replied, ignoring her logical reasoning.

“I know this sounds ridiculous coming from me, but maybe we shouldn’t have started anything. I’ve never been a fan of two people who work together, sleeping together. These are our careers and I don’t want to do something to screw that up—for either of us. All it takes is for someone on the crew to see something or suspect something. I like my job too much! And I’m up for the purser spot. I don’t need this right now.”

“No one will find out. We’ve been discrete…”

“Yeah, but it’s harder with us. I’ve heard horror stories of others and I’ve seen some of it firsthand. It never turns out good. Someone always sabotages someone else because they’re jealous or something. The young flight attendants always think it’s their life-long dream and personal goal to hook up with a pilot. And, they don’t care who knows or who they expose to get what they want.”

“Holly, we did okay before. We’re here now. It’s just one more time. Who knows when we’ll work another trip together? C’mon…,” James pleaded, moving in closer. He started to remove her robe, but Holly turned away to discourage him. He reacted by pulling her into his body and began kissing her neck. “God, you smell good.”

“Come on James, I’m really tired…” She tried to sound convincing, but James homed in on one of her hot zones—her neck—and he didn’t let up until he weakened her knees.

Within seconds, her robed dropped to the floor and he quickly peeled off his own clothes. In the back of Holly’s mind, she repeated the word “no” over and over, but once again, the risk of getting caught by one of the flight crew members kept her focused on what James was doing—turning her into a willing participant. Before she could redeem a rational thought, they were busy on top of the bed with only one common goal in mind. Gone was her idea of a relaxing evening alone and gone was her plan to get much-needed rest. Instead, they surrendered to their strong, sexual attraction and James’ urges that have plagued him since he laid eyes on Holly again, the day before.

An hour later, they both collapsed from sheer exhaustion and fell asleep together; neither stirred until Holly’s wakeup call at five that morning.

“James! Get up!”

“Huh?”

“Get up! You fell asleep! You’ve got to get out of here!” Holly panicked. She didn’t want anyone to have knowledge of him in her room. He wasn’t supposed to stay all night, but she fell asleep before she could get him out. James scrambled out of bed and began to gather his clothes. “Why didn’t you leave last night?”

“I’m sorry. I must have passed out. I’m really sorry.”

“Not as sorry as you’re going to be if someone sees you leaving!”

Just then she heard a knock at the door.

“Shit!” she exclaimed, looking at James. “Who the hell is that?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Go in the bathroom!” She leaned toward the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Wendy. Do you have any aspirin? I’m out! Can I come in, please?”

“Uh…just a minute!” She motioned for James to go into the bathroom and shut the door. She slowly opened the door after James hid himself in the bathroom.

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, but I need some aspirin. Do you have some?”

“No! No, I don’t.”

“C’mon, Hol, you always carry pain relievers. I’ll buy you more; it’s an emergency. Please; no one else has any. I’m in pain here and the little shop downstairs isn’t opened yet.”

“Uh, okay. Let me check. Wait here.” Holly left Wendy standing in the door while she headed toward the bathroom. She carefully opened the bathroom door, stepped inside and shut it again. Wendy looked at her strangely, wondering why she shut the door. She scanned the dimly lit room while she waited. She started to say something, but her eyes caught a glimpse of a pair of men’s shoes on the floor next to the bed with the disheveled sheets. She began to ease up to the shoes to get a closer look, but Holly emerged from the bathroom with a bottle of ibuprofen in her hand.

“Found it! Here ya go.” She glanced over to see what Wendy was looking at and noticed the shoes. She closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. She felt all of her air escape her body.

“Oh, thanks. Uh, Holly…”

“I’m running late. Can we do this later?” Her expression said it all.

“Sure, you can count on it. I’ll see you downstairs,” Wendy replied while reading her mind. It was no longer a secret that someone else shared her room, and perhaps more—someone Holly didn’t want her to know about. Wendy saw the embarrassment on Holly’s face and left without further conversation, but with heightened curiosity.

When James heard the door close, he came out and found Holly sitting on the chair looking at the bed.

“What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Your shoes. She saw your shoes and she knows.”

“Oops, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Sure. I know. I’ll see you down at the shuttle.”

