on taking it.”
The job couldn’t have been further from my mind. “It would mean an increase in pay.”
“And you’d be your friend’s peer.”
I glanced into his face, startled by the vehemence in his voice. “Josh—”
“Let’s go on a date, Regina. Out of the house.”
The quick change in topic made me dizzy. “We’ve…there’s…why?”
“Because sometimes I feel like you’re hiding me away from the rest of the world. I haven’t met any of your friends; you don’t know any of mine. Let’s start dating, like a regular couple. Let’s do couple-like things.”
“But we are a regular couple. We have more sex than anyone I know.” Lots and lots of glorious sex.
“And I hope that never changes, but we need to do other things too. There’s more to being a couple than just having sex.”
It was hard to think about other couple-like activities with his naked body draped across mine. We were still overheated from the romp, the scent of sexual musk surrounding us. Between my thighs ached with that wonderful well-used feeling that followed being with him. “I like what we’re doing, the way things are…”
“Are you ashamed of being seen with me?”
“What? No!” I shook my head forcefully. “Never.”
“Then let’s go on a date. That’s all I’m asking for. A date.”
I didn’t want the world to intrude on us, but the sincerity in his voice meant this was important to him. A knot twisted in my stomach, but I finally nodded. “Sure…of course.”
Josh rewarded my response with a kiss, but I still wasn’t entirely sure any good would come of my decision. I wanted to keep us away from the rest of the world, not because I was ashamed of being seen with him, but because I didn’t think the rest of the world would understand. The world outside the house’s doors couldn’t understand, because I hardly did.
Chapter Eleven
Josh refused to spend the night with me Friday. His simple joy about going on our first real date was awe-inspiring. He insisted “doing it right” meant picking me up at my front door the following afternoon. Simply walking downstairs with me wouldn’t do.
Wanting to keep our destination a surprise, the only thing he would tell me was to dress for outdoor weather. A little tormenting during oral sex made him divulge that I should also dress casually. Not even the promise of sex outdoors again would get him to say anything more.
Lou had left me alone for the most part during the week, both of us too busy to do more than wave hello. Even after the weekly staff meeting, we managed to avoid alone-time together. Thank goodness. As far as a decision, I think I leaned toward just enjoying my time with Josh but was afraid if Lou offered to father a child for me again, my resistance would fail.
Josh, who still had his entire life ahead of him, couldn’t offer me the same, no matter how much I wanted it. I don’t know that I would accept it from him, either. He deserved more, with someone closer to his own age.
Today I’d just tied my hair into a ponytail when the doorbell rang. Smoothing my hand over my sundress, I gave myself one last approving glance in the mirror before trotting down the stairs. I opened the door to Josh wearing a baseball cap, a matching team jersey and jeans. His first reaction upon seeing me was to give me a kiss that made my toes curl. “Gorgeous, as always,” he said afterward with a smile.
“You’re not doing so bad yourself.” I studied his shirt. “Hawks are the college team, right?”
“Yep.”
“Is that where we’re going today?”
“Maybe.”
I wore a smile on the outside, but inside I was backpedaling. A baseball game? Not that I had anything against sports; I just wasn’t into them. For all the talking we did, it never occurred to me that he might enjoy them. He perused the sports pages with as much attention as he did the business section of the paper. I suppose that might have been one clue.
He drove his Range
The job couldn’t have been further from my mind. “It would mean an increase in pay.”
“And you’d be your friend’s peer.”
I glanced into his face, startled by the vehemence in his voice. “Josh—”
“Let’s go on a date, Regina. Out of the house.”
The quick change in topic made me dizzy. “We’ve…there’s…why?”
“Because sometimes I feel like you’re hiding me away from the rest of the world. I haven’t met any of your friends; you don’t know any of mine. Let’s start dating, like a regular couple. Let’s do couple-like things.”
“But we are a regular couple. We have more sex than anyone I know.” Lots and lots of glorious sex.
“And I hope that never changes, but we need to do other things too. There’s more to being a couple than just having sex.”
It was hard to think about other couple-like activities with his naked body draped across mine. We were still overheated from the romp, the scent of sexual musk surrounding us. Between my thighs ached with that wonderful well-used feeling that followed being with him. “I like what we’re doing, the way things are…”
“Are you ashamed of being seen with me?”
“What? No!” I shook my head forcefully. “Never.”
“Then let’s go on a date. That’s all I’m asking for. A date.”
I didn’t want the world to intrude on us, but the sincerity in his voice meant this was important to him. A knot twisted in my stomach, but I finally nodded. “Sure…of course.”
Josh rewarded my response with a kiss, but I still wasn’t entirely sure any good would come of my decision. I wanted to keep us away from the rest of the world, not because I was ashamed of being seen with him, but because I didn’t think the rest of the world would understand. The world outside the house’s doors couldn’t understand, because I hardly did.
Chapter Eleven
Josh refused to spend the night with me Friday. His simple joy about going on our first real date was awe-inspiring. He insisted “doing it right” meant picking me up at my front door the following afternoon. Simply walking downstairs with me wouldn’t do.
Wanting to keep our destination a surprise, the only thing he would tell me was to dress for outdoor weather. A little tormenting during oral sex made him divulge that I should also dress casually. Not even the promise of sex outdoors again would get him to say anything more.
Lou had left me alone for the most part during the week, both of us too busy to do more than wave hello. Even after the weekly staff meeting, we managed to avoid alone-time together. Thank goodness. As far as a decision, I think I leaned toward just enjoying my time with Josh but was afraid if Lou offered to father a child for me again, my resistance would fail.
Josh, who still had his entire life ahead of him, couldn’t offer me the same, no matter how much I wanted it. I don’t know that I would accept it from him, either. He deserved more, with someone closer to his own age.
Today I’d just tied my hair into a ponytail when the doorbell rang. Smoothing my hand over my sundress, I gave myself one last approving glance in the mirror before trotting down the stairs. I opened the door to Josh wearing a baseball cap, a matching team jersey and jeans. His first reaction upon seeing me was to give me a kiss that made my toes curl. “Gorgeous, as always,” he said afterward with a smile.
“You’re not doing so bad yourself.” I studied his shirt. “Hawks are the college team, right?”
“Yep.”
“Is that where we’re going today?”
“Maybe.”
I wore a smile on the outside, but inside I was backpedaling. A baseball game? Not that I had anything against sports; I just wasn’t into them. For all the talking we did, it never occurred to me that he might enjoy them. He perused the sports pages with as much attention as he did the business section of the paper. I suppose that might have been one clue.
He drove his Range
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