“But then I pulled myself together, determined to make banana bread, but when it came out of the oven, my son had the misfortune of discovering I’d used the salt instead of the sugar. I feel like that bread, ruined and unwanted, like I’ve wasted a good deal of my life.”
Somehow the space between us on the couch had dissolved. He reached over to place a hand on my cheek. “You are none of those things.”
“I don’t even know where to start,” I said. “I haven’t dated since I was in college. Heck, I’ve been married over half my life. Who the heck wants a woman whose best years are behind her?”
“Behind you?”
“Parker, the world doesn’t look twice at a woman who’s over forty.”
His eyes locked with mine, and I shivered at the intensity of his gaze. “I’m looking.”
After an eternity, he leaned forward to kiss me. My breath caught in my throat. My heart hammered at an unprecedented rate. He stopped just short of my lips and whispered, “May I?”
I melted. I’d been kissed a few times in my life, but never once had I been asked first. Words eluded me, so I nodded.
His kiss surprised me, so tender it caused a flutter in my pulse. I leaned in, but then—it didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel familiar.
I broke away, touching my fingers to my traitorous lips. Objectively, it was a good kiss. My whole body thrummed in ways it hadn’t thrummed in a very long time, but the kiss also wasn’t Mitch.
“Vivian?”
I held up a hand to put a pause to our proceedings. For just another second or two.
Mitch, thin lips, hard kisses, demanding kisses.
Parker, full lips, gentle kisses, inquiring kisses.
“I didn’t mean to—”
I surprised myself by putting my arms around his neck and drawing his lips back to mine. One of my hands ran through his thick hair. His large hand warmed the small of my back and drew me close. I could tell thathedidn’t find me repulsive. The problem was I didn’t find him repulsive, either.
Our kiss deepened into frantic nipping. He kissed along my jaw, lightly biting my earlobe and causing me to moan.
His thumb grazed my nipple, and I gasped, but it also brought me back to my senses.
Like it or not, I was still a married woman.
I stood up, my chest heaving and my lips deliciously swollen.
Parker looked at me and then looked away, as if embarrassed he’d let his emotions get the best of him. “I, uh ... I’m sorry about that.”
“Please don’t be,” I said. “Could we possibly put a pin in this moment, maybe revisit it when my divorce is final?”
His grin took my breath away, his beautiful whiskey-colored eyes glowing with hunger. “Absolutely.”
A full-body chill went through me along with a horrible realization. “Unless you were pity kissing me.”
“Pity?” He stood and moved toward me. I didn’t back away. “I’m insulted that you think it was pity. Vivian, you’re a gorgeous, talented woman.”
I blushed. “I’m a boring, flabby—”
Parker put a finger to my lips. “Shh, don’t talk about my beautiful friend Vivian like that.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I kissed his finger.
“I’m going to go now,” he said. “But someday I’d like to kiss you more thoroughly.”
Oh? There’s more thorough than that?
