UNTIL NOW... by Denise Skelton

UNTIL NOW... by Denise Skelton

Terry Meyers' life seems to be falling apart. Her husband left her and their 2 sons for a woman 10 years her junior, she has a mortgage that she can't afford, a car that stays broken more than it works and a son who's going through puberty and seems set to drive her crazy in the process. Add to that the desire to go into business with her cousin, who is adamant that that will never happen and Terry believes her life could not get much worse.

But as things seem to go from bad, to worse, Terry decides it's time to take stock in her life. First on the list, handle her deadbeat future ex-husband. Second, find a new career. Third, swear off men, what's the point, she always chooses the wrong one, always ends up being used or hurt. Until Now...

Wade Nelson has moved back to Chicago to work as the new English teacher at Jefferson high. His strained relationship with his father has kept him away for many years. What his family doesn't know is that Wade has another agenda for being back in Chicago.

When Wade meets feisty Terry Meyers, the last thing he's thinking about is being in a relationship with anyone, let alone a woman who has two children, but Terry has a way of finding herself in rather strange situations and he just happened to be the one there to bail her out. With a past that he has never put to rest, Wade, by no means, considered the idea of settling down. Until Now...

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Excerpt:

Terry glanced to her left. She definitely didn’t remember extending an invitation to share her bed. "You can’t come creeping in here in the middle of the night."

Keith leaned across the small space towards her. "But-"

"Woo hoo, that morning breath," Terry howled, covered her nose, and pushed him back.

He grinned at her. "I didn’t even brush my teeth yet."

"No smooches until you brush those stank teeth," Terry said fanning a hand in front of her face.

"Okay Mommy," six-year-old Keith Wilkerson said before sliding from the bed and racing from the room.

Glancing at the clock, Terry saw that it was 6:40 am. Grimacing, she pushed back the covers, crawled from the bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before leaving for work. Damn she thought, she should have skipped that last margarita. When she entered the bathroom she switched on the light, the almost blinding glare illuminating from the light bulb made her wince, and she quickly switched it off. Groaning again, the thought came to her that, if she was lucky, she’d slip, fall, and drown in the shower, thus relieving her hangover.

Twenty-five minutes later, Terry walked from her bedroom dressed in a crisp white blouse, pleated gray slacks and black loafers. She wore her dark brown hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and her chestnut complexion was void of any makeup. She banged on her eldest son, DJ’s bedroom door.

"Breakfast in five minutes," Terry called as she walked past, and then paused. Grinning she took three steps backwards and quickly opened the door. "Didn’t you hear me?"

At fourteen, DJ was already just over five and a half feet tall, five inches taller than his mother, and close to a hundred and fifty pounds. He jumped, hearing the door open, and quickly pulled his pants up, tumbling and almost falling to the floor. "Mom!"

Terry laughed and snorted at the same time. "Boy, you ain’t got nothing there that I haven’t seen. I said breakfast would be ready in five minutes."

Closing the door, she grinned and headed down to the kitchen with a little more bounce in her step. When she entered the kitchen, Keith was already there, sitting at the counter watching Arthur. Terry picked up the television remote, turning the channel to the morning news.

"Mommy, I was watching that."

"Yesterday was your day, tomorrow is DJ’s, and today is mine. You know the rules. We all take turns watching what we want in the morning."

Terry took three bowls from the cabinet, filled them with Cheerios, and plucked up a banana.

"But, it’s so boring," Keith whined.

"Boy, you’re not old enough to be bored."

"Please, Mommy!" Keith whined again.

"Nope."

Pealing the banana, she cut it into very thin slices, putting five slices over each of the bowls of cereal. She poured milk into each, and was setting the bowls on the counter when DJ entered the kitchen.

"Mom, can we have sausage and eggs this morning?" DJ asked sliding into the stool next to his younger brother.

"You know we can only have sausage and eggs on Sundays. Right now, it’s not in the budget."

"We didn’t have sausage and eggs this past Sunday."

"Well then, we’ll just have extra sausage next time." I hope.

"Mommy, these are nasty. I hate Cheerios, " Keith mumbled.