“I’m really sorry.” He stood her up to face him, and then he kissed her passionately on her lips. “It’ll be alright. I promise.” He thought about his own situation and what it would do to his family if his affair with Holly leaked out. He hugged her so not to reveal his own concerns. “I’ll see you in a little bit.” He picked up his shoes and started to walk out, but stopped. “Holly, I care about you a great deal and won’t let anything happen to you.”

She looked at him oddly. She didn’t expect him to say that. She smiled timidly at him as he closed the door, but her smile quickly faded. Wendy’s curiosity got the best of her and she manned her peephole until she saw their co-pilot leave Holly’s room.

When they all got settled into the shuttle, Wendy greeted Holly with a sheepish look. The two pilots, James and Martin, entered the shuttle last. Holly felt her heart race. But it was James who made the first gesture by sitting next to Holly, which she did not expect; neither did Wendy. James figured that Wendy would expect him to avoid Holly, so he wanted to send a message that he cared about her and wouldn’t leave her out on a limb to fend off the rumors and whisperings. He would go through it with her and protect her if need be. Holly felt uncomfortable at first, but then appreciated his grand gesture. No one else in the van seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary going on and Holly was grateful of that.

During the flight home, Holly avoided all conversation from Wendy about anything personal between her and James. She didn’t think that there needed to be any confirmation from her about what took place in her hotel room, and knowing Wendy, Holly would bet that she waited to find out who belonged to the mystery shoes.

Upon final approach into Denver International Airport, and once the cabin crew prepared for landing, Wendy sat in the jumpseat next to Holly. Holly sighed to herself.

“You think you’re going to get the purser spot by sleeping with the pilots?” she whispered.

“What?” asked Holly, surprised by the strong accusation. Brent, who was also in line for purser, overheard and looked shockingly at Holly. “I don’t sleep around to get promoted,” she responded through clenched teeth.

“Are you sure about that? Look, Holly, some of us work really hard to move up in this industry, but you think all you have to do is sleep around to get what you want.”

“That’s not true! Drop it!”

“We’ll see. I wonder what our supervisor and James’ wife will think of your tactics?”

Holly glanced at Brent again. He looked disappointedly at her, simultaneously rolling his eyes and strumming his fingers against his face in a Jack Benny kind of way. He sharply turned away. Holly braced herself for a smooth landing and a rough road ahead.

Chapter Four

Holly slowly and wearily entered her house, dumped her bags in her bedroom closet, and then stretched out across her bed. Relieved to be home and eager to welcome the ten-day break from flying, she closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She didn’t even bother to eat dinner that evening, but instead took a long soak in her bathtub, and then returned to the comfort of her own bed. She couldn’t believe how heavenly it felt. The time had approached nine o’clock, but she didn’t care. She would trade anything for hours of uninterrupted sleep. When she reached over to turn out the light on her nightstand, her cell phone rang. She meant to turn it off, but forgot. She thought about not answering it, but couldn’t resist seeing who needed her. When she picked it up, she smiled and then answered.

“Hello.”

“Hello Holly. Is this a good time?”

“Sure it’s fine. How are you? Oh, hey, thanks so much for the beautiful flowers! They were a pleasant surprise. You’re a sneaky guy.”

“I’m glad you liked them. I wanted you to have something to remind you of me and to brighten up your hotel room.” Kevin’s smile could be detected through the phone.

“Well, they accomplished both.”

“So, did you just get home from your trip?”

“Yes, a little while ago.”

“Any interesting flight stories?”

“No, not really. The usual…screaming babies, rowdy college guys, honeymooners, couples trying to get into the mile high club…”

“I’ve been thinking about you the whole time.”

“Care to share your thoughts?”

“I’d rather share them in person.”

“Hmm…sounds like you’re fishin’ for an invitation.”

“I’m available now. My wife is out for a while and...”

“Well, uh…” She hardly expected a visitor then, let alone talking to anyone on the phone. She sat up.

“I know it’s getting late, it’s just that I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I’ve never done anything like this before—you know since I’ve been married. I can’t believe I’m even talking to you now, but you’ve got something special…”

“I think you’ve got something special, too.” She meant it. She’d been curious about him ever since she saw him again with Jarred. She knew Jarred would have a fit if he became knowledgeable of her flirting with his married friend—another married man. That thought began to turn her on—another risky situation. But for Holly, Kevin possessed something more than a thrill. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what he had that the others didn’t, nor bring herself to admit that someone had the potential to get to her heart—again. “Okay. You’ve got a pen? I’ll give you the address.”

