“I know you’ll protect me,” I said. It was true. If I’d learned anything from our times together in St. Thomas and then at my parents’, it was that he was a good man. He wouldn’t let me fall. Even then, though, my arms and legs shook in intervals as I repelled down the rock mountain. He was the one at the bottom with my life in his hands. I never laughed so hard as when he went up in the air and kept asking if I was sure I could hold him up. I’d never seen him so nervous before, and it was cute. When we were both safely on the ground and done with our adventure, he asked if I was hungry.
“Famished,” I said, and he took us to a nearby French bistro where we had croissant sandwiches and tea outside.
“Thanks for a lovely date,” I said. It had been a fun day, but not exactly conducive to romance.
“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming,” he said. When he dropped me off, he walked me to my door and said goodbye. He didn’t kiss me, and he said nothing about coming inside. I went in confused but happy we’d had a good time.
An hour later I got a text from Harvey:So I’m trying to be patient and play it cool, but I have to tell you that the only thing I’ve been thinking about since I saw you last night in that lace dress is taking it off.
I text him back right away:Why don’t you come on over and do that then?
He replied instantly:On my way.
I gave a little yelp and jumped in the shower, drying myself quickly, and applying lotion to my arms and legs. I put on one of my unused teddies and slipped a silk robe on top. Looking at myself in the mirror, I played with my hair, seeing which way was sexiest until I heard a knock at the door. I braced myself, opened it, and gave Harvey a shy smile. He must have showered because he wore a polo and khaki shorts now, but that didn’t matter because soon they would be coming right off. When he walked in, I closed the door behind him and turned around to offer him something to drink.
Before the words left my mouth, he came up to me, placed his hand on the door above me, and pulled me to him with his other arm. I watched his hungry eyes as we finally came crashing into a kiss I wished would never end. He lit me like a match, and I thought I’d burn up right then and there. We were all over each other, up against my kitchen counter, falling on my couch. He admired my lingerie when my robe slipped from my shoulders, and then he picked me up and carried me to my bedroom.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he said, admiring my nearly naked body. I tried not to be so embarrassed, but I was. The blush in my cheeks spread over me, and I pulled him on top of me.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I said to him when he kissed my neck.
“I can believe it. It’s where I’ve wanted to be for so long,” he said, his voice thick as he reached for my breasts.
I moaned softly and asked, “What took you so long?”
His lips found their way back to mine, and after a long string of kisses, we parted long enough for him to say, “I don’t know. I was dumb, thinking you didn’t want me.”
“Does it look like I don’t want you?” I asked, reaching down to his shorts. He was already hard.
“No, I’d say you’re really into me,” he laughed. I giggled, and then he ripped off the rest of our clothing. We were no longer Harvey and Audrey, but one perfectly concerted being. Our only thoughts were of the other, and I melted with each touch, each kiss, each sound he made. As our rhythm intensified, my own sounds echoed the euphoria of each sensation.
He gave me more with each thrust, and I welcomed it— No, I begged for it. He was everything I didn’t know was missing in my life. I realized just how close I’d come to losing this chance forever, and I gripped his arms tightly. Sensing my desperation, Harvey flipped me over. He pushed my hair out of the way and ran his fingers down my back. Already I missed having him inside me, but the electricity coursing through me as he kissed my ankles up to my inner thighs was equally delicious. Then I sank under his weight as our bodies joined. My hands shot out to cling to the sheets as each thrust drove me closer to insanity.
I pushed back, wanting more. He was happy to comply, and it was hard not to give in entirely— to be at his absolute mercy. So I was. Everything that had been holding me back from happiness evaporated, and I let Harvey take me to heaven.
The sound of his grunts as he finished mingled with the expletives I uttered as I came crashing back down on the mattress. My senses were a foggy mess, but a few moments later I found clarity and absolute bliss when he enveloped me in his arms.
“My divorce is finalized next week,” I said. The words filled a thoughtful silence for several minutes.
I came to realize that it didn’t matter anymore. He was Harvey, not Natalie’s ex-husband. Natalie— who I hadn’t spoken to since that day in St. Thomas— featured only in my past. He was no longer her husband, and I was no longer Greg’s wife. We were just a man and a woman, savoring the afterglow.
“Let’s go get dinner,” he said. I hadn’t even realized it was nighttime already. Dinner was simple at a local seafood restaurant, and we spent the entire evening (and practically every other free evening that week) just enjoying each other’s company.
The one night we couldn’t see each other because he had to work late, I was on the receiving end of several text messages. A few of them were him grumbling about some customers, and how he couldn’t stand the owner. I felt bad and sent him a picture of myself with a thumbs up sign and a huge smile, hoping he’d take some joy from it.
Harvey replied:I don’t know what the hell kept me from coming to see you before that night. You’re the best.
I texted:We’re here now, so let’s forget everything that’s caused us pain before.
He responded:You’re right.