"So do I," Terry said, sniffing the spoonful of cereal she was about to put in her mouth, and then scrunched up her nose. "But, it can’t be helped; this is what’s in the budget."

Actually, it was a generic brand, and they tasted so bad that Terry was surprised that the grocery store didn’t offer customers a dollar a bag just to take them off their hands. She had to agree with Keith; they were nasty, but it was better than nothing.

Keith looked at the bowl Terry had placed in front of him with disdain. "You can tell Daddy, tell him we don’t like Cheerios."

"No, she can’t," DJ glared at his brother.

"DJ," Terry warned.

Sure, she could tell their father that his sons were tired of eating repulsive generic cereal every morning and hotdogs three nights a week. But, he already knew that they were in financial trouble. He knew their situation; he just didn’t seem to care. But she didn’t want to tell Keith that. At first, when his father left, Terry had told Keith that his daddy had gone on a business trip; and she’d stuck to that story for two weeks. Eventually she had to tell him the truth. He had been devastated; he didn’t understand why his daddy wanted to live with a stranger and not them. Terry could tell him that his father didn’t give a damn about living with his children, and that he could care less if they ate at all, but why make Keith suffer more then he already was?

"Well you can’t," DJ said to his mother, and then, dropping his eyes, he stabbed his spoon in his bowl. "He doesn’t care about us eating Cheerios every day; he doesn’t care if we eat at all."

"He does too!" Keith immediately said, defending his father.

"DJ," Terry warned again.

"Tell him, Mommy!" Keith said, looking at his mother for confirmation.

"I bet Shareese doesn’t have to eat Cheerios every day," DJ complained.

"Okay, that’s enough," Terry said, rose, and gathered the bowls from the counter. Crossing the kitchen, she ran the cereal down the drain, clicked on the garbage disposal, and rinsed the bowls. "Go get your things together. We’ll stop by McDonald’s and grab you guys a sausage biscuit."

"Yippee!" Keith yelled as he jumped from the counter and rushed from the kitchen.

DJ followed at a much slower pace. "Sorry, Mom."

Terry sighed, stroking his cheek as he passed her. "Don’t worry about it, buddy."

Twenty-two months ago, their lives had changed. They went instantly from a happy family of four to a confused and struggling family of three. Twenty-two months since her ex-husband had come home from work and told her that he wasn’t in love with her anymore. That he had met someone else, and she was going to have his baby. Five years before that day, Terry would have chased him from their home with a baseball bat, and she would have made both of them rue the day they had crossed her. But, she’d changed, she’d grown, she’d evolved…for the most part.

Now it was just her and her boys. She had a mortgage for a house that she couldn’t afford, a car that stayed broken almost as

much as it worked, and a teenage son who had shot up five inches in six months. David had promised to pay half of the mortgage, but hadn’t paid his share in almost a year. He hadn’t paid her the agreed amount of child support in the last few months. Things had been hard, and it didn’t look like it would be getting any easier any time soon. The hours at her job as a customer service representative at the mall were being cut because of the economy, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. For the past six months, she’d borrowed half the money for the mortgage payment from her cousin Dee. She didn’t complain about it, and Terry promised herself that she’d pay back every cent; but, it seemed that all she was doing was getting deeper and deeper in debt. She didn’t want to sell the house, the boys had had a hard enough time with their father abandoning them, they didn’t need to lose their home too, but she was running out of options.

Digging inside her purse, she pulled out her wallet, checking her cash. "Seven dollars and thirty-five cents; great," she sighed.

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FORGOTTEN PROMISES by Denise Skelton

FORGOTTEN PROMISES by Denise Skelton

True Love Comes Along Once in a Lifetime. That s what Detective Holly Lawson James believed. Her husband and co-worker Edmond was everything a woman could want in a man and a partner; strong, warm and romantic, he filled her life and her heart with passion and joy -until a police sting went terribly wrong and abruptly took him from her and their little girl, Abby. On that day her life changed forever. Now five years later Holly has grown accustomed to being alone, a state that suits her perfectly well, because she's sure that true love comes along only once in a lifetime.

