An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
Au Naturel ISBN 9781419913006 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Au Naturel Copyright © 2007 Mary Winter Edited by Kelli Kwiatkowski. Cover art by Syneca. Electronic book Publication November 2007 This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously. language and descriptiveness in these works of literature.
AU NATUREL Mary Winter
Dedication To my mother, who has taught me about strength and courage in the face of adversity. May we both learn from the lessons of the Tower card.
Trademark Acknowledgments The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Coke: The Coca-Cola Company Girl Scout: Girl Scouts of the United States of America Hallmark: Hallmark Licensing, Inc. Pillsbury Doughboy: Pillsbury Company Wal-Mart: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Au Naturel
Prologue
Three years ago Burl Ives Christmas carols rang over the stereo. The chatter of animated guests, most of whom were still surprisingly sober, nearly drowned out the music. Reba Dailey ducked to a quiet side of the dining room, jostling a chair with her hip. She smoothed a hand over her short designer silver sheath, feeling the metallic fabric crinkle under her touch. On three-inch heels, she kept most of the other partygoers from towering over her. Balancing a glass of wine, she took a breather from her friend’s annual holiday party. He caught her attention again. Tall, broad-shouldered with a runner’s build, Todd Thorpe stood across the room, his wavy auburn hair brushing his shoulders. His mossgreen eyes saw everything, including her standing away from the crowd. A smile curved his sensuous lips. He inclined his head toward his companion, a petite, darkhaired woman Reba didn’t recognize, then made his way through the crowd. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her mouth went dry. A passing introduction by her friend Hope had spawned restless nights filled with fantasies about the local businessman. He owned a natural healing practice, a place where people talked about crystals and energies. Reba battened down the smirk that threatened to erupt on her face. Whatever worked, and Lord knew she’d seen a lot of things during her tenure as a marketing executive. Todd stepped beyond the edge of the crowd, unerringly focusing on her. Just watching him move, all sinew and grace like a big cat, had her nipples tightening. Her breath caught in her throat. Wet heat blossomed in her pussy, reminding her of the skimpy thong she’d worn beneath her dress. She envisioned Todd pressing her against the wall, reaching beneath the hem of her dress, pushing aside that tiny scrap of fabric and stroking his fingers along her creamy slit. She shivered. “Cold?” Todd asked. The husky timbre of his voice stroked her as intimately as a caress. “Just a chill,” Reba replied. She sipped her wine to take a moment to regain her composure. She half expected him to give her some corny line about being able to keep her warm. Instead, he perused her body from the pointed tips of her stilettos to the partially tamed coif of her red hair, igniting her nerves. Leaning forward, Todd braced his hand on the wall next to her head. His thick, dark green cable-knit sweater looked festive, and brought out the color of his eyes. His woolen dress slacks were tailored to his muscled legs and a hint of pine-scented aftershave teased her nostrils. “Finally, I have you alone.” 5
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“I guess you do.” Think, Reba, damn it. As soon as the inane words left her mouth, she wished like hell Todd didn’t scramble her synapses. She was a suave marketing executive, had sold ice cream in the heart of an Iowa winter, surely she could come up with a better reply than that. She set her wineglass down on the dining-room table beside her. “Tired of running away from me?” Reaching out, he fingered a strand of her hair that had come free from her upswept ‘do. He stroked it, his gaze never once leaving her face. “Isn’t the chase part of the fun?” she countered. Todd laughed. The throaty notes rolled across the room like the jingling of sleigh bells. “I suppose it is.” He swept his fingers along the curve of her jaw to follow the length of her throat. “Of course, now that I’ve caught you, the question is, what am I going to do with you?” He gave a pointed look overhead. Reba followed his gaze. Her stomach did a crazy flip-flop as she saw the plastic sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. She licked her lips, anticipating what was to come, and when she lowered her gaze to Todd’s, found him staring at her with such hunger it nearly took her breath away. In her thirty-two years she’d never been kissed under the mistletoe, never allowed herself time for such things. As if in slow motion she watched Todd’s mouth lower to hers. His right hand rested on her hip. He drew her closer to him as his lips brushed against hers. A tentative touch, little more than a brush of flesh and air. His mouth hovered over hers for a fraction of a second, long enough for her to flatten her palm against his chest and curl her fingers into his sweater. Todd deepened the kiss. His tongue swept the seam of her mouth and her lips parted beneath his. Finally, after half-glances and fantasy-filled nights, she had his rockhard body pressing against hers. She tightened her fingers in his sweater. Swaying toward him, she battled the urge to reach around and cup his ass, see if it was as hard as the rest of him. It had to be. Dimly, she remembered Hope saying he ran, and it showed in his body. Karma. Instant attraction. Reba never would have used those words to describe anything in her life, but kissing Todd felt like coming home. She toyed with him, sweeping her tongue along the length of his then drawing it deeper into her mouth. A hungry moan bubbled from her chest. Todd swallowed it. The need for air parted them. Sometime during the kiss the Burl Ives music stopped, leaving a pop rendition of holiday favorites blaring on the stereo. Reba forced air into her lungs. Blinking, she looked at Todd to find him as visibly shaken as she. If just one kiss could do that, what would happen if she grabbed his arm and hauled him into Hope’s spare bedroom? Todd looked down at her fingers against his chest.
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Heat rose to her cheeks, turning her face as pink as the sparkly zinfandel her friend liked to serve. Slowly, almost hesitant to lose contact, she dropped her hand to her side. The clock chimed ten. Shit! Her company party. With a shake of her head, she ducked beneath Todd’s arm. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go. I promised my company I’d hit their party too and I’m late!” Tossing a wave in the air with her hand, she bustled across the room to make hasty goodbyes to her friend. She’d promised to spend a few hours here and then head over, fashionably late, to her company party. With the senior executives looking to fill a vacancy, Reba knew she wanted to do everything within her power to put herself into the higher position. As she hurried to do the door, she glanced over her shoulder. Todd still stood by the hallway, his hands balled into fists at his sides. Regret tinged with anger filled his gaze. Reba didn’t blame him, and she promised herself she’d make it up to him. “I’m sorry.” She mouthed the words at him, hoping he saw them from across the room. After a kiss like that, she had no doubts Todd would wait for her. Mentally, she added him to her “to do” list, right after ensuring her promotion with her advertising firm. Yeah, she’d be back for Todd. And when she did, they’d pick up where they’d left off. It was an appointment she wouldn’t miss.
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Chapter One Present day
Reba’s mouth watered for a pint of ice cream. She sat on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her and channel-surfed through daytime programming. None of the talk shows appealed to her anymore, and frankly, she couldn’t believe she watched the damn things. They were like train wrecks from which she couldn’t pull her attention. But watching the cheating spouses, fighting families and ceaseless paternity tests reminded her that other people had problems, too. At the moment, coping with a bad heart and a near-empty checkbook, she’d prefer the stuff that filled the daytime airwaves. Each passing month made her doubt she’d ever again be the successful advertising barracuda she’d once been. At least with a cheating spouse, she could kick him out and go on with her life. She sipped a cup of herbal tea, wishing instead for a good, strong espresso. Well, if wishes were diamonds she’d sparkle. She struggled to give up caffeine at her doctor’s insistence, and she had to admit, she didn’t miss the jumpy-jittery feeling she’d gotten after three cups in the morning, and the insomnia that came from drinking it too late into the night. Yeah, when all things were considered, life could be worse. Her health had stabilized to the point where the doctors no longer looked surprised she’d lasted as long as she had. Now if only she could improve enough to go back to work. She tapped her toe impatiently. Reba looked out the large picture window of the old two-story home she shared with her best friend Hope. College students hurried past with leaden backpacks. Overhead, dark, gray clouds promised afternoon rain. Nowadays, she took time to notice things like the weather and the shifting patterns of clouds. A large oak tree stood beyond the window with budding branches reaching toward the sky, a reminder that after a long, cold winter comes spring. She hoped her spring arrived soon. Her long flannel nightgown and fuzzy slippers kept her warm. Clothes once purchased from designer stores now came from thrift stores. Tired of lounging around the house, Reba decided to get dressed. Perhaps she could improve her mood by improving her appearance. If nothing else, it might shake her out of the inertia into which she’d fallen. After all, even if she didn’t have a million dollars, she could still try to look like she did. She stood and padded down the short hall from the living/dining room into her bedroom. A few moments later she emerged dressed in a pair of wool socks, jeans and a champagne-colored sweater. She paused at the end of the hall, gazing toward the very same spot where she’d kissed Todd all those years ago. Her lips went dry. Leaning a hip against the dining-room table, she closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Regrets
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rose to the forefront, reminding her of things she’d neglected, including her love life. And Todd. A door opened, shaking her out of her thoughts. Reba hurried into the kitchen to meet her friend Hope. As soon as the willowy blonde stepped inside, Reba grabbed a couple of grocery bags from her arms and set them on the counter. “Here, let me get that.” Reba reached for another large shopping bag. “Thanks,” Hope said. She juggled her remaining packages and placed them on the counter. Reba started to put groceries away, thankful to have something helpful to do. “You’re home early…and you look like you’re planning on cooking for an army. I wish I’d known you were coming home. I’d have held open the door or something.” “Well, they’re predicting snow flurries instead of rain now, and people drive like maniacs once there’s a little bit of white stuff on the ground. Besides, you’re putting away the groceries. That’s a big help, and we both know that your lungs don’t like the cold air.” Hope folded the grocery bags and slipped them under the sink. Reba didn’t answer. She liked Hope for her straightforward talk. Sure, the cold air hurt her lungs, but they both knew Reba did things she shouldn’t. Taking extra grocery bags that weighed over the doctor’s recommended limit came second nature to Reba, and Hope trusted her to do nothing to harm herself. The two women finished putting the groceries away in silence. The sheer domesticity of the action overwhelmed Reba. “I’m afraid I didn’t vacuum today,” Reba said. “I didn’t feel up to it. I’ll try tomorrow.” She filled a mug with water and set it in the microwave. “No worries.” Hope slid the last cans of pie filling on the shelf and started for the living room. “I know you do what you can do.” Through the open bar area separating the kitchen from the living room, Reba watched Hope kick off her shoes. She sank onto the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table. “Now that’s much better. Even half-days at the hospital run me ragged.” “Short-staffed again?” Reba asked over the ding of the microwave. She took the steaming mug and a box of tea bags into the living room. “Here, have a cup of tea.” She handed the mug to Hope before sitting in the recliner. “Always. Maybe I can call Todd and ask him to give me a massage. He does great work. You should have one. It’ll relax you. Warm, strong hands, some aromatherapy, maybe even a pedicure. You’ll feel like a new woman.” Hope usually avoided mentioning Todd, so it shocked Reba that her friend did so now. The regret she’d battled lately reared its ugly head again. Reba maintained her pleasant expression when all she really wanted to do was sink farther down the slippery slope of bad self-esteem. “All that heavenly treatment comes with a hellish price tag, I’m sure. My disability check doesn’t cover much anymore.” Thirty-five and on disability. Reba resisted the urge to snort with derision.
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“Well, I bet Todd could help you out. I know he practices reiki, which helps with energy flows. He’s introduced me to marvelous theories about how the mental and emotional body fit the physical.” Hope removed her tea bag from her mug and sipped. “Oh, that’s wonderful, thanks for bringing me tea.” “You’re welcome. You’ve mentioned that reiki stuff before. I guess I still find it hard to believe. I’m a hands-on kind of woman, you know. If I can’t see it, feel it or touch it, then it’s not real.” Reba flipped up the footrest on the recliner and leaned back. Then again, her pursuit of “real” had her climbing the corporate ladder until her heart attack had sent her plummeting back to earth. “A little belief is a good thing,” Hope said. She finished her tea and set the mug on the table by the couch. She stared at Reba for long moments, looking as if she wanted to say something more. With a small shake of her head, she finally spoke. “I really think you should call Todd’s practice, Healing Hands. They have lots of therapies there, and I’m sure it will be good for you.” Reba told herself her friend was trying to help, even if it was a brutal reminder of her monetary situation. “All right. I’ll think about it.” She pushed in the footrest on the recliner then rose and carried her friend’s cup into the kitchen. She poured herself a second cup of herbal tea and carried it into her bedroom. The hodgepodge of the room reflected her mental state. The double bed with its plain wooden headboard against one wall took up most of the space in the room. A dresser, desk and a nightstand left little room for her art supplies. In the corner by the closet stood an easel with a partially finished painting, this one a picture of an oak tree with turning leaves. Reba went to the desk by the door and stared at her pile of medical bills. Modern medicine took her so far, but lately, it seemed she’d been held at a plateau. The mitral valve prolapse she’d been born with cascaded into chronic heart failure and a heart attack a few years ago, requiring extensive hospital bills and surgery. It was just bad luck that, when she was rocketing her way to the top of her field, this rare condition took her down. It’d been a year since her last hospitalization and she felt all right. But she tired easily, and as Hope pointed out, the cold air affected her breathing. She hated not working. She’d always kept busy. Now she was going crazy from the forced inactivity. Sure, she tried to busy herself by doing dishes and housework and little things for Hope as a way to repay her kindness in letting her live in her home. Hope had always assured Reba that, because of her twelve-hour shifts at the hospital, she appreciated having someone there to watch the house and help out with the upkeep. But lately Reba couldn’t help feeling as if she were just underfoot. Reba grabbed a phone book from the shelf above the desk. A few moments of page turning brought her to a tasteful ad for Healing Hands. Their services included massage, aromatherapy, reiki, meditation and other things she’d never heard about. Intrigued, she picked up the handset on her desk. One appointment wouldn’t hurt her finances too much, especially since Hope recommended them. She dialed the phone. 10
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On the third ring, a man answered. “Healing Hands, this is Todd.” His warm voice sounded like sunshine on a cold winter’s day, driving away the chill of a too-rough world. Reba swallowed hard and mustered the courage of the former advertising barracuda. She’d faced down corporate execs and negotiated countless delicate deals. Surely she could manage to make an appointment—even with a man whose long-ago calls she’d never found time to return. “Hi, Todd. It’s Reba, and I…” Suddenly she couldn’t speak. What was she supposed to do? Launch into a long-overdue apology? Admit she was only calling because Hope had suggested it? Reba shifted her weight from side to side. “I’d like to make an appointment,” she said in a rush of words.
***** Todd sat behind the marble desk in the reception area of Healing Hands. On the stereo, a New Age CD played softly in the background. The calming scent of lavender wafted from an electric oil burner on the desk and in the window, prisms cast rainbows over the white tiled floor and baby blue couches and benches. Everything about Healing Hands was designed to provoke the senses and soothe the body. Reba’s voice on the phone shattered that calm. Taking a deep breath, Todd leaned back in the chair. The hesitant voice on the other end of the line sounded so different from the high-powered corporate woman he’d known. Deciding to let her set the tone, he pulled on his professional mask. “Reba, I’m glad you called. We offer many services…what would you like?” If he lowered his voice on the last question, he blamed it on the memory of the heated kiss they’d shared years ago. He remembered Hope mentioning something about Reba experiencing a slight medical problem. She’d been vague, and he’d been so busy building his business he hadn’t had time for following up. And anyway, Reba hadn’t seemed too interested, his calls of long ago left unanswered. Just hearing her voice, however, brought the image of that slinky silver dress, the way the front plunged to reveal the rounded globes of her breasts. He remembered her scent, her taste, everything about her. He hoped she picked a massage, which he’d deliver personally. He’d been mad when she’d brushed him off and hadn’t returned his calls. Then, as he discovered what it took to build a business, he’d taken a Zen-like attitude. Water under the bridge and all of that. Now she’d come back into his life, and he firmly believed nothing happened without a good reason. Frankly, his libido wanted her lying on his massage table naked, with his oiled hands working tension from every muscle. He struggled to stay professional, but his cock hardened thinking about the slide of skin against skin and her sighs of pleasure filling his ears. He remembered the sway of her hips and the way her long legs looked in high heels. Back then, she’d looked like a woman in need of relaxation—and he’d gladly provide the service for free. “I don’t know,” she said, sounding hesitant. “To be honest, I don’t know what most of them are.”
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He imagined what it might have cost her not only to pick up the phone, but also to admit her lack of knowledge. “Well, we offer relaxation and stress-reduction services like massage, meditation, aromatherapy and general spa services. If you’d like more indepth work, we offer reiki treatments, chakra cleansing and more. For your first session, I’d recommend reiki, which will work with the energy of the entire body. From there, we can customize your treatment program.” He flipped open his calendar. “We have an opening tomorrow afternoon. I’d be happy to pencil you in.” “Okay,” she said. “I didn’t expect to have an appointment made so soon. How much does it cost?” The hesitancy in her voice was stronger now, and he guessed her medical difficulties had resulted in financial problems as well. He reached for a student flyer folded by the computer. “One complimentary session”, the coupon read, and although the special ended yesterday, he figured he could make a few quick changes in his word processing program and have it extended just for her. One of the perks of owning his own business. “We have a special where you can get one complimentary treatment,” he said. “Then if you think it helps, we can discuss options and pricing.” “That’s great,” she said, relief filling her voice. “I’d love to have that appointment, if it works out for you.” “Perfectly.” He marked the calendar, noting that he’d be the one performing the consultation. He had already cut back on his clients, preferring instead to oversee the clinic as well as spend less time in the office. In his basement, a stained-glass piece called out to be finished. He’d planned to take tomorrow afternoon off to do just that, but it would wait. Healing came first. “Is there anything I need to bring or do to prepare? I’ve never tried anything like this before.” “Just bring yourself. We have a few forms for new clients to complete, but that’s it. I look forward to seeing you again.” Todd grinned. “Yes, likewise. Thank you again. And Todd…I’m so sorry I never returned your calls.” Her soft admission caught him by surprise. “Yeah, me too,” he replied. “You’re calling now though. That’s the important thing.” “Thanks. I appreciate that. Have a good day,” she replied, slightly breathless. “You too,” he answered. He waited a moment longer, and then the phone line disconnected. Todd fought to wipe the silly grin off his face. Something told him Reba needed lots of healing, and he’d be more than happy to help.
***** The sleek, bright offices of Healing Hands instantly put Reba at ease. Bells jingled as she opened the door and stepped inside. She hung her coat and scarf on a coat tree near
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the door and walked to a marble desk, behind which a young brunette sat. She’d had literally hundreds of doctor appointments and she’d never once been nervous. All morning she’d battled the urge to cancel the appointment or maybe just not show up. Todd’s easy acceptance of her apology kept her from chickening out. Once she’d entered the doors, the soothing environment comforted her. “I have an appointment with Todd.” “Your name, please?” The brunette smiled and looked up from her computer. “Reba Dailey.” The woman keyed a few things into the computer. “There you are. If you wouldn’t mind filling out some paperwork, Todd will be right out.” She handed over a clipboard with three forms. “Just fill these out to the best of your ability and bring them into the session with you.” Reba accepted the clipboard, glad to be back on more familiar territory. From her many visits to various doctors’ offices, she had filled out more than her share of paperwork. She accepted a pen from the receptionist then sat on a plush blue couch. The fabric molded to her, cushioning her as if she sat on a cloud. She started to fill out the forms, mostly contact information, health history and why she sought treatment. She thought for a moment about that last one, and then decided to put down “to improve my health”. She finished her forms just as Todd entered the waiting area. He wore a navy blue sweater, thick and warm-looking, and a pair of dark blue jeans that molded to his legs. Heavy boots kept his feet toasty. With the chilly air outside, he looked ready for the late March weather. Her mouth went dry. Masculine strength radiated from him, a virile power that called to her. Her memories hadn’t done the man justice. Her womb clenched as she imagined his hands caressing her. Aware she was staring, Reba rose to her feet. “It’s good to see you again.” She walked forward and extended her hand, as if meeting a business client. Placing a businesslike wall around herself banked the fire Todd’s appearance started in her. He smiled. His gaze raked her from head to toe, starting at the long-sleeve turtleneck she wore, following it down to where it tucked into worn jeans. His appraisal swept the length of her legs to her heavy hiking boots then back again, lingering on her breasts, thrust against the soft cotton fabric. His perusal warmed her, made her think of going back to one of his rooms and embarking on a different kind of stress relief. Her libido reminded her of the years it’d been since she’d been intimate and of the way she’d left things with Todd. He clasped her hand. Awareness darted through her, making her feel small and feminine in his presence. He shook it once, a strong grip but not too strong, and released her hand. Long ago, she learned to judge a man by his handshake. Todd would be direct, go after what he wanted, but careful too. “Glad you’re here.” He gestured down the hallway from which he came. “Why don’t we go on back?”
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“Okay.” She resisted the urge to press her fingers to her chest to try to calm the pounding of her heart. Instead, she followed him down the hall, unable to pull her gaze from his tight ass. He stopped and opened a door. The soft trickle of a water fountain and the strains of ambient music sounded relaxing. If only her heart would slow. “Here we are.” He gestured at the open door. Reba yanked her gaze away from his body and stepped inside. The cool sea-foam green decor instantly soothed her. She sat on a comfortable low couch. Almost like a fainting couch, it had an armrest at one end but the other was open. Todd stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Haunting whale song mixed with soothing electronic music filled the air. The urge to lie down on the couch, close her eyes and let the music wash all her cares away filled her. Todd sat in a chair diagonal from her. He stretched out his long legs and Reba couldn’t help but admire the snug fit of his jeans. He flipped through her papers, reading the few minor details she’d included about her heart condition. She impulsively left out any mention of her heart attack when completing the forms. “You’re not sure about this, are you?” he asked at last. His question startled her. “No, I’m not,” she admitted. “It’s a bit awkward, isn’t it? I should have gotten in touch with you. I didn’t, and now things have changed.” She nibbled on her lower lip, trying to determine how much to reveal. “To be honest, I don’t know why I came here. I can’t afford too much. But modern medicine hasn’t been the cure-all I believed it to be. I’m interested. Just not sure how I could swing treatments if this really did help.” There, she’d said it. Over the months, her financial woes hurt less and less. Todd nodded. “To be honest, Reba, most people aren’t quite ready to believe in alternative healing. I wouldn’t worry. Let’s take things one day at a time. I’m going to do a reiki session to help your body receive the healing energies. That way, regardless of what methods of healing you choose, your body will be ready. Then maybe we can take things on a day-by-day or even week-by-week basis. Healing Hands does offer sliding scale payments. It’s certainly something to think about. We’ll talk about what happened at the Christmas party another time.” He put the clipboard aside. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable on the couch?” Reba reclined on the couch with her head against the arm and her feet barely dangling over the edge. She clasped her hands and rested them on her stomach, trying hard not to feel self-conscious. It was like being in the doctor’s office, only nicer, with paper gowns and tissue-covered tables replaced by soft music, soft cushions and a handsome man with whom she’d shared one of the hottest kisses she’d ever experienced. Todd stood and walked over to her. “I’m not going to touch you during the work. Just take deep, relaxing breaths. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a peaceful place. Ready?”
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Reba nodded, though her stomach made a crazy series of flip-flops. The music seemed to grow louder as she closed her eyes. Instead of the couch, she imagined herself lying on a soft bed of warm sand. Waves lapped against the shore. Gulls cried. With her eyes closed she couldn’t see Todd, but she felt him. His hands hovered over her flesh, she was certain—a touch more intimate than skin on skin. Her breathing slowed. Each breath deepened her relaxation. Energy hummed around her. How she knew it was energy she couldn’t say, except for the tingling sensation snaking over her skin. Power, raw and unreal, flowed through her, a breath of air so fresh her back nearly bowed from the couch with the strength of it. Her heart pumped an easy rhythm that pushed blood through her veins. No struggle, no worries. Time lost all meaning. She lay there, awash with sensations she’d never felt before. It was as if she hovered, not quite bound to the physical plane. It scared her, yet she trusted Todd not to do anything that would hurt her. She never liked being out of control, handing the reins of power over to someone else. On this couch, it felt like she’d handed over the keys to her very life. As if somehow what he was doing would change her so fundamentally she’d never find her old self again. She found herself anxious to see where it led. Suddenly the music grew quieter and she heard Todd sit back down in his chair. It felt like only moments had passed. “Whenever you’re ready, open your eyes and sit. Don’t rush it. Take your time.” His soft, melodious voice flowed over her. The floating feeling left and she became aware of the couch beneath her, the music coming in through the stereo. A woodsy scent teased her nostrils and she wondered if it might be Todd’s cologne. At last her eyelids fluttered open. She took a few deep breaths and then rose into a seated position to find Todd sitting across from her, a thermal mug resting in his hand. He took a sip. “Would you like a cup of tea?” “Yes, please.” Tea sounded lovely, and she watched him dispense hot liquid into a mug before handing it to her. She inhaled the lovely aroma of jasmine. She felt different. The colors in the room popped to her eyes, the taste of the tea richer, more fragrant. Energy filled her body. Instead of loathing the bus ride back to Hope’s place, she wondered if she might walk for a while instead. Whatever Todd had done, it made her feel like a million bucks. “Everything on the physical level is affected by our emotional and spiritual state of being,” he said between sips of tea. “For example, if we’re having thyroid or throat issues it could mean an inability to communicate. Foot and ankle pain suggests a reluctance to move on or to walk firmly on the path you’ve been given. The heart is the seat of our emotional well-being. If we keep ourselves closed in behind walls, never giving or feeling for others, or bottling up old pains, the heart will be affected. It’s different for every person. I don’t wish to tell you what to do, but you might want to think about it and see what you can do to free up your energies.”
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She frowned. He sounded just like Hope. Eventually her friend had quit telling her about such things, but now Todd was espousing the very same thoughts. “It’s not my place to pry, but you’re a beautiful, vibrant woman. I don’t know the particulars of your medical condition, but I’d hate to see it become worse than I’m guessing it already is.” Todd stood and carried his mug to the sink. Todd’s words sent an ominous chill down her spine. Watching him rinse his mug told Reba it was probably time to go. “I better get going. I’m sure you have other clients.” She stood. Coward! “Thank you for the treatment. I’ll think about what you said.” She handed him her tea mug. “Why don’t I call you in a day or so to discuss further treatment options? I’d like to talk to you…really talk to you.” Todd accepted her mug and quickly rinsed it out in the sink. “Yeah,” she replied, suddenly realizing she meant it. “That’d be nice.” She stood there, held by inertia. Her past haunted her. Obviously her previous lifestyle had harmed her and now she had to find a new way to live, one that worked with her clunker of a heart. Just being beside Todd seemed to ease the dull pain often settled in her chest and relax her. Dressing in her worn flannel pajamas wouldn’t be as comfortable as being right here, right now. Todd reached for her. His fingers skimmed the curve of her cheek, a gentle caress that sent shivers down her spine. “You’re a very beautiful woman,” he whispered. “And I shouldn’t kiss you. Today, you’re a patient.” His head dipped slightly. Her mouth went dry with anticipation. No one had ever called her beautiful, not even lovers, casual or otherwise. She’d been called “pretty” and “nice”, but never beautiful. She closed her eyes, not wanting him to see how his words touched her. “I can’t.” She ducked away from his touch. His scent surrounded her, a mixture of exotic spices and old woods. Desire shone in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” His husky voice washed over her. He led her to the door with a sturdy hand on her elbow, reaching for the doorknob before turning to face her. He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “Not for wanting to kiss you, but for the timing. Have a good day, Reba. Don’t wait four years before calling,” he grinned. “I really want to see you again. Soon.” She mustered a nod and a smile. “Thanks. I will.” She hurried from the room and out into the chilly early spring air.
