Page 57 of A Hero Comes Home

He shrugged.

Instead of arguing that point, she continued, “My parents did some Elvis-themed murals for Delilah, too, at her diner. That’s probably why she was so amenable to making room for them at the motel on a busy holiday weekend. Not just as a favor to me.”

Changing the subject of her parents, an unsavory one to him, he said, “Did you know that my dad and Old Mike are planning a ménage à trois with Vana Gustafson out on the boat, with our three sons as chaperones?”

“Whaaat?”

But Jake was burrowing closer to her, yawning aloud before slipping into slumber.

So, he probably didn’t hear her say with just a hint of sarcasm, “Happy times ahead in Bell Cove.” Nor did he hear her add, “Sweet dreams, sweetheart,” before she, too, fell asleep.

There’s good quicksand and bad quicksand, and then there’s wicked-good quicksand . . .

The following days were so jam-packed with activities for Jake that he hardly had time to think about the fact that he’d been home for two weeks and hadn’t yet made love with his wife. He’d started rehab on an every-other-day basis, which was improving his strength and dexterity tremendously. When his father’s boat motor made a funny noise, Jake had helped repair it. The oil had been changed in both the truck and Sally’s car, and (to Jake’s dismay and Sally’s horror) most of the used lubricant ended up on his three eager gremlin assistants. He practiced baseball with the boys, and they helped him paint the porch swing. (Again, picture green gremlins.) Every hour of the day seemed to be filled.

Therefore, he thought about sex only when Sally put on that tank top/shorts sleep outfit. (Sweet dreams, for sure!) Or when she pranced about in a bikini on those afternoons when they took the boys to the beach. (Forget about knot tying. Did I mention I’m an expert at knot untying, too?) Or when she donned her baker’s apron. (Oh, the ideas I get!) Or when she bent over in a pair of jeans to pick up one of the boys’ toys. (More ideas!) Or when she held out a new cookie for him to try with her fingertips touching his lips. (Delicious!) Or when she vacuumed (All that bending again!) Or kissed the boys good-night. (How about me?)

Okay, he thought about sex a lot.

But he wasn’t getting any.

He was pretty sure that Sally knew about his discomfort, and she was playing him. No way did any woman need to bend over that many times, or wear jeans so tight they looked painted on, or bat her eyelashes when she asked him to apply sunscreen to her back.

And so he wasn’t above tempting her right back. He’d gained ten pounds since he got home and was starting to regain his muscle definition. Sally had always liked his body; she clearly still did. If he brushed against her when passing behind her in the kitchen, that was an accident, right? When he asked her to help him get into the tub last night, her eyes had gotten big as saucers as she’d glanced downward. What could he say? It had been a long time.

Meanwhile, his boys had no filters, God bless them. When it came to whatever popped into their heads, they just let loose.

“Daddy, why don’t you sleep in Mommy’s bed?”

“Jimmy’s grandpa has bleeding hem-her-oyds, and he has to sit on an inner tube.”

“Mommy, why are your nipples so pointy under that shirt?”

“Daddy, why do you have a big bulge in your swimming trunks?”

“Do girls fart?”

“We should get a baby brother. Four is better for playing teams.”

“Or else a puppy.”

“What’s a condom?”

“Why don’t girls pee standing up?”

“Because they don’t have danglers.”

“Mommy says we should all join the bell choir this year, even Daddy.”

“She did not.”

“Well, she probably meant Daddy, too.”

Jake was heading toward town now, with the three boys. Sally had asked him to come to the shop this afternoon so that she could get his advice on something. He couldn’t imagine what expertise he would have regarding a bakery, but he was trying to be helpful. Besides, she might be wearing a baker’s apron over shorts and a tank top that would make it look as if she was wearing the apron and nothing else.

Did I mention how horny I am these days?

When they got to the bakery, Jake planted the three boys at a window table with one monster cookie and a mini carton of orange juice each, warning them, “If any one of you moves, there will be no video games tonight for all of you.”