Body Chemistry by Dara Girard

removed his coat, then sat in the living room. “Nice place.”
    Brenda didn’t care for compliments. “What are you doing here?”
    “I wanted to make sure you made it home safely.”
    “You wanted to make sure I made it home alone.”
    He nodded. “That too.”
    She sat across from him and crossed her legs. She watched his gaze dip to her legs and she inwardly grinned. Go ahead and look at what you’ll never get . She had forgotten that she was wearing the sensual lounge wear Marci had selected.
    “You don’t need to wait to have a man to wear these,” Marci had said. “Whenever you’re stressed, or just want to enjoy and acknowledge your womanhood, wear it.” She was glad she had, although she hadn’t expected company, and didn’t mind him seeing it. She didn’t try to cover up how the front dipped low showing her cleavage or how it fell away from her thigh.
    But his gaze didn’t waver and soon became as intimate as a caress. Brenda decided to cover her thigh and fold her arms over her chest. “What do you want?”
    His smoldering gaze left her body and met her eyes. “So this is the greeting I get on my return? Your hand on Franklin’s arm while flirting with another man?”
    “My activities are none of your business.”
    “You know it’s my business because you know my intentions.”
    “Your intentions mean nothing to me.”
    “You don’t believe a man can change?”
    “A man can try, but whether he is successful or not will take time to figure out.”
    “So you see no hope for me?” he said in disbelief.
    “What’s changed? You’re just like before.”
    “I said I’d get back to you.”
    “Four weeks later?” Her voice cracked. “You always kept me waiting. You always gave all your attention to other people and I got what was left over. I want a man who will give me all of his attention.”
    “You’d grow bored with a man who fawned all over you.”
    “I’d have fun finding out.”
    “Then divorce him when he’s not up to standard.”
    “We divorced each other. You did it with your travel and long nights. I did it with papers. I made it official so our marriage wasn’t a complete mockery.”
    “Our marriage was real,” he shouted. “You just didn’t think it was perfect enough. It didn’t fit your systematic analysis so it was a project you decided to abandon.”
    “Abandon? Half the time you didn’t even know I was there.”
    “I’ve admitted I wasn’t always there for you, but I’ve told you I’ve changed.”
    “How have you changed? A promise of seduction and then four weeks of nothing. Suddenly you show up again and expect me to be there for you.”
    “I didn’t realize you hated me this much,” he said with pain.
    “I don’t hate you,” she said, surprised he used such a harsh word.
    “Then what about the postcards? Didn’t they mean anything to you?”
    “What postcards?”
    “The ones I sent you every week. I also e-mailed the manuscript for the book so we could discuss which illustrations would work when I returned.”
    She sat back bewildered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t receive anything.”
    “But I—” He shook his head with frustration. “I don’t understand.”
    Brenda felt her anger die as she realized the magnitude of his words. “You sent me something every week?”
    “Yes.”
    “What did you say?”
    He shrugged and looked a little embarrassed. “They were just a few lines. Nothing interesting.”
    “Tell me anyway.”
    “Okay.” He stared at the ground. “Um…one said ‘This place has more rain than Seattle, hope you’re keeping dry.’” He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at her, unsure.
    “Go on,” she urged.
    “Another said how boring my meeting was and how much I looked forward to working with you. The last one said ‘Coming home.’” He shook his head. “I mean ‘Coming back soon. Looking forward to talking to you.’”
    “I’m sorry I didn’t receive them,”