Despite promising his wife otherwise, Tyler Green knew he would never find love again. He had watched powerlessly as cancer ravaged his beautiful Felicia. Day by day, moment by moment, the illness, like a thief, dragged her closer toward death and tore away big chunks of his heart. When it was finally over he was left empty and cold, but it doesn't matter to Tyler because he's sure that true love will never head his way again.

Still, love has a way of getting through to the stoniest of hearts and all it takes is one mischievous little girl and an unlikely meddling angel to prove them both wrong. But there is danger lurking in the shadows of their new beginning and one person's obsession may well cause Holly to lose the most important thing in her life..her daughter!

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The dark blue curtains in the bedroom were drawn, keeping the late afternoon sun from bathing the 10- by 12-foot room. When Tyler saw Felicia lying motionless on the bed, his heart tightened and he automatically heaved a heavy sigh. Then he immediately scolded himself as he suppressed a gag.

He hated that smell. It’s the smell of a place with almost no ventilation. The smell of illness. The smell of death. He hated himself more for the very thoughts that entered his mind before he had a chance to block them. The idea of just driving away and never coming back, never looking back. Wondering…why them? Of all the people in the world, why did he have to watch his wife die slowly? Why was he cursed to watch her hurting daily, while he was left sitting on his hands watching her suffer so? Thinking, why can’t this just end? Why can’t it be over?

Tyler leaned against the doorframe, watching her frail frame that nearly disappeared on the queen-size bed. She looked so aged and withered for someone only 27 years old. Her once beautiful mocha skin was drawn and ashen, all life gone. Her once glorious mane was gone, leaving only smooth, tight skin behind.

That’s what the chemo had done to her. No…the chemo had weakened her, but the cancer was the culprit here. It was gradually eating away at her, and it would continue until there was nothing left. Tyler watched the spasmodic rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to take each breath. She slowly turned her head to meet his gaze.

"Hey," he said, forcing a smile.

Felicia smiled weakly at him. "Hey," she said, reaching for his hand.

Tyler’s chest tightened again in the emotional pain that seemed to haunt his every moment, and he tried to breathe evenly as he went to the bed and sat down on the side. "How are you feeling, my love?"

"No pain," she whispered. "Just tired." She took his hand. "I need to talk to you."

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" he asked, his finger lightly brushing her brow. It was meant to be a loving gesture, but all he could think about was what she once was, and what her cancer had stolen from her. Stolen from both of them.

"Tyler, I need you to promise me something." Her voice was so weak, but in the stillness of the room, he could easily hear her.

"Anything, baby."

"I need you to promise me that when I’m gone—" She grimaced as she sucked in a painful breath. "When I’m gone, you’ll start living your life again."

"You’re not going anywhere, baby."

"Yes, I am. We both know it Tyler—I’m dying."

"No," Tyler said, shaking his head. Tears stung his eyes, and he tried to hold them in, if only for her.

"Yes," she said, a lone tear streaming from the corner of her eye, marking her cheek. "Tyler, it’s okay, I’m not afraid anymore. I’ve accepted it. But I don’t want you to sit around mourning me. You should celebrate my life, our life and the good times we had to gather. You can’t dwell on my death, baby…it won’t do either of us any good."

"Don’t talk like that."

"I have to say this, Tyler…I want you to be happy. I want you to find love again, and maybe…maybe have children. Something that I couldn’t give you." The pain in her voice, the sheer agony, tore at Tyler’s heart. He could hear, too, that she was resigned to her thoughts.

To her fate.

"No. I’ll never find anyone to love as much as I love you." The honesty in his voice shook him to his core, and he found that he was no longer able to keep the tears that had been threatening to spill from leaking out of his eyes.

"Yes, you will. You just need to open your heart. You’ve been taking care of me for so long. You put your career on hold, gave up the dream of having a child, all for me."

"It was for us; we needed to get you well."

"Tyler, I’m not going to get well. I’m tired. I’m so very tired, but I can’t let go. I can’t let go until I know you’ll be okay. Until I know that you will find happiness, find love—" She gulped. "I need to know, Tyler…"

"Baby, you’re my life. I’ll never love anyone like I love you."

"Yes, you will. Tyler, just promise me that you’ll be happy."