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Chapter Two Energy hummed through her body. A sense of power the likes of which she hadn’t felt since her days in the ad agency soared through her. In spite of the chilly air outside, she breathed normally. Walking the downtown Iowa City streets, she stopped and looked in windows, enjoying the Easter displays. Whether it was the near-kiss or the reiki treatments that made her feel this way, Reba didn’t know, but whatever it was, she wanted more. She strolled along the pedestrian mall. Music filled the air from speakers and she hummed along under her breath. She walked in the jam-packed mall, smiling, pausing to take in the sights. It’d been too long since she had enjoyed the seasons. Before, she was always too busy working, even using the required days off to do more work. After her heart had stopped her from working long hours, she went gloomily through each year, frustrated at her lack of activity and lack of funds. Today, however, the day seemed cheery and bright. She meandered from store to store thinking of something nice, and within her budget, to buy for Hope. They weren’t much for presents, but something to show her appreciation would be nice. Todd might like a gift too. Perhaps it might smooth over their past and thank him for the free session. Besides, if he could make her feel this good, he deserved something. Her lips tingled from the kiss that never happened and the memory of the one that did. She sat on a wooden bench in the mall and pressed her fingers against her mouth, wishing she had kissed him. Then she’d not have to wonder if it felt as good as she remembered. She would know—and most likely would want it again. She sighed. Shoppers hurried past with bags filled with purchases. Reba watched them go, a little envious of their seemingly endless funds. The last time she’d emerged from anywhere with a full shopping bag it was the weekly grocery run. She frowned. From somewhere down the mall a children’s choir sang, soothing her frown away. Whether she could afford the gifts or not, it didn’t cost any money to look. Rising to her feet, she made her way to the escalator. It didn’t cost anything to smell, and for a good half-hour she could wander through a candle store, with all its delectable fragrances. Nearly twenty minutes later, Reba grew tired of the game. It was one thing to browse the store knowing she could purchase anything her heart desired. Smelling the scents led to looking at their price tags, and she battled the return of her melancholy mood. Keeping it at bay, she ambled out of the mall and headed to the bus stop to return back to Hope’s place. Sitting there with other waiting pedestrians, she struggled to remember what Hope and Todd had told her. Physical ailments connected with
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emotional and spiritual ones. Maybe she could invite Todd over for dinner to repay him. They could discuss his theories and she could see more of him. The bus pulled up to the stop and she boarded, trying to hide her ear-to-ear grin. The short ride to Hope’s house passed in a blur, and she disembarked then walked the block and a half home. She unlocked the door to an empty house, spent a few moments changing into more comfortable lounging clothes then grabbed Todd’s number out of her purse and picked up the phone. A few moments later she hung up, disappointed. Todd had gone for the day. Still full of energy, Reba grabbed the vacuum. She moved through the house, easily doing the cleaning she should have done a few days ago. With the vacuuming completed she moved onto dusting, and then even thought about taking down the curtains to wash them. She stopped in the middle of the living room, amazed and awed at what she had accomplished. Perhaps the few days of sitting around the house had conserved her energy, but more likely, Todd’s treatment had more to do with it. And she couldn’t afford any more sessions. Reba sank into a plush chair. A twinge started in her chest, a pain she knew all too well. Taking deep breaths, she worked through the discomfort. Damn it, she’d overexerted herself. But she hadn’t felt out of breath while she worked… No, the pains hadn’t started until she started thinking about money. Reba pressed her fist to her lips. She closed her eyes and prayed Todd and Hope weren’t right. The phone rang. Reba jumped at the shrill sound. For a moment she debated about letting the machine pick it up. Her chest twinged. Sighing, she reached for the phone. “Hello,” she said. “Reba, you all right?” Todd asked. She sagged against the chair cushions. The very person with whom she wanted to speak and now he’d called. “Yeah, fine. I was feeling so good I came home and did some things. Might have overdone it, but I’ll be okay soon. I’m so glad you called. I wanted to invite you over for dinner sometime, sort of repay you since my first treatment was on the house. The least I can do is feed you. And I…I thought maybe we could start over.” She closed her mouth with a grin.
***** When he’d received the call from his receptionist that Reba had tried to reach him, Todd had been pleasantly surprised. Her pained voice on the phone worried him, however, though she dismissed it easily enough. Then again, if she had a heart condition, it was possible she lived with pain all the time. There were so many things he could do to help her if only she’d let him. He smiled, thinking of things he’d love to do and where they’d end up, though he feared his sexual thoughts might be more than she could physically handle. “Dinner? That sounds good, but I don’t want to put you through any trouble.” If she hurt from cleaning, then bustling around the kitchen creating a meal wouldn’t be 18
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much better. Knowing Reba, she’d go all-out. No half measures for her. “Tell you what. I love to cook and I don’t get a chance too often. Why don’t you come over here instead?” A ride over on the bus and a short walk surely would be less taxing on her. “You cook?” The surprised squeak in her voice made him chuckle. “Sounds too good to be true,” she mumbled. He grinned. “Yes, I cook. What, you don’t think single guys can cook?” He wanted to be upfront about his lack of a relationship. He hadn’t been in one for several months and didn’t have any prospects in sight. They all paled when he compared them to Reba. “I cook quite well, I’ll have you know.” From the other end of the line came the sound of muffled chuckling. “I’m sorry. Most guys I know would be hard-pressed to follow the instructions on boxed meals. And if you cook, then that defeats the whole purpose of my cooking to pay you back. I wanted to talk some more about your theories too. They sound fascinating.” He heard her shift position in the chair and imagined her curled up in Hope’s plush recliner. “Why don’t you come over to my place and I’ll show you how well I cook? If it’s really horrible then you can go back to Hope and have a good chuckle at my expense. And if you’re hanging out with guys who can’t cook a boxed meal then you’re hanging with the wrong crowd.” A pang of jealousy at the thought of her with any other man filled him. He tamped it down. Hell, he’d only wanted her since the first time he’d laid his eyes on her. “Oh, all right. You’ve won me over. I’ll need directions though. And when do you want me?” He hoped now worked for her. Maybe ten minutes ago would be even better. He knew it’d be good for him. It’d be better than good, and he’d make sure she had a spectacular time. “Tonight? Is that too soon?” He didn’t want to rush her, yet he burned with the need to see her again. A pause on the other end of the phone made him fear he’d overstepped his bounds. “No, that’s fine. Sorry, was just jotting a note for Hope. She won’t be home until after dark. If I can get directions I’ll be there. What time?” “Maybe about five? Usually I don’t eat until six or seven, if that’s not too late. We can talk about healing theories while I cook.” “Sounds great.” He gave her directions and a few moments later hung up the phone, stunned at having secured another chance to see Reba so soon. The memory of her pliant, soft body so close to his sent a rush of blood to his cock. Forcing his body to behave, he promised he’d act like a gentleman, even if it killed him.
***** The smell of simmering stew filled Todd’s home with a tantalizing aroma. Chewing a piece of soft wheat bread smothered in honey butter, Reba sat on a dining-room chair.
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She watched Todd move around the kitchen in an effortless and impressive display of culinary skill. He promised pie for dessert. How he’d managed to create so much food in so little time she didn’t know, and she hoped he hadn’t gone to too much trouble. It flattered her that he’d create such a scrumptious feast. She popped the last of the bread into her mouth and licked the lingering trace of honey butter from her fingers. Pure ambrosia. He was a maestro of reiki and cooking. Reba wondered if he’d be as talented with his lips and cock. Somehow she doubted he’d mind much if she thought to find out. Except I have so little to offer. A nearly broke woman with a heart condition. Maybe the money doesn’t matter, but my heart does. She forced a smile on her face and hoped he wouldn’t notice her morose thoughts. “You realize with you and Hope telling me the same theories, it’s hard to get a break,” she teased. “But they are interesting. So do you really think there’s an emotional reason why my ticker isn’t so good?” She wondered what being born with a heart defect meant. After all, it’s not like she asked to be born that way. Though she knew she could have prevented her heart attack. The responsibility for her health rested solely on her shoulders. She’d filled her life with stress and had too little fun, even though she’d enjoyed her work. In its own way, it had comforted her, the feeling she could achieve so much. Todd rested a spoon on a folded paper towel next to the stove before turning to face her. “There are a lot of factors involved in why things happen the way they do with our health.” He spoke carefully, as if he were choosing his words. “You have a birth defect, right?” Reba nodded. She resisted the urge to squirm in her chair. Todd’s gaze seemed to bore through her, see inside to her very soul. Under his close scrutiny, she suddenly wished she’d done more with her life. The consummate businesswoman, she’d worked hard at her marketing firm but had done little else. She’d touched her clients’ pocketbooks, not their lives. She regretted it. “There are some who would say your higher self chose to be born that way. That it would aid whatever life lessons you need to learn in this lifetime. Honestly, I don’t know. It’s something you’ve always had. We can talk about life purposes and higher selves…and I believe everything happens for a reason, but I can’t tell you what to believe. It’s easier for most people to believe that things just happen.” He stirred the stew then started taking bowls down from the cupboard. Reba watched his efficient movements. She itched to be helping. Sitting there, even if she was a guest, chafed at her sense of propriety. “Is there anything I can do to help?” “I’ve got it covered.” He grinned and a few moments later carried a steaming bowl of stew to the table. Quickly he dished up their meal, adding the rest of the bread in the center of the table. He poured two glasses of sparking fruit juice—not wine because of her medicine—then sat at the table. “Bon appétit.” “It smells heavenly.” Reba picked up her soupspoon. Todd waited while she took her first sips of the hearty stew. The meat and herbal flavors burst over her tongue, a
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symphony of tastes that melded so well together. She noticed he’d placed some crackers on the table, but didn’t even feel the urge to put any in her dish. “This is wonderful. Probably better than anything I’d be able to cook.” She grinned and dove into the meal. “I’m sure you’re a lovely cook. And I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites.” He began to eat. For several minutes the soft sounds of dining filled the room, the clank of spoons against bowls. The stew thawed Reba inside and out. That Todd had gone to so much trouble to cook for her gave her warm, fuzzy feelings inside. Even when Hope cooked dinner it was more utilitarian than gourmet, and frankly, there were only so many ways to cook chicken before it became, well…chicken. The beef stew filled with vegetables she suspected were fresh instead of frozen tasted far better than anything she’d had in a long time. She savored the meal while they chatted companionably about various topics. “Back to my theories,” Todd said when their dinner bowls sat empty, the loaf of bread gone and they’d consumed a slice of pie each. “They’re not just mine. A lot of people believe that physical ailments relate directly to our emotions. We take an active role in our health every day. Our thoughts, our emotions, everything ties into our health.” “But that would mean this is all my fault.” She chuckled hoarsely. “I mean, people called me a cold bitch when I was at the top of my game, and I probably worked more hours than I should have.” She feared the truth in his words. Knowing about her birth defect, she’d pushed herself harder than she should have because she believed she had to be better than the other executives at the firm. If she’d had a lover, someone close, she knew she might not have spent the long hours at the office. Like her coworkers, she would have run home at five to spend time with those she loved and cared about. Except I didn’t have anyone—and I thought I preferred it that way. She sensed the heart-toheart she needed to have with Todd was about to happen. “It could have been a contributing factor, but the body is a tricky thing. We can do everything modern medicine tells us to do and we still get sick. I’m certainly not going to say that you caused your own medical problems. I will, however, tell you that by utilizing services that Healing Hands offers, and modifying them on your own, your health might improve. I’ve had lots of clients who had some illness or another, and after they started applying principles of relaxation and meditation their health improved.” Todd rose to his feet and gathered the dishes, rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher. “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea? We could adjourn to the living room where it’s more comfortable.” “That sounds nice…tea, thank you. And we should probably talk. You don’t know everything that’s happened to me, and it’s important that you do…in regards to further treatment,” she added hastily. She wasn’t quite ready to believe completely in Todd’s theories, but she didn’t want to dismiss them either. “I suppose most of the theories make sense. I can’t deny I felt wonderful after you finished my treatment.” Watching him work, she knew if she convinced him to lay his hands on certain parts of her 21
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anatomy she’d feel much better. A warm flush, which she unfortunately couldn’t attribute to wine, crept over her cheeks. First, she had to tell him the truth and see if he ran away screaming. Todd filled two mugs with hot water and put them on a tray with an assortment of tea bags. He led her into his living room, decorated in warm, dark woods and buttersoft leather furniture. A large painting of a yin-yang symbol hanging over his fireplace drew her eye. Around the two sides, figures embraced, unions of male and female. Reba sat down on the couch, feeling very feminine. Todd sat next to her. “What a beautiful painting,” she remarked. His eyes never left her. “Yes, it is.” He dropped a teabag into a mug and handed it to her, and she took it gratefully. Wrapping her hands around the warmth, she drew the mug close to her mouth and inhaled. Eyes closed, she absorbed the heat, letting the herbal smell fill her with the promise of the kind of serenity she couldn’t find. “Thank you.” Reba looked over the top of her mug at Todd, who still held his cup of tea. “You’re welcome.” He set his mug on a coaster next to the lamp on the end table. “I’d like to think the world is like that painting, all interwoven and entwined to where the slightest action we do has unintended consequences. Take for instance your visit to my clinic. If Hope hadn’t started coming to Healing Hands and been introduced to our alternative healing modalities, then perhaps she would never have mentioned them to you, and you wouldn’t be here. Synchronicity. Although I’d like to think you would have eventually picked up where we’d left off.” He rested his arm along the back of the couch, his fingers just inches from her hair. Oh, to lean back and feel his long fingers caressing the back of her neck. She sipped her tea in an attempt to distract herself from what she was about to say and the painting above the fireplace. She licked her lips and caught him watching the movement. This close the fragrance of his cologne tantalized her. The thought of running her tongue over his chest, down between his pectorals to see if his abs were as defined as she imagined, had her nipples beading behind her bra. Her sex clenched. No simple herbal tea could cool the heated flush of her desire. She sipped again then set her tea aside. “Todd, I’m not the same woman you met at Hope’s Christmas party. Back then I was working my way up the corporate ladder, sending out feelers to see if I could start my own business. Four months after we shared that kiss, I had a heart attack. A nearfatal one. If I hadn’t been at the office, I probably would have died.” Her voice grew soft. “The very thing that nearly killed me saved my life.” She released a breath in a whoosh of air. “I didn’t know,” he said quietly. “Hope had mentioned you were having some health issues, but nothing that bad. I’m sorry.” He reached forward and cupped her shoulder. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”
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He meant it. Reba blinked. “After the way I treated you?” The question popped out of her mouth before she could censor it. Todd chuckled. “Look, the past is the past. Neither one of us can change it…all we can do is look forward. You were busy, and then you went through a life-changing experience. I was busy too, getting my business up and running.” He shrugged. “Things happen.” “Yeah, they do,” Reba agreed. She swiveled to face him. “The thing is, as much as I want to pick up where we left off, I’m not sure I can. My health is tenuous at the moment. I haven’t even discussed with my doctor whether or not I’m able…to be intimate.” She blushed slightly, swallowed hard and waited for him to run. He didn’t. His hand still rested warm and comforting on her shoulder, his green eyes holding not the pity she expected, but compassion. “Then maybe that should be the first thing you do. I’m still very attracted to you. I won’t run, Reba. Not this time.” His words sent shivers of promise down her spine. She nodded, her throat too constricted for words. “What about you, Reba? Will you run?” he asked after long moments of silence. She shook her head. “No, I won’t run,” she whispered. Picking up the mug, she sipped the cooling tea, thankful to have something to occupy her hands. Returning the topic back to his metaphysical theories seemed far safer than discussing their relationship. “I’m not sure I believe in all of that New Age stuff, though.” She met his gaze, a shade of the tough advertising executive in her eyes. “We make our own realities and our own truths,” she said, setting her mug down once again. “I won’t argue with that, but don’t you think we do so in accordance with some grander plan, some larger cycle of life?” Reaching out, he caressed her lower lip with his thumb. The soft caress sent flutters to her womb. For a moment she stiffened. Hadn’t she just told him she hadn’t discussed sex with her doctor? But sitting here on the couch wasn’t having sex. Perhaps she should just loosen up. Breath catching, she slipped her tongue between her lips to caress the edge of his blunt digit. His thumb stilled. “We move in shades and patterns. It’s up to us to discern the larger picture.” Reba closed her lips and leaned away, breaking contact. “I never had much time for pictures.” Not even my own. Her lips twisted, turned sad, and she shoved regrets aside. Too late for regrets now, when her heart fluttered in her chest and the frailties of her flesh had gotten her into this situation in the first place. Todd had her so shaken she didn’t know which way was up anymore. “And now I have too much time.” She reached for her tea. Todd closed his fingers around her wrists. “Isn’t there something you’ve always wanted, yet never reached out and grabbed?” His question probed too close to wounds she’d picked at during her convalescence. The image of her latest painting, half-finished and probably always would be, leaning 23
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against an easel in her bedroom filled her mind. “I’ve taken everything I wanted, and I’m damn proud of it. Or at least I am when I don’t think too much.” Chin lifting, she stared at his fingers against her wrist. Her pulse pounded, thoughts of the one thing she wanted—yet had been too chicken to act upon in his office—swirling in her head. No one ever called Reba Dailey scared. Not when she faced down tight-fisted executives across the boardroom table, and certainly not in pursuit of a handsome man. A smile curved the corner of her lips. “Is there something you want?” “We’re not discussing me.” “No, you’re discussing me, but one thing I’ve learned is that people generally find failings in others that they also have in themselves.” On the offensive, Reba faced him. Curling her toes into the plush carpet, she contemplated walking them up Todd’s leg, curling her digits over the ridge she saw in his jeans and seeing if he was as hard and thick as he looked. Two could play the “what do you want” game, and she had no doubt in the end she’d win. “So what do you want, Reba?” His husky voice scraped across nerve endings worn raw from her unfulfilled desires and her need to change her life. She tensed her thighs, thinking of rising up to push him back, straddle him and show him exactly what she wanted. Here, in his home, the intimate atmosphere bound them together far closer than his office could have. “What do you want?” Reba asked. She reached for him, smiling when her fingers connected with the soft knit of his sweater. In his living room, the woman with a heart condition ceased to exist. This dance she’d played before, and her body screamed that it was time to resume the steps. Todd grabbed her other wrist. In a flash he pulled her arms over her head and pushed her back against the arm of the couch. His body covered hers, shielding her from the sight of anything but his broad chest. “If I take what I want, will you go after what you want?” He lowered his head, his lips just inches from hers. Each breath scraped her breasts against his chest, and even through layers of clothing electricity zinged between them. She snaked a leg around his hip, her heel pressing against the back of his thigh. “You want me to bare my soul and get all touchy-feely, all New Age? I don’t work that way, Todd. I’m a little more real, a little more now. Almost dying does that to you.” She’d discarded her shoes at the door and as her sock-clad toes curled into a buttock, she watched a shudder race through him. The woman crawling out of her skin reveled in the release from hibernation. “I’m not going to fuck you. Not tonight and not until you talk to your doctor.” He eased his grip but didn’t release her. “Why not? Are you afraid?” A husky chuckle worked its way from his throat. “No, I’m not afraid. And I have no doubt we’ll have sex. But you’re using this to avoid the issue. And the issue is—what
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does Reba Dailey want, both in life and love?” He released her and sat back on his side of the couch. “And until you answer that question, whatever this is between us goes no further.”
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Chapter Three Reba sucked in a breath. Her body hummed with the tension between them, her mind bouncing with the proposal he offered. Opening up to Todd about her innermost thoughts and dreams, no matter how appealing, scared her. She faced the truth. She never opened up to anyone. Not even to Hope, though her friend knew about her painting and some of her dreams, but not all of them. “Then it won’t go any further.” She exhaled and ignored the stab of pain telling her she’d thrown away something good. “You really want to do that?” Todd arched an eyebrow. “I’ll keep treating you. I won’t turn away a patient in need, but you really want to stop pursuing what we might have between us?” He shook his head. “You told me you wouldn’t run.” “I didn’t think I would.” Her lips quirked into a sad smile. “But you don’t know what you’re asking.” “I think I do. I deal with ill patients all the time. Some are sicker than others, but they all have the same thing in common. They need to find out what they really want in order to move on with their life. Otherwise they’re doomed to repeat the same cycles over and over again, physically and emotionally. And I don’t think you want that to happen, Reba.” She eased to her feet with a small shake of her head, thinking now would be a good time to go home and lick her wounds. If she left now she’d never have to face the prospect of exploring the untapped passion between them. And perhaps that was for the best. “I’ll take you home if you don’t want to take a bus.” Todd regarded her for long moments. He stood and held out his hand to her. Reba stared at his hand, the slender digits she ached to feel cupping her breasts or sliding between her legs to explore her slick folds. A glance showed his cock still pressed against the fly of his jeans. If she ran, she’d accomplish nothing. Closing her eyes, she sank back onto the couch and admitted defeat. Running from her feelings had gotten her where she was now, with one heart attack behind her, at least if Todd’s theories were to be believed. Todd asked for nothing, really. Just for her to tell him of her dreams. It’d hurt nothing, and if she did, it might ease the throbbing deep inside her. “If I tell you, does that mean that we’ll have sex?” Reba closed her eyes, not wanting to face the fact that she was so hot for him she was willing to lay herself emotionally bare. Sex required no emotions, just a release of the body. What Todd asked for went far beyond simple sex and both of them knew it. She opened her eyes to
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search his face. In his expression she saw him questioning whether she had the strength to take up his challenge. “I think that could be arranged.” His gaze leisurely perused her body. “After you clear it with your doctor, of course.” A simple transaction. Her dreams for his cock. Reba licked her lips and drew her lower one into her mouth, sucking on it. Todd followed the movement, his eyes darkening. He sat once again and leaned toward her, his hand reaching along the back of the couch toward her. “Reba, you’re killing me.” His husky admission caressed her inflamed nerve endings. “Good.” Gathering her inner vixen around her, she leaned even closer. “I want to paint,” she said quietly. “I want to capture landscapes and outdoor scenes, to pull the viewer in and make them weep with want to be amid such incredible beauty. And I want to open my own gallery. You asked for my dreams, Todd. There they are.” She brushed her lips across his, her eyelids fluttering closed. His soft exhalation against her mouth fluttered down her spine. Pressing her hand against his chest, she curled her fingers into the knit of his sweater and pulled him closer to her. “So do it. Make it a reality. You can do anything,” Todd whispered before pressing his lips to hers, his hand curling around the back of her neck to hold her still for his pleasure. The caress of his tongue against her mouth had her opening beneath him. Like a flower tilting its petals toward the sunlight, she offered him the rich, warm cavern of her mouth. Her fingers tightened in his sweater. Her other hand curled around his hard biceps. And then he tilted her back, sent her tumbling against the couch with one long, hard thigh pressing between hers. His chest brushed hers, and from mouth to knees they touched. The intimacy shocked her. Sliding her hand down his back, she arched against him. Wetness slicked her pussy and her channel clenched thinking of his cock thrusting deep inside her. Her nipples pebbled, hard and tight, just waiting for the warmth of his lips. Todd’s hands rested at her waist. Panting, he forced space between them. “We better stop now, before this goes too far.” He scooted back on the couch. Reba sat up and wrapped her arms around herself. Though his gentlemanly behavior warmed her, for the first time since her heart attack she simply wanted to lose herself in physical pleasure. But Todd was right. She had to talk to her doctor. There were, however, things she could do that wouldn’t involve physical exertion on her part. “I can’t leave you like that,” she said, stealing a look at his erection and smiling. “There are things I can still do.” Todd groaned. “This isn’t about me.” “No, it isn’t.” She grinned. “But you asked me what I want. Right now, I want to take care of you.” She scooted closer, her thigh brushing his. Her fingers itched to cup the back of his head and bring his mouth to her breasts. There, on his couch, she could
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lean over, take him in her mouth, and neither one of them would want for anything. Giving Todd a blowjob would make her come. She had no doubts. “Not yet,” he grinned. “Some things are worth the wait. Savor the moment. After all, you’ve rushed all your life. Maybe now is the time to slow down and experience what you’ve been missing.” Disappointment wound through her and sat like a lump in her stomach. For all his words, all his deeds, he still refused her. She bit her lower lip, feeling it press out in a pout and scurried back to her half of the couch. At least she hadn’t undressed, she mused. She might be vulnerable, but she could’ve been naked and vulnerable. “Thank you for dinner.” She clipped off the words. “And the conversation.” His words made sense, damn him. And she suspected Todd was a man she could savor for a long, long time. But she’d been too used to calling the shots for so long, and giving up control to him went against every fiber of her being. “I think I’d like to go home now.” He nodded and rose to his feet. Leaning over, he brushed his thumb across her lips. A sad look crossed his face, as if he sensed her struggle. Then he stepped out of the room and returned moments later with her coat and shoes. “As you wish,” he said as he handed them to her. “Thank you.” As she slid her arms into the sleeves of her coat, she noticed he still had an erection. Good, let him suffer. And later, when he wrapped his fingers around his cock and stroked himself to completion, she hoped he thought of her. She knew she’d be thinking of him. He opened the door and not even the cold night could erase the heat from her blood.
***** The damnable letter sat on the low table next to the canisters of cotton balls and throat swabs. Her chart, a thick, hulking beast big enough to kill small rodents with, sat open. Dr. Girsch had stepped outside for a moment, and Reba sat on the edge of the table wearing a gown and her jeans. She hated every moment she remained here. She rubbed the bridge of her nose in a futile attempt to stave off a headache. Right behind her eyes, her head throbbed and her neck tightened with tension. The thought that the government, or an insurance company for that matter, could tell her when she could or couldn’t go to work or what medicines or treatments she could and couldn’t take, infuriated her. According to the letter sitting on the table, the government pronounced her fit to work. She wiped her clammy palms on her jeans. Going back to her work in marketing would kill her. The hours, the stress, her demanding schedule, all of it would combine to give her another heart attack or worse. Pursing her lips, she struggled to listen to the muted conversation in the hall, half afraid Dr. Girsch was discussing her case and she’d miss some vital piece of information. Reba swallowed hard. She’d make it through. Somehow, someway, she’d make this work for her. 28
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Todd’s words echoed in her mind. Closing her eyes, she remembered him asking what she wanted, what she desired. The image of her latest painting filled her thoughts, and she knew that if somehow she could paint for a living, perhaps then she could bring in money without risking her health. Returning to the fast-paced world of marketing was simply out of the question. The door opened once more and Dr. Girsch entered. A frown marred his face and behind his Coke-bottle glasses his eyes held worry. He closed the door behind him before looking up at her. “I’m sorry, Reba. I’ve gone over this six ways to Sunday. I’m afraid that while I may not agree with the government’s decision on your disability checks, there’s not much we can do. We can fight it of course, but you’ve made great progress over the last six months.” Reba opened her mouth to refute his claim. Dr. Girsch held up his hand. “I know, I know. Not enough progress to send you back to work. Even I agree going back to your old job would not be in your best interest, but surely there’s something you can do.” “Yeah, I could be a Wal-Mart greeter,” Reba sneered. She saw nothing wrong with that, figured the senior citizens who did the job enjoyed it and appreciated the chance to get out among people. But her? Working retail? The thought made her cringe with the realization of how far she’d fallen. She’d do it. Without her disability check, she needed some way to help out Hope, but working retail guaranteed she’d never really make enough money to move out on her own. She frowned. “I can help you fight this if you want. We can draw up the papers. I can’t guarantee anything, of course, but we can do what we can.” Dr. Girsch pulled out a stool and sat down. “Look, I know this is a disappointment but maybe it’s for the best. There’s more to life than marketing.” Reba nodded. Dr. Girsch had always been up front with her. In fact, they’d talked about her taking classes at the local community college, though at the time she lacked transportation. She still lacked a vehicle but thought maybe there might have been a way she could’ve made it work—if she had, maybe then she wouldn’t be dangling here at the end of her rope with nowhere to go. “Thank you. I appreciate it, but I think we both know how the appeal would go. I’m sure something will come up. I do have one more question.” “Yes?” She hesitated for a moment, feeling foolish. He was a medical doctor. Surely he’d been asked far stranger questions than the one haunting her mind. “I’m wondering if I’m healthy enough to have an intimate relationship,” she said. “Are you’re asking if you’re healthy enough to have sex, then yes, you are. Pay attention to your body and don’t overdo it, but I don’t see why you can’t have a healthy sexual relationship with someone.” “Thanks, Doctor.”