Kevin wrote down every detail. “Great. I can be there in about twenty minutes.”

“I’ll leave the light on.” She laughed.

When they hung up, Holly jumped out of bed and changed into a pair of tight jeans and an even tighter, low-cut t-shirt. All thoughts of sleep vanished. She figured they were beyond the beating around the bush stage and he probably didn’t have much time before his wife returned. She developed butterflies in her stomach from the anticipation. It felt like a first date, minus going out on an actual date.

She opened a bottle of wine, set out some glasses, lit a couple of candles, and turned on soft music. She rapidly and perfectly reapplied her makeup, and then lit a fire in the fireplace. And, exactly twenty minutes from when she hung up the phone, her doorbell rang. She did a quick check in the mirror before opening the door.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” They stood staring at each other not sure of what to do next. They just stared. Then, as if pulled by some gravitational force, they leapt toward one another, right into each other’s arms. Kevin kissed her as his arms kept her locked into his body. She eagerly kissed him back. They kissed randomly and with reckless abandon for three or four minutes, like two lovesick people who finally found each other after years of painstakingly searching for one another.

“Wow! I didn’t mean to come at you like that, but I couldn’t help it. I am so attracted to you,” he nervously explained.

“I know, me too. Weird.” They kissed again even longer, and with more vigor until they finally came up for air.

“Hi.” He stared at her.

“Hi.” She stared back at him. “Would you like to actually come all the way in and sit down?” she chuckled.

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom instead. When he placed her down on the bed, he sat next to her and looked far into her eyes with an unexpected intensity. He felt moved by something when she touched his chest. Something moved her as well when he placed his hand on her chest. What happened next could only be spurred, first by a strong, emotional connection, followed by uncontrollable lust.

Time lingered, as they writhed and ground on each other, feeling the heat ignite within. Everything slowed down as they awakened all senses, especially the sense of touch. They were both erotically and emotionally charged. Waves of pure ecstasy cascaded through her and rocked him for long moments at a time. For Holly, making love to Kevin eerily reminded her of when she loved Eric. He made her feel treasured as if he was meant for her only. For Kevin, nothing or no one ripped through his layers quite like Holly did. No one. It was as if he was making love for the first time in his life. He suspected and counted on her being something special, but he never expected her to literally take his breath away and penetrate his heart of steel. The excitement overwhelmed him and pulsed through him like quick and electrifying bursts of lightning. They joust in synchronicity over every inch of the bed, and then they moved in slow, rhythmic motions, but always gripping tightly to each other. They explored multiple positions and found that each one provided a unique sensation felt from deep within, creating a mesmerizing and hypnotic liaison. He took his time with her, giving her intoxicating, uncompromising, shivering pleasure. She did the same for him, leaving him nearly devoid of energy. He’d never known any woman to value the details of lovemaking. They created extraordinary and artful music between them—a symphony of exquisite pleasure.

As the magical moment descended upon them, Kevin looked lovingly into Holly’s eyes—nearly blinded by her soul staring back—brushed her brown, scattered hair from the side of her face, and then passionately kissed her like he’d never kissed any woman before. He could only comprehend the moment as an unquenchable flame of desire. They clutched firmly to one another, with fingers entwined, as their bodies shuddered right through to their toes.

Once he lay spent and satisfied, Kevin rolled off of Holly’s body, finally breaking the seal that bonded them for forty-five glorious minutes. He lay on his back and closed his eyes, to ward off the dizziness. Holly, too, lay delirious and disoriented. She wanted to say something to him, but, satiated and entranced, she closed her eyes instead and drifted peacefully to sleep. Kevin nestled quietly beside her and watched her breathe before he, too, succumbed to a deep, dark abyss.

A few minutes later, after the fogged cleared, Kevin opened his eyes and sat up—careful not to disturb her. He glanced back at her beautiful face, lit only by the moonlight filtering in through the window. She appeared peaceful. Before he got up, he leaned over, kissed her lips, and then whispered, “You are special, Holly.” He proceeded to put on his clothes, blew out the candles, and then tiptoed out of her house.

