Page 151 of Confessions

“How about a shower first?”

“All yours,” he said, and she made her way to the bathroom.

She’d just ducked her head under the hot spray when she heard the door open and the curtain was thrown back. “I lied,” he said, grinning devilishly as he stood stark naked on the tile floor. “The shower isn’t all yours. You’ll have to share.” He stepped inside and took her into his arms and while the sharp needles of water sprayed her back and mist rose around them, he made love to her again.

He touched her water-slickened breasts, kissed her sleepy eyes and opened up that special part of her, touching her with strong fingers, forcing her to moan and gasp until at last he became one with her.

She clung to his slippery body as wave after wave of hot desire caused her to cry out. When he finally finished, he held her close, the water beginning to turn cold as it ran down their bodies.

He kissed her until her teeth began to chatter, then shoved the curtain back. “How about coffee now?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.

“Sounds like heaven.”

Within minutes she’d towel-dried and dressed and was cradling a cup of coffee as she sat in front of the fire warming her feet. They ate toast and scrambled eggs and, since it was the weekend, didn’t worry about work.

“Rory works Saturdays,” she explained when he asked.

“Unfortunately I’ve got a seven-day-a-week job.” But he didn’t rush out the door. Instead, he rubbed a kink from his back and asked, “What about that call from the modeling agency?”

“What about it?”

“Aren’t you tempted to go back, make a big splash, prove that you’ve still got what it takes?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“But you’re not sure?”

“I think I am, but I’ve thought that before.” She stared deep into his eyes. “I don’t have any plans to go back to New York, Ben, but I can’t predict the future.”

They sat together on the couch and the phone began to ring. Ben didn’t bother answering, but listened to the messages as they were recorded. His foreman, Ralph Katcher, called and his sister, Nadine, left a message about a few last-minute changes to her plans, but Ben didn’t move. They sat side by side on the couch, sipping coffee, talking and laughing and tossing a tennis ball to the dog.

Carlie told herself to stop dreaming, but she felt as if she’d finally quit running and come home. She let herself think that maybe they had a chance of a future together—if not marriage then a long-term affair.

The word that she’d avoided for so long didn’t seem so wrong when she considered that the affair would be with Ben. One day at a time, girl, she cautioned herself. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Remember what you just told him. Who knows what the future may bring?

The phone rang again and Ben nuzzled her ear. “Maybe we should get out of here. Go on a picnic.”

“It’s February.”

“So what?”

“We’d freeze.”

“I can think of ways to keep warm.”

The answering machine picked up the call and after the tape of Ben’s voice instructed the caller to leave a message, a woman’s voice filled the room.

“Ben? It’s Tracy—”

Carlie’s heart slid to the floor and beside her, Ben tensed.

“I was hoping to catch you at home.”

She sounded vastly disappointed.

“Anyway, I left a message yesterday.... Maybe you didn’t get it, but I was hoping that we could do something together. Randy has been talking nonstop about you since the last time you came over and I could make us lunch...or whatever. He’s, um, got Little League tryouts this morning at the park in just a few minutes.... Oh, well, don’t worry about it.” There was a weighty pause and Ben shifted restlessly

on the couch. Tracy added, “Randy misses you,” before hanging up with a click that seemed to echo through the cozy little house.