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“If you have any other questions or if things don’t feel right, let me know.” Dr. Girsch gave her a sympathetic nod. “All right then. I’ll let you get dressed. If nothing comes up you can schedule an appointment for six months out.” He stood and closed her chart. “If you need anything you know where I’m at…or if you reconsider the appeal.” “Thanks.” Reba scooted to the edge of the table, and as soon as Dr. Girsch left and closed the door behind him, stepped down and changed into her bra and sweater. Her eyes rested on the letter sitting on the counter. Picking it up and stuffing it into her purse, she squared her shoulders and left the exam room. Todd’s words echoed in her mind. Find her dream, pursue it and who knew what might happen. His challenge to her filled her mind with thoughts she wouldn’t have dared think just a few weeks ago. The few moments it took her to finalize the paperwork and the payment of the bill gave her the time she needed to come to a decision. Stepping out into the sunshine, she tilted her face to the sky. It’d been three days since her dinner with Todd. Perhaps it was time to quit being afraid. Two hours later the doorbell interrupted Reba’s one-woman concert as she hummed to herself while she finished washing lunch dishes. She wiped her hands on a dish towel and went to answer the door. Hope hadn’t mentioned expecting any deliveries. At three in the afternoon, Todd would still be at Healing Hands. Peering through the small window on the front door, she saw a delivery person with flowers. For one moment she thought they might be from Todd, perhaps in thanks for the evening or maybe inviting her to another one. No. Too soon. With a wry smile and a shake of her head, she opened the door. Her body vibrated thinking about his lips, his touch, and a heated flush crossed her cheeks. She willed it away as she smiled at the delivery person. “Reba Dailey?” he asked. Reba blinked, surprised. She nodded. “Yeah, that’s me,” she managed to croak. “These are for you.” He handed over a large bouquet of bright flowers, a small card discreetly nestled among the foliage. “Thank you.” Reba reached for the heavy vase, her heart hammering a mile a minute. She closed the door and watched the delivery person walk back to his van before setting the vase on the coffee table. She immediately untied the plastic bag that protected the delicate blooms from the weather. A lump of emotion clogged her throat. Blinking back the unexpected sting of tears, she stared at the blooms with the plastic sagging down around them. Beautiful lilies and mini carnations in white mixed with snapdragons and baby’s breath to form a profusion of white blooms and green leaves. The cobalt blue vase set off the arrangement perfectly. Reba pressed her knuckles to her lips, trying to hold her tears at bay, but deeply touched by the thoughtfulness and the beauty.
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Hope? Reba wondered, thinking her friend might have sent the flowers. Though usually, when Hope brought home small bouquets from the store, she simply put them on the table, something to cheer them both. Reba shook her head. No, Hope and she always chuckled about spending money on flowers that would only wilt and wither after a few days. Something this extravagant undoubtedly hadn’t come from her friend. Her hand shook as she reached for the card. She flipped open the seal and pulled out the folded slip of paper, her heart hammering in her chest as she opened it and a small, square business card floated to the floor. Reba picked it up, noticing immediately the logo for Healing Hands. Todd. Emotion made her knees weak. She staggered to the recliner and sat down. He’d sent her flowers. Reading his neat, sparse script, her heart pounded. He wanted to see her again. She hadn’t driven him away. And he’d included a gift certificate for a free massage. A massage sounded heavenly. Lying naked on a table with Todd’s strong hands caressing every inch of her body… Her nipples tightened at the thought. While he worked on her back, her thighs, his touch would drift along her buttocks and then lower, until he stroked her clit and labia with an expert’s knowledge. Her pussy tightened. Her breathing caught in her throat. She licked her lips, looking once more at the beautiful flowers and unable to stop a goofy smile from crossing her face. Had the massage card been sent before dinner at his house, she might have gotten angry and called it charity. But now, with the letter from the social security administration terminating her disability, the doctor’s words ringing in her mind and the memory of Todd’s challenge, she simply grinned. A free massage sounded absolutely perfect. Reaching for the phone, she dialed his number before she lost the nerve. Reba tucked her feet beneath her and stared at the flowers. On the second ring, Todd answered. “That was awfully thoughtful of you,” she said. “The flowers are beautiful.” “I’m glad you like them. And you received the gift certificate?” Through the phone, she heard Todd’s self-satisfied smile. Let him pat himself on the back. He deserved it, sending her flowers out of the blue. “I did. I’m hoping you can deliver the massage personally.” “I think that could be arranged.” Through the phone she heard the sound of shuffling papers. “Do you have some free time tomorrow? It’s supposed to be a bit warmer and I’d love a chance to get outside before the weather turns cold again.” A bit disappointed he hadn’t already scheduled the massage, Reba thought for a moment. “Yeah, I can do that. What did you have in mind?” “A walk. And then we’ll go back to my place…and who knows where it may lead? What do you think, Reba? Do you want to walk with me?” He lowered his voice into a husky caress that rasped across her senses.
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Walking with Todd sounded like a modest proposal, nothing to dampen her panties or have her breath catching in her throat—yet it did. She never allowed herself to dream. Todd’s words made her feel as if her hopes and dreams might actually happen. “Yeah,” she replied. “I’d like that.” Her newfound boldness carried her deeper into the unfamiliar waters of a relationship. “I think I’d like that a lot.” “Good. I’ll pick you up at one tomorrow. Dress warmly. I look forward to seeing you.” “Likewise.” “Oh—and don’t forget to dream of me.” With those words, Todd ended the call. Reba hung up the receiver and sat back in the chair. Dream of him. As if she had a choice after what they’d shared. Closing her eyes, she relived the memories of his kiss. Her gut told her pursuing a relationship with Todd would change her life. She hoped she was up to the challenge.
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Chapter Four The brilliant sunshine overhead belied the chill in the air. Wrapped in her parka with a scarf around her neck and a stocking cap covering her head, Reba felt like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Todd held one of her gloved hands, and although he wore only a hooded sweatshirt with a turtleneck beneath it, he radiated warmth. They strolled side by side in the park, the temperature hovering near the forty-degree mark. After her selfimposed indoor exile, she enjoyed being outdoors even though the cold air threatened to take her breath away. It reminded her that the woman she’d been had had little time for the simple pleasures. Todd led her over to a bench and sat down, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “You look happier today,” he said. “Dare I hope that I had something to do with it?” Reba turned to face him, wondering how much of her lightness of heart to attribute to him. “Yeah, I think so.” She winked. Todd chuckled. “Good. Because I have a question to ask you.” He squeezed his arm around her and hauled her against his hard body. Through the bulky down of her parka, the hard planes of his body pressed against her. His breath caressed the side of her stocking cap and had she not worn it, the gentle flutters would have teased the shell of her ear. “What do you want to ask?” The need to turn and face him, present her lips and kiss him right there in the park nearly overtook her. Instead she focused on the nearby lake and the Canadian geese resting on its banks. “Have you ever given up control?” His husky question sent a shiver down her spine. “No,” she admitted. “Do you want to?” She turned to face him, her lips inches from his. Reaching up with her gloved hand, she cupped his cheek. “If you had asked me that two weeks ago, I’d have told you no. But now, with you…yes. You make me want to lose control.” She brushed her lips across his. The gentle caress warmed her. Deep inside, the truth of her words resonated, and perhaps Todd had intended that all along. Pulling back, she smiled. His fingers skimmed her cheek. Gently, he tucked her scarf up around her neck. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Sometimes the best thing we can do is surrender ourselves to another’s will.” He paused for a moment, and Reba suspected he measured her response to his statement. “You know I won’t hurt you, right?” She nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
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“Good.” He reached down and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s walk some more.” He pulled her to her feet and she fell into step beside him. His arm wrapped around her waist and together they strolled in companionable silence. He paused by the edge of the lake. “What do you mean by surrendering to another’s will?” Reba asked, finally giving voice to her nagging thoughts. “Simply letting someone else be in charge for a while. Not worrying about anything. Staying in the moment.” “Sounds scary,” Reba replied, knowing the woman she’d been before her heart attack never would have considered the notion. When she didn’t elaborate, he chuckled. “It can be.” “Having all the control can be scary too.” She glanced down, suddenly embarrassed. “Hey, don’t feel bad for saying what you feel.” He cupped her chin and lifted her gaze to his. “That’s what this is about, after all. Finding the ‘you’ who you want to be. You’re a strong woman who has had a hell of a lot dumped on you. I think it’s time to find out what kind of person you’ve been tempered into. Living in the moment helps you to gain that kind of insight.” Reba exhaled. On one hand she supposed he had a point. But on the other, Todd sounded more like a mentor than a lover. She half expected him to start spouting Yodaisms at her about trying and doing. “You really think so?” She’d never thought if it that way before. Maybe she’d been focusing too much on what she didn’t have—health, money—that she’d forgotten what she did have. Good friends who really cared about her, and maybe the possibly for her and Todd to become more than friends. Todd’s presence made her acutely aware of her femininity. His touch skimmed her curves with a casual arm around her waist or shoulders. And although bulky clothing concealed her skin, his touch and his smile sent tingles to her pussy. “Yeah, I do think so.” His hand traced the length of her spine, resting along her waist. “I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to let the person you’ve become shine through.” Reba pressed her lips together. “She might not know how to give up control. She might be too used to calling the shots.” An image of her ordering Todd on his knees, his mouth on her pussy, had her lips parting. His hand slipped to her ass. “She might want to order you around,” Reba said. He turned her in his arms, one moment her side was pressed against him, the next she faced him. He inserted one hard, jean-clad thigh between hers and cupped her ass. “I think she might want to be careful. Playing with fire means getting burned.” Oh and burn her he did. With her breasts crushed against his chest, his hands big and hard against her buttocks and the unmistakable ridge of his cock pressing against
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her stomach, he sent her up in flames. She parted her lips and titled her head, her mouth tingling with the thought of him kissing her, hard and deep. Wrapping her arms around his back, she pressed her gloved hands to his shoulder blades. “I’m willing to take that chance. Are you?” Todd threw back his head and chuckled. “Yeah, baby. I think I am. Let’s go home.” With a squeeze of her ass, he released her long enough to recapture her hand and lead her in a brisk walk toward his car. She shivered, knowing once they got back to his place there’d be no more barriers between them. And she couldn’t wait.
***** Todd willed his cock to behave. It jerked in his jeans, demanding that he take Reba home, strip her and fuck her until neither one of them could form a coherent sentence. His need for her drove him. Just listening to her talk about giving up control had him imagining her spread-eagle on his bed with her wrists and ankles tied. A woman like her wouldn’t give up easily, and he relished the thought. Luckily the park wasn’t too far from his house, but the short drive gave him time he needed to control himself. He parked his car, walking around to open the door for her, a thoughtful gesture that earned him a smile. Possessively cupping her lower back, he led her into the house, past the living room and directly to the bedroom. Reba stopped. Eyes wide, she stared at the large, ornate sleigh bed covered with a dark green comforter. Back straight, she stepped away from his touch then turned and looked at him. “You did check with your doctor, right?” He smoothed his fingers over her cheek, the silky smooth skin tantalizing him with the memory of the soft skin elsewhere on her body. “Yes, I did,” she whispered, the words bringing with them a promise that this relationship would be consummated. “Good…and you know I won’t do anything you don’t want.” She expelled a long breath, and he sensed more than felt the tension leaving her body. The thick sweater hid the view of her nipples from him, and he curled his fingers into his palm with the need to slide his hands down inside her pants and test her folds for wetness. He’d been telling her to live in the moment and now he needed to take his own advice. He wanted to make it perfect for her. “Nothing I don’t want.” She closed her eyes and pressed her lips closed. “I’m sorry. I thought this would be easier. You’re the first man in a long time.” He stepped closer, reaching around to draw her against his chest. “I know,” he whispered against her hair. “And I’ll be gentle, I promise.” For a brief moment he feared he’d pressed her too hard. “I know you will. And I think I’m ready to take that journey.” She stepped back and removed her outdoor gear before pulling her sweater over her head. Unclasping the
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front hook of her bra, she shrugged it from her shoulders. Walking backward toward the bed, she unhooked her jeans before peeling them and her long underwear down her legs, pausing to remove her boots. Finished, she crawled naked across the bed. Todd’s cock throbbed. With her ass facing him and the plump, pink lips of her pussy showing between her legs, he longed to sink into her hot depths. Stepping forward, he grabbed her hips and pulled her back hard against his denim-clad cock. She rubbed against him and he smelled her cream. Unable to resist, he bent forward and licked her labia. She tasted like honey. Her purr of pleasure warmed him. He lapped at her, his hands on her hips, his lips against her pussy. Long, sure strokes of his tongue had her writhing and her juices drenching his mouth. He toyed with the bud of her clit, swirling his tongue around it, never quite touching the organ. Reba fisted her hands in the comforter. He pulled back and dragged air into his starving lungs. Curling his fingers around her ankle, he caressed the skin behind her anklebone with long sweeps of his fingers that left her shuddering. Reba straightened her leg. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her red hair falling over her shoulder like waves of fire. Lips parted, eyes half-lidded, legs parted and pussy glistening, she looked like a goddess. His very own goddess. The globes of her buttocks, perfectly heart-shaped, invited him to cup them, test their weight and then follow the line of her back along her delicate spine. Todd reluctantly released her leg and crossed to the closet. Returning to the bed, he tied a long silk scarf around her ankle. “Too tight?” he asked, testing the knot. She shook her head. “Perfect.” He fastened the scarf to a bedpost, and Reba stretched her free leg toward the opposite corner. The submission in her act touched him. He circled the corner of the bed, reaching for her other ankle and quickly securing it. Her wrists followed, both tied with even longer scarves he’d secured to the bed before their date. She rested on her elbows, her hands grasping the scarves securing them. Her hair was a riot of curls around her shoulders. She bent her knees beneath her, pulling the scarves at her ankles taut, and lifted her buttocks into the air, the folds of her sex clearly visible. He unzipped his jeans in a futile attempt to give his cock more room. In moments he was completely naked and kneeling beside her on the bed. He brushed her hair from her neck and watched her shiver. “Do I have to blindfold you?” Lust turned his voice into a husky caress. “I won’t look,” Reba said into his pillow. “Just touch me.” He skimmed his fingers along her spine and watched goose bumps rise on her arms. Leaning forward, he kissed the nape of her neck, her husky moan echoing in his
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ears. He reached down and cupped his cock, willing it to behave so he could make it good for her, and before he could lose himself in her body, pulled open the nightstand, grabbed a condom and sheathed himself. He started at the back of her neck, laving her with his tongue. Each wiggle, each husky sigh had him harder than a railroad spike. She tasted like some sugary confection, a decadent treat only he could enjoy. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her warm vanilla scent. Tiny kisses burned a trail down her spine, pausing between the two dimples at the top of her buttocks before working his way back up toward her neck. He shifted and knelt between her legs, his cock brushing against the back of her thigh. She shifted in kind, rising to meet him, and he rubbed against her, cursing the barrier of the condom. He hungered for skin against skin, flesh against flesh. With lips and tongue he worshipped her, kissing and licking every inch of her back. Reaching up, he slid his hands along her arms, stroking in time to her thrusts against him. The power Reba gave him humbled him. Closing his eyes and nuzzling between her shoulder blades, he felt the strength in the woman beneath him, the depth of her need. He slipped his hands beneath her, cupping her breasts, kneading her soft flesh as he ground his pelvis against her, letting her know exactly how she affected him. His balls tightened. With just a look, a touch, Reba had him hotter and harder than any woman ever had before. And with her submission, he struggled to hold back his own pleasure, wanting to let her feel the extent of his worship of her body. Healing with his hands, his heart, his cock as he worked his lips down her spine once more. Rolling her nipples between his fingers, he felt energy flow through him. Whatever he and Reba did today, he knew it would have as profound an effect on him as on her. She turned her head to the side. “Inside me,” she pleaded. “Fuck me.” His cock jerked at her words. “Not yet,” he whispered, his fingers sliding from her nipples to feather over her ribs. He paused at her buttocks, pressing a kiss to each globe and then lower. The folds of her pussy, dripping wet, called to him like a siren song. “Let me taste you again.” He drew his tongue along the length of her slit and her answering cry filled the room. Todd cupped her hips, holding her still for his ministrations. Power danced back and forth between them. He inhaled her sweet aroma and circled her entrance with his tongue. He slipped it inside, just a tease, before pulling it out again. Looking over her body, he drank in the sight of her rounded ass, the long spine, the jumbled curls of her red hair. Like the goddess Brigid come to life, she lay on his bed, hands fisting his bedspread now, legs wide in an invitation he couldn’t resist. He lowered his lips to her once more and speared his tongue into her tight channel. Her vaginal muscles rippled around him, and he knew they’d feel just as heavenly milking his cock. Turning his head, he kissed the inside of her thigh, drawing his lips and tongue from thigh to knee, the back of the latter getting special attention.
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Her toes curled. “Feel it,” he murmured. “Let the pleasure fill you.” He laved the back of her shapely calf, down to her foot. He drew his tongue over the length of her arch, her gasp and sigh telling him she heeded his words. Todd turned his attention to her other foot. He wanted the complete woman, not just a part of her, though the dewy lips of her cunt pulled him back between her thighs quickly. He nipped her inner thigh in a gentle love bite and laved her folds with his tongue before positioning himself between her thighs once more. He stroked her with his fingers, long, sweeping touches along her outer labia. Her juices coated his fingers, a surge of masculine pride filling him that he could make her so hot, so wet, with just his fingers and mouth. He caressed the engorged bud of her clit. The organ poked from beneath the hood and he flicked his fingers against it. Reba’s cries escalated. “Come for me.” He thrust two fingers into her sopping channel. Her muscles clamped on his digits. “That’s it, baby. I want you to come.” Withdrawing his fingers, he slid them forward again. In and out, he finger-fucked her. With his other hand he caressed her clit, cream drenching his hand. Her cries turned into muffled moans. The wet sucking noise of her pussy drove him. Ignoring his demanding cock, he pressed his fingers against her clit and listened to her scream. The ripples of her muscles massaged his fingers. Each thrust of her hips brought her higher, until her cries escalated. Inside her, he stilled his fingers and watched as she came apart around them. His ragged breaths mingled with hers, the only sounds in the room. The smell of sex hung in the air. Todd removed his hand and pressed his cock against her opening. In front of him, Reba thrust her buttocks into his hips and he slipped inside. Just his head, but the pure exquisiteness of being inside her slick channel had his eyes closing and his breath hissing from between clenched teeth. Slowly, ever-so slowly, he sheathed himself inside her. Each tiny whimper and moan drove him deeper until his head brushed against her cervix. He groaned, long and low at the pure pleasure of being inside her. This may have started out an exercise in control, with her giving it up to him, but now he knew if she so much as twitched, he’d come apart. Pressing his lips to the back of her neck, he pulled out, inch by inch, and when his head brushed her opening, thrust forward again. In and out. Over and over again. He pumped into her, thankful she was tied so she couldn’t touch him. He groaned, his balls tightening against his body. So close, yet he wanted her to come again. He covered her body with his own and let her take his weight. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes!” Her cries grew more frantic, his thrusts deeper. And then nothing mattered at all except the silken slide of his cock in her tight, slick channel. Beneath him, Reba bucked, her hips rising and falling to meet him stroke for stroke. Her hands clenched in the comforter, knees pressed into the mattress to raise her ass higher. 38
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Her pussy spasmed around him and with a shriek, contractions raced through her muscles. Her cunt milked him, the pleasure so intense his eyes rolled back and a low, guttural groan erupted from his throat. To think he brought her that much pleasure had him slamming into her. Her sheath continued to contract and with a roar, he came. Muscles stiffening, he crushed her beneath him. His cock jerked, the base of his spine tingling and stream after stream of come shooting from him. He panted. The taste of her salty skin lingered where his lips rested and he knew that, though he may be spent now, he wouldn’t be for long. Slowly, he eased back and lay beside her. “Todd,” she breathed. “That was…holy hell.” With one arm thrown over his eyes, he didn’t see her expression but he smiled at the satisfaction in her voice. He sucked in air, trying to muster the strength to move. He reached up, untying her left wrist. Then with a groan, he sat up, disposed of the condom and reached for the end of the bed, untying her ankles and her other wrist before flopping back down again. Reba turned to her side and snuggled against him. Her ass pressed against his groin, reawakening his cock, and it twitched from its post-coital slumber. He rested his arm across her stomach, his fingers brushing against her breasts. Though his body had other ideas, right now he simply wanted to lay here and enjoy the moment.
***** Todd’s masterful seduction shattered her preconceived notions about control. She thought she had it. She thought she’d mastered it. Yet with his lips, his fingers and, oh yeah, his heavenly cock, he’d taught her how to break the shackles she kept on herself even as he bound her and had her at his mercy. She exhaled and snuggled even closer to him. Against her buttocks his cock hardened, and her pussy tightened thinking about having it inside her once more. His hand rested just beneath her breasts. She curled her fingers over his, debating about inching them higher so he could fondle her nipples. Reba licked her lips. She’d turned her body over to him and he gave her no regrets. For a moment the letter and her loss of disability intruded on the peace that came with being completely and utterly satisfied. She shoved the thoughts away. Giving up control to Todd freed her in ways she’d never imagined. Perhaps things would work out for the best. Perhaps everything would be okay. She bit her lip, half afraid she might snigger at her optimistic thoughts. Reaching behind her, she cupped Todd’s ass, caressing him with featherlight strokes of her fingers. This she could handle. The physical aspect of a relationship seemed so straightforward compared to the rest of it. Sex, pure and simple. And oh, how long it had been since she’d experienced such intimacy. Her strokes grew bolder, moving up and down his hip, teasing the brown curls surrounding his shaft. Todd’s breath hitched. “Ready so soon?” he whispered in her ear. 39
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She turned in his arms, pressing her breasts with their taut nipples against his chest and throwing one leg over his hip. She kissed him, a quick kiss over his pectoral. “With you—always.” She licked him, then dipped her head to swirl her tongue around the hard bead of a male nipple. A quick push had him rolling onto his back and Reba straddled him, sitting on his thighs and reaching for his cock. Tracing her finger along his naked length, her digit slid from head to base, and there, she drew a path around his girth. She closed her fingers around him. Her fingertips barely met and she sucked in a breath to think of his thickness plunging deep inside her. She dampened the tops of his thighs with her juices. Licking her lips, she caressed him from base to tip with long, sweeping strokes that had his eyes darkening and his lips parting. Her movements grew quicker, her fingers harder against his flesh. Todd reached for something and she realized he was opening the nightstand drawer and pulling out another condom. She took the foil packet and, hoping she remembered the fine art of applying protection, tore it open and removed the rubber. Carefully, she rolled it over his hard length. Todd groaned. “You’re going to kill me,” he said. “It’ll be a sweet death.” She moved over him, using one hand to position him at her entrance. “And this time, I have the control.” She eased his head inside her. Reaching for his hands, she tangled her fingers with his and sheathed him with her pussy. He moaned in answer as she flexed her inner muscles around him. Reba savored the moment. Looking down at him, her fingers curled around his, his cock buried deep inside her body, she rocked her hips. She eased from him until just his head rested inside her before thrusting down again, his hips rising up to meet her. She rode him, her thrusts growing harder, more urgent as her need built. Her world settled on the growing ache in her pussy. Her breasts bobbed in time with her movements and she kept her eyes open, not wanting to miss a moment of Todd thrusting into her. And then she tilted her head back, her lower spine tingling, her pussy clamping down around him. A low, keening moan erupted from her as her third orgasm washed over her. Ripple after ripple of pleasure filled her body. Todd still pumped into her, his cock stroking a place high and deep inside. Then he stiffened, and with a hoarse shout came again. She forced her eyes open and stared at the look of intense rapture on his face. She vowed to remember and know that she caused it, and to remember that control ran two ways.
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Chapter Five Reba sat curled on the couch with her feet tucked beneath her. Yesterday afternoon, although quite wonderful, zapped her energy. She sipped a mug of herbal tea, her thoughts returning to sex with Todd. She couldn’t call it making love, though it felt like something far different than a physical release. Oh, they’d both had that, but there’d been a connection, a feeling, and she tried not to put any names on it. Her lethargy worried her, however. Maybe the doctor was wrong. She’d better keep her distance, because she couldn’t afford to make her condition worse. Her health was probably more fucked up than she realized. She dragged her fingers through her hair, wincing as she caught on a snarl. “What’s up, honey? I’d think you’d be all sunshine and happiness.” Hope set down the catalog she’d been paging through and shifted position in her chair. “Surely there isn’t trouble in paradise so soon.” Reba shook her head. “Just in my mind.” Her hand shook, a byproduct of her weakness. Placing the mug on a coaster, she dropped her hands to her lap. “Yesterday was…” She found she lacked the words to explain what really happened, or how she felt about it. “You got laid—and about freaking time too. You’re not the type for love poems and flowers. It was sex between two consenting adults, and from the look on your face last night when he brought you home, completely awesome, jaw-dropping, toe-curling sex. Right?” Reba’s face flamed as she nodded. “So what’s the problem?” Hope shrugged. “Your doctor said it was all right. Todd does healing work. He knows about all sorts of methodologies. You should ask him about tantric sex sometime. Sex can be used to heal, and honey, if anyone needs healing, it’s you. I know you’re worried about the disability letter and the doctor telling you that you can go back to work. I know you don’t want to do anything other than return to your old job, and yet if you do it’ll kill you. You need a release…so what if this thing with Todd might be just physical? Don’t beat yourself up over it. Go with the flow. Enjoy the moment.” Leave it to her friend to spout platitudes and really make her feel silly over her internal monologue of doom. Reba chewed on her lower lip, not quite ready to confess she thought Hope spoke the truth. She sighed and looked at her friend. “I don’t think it’s quite that easy. Though I wish it were.” “Why isn’t it?”
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“Well, there’s the fact that I don’t have a job. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone, least of all you or Todd.” “Did he say you were a burden?” Hope asked. “And I’ve told you over and over you’re not. Heck, just today you swept the floors and did some dusting. Do you think I’d have time for that with my schedule?” “No, and I don’t mind helping out. It’s just that…” Reba thrust her hands at the ceiling. “I don’t know,” she mumbled. “Healing through sex. If Todd hasn’t mentioned it, ask him about it. You can heal through physical intimacy. Like his reiki energy work, only this time you’re fusing bodies and auras. And it’s not just a way to get him into your bed, though it wouldn’t be a bad place to start.” Hope winked at her then rose to her feet. “I’ve got to get ready if I’m going to make the night shift at the hospital, but think about what I’ve said. Tantra is just one way to have spiritual sex. I’m sure Todd would be happy to show you others.” She chuckled as she darted down the hall toward her bedroom. Reba sat on the couch, unable to get in a last word as Hope disappeared into her bedroom to change for work. Maybe she overanalyzed things. Part of what made her great in marketing was her skill to look at things from all angles. But now, outside of advertising, perhaps she needed a more laid-back approach. She had no doubts Todd would be happy to teach her. Expelling a pent-up breath, she reached for her now-tepid cup of tea and sat there contemplating her friend’s advice. And maybe, just maybe, once Hope went to work, she’d research tantric sex on the computer. An hour later, unable to concentrate on the computer long enough to put some serious work into researching tantric sex, Reba stood before her canvas dressed in an old, faded pair of sweats. Fluffy purple slipper socks kept her feet warm. On the hardwood floor the protective plastic rustled and the smell of oil paints and turpentine filled the air. Through the cracked-open window, a chill breeze teased the curtains and sent shivers down her spine. The chime of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. She set down her brush and stared at the painting for a moment longer before hurrying out of her bedroom and to the front door. With Hope at work, the only other person she could think of who might show up would be Todd. Her heart thumped at the thought that she’d get to see him again so soon—and perhaps she’d get a chance to ask him about the spiritual sex Hope had mentioned. She shivered as she neared the door. No matter what level it was on, sex with Todd was already fantastic. She couldn’t imagine it getting any better. Taking a deep breath, she curled her fingers around the knob and opened the door. There, on the other side of the screen door, stood Todd. A grin split her face. “Hi,” he said. “Hope you don’t mind that I dropped by.” “Mind? Not at all. Come on in.” She stepped back, opening the door wider. She waited for him to enter before closing the door behind him. “What brings you here?”
