Better Than Before (RightMatch.com Trilogy) by Kathryn Shay Page A

much as I love you.”
    Norma squeezed Annie’s fingers. “Norman Bates loved his mother, too.”
    “Mom, stop. He’s not a psycho. He also has a close relationship with his brothers. Family is central to his life.”
    “At least you enjoy the same activities.”
    “We do. I like the movies he chooses, and we’ve read a lot of the same books. He’s totally interested in kids.”
    “He says he is, honey.”
    “Nope, he babysits his four-month-old niece.”
    Nora grinned. “Well, that is a character reference.”
    “Mommy, come see Wheelchair Barbie.”
    Annie stood. “Don’t worry, Mom. He’s so likable, so real. You’ll love him when you meet him.”
    Norma walked with Annie to the display case. “It’s a mother’s prerogative to hold out on approval, dear. Someday, you’ll know that with Hope.”
    “Hush. Let’s enjoy her childhood first.” Annie stood behind her daughter and brushed a hand down her hair. “How cool they have Wheelchair Barbie.”
    “It makes me sad, Mommy.”
    “It’s right to feel sympathy for people, honey.”
    Hope grabbed her Grandma’s hand, but Annie trailed behind thinking about their talk. Her mother’s warning diluted some of the positive feelings she’d been having about Spence since Wednesday night. They’d survived their first fight. Their make-up session was hot, and when he’d left, she’d wanted him to stay. To go to bed with her. To make love. She’d thought a lot about the sharp kick of desire she’d experienced with him. Wanted to experience more of it.
    Suddenly, Annie wished she was a risk taker, wished she didn’t play it so safe with herself and maybe even her kids’ lives. She should have a fling with Spence. It might be exactly what she needed, what they needed as a couple.
    It certainly was what Annie wanted to do!
    o0o
    Annie typed, So, want to go dancing tonight?
    She knew Spence’s response would come soon. Like her, he checked his email several times a day. She wondered how he did it, being on a construction site. She’d have to ask him.
    You’re kidding, right? he answered promptly.
    No way. The Sky Coasters are playing at Pelican’s on the lake tonight. The kids are with Keith. I don’t have to work. How about it?
    Smiling as she pressed send, Annie marveled at how free she felt to pursue this relationship with Spence. To do the asking. She’d never been the initiator when she and Keith had been dating, and she hadn’t had a serious boyfriend other than him.
    Hmm, came the reply. Would I get to hold you on the dance floor?
    Uh-huh. And afterward, if you’re lucky.
    Three hours later, she and Spence were lazily embracing on a crowded patch of floor at Pelican’s, a restaurant and bar on Lake Ontario. “It’s not so bad, is it?” she asked him, nuzzling into his chest. This close, she could smell his aftershave, something woodsy and male, a scent that by itself aroused her. Along with tons of other things about him.
    “Nothing could be bad with you so close.”
    “I told you.”
    He chuckled.
    “Did you go dancing with your wife?”
    “No. She wasn’t much of a dancer.” He gripped her a little tighter. “Did you and Keith?”
    “Once, for a Governor’s Ball at his country club. For six weeks, we took ballroom dancing with several other couples. Which would have been fun if Keith hadn’t criticized me so much.” She giggled.
    “Why does that make you laugh?”
    “Because I was better than he was, and it drove him nuts. So he fell back on criticizing me.”
    He peered down at her with a combination of tenderness and lust that warmed her heart and her body. It was how he looked at her most of the time, and his gaze was so intense, she knew he was focused totally on her. There were still some odd things—once in a while he’d close down; occasionally he’d say something totally out of character. And she noticed material things about him that didn’t fit in with a construction worker’s income, like that