♥♥♥

Ten o’clock the next morning, Holly awakened from the most lucid and fervid dream about her and Kevin. Sighing with the pleasure of the memory, she turned over and caught a glimpse of her alarm clock. She couldn’t believe she actually slept in. She still felt exhausted. Then she remembered last night—the unforgettable night. She scanned her room, but saw no sign of Kevin. She lay back again and smiled. She couldn’t get the amazing euphoria out of her head. She didn’t want to forget it so she replayed it in her mind again and again until her phone rang and interrupted the erotic video in her head.

“Hello.”

“Good morning sexy.”

“Hi Kevin.”

“Did I interrupt you?”

“No, I was just waking up.”

“Holly, I called to tell you how much I enjoyed the evening with you. I can’t stop thinking about it—about you. You were…well, there are no words to really describe what you were and are. But I’ll use amazing until I can come up with a better word.”

“It was crazy…sensational.”

She thought of Connor, Lawrence, Bill, Steve, and even Evan. She had Lawrence and Evan who kept her sexually satisfied when at home, and when she traveled, she spent time with the others in the cities where she laid-over most frequently. With that kind of schedule, it would be nearly impossible to start an intimate relationship with Kevin on a regular basis. However, she couldn’t dismiss the things they did and how he affected her, as traces of his magic lingered. Then Holly abruptly stopped herself. She never expected to “feel” anything for him or for any of them. She fought for five years to keep her mind off of the one thing she wanted to avoid—falling in love.

As they reminisced the magnificent experience, they became easily aroused again and began to carry on quite a different conversation. Once the dust settled, they resumed normal conversation.

“Kevin, about last night…what are your intentions?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what do you see happening between us? What do you want from this situation? A one-night stand? An occasional booty-call?”

“Holly stop! You make it sound so…”

“So…what? It can’t be more than what it is. You’re married, and that’s cool, but just remember why you were with me. Maybe I’m available to give you what you’re not getting at home. Whatever the reason, I need you to know that I’m sleeping with other married men. They like what I do for them and we all get out of it what we want. But at the end of the day, they go back to their wives, and I go on with my life.”

“What do you really get out of it, Holly?” He asked. Her words disturbed him and he didn’t like how she made herself sound. Her confession of sleeping with other married men actually made him jealous, especially after what they shared last night. If he were married, he might have felt differently, but that wasn’t the case. He wasn’t married and now he was even more attracted to her. But he had to keep his head on straight and keep the truth to himself. He didn’t want to blow his chances to get her to fall in love with him, knowing that if she did, it would change her life, as well as his. He knew he could offer her so much more and could be everything she needed. He desired that chance—with her specifically.

“Why are you concerned with what I’m getting out of it? I appreciate your noble act of kindness and consideration for me, but last night you were considerate enough. That’s where it ends.” She took a deep breath. “I like you, Kevin. But don’t make this complicated. I sort of get the feeling that you want something else from me. Other than a few hours of hot, liberating sex, I’ve got nothing else to offer. I promise you that.”

“Holly…” he stopped himself from convincing her to stop selling herself short.

“What?”

He took a deep breath and continued. “I love my wife and I don’t want to hurt her. We’re not having problems and I’m not looking to leave her and start a romantic relationship with you. What happened between us just…happened. It was great and you brought out something in the experience that I haven’t shared in a long time. I shouldn’t say this, but I would like to spend time with you again. I sent you the flowers because I didn’t want you to think I didn’t respect you. I do like you, and I could maybe someday, under different circumstances, have strong feelings for you, but I don’t have any plans to leave my wife.” That was tough—nearly impossible—for him to say. He couldn’t imagine any man not wanting to have her all to himself.

“I don’t think there could be different circumstances, but okay. I think we’re on the same page. Good.” Before he said all that, Holly had an unexpected momentary change of heart as she listened to his voice speak so personal about her. For a second she almost wished he could fall in love with her. Many things about him moved her and touched her heart. But when he confirmed his love for his wife, she relinquished her thoughts of love and commitment, and resumed her original plan to live out her life without a romantic or emotional commitment.

“I better get back to work,” he added.

“Right.”

“Now that we have this understanding, do you think you’ll have some time for me again. Soon? I mean, I’ll have an opportunity to see you if you’re free.”

“I’d like that.” She quickly scanned her memory to sort out her personal schedule. She knew that Lawrence would be calling soon—wanting to see her. He rarely let too much time lapse between visits. She often wondered how his wife hadn’t figured them out by now.

“You can call me…” he offered.