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He turned to face her, pinning her between the door and his body. He moved against her, his bulky parka cushioning his body against hers. “You.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. “I couldn’t stay away.” His words warmed her as much as the kiss. Heat spread throughout her limbs, bringing a red flush to her cheeks. She grasped the pull of his zipper and eased it down, parting his coat and pushing it over his shoulders and down his arms. He finished removing the jacket and it dropped to the floor. Reaching up, she removed his stocking cap, spearing her fingers through his hair and pulling his lips back down to hers. She kissed him, fusing her lips to his and drinking from him as if she were parched for his taste. Her tongue swept across his mouth and with a groan, he invited her deeper. Reba curled her hands into his broad shoulders. Tiny zings of pleasure started in her pussy and radiated throughout her body. Todd made her want. He made her need. She moaned as his arm wrapped around and hauled her body more firmly against his. Braless beneath her sweatshirt, her breasts flattened against his sweater-covered chest. She parted her legs and lifted her hips, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, stroking his, drawing him closer to her. The door pressed against her back. Todd flattened one hand next to her head, the other curling around her hip and holding her fast. She whimpered as the need for air parted them. She drew several ragged breaths into her lungs and focused on Todd’s face. He looked down at her, eyes dark with desire. Against her stomach, the ridge of his erection pressed against her. “If I’d known I’d be receiving a welcome like that, I would have come over sooner.” Todd brushed his lips across her forehead. He grinned and slid his hand beneath her sweatshirt, caressing her ribs, his touch just firm enough not to be ticklish. As he rubbed against the side of her breast, his grin widened. He cupped her breast. “Yeah, I would have been here sooner.” Reba arched into his touch. Her nipples hardened and her pussy creamed. She pulled at his sweater, wanting to touch his bare skin. Her mental note to ask about tantra faded away beneath Todd’s touch. Standing on tiptoes, she kissed him again. Hunger drove their lips together, tongues tangling as each tried to get closer to the other. She raised her arms and parted the kiss long enough for Todd to pull her sweatshirt over her head. Then his hands were beneath her ass, lifting her into him, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He walked backward a few steps, turned and set her on the edge of the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. “Much better,” he whispered, settling between her thighs, his groin perfectly aligned with hers. He licked her left nipple, drawing a gasp from her lips. He laved her with his tongue, toying with the hard, tight bead. Reba speared her fingers into his hair, holding him to her breast. His soft hair against her fingers, his smooth cheek against her flesh, she drowned in sensation. Eyes closed, head tipped back, she gave herself up to the pleasure. No thoughts about
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control, about what she should do, where she wanted to touch. She simply absorbed Todd’s attention, his touch, his kisses. He drew her nipple into his mouth, sucking on it, and she moaned. He made her feel alive, whole, healthy, all those things she thought she’d never be again. Sliding her fingers between her legs and working herself to completion paled in comparison. Her entire body hummed in tune with his touch. He pinched her other nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. The pleasure-pain of it had her juices soaking her panties. She whimpered. Todd licked and suckled at her breasts as if he had all the time in the world. And perhaps he did. With Hope at work until midnight they had the house to themselves, and she intended to make good use of it. The faint smell of turpentine and oil paints clung to her skin. If it interfered at all with Todd’s enjoyment of her body, it didn’t show. He trailed his fingers over her stomach and beneath the waistband of her sweats, making her stomach flutter. Her breath hitched as he stroked her curls. His lips remained on her nipple, suckling and licking. With his tongue he circled her areola, each pass sending a trail of heat straight to her cunt. His fingers inched closer to her labia and she clenched her hands on the back of his head, panting, rocking her hips to beckon him closer. And then, at last, he stroked her outer lips. Her juices coated his fingers as he slipped inside and caressed her slit. Up to her clit, circling it just enough to wring whimpers from her throat, then down to trace her entrance. He fingered her, the fleeting, gentle caresses driving her wild. He released her nipple and turned his attention to her other breast, toying with her with licks and sucks. His left hand splayed against her hip, he shoved at her sweatpants. “I need to be inside you.” His words flooded her pussy with juices. Her muscles contracted at the thought of his cock inside her, plunging deeper, deeper, until his head brushed against her cervix and they fitted together like long-lost puzzle pieces. She held on to his shoulders while he lifted her so he could push her sweatpants and panties down and pull them off her legs. Leaving her socks on, he stepped back long enough to unfasten his pants and pull a condom from his wallet. He sheathed himself and moved back within the cradle of her thighs. Someday, she wanted to fuck him without the barrier between them. Reba reached for his shaft. She curled her fingers around it and squeezed gently. “I can’t wait for this to be inside me.” She scooted closer to the edge of the counter. Todd slid his hands beneath her buttocks, lifting her so her slick labia brushed across the head of his shaft. “Guide me home, honey.” His desire-roughened voice caressed her senses. With her fingers around his cock, she brushed it against her labia. Her juices coated her digits and she snuck a quick caress of her clit, moaning.
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“That’s it. Yeah, just like that,” Todd rasped. The head of his cock slipped inside her entrance. She kept her fingers around him for a moment longer and then released him as he thrust deep inside. He fitted their bodies together, sheathed inside her as deeply as he could go. For long moments he stood there. The echo of their breaths mingled with the whirring of the furnace and the ticking of a clock in the living room. The spicy smell of sex surrounded them. On her ass, Todd’s fingers clenched. Control. Power. Direction. Todd’s body radiated that and more. The need to climb the crest and explode with orgasm burned in her veins. Her heart throbbed. Her pussy ached. Her juices dripped down her legs and wet his upper thighs. Slowly he pulled out, so slowly that Reba thought she might die. Lifting her face, she captured his mouth and kissed him as hard and thoroughly as she wanted to be fucked. His tongue thrust into her mouth in time with his cock. A steady enter and retreat that lifted her higher with every stroke. Somehow, so soon, Todd had become the driving force in her life. He made her think. He supported her, and he took her to sensual places she’d never been before. Her pussy convulsed, tightening, and an all-toofamiliar tingling began in her lower spine. Her orgasm pulled her along like a riptide, drowning her in a pool of sensation. The fluttering of her muscles only made him thrust harder. The edge of the counter bit into the backs of her thighs and yet his hands were there, holding her steady, helping her balance against his deep, fast strokes. A sheen of sweat covered her skin. Flushed, heated, she rode the wave of her release as it melted her into a boneless puddle of satisfaction. And still Todd thrust. He tore his lips away from hers to drag in a ragged breath, a low moan pulling from his throat. Head tilted back, the cords of his neck standing out, he reached his own release as Reba watched. His cock jerked, the force of his orgasm tugging another one from her, and she whimpered as sparks fluttered through her pussy. Her nipples rasped against his still-sweater-covered chest, and she realized belatedly that she was almost completely naked in her kitchen. She stared at Todd, not quite believing the change mere days could bring. Her life practically lay in shards, and yet this man lifted her up. He offered her a hand, allowed her to get her footing and then showed her the stars. She blinked against a sudden pull of emotion and focused on him, on his body. Todd leaned forward, his forehead pressed against her clavicle, his breath warm on her skin. “Perhaps we should go to your bedroom,” he whispered. Reba stiffened. Her bedroom. Where her paintings were kept. “It’s, uh…” She’d given him her body. Showing him her paintings, her inner sanctuary, seemed too intimate still. She looked at him and wondered if her inner demons would hold her back forever. “A bit messy,” she finished, grinning.
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“I don’t mind.” Todd pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips. His cock slid from her and he removed the condom before pulling up his jeans. “I want to see where you sleep. Where you lie and dream of me.” His wink disarmed her misgivings. “All right.” She scooted from the counter and grabbed her sweatpants. Aware of Todd’s eyes on her, she pulled them and her panties up over her hips and tugged on her sweatshirt. She offered him her hand. “It’s this way.” He grasped it, his fingers strong and sure against hers. Those same fingers that had caressed her breasts, her pussy, had brought her to heights of passion. Now they reassured her as she led him down the hall to her bedroom. She paused at the partially open door. “I’m in the middle of painting, so excuse the mess. I’ll take care of the brushes while you look around.” She opened the door and releasing his hand, hurrying to the canvas. She really didn’t want to tell him how long she’d been toiling on this painting. The physical act of putting her brushes away kept her hands busy and gave her something on which to focus. She capped the bottle of turpentine, made sure the paint tubes were closed and tidied up the area the best she could. Todd stood a distance away, watching. His intense gaze unnerved her. Her hands shook as she set the turpentine bottle on a low shelf and debated on whether to cover up the painting or not. She stood there, nothing more to do, and looked from him to her half-finished work then back to him. Other canvasses leaned against the wall, paintings she’d done several months ago before her worries overwhelmed her, sending the muse screaming in fear. The artistic muse came and went, never on a predictable timeframe. Reba waited for him to speak. She licked her lips, uncertain whether to say something or not. Her pastoral scenes of landscapes and abstract thoughts that came to her provided solace. There, in front of the canvas, she controlled her destiny. Whether to paint with a thin stroke or a bold one, colors…she directed all of it and answered to no one. In a life where doctors’ orders overrode everything she did, having that kind of command appealed to her. She knew that, in the past, she hadn’t focused on her creative talent as much as she probably should have. Todd strolled toward the canvases leaning against the wall. He paused, staring at the first one of a starry night sky. Shooting stars and the sweep of the northern lights crisscrossed the inky blankness of a midnight sky. A picture she’d seen in a magazine at a doctor’s office had inspired the work. Gingerly, Todd leaned the canvas forward to look at the one behind it, a study of the woods on a clear spring day. The trees were budding new leaves and a robin family built a nest on the left side of the portrait. He looked through the pictures of the Burlington Street Bridge over the Iowa River, the color and pageantry of the overnight stop of an annual bike ride tradition, students hurrying over the overpass on their way to classes. Some abstract, others impressionistic, but all of them uniquely hers. She exhaled, suddenly aware she’d been holding her breath. “What do you think?” she asked at last, unable to take the silence anymore.
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Todd replaced the paintings, being as gentle with them as possible, and stepped back. “I think they’re gorgeous,” he said. “It’s wonderful work.” Reba grinned before she could stop herself. He might not have a degree in art but she supposed he knew what pleased him. The soothing color palette and décor within Healing Hands, if he’d chosen them himself, spoke of someone who knew pleasing aesthetics. She basked in his praise, feeling as if his approval of her art translated to her as well. “You think so?” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “You really think they’re good?” “You don’t?” He frowned and sat down next to her. “Of course they’re good. Why would you think otherwise?” He reached for her and curled his fingers over her clasped hands. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.” Reba shrugged, his words a refrain she’d been told—and told herself—for too many years. “I know.” She lapsed into silence and Todd made no move to break it. For long moments she sat there, drinking in his companionship. “It’s just that I dabble in my painting. It’s something I do to relieve my stress, or at least it started that way. Lately it’s been an outlet for me, something I can do in spite of my heart condition. Except when I start to worry, the muse goes away.” She turned to face him. “Did you mean what you said about my using my painting to make a living?” Todd nodded. “I meant it. And now that I’ve seen your work, I really think you have talent. You said it was your dream. I don’t see any reason why you can’t pursue it.” “Really?” She licked her lips, aware of Todd watching her. “You started your own business. Would you help me?” She pressed her lips together. Already she seemed to be leaning on Todd for so much. His healing touch, his companionship, his sexual attention, she wanted all of it in her life. And now she was asking for something else. She—a woman who had never asked for help before in her life—suddenly relying on someone who guided his life with metaphysical theories. Reba frowned and knew the thought was way too harsh. “I could,” he replied. “What do you want in your gallery?” So she told him all about her paintings, perhaps developing a studio, maybe offering support and wall space for other local artists to sell their work. Working with children’s groups, perhaps with disadvantaged or disabled children, ranked high on her list though she’d never had kids, never thought about wanting kids before. She spilled her dreams, all the big ones she held bottled up inside. “You challenged me to come up with my own life, to rebuild it again. This,” she gestured to the paintings, “is the life I want to build. I want to do this, and I want to help others accomplish this. I have business sense. Maybe I could help artists with business plans. There’s so much I could do…” Her voice trailed off into a whisper. “Then do it.” Todd brushed his lips across hers. “Think about it, plan it and do it. Because, Reba, I have no doubt, you can do anything.” 47
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Looking at him, Reba wished she could have as much faith in herself as Todd had. And perhaps that was the perfect place to start.
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Chapter Six The weather warmed to slightly more spring-like temperatures as the calendar drifted into April. Reba picked at her bowl of fat California strawberries. Across the table, Todd sat watching her. It had been two weeks since she’d seen him, since the day he’d seen her paintings, and though Reba had missed him, she had relished the time to think about what he’d said. Opening her own gallery seemed like a huge undertaking, especially with her current financial difficulties. It all came back to money and her lack thereof. “You look lost in thought.” Todd’s voice broke the silence. “Just thinking.” Reba set her fork down beside the bowl. Her appetite, like her muse, had fled. “I’ve done some research. Trying to open my own gallery would cost a lot of money. Did you know that my disability has been cut off?” Reba asked. “No, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?” Todd asked. “Maybe help you appeal?” Reba shook her head. She’d gone down that road with her doctor, and both of them doubted the government would change its mind. “I’ve discussed it with my doctor. The possibilities don’t look good. No, it’s time for me to find a new way to make a living. I guess the obvious way is to start selling those paintings, but I’m not sure I can part with them. When I think about all the things I’d need to do to get started, well…I kind of get overwhelmed.” Standing, she gathered the dishes and carried them to the sink just to keep her hands busy. “I understand. I do stained glass, mostly to give as gifts. I don’t have as much time as I used to for it, but the thought of selling one of my pieces… It’d be difficult.” “But you have Healing Hands. It’s not like you can’t even afford a cup of coffee,” Reba countered. She shuffled around the kitchen, letting her worries fuel her motions. If her words shocked Todd, he showed no sign. Instead, he stood and grabbed the last few remaining dishes from the table. Carrying them to the sink, he ran water and began to help her clean up. For long moments they worked in silence, with Todd washing and Reba drying the dishes. “You didn’t realize it was that bad, did you?” Reba asked, burning with shame. “I suppose I should have told you before we became involved.” She started to turn away. Todd cupped her arm, preventing her from hurrying away. “Probably, but it’s not my place to ask. You haven’t been a financial burden on me, if that’s what you’re worried about. I wasn’t attracted to your money, Reba. Not when we first kissed under the mistletoe and not now. I’m attracted to you.”
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Reba’s worries lessened slightly at his admission. The question of her health still hovered over them, though. “Thank you,” she said, not sure what else to say. As soon as she put the last dish away, she turned to him. His heart pounded against her palm where she flattened it on his chest. “That means a lot to me. I see glimpses of the woman I used to be, and sometimes I want to be her again, even though I know it nearly killed me. So I have to reinvent myself and it’s hard sometimes, you know?” Todd covered her palm with his hand. “I know,” he said before grasping her hand and leading her to the couch. He helped her sit then nestled next to her, with one arm around her shoulders, the other holding her hand. His thumb made lazy circles across her palm. “When I was young, all I wanted to be was a doctor. I had doctor sets, bandaged my teddy bear’s wounds and splinted broken fuzzy legs. I had to be a doctor. Then, when I was a sophomore in medical school, my baby brother got sick. He had leukemia.” Reba squeezed his hand, not wanting to interrupt his story. She hadn’t even known he’d had a brother. She’d dived into a physical relationship, thinking solely about her own inner-emotional battlefield, never thinking Todd might have one of his own. The same kind of selfish behavior that had led to her health problems. “The doctors weren’t hopeful. Chemotherapy, experimental drugs, none of it had any effect in the end. I was devastated that modern medicine didn’t seem able to heal him. I’d heard about alternative therapies, even took a class or two on them in college. Once I realized the doctors couldn’t help, I started studying them in earnest. It was too late for my brother. By the time he died, I had a mission—completely change my direction. Help people with alternative healing when modern medicine failed. I founded Healing Hands, and I never looked back.” His story touched her. She blinked away the sheen of tears in her eyes, her heart breaking for the young man who’d lost his brother. They’d obviously been close; she could hear it in the tone of Todd’s voice. “I’m sorry for your loss. That had to be so tough on you.” “It was. I’m doing so much good now. I really feel like it’s my calling.” Todd lifted her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “What about your family?” Reba shrugged. After his heartfelt story, telling her fractured family’s woes seemed almost like blasphemy. “I’m an only child. Mom and Dad were divorced when I was in elementary school. Mom moved to Florida after I graduated. We’re not close. She resents that I went into advertising just like my father. I guess I remind her of him.” “What does your dad think?” “He never knew. He died of a heart attack when I was in college. His new family took care of the arrangements. For a couple years afterward I’d fly down to Texas once a year to visit his grave. I stopped going. It didn’t seem to matter anymore.” She winced at the coldness in her voice. Had she really been like that? Had growing up in her mother’s viper’s nest of bitterness contributed to her current problems? “That sounds horrible, doesn’t it?”
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“Not horrible, no.” Todd’s words reassured her. Sitting on the couch with him, she realized he had layers she hadn’t yet even begun to explore. A part of her wanted to believe he’d come back into her life because she had the time to get to know him without the distraction of her career. But after watching his younger brother die, did he want to shackle himself to someone with a possibly fatal health condition? She frowned, and when he pulled her closer, she didn’t refuse. They’d planned to watch movies tonight, and as he turned on the DVD player she hoped a fictional life might provide a good distraction from her own reality.
***** Lying on the massage table in Todd’s living room, her head cradled by a cushioned rest and soft flannel sheets against her bare skin, Reba thought about little more than Todd’s fingers on her skin. She’d waited another two weeks before seeing him again. Upcoming Mother’s Day specials kept him busy at work and a sudden ice storm had kept her inside. As he rubbed her muscles, she knew it had been too long. He found places her body hid tension and released it with a magical touch. She’d shoveled lateseason snow off the porch the other day, the hard labor her way of testing her fitness to return to work. And although the porch was little more than a six-by-ten-foot space, her shoulders had ached and she’d grown tired. She frowned, then felt Todd’s fingers digging into her rhomboid muscles behind her shoulder blade and groaned as he released pressure. Redeeming the massage provided her with a chance to see Todd without having to talk about her dreams or feelings. She simply had to lie quietly on his massage table and let him work wonders on her tired muscles. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the vanilla incense he’d lit and listened to the nature CD on the stereo. The sounds of a bubbling stream and songbirds transported her away to some secluded glen somewhere. The temperature would be in the seventies, and she could simply sit on a blanket and enjoy the day. She longed for spring to return or even the hot days of summer, anything but the lingering cold. Todd moved his attention to her lower back. She groaned as he kneaded a particularly tense muscle, one she suspected she might have worked more than necessary while shoveling. Long strokes of his hands brought them sweeping over her buttocks and then to the backs of her thighs. He massaged his way down her right thigh, leaving no muscle untouched. Her pussy hummed. The relaxing touch aroused her. If he stroked her labia, he’d feel just how aroused she was by the touch of his hands against her flesh. She’d gone so long without sex, now that she’d begun having it again, the month since the last time they’d coupled seemed like forever. Being around Todd was like lighting a match to her libido. She grinned against the face rest then relaxed as he kneaded her calf muscle. She could grow very used to this treatment on a regular basis.
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Todd finished with her foot and then started up her left leg. She relaxed into his ministrations, promising herself that for as long as she lay on the table, she wouldn’t think about her heart problems, her money situation, nothing but the sublime feeling of receiving a damn good massage.
***** Knowing Reba hated receiving charity made him value this opportunity to do something nice for her all the more. He could have sneaked a massage into their sexual relationship, but he wanted to do this, to make her feel good, without any strings. Sure, his cock throbbed and as he stroked the back of her thigh he imagined pulling her down the massage table and thrusting into her from behind. The tight walls of her cunt would grip his cock, keeping him deep and wet inside her body. He’d stroke, harder, faster, balls tightening against his body until he came without any barriers between them. He closed his eyes and bit back a groan. As he worked her inner thing, the tips of his fingers brushed against her labia and moisture coated his fingers. The knowledge that his touch aroused her was nearly too much to bear. He moved quickly past her left gluteus muscle to her back again, thinking he might find safer territory above her waist. But as he massaged her obliques he brushed against her breast, and her soft inhalation had his dick pounding. He struggled to think of something, anything other than the naked body of the vibrant woman beneath his hands. With his other clients, the client-therapist relationship barrier stayed firmly intact. No matter how attractive the client or how long it’d been since he’d had sex, performing a massage never turned him on. He looked across the living room at the fireplace. The painting, which had always soothed him in the past, now reminded him of the way Reba and he could be entwined and the many ways in which they could pleasure each other. He stroked her shoulders, his thumbs working the ridge on either side of her spine. Back on safer territory, he focused on steeling his reserve for when she turned over and he massaged her front. An afternoon of pleasure had been his promise. He vowed not to disappoint. Reluctantly, he pulled his fingers from her and stepped back. “When you’re ready, go ahead and turn over.” He breathed deeply and reached down to adjust the bulge beneath his fly. He waited, noticing the languid way she turned her head to look at him, the sleepy, satisfied smile on her lips and half-lidded eyes. She looked like a woman ripe for loving. He watched her slowly roll over, revealing her breasts, her softly rounded stomach, those long legs he loved having wrapped around his hips. His breath caught in his throat as she turned, resting her head back on the rest and smiling at him. “I’m ready.”
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Her soft words floated up, wrapped around him and tugged. He rested his hands on the edge of the massage table. “Good. Then close your eyes and enjoy.” He curled his fingers over her shoulder and started the second half of the massage. He worked carefully, staying on her shoulders and arms. The round globes of her breasts tantalized him. High and firm, they moved gently with his motions. Her hard nipples reminded him of the wetness between her legs, and he shifted position as his balls tightened. Behind the fly of his jeans, his cock demanded he take her. No, not yet. She came for a massage, for relaxation. Seduction, while nice, hadn’t been on the menu. At least not until he’d laid his hands on her bare skin. A soft moan escaped her parted lips, the tiny sound penetrating his defenses, and with a strangled groan, he slid his hands over her breasts. A smile curved her lips. Reba closed her fingers over the hands on her breasts. Opening her eyes, she grinned at him. “I thought I told you to close your eyes and enjoy,” Todd admonished. He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. “How can you relax with your eyes open?” “Oh, I can think of a few ways.” She parted her thighs. “Except I’m naked and you’re not.” Her teasing words shot straight to his cock. He squeezed one breast, her hard nipple poking into his palm. “Don’t you want to finish your massage?” Reba shook her head. “We can worry about that later. Right now, I want you.” The bold side of Reba appealed to him. Sure in what she wanted and how to go about getting it, her directness aroused him. With her on the massage table, he’d intended to call the shots. But right now, with her hand oh-so gently pushing his down from her breast, over her stomach and to the damp curls between her thighs, Reba sat firmly in the driver’s seat. He’d let her—for now. She directed his hand between her thighs and he curled his fingers against her slick labia, the realization that he made her this horny, this hot, adding fuel to his burning libido. He stroked her in long, sure sweeps of his fingers. Releasing her grip on his hand, Reba’s fingers drifted back to her breasts. He teased her, his featherlight touches doing little more than tantalizing. Reba whimpered and wriggled her hips. Watching her caress her nipples, her fingers pinching and teasing, had him leaning forward and brushing his lips across her stomach. She tasted fresh, clean, and the musky smell of her arousal filled his nostrils. He released her long enough to pull off his shirt and unbutton his pants. Reba watched him through lowered lashes as he stripped and stood naked beside her. Watching her lying there touching herself had his dick so hard it nearly touched his stomach. God, she was beautiful, with her red curls fanned out around her face like a halo and her lips parted. Desire filled her eyes, her breasts rising and falling with each breath as she offered them to him. The soft curve of her stomach called to him with the need to pillow his head on it and hold her to him. And then her legs—damn, they were
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enough to give a man a heart attack. Long and toned, they felt so right, so good wrapped around his hips. He moved to the foot of the massage table. The view from here made the sight of her body stretched out on his flannel sheets pale in comparison. Her juices glistened on her labia. Full and plump, her clit poked out from beneath the hood and his mouth watered just thinking about taking the juicy bud into his mouth. Todd closed his fingers around her ankles. Tugging, he pulled her closer to the edge of the table. Reba bent her knees and dangled her legs off the edge. Better, much better, he thought as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the inside of her thigh. Closing his eyes, he savored the taste of her skin combined with the edible citrus massage oil he’d used. Fruity, ripe, and as he kissed his way toward her labia, the thought of biting into a fresh orange came to mind, letting the juices run down his chin as the taste exploded on his lips. Reba gasped. Her legs opened wider and he couldn’t resist swiping his tongue across her cunt. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her even closer. He couldn’t get enough of this woman. He licked and nibbled a path across her stomach until he nuzzled the undersides of her breasts. Threading her fingers through his hair, Reba held him to her. “Oh God, that feels so good,” she whispered. He grazed her tender skin with his teeth. Making Reba feel good topped his list of things to do. As the edge of the massage table bit into his stomach, he thought for a moment about climbing up with her. He knew the table could hold them both. But without a condom he didn’t dare dip his cock into her cunt, and right now, he needed something to put some distance between them. He captured her nipple in his lips. Reba arched into his mouth. Her responsiveness heightened his arousal. Unafraid of her body, or its reactions, she clenched her fingers against his scalp and whimpered when he tongued the sensitive nub of her nipple. As her cries reached a crescendo he turned his attention to her other breast, alternating between the two until she writhed beneath him. An overwhelming urge to taste her, to feel her coming apart around his tongue had him trailing kisses over her stomach and down to her pussy. He brought his face to her mons. For as long as he lived, he doubted he’d ever get enough of the musky smell of her arousal. Her pussy waited for his touch, and pushing gently on the insides of her thighs, he widened her legs to settle there. He leaned forward and licked. Reba cried out. Her hips bucked beneath his ministrations. Coating his fingers with her juices, he reached around and stroked the puckered bud of her anus with his slick digits. Her breath caught in her throat. Sacred sexuality. Sometimes people practiced it without knowing, and slipping his finger past the tight ring of muscles, Todd knew that whenever he and Reba came together it was divine. He rested his first finger inside her, barely to the first knuckle, then lowered his mouth to her. She tasted like ambrosia. He slid his tongue between her labia, giving her a long, deep lick that had her undulating. Her juices coated his chin as he lapped at her,
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drinking like a cat at a bowl of cream. He thrust his finger deeper inside her anus, not by much but enough that she moaned and cried out. So close, her vaginal muscles twitching and contracting, and he longed to slide his tongue into her channel and feel her come apart around him in the orgasm of her life. Todd swirled his tongue around her clit. Moving her legs, he propped them on his shoulders, the solid weight keeping him focused and grounded. His free hand slid over her stomach, up to her breasts where he plucked her nipples. The finger inside her moved deeper. “Yes! Yes!” Her voice broke as her cunt clamped down and ripples tore through her body. Back bowed, she strained toward his fingers. Over and over again her pussy contracted and around the finger in her ass, her muscles clenched. Cream washed over his chin and without giving her a moment to take a breath, he plunged his tongue into her. Reba moaned as he fucked her long and deep with his tongue. He curled it, licking her sensitive walls. His world narrowed down to his aching cock and the taste of Reba on his lips. He sucked and nibbled, making love to her with his mouth. A second slick digit joined the first at her back entrance. Carefully, he stretched her, readying her for his cock. Sweat glistened on Reba’s skin. Raising his head enough to look at her, he stared along her body. A flush of pleasure covered her face and she looked so ripe, so kissable, he nearly did just that. Instead he moved his free hand down to flick his thumb across her clit, and watched her come again. His cock jerked. Oh yeah, time to be inside her. Gently, he slipped his fingers from her anus and reached for the bottle of massage oil, liberally coating his cock—then he pulled her ass off the edge of the table and pressed his slick head against her back door. Reba’s eyes flew open. She gasped, staring at him. “You okay?” he asked, waiting until she nodded. “I can’t wait to be inside you.” Supporting her with his hands, he slowly penetrated her. Reba gripped the edge of the table with her hands. “Oh dear God,” she moaned as he slid inside her. Tight, so tight, the ring of muscles held him in place. He remained there, waiting for her to relax and adjust to his size. Then, millimeter by millimeter, he filled her until he rested all the way inside. He groaned. Her hot channel holding him felt like a furnace. He leaned into her and her cream coated his abs. He moved slowly, oh-so slowly, pulling out until just his head penetrated her. And then he thrust forward again. This slow, gentle fucking nearly drove him out of his mind. Her cries and whimpers drowned out his low moans. Each slow stroke brought him closer and closer to the edge. Balls tight against his body, he tried to stave off his orgasm. Just one more from Reba—once more to feel her muscles rippling around him and listen to her screams of ecstasy. He drove into her, unable to maintain the steady pace. 55
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And with a scream she came again. Thrashing, she convulsed around him and he watched her, spread out before him, moans of pleasure issuing from her lips, chest rising and falling. Her hips bucked against him, muscles tightening, holding him inside. Oh God, just to watch that…see her come apart. Todd thrust again and shouted as his lower back tingled and his cock erupted. Hot seed filled her back entrance and he locked his knees to keep from collapsing. Her heels ground into his shoulders as she came again and again. Leaning forward, he braced his weight on his hand and his cock slipped from her. “You okay?” he whispered when he could breathe again. “Yeah,” Reba grinned. “Hell yeah.” “Good.” He kissed her. His lips soft against hers, he cherished her, the gift she’d given and the pleasure she’d returned. His tongue traced her mouth and with a sigh she melted against him. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, a leisurely mating that had his cock stiffening again. She reached for him, flattening her palms against his ribs. Gentle caresses led to his nipples and she circled one with her fingers. Though she must have been sore, she gave no sign of it as her tongue stroked along his. He pulled away and sucked in a breath. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up, carry her to his bedroom and make love with her all night long. But something in her eyes told him that might not be a good idea. He stared at her for long moments, watching the play of emotions across her face. Her caresses stilled. Reba sighed then eased into a seated position. “Thank you for the massage,” she said, and as he told her she was welcome, he wondered what she didn’t say. Of course, thanking him for the sex would sound crass. She glanced at her clothing. He handed them to her and felt her emotional walls snap into place between them.