"I promise," Tyler barely whispered past the lump in his throat. He leaned forward, his lips brushing hers. When he drew back her eyes seemed to sparkle like they once had, and she smiled up at him as if nothing in the whole world was wrong. He tried to take a deep breath, ignoring the smell of the room, and reached for the copy of Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger that sat on the nightstand.

"I love you, Tyler."

Tyler smiled down at her, brushing her brow again.

"I love you too, baby." Opening the book, he cleared his throat, "Where were we? Do you remember what page I stopped on?" Tyler looked at her and immediately knew that she was gone. He closed his eyes, dropped his head and sobbed silently. It was like a dam had broken, and the tears came flowing freely. Then with trembling hands he set the book on the nightstand and scrubbed his face, brushing tears from his cheeks.

"I love you, my Felicia. I’ll always love you…and I’ll never love anyone again."

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FREEDOM TO OBEY by Cheryl Dragon

FREEDOM TO OBEY by Cheryl Dragon

Telling his girlfriend he’s a werewolf is nothing compared to sharing his secret lust for BDSM.

Dillon’s girlfriend is a single mom and, more than anyone, she needs a release, a way to put stress aside, and to learn it’s okay to let someone else be in charge!

Laurel gives in to the experimentation at a sex club, but he only gets to be the boss for her pleasure!

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~Excerpt~

Dillon Jefferies watched his girlfriend Laurel do a hurried final check of her son’s backpack. The seven-year-old wasn’t high-maintenance, but Adam’s mom definitely could be. A honk from the driveway made everyone look. 

“Behave. Call me if you need anything. Love you.” Laurel hugged Adam tight and gave him his first cell phone. They’d practiced with it all week. 

Dillon got a high five as Adam headed out for a weekend with his dad. The often absentee father didn’t get any points in Dillon’s book, but maybe, he had finally grown up. Either way, the phone connection made Dillon feel better about it. He had big plans for the weekend. 

Laurel sat down next to Dillon on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder. Her reddish brown hair curled rebelliously as always. When she pressed her curvy figure to him, Dillon felt total trust and he saw it in her big green eyes. 

“He’ll be fine. He’s got both our numbers and your parents’ programmed in there. Phone, email and text. If he needs us, he’ll get us.” He wrapped an arm around her. 

She nodded. “I know. It’s just hard. Distract me?” 

That was the plan, but it was more than a weekend of fun sex in bed that he had in mind. “You trust me?” he asked. 

Her brow scrunched. “Of course. What are you up to?” 

Checking his watch, Dillon knew the club crowd would be very light until dinner. Demented was something he’d never shared with her. It was time to take their relationship to the next level. All Dillon could do now was hope she handled it well. 

“I’m going to take you out. First, I need to tell you something.” He held her hand. 

“What?” Laurel’s face froze as if she were fighting off a cringe. Men had screwed with her before—Dillon knew that, and he had no intention of hurting her that way. He needed them to be closer. 

“It’s not bad. Really. You know how I go to see my mom every month? Four hour drive there and back.” Dillon hated that lie.

She nodded. 

“I don’t see my mom.” 

Her body went stiff, and she pulled away. “Another woman? Seriously? Just go. Get out so you’re long gone before Adam’s back.” 

Dillon smiled. He admired how she’d put her son first and didn’t take crap from men. When he started dating her, her friends had warned him one screw up was all it took to be history. Not because she’s a bitch but because she’d been hurt and after the divorce turned into a super protective mama bear. 

“I’m not cheating on you. I’d never do that. Just listen.” He rubbed the tension from her shoulders. 

“I thought you were different. Your trip isn’t always a weekend. Not consistent. Something was off.” 

“But you never asked. Never followed me. You trust me.” Dillon looked her in the eye. “I go to a safe place because I have to.” 

“Parole? Drug testing?” Her inner control freak couldn’t calm down.

“No and no. I’m a werewolf.” The words sounded silly, but the reality was anything but. 

She leaned back. “Werewolf? Like an animal?” 

“Exactly. I go into a safe environment for the full moon nights so I don’t hurt anyone.” 