“No. I’d rather not. You call me.” Just as she said that, her phone beeped. “Uh-oh, I have another call. I’ll check my schedule and let you know. Call me later today or tomorrow.”

“Okay. I will. Good bye Holly.” Holly clicked over without saying good-bye to Kevin.

When she saw who was calling, she smiled. “Hi,” she answered.

“I’ve missed you.”

“It’s good to hear from you.”

“I’ll be by tonight.”

“Okay, see you then.”

They ended the call. Long conversations weren’t Lawrence’s forte. He typically got right down to business. He’d never had to compete with anyone else when Holly was home. Evan didn’t come around as frequently anymore as he’d liked and Lawrence didn’t know about him either. Because of his stoic demeanor and closed personality, she never told him about the others, and didn’t really have to; she didn’t find it necessary. Lawrence treated her superbly and took great care of her, in a chivalry kind of way, and in return, she took care of him, in a sensuous and determined way. He may be a straight shooter, but when he spent time with her, he displayed gentleness toward her. She interpreted that as gratefulness. But after her night with Kevin, Holly wasn’t ready to replace the memories of their lovemaking so quickly with those of someone else. She’d hope to savor them as long as possible. She also required about two full days to do nothing except pamper herself. She felt she’d been running an up-hill marathon during the past few days—one lover after another. That rarely happened.

Before Holly even had the chance to clear her head from juggling the men in her sexually active life, her phone rang again. Who now, she wondered.

“Hello.”

“Hol, did I wake you?”

“Hey Elaine. No, I was awake, although I really need to pee and take a shower.”

“This’ll only take a minute. I need to come by!”

“Are you at work?”

“No. Didn’t go. I need to talk to you!”

“Elaine…you’re not going to convert me. I told you…”

“It’s not that. It’s something else. It’s urgent! I need to see you.”

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“Shit no! I don’t know what to do?”

“It sounds serious. You never cuss. Meet me over here in about an hour.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you then.”

Holly jumped up before her phone rang again. She couldn’t get the tone of Elaine’s voice out of her head. She didn’t sound like herself. And, the fact that she didn’t go to work alarmed her that whatever troubled her friend could be serious. Elaine always went to work and, even with a child, she hardly missed a day besides scheduled time off.

An hour and ten minutes later, Elaine arrived at Holly’s house a bit frazzled and unkempt.

“Elaine…come in! You look…”

“A mess? Yes I am! You’ve got to help me. I haven’t slept all night!”

“Well, sit down and tell me what’s going on. Why didn’t you go to work? Are you sick? Here, have some coffee.” She handed her a cup of fresh coffee. “So, are you sick?”

“You can say that—in a manner of speaking.” She paused while taking a sip of the hot beverage.

“Okay, what’s going on? What did you do? You’re not yourself.”

“I know. I’m not. I should be committed for what I did.”

“Elaine…what did you do? Oh, wait! Don’t tell me you had an affair? With a married man?”

“I wish. Close. Given the alternative, I think I could survive that.”

“You’ll survive anything, whatever it is.” Holly paused for a moment trying to decipher Elaine’s cryptic conversation. She stopped in mid-sip of her coffee. “Wait a minute—wait a minute!” Holly gave Elaine the most peculiar look. Then she covered her mouth with her hand. She could think of only one thing that could be worse for Elaine than an affair with a married man. “You didn’t!” Elaine shamefully dropped her head, got up and walked away from Holly. “You did! You…wow! Elaine! I’m speechless. How…I mean what…I mean when…and what about your husband?”

“Hugh? He doesn’t know of course. If he did I wouldn’t be sitting here. I’d be dead! Hol, he’s not going to take this well or at all. He can never find out! He’ll crucify me. He’ll take our son!”

“Do you love Hugh? I mean when did all this happen and why? Oh my God! I’m in shock here. And, what’s her name?”

Elaine crinkled her face. “Kimberly. I do love my husband, and what happened was unexpected, unplanned, uncharacteristic of me, and not in my nature!”

“Well, I’m afraid it is in your nature—now—or has always been and you just didn’t know it. So, what does this all mean?” Holly reflected back on some tell-tale signs in college.

“What it means is she lit me up inside. Don’t laugh, but it was the best sex I’ve had in a long time—maybe ever.” Elaine relived the moments in her mind, but then tried to thwart the unthinkable.

“And, I bet you didn’t even know what you were missing.”