***** Hurrying back to the home she shared with Hope, Reba called herself a thousand kinds of a coward. There she’d been, stretched out on the massage table, Todd working his magic on her body and as soon as she could, she’d fled. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the couch. Her mind whirled a hundred miles an hour. Todd had left her with a kiss and a hug, gentle, intimate behaviors that spoke of their status as lovers. Her brow furrowed and she rose to pace the living room. Right before she left Todd had asked her exactly what she wanted. And, to her horror, she’d lacked an answer. Pressing her lips together, she went to the big picture window and looked out over the yard. Dried leaves blew past. A couple of college students walked by with full backpacks slung over their shoulders. A young woman in a black and gold sweatshirt walked a Golden Retriever-mix dog. She suspected those people knew what they
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wanted, at least for the moment. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Reba wondered why she didn’t have the same clarity. “Because my life has been turned topsy-turvy by my stupid heart,” she muttered. “And to be honest, it wasn’t a piece of cake before that.” She walked to the vanilla pillar candle sitting on the coffee table and lit it, inhaling deeply. It reminded her of Todd and the peace she’d found on his massage table. Todd. Her thoughts circled around him like a carousel. The time she spent with him made her feel whole, alive, as if she could return to her old job and start tearing up the marketing world. Yet, she knew she couldn’t. She reached for her mug of tea, only to realize she’d left it across the room. As she walked back to the couch she focused on the facts. She was falling in love with Todd. For all her concerns about starting a relationship with her current health problems, her worries about the gulf in their pasts, her lack of a job or any prospects, she was falling nonetheless. She grabbed the cooling mug of tea and sipped. If only Hope were here. Sure, her friend might laugh at the predicament in which she’d found herself, but she’d also offer good advice. But Hope was pulling a double shift at the hospital and wouldn’t be back until after midnight. With it being three in the afternoon, she had too many hours to wander the house by herself and think. Reba returned to the window. Watching the people pass by, the sparrows jumping from branch to branch, a blue jay pecking at the feeder, soothed her. She chased her thoughts around in her mind, trying to figure out why it would be so bad to love Todd. “Because he sees the light in the world, and I only see the dark. That’s why.” Keep things simple—that had been her motto ever since she was a child. It served her well for her career. And after her heart problems surfaced, well…she hadn’t thought about her relationships. But she supposed the same advice still held. For years, the only person she had allowed herself to trust was Hope, and that was because Hope had been her friend since forever. She thought about Todd’s tender care, his thoughtfulness, the way he fucked her… She admitted they had very different approaches to life, and knew he couldn’t be happy with hers for long. Hell, she was only trying to fool herself, and not very well at that. He didn’t pressure her to change. And it wasn’t fucking. Two bodies coming together, finding mutual passion and emotion…that was making love, and she and Todd had done it in spades. “What am I going to do?” The cool window and birds outside offered no answers. “I can’t fall in love with Todd. I have nothing to offer him except myself.” A smile curved the corners of her lips. Maybe that was all Todd wanted. She whirled from the window, the thought scaring her. And maybe that was her problem. She carried her mug into the kitchen, rinsed out the cup and set it in the dish drainer. In too deep, falling in love…she shook her head, not quite believing she was even contemplating falling in love. If someone had asked her a few months ago whether
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she thought she’d find love—hell, even if they’d asked a few weeks ago—she might have laughed at them. Now, she didn’t know. Whatever she was going to do, she needed to figure it out quickly. Todd wouldn’t wait forever, not that she blamed him, and the more she shoved him away the farther he’d go, until one horrible day he wouldn’t come back. Her chest tightened. She paused and rubbed the heel of her hand against her sternum. Breathing deeply, she worked through the pain. Just a twinge, nothing more. She walked to the couch and sank gratefully into the plush cushions. The pain in her chest reminded her of the cold, hard truth—she was damaged goods. Concerned that the rigorous sex hours ago had exacerbated her condition, she wondered whether to call Todd and simply break it off. Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them away. Stopping things now might hurt, but like cauterizing a wound, might also prevent future injury. She sighed and wished for a clearer path as her mind continued to stumble its way through her feelings for Todd.
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Chapter Seven Three hours and a small piece of dark chocolate later, Reba sat cross-legged on the floor with old ad campaigns spread out before her, the plush rug cushioning her. A cup of fat-free hot cocoa with fat-free whipped topping sat near her right hand. Her crowning achievement, an ad campaign for a perfume that had appeared in major magazines and on billboards, sat directly in front of her. And she’d designed it all. Every single image, every design aspect, every phrase…all of it belonged to her. She grinned at the thin model wrapped in a silk shawl, the ruggedly handsome man behind her staring with not-so-subtle hunger in his intense blue eyes. The model reached up to cup his jaw and the caption promised that the perfume created lust and desire. Reba traced the words with her fingers. Ads for aftershave, cars, jeans, even local department stores covered the floor. Going through the pages, she could trace the progression of her career all the way from her first ad for a local car dealership to the last campaign on which she’d worked. She sipped her hot cocoa, thinking of all the espressos and cappuccinos she’d consumed during the course of her career. Looking at the pages, she could hardly believe it’d been nearly four years since her heart attack. A door had been closed when she’d been rushed to the hospital that balmy April day and missed the meeting for a major new campaign. The door remained firmly locked, and Reba knew she really didn’t want to open it again. But marketing had brought in money, plenty of it, all of which had gone to pay her medical bills. It would bring in money again. A knock on the door pulled her from her morose thoughts. Shoving aside the pictures, she rose to her feet. The growing dusk cast shadows beyond the bright yellow illumination of street and porch lights. A rabbit darted into the bushes by the house and a car drove past, the thumping of the stereo loud enough to be heard indoors. She paused at the door and peered out the small window to see Todd standing on her porch, bundled against the cold. Heat filled her body. Of course, the last time he’d dropped by they hadn’t even gotten to her bedroom before ripping off each other’s clothes off and having mind-blowing sex. Her breath caught in her throat. Her pussy dampened just thinking about it. She glanced back toward the rug and the papers strewn atop it. For a moment she feared what Todd might think then decided not to worry about it. Reba opened the door and invited him inside. A blast of chilly air whipped around her and she shivered as she closed the door behind him.
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“What a nice surprise. I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” She offered to take his coat and he shrugged out of it, revealing a cotton turtleneck tucked into his jeans. She hung the coat over the back of a dining-room chair. “Would it be bad if I said I wanted to see you again?” He grinned and reached for her, pulling her against him, and automatically she wound her arms around his neck. He brushed her lips with his. “You’re like a fire in my blood. I can’t get enough of you.” He kissed her, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to taste her. Reba clung to him, the woodsy scent of his cologne teasing her nose. He tasted like peppermint and as she drew her tongue along the length of his, a groan rumbled from his throat. On her ribs, his hands remained unmoving, radiating heat through her entire body. She broke the kiss off for a moment, just long enough to suck in a breath, and then the kiss resumed. Todd inserted a hard thigh between her legs. Gentle pressure kept it pressed against her denim-covered pussy and Reba rocked against it. His soft hair teased her fingers as she cupped the back of his neck to deepen the angle of the kiss. Their tongues met, tangled, danced, reminding her of the way his cock fit so perfectly inside her and other ways in which they could dance together. Her nipples tightened with the memory of his chest hair brushing against the sensitive nubs. She pulled back and sucked in a ragged breath. Todd stared down at her, his usually light green eyes darkened by desire. Hunger raged in their depths, a twin to the need inside her. He panted, yet didn’t release her. From her breasts down to her clit, heat flowed as she rubbed languidly against him. “This time I’d like to get farther than the kitchen.” He punctuated his statement with a brush of his lips across hers. Reba grinned. She motioned to the living room, forgetting for a moment that her past lay spread out on the floor. When he saw the papers on the floor, he stopped. He glanced from them to her and back again. “Did you do these?” He released her to step forward. Kneeling, he picked up the glossy perfume ad. He studied it before setting it down and choosing another, this time for blue jeans. “It’s good work.” She flushed at his compliment. “Yeah, those were my campaigns.” With shuffling steps, she moved to stand behind him. “I could tell you the wheres and whys of every decision I made, from the color of the shawl to the placement of the words.” She sighed. “You miss it, don’t you?” Reba thought for a moment. Glancing at Todd, she puzzled out whether his question was a trick or not. Uncertain, she answered honestly. “Parts of it. I miss the rush of excitement as I create a kick-ass ad campaign. I miss being able to flip through a magazine or walk past a billboard and see my work. I don’t miss the twelve-hour days, the constant stress, the living on coffee and sugar because I couldn’t take ten minutes to go get something to eat.” She paused. After everything she’d been through, those stomach-churning days and sleepless nights appealed to her less and less. But they were all she’d ever known.
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“I could see that. It’s like running your own business. I love what I do, don’t get me wrong, but the long hours, bookkeeping, taxes, those are things that I really don’t want to deal with. But if I want to have my own business, I do it.” He shrugged and glanced through a few more. “So you wouldn’t go back?” Aha—now came the test. Reba sat on the couch and tucked her feet beneath her. Putting physical distance between herself and the photos helped create mental distance. She frowned for a moment then grinned. “If I could do it all over again without jeopardizing my health, you bet.” Todd sat next to her and Reba rested her head on his shoulder, a sense of warmth and rightness filling her. As his hand curved over her neck and rubbed gently, she sighed. Things hadn’t felt this right in a long time. But the pictures on the floor mocked her with a past free of financial and health worries.
***** Coming over here had been an impulsive decision, but one Todd didn’t regret. Seeing the ad campaigns Reba had created only gave him a better sense of her talent. The pictures in her bedroom spoke of someone with a discerning eye and a skill for the use of color. On the floor, her campaigns sparkled with a freshness not often seen in the glitzy world of marketing. When her heart had failed, she’d lost so much. The woman sitting beside him personified courageousness. To think about going back into the workforce and finding something new to do after so many years and a successful career…Todd doubted he’d be able to do the same. He admired her. More that that. For so long he’d caught glimpses of her, never able to get to know her. Now that he had, he couldn’t imagine his life without her. The thought humbled him. The more time he spent with Reba, the more he felt as if he were placed into her life for a purpose. His hand slid to her shoulder and squeezed gently. He thought of his brother and how modern medicine hadn’t been able to save him. His stomach churned to think that Reba might fall to the same fate. “You know, the problem with life is that it’s stressful.” He grinned and watched an answering smile blossom on her face. “The trick is learning how to manage it.” “Yeah. I’ve been amazed at what taking just a few moments for myself can do. Like my herbal teas or maybe a bit of yoga. Just something that revitalizes me and refreshes me. You know, I never thought much about that before.” She snuggled closer to him. And that’s why he’d been called into her life. With a bone-deep surety, he knew his work with Healing Hands could provide new opportunities for her. Holding her in his arms, he vowed to do everything within his power to help heal Reba physically and emotionally. “So how did you get into advertising?” he asked. “It doesn’t strike me as one of those careers that makes kids say ‘I want to be an ad exec when I grow up’.”
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Reba laughed. “You don’t know me very well then, do you?” She looked up at him, the humor dancing in her amber eyes like light through a gemstone. “I sold everything as a child. Lemonade. Girl Scout cookies. Everything. And Dad was in advertising and loved it. So, when I went college, it seemed natural for me to go into marketing.” Her grin softened. Leaning forward, he tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear and then curled it around his finger. With the back of his knuckles he caressed her cheek, using his thumb to trace a path across her full lower lip. “You realize what all of this proves, don’t you?” She started to shake her head but he held her in place, his gaze roaming over her face to those plump, kissable lips. “This proves you have the drive to succeed at anything you want. If you want to sell paintings, you can.” Thoughts of spending an evening cuddling fled as he heard the catch in her breath. The need to show her just how amazing she was had his head dipping to brush his mouth over hers. Reba sighed softly and parted her lips. The surrender implicit in her actions had his dick hardening. He trailed a hand down her arm and captured her hand. A gentle tug sent her falling forward onto his chest and he leaned back against the plush armrest of the couch. Her body covered his, her curves fitting against his hard planes as if they belonged there. With his tongue he traced her lower lip, not delving inside. He savored the feel of her slight weight pressing against him, her body caressing his erection. He could spend all night like this, and he doubted she’d mind. Reba flattened her palm against his chest, her fingers curving against his pectorals. She moaned and moved her legs restlessly against him. An arch of her hips pressed her pussy against him and he groaned just thinking about her slick labia and her hot, tight channel. Patience. There’d be plenty of time for making love later. The kiss seemed to go on and on. She whimpered. His cock jerked and it took all his willpower not to roll her beneath him and take her. But no, this wasn’t just rutting, it was something else, something far deeper and more profound, and he wanted to prove that. At last he slid his tongue into her mouth and she met it with a stroke of hers. Hunger roared inside him. He skimmed his fingers down her side and caressed the edge of her breast. Working his fingers between them, he cupped the globe, squeezing gently and swallowing her moan of pleasure. The hard bud of her nipple pressed into his palm and he rotated his hand against it. He lifted his thigh, inserting it between her legs to rub against her cunt. He dragged a ragged breath into his lungs then kissed her again, taking her mouth as boldly as he wanted to take her body. Her tongue caressed the length of his, drawing it deeper into her mouth where she sucked gently on it. Her wet heat around his tongue made him think of her mouth around his cock, and his balls tightened in his pants. His jeans constricted him, and he nearly released her breast to unfasten the button.
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Reba tugged at his shirt. Reaching beneath the fabric, her fingers found the contours of his abs and followed the hair from the waistband of his jeans to his navel. She searched higher, the tips of her fingers flicking over his nipples and wringing a groan from his throat. She pinched and twisted the tiny nubs, mirroring exactly what he wanted to do to her breasts, and then her fingers strayed south once more. Todd lifted his hips. Her digits dipped beneath the waistband of his pants, finding the elastic of his boxers. She pulled her fingers away and he mourned the loss of her touch until she flipped open the button on his jeans and slowly, oh-so tortuously lowered the zipper. Reaching into the placket of his boxers, Reba freed his cock. Her fingers danced over the length of it, circling his base and caressing the length. She found the sensitive place just beneath the rim and rubbed. Todd’s head fell back. He lifted his hips into her touch, his fingers tunneling under her shirt. She added her other hand, fondling his balls, and having all ten of her fingers on his eager sex had him gritting his teeth to keep from coming right there. Reba scooted back on the couch and he held his breath as she lowered her mouth to him. The first tentative touch of her tongue against his head shot through him, a strangled groan erupting from his throat. Her lips slid down his shaft, taking him deeper into her mouth. When he bumped the back of her throat, she relaxed and he slid farther. Her throat muscles closed around his head and she began to suck. Cheeks hollowed, tongue laving his length, Reba fucked him with her mouth. She pulled her lips down his shaft, the friction reminding him of the tight heat of her pussy, and then, when he almost slipped from her lips, reversed course and took his length into her once more. He threaded his fingers into her hair and clenched, unable to resist the urge to thrust gently into her mouth. Her tiny moans and whimpers vibrated against his head. The pocket of his jeans held a condom and he hoped like hell he’d remember it when the time came. Because right now, he wanted to be thrusting into her tight channel and feeling her come apart around him. If Reba had the same needs, she ignored them. Sucking him to within moments of coming, her fingers caressed the sensitive skin behind his balls. Fondling them, she gently rolled them in her hands. Her other hand gripped his base, holding him still for her mouth. With a pop, she released him then proceeded to lick up and down his shaft. First the underside, where she swirled her tongue around the knot of nerves just under his head, then over to toy with the slit. “I’m going to come,” Todd rasped. Still cupping her head, he stilled her motions, not wanting to spend himself so soon. Reba raised her lips from him and looked up his supine body. “I thought that was the idea.” With a saucy grin, she lowered her mouth back to his cock. Once more wrapping her lips around him, she drew him into her mouth and sucked hard enough to hollow out her cheeks.
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God, she made a beautiful picture—red hair falling over him, each silken strand caressing his skin, the lips circling his cock deep crimson and full of promise. Eyes closed, she devoted herself to her work, focusing entirely on pleasuring him. Her mouth moved over him and he bit back a strangled groan as she lightly grazed him with her teeth. Her movements increased, pulling him along until he feared he’d spend himself in her mouth. Reba hummed in the back of her throat, the vibration more than he could bear. With a strangled groan, he struggled to stave off the familiar tingling in the base of his spine. In her hands, his balls tightened and drew close to his body. She cherished him with her mouth, seeming to savor his taste, his feel, and closing his eyes, he tilted back his head and pumped his hips. His cock slid past her lips and a thrust later he came. His cock jerked. Streams of hot come filled her mouth but Reba didn’t pull away. If anything she took him deeper. Her tongue laved his length, tasting him, swallowing him, and when at last he softened in her mouth, she sat back on her heels and grinned. Drops of his juices glistened on her lower lip. She quickly removed her clothes then reached for him, and his cock hardened again with the thought of thrusting inside her hot little pussy. Curling her fingers around his length, she moved forward to straddle his hips. She stroked him several times before releasing him to settle her drenched folds onto his semi-hard shaft and rubbing against him. Todd curled his fingers around her waist, holding her in place, one hand splayed on her lower back to pull her forward. When her lips met his, he tasted himself on her mouth. He kissed her, gentle caresses of his lips that told her how much he cherished her. She kissed him back with equal fervor, and her pussy rubbing against him brought him to full hardness.
***** The sensation of Todd’s cock hardening against her labia had her undulating against him. Her pussy throbbed. She ached to be filled by him, possessed by him. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she sucked on it, drawing it deeper. Closing her eyes, she moaned with the memory of his shaft inside her mouth. Damn, in a million years she doubted she’d find another man like him. Her nipples rasped against his chest and he covered one round globe with his hand. Rotating his palm against it, he wrung whimpers from her throat. The other hand slid between their bodies and his fingers flicked across her clit. Reba shuddered. Her previous lovers were more interested in their own gratification than hers. But Todd seemed oblivious to the twitching of his cock between her legs. She slid her labia along it, moistening it with her juices. His cock bumped against her clit, and she closed her eyes and cried out with pleasure. A twist of her hips brought Todd’s fingertips to her entrance. She offered her cunt to him, her inner muscles clenching as he circled her opening. His cock stroked against 64
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the puckered ring of her anus and she remembered the sensation of being stuffed full. Her breath shuddered from her lungs. Her heart, her finances, all her mundane worries faded away beneath the gentle torment of Todd’s loving. Desire pulsed languidly through her veins. Thoughts of tomorrow, of her lack of anything to offer fled. Instead, she focused on his body against hers, in hers, and the driving need to come. Todd’s fingers slid from her, only to be replaced by the probing head of his cock. Reaching between her legs, she positioned him at her opening. The slick feel of skin against skin jarred her from her lust-induced haze. “Protection,” she said, hovering with him poised at her entrance. “In my pocket,” Todd groaned. With a curse she shimmied off him, grabbed the condom and sheathed him. If she’d been thinking ahead she would have spoken with her doctor about birth control, but damn if it hadn’t slipped her mind. She never expected this fling with Todd to last. Closing her eyes, she impaled herself on his shaft. Inch by exquisite inch he filled her. Cupping her ass, he stroked his fingers across the puckered bud of her back entrance. Reba moaned. When his body sat flush with hers, his head brushing against her cervix, she squeezed her muscles. He filled her so full, so completely. The press of his balls against her buttocks, his hard, muscled thighs between hers, enflamed her. The smell of their mingled juices filled the air. Leaning forward, Reba brushed her lips against his chest. She circled his flat nipple with her tongue, her hips rocking in a gentle back-and-forth motion against his. The idea of staying here forever, just savoring his body, held appeal. And wrapping her lips around his nipple, she suckled him. Todd moaned. He thrust harder against her and Reba lost herself in the wet slide of their bodies coming together. She rode him, her hips grinding down on his, his cock finding a spot high and deep inside that had her whimpers escalating. Her pussy tightened around him, holding him there, and then, like fireworks on the Fourth of July, she came. Sparks flashed behind her eyes, the roar of her orgasm rushing through her body. She felt as if her head was going to blow off and perhaps it did, for darkness pulled her down. Todd’s finger mashed against her clit, driving her higher, and she screamed as pleasure coursed through her body. Over and over again she convulsed around him until she sank to his chest, completely sated. Todd thrust once more then came with a groaning shout. For long moments neither said anything, then Todd snuggled her against his chest. Closing her eyes, Reba rested there, certain she was as content as she ever could be. She wondered how long Todd would accept a relationship with a woman whose heart could fail at any moment.
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Chapter Eight Nearly two months later, Reba found herself no closer to solving her problems than she had been. She sat across a table from an old colleague, Trenton Davis, distractedly eating a chicken Caesar salad. His out-of-the-blue invitation piqued her curiosity enough for her to agree to meet him for lunch, and he’d talked nonstop about himself. The fact that he hadn’t once mentioned the firm had her on alert. Trenton, like she once had, lived for the job. If he invited her to lunch, she knew it wasn’t a social call. “So how is everything going?” He sipped his soda and placed his fork on the napkin next to his plate. The waitress appeared, efficiently whisking away his dirty dishes. She discreetly set the bill on the table and without even looking at it, Trenton slipped his credit card into the holder. Reba tried not to stare. She’d eaten here before. With salads starting at ten dollars a plate, this wasn’t a cheap place to eat. That he never even looked at the bill told her that someone else was picking up the tab. Trenton was obsessive about not spending a dime more than he had to. She dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin and pushed aside the salad. No use continuing to push the remaining bits of lettuce and grated Parmesan around on her plate. “Things could be better, but I’m happy,” she admitted. She took a sip of her iced tea. “They could certainly be a lot worse.” Hope had two days off after working her long shifts, and she and her friend had discussed Reba’s financial situation. Hope informed her that her company meant more than her money, and although Reba protested, Hope assured her she could live there rent-free for as long as she wanted. At least she had a roof over her head. “You know Macy left the firm to start a family.” The way Trenton said it made it sound like she’d committed a crime. “There’s an opening on the staff. I’ve spoken with Mr. Masters, and he’d be happy to bring you back. We’re sure you could pick up your old clients and several new ones in no time.” Her heart leapt. A chance to earn money doing something she was brilliant at. Reba swallowed hard, the reality of her health crashing her euphoria. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “I didn’t expect this.” She doubted Todd would be as happy as she about the opportunity. After making love a few days ago, they’d spent time discussing her paintings. Neither one referred to her advertising work as anything other than part of her past. Going back to it, Reba knew, would be a recipe for another heart attack or worse. “There’s been some discussion. I’ll admit there are some in the firm who don’t believe you’ll ever come back. But Mr. Masters and I think that you will, and you’re 66
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certainly someone with whom our clients are comfortable. They know the caliber of your work. You’ll be able to pick up as if you had never left.” He signed the credit card slip the waitress delivered and stared at Reba expectantly. “I’ll have to think about it. I can’t make the decision immediately.” Inwardly, she called herself a coward. With her disability checks gone, she needed an income. She knew the ropes, still had or could cultivate the contacts. Going back to a job where she easily made a generous five figures per year, sometimes six, would be a far cry from living with a friend and worrying about paying for her medicine. And the firm offered health insurance. “Don’t think too long.” Trenton glanced toward the door. “We can always snatch up a promising graduate from the university for a lot less money.” He checked his watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment.” Without waiting for a reply or even offering a goodbye, he rose to his feet and strode toward the door. Reba sat dumbstruck for a moment. To invite her out to lunch, blindside her with an offer to rejoin the firm and then walk out when she hesitated was classic Trenton behavior. And reinforced the reasons—besides her health—why she probably shouldn’t go back to marketing. Sipping the last of her iced tea, she rose to her feet and left the restaurant. Inside, she fumed. A casual expression crossed her face, the former executive in her not wanting to appear flustered in public. If he thought she’d want to work for the firm after treating her that way, then he’d let his overinflated ego do the thinking. Mr. Masters knew Trenton had the tact of a bull in full rut. Had her ex-boss been serious about luring her back to the firm, then he should have chosen another representative. But without the firm, she lacked employment prospects. At the moment, Reba didn’t care. Her heart problem didn’t stop her from being a talented and smart woman. The labor market was tight, but she knew eventually she’d find a job without costing her health. She walked the streets of downtown Iowa City, the hustle of the pedestrian mall not quite soothing her the way it always had. Children played in the fountain next to the library and the sight of the mall only made her smile a little. She exhaled and looked around, too restless to sit and enjoy the hot July day. Instead, she stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked. Around the corner, down the street, her destination unknown. She simply moved, and tried not to think too hard on Trenton’s offer. The sight of Todd’s familiar face had her cutting across the outdoor mall to catch up with him. He looked up, his hands laden with shopping bags. A grin crossed his face as he walked toward her. “Reba! What a nice surprise. I didn’t expect to see you here.” He set down his bags and pulled her into his arms for a hug. “What brings you downtown?” Reba stumbled. Telling him she’d come downtown to meet with a former colleague might make him think she hadn’t taken their previous conversations seriously. Yet, she hated the idea of lying. “I had lunch with someone I used to work with,” she replied.
