I cross my arms and stare up at the ceiling, clicking my tongue against my teeth. “He said I don’t look forty.”
“Well, you don’t. You’re gorgeous.”
“Mm-hmm.” I accept my refill from the bartender with a resigned smile. “That was physically painful.”
“Oh please. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.”
“You mean drinks and dancing?”
Billie nods, sliding the bartender a hefty tip. “Definitely but first, I want the details.”
I cut my gaze to her and shrug. “Of what?”
“These lustful, Eddie-filled dreams.”
She hasgotto be kidding.
Newsflash, she isn’t, and now I’m once again the same shade of neon as the damn cocktail.
“If I tell you, you take it to the grave.”
“Oh, fuck yes. Absolutely. Cross my heart.” She shifts in her seat, fully locked in now, practically vibrating. “Give it to me.”
But what does it matter if she carries the secret to the grave or spills her guts before the next drink? I’ll likely never see Eddie again. Or if I do, it will be on a whole new platonic scale. No cuddling or long looks, although he might buy me a walker and some dentures.
“He’s got a… recurring role in my dreams, the first of which occurred when I was lying next to him.”
She jerks back. “Wait. I thought you said you were just friends.”
“We were watching a movie. I fell asleep. Totally innocent.”
Billie winks at me. “Unlike your dreams.”
I groan and run a hand over my brow. “Apparently I was moaning in my sleep.Goodmoans. He wanted to know all about them.”
A loud chortle flies past Billie’s lips. “What did you say?”
“I denied everything. Basically short-circuited because I’mcoollike that and kicked him out of my cabin.”
“This poor man.” She rubs her hands together, mischief curling her lips. “Tell me, what does he do?”
Once again, the flush climbs my cheeks, threatening to flood every pore.
You know what? Why not tell her? What’s the worst that can happen?
So I face Billie and lean in, giving this story all that I’ve got. “He backs me against a wall, pinning my hands above my head, his entire body pressing against me. And then he kisses me and… I melt. He feels so good. Tastes so good. He finally releases me, hikes up my skirt…”
“Oh, now we’re getting somewhere.”
“And drops to his knees. Trust me, I was doing a hell of a lot more than moaning in the dream. But damn, his tongue.” I fan myself at the memory. “I’ve never come so hard in my life.”
She exhales. “Damn. Woman, you need to share that little exposé with Eddie.”
“Not a chance.”
“Don’t think he’ll measure up?”
“Oh yes, I think he’d be even more magical. But that’s not the point.” I lean on the bar with a resigned sigh. “The real life Eddie isn’t kissing me against a wall. He’s taking thirty seconds to tell me I don’t look forty, which is code for, ‘Oh shit, didn’t realize you were that over the hill.’”