“You’d never hurt anyone.” Her hands framed his face. “Is this a joke? Some role-playing sex game I don’t understand?” she asked. 

Dillon stood, removed his clothing and shifted to his wolf form. With no moon tugging at his animal side, he was in control so it was safe. When he saw the shock in her eyes, he licked her hand and shifted back. 

Grabbing him, Laurel felt his body and for once was speechless. Which was good. He had plans for more than true confessions this weekend. 

“I want to take you to the safe place. Show you everything.”

“I believe you now. I don’t want to see your cage.” She shuddered. 

“It’s not a cage. Demented has a habitat that’s safe. It caters to a lot of paranormal needs. BDSM with paranormal beings can be dangerous.” Dillon wanted to show her the fun side of dating a werewolf. 

“BDSM? Do you do that, too?” Her expression was hard to read, a mix of curiosity and caution. 

They’d been dating for four months, and Dillon had proven himself with Adam. With Laurel’s ex. With Laurel’s family. With Laurel’s stressful life. Now, he wanted to prove he could help her stressed state.

“I haven’t since I started seeing you. I’d never hurt or cheat on you. But I think you might like to try some things. If you want.” 

“I trust you…but what if I don’t like it? Don’t you think this is the sort of thing that you should tell someone early on? I mean, if we’re not really sexually compatible then there goes everything.” She threw up her hands and her toe tapped nervously. 

“There were more important things. Your ex was a jerk. Adam. Not moving too fast and screwing it up. I wanted to be sure we worked before I suggested it.” He chuckled at how the BDSM issue had completely overshadowed the werewolf fact. 

“So you think I’m a dominatrix? Some days I feel like drill sergeant.” She laughed. 

“Sometimes we need all need a change.” He tugged her to her feet. “Let’s get you dressed and head over. It’s much better to go over the details there.” 

She nodded and held his hand tight. Dillon squeezed her hand back. Her trust meant the world to him. Whether it was kinky sex or exploring the paranormal world he inhabited, he’d keep her safe. Once she had a submissive experience, he hoped that she’d understand it was a gift for both of them.

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THROUGH THE CLOUDS by Erin Aslin

THROUGH THE CLOUDS by Erin Aslin

"When Lisa Trubin falls in love with Mark Wally and discovers that he's not all he seemed to be, can she save herself from his seductive grasp and overcome his power over her?"

Lisa Trubin, a thirty-year-old single mother, is happy with her life. She works as a massage therapist to support her son, Irving, and although her life isn't the easiest, she doesn't feel as though it's lacking in anything. Then she meets Mark Wally, an attractive, confident and seductive man who overwhelms and excites her. As she falls in love with him, she realizes that she had been longing for something: a father for her son, a man to protect and support her, and a way to complete her family. But as Lisa gets to know Mark better, and their relationship progresses, she suspects that he's not the man she thought he was.

Readers will be inspired by the unfolding of Lisa's story, which is told in this insightful debut novel from writer Erin Aslin. Written from the heart, this novel will appeal to diverse audience, especially women, inspiring them to awaken to their dysfunctional relationships, and to see that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

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CHAPTER ONE

The plane glided through silvery clouds, offering its passengers a glimpse here and there of the patchwork landscape below. Divided by tiny threads of roads and serpentine rivers, the flat rectangles of cities, small towns and fields crawled by despite the high speed.

Lisa Trubin’s twelve-year-old son, Irving, focused on the view. It was his first flight, and he was amazed by the entire experience. The panorama that sprawled beneath him captured his whole attention, and it seemed that nothing could distract him. Lisa smiled and stroked his soft hair. Then she plugged her earphones into the outlet and lay back in her seat. The plane’s engines droned, lulling her into a dreamlike state. She reclined her seat farther back and closed her eyes. Soft music filled her ears, and she didn’t notice when she began to envision scenes from her life.

When did it all start? The darkness, the infinite stress, and the pain? Had it started when she met him, her only love, hope, and dream? How could that be? Everything she had with him promised her a great future…

***
Sunlight had filled the apartment with light, washing over the fresh flowers in vases at the windows. The flowers had looked beautiful and alive, nourishing the living room. Beyond the windows, the trees were showing off their colorful late-September leaves, tossing in a playful breeze. Fluffy light clouds hovered over the landscape in a blue, almost transparent sky. It was 75 degrees—perfect weather in every way for Chicago. Lisa thought it would be a sin to stay inside on a beautiful Saturday afternoon like this.