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“That’s good. Just doing a bit of shopping, myself. You can peek if you want.” He winked. A moment of panic seized her. Had he been shopping for presents? They hadn’t gotten to the exchanging-presents part of a relationship. Or so she’d thought. She glanced at the bags, recognizing the art supply store logo on one and that of a sporting goods store on the other. Maybe he hadn’t been shopping for presents, after all. God, she hated not having money. “You look like a deer in headlights.” Todd reached for her hand and tangled his fingers with hers. “Don’t worry so much. Come on, let’s go get something to drink. It’s hot out here and it’ll give me an excuse to not go home.” Reba squeezed his fingers. She grinned, once more at ease. “Sounds good. I wasn’t looking forward to returning to an empty house anyway.” Todd’s grin brightened. “Then it’s a deal. Come on. Let’s go get that drink.” Picking up his bags, he led her across the pedestrian mall toward a coffee shop next to an old theater. Reba followed along beside him, her worries fading beneath his enthusiasm. If simply seeing her made him this happy, then perhaps she should find some way to spend more time with him—preferably naked. Sudden images of Todd standing in his living room watching her strip had her face flushing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Todd looking at her. “So what are you thinking about?” he asked, a teasing note in his voice. “Just thinking about ways to see more of you.” She flashed him a grin as they walked the last half block to the shop. Even several stores away, the aroma of freshroasted coffee filled the air. “How much more?” he teased. Todd opened the door to the coffee shop and let her precede him inside. Bells chimed above the door and the din of conversation mingled with music coming from the live band in the corner. Just past the threshold, Reba stopped and inhaled deeply. Though she’d had to cut back on her caffeine consumption, she still enjoyed a gourmet cup of coffee now and then. The smell carried her to the counter. Todd followed and rested his hand on her back. “So what’ll you have?” She glanced at the long list of specialty drinks and contemplated the blends for sale. “I’ll have an apple-pear frappe,” she said. The fruity blend sounded refreshing and probably more doctor-approved than a coffee drink. “Good choice.” Todd stepped forward to the counter and ordered an espresso cooler. They chatted about the nearby art store while they waited for their drinks. A few moments later the barista put them on the counter and Todd handed hers over, grinning at the mound of whipped cream on top. “This looks pretty decadent.”
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“More than you?” she countered as she accepted the drink and followed Todd to a table for two near the windows. She sat down, looking over Washington Street crowded with pedestrians. For years she’d been among them, bustling from store to store, trying to keep up with the rat race. Now she had all the time in the world and still wasn’t happy. She sipped her coffee to stop the morose train of her thoughts. “You said you had lunch with someone from the firm.” He stared out the window for long moments. “Thinking about going back into marketing?” he asked. The few sips of her frothy drink sat like lead weight in her stomach. “No. It was an impromptu lunch visit. I’ll admit, he surprised me with an offer to return to work, but even if I wanted to, my health won’t allow it.” Everything always came back to a job and money, or her lack of both. “You know, I could probably come up with a snazzy marketing plan for Healing Hands. Not that you probably need it, but it might be fun.” Todd shook his head. “Marketing isn’t what Healing Hands is about.” “Every business needs advertising,” Reba said, as she realized she probably had as little knowledge of what he did as he did of her profession. “Marketing isn’t the end-all. You develop the marketing plan to reflect the product you’re selling.” “I don’t sell anything,” Todd insisted. He spoke quietly, his words barely carrying beyond their table. Setting his coffee down hard enough to slosh some out of the lid, he stared across the table at her. “I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she said, not expecting his response to her suggestion. “I thought…” Reba shook her head. “Never mind.” She decided to try changing the subject. “Thank you for the drink.” She reached across the table and rested her hand on his. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” The phrase, though heartfelt, sounded like a cheap greeting card. Todd’s hand unclenched from around his coffee cup and he turned the hand she held, squeezing her fingers. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry. For a moment, all I heard was my mom yelling at me for quitting medical school and giving up a high-paying career to pursue this ‘flaky New Age’ stuff.” He rubbed his temple. “You meant well, and someday I’d love to hear your thoughts about Healing Hands, but right now we have a full clientele and really don’t need to advertise. I do student and holiday specials and things through the local independent newspaper, but not much.” “That’s great. It’s tough to build your business, but to do so and make it a success takes a lot of hard work and dedication.” Cripes, apparently she was channeling Hallmark today. “Hey, why don’t I take you back to Healing Hands? It’s almost closing time and I never did give you the tour of the facilities that I always give new clients. Besides, I think you might find some of the other treatments interesting.” He rose to his feet. “What do you say?”
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Reba stood and picked up her drink. One of the joys of not having a job meant not punching a clock. Without a watch on her wrist she had no way of knowing the time, and frankly, didn’t even want to ask. “Sounds great.” He grinned and reached for her hand. Walking out of the coffee house hand in hand with Todd sent flutters of warmth to her stomach. Easily she kept up with his long strides. The vigorous exercise did her good. Though the summer heat baked, she found it easier to breathe in the humidity than she used to. She moved effortlessly down the sidewalk. Perhaps the doctor was right. Perhaps her health was improving. Chimes rang as Todd opened the door to Healing Hands. He nodded to the receptionist getting ready to leave for the day and headed straight for a closed door marked “Office”. The thought of invading his private sanctuary filled her with trepidation but before she could say anything, he opened the door and ushered her inside, closing it behind her. He set his bags down in the corner then went to the wooden desk. On one corner sat a phone with a blinking message light. A blotter held jotted notes and various envelopes spread across it. A laptop sat in another corner, the screensaver showing a spinning yin-yang symbol that made her think of the painting in his living room. Pictures of various outdoor settings, usually with him in them, hung on the walls, and tiny knickknacks adorned a shelf, including a small jade Buddha. Looking at his life, she realized how empty her own seemed. The computer beeped as Todd checked something before looking up from his desk. “Ready for the tour?” His words pulled her from her musings and she nodded. Though she expected an impersonal, straightforward tour, Todd took her on a meandering path through the clinic that ended back in the reception area. The receptionist had left, locking up after herself, and standing in the dimly lit lobby looking out at the gathering twilight and the shoppers rushing by made Reba feel odd, as if she were looking out into a world she could never again join. She shivered, and rubbing her hands up and down her arms, turned to find Todd standing behind her. “Cold?” He pulled her into his arms. Pressed against his body, she felt anything but. “No,” she murmured against his chest, dimly aware he was pulling her back away from the windows and into the hall. As soon as he’d hauled her around the corner, he backed her to the wall. Grabbing her hands, he lifted them over her head. “You better not be, because I’m burning up,” he growled and slanted his lips across hers. Reba’s eyelids fluttered closed. Lips parting, she returned his kiss, her tongue delving into his mouth. He tasted like rich, dark coffee and cinnamon from the spice he’d added to his drink, and she hungrily returned his ardor. He ground his hips against her, the thick ridge of his cock evident. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, showing her exactly what he wanted to do to her, and Reba let him swallow her whimper. His fingers tightened on hers.
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Holding her wrists in one hand, he curled his fingers into her T-shirt and, with a growl, yanked it free of her waistband, sliding his hand over her smooth skin. She arched into his touch, driving her hips into his. Passion flared between them. A need rose inside her as he reached the band of her bra and unhooked the front clasp. Her breast surged into his waiting hand and he brushed his fingers across her already-erect nipples. He murmured his appreciation as he nuzzled her neck before licking her skin, following a trail along her jaw line and down to the neck of her shirt. Squirming against him, Reba moaned as she tried to get closer. Too many clothes separated them. She clenched and released her fingers in Todd’s grip. She needed, wanted, had to touch him, and being denied the tactile pleasure of her fingers across his skin only made her hunger for him grow. Spreading her legs, she welcomed him into the cradle of her thighs. The rasp of denim against denim sent tiny sparks along her nerve endings and straight to her budded nipples. Todd shoved her top up and closed his lips around one tight peak. Reba’s gasp of pleasure turned into a moan. Squeezing her fingers, she delighted at the silken strands of his hair against her flesh, his smooth cheek against her breast. He tongued her nub, swirling his tongue around it and then licking the tight orb. The seam of her jeans pressed against her clit and she worked herself against it, trying to find some sort of release. Todd pinched her nipple. Pleasure-pain burst through her and wrung a cry from her throat. His mouth devoured her, narrowing her world down to the twin points of sensation on her nipples. Her pussy hummed and her juices soaked her panties. Against the wall, his hips and hands pinning her in place, his domination of her body turned her into a liquid pool of desire. She hooked her ankle around his lower leg to draw him even closer to her. “Please,” she whimpered. “I need you.” Todd continued his leisurely sucking of her breasts a moment longer then released her nipple. “Unfasten your pants for me,” he ordered as he released her hands. Reba let her arms fall to her sides, blood rushing back to her extremities. Her fingers tingled and she opened and closed her hands as the pins-and-needles sensation subsided. At Todd’s eager gaze, she reached for the waistband of her jeans and slipped the button free. The zipper slid down with an audible rasp. “Put your leg down,” he said, his voice husky with arousal. Reba unhooked her leg from around his, her knees wobbling, and she braced a hand on his shoulder to keep herself upright. Grabbing the waistband of her pants, he shoved denim and cotton down toward her knees. Reba kicked off her shoes and stepped from her clothes. She removed her shirt and bra. From beyond the lobby area, the sounds of cars, honking horns, revving engines, filtered through the thick glass windows. Concealed behind the hall, she didn’t see the brightly lit storefronts and changing stoplights. The
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knowledge that just a few feet away people walked past the large windows had her pussy dripping. She stood naked to his gaze. Todd stared at her, from the tips of her feet, up her long legs to the curls covering her mons. Over the flare of her hips and her slightly rounded belly to her breasts with their wide nipples pointing right at him, he drank in the sight of her. The pure lust in his eyes nearly buckled her knees and she sucked in an audible breath as his gaze caught and captured hers. He flipped open the button of his pants and unfastened the fly. His cock filled the opening, held back by only the cotton fabric of his briefs. Reba reached for him, skimming her fingers over his turgid length. Just fondling him through the thin fabric had her pussy clenching and releasing in an ageless rhythm and her breath coming in tiny pants. Now, damn it! She wanted him inside her now. She freed his shaft and ran her fingers up and down the length. Todd gripped her wrist, stilling her fingers and pulling her hands back above her head. “You’re mine,” he said. He rummaged in the pocket of his jeans for a condom and quickly sheathed himself. Grabbing the underside of her thigh, he directed her leg up to his hip and she wrapped it around him, feeling his head brush against her slick labia. Just his fingers and lips had brought her this close to readiness. Tiny spasms shot like fireworks deep in her cunt. Her breasts brushing against his chest tantalized her already oversensitive nipples. In a single thrust, he filled her. Reba moaned. She dug her heel into his buttocks, pulling him as closely to her as he could get. Reaching between them, he flicked his fingers over her clit and she wriggled her hips. “This is how I want you. Your pussy so hot and tight around my cock. God, I can’t get enough of you.” Todd crushed his lips against hers in a bruising kiss that left no doubt as to his need for her body, her heart, her soul. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she welcomed the invasion. She submitted to him, her tongue stroking along his to invite him deeper. His fingers pressed and circled her clit, making her cunt contract around him. And then Todd slowly pulled out. Inch by exquisite inch his shaft slid from her, and she hated the condom between them. The need to feel each nuance of his flesh, each ridge, every vein, had her straining to keep him inside her. When she thought he couldn’t pull back any farther, he hovered there with his head just inside her entrance. A flex of his hips had his cock surging forward to fill her once more. Still their tongues tangled. Her fingers tightened into fists above her head, his large hand holding her wrists secure. He slammed into her. The relentless strokes of his cock had her spiraling higher and higher. Fingers flicking against her clit, she cried out, tore her lips from his and came. Drawing shuddering breaths, she rode the waves of pleasure as they coursed through her. Still he fucked her, his cock pumping in and out, his fingers stilling against
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her clit. She rode him, felt as if she danced on the end of his shaft, and his unending thrusts never let her quite come down from that high. “Oh God,” he groaned against her neck. His panting breaths echoed in her ears. “Fuck. I’m going to come.” His harsh words pushed her over again. She pushed her hips out, body stiffening, eyes wide as release pounded through her. It stole her breath. Made sparks dance before her eyes and her cunt tighten around him like a vise. It was like flying, the orgasm bringing her as close to the sky as she’d ever be without a plane. The man in front of her, the man she loved deep in her soul, she knew she’d never be the same without him. And it scared her. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He slammed home with a guttural cry and came. He held her pinned against the wall as his orgasm swept him away. Inside her, his cock twitched. Entwined together, their sweat mingling, Todd held her. Reba relaxed into him, her leg sliding down so her heel rested on the back of his thigh. Distantly she heard the traffic, recognized the office lighting. Her chest twinged, a reminder she might have worked a bit hard, and for once she didn’t care. Looking into Todd’s green eyes, she knew she loved him. Heart and soul, everything she said she’d never have because of her career, she had it now. More than her money problems, more than the worry about her career, her life, being in love with Todd scared her to her bones. She shivered and he tightened his hold on her. Closing her eyes, she buried her head against his shoulder and prayed he felt the same way about her.
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Chapter Nine After nearly eight weeks of frequent dinner dates that ended with them cuddling or watching old movies, Todd treated her to a performance at the theater. The student production might not have been a Broadway production, but the actors’ witty banter kept the play moving quickly, and Reba was surprised when two hours passed and she found herself back in Todd’s car. “Want to come inside?” Reba asked as he pulled into the driveway. He shook his head. “I’d love to, but I have mounds of paperwork to complete. The IRS cares only that the third quarter has ended, I’m afraid. I’d invite you over to my house, but taxes?” He shrugged then glanced at the dark house. “Hope at work again?” “She mentioned going out of town, I think. I’ll see if she left me a note when I get inside.” Reba closed her hand around the door handle, unable to let the wonderful evening end so soon yet not wanting to interfere with his work. “Thanks again for a lovely night.” She still hadn’t told him she loved him. He hadn’t said the words either, but the more time she spent with him, the harder it was to keep silent about her feelings. He seemed content, and Reba wondered if that was part of his living-in-the-moment philosophy. Todd reached across the space separating them. He rubbed her arm from shoulder to wrist. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. I’d like you to do some paintings for that blank wall in our lobby.” Reba turned to face him, gaping like a fish out of water. Of all the things she expected him to say, an offer to create works for his business hadn’t been one of them. She was unexpectedly filled with suspicion. A tiny part of her mind told her he was simply being charitable. She still wasn’t working, after all. Clamping her lips shut, she scrambled to assemble her thoughts. “Do you have any ideas of what you’d like? Do you know what size canvasses you want? And why ask me? Why now?” She inched closer to the door and crossed her arms in front of her chest. He’d seen her work and liked it. Yet she could believe he’d asked out of sincere interest to commission a painting, instead of trying to find a way to get her some money. She shook her head. “As flattered as I am, I won’t take your charity.” “Then don’t. Paint a damn good set of pictures and I’ll pay you for them. It’s not charity, Reba. Besides, seeing your paintings in my shop will probably bring you more commissions.”
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“Yeah, it is.” She frowned. “You propose a commission not knowing what you want. How much do you think the paintings are going to cost?” “I don’t know. Five hundred. A thousand. Whatever you need.” Todd reached for her. “It’s not about the money.” Reba shrugged off his attention, stunned at how quickly her earlier light mood was dissolving. “See? ‘Whatever I need.’ You’re just trying to find a way to give me some money when my savings runs out. That’s not an honest commission. That’s charity.” She flung open the car door and stepped out with one leg. “And I’m not taking it.” Sliding her purse over her shoulder, she exited the car and slammed the door behind her. Todd opened the driver’s side door. “Reba. Wait.” He stood, his arms braced on the top of the car, and watched as she ascended the stairs to the porch. She whirled to face him. “No. A couple months ago you turned down a marketing campaign for your business and now you try to offer me a painting commission? At least my idea was practical, something you could use. This is just silly. I can’t paint for your store. You don’t even know what you want.” “Then tell me.” Todd stepped around the car. He strode toward her, his long strides eating up the ground. At the bottom of the porch he stopped and looked up at her. “Tell me what I want. Make me see the designs in your mind. I need paintings for my lobby a hell of a lot more than I need some damn marketing campaign.” She flinched at the vehemence in his words. “And if I’m more comfortable doing a marketing campaign? Maybe I’m that kind of person, all slick and glossy. Maybe I’m not a professional artist. Maybe I just paint for me.” She rubbed idly at her chest where a twinge reminded her she’d done a lot of walking in the last few days. “Are you all right?” Todd bounded up the stairs. He stopped in front of her, lightly rubbing his hand over hers. “Is it your heart?” Todd meant well. Hope meant well. For once she was thoroughly tired of people trying to help her. She’d lived on her own for so long, to now be at the mercy of friends and strangers… Shaking her head, she whirled toward the door and forced herself to let her hand drop to her side. “I’m fine,” she snapped. “Just go. Go take care of your paperwork. I don’t think I’m the artist you want.” The keys jangled in her shaking hand as she reached for the lock. She glanced sideways at him as he took the keys from her and unlocked the door. He had gone pale. “If that’s the way you want it, but I’m not giving up so easily.” Opening the door, he hurried her inside and closed the door behind them. “Now sit down. I’ll make you some tea. I don’t want to fight.” He reached to unzip her coat. Reba stepped away. “Then don’t. I offer you my idea and you turn it down. I’m not comfortable painting pictures for your business. I’m sorry.” She unzipped her coat and flung it over the back of a chair. Resting her purse on the table, she reached into the front pocket for the crumpled business card of a gallery she’d visited a few weeks ago. “If you want paintings, call these people. They do a lot better work than I do.”
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“What if I don’t want their pictures? What if I want yours?” “Then I’m sorry. I’m not ready to give them to you.” The moment the words left her lips, she wondered if she spoke about something more than her artwork. Pulling out a chair at the dining table, Reba sank into it. Todd took the chair next to her. “I’ll wait. It isn’t like I needed the paintings yesterday. I’ve been searching for the right images to use. I can wait a while longer.” “There’s no need to wait. This town brims with artists and every one of them would love to have the commission you offer.” She brushed her thumb across his lower lip and told herself the ache in her chest came from her disappointment. Their first major fight. But he had to understand that she didn’t want charity. She still wasn’t comfortable with him usually footing the bill when they went out. She knew what the tickets for tonight’s performance had cost him. If he didn’t understand that, then maybe after all their talks he didn’t understand her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Todd stared at her. He swallowed, his throat working, and slowly, he pushed back his chair and stood. “I’m sorry too.” He glanced at her, looking as if he wanted to say something more, but then turned and headed toward the door. Reba closed her eyes so she couldn’t watch him go. Perhaps they needed to take a break. Or perhaps things between her and Todd weren’t meant to be at all. A woman like her didn’t deserve a man like him. He needed someone more open with their emotions. She bottled them up like something dangerous. The door clicked closed behind him and Reba released the breath she held. She rose to her feet and went to the door. After locking it, she searched for a note from Hope and found one next to a pair of taper candles on the coffee table. She’d gone to a friend’s house in Minneapolis for the weekend and wouldn’t return until Monday or Tuesday. She offered the contents of her fridge and made a joke about Reba spending all her time at Todd’s place. Setting down the note, Reba walked through the rooms, at loose ends. The pressure in her chest eased and she took deep, relaxing breaths, thinking she shouldn’t have gotten so angry at Todd. Without him here, it was easy to analyze what she’d said and done. Her pussy ached delightfully at the mere memory of his lovemaking, and she had no doubt that’s exactly what it had been. She frowned and closed her eyes, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. This was why she’d spent all her time at work. She sucked at relationships.
***** When Hope returned from her vacation, she noticed Reba’s sour mood. Long shifts meant Hope had little time to chat with her and frankly, after avoiding Todd’s calls she just wanted to be left alone. As if granting her wish, Hope headed back out of town, giving Reba exactly what she thought she wanted. “I’m too stupid and stubborn,” she muttered as she headed toward her bedroom, her slippered feet scuffing on the floor. She wore a pair of lounging pants and a pajama 76
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top, feeling like a dowdy housewife. The partially finished painting on the easel mocked her. The swirling blues reminded her of Todd’s lobby and his offer to buy her paintings. Though she’d started the painting on a rare, inspired day in midsummer, the snowflakes had seemed appropriate at the time. Through her curtained window she imagined fat, fluffy flakes falling from the sky. She strode to the glass and pressed her palm against it. In just a few months, flakes would gather in the corners of the window, each one individual. The night of their argument, Todd had asked her to paint what she wanted…with hues matching his shop, perhaps this painting was meant for him without her consciously knowing it. Even if the paintings didn’t end up hanging in his office, maybe they could be displayed somewhere. Reba turned from the window, releasing a sigh, wishing the tightness in her chest would release as well. She rubbed her left shoulder. Rotating it, she tried to work the kinks out of her muscles. Ever since that last night, the last time she’d seen Todd, her chest had been bothering her. She’d checked in with her doctor. He ran a few tests and told her things were normal. She leaned the partially done canvas against her closet door. Picking up a large, twenty-four-by-twenty-four-inch canvas Hope had given her for her birthday, she set it on the easel. The large shape freed her to take a close-up look at the magic of snowflakes. She laid out a selection of blue paints for the background before returning to the window and tying back her curtain. The front window afforded better light, she decided, so she picked up the canvas and folded the easel. She carried them into the living room, not liking how out of breath the simple action made her. Perhaps she should lie down on the couch… She looked at it longingly before shaking her head and deciding against it. The muse had her in its web. The desire to work while the inspiration flowed had her returning to her bedroom and gathering up her paints. Damn, the ache in her shoulder still bothered her. She set everything down on the table and then went to the window. Curling her fingers around the sill, she stared outside and tried to form a pattern in her mind. Large close-ups of snowflakes appealed to her, the colors complementing Todd’s lobby while the flakes showcased individuality. He’d like the symbolism. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead to the cool glass. Shivers snaked down her spine. Pulling away, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window. Pale, her eyes looking too wide for her face, her hair a fiery halo around her white features, lips drawn tight with pain. She stared at her reflection. She finger-combed her hair and forced a smile. There, a little better at least. She returned to her canvas, eager to get started. Uncapping her navy paint, she dabbed it onto her palette along with other shades of blue. Reba picked up her brush and, swirling it in the colors, began to work.
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She hummed as she did so, the images coming easily to her. Her pain forgotten, she swirled the blues around on the canvas to form the background. A deep indigo covered one corner, with splashes of an icy blue reaching into it and blending into the center. Cerulean blue made forays into the upper center, and a deep, almost turquoise blue faded out from that. The whirling masses of color soothed her. She worked until shades of blue covered the entire canvas. Setting her palette down on the coffee table, she stepped back to admire her work. Pain squeezed her chest. Gasping for air, she touched her skin just above her left breast. She massaged lightly, trying to ease the pain. Instead, it radiated down her arm. Her throat tightened. Reba sucked in gulps of air. Her breaths turned to pants as panic set in. Sweat beaded on her skin and made her hands clammy. Oh God. A heart attack. The one thing she feared most. The one thing that could bring her progress to a screeching halt. She shuffled slowly toward the phone in the dining room. The room spun. Stumbling, she banged her shin against the corner of the coffee table and pitched toward the ground. With a cry, she stretched out her right hand to stop the fall and hit the ground, hard. The impact forced the breath from her lungs. Gasping for air like a fish out of water, she reached out with an aching wrist to try to lever herself to her feet. Looking through the doorway, gauging the distance to the white phone, she struggled to pull her knees underneath her. Pain forced her back to the floor. Closing her eyes, she prayed for strength. Just enough to cross the floor and pull herself up with the counter to grab the phone and dial three little numbers. The room reeled around her. Reba pulled her left knee beneath her. She panted for breath as she worked to crawl up onto all fours. “Don’t let me die,” she whispered. “I don’t want to die.” Her chest tightened, her doctor’s assurance that everything was all right echoing in her mind. Todd. He filled her thoughts. If only she’d returned his calls. She’d probably be with him now. He could have called an ambulance. She inched forward on her hands and knees. One foot. Two. She sat back on her heels, intending to rise to her feet. The world tilted and she reached out for the floor with her injured wrist. She fell onto her side. Reba curled into a fetal position. Things couldn’t end this way, they simply couldn’t. She forced her body to straighten, to try to return to all fours. She sprawled out on the ground, the hardwood floor cool against her cheek. The smell of oil paints clung to her and twisted her stomach… Bullshit! She yanked her legs beneath her, rising up onto her knees, and placed one foot flat on the floor through sheer strength of will. She stumbled forward, catching herself on the counter. Taking deep breaths, she grabbed the phone. Pain seized her chest. Her hand opened and the receiver fell, clattering against the counter before dangling just over the edge. Pain forced her to her knees. Reaching for 78
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the phone, her hand swiped empty air. Then the world was whisked out from underneath her, and Reba found herself on the floor looking up at the dangling receiver. She reached for it, her fingers just a few inches too short. She tried to get to her feet but pain overtook her and thrust her down into darkness. “Todd,” she whimpered as a roaring filled her ears. She turned to her side and drew her leg beneath her. Just a little farther and she could reach the phone. Strength leached from her muscles and she lay there, panting, a horrible, dark void threatening to pull her under. Drawing in deep breaths, she struggled not to give into the oblivion.
***** As far as Todd was concerned, not going to see Reba sooner had been a very bad mistake. And now the stubborn woman refused to return his calls. He cursed the blundering way he’d asked her to paint the pictures. Sure, she thought it was charity. And frankly, he hadn’t given her any reason to think otherwise. The need to talk propelled him out of his driveway, intent on driving to Reba’s place and explaining things. Not just about the paintings, though he suspected that would be a large part of it, but his feelings for her. Thinking about Reba withdrawing and closing the door on their relationship had his gut twisting into a thousand knots. He pulled into the driveway and parked the car. Turning off the engine and stepping into the fall air, he opted for the closer kitchen door and took the porch steps two at a time. Lights burned in several windows. Normally Reba meticulously turned off lights in unused rooms, forever conscious of the power bill, and he frowned at the uncharacteristic behavior. He pounded on the door. No one answered. From inside the house, he heard silence. Todd knocked again. The memory of Reba standing on the porch, her hand on her chest, assaulted him. He peered in through the door and saw the empty kitchen. He lifted his fist to knock, then dropped it and walked around to the living room window. An easel sat with a canvas covered in hues of blue. Open paints and a palette sat on the coffee table. He saw no signs of Reba. A heavy dread inexplicably settled in his stomach. He hurried back to the kitchen door and tried the knob. It turned, the door swinging open easily. Cursing himself for not trying that before, he stepped forward. “Reba?” he called. Silence met his call. Another step, then another, still no sound from or sign of Reba. Bile churned in his stomach. “Reba? Are you here?” A fall of red hair against the floor caught his attention as he stepped toward the dining area. He sprinted forward, dropping to his knees beside her. “Reba? Reba, can you hear me?”