“Right…I didn’t.”

“I don’t get it. Some married couples fail when it comes to taking care of their partners, sexually. Either they’re not compatible out the gate, or for whatever reason, they lose the motivation that got them there in the first place. But why? Maybe it’s the kids, or the merging of their lives, or the disinterest in caring about the other’s needs. It can’t be the job, because the same men with the same jobs come to me and it’s a whole different story. I don’t hear about their silly jobs or their stresses or their frustrations, and their job schedules don’t prevent us from spending intimate time together. All we do is satisfy each other for a short time and it’s good—very good.”

“I don’t know. Hugh never really knew how to get me off.”

“Then why did you marry him?”

“I loved him and figured that love was enough. There’s more to a relationship than sex.”

“Really? I guess that’s okay if you want a boring sex life and never want to feel the intense eruption that makes you see stars and fireworks, or to have your toes curl.”

“You’ve always had that?”

“I’ve always had that. I need that. I crave that. I wouldn’t settle for anything less. It’s a priority for me, but maybe not for others. In my opinion there’s no excuse for any man, or woman, to not sexually gratify their partner, or learn how to. It’s a beautiful, private, special thing between two people.”

“Or three people in your case.”

“And yours!”

“Touche. What do I do?”

“What do you want to do? Was it the first time, you know, with Kimberly?”

“No,” she answered again shamefully.

“Well, then why are you freaking out so much now?”

“Because I thought the first time was a fluke and a gigantic mistake, or an experimental encounter. I tried to put it out of my mind, but I couldn’t. Then I couldn’t wait to see her again. It was my first orgasm in years. I had forgotten how it felt.”

“You’re kidding, right? You mean, you don’t pleasure yourself?”

“No. I never think about that, especially since Aaron was born. I hardly have the energy to have sex with my husband, let alone myself. I’ve never thought to schedule sex with myself. But even still, it’s not the same as receiving pleasure from someone else.”

“I agree. It’s so much more powerful and fulfilling.”

“Exactly.”

Holly thought of Kevin once again and temporarily blocked out her conversation with Elaine. She imagined his tongue on her, and the power behind his tongue; his perfect lips and how they felt when he pressed them against her body, her neck, her breasts, the flesh of her inner thighs, and her lips. Her insides fluttered just thinking about him. She could actually feel the strength of him entering her—slowly at first, then with a slight pause before he thrust himself inside her entirely. She gasped.

“Holly? Are you okay? What’s the matter?”

“Huh? Yeah. I’m…you know, I hate to cut this short, especially now because I’d like to get all the details from you regarding this incredible revelation, but I have a lot things to do today before Lawrence shows up. No judgment!”

“What time are you expecting him?”

“He never says; he just shows up when he can.”

“Holly…”

“Uh-uh, I said no judgment—especially now! As long as it works for me and he and I both get something out of it, that’s all that matters.”

“I admire your conviction and your sex life.”

“What? You admire what I’m doing?”

“Not what you’re doing—but that you do what you want to do and always get what you need.”

“You have to learn to put your own needs first. Even with this Kimberly person you must put your needs first. Are you going to continue to do the girl-on-girl thing? Is she a lesbian?”

“I don’t think she is. I think we both just got caught up in this moment and got carried away—three times.”

“Three times? Well, I’m glad you eventually told me. As long as you’re getting your needs met, whatever… But Elaine, what about Hugh?”

“I haven’t gotten that far. All I know is that he cannot find out.”

“You could always keep her on the side.”

“We’ll see. I don’t think I can do what you do. I’ll call you later.”

Holly walked Elaine out, then scrambled around to get herself dressed and her apartment prepared for her visitor. She still needed to go to the grocery store and complete a host of other chores on her list, but those things may have to wait.

♥♥♥

Several hours later, around five o’clock, Lawrence showed up. When she opened the door, he stood before her with a bag full of groceries from a gourmet market he passes on his way to Holly’s place. He would stop there to buy condoms and while he’s there, he occasionally purchases a few things for Holly. He was odd that way.

“Hi,” she greeted him. “What do you have there?”

“Just some things I picked up for you.”

“Are we cooking?”

“Not tonight, honey. I don’t have time. These are for you. Enjoy them.”

“But Lawrence…you don’t have to do that all the time.”