The phone rang. Her friend Sonya sounded excited. “Isn’t it a great day? I’m having a picnic for a few friends today. Can you come?”

“Of course I’m coming!” Lisa said. “I’d be thrilled to come.” Her seven-year-old son, Irving, was spending the night at a friend’s house, and being home alone, especially on such a beautiful day, hadn’t appealed to Lisa.

“When, where, and what should I bring?” she asked happily.

Sonya laughed. “Just bring yourself. We’ll pick you up in an hour, and I have a surprise for you,” she added in a mysterious voice.

“What’s the surprise?” Lisa asked, intrigued. “What are you talking about?”

Sonya laughed again. “Don’t even ask. It’s a secret. Bye now, and see you soon.”

An hour later, a white SUV pulled up in front of Lisa’s building. The horn blew. Lisa grabbed her linen purse—a Liz Claiborne that she had packed earlier with a small blanket and a makeup kit containing lipstick and a mirrored compact—and ran downstairs. Within seconds she was outside, looking at the faces of the people in the SUV who waved to her through the open windows.

“Get inside,” Sonya invited.

Lisa got into the SUV and sat next to Sonya. There were ten people in the van, most of whom Lisa had met before. “Okay,” Sonya said loudly, “I think everybody knows everybody, but if you see any unfamiliar faces, please raise your hand.” One hand at the back of the van went up. A tall man in his late thirties, wearing designer glasses, asked with a smile, “Who’s this pretty lady you were hiding from me, Sonya?”

“That’s my little surprise,” Sonya whispered in Lisa’s ear before she said, “Mark, meet Lisa. Lisa, this is Mark.”

Lisa couldn’t say a word. She couldn’t explain what was happening. It was as though a bolt of lightning had shot through her, taking her breath away. She managed to smile back at Mark and murmur something indistinct. He kept looking at her. He was poised and confident. Waves of attraction washed over her. A miracle was taking place. It was something that couldn’t be explained rationally. She had never experienced this before. It was as if an unspoken message had passed into her subconscious, giving her understanding. Lisa couldn’t see straight. She knew in her heart that he was the ONE. He was the man she was meant to be with. She also knew that the feeling was mutual. That was how she met Mark Wally and how her new life began…

“Mom, Mom, are you sleeping?” Irving tugged at her shoulders. “Look, we’re inside the clouds.”

Bending into Irving’s seat, Lisa peered out the window. Their big plane was suspended in a milky-white powder puff.

“Are we stuck, Mom?”

The plane’s engines were working with all of their might, pulling them above the clouds.

“Don’t worry, Irving,” Lisa said softly. “We’ll make it out. See how strong the plane is!”

True to her word, the plane carried them out into the bright sunlight and blue sky, leaving the clouds far behind.

“It’s awesome,” Irving exclaimed, pressing his nose against the window again.

Lisa smiled at him. She thought again, as she had so often, how blessed she was to have this boy as her son. He was her own blood, a part of her soul. He was the only one in the world who gave her a reason to live, to struggle, and to win.

Lisa lay back in her seat and closed her eyes, drifting deeper into her memories again. She envisioned the events that happened after her meeting with Mark.

***
He called her the next morning. He sounded a little nervous and less confident.
“Do you mind having dinner tonight?” he asked with barely disguised hope. His voice was deep and soft at the same time. “Yes, I’d like to,” Lisa replied. “Just let me see if I can find a baby-sitter on such short notice.”

“Yes, of course,” Mark said promptly. “Would it be all right if I call you back later?”

“Sure, you can call me around three. I’ll know for sure by then.”

Lisa hung up the phone and smiled. He’d called her! She knew he would!