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He felt for a pulse, not liking the rapid beats against his fingers. Pressing his hand to her forehead, he felt her clammy skin. He reached up and grabbed the dangling receiver. A quick press of the button silenced the buzzing and he punched in 9-1-1. Far too many moments later, the dispatcher assured Todd an ambulance was on its way. He hung up the phone and sat by Reba. Her pale skin and closed eyes scared him on a gut-deep level. “Reba. Reba, honey, come back to me,” he crooned to her. Todd glanced at the door off the living room. He heard no sirens, saw no flashing lights. His stomach twisted. “Reba, come on, baby.” She was lying on her side and he gently rolled her onto her back. He quickly unlocked the door then snagged an afghan off the back of a chair and made a pillow for her head. While he waited for the ambulance, he used the time to gather energy. Holding his hands just above her chest, he drew reiki symbols in the air. Concentrating his entire being on helping Reba, he let the energy flow from him to her. The palms of his hands tingled. Sirens jolted him from his healing as they roared down the street. “Thank you, God.” Todd risked a look toward the ceiling. “Help is on its way, baby. Hold on. Please hold on.” Looking down at her pale form, her lashes resting on her cheeks, fear gripped him. He’d felt the power moving through him and knew his reiki had to help, yet her still, unresponsive form worried him. His mouth dry, he listened as the ambulance stopped in front of the house. If he’d come sooner, worked out their argument days ago, maybe Reba wouldn’t have passed out, had a heart attack, whatever had happened, and they’d be cuddled on the sofa together right now. A heart attack. Holy hell, the thought scared him. He brushed strands of her hair away from her face. “Wake up, honey. Please wake up.” He looked up. “In here,” he yelled to the paramedics making their way through the door. He flashed back to his younger brother, pale and sickly from his chemotherapy treatments. Rising to his feet, he reluctantly backed away from Reba’s supine body to let the paramedics do their work. The fact that she hadn’t woken weighed heavily on him. He explained what he knew, that he’d entered the house and found her lying on the floor. He told them of her history of heart trouble, and mentioned seeing her rub her chest a couple weeks ago. He silently berated himself for being an unforgivable ass and not coming back sooner. Guilt swamped him as he watched them bundle up Reba and carry her out to the ambulance. This was all his fault. If they hadn’t argued, if he hadn’t caused undue stress, then maybe her heart wouldn’t have given out. He followed the paramedics out and accepted the ride in the back of the ambulance. “A friend,” he said in response to a question about his relationship with Reba. He’d had the presence of mind to grab her billfold before locking the door behind him and following the men carrying her stretcher to the waiting vehicle. The ride to the hospital tried his patience. Slow traffic, people who refused to get out of the way, they seemed to encounter plenty of both on the way to the hospital. He watched the paramedics work. A string of if-onlys and what-might-have-beens raced through his mind. He couldn’t think about that. Focusing his attention on Reba, he 80
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breathed deeply to gather reiki energy to him and send it into her too-still body. The doctors might not believe in his skills, but frankly, he wasn’t sure he believed in theirs. Modern medicine hadn’t saved his little brother. He hoped it would be enough to save Reba.
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Chapter Ten As soon as the ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance and the paramedics wheeled Reba inside, Todd found himself shunted to the waiting room. He sat with other anxious people, each one in his or her own world. A mother holding a young child kept anxiously looking at the clock. An elderly woman clutched a rosary in her shaking hands. A cold cup of coffee sat next to her, virtually untouched. Todd settled himself in the corner and prepared to wait. He hated hospitals. Just the sight of one sent chills down his back. A place of healing, of birth, of sickness and death, hospitals reminded him of his own mortality, and that of those he loved. Damn, he hated conventional medicine. And Reba lying in the emergency room, still unconscious, scared him even more. She hadn’t even moaned. Her silence scared him most of all. Taking deep breaths, he worked to calm himself. His metaphysical training gave him tools. Reiki. Aura cleansing. Meditative breathing. All of these calmed the mind and promoted a state of healing. Yet now, faced with the fact that someone he cared about required a doctor’s care, he struggled to muster the courage to use those very tools he’d been given. He swallowed hard and modulated his breathing. He shoved the image of the hospital as a place of death from his mind. If he wasn’t so concerned about missing any news of Reba’s condition, he’d find the chapel and sit a while, just to breathe and meditate. Maybe to pray. He rested his hands on his legs, thinking of his reiki training. Calling up the energy, he directed it not only to Reba but also to those waiting. His cell phone sat heavily in his pocket. He supposed he should call Hope. He knew she would want to know, and had no doubt if he were to call she’d come home. Instead, he focused on the reiki, hoping the soothing, healing energy helped all of them. Forty minutes later a doctor stepped into the room. His graying hair looked as if he’d dragged his fingers through it many times and Coke-bottle glasses sat on a pinched nose. His thin lips were drawn into a line and his coat looked rumpled. Everyone looked up but he focused his attention on Todd. “Mr. Thorpe?” Todd nodded and stood. “What is it? Is Reba all right?” The gray-haired doctor nodded. “Reba is asking for you. We’re going to go ahead and admit her and run some tests. I’ll take you to see her.” Todd breathed a sigh of relief that Reba had finally awakened. If she was speaking, then it had to be good. After all, if she’d lost oxygen to her brain, she could have had other issues. He followed the skinny doctor down the hall and through a twisting maze
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of corridors until they reached an exam room. Reba lay on the bed closest to the door, the other bed empty. “Todd,” she said. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She raised her hand to him and that welcoming gesture thawed the icy fear that had gripped him ever since he’d found her on the floor. He rushed to her side and gingerly cupped her hand in his, making sure he didn’t interfere with the IVs. “Reba! You’re awake. How are you feeling?” “Tired,” she sighed. “I had a heart attack. If it weren’t for you, I might have died.” Sorrow filled her eyes as she looked up at him. Todd sank into the chair beside the bed, dimly aware of the doctor making “I’ll be back later” motions with his hand. “Oh, Reba…” He didn’t know what to say. Her attack coming on the heels of their argument made him fear that somehow he’d brought this on. Maybe he should have insisted on more alternative healing treatments. “I’m so sorry.” Sitting here by her hospital bed, Todd realized he loved her. Whatever it took, moving heaven and earth, he’d do it to ensure she stayed healthy and his. He squeezed her hand, his eyes stinging with sudden tears. He’d almost lost her. Until this moment, he hadn’t known just how close he’d come. “Sorry for what? You have nothing to be sorry about,” Reba said. “But we fought. And your heart…I’m sorry we fought.” Reba chuckled. “Todd, you did nothing wrong. Anything that’s happened, I’ve done it to myself.” She closed her eyes and exhaled a shuddering breath. “I know that now. My single-mindedness as an advertising executive, my stubborn refusal to accept the changes I had to make, my constant worrying, they all add up to one blinding truth—I’m responsible for everything in my life. My mother didn’t force me on this path. My father’s absence didn’t drive me down a particular road. I brought myself here, and it’s up to me to find my way out.” “I’ll be right there with you,” he said. She smiled. “You haven’t called Hope, have you?” Todd shook his head. “Oh good. I’d hate to disturb her weekend.” “But she’s your friend. She’s going to want to know. I have my cell phone. I can call her.” He fished his cell phone out of his pocket. “Don’t call her. Besides, you can’t use your phone here anyway. I’ll be fine.” Dr. Girsch stepped back into the room. “We need to talk, Reba.” His quiet words silenced her, and Todd put the phone back in his pocket. The doctor flipped through pages in a chart before heaving a sigh. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your mitral valve prolapse has worsened. With the congestive heart failure it’s brought on, we’re going to need to do surgery on that valve to prevent further attacks. I’ll be making an opening in my schedule as soon as possible.”
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“Surgery?” Reba squeaked. She glanced from Todd to the doctor. “I can’t afford surgery.” “You can’t afford not to have surgery,” he said, his eyes sympathetic. “They’re ready to admit you. You can walk with us if you want, Mr. Thorpe.” Dr. Girsch checked the IV lines as a couple of orderlies came into the room and started to prepare the bed to be moved. Reba glanced at Todd. He stepped to her right and grasped her hand. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” “Good,” she said, and he saw the fear in her eyes. “Everything will be all right. I promise.” “You don’t know that,” Reba said as they started to wheel her out of the room. Todd released her long enough for the bed to pass through the doors and then caught back up with her in the hallway, recapturing her hand. “Yes, I do.” And then they were walking down the hall, taking her to another hospital room.
***** Reba saw the guilt in Todd’s eyes. As far as she was concerned he had nothing about which to feel guilty. After all, he’d simply urged her to think about her life and what she really wanted. She closed her eyes as the elevator took her up to the floor where she had no doubt she’d be for a long while. Todd said nothing the entire journey, just kept his fingers closed around hers. The silence spoke volumes. His steadfastness, the silent and tender way he supported her…she loved him for that and a hundred other little things too. She opened her mouth to tell him but before she could say anything, the orderlies wheeled her into a room and began reattaching all her monitors and tubes. After promising to return later, Dr. Girsch left the room, followed by the medical staff. Todd sat in the chair by the bed. He reached for her hand again, and gratefully, she entwined her fingers with his. “You have nothing to be sorry about,” she repeated in an effort to wipe the guilty look from his face. “You’re here. That’s important.” He nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “I thought I’d lost you. I’m so glad you left the door unlocked. If you hadn’t…” Reba squeezed his hand, running her thumb along the underside of his palm. Now, her mind screamed. Tell him now. New Age gurus said heart problems came from an inability to handle emotions. Perhaps they were right. If she wanted a new start she had to face her emotions head-on. She concentrated on breathing slowly, steadily, not wanting the heart monitors to give her uncertainty away. Lying in bed like this, she could easily imagine the rail coming down and Todd crawling in beside her. Just to cuddle, nothing more. Her heart monitor blipped. 84
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“You all right?” Todd glanced at the monitor. Reba smiled. “Now that you’re here, I am.” She winked and brought his hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. “Thank you for coming to the house.” “I can’t think of any place I’d rather be at the moment than by your side. I think we’re both lucky I reached you in time. Sure you don’t want me to call Hope?” Reba shook her head. “No, don’t bother her. I’ll be here when she returns.” She saw the disbelief in Todd’s eyes, knew if their positions were reversed she’d want to know as soon as possible if anything happened to Hope. “You can call her later, okay? For now I just want you to sit here and hold my hand. I’m scared,” she admitted. Todd curled his other hand around hers. “Try not to think about it right now. I know that isn’t easy, but Dr. Girsch sounds like he knows what he’s doing.” “Yeah, but heart surgery…” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “That’s a big deal.” A lump formed in her throat. She blinked back the sting of tears. “I can’t afford heart surgery. And what if I die?” There, she’d said the hated words aloud. Sitting here in this hospital room she faced her own mortality. She could die. Todd and she might never experience the happily-ever-after she wanted to have. “You won’t die. I won’t let you.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her forehead. “From your lips to God’s ears,” she said then turned as the doctor walked in again. He pulled the curtain closed, separating her from the empty bed across the room before pulling up a stool.
***** Dr. Girsch stayed long enough to discuss Reba’s surgery options—and there was no doubt now the surgery was a definite must. She should have had it last year, but apparently she’d been doing so well, and he knew she was uninsured, so they had hoped for the best. Now, without the surgery, there was a good chance she’d die. But the “really good news”, according to her doctor, was that with all of this happening, he could help her reapply to get her disability back. Reba sighed. She’d sent Todd down to the cafeteria after Dr. Girsch left. His stomach had been rumbling loudly enough to be audible, and frankly, she needed some time alone. She also suspected, and was secretly relieved, that he’d call Hope while he was downstairs. Her feelings for Todd churned in confusion, tangling with the doctor’s news and her own concerns about her life. Fiddling with the controls on the bed, she found a jazz station on the radio nearby and turned it low enough to be a soft accompaniment to her thoughts. She tilted the head of the bed down and shifted her position. The steady hum and beeping of monitors faded to a background noise to which she was well accustomed. Idly she rubbed her chest, thinking about her heart—a physical defect she feared might be emotional as well.
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Todd poked his head back into the room. “You okay?” He hovered by the partially drawn curtain. “Do you want me to go?” She turned to look at him. The dim light hid the worry in his eyes, but she saw it in the way he hesitated before stepping to the bed. “Come in, please. I think the nurses will let you stay.” He breathed a relieved sigh. “Good. I want to stay.” He stepped around the foot of the bed and sat in the recliner, moving it closer to the bed so he could reach through the railings and caress her arm. “I’m glad.” She stared at him silhouetted against the window. Through the open blinds the lights of the hospital towers and buildings beyond created enough light for her to see. He’d told her he hated hospitals, and the fact that he remained by her side in spite of it spoke volumes. He cared for her. She had to believe it. Silence settled over them. Just being there, Todd helped. She watched as his eyes started to close. His fingers stilled against her arm. A nurse came and checked on her and then one by one, lights went out throughout the unit as patients slept. Reba watched Todd and wished she could do the same.
***** The next morning she sent Todd home with a stiff neck from sleeping in the chair. She’d caught a few hours of sleep but mostly she lay there, her mind running a thousand miles an hour. The doctor came while Todd was gone and they discussed scheduling surgery for later in the week before he left to let her rest. The phone rang. Reba answered it. “Reba, are you all right?” Hope’s worried voice filtered from the other end of the line. “I can come back early. It’s not a problem.” “I’m fine, Hope. There’s no need for you to come back. You’ll be in town tomorrow anyway. Did Todd tell you what’s happened so far?” As she’d suspected, Todd had called Hope. Last night or today, she didn’t know, but figured her friend would tell her. “Yeah. He filled me in this morning. You know I worry about you being in the house by yourself. You sure you don’t want me to come back?” Reba chuckled. “I’m sure. Besides, I’m in the hospital. There’s not much for anyone to do at the moment anyway. I sent Todd home because he slept here all night and had a crick in his neck. I’m waiting for Dr. Girsch to come in for the afternoon visit. I think I’ll know then exactly when he’s scheduled surgery. Enjoy your vacation. You take so few of them.” She raised the head of the bed up to sit a little straighter. What was left of her lunch sat on a tray on her bedside table. She glanced at the silent television and wished she’d told Todd to bring something for her to do or read. Of course, if she weren’t in a hospital bed awaiting heart surgery she could think of plenty of things for them to do. Having him stay all night only reinforced how much
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she loved him. She wanted to kiss him long and hard, but he’d only brushed his lips across her forehead as she left. Reba feared she scared him. “You okay? You still there?” “Yeah, I’m fine,” Reba reassured her friend, realizing she’d gone silent with her meandering thoughts. “You’re in the hospital after having a heart attack. How can you be fine?” Hope grew serious. “This new attack is telling you something. I mean, Todd’s in your life. The natural healing. Your painting. This is a wake-up call to try to rebuild a better life than the one you had before. Not that your old life wasn’t good, but it was so stressful, so driven. You never took time for anything and now, well, you’re doing things you enjoy.” Reba closed her eyes as she absorbed her friend’s words. Hope’s honest assessment rang true. “I know. It’s just that I hate not having any money. I hate feeling like a freeloader. The firm asked me if I wanted to return a while back,” she admitted, feeling guilty for not telling her friend sooner. Just another thing she didn’t want to burden her with. “I hope you told them no.” “I said nothing. When I hesitated, the discussion pretty much ended.” “But you didn’t flat-out refuse?” Worry filled Hope’s voice again. “You know what your career did to you.” Reba knew. Every beep of the monitor, the steady drip of the IV, the nearly constant stream of doctors, nurses, specialists, every one of them reminded her. “I know,” she whispered. “Damn, but I know.” “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring you down further. But just think about all the other things you could do. And enjoy your time with Todd…I think you two were meant to be.” Reba laughed. “Thanks.” After exchanging a few pleasantries and promising to be good, she hung up the phone. Hope’s words echoed in her mind. Todd and she meant to be? Reba couldn’t stop chuckling at the thought. She felt it might be true, too. She just hoped surgery allowed her to have the life with Todd that she desperately wanted.
***** Ten days had passed since Reba’s admission into the hospital, seven since her surgery, and all signs pointed to a full recovery. Just that morning, Dr. Girsch removed her heart monitor. Not even an IV remained. It sounded as if she’d be discharged within twenty-four hours. Todd returned from eating dinner down in the hospital’s cafeteria. He sat by her bed, a book balanced in his lap. Every once in a while he looked over at her as she read the suspense novel he’d brought from her house. Before the surgery, focusing on someone else’s dire fictional problems had helped ease her own. Masochistic to be sure,
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but hey, she figured whatever worked. She inched closer to the edge of the bed. The railing had gone down a while ago and now she sat as close to Todd as she could get and still be on the bed. Reba ached for him, every inch of her skin humming with awareness of him. She shifted restlessly. Her pussy throbbed in tune with her heartbeat. Through the thin hospital gown her nipples pebbled, and her lips parted just thinking about having him kiss her. She had to wait at least two to three weeks after surgery before having intercourse and she knew every second would feel like its own special brand of death. She hungered for the thrust of his cock inside her. Reba sucked in a breath. Todd glanced at her. “Don’t look at me like that.” Her gaze raked him from head to foot, lingering on the growing bulge behind his fly. “Oh? Like how?” “Like I’m the whipped cream on a five-layer chocolate dessert.” He laid his hand on her thigh. Heat burned her skin at his touch and she shifted her legs a little wider apart. “We can’t do this.” “I know,” she sighed. Rising to his feet, Todd leaned over the bed and brushed his lips across hers. “When I get you home, I’ll love you right.” “It’s a deal,” she replied with a grin.
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Chapter Eleven Wrapped in a blanket on Todd’s couch, Reba tried not to ponder the last week since leaving the hospital. Dr. Girsch had released her with the promise that she have someone with her around the clock. Todd had volunteered, though Hope visited as often as she could. How his staying home affected his business she didn’t know, but with the approaching holiday season, at least his shop had shortened hours and Todd assured her it wouldn’t impact his work. She hoped not. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden. A steaming cup of gingerbread-spice tea sat on the table next to her. Through the open curtains an early snowfall swirled around the edges of the house, creating small hills and valleys in the yard. Trees provided some cover and where the snow had been blown away, chickadees and sparrows scratched in the brown grass. A partially full birdfeeder hung from the porch and a blue jay held court, keeping all the intruders at bay. With a fire crackling in the fireplace, it really felt like the holidays. From Todd’s study, the clack of the keyboard and muttering affirmed the fact that he had paperwork to complete, work she’d kept him from by her stay in the hospital. Reba shook her head at her own thoughts. She hadn’t tied him to her bedside. She hadn’t forced him to stay. He was a grown man, and if he took a few days away from taxes and business statements to spend time with a friend in the hospital, then she was no one to complain. A friend. The words stuck in her throat. She sipped her tea and wondered exactly what she was to him. She hoped a lover, for she knew she loved him. But he hadn’t said anything of his feelings, and in her position she hated to press. Shuffling sounds and a weary sigh alerted her to his arrival. She watched as he circled the corner, the stern lines on his face easing as he saw her. He moved to the couch, sitting down and pulling her into his arms. “How are you feeling?” Todd nuzzled her hair. Reba leaned into his warmth. “Fine. You done with everything?” Todd shifted to settle her between his legs, the thick ridge of his cock pressing against her lower back. She wiggled against it, feeling an answering heat flare low in her body. Not yet though, and the fact that she couldn’t make love to him burned in her veins, making her need worse. Just being with him made her horny. Denied the physical pleasure he gave her reminded her of just how much she wanted him. He brushed his lips across her earlobe, drawing it into his mouth and sucking gently. Reba stifled a moan. “Todd,” she warned.
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“I know, baby.” He wrapped his arm around her, his palm cradling one breast. “But I can’t seem to get enough of you—and what better way to heal you than with love?” He lowered his voice and the words rippled across her nerves. Coming from anyone else the line would have sounded corny. From Todd, it sounded simply like what it was, a belief in his metaphysical studies. She made a feeble attempt to push him away. “Good thing you didn’t try that in the hospital. The monitors might have exploded.” Todd tried to sound horrified. “Would I have done that?” He leaned in close and nuzzled her hair. Reba enjoyed the attention though it did little to soothe her humming nerves. She reclined her head on his shoulder and turned her face toward his, staring at him for a long moment. “Does it bother you that I don’t have any money?” she asked abruptly, suddenly needing to get the question out in the open between them. “I don’t want to sponge off you.” Todd squeezed her. “No, it doesn’t bother me at all. There’s more to life than money, and it’s not like you can work and won’t. You’re doing what you can, when you can do it. Hope told me how much help you are—which is probably the only reason why I’ll let you go back to her place once you receive the okay. Though selfishly, I want to keep you here with me.” He nuzzled her neck, trailing licks and kisses along the column of her skin, finding the sensitive place just behind her ear and working his way to the neckline of her sweater. He pushed the material aside to nip either side of her bra strap, and then sucked on the skin where her neck met her shoulder. “God, you taste so good.” “Why doesn’t it bother you? Most other men would be fretting about supporting me and concerned about when I’ll be returning to work.” She reached up and cupped his cheek. Drawing his lips to hers, she couldn’t resist a kiss. His tongue swept across her lower lip and before she lost herself in the pleasure of his kiss, she pulled away. Thankfully, Todd didn’t look hurt. He looked at her for a moment and then he sighed. “I told you a little about my family. My father died of cancer when I was ten but I was too young to understand the details. When my brother died, I knew then my studies for a medical degree really wouldn’t fix the world’s problems like I thought they would. That’s when I started studying faith healing and other metaphysical methods. I found a solace there, a sense of things happening as they should be, and far more healing than I ever found in a hospital’s halls.” He stroked her hair. “Money isn’t everything. All the money in the world doesn’t mean you’re happy or healthy—and the health and well-being of someone you love has to come first.” Closing her eyes, Reba rested her head against his chest. Beneath her ear, the steady “lub-dub” of his heart soothed her. “Thank you,” she said. “For sharing that with me, and for telling me the truth. All my life I’ve lived in search of more money, the next great thing. Now, with nothing, I feel like because I used to judge everyone by their financial success that everyone now judges me that way. I have to rebuild my life…including the way I think.” Squeezing her eyes closed, she thought about 90
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everything she’d been through in the last few years. Rebuilding her life indeed—and what a way to do it. Todd reached beneath the blanket to cup her other breast. Reba arched into his touch. Sliding his fingers underneath her sweater, he unfastened the front hook on her bra and rolled her hard nipples in his fingers. She moaned, the thrust of his rigid shaft against her back reminding her of her empty channel. Open-mouthed, he kissed her neck, sucking hard and then laving the spot with his tongue. Reba stroked his smooth cheek and cupped the back of his neck. He sucked and licked as if he had all the time in the world, and perhaps, Reba mused, he did. His hands still under her sweater, he palmed her breasts. His warm fingers covered her skin and tiny jolts of electricity shot between her nipples and down to her cunt. From her position on his lap, she couldn’t fondle him, and as he stretched his leg out alongside hers she thought perhaps that had been his plan after all. She slid her fingers down his jean-clad thigh, squeezing as he pinched her nipples and sent pleasure rocketing through her. He murmured to her, mostly how beautiful she was, how good she tasted, and she basked in the glow of his words and his lips and his fingers. Sitting in his lap like this, she felt as cherished as a fine porcelain doll, and for once, she didn’t mind feeling fragile. Todd splayed his fingers across her stomach, inching lower until he touched the waistband of her jeans. A flick of his wrist undid the button and he lowered the zipper. The rasp of metal teeth filled the air and Reba sucked in a breath as he caressed her skin through the silk of her panties. He groaned as he found her curls and then moved lower, where her juices moistened the thin fabric across her labia. He slipped his finger inside the elastic. The pleasure of his finger sweeping across her nether lips bowed her back and she cried out as tiny spasms rocked her core. He removed his fingers long enough to push down her jeans and panties until they tangled around her knees, and she leaned forward to pull off her sweater and bra. The open curtains didn’t bother her. Trees screened the large window from the street and the blanket still lay bunched around her lap and breasts. Todd pulled off his shirt and nestled her against his hair-roughened chest. He framed her breasts with his arms and they plumped between his limbs. Tracing a path over her stomach, he slid his fingers down to her pussy, caressing the insides of her thighs and spreading them wider as his fingers stroked up and down her labia. Reba gasped and lost herself to the sensation. “That’s it, baby. Just feel,” he whispered in her ear. He pulled her earlobe into his mouth and suckled, his fingers delving between her plump lips to stroke her slit. Her heart pounded. Her breath came in harsh pants, yet she didn’t fear for her health. Energy filled her, pulsing and warm like his cock. She basked in it, just as she’d basked in her first reiki treatment. Whether he used reiki or not on her now, she
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appreciated the heat, the stroke of his fingers inside her channel and the way his thumb flicked over her clit. Todd brought her higher and higher. If she had any doubts about her love for him, the gentle nips and strokes of his fingers eradicated them. She loved him. Heart and soul, body and mind, she loved Todd, and from the way he touched her, she new he loved her too. Her worries fled. He added a second finger, then a third, the bulk of his digits filling her clenching channel. “Come for me.” His husky command drove her over the edge and she came in an explosion of light and feeling. Her whimpers grew louder, more insistent. And then they broke with a crescendo that filled the living room with her joyous noise. Behind her, Todd groaned as she thrust against his fingers. Harder, deeper, fingers curled as he stroked her G-spot, and then, with no time to breathe, she came again. Ripples of pleasure raced through her body, a never-ending loop between her pussy and her breasts, down her arms and through her legs. Eyes closed, she drew ragged breaths. Her blood pulsed in her veins and she cried out again as he flicked his thumb over her clit. “Todd, please.” A part of her wanted to stop, wanted to tell him it was too soon after her release from the hospital, but it had been two weeks since her surgery and damn it felt so fucking good to have his fingers inside her and his thumb on her clit. The thick invasion of his cock would feel so much better—and she wanted it too. To hell with waiting another week. She felt ready now. “Fuck me.” “You sure?” Todd’s fingers stilled. “Yes,” she breathed. With a groan, Todd shifted her from his lap. He stood, crossing the living room long enough to close the curtains before removing his clothing. Naked, he strode back to the couch, a condom in hand. He sheathed himself. Reba’s mouth watered as she watched him return to her. His cock bobbed in front of him, thick and hard. Even wrapped in the barrier she saw the flushed, purple head and the veins roping his shaft. The reddish-brown curls circled his shaft before forming an arrow to his navel. The whorls of hair between his pecs made her fingers curl with the need to caress them and the hunger burning in his eyes shot off sparks deep inside her. “I’ll be gentle,” he said as he braced his knee on the edge of the couch cushion. “I know,” Reba replied, her gaze never leaving his. He helped her shift position on the couch, until her head reclined against the pillows piled against the armrest and one foot rested flat on the floor. He knelt between her legs. Reba held her breath as he positioned himself. The head of his cock brushed against her slick labia and she hissed her pleasure. Widening her thighs, she invited him closer, his head slipping inside.
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Todd groaned. Head tilted back, cords standing out on his neck, a muscle jumped in his jaw with the restraint required not to plunge into her body. Reba reached for him, curling her fingers around his forearms and pulling him closer. He resisted the urge to lean forward, instead grabbing her ankles, and she released him as he pressed her feet into his pectorals. Thrusting his hips, his cock slid into her in a long, slow stroke that curled her toes against his skin. Reba forced her eyes open with the need to watch the play of emotions cross his face. He remained nestled inside her body then pulled out with an exquisite slowness that left her panting for breath. Again he hovered at her entrance then thrust back into her body. The tender strokes welled pleasure inside her. With her legs bent, she could do little but lie there as he thrust into her, controlling this dance, keeping her feet pinned to his chest. His deep strokes brushed against her cervix and she cried out with each. Todd filled her, completed her, all the things she never thought she’d be able to say about any lover. He looked down at her, emotion shining in his eyes. “You feel so good. So hot. So tight.” His words aroused her further, her channel clenching along his shaft. He released her ankles to reach for her breasts and fondle them. Reba rotated her hips against him. Lips open, she panted as he tweaked her nipples, pulling them into points, the pleasure-pain nearly driving her over the edge. He released one to reach between her legs and flick his fingers over her clit. Reba screamed. Pleasure thundered in her veins. Her cunt tightened as her world erupted, stars bursting behind her closed eyelids. She rode the orgasm, each wave higher, stronger than the one before. Until finally, Todd’s cock stilled as she came down to earth again. When she opened her eyes he thrust again, slowly, each strong pump of his hips driving him to that place high and deep inside her. Then his pace increased. Sweat shone on his face, his chest, and Reba watched as his strokes brought her to the peak again. She reached for him and curled her fingers around his arms, caressed the length of his hands. Twining her fingers with his, he braced his weight against her arms and thrust once more. Todd stiffened. Face twisted into a mask of pleasure, his cock jerking inside her. With a guttural roar he came. His heavy breathing echoed in the living room. His orgasm brought her over again and she shuddered to completion, a sleepy grin taking over her face. Todd eased off her. Only then did she notice the twinges and aches from muscles unused to such activity in recent weeks. Sitting back on the couch, Todd straightened out her legs and massaged her calves and thighs. “You okay?” he asked. Snagging a tissue from the box on the end table, he removed the condom and cleaned up, depositing it in the trash can nearby. Reba nodded and stretched languidly. “Yeah. I’m more than okay,” she grinned.