“Don’t do that. And, I don’t do it all the time, so just accept them, and can you get me a scotch, no ice?”

“Sure, come on in and get comfortable.”

When she returned with his drink, he took it from her and then took her by the hand and led her into her bedroom. “I’m sorry Holly, I can’t stay long.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Here, let me take your coat.” She began removing Lawrence’s suit jacket, and then she removed his tie, before her hands methodically traveled down to his zipper. After she helped him completely undress, she slipped to her knees in front of him as he rested on the edge of the bed, and began to help alleviate his stress the best way she knew how. He ran his fingers through her hair while moaning and grunting, entirely disconnected to any lucid thought or concern he may have had before he arrived.

Holly’s gentle grip on him found him turgid and smooth. He needed no urging. She rubbed and kneaded him in exactly the manner in which he found enjoyable, causing shivers down his spine. Her focus remained uncompromised as she pleasured him until he began to rock his hips and felt a boiling in his belly. She skillfully and effectively transformed him once again.

Taking his turn, Lawrence carefully placed Holly on the bed, guiding her in precisely the same position as always—providing her the most comfort, and him the optimal angle. She was ready for him. Eager to fulfill her erotic fantasy, he dove for her treasure giving her waves of pure ecstasy. She squirmed and writhed from the continuous sensation created by his hungry mouth exploring, searching, and discovering her magical spot. Before too long, she clutched him tightly, let out a small cry, as her body spasm. Long moments passed until she lay quiet and limp. He lay next to her for a few seconds watching her come back.

“Holly, you’re a very sensual woman. You know exactly what I need and I appreciate you.”

With her eyes still shut, she spoke to him in a raspy, soft voice. “And, you give me exactly what I need, Lawrence.”

“I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got to run.” He got up and headed toward her bathroom to clean up. She never stirred.

Holly continued to lie on her back with closed eyes thinking about Lawrence and what he does for her. She remained physically drained. But just as she thought she couldn’t move a muscle, her phone rang. She mustered up the strength to reach over to the nightstand to grab her phone, as a natural reflex. When she saw Kevin’s number appear, she panicked and quickly put it back before Lawrence came out. She had no loyalty to him and never understood why it became important to her to keep her other affairs a secret, but it had. He noticed what she did as he returned from the bathroom.

“Was that my phone or yours?” he inquired, pretending to not know. He reached for his shoes.

“Uh, mine.”

“I hope it wasn’t someone who’s going to interfere with our schedule in the future.” Holly thought, what schedule? He was too unpredictable for a schedule. Lawrence had long surmised that he wasn’t the only lucky bastard seeing Holly. He often wondered if she kept a boyfriend or a special person in her life, but never inquired.

“Of course not. I’m here for you, you know that.”

“Good. I’ll call you next week; sooner if I can get away before then. And, I have a three-day business trip to London coming up in about a month. I thought maybe you could accompany with me. I’d take care of the expenses, of course.”

“If it works with my schedule, I’d like that. Hey, thanks again for the food.”

“Thanks for the…uh…special attention.”

“My pleasure, anytime,” she added.

Lawrence hesitated for a moment, driven by some unexplained notion, and then went back to her. He kissed her good-bye. He rarely kissed her on the lips, but he did that time. She noticed and was surprised by his intimate gesture toward her. He kissed her like he cared, and then he kissed her breasts—lightly at first, then with more intensity. He began to turn her on again, which turned him on once he heard her soft moans. When she put her hands on him, he couldn’t stop his impulse. Seconds later, he had dropped his trousers once again, requested a condom, and, wasting no time, mounted her. With little warning, and much motivation, he thrust himself in her. He pulsated; he bounced up and down and in and out without stopping. Their breathing accelerated. The moment seemed out of control yet theatrical. They moved rapidly and rhythmically causing heat to lance down their bodies. Then Lawrence cupped her head in his hands and looked into her dark eyes at precisely the moment they both clinched and stiffened. He let out a deep and lengthened moan as she echoed his name.

Lawrence had surrendered himself with such great force that he left himself winded and he left Holly trembling. Being able to perform multiple times was definitely uncharacteristic of him with her, but something took hold of him and drove him to a point of absolute submission.