She dashed to the kitchen, pulled her address book from a cabinet and opened the page that had the baby-sitters phone number. She was an older woman who occasionally helped Lisa by watching Irving. Oh, please God, let Mary not have any plans for tonight! Lisa prayed as she picked up the phone and dialed. Her prayer was answered—Mary was home and was happy to baby-sit Irving. Lisa was very excited. Everything was just going perfectly for her. Mark called five minutes past three and they set a time for the date.

He was standing at the corner across from Lisa’s apartment with a big bouquet of white and red roses. Lisa looked at him as she approached from behind. Mark had broad and slightly rounded shoulders, which she hadn’t noticed yesterday. He looked very elegant in his midnight blue suit. He was carefully holding the flowers out in front of him. There was something in his pose; something in the way he held those flowers, that mesmerized Lisa for a moment. She felt an indefinable closeness to him, as if she hadn’t just met him yesterday but had known him all her life. Lisa’s heart started to beat a bit faster, and she stopped walking for a moment to allow it to slow down. Suddenly, Mark turned around and saw her. He smiled.

“Hi, Lisa, I’m so glad you could make it.” He held the flowers out to her. “These are for you.”
The flowers were fresh, vibrant and beautiful. There was no doubt that he hadn’t simply bought them at the grocery store but had carefully chosen them one by one, at a flower shop. It was very sweet of him.

They spent a lovely time at a fabulous restaurant that evening.

Lisa remembered that night now as if it were yesterday. They left the car with valet parking, and Mark opened the heavy glass door into the lobby. The classic, old-fashioned style of the restaurant pleasantly surprised Lisa. There was an antique cherry wood desk in the right corner, and overhead, a large crystal chandelier and red linen curtains on the windows, all creating a fashionable atmosphere. The gray-haired host welcomed them and escorted them through the main hallway covered in a handmade brown carpet to their table. It was in a cozy corner across from a pianist who was playing a light, romantic piece. The ceiling lights were dimmed. Two gorgeous candles in crystal candelabras glimmered on the table, casting merry shadows.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” Mark asked, putting his cigarette pack on the table.

“No, I don’t mind,” Lisa said, smiling. “I smoke sometimes.”

A tall, shorthaired waiter with a thin, curly tipped mustache appeared to take their order. Mark suggested that Lisa try the White Zinfandel with fried calamari for an appetizer and filet mignon for the entree. Then he chose Merlot and Absolute steak for himself. While their dishes were being prepared, they drank wine and listened to the soft music. Mark gazed passionately at Lisa through his designer glasses as he blew smoke out in a haze. There was something very sexy about him—the way he looked at her, the way he held his cigarette.

“How about dancing?” he asked, putting his cigarette down.

Lisa smiled at him and didn’t have a chance to answer. Mark held his hand out to her and gently pulled her up, guiding her from the table. They proceeded onto the hardwood dance floor where a few other couples were dancing. Pulling Lisa close, Mark placed her arms on his shoulders so her right cheek was buried in his chest. They moved to the sounds of the music. Lisa felt his strong body pressed against hers and his strong arms wrapped around her. He smelled like cigarette smoke, which affected Lisa like a strong sedative, making her pleasantly light-headed. It was strange, because usually she couldn’t stand other people’s cigarette smoke unless she was smoking too. She managed to raise her head to look at Mark and smiled. “I can feel your heart beating,” she said.

He didn’t say anything, just bent toward her and lightly touched her temple with his chin. Then his cheek gently tapped hers, softly tickling it with its stubble. Lisa shut her eyes. Mark held her tightly in his arms. His lips moved to the side of her neck, burning her skin with his breath. They moved into her hair, softly caressing it, and then brushed over her eyelids. Lisa felt herself shiver. She felt giddy. She couldn’t resist anymore. Her lips opened toward his. Mark gently kissed her and then slightly relaxed his embrace, still holding her in his arms.

“I see our food is already on the table,” he said. “Let’s sit down.”

“Yes, I’m starving,” Lisa said awkwardly, trying to compose herself. Holding her hand, Mark led her back to their table. Then he pulled the chair back for Lisa to sit down. He filled the glasses with wine, and they started eating. The calamari looked very appetizing with its creamy white sauce and was in fact tasty. Her filet mignon was tender and delicious. Mark asked her to try his steak, and it was so tasty and juicy that it melted in her mouth. Undoubtedly, Mark had a sense for good food. From that moment, she always trusted him to order for her when they were dining out. He’d often encourage her to try different foods at different restaurants, and she was never disappointed with his choices. It was very comforting not having to go through the list of fancy menu items but just letting Mark order for her.