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“Good!” He pressed a kiss on the top of each foot. He rested them in his lap and gently began to massage. “Because I want you to feel really good.” Reba leaned back and stifled a moan at the heavenly pressure of his fingers against the sole of her foot. He rolled his knuckles into the arch, making her curl her toes. Everything she ever wanted was right here on the couch. She opened her mouth to tell him she loved him then pressed her lips closed. Her gut told her it was too soon, though he’d stayed by her bedside and practically doted on her. In spite of the terrific sex, now her mind whirled at a hundred miles an hour. Todd increased the pressure on her foot, finding muscles in places she never knew existed. Moaning, she vowed not to think about anything for just a little longer. His fingers worked their way up to her lower calf. “You know what happened the last time you gave me a massage,” she said with a teasing glint in her eye. Still naked, Todd stroked his hardening shaft. “Yeah, and I wouldn’t mind that again, except we need to take it easy.” He smoothed his fingers over her legs. “I should probably let you rest.” Reba shook her head. “No,” she said, a bit sterner than she’d intended. “I’ve done nothing but rest. The doctor told me I knew my own limitations.” She leaned forward. “I don’t want to rest.” “What do you want to do?” He splayed his fingers over her knee. His other hand swept down the back of her calf and circled around her foot. The question startled her. She didn’t know what she wanted really. Only that she was tired of being coddled and pampered. “I don’t want to be treated as if I’m fragile. I like it, I really do, but I’m afraid I’m going to like it too much. Maybe I should be the one pampering you.” “Now there’s an idea.” He slid her legs off his lap and rose to his feet. He swept her into his arms and carried her down the hall to his bedroom. “Let’s go let you do some pampering.” Reba snuggled against his chest and decided that as soon as he let her down, she’d do exactly that. Todd laid her on the bed and as soon as he sat down on the edge, Reba rolled over to lay her hand against his back. “Are you ready to be pampered?” She stroked the length of his spine, loving the feel of the supple muscles beneath her fingertips. Reaching around him, she flattened her palm against his sternum. His heart beat a steady cadence against her hand. She snuggled against him and breathed in his warm, male scent. He turned to look at her. A smile curved his lips, a glint of trouble in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. Reaching out, he cupped her cheek and pulled her lips to his. Reba’s eyelids fluttered closed. She exhaled, her soft breath caressing his mouth an instant before he kissed her. Warm lips moved across hers, seeking, tasting, savoring,
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and heat spread through her, starting at her mouth and working its ways to her toes. She curled them and moaned against his mouth. His lips parted. She slid her tongue inside, the heady beat of her heart pulsing in her blood. Her pussy ached from their lovemaking, yet she wanted more. She needed more. “Todd,” she whispered as the need for air parted them. He pressed her down to the mattress, his body slanted across hers. She wriggled in an attempt to touch more of him but his heavy weight pinned her to the mattress. Welcoming the pressure, she arched against him, her bare breasts brushing against his chest. The fine hairs rubbed her already sensitized nipples. All thoughts of pampering Todd fled. His lips trailed across her collarbone, dipping into the hollow as he licked and sucked across her clavicle. The warm, wet pressure of his mouth drove heat straight into her cunt and she hardly believed she’d faced heart surgery just two weeks ago. Perhaps love really did have healing powers. Maybe she should chalk it up to Todd’s magnificent cock, and whatever New Age stuff he did for her. She grinned as his lips found a turgid nipple and drew it into his mouth. She curled her fingers into his hair, unable to do anything but hold on for the ride. Her legs shifted restlessly, her hips lifting to meet something that wasn’t there. “Todd, this was supposed to be for you.” She curled her fingers into his back and stroked down to his buttocks. “Oh, but it is,” he said against her breast, the vibration of his words wringing a gasp from her throat. Her pussy clenched. She grabbed his ass, squeezing it in an attempt to get him between her thighs. He chuckled and remained where he was. He licked a path from her left nipple, through the valley between her breasts to the right and pulled it into his mouth. Licking and nibbling, he shared his attention between the two tight beads until cream ran from her pussy and she thrashed against the bed. Her breath came in short pants. Her heart pounded, so hard she feared she might be overexerting herself, but it felt so fucking good. His lips traveled over her stomach, his tongue swirling into her navel until he aimed toward the red curls between her legs. She parted her thighs wider and welcomed him home. Todd moved between her legs, his lips just inches from her labia. He inhaled deeply and groaned with masculine appreciation. Turning his head, he pressed a kiss against the inside of her thigh. Reba sucked in a breath, clenching the comforter. The whirring furnace sent breezes of air from the overhead vent onto her, and lying here in Todd’s bed, his fragrance, his essence enveloped her. She closed her eyes and released a sigh. His tongue licked her labia. Top to bottom then back up again, he slipped his tongue between her lips to lap at her honeyed sweetness. He avoided her clit, focusing instead on long sweeps of his tongue between her labia. His hands held her hips, keeping her from moving, and all Reba could do was curl her fingers into the blanket
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and hold on as pleasure built. Her channel clenched, needing something more than the furtive darts of his tongue into her entrance. He kept her hovering on the edge. So close, yet so far away, and it drove her crazy. Whimpers emerged from her throat. The breathy little sounds rose higher and higher, as did her ecstasy, and then, like a waterfall, the dam broke. Tiny spasms and shudders in her pussy turned to rhythmic clenching in time with her fingers clenching and releasing the blanket. Her breaths came in stuttering gasps. Her moans turned into whimpers and then cries of pleasure. A long scream rolled from her throat and her juices coated his lips and chin. Todd grinned and pulled away, leaving her panting and breathless. He snuggled up beside her and pulled her into his arms, his hard cock throbbing against her thigh. Reba reached down and circled her fingers around his length. She stroked him, base to tip, and listened to his breathing hitch. While she didn’t feel quite up to taking him inside her body, she did feel up to giving him a hand job, and from the way Todd rolled over and widened his grin, she didn’t think he’d mind. His hand closed over hers, and together, they stroked him to completion.
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Chapter Twelve The weeks passed. Reba shared a small Thanksgiving dinner with Todd while Hope visited her family. The first weeks of December brought holiday business to Healing Hands, and Todd had to spend a little more time at the office. Without him there the house felt empty, so when Hope suggested Reba come back home to visit, she jumped at the chance. Now, once more in her own living room, Reba sat on the couch, Hope sitting across from her. She appreciated having another woman to share her thoughts with. She’d spent too long chasing her own ideas in her mind, from her love for Todd, the fact he hadn’t said it to her, and her concerns about her money and career. Blowing a strand of hair away from her face, she smiled at her friend. “So spill,” Hope said with her usual directness. “You could have come back home weeks ago. I have a couple days off, but I suspect now that Todd’s got you in his house, he’s not going to let you leave without a fight.” Hope’s words hit their mark and sent a flush of heat over Reba’s cheeks. She nodded and nibbled on her fingernail. “Stop that. Come on, you used to tell me everything,” Hope chided gently. “All right,” she relented. “I think I’m in love with him.” “Think? Hell, woman, it’s written all over your face.” Hope chuckled. “So what are you going to do about it?” Reba opened her mouth to speak. Hope held up her hand. “And don’t give me the ‘I don’t have a job and what could I bring to this relationship’ crap.” “But—” “But nothing. Come on. You’re a smart, beautiful woman with a world of opportunities in front of you.” Her smile softened. “And Todd’s good for you.” Reba closed her eyes and swallowed against a lump of emotion in her throat. “He is, isn’t he?” Hope’s nod encouraged her. “I keep thinking back to what you said while I was in the hospital. I really feel like I’ve been given a new chance. Not only with Todd, though that’s wonderful. He’s thoughtful, gentle, a mighty fine lover. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted. And I’ve been painting again. I feel like a veil’s been taken off my face. I can do whatever I want…and I’m scared.” Reba wrapped her arms around herself. “I know. Baby birds have to take that first leap though or else they’ll never fly.” Hope’s attention wandered to the birdfeeder outside where a pair of cardinals, a male and female, chattered and scratched in the seeds to find the choicest morsels. 97
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“So what do you think I should do?” Reba tucked the blanket a little tighter around her hips. She wasn’t too cold, but with a recent blizzard the temperatures had plummeted and a chill hovered around the edges. “I want to go for it so badly, but I’ve never felt so out of control before. When it came to my marketing campaigns I controlled everything. Do you know how hard it is to give up that control?” “It’s worth it though.” “I know,” Reba breathed. “I know.” For long moments the two women sat in companionable silence. Reba basked in it, knowing with Hope’s work schedule and her health issues it’d been too long since the women had had a heart-to-heart talk. Somehow, just saying her fears aloud to Hope, though she didn’t voice them all, eased her mind. The phone rang. Hope answered it. A moment later she passed the receiver to Reba. “It’s for you.” She looked puzzled. Reba lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello,” she said, anticipating hearing Todd’s voice on the other end of the line. She’d left a note and Hope had picked her up in the car so she didn’t have to walk from the bus stop in the cold and the snow, which would have worried Todd. “Reba. You never did get back to me. Have you thought about the firm’s offer?” Trenton Davis launched without preamble, sounding smarmier than ever, as if two days before Christmas he figured he’d waltz in, offer her a job and save her holidays. “Trenton, what a nice surprise.” Reba shook her head at Hope’s arched eyebrow. “I didn’t expect to hear from you again. I thought my silence spoke for itself.” “Well, the old man has charged me with getting you back into the firm. He’s refusing to look at other resumes. So what will it take? Money? A corner office? Name your price, Reba. The clients want you back.” In the background a cell phone rang. “That’s very generous of you, but I must refuse your offer. If the head of the firm wanted me back so badly, he could have asked me himself. I’m through with marketing. I’ve got a new life now.” The instant the words left her throat, she felt as if a great weight had been removed. A jaw-splitting grin covered her face. Across the room, Hope gave her a thumbs-up, struggling to stifle her laughter. Trenton sputtered. “You don’t know what you’re giving up.” “Oh but I do. I know exactly what I’m giving up, including working with you.” She imagined the look on Todd’s face at those words, and the thought made her grin widen even farther. “You’re going to regret this decision, Reba,” Trenton snarled. “No, I don’t think I will. Have a happy holiday.” Without waiting for a reply, she hung up the phone and handed it back to Hope.
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Hope gave a joyous whoop that nearly drowned out the knocking on the door. She bolted to her feet and hurried to answer it, then cheered even louder as she let Todd inside. His voice drifted to Reba and she turned on the couch to watch him approach. “You ladies are certainly in a good mood,” he commented before leaning over to brush his lips across Reba’s forehead. She beamed under the attention. “Yeah, guess who just called. Trenton Davis, an ex-coworker, tried to offer me my old job back. I politely told him to stick his job offer where the sun don’t shine.” “Really? You turned down a job with the marketing firm?” Reba punched him in the arm. A gentle one of course, but enough that he took a step back. “Did you think I would really go back to my old job? After what it cost me?” She shook her head. “I know I probably gave you that impression.” Todd shrugged. “No, I didn’t think you’d go back. I just wanted to see that look on your face. And I wanted to hear you say it.” Reba chuckled and hit him again. Todd grabbed her wrists and hauled her up and against his hard body. “You ready to go home?” Reba nodded, not caring that she already stood in her own house. Her time at Todd’s made it seem more like home to her than the one she’d shared with Hope for years. Todd glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t forget. My place, seven p.m. for dinner and presents.” “I’ll be there. You two just make sure you’re decent,” she chuckled. “Go. No smoochy stuff in my house.” Sharing in the laughter, Todd helped Reba bundle up in her coat, scarf, hat and mittens, and led her to the car. She had no doubt there’d be plenty of time for kissing, and other things, before they exchanged gifts tonight. Her heart fluttered and she hoped her friend and her lover enjoyed their gifts.
***** Stuffed full of a hearty dinner of marinated turkey breast, sweet potatoes, Caesar salad and a gelatin fruit dish, all cooked by Todd, Reba leaned against him on the couch. Her leg brushed against his and the gentle friction sent tiny sparks of pleasure through her. Hope sat on a chair across from them, and crushed wrapping paper and presents sat in the space between them. Hope had gotten her several books on painting, the meaning not lost on the two women, and she gave Todd some out-of-print books on various metaphysical topics. Todd had given Hope a beautiful nurse pendant with rose quartz. And now the only gifts remaining were his gift to Reba, and Reba’s gifts to her friends.
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She bade Hope go first. Her friend tore the wrapping off the small six-by-six-inch box. She opened it, her eyes darting between Reba and the present. Reba’s stomach churned. She’d dashed off the presents as inspiration hit. She feared her friend might be disappointed. Hope gasped. “Reba, you shouldn’t have.” Inside lay a painting of a spring sunrise. A close-up of a tree branch held plump buds and some crocus flowers peeked from the loamy ground beneath. The sun painted the sky in pinks and yellows—it was a scene of renewal and rebuilding. “It’s beautiful,” Hope said. She held it up for Todd to see. “I’m glad you like it,” Reba said. “Like it? I love it! Thank you.” Reba beamed with the praise. She turned to Todd and placed her hand on his thigh. “I hope you like your present too.” He brushed his lips across hers. “If it came from you, I’ll love it.” He removed the ribbon and tore open the wrapping. His box was the exact size as Hope’s, so Reba knew there’d be little surprise as to what was in it. The surprise now would come from the content of the painting. He removed the lid. His eyes sparkled as he took in the painting of a pair of cupped hands on a purple background. Energy radiated from the hands, and in the center of each palm rested a gold heart amulet. She’d intended the hands to be reiki hands, and she’d swirled lines in each of the corners, crosses between treble clefs and spirals. “Reiki symbols,” he said, tracing them. “How did you know?” Reba shrugged. “They just came to me. Do you like it?” His eyes shone. “I love it. Thank you so much.” Leaning forward, he brushed his lips across hers. “And you have your gift to open.” He gestured to the box in her lap. “I can’t wait to see what it is,” Reba enthused, masking her apprehension with the idle chatter. She picked up the box and removed the gold wrapping and bow, noticing it looked professionally tied. Inside was a black velvet box. Her heart went into her throat. Too big to house a ring, the box was long and flat. It looked expensive. Her hands shook as she removed it from the package and she hoped no one noticed. She flipped open the lid, not recognizing the name of the jeweler embossed on the inside. Nestled on a satiny cushion was a charm necklace. Three charms dangled from the gold chain. In the center hung a diamond, flanked on one side by the healing hands symbol she’d painted for Todd, and by a sun on the other. Lapis lazuli beads separated the charms. The beauty took her breath away. Tears stung her eyes. Reba blinked them away. “I don’t know what to say. It’s gorgeous. Thank you.” “I’m glad you like it. Here, let me help you with it.” Gingerly, he took the necklace from her hands and fastened it behind her neck. “There, it looks gorgeous on you. Merry Christmas, Reba.” 100
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“Merry Christmas, Todd.” And not caring that Hope watched, she kissed him long and deep, letting her lips and tongue tell him exactly how much she appreciated his gift…and him.
***** A week of bliss carried Reba from Christmas all the way to New Year’s Eve. In her marketing days she’d spent the holidays at a different glitzy party every night, wining and dining the movers and shakers who utilized her services. Since her heart problems, usually she and Hope spent the evening watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, eating crackers with cheese out of a can, drinking sparkly grape juice. Not the most exciting way to spend a holiday. Baked wheat crackers sat on a paper plate on the coffee table. A can of cheese sat on her side of the table, and squares of imported goat cheeses and delicacies on Todd’s. He laughed at her canned cheese, but as she squirted some on a cracker and popped it in her mouth, she thought it was delicious. Or maybe it was just the company. Soft jazz played on the stereo instead of the boisterous rock bands and cheering of Times Square. She leaned into Todd’s warm body, his hand lightly brushing against her shoulder. Grabbing his fingers, Reba held them gently and reached for the can of cheese with her other hand. Spreading a generous dollop of the processed substance onto his digits, she licked and sucked them clean. Todd groaned. Reba drew a heart with the cheese on the inside of his wrist then licked it off, murmuring her appreciation. She drew swirls with her tongue along his arm, then turned and flattened her palm against his chest. “How much longer until the New Year?” He glanced at a clock. “A couple more hours, why? Getting sleepy?” He reached around and skimmed the neckline of her sweater. Shaking her head, Reba caught his wrist and stilled his fingers. “No, just thinking of the things we could do to pass the time.” She tilted her head and stretched to meet his lips. She brushed her mouth across his, tasting the salt from the crackers and the rich cheese. His tongue brushed across her lips, bringing with it the tang of the wine he drank, and she opened beneath him. Flavors melded, bursting on her tongue. The richness of Todd’s own flavor combined with the lingering taste of their appetizers. Leaning against him, she curled her hand behind his neck and pressed her body to his. Behind her chenille sweater, her nipples pebbled into the soft knit. She could think of no other place she wanted to be on New Year’s Eve. About to start a new year, and a new life, with the man she loved. The need to tell him tumbled in her chest and she nearly pulled back to do so. The only thing that stopped her was the pleasure of his tongue stroking against her lower lip, his fingers curled into the knit of her sweater, and the fact that right now, it would take an act of God to get her to leave his arms. She wiggled against him. 101
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Her eyelids fluttered closed. Later…there’d be plenty of time to tell him later. Right now, she savored his kiss.
***** Having Reba pliant in his arms was the perfect way to spend a New Year’s Eve. Instead of working in his den on paperwork, or perhaps spending some time in meditation and relaxation, he welcomed the change of pace. How she could stand to eat that cheap canned cheese, he had no idea, but considered it one of the quirks he loved about her. And when she spread it over his skin and started to lick him, his cock hardened with an urgent demand—take her now, and who cared about waiting for the New Year. He believed whatever he did as the clock struck midnight would be what he’d spend a lot of time doing in the New Year. Usually meditation or relaxation topped the list. This year, with the magnificent woman in his arms, he wanted to spend as much time as possible making love to her. He admired her strength of will, her desire to do things on her own. Finally, after all they’d gone through, he suspected she was starting to believe there were other ways to heal than just the medical ones, though he knew modern medicine was mostly responsible for saving her life. Nuzzling his neck, she inhaled deeply. He flattened his palm against her chest and felt her heart beating steady and true beneath his touch. He licked her earlobe, drawing the pad of flesh into his mouth. Suckling it, he drew tiny whimpers from her throat. He traced the length of her spine, pausing on the curve of her ass to pull her against his erection. Reba rotated her hips. His cock jerked. He groaned with pleasure as he licked the sensitive place behind her ear. As if through a fog, he recognized her moving, straddling his waist, until only two layers of denim and underclothes separated her pussy from him. He arched into her. Tugging at her sweater, he splayed his hands across her lower back and stroked it, loving the fact she went braless beneath the covering. She’d had a bra on earlier in the evening, he’d been sure of it, and wondered when she’d discarded it. Lifting her arms over her head, she allowed him to remove the sweater. It tumbled to the floor. He cupped her breasts, his gaze drawn to the tight peaks of her nipples. He plumped her breasts in his hands and admired the contrast of her creamy white skin with his tanned fingers. Her darker areolas and nipples drew his attention like magnets and he leaned forward to taste her. Swirling his tongue around her raised flesh, he licked and nipped Reba until she squirmed. Her fingers clenched on his shoulders, the long line of her throat taut. Eyes closed with pleasure and her lips slightly parted, she looked like a vision of a goddess come to life. Reba held her breath and looked at him tenderly. “I love you. I never thought I would, but I do. I love you so much, Todd. Thank you. Thank you for everything,” she whispered.
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He pulled his lips from her breast. His hands stilled as he absorbed what he’d just heard. Looking up at her, he drowned in the emotion in her eyes. An answering love rose in his chest, and finally, the words he’d been longing to say rushed to his lips. “I love you too, Reba.” She dipped her head and kissed him, long and hard. Her tongue slipped between his lips, stroked his and coaxed it into her mouth. He obliged, delving deep to possess her. His hands on her ass, he ground his hips against her. Kneading her buttocks, he plundered her lips and tongue. She melted against him, her tiny moans of need driving him onward until he caressed the waistband of her jeans. He undid the button and then lowered the zipper with exasperating slowness. Shoving his hands beneath the denim, he pushed it off her hips. He reached between her legs to stroke the crotch of her panties and found the material wet with her juices. That he made her so hot, so quickly, sent a shudder through him, making his balls tighten. Clenching his jaw against the need to take her, possess her, he stroked her labia through the silk and cotton. Reba moaned. “Please,” she whimpered, sliding back off his lap. She removed her jeans and panties then kicked off her socks. Naked, she stood before him, legs spread. “I want you inside me.” She drew her fingers along her slick, swollen labia, and the sight of her touching herself rocked his cock and had him ready to explode. “Oh God, do that again.” He lifted his hips, removing his jeans as he watched her dip one finger, then a second, into her wet slit. She circled her clit, hips rocking forward to give him a better view, and he dropped to the floor, grabbed her hips and pressed his mouth to her pussy. “I want your come all over my face.” She screamed as he plunged his tongue into her. Salty-sweet, she tasted like a dream. He lapped at her juices, drinking from her as if she were a rare vintage of wine. And to him, she was. Delectable, with a hint of siren, she ground her hips into his face. He parted her with his thumbs and pulled the nub of her clit into his mouth. The fluttering of her vaginal walls beckoned him to slide two fingers into her. A third joined them, and he finger-fucked her while he sucked on her clit. “Oh God! Yes…” Reba moaned. He removed his fingers from her, causing a strangled whimper in her throat. Reaching around, he circled the puckered bud of her anus and slipped one well-lubed finger inside. Just to the first knuckle, but it was enough to make her rock back against the pressure. Alternating between swirls on her clit and plunging his tongue into her channel, he worked her into a frenzy. Reba came. She screamed again as her juices coated his face. He lapped at them, feeling them run over his chin and down over his bare chest. She bathed him in a passionate rain, and he greedily took everything she had. His finger slipped from her anus a moment before he sat on the floor. He stretched his legs before him and pulled her down into his lap.
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She landed there, boneless from the release that seemed to go on and on. Winding her arms around him, she moved so the head of his cock brushed against her sex. He clasped her hips. “Wait. I need protection.” Reba shook her head. “I love you. I want to feel you, skin against skin, as you make love to me.” Inch by gratifying inch, she sheathed him inside her body. Todd groaned as the pleasure rocketed through him, and he knew she’d just given him an exquisite gift. One he’d cherish forever.
***** Having Todd’s naked cock inside her defied all description. The broad mushroom head pushing against her walls, the feel of every vein roping his magnificent shaft, she felt every inch of him and it felt wonderful. She didn’t worry about pregnancy, not since asking her doctor about going on the Pill. His head rested against her cervix, nesting in the spot high and deep inside her. Closing her eyes, she savored him there, inside her. “I love you,” she whispered, and then she started to move. He couldn’t answer, just groan as she lifted herself off his shaft then lowered again. Up and down. A twist of her hips to accentuate the pleasure for both of them, and then she lost herself to the rhythm of their lovemaking. Warmth radiated from his hands. Husky sighs and groans filled the air. The smell of sex mingled with a burning candle and the scents of their meal of cheese and crackers. The soft music on the stereo provided a delightful background to their sex, and Reba savored the moment. She pumped slowly, the muscles in her thighs straining. As the throaty notes of the song swelled, she tumbled into another release. Ripples of pleasure centered in her womb, radiating outward. Her breathy cries caught then turned into a low, keening moan. Leaning forward, Todd captured one of her nipples in his mouth. The pull went straight to her cunt and it tightened around his shaft. She rode the orgasm, each thrust of Todd’s shaft taking her through it and onward, higher into a stronger release. Her heart overflowed with the beauty of their coming together and she forced her eyes open, not wanting to miss a single nuance of the ecstasy on his face. His thrusts grew harder, faster. Breath caught in her throat, Reba went along for the ride, until the sound of flesh against flesh drowned out everything but the beating of her heart…and then she came again. It couldn’t possibly be midnight, but the sparks darting through her body felt like the fireworks of a New Year’s celebration. Head tipped back, she screamed as pleasure made her body convulse. Her pussy clenched, massaging the length of his shaft, and with a final thrust, Todd joined her in release. The hot spray of his seed triggered another gentle, fluttering orgasm and she closed her eyes, dragging air into her starved lungs. Over and over again her body pulsed, rippling like a shooting star. Sweat slicked her skin, the slide of flesh against flesh 104
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luxurious. Todd buried his face in her chest, holding on to her tightly as he poured himself into her. Dear God, she loved this man. Tears leaked from her eyes. They ran unchecked down her cheeks as she slumped against him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his body. Their breaths rose and fell in unison, and she swore she heard their hearts pounding in time. “I love you,” he panted and pressed his lips to hers. Reba clung to his kiss, knowing his love would build the foundation for her new life. A better life…and they’d create it together.
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Epilogue
Six months later Balmy June sunlight streamed through the front windows of the shop. Standing on a step stool, Reba nudged the large centerpiece canvas into place. With temperatures soaring into the nineties the snowflake pattern looked cool and inviting, and she hoped those entering Healing Hands thought so too. Sunlight winked from the diamond on her left hand, and she glanced at it with a smile. “Did you receive clearance to be on that stool?” Todd teased as he stepped around the corner. “How did your doctor’s appointment go?” She looked down at him and grinned before backing down from the stool. “I have clearance, and everything went fine. Dr. Girsch is pleased with my progress. He says I won’t need further surgery, and to continue whatever I’ve been doing.” Striding over to him, she cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb across his lower lip. “The shop closes in half an hour and I’m sure we could find a use for one of the massage rooms.” He winked then looked up at the paintings. A large canvas, the one she’d been hanging, dominated the wall with a snowflake pattern. Smaller canvases, also with snowflakes, hung on either side. On the floor stood a rack full of cards and prints of her artwork. A Reba Dailey original was becoming quite the hot item, and her cards were also carried in a couple small retail outlets, with hopes for more. Her plans for a gallery were on hold for the simple fact that Reba had learned to love her laid-back lifestyle. He turned his gaze back to her. “Looks great.” He held out his arms and willingly Reba stepped into them. His hug enfolded her. On the sidewalk outside, students and shoppers passed by, and Reba didn’t care. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I never thought I’d be here so quickly,” she said. “Engaged to the most wonderful man in the world…selling my paintings. I don’t have to worry about anything anymore.” “And that’s exactly the way I wanted it.” He slanted his lips across hers and kissed her long and deep. “So, you ready to fly to Vegas and be Mrs. Thorpe?” Reba stepped back. “Really?” “I have the tickets waiting. Your bag is in the car. We can be at the airport in fortyfive minutes and be in Vegas before dark. So what do you say?” “Yes!” Reba squealed. “Hell yes!” She threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the mouth. “I’ve already made arrangements. Let’s go.” Tangling his fingers with hers, he pulled her toward the door.
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Reba followed, basking in the glow of his love and her new life. She might never have believed it was possible…but she knew her good fortune came naturally.
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About the Author Mary Winter began writing when she was sixteen, using it as an excuse to skip gym class. She currently lives in Iowa with her pets and dreams of writing full-time. Her advice to anyone is: “Persistence pays off. Don’t ever give up on your dreams!” Mary welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Mary Winter Bjorn’s Mate Ellora’s Cavemen: Dreams of the Oasis III anthology Ghost Redeemed Ghost Touch Once Upon a Prince anthology Pleasure Quest anthology Polar Heat Prodigal Son Revealing Photos Riding Partner Snowbound Treaty of Seduction Water Lust
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