Holly lay speechless and shivering as Lawrence got up. She, too, had not known him to perform twice in one evening, let alone through intercourse, or even to kiss her so passionately. They typically, not always, but typically, kept their liaison to oral sex. She never questioned his preferences or the reasons behind them. As long as they both got some rewards she didn’t care. She didn’t know what to make of the kiss and then the encore performance. He was indeed a virile man who had sex appeal, but she never felt an emotional or intimate connection with him since he rarely kissed her lips.

She watched him as he dressed. No words were spoken. She went to him in a sultry manner and took his tie from him and placed it around his neck. She perfectly tied it for him, while he admired her womanly touch. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman tied his tie for him, or did many of the things that Holly did for him in the bedroom. When he put on his suit jacket, he kissed her on the mouth again, and then walked straight out of her bedroom without looking back. She wondered what he was thinking. He had always been a mysterious man; and now a man full of surprises.

“When do you go back to work?” he asked from the other room.

“In about nine days—a week from Wednesday,” she yelled back.

Then she heard her front door close. She sat down on the edge of the bed, puzzled and confused. Weird, she thought. Then she looked at her phone again and thought about Kevin, but her mind instantly returned to Lawrence. She wondered if something changed at home for him or did his performance have something to do with the phone call earlier.

♥♥♥

When Kevin didn’t reach Holly, he wondered if she had company. He sat and stewed about it for a long time. He replayed the time they spent together over and over in his head, and how meaningful it was to him. It surpassed anything he could imagine it would be. And now he couldn’t imagine her sleeping with other men—on a regular basis. Then he asked himself how could he ever convince her to give up the other men and persuade her to become exclusive with him if he was posing as a married man? The more he dwelled on his dilemma, the more jealous he became thinking about what she could be doing at that very moment. He had to see her again. But before he had a chance to dial her number, his phone rang.

“Yeah,” he answered, recognizing the number.

“Hey, it’s me, man.”

“Hey what’s up?”

“What are you doing? I’m thinking about going out for about an hour or two. Do you wanna meet me there? I’m going to this spot downtown that’s notorious for the hot ladies…”

“Uh…I’m kinda busy tonight. Why don’t you go ahead without me. I’ll catch you next time.”

“Busy with what?”

“Just some stuff I gotta do—work.”

“Okay, then I’ll catch you later.”

“I’ll hit you back tomorrow.”

When Jarred hung up, he couldn’t help but wondered what was up with Kevin. It wasn’t like him to not want to check out potential dating prospects. Rarely would work interfere with his social life. He didn’t sound like himself either, Jarred detected, but didn’t give it another thought after that.

Kevin stood staring out the window into the late summer starry night sky thinking about Holly. She was definitely having an impact on him in ways he hadn’t expected. He felt an intense attraction to her almost immediately, but it grew into much more than that. He checked the time once more and contemplated calling her again, but changed his mind. Instead, he turned on the TV and started channel surfing, not really paying attention to anything in particular.

♥♥♥

When Holly emerged from the shower, she wrapped her favorite thick, oversized bath towel around her, securely tucking it into itself just above her left breast, and sat on the edge of the bed with a half-empty bottle of body butter lotion in her hand. As she began applying the lightly scented cream over her arms, then down each leg, her mind flashed to Kevin once more. She couldn’t get their lovemaking out of her head and the stirring it created, not just in her loins, but in her heart. She got butterflies in her stomach every time she thought of him. No one else, since Eric, impacted her that way. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what made it different. All of her men were attentive and unselfish in bed, so it wasn’t that. And, Lawrence had, only moments ago, completely blown her mind and made her forget even her own name. It wasn’t that they didn’t spend adequate time with her—they did. And, with a few exceptions; they were all generous with their time or made up for it when they came up short. Furthermore, they all had different styles of lovemaking, which she preferred so she didn’t ever compare one to another. But for whatever reason, deep in her soul, Kevin stood miles in front of the pack. Perhaps because he was new to her, she wondered, seeking an explanation. She looked in the direction of her phone again and wished he’d call back. She wanted to talk to him again.

When Holly’s phone finally rang around eight forty-five that same evening, she lunged for it on the nightstand, nearly knocking it off. Thinking it could be Kevin, her heart skipped a beat, but she was met with quite a surprise when she saw Connor’s name appear on the display. She looked confused because she thought for sure he knew she wouldn’t be back in Texas for another two weeks.

Curiously, she answered. “Connor? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again so soon,” she answered.

“Wrong! This is Carla Upshaw, Connor’s wife!”