Mark drove her home around midnight and walked her to the door.

“Last kiss?” He smiled, opening his arms and hugging her. He sounded so eager and acted so skillfully that Lisa couldn’t help but welcome his hot lips on her eyes, then on her cheeks, and finally his hard and hot kiss on her lips. Then he moved a little aside, and Lisa noticed his look had changed to guilt and discomfort. His look told her that he wasn’t sure if he had crossed the line by kissing her, and he was apologizing with his heart. There was a mixture of male confidence on the one hand and gentle hesitation on the other, which Lisa found very appealing.
“Do you want some coffee?” she asked, moving toward his arms and his lips.

“Yes. I’m desperate for some strong, black coffee and a cigarette.”

They went up the stairs to the second floor, where Lisa’s apartment was. When she opened the door, the small hallway that led to the living room was lit, but the rest of the apartment was dark. Mary was a very economical person, and she always turned the lights off when there was no one in a room. She kept the hallway light on though, as she didn’t want Lisa to come home to a dark apartment. It was one of the sweetest things that she did for Lisa, and Lisa always appreciated it.

Putting her finger to her lips, Lisa showed Mark to the kitchen. Then she went into Irving’s room and found him asleep in his bed. Mary was sleeping on the couch to the right of Irving’s bed. Lisa smiled, quietly closed the door, and went back to the kitchen.

Mark was sitting in the dark; the only light in the kitchen was coming from the tip of his cigarette. Lisa’s heart lurched with warm waves of attraction. She quickly turned on the light and started to make coffee. She was so glad that she had good-quality coffee and a small porcelain coffee set.

“Why are you alone?” Mark asked suddenly. “Are you divorced?”

Lisa held her breath. Her heartbeat increased. It had been around six years since her husband, Irving’s father, died, but even after all those years, talking about it was hard for her. “My husband died in a car accident,” she said slowly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Mark added, and silence filled the room.

“Well, it’s not your fault,” Lisa said. “It happened six years ago. Irving was about a year old,” she added and tried to change the subject. “Tell me more about yourself.”

Mark drew on his cigarette and paused, pensively looking at the tiny stream of bluish smoke drifting off the tip of the cigarette. “I’ve been divorced for two years now. Have two kids—a girl who’s ten and a boy who’s eight,” he finally answered. “They aren’t here. They live in New York with their mom.” He drew forcefully on his cigarette.

“Do you miss them?” Lisa asked quietly, turning away to watch the coffee maker.

“Yes,” Mark said. “I miss them, and I hate that judges automatically favor giving children to the mother. It’s unfair, and it discriminates against fathers’ rights. I dream of the day when I’ll gain full custody of my children.” Suddenly, he rose and hugged Lisa from behind as she stood at the kitchen counter. “How’s the coffee coming?” he whispered in her ear.

It was ready, but Mark didn’t let her answer. His lips slid to her neck as he turned her around and pressed against him, burning her skin with his hot kisses.

“No, Mark, no.” Lisa softly pushed him away.
Mark stepped a little aside. “Let me help you with the coffee,” he said.

Lisa poured it into her beautiful porcelain cups, and then placed them on the saucers. Mark carried them over to the table. They sat down and ended the night by talking and drinking coffee.
There was a lot of kissing and touching that night, but Lisa believed that it would be inappropriate to have sex on their first date, so they didn’t.

After a while, Mark started getting ready to leave. The next day was a workday, and he was apologetic for staying so late. He gave her a good-bye kiss—one that made Lisa always remember that moment. Standing at the open door, ready to go, Mark bent and gently touched her lips, his eyes intent on her. There was a mixture of passion, confidence, and softness in his look and in his demeanor, and there was something else too, something indefinable that made her heart sink. That was the image of Mark that Lisa carried throughout their life together. Visualizing that moment would help restore her love for him later in their lives. It always worked.

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