Fake Summer Wife

Four old-fashioned lamp posts cast a faint glow. There was a massive barbecue grill, with sturdy wrought iron patio furniture.

“Motion sensors,” he said, leading me to a bench out in the garden. There were more trees and shrubs than flowers, and I couldn’t help thinking that a woman’s touch throughout the entire space would bring everything together, give it that little extra oomph.

For the first time in my entire life, I could honestly imagine settling down with a man. Living our entire lives together. Working and cooking and lounging and…I knew it was way too soon to be thinking along those lines, but, again, I couldn’t help it.

Everything was falling into place so smoothly and it was so easy to picture our entire future laid out before us. That thought made me as giddy as the warmth of Vaughan’s hand skimming up and down my back as we sat close together.

“I like your house,” I said softly.

“Our house,” he gently corrected me.

“Right. Our house. I’ve been living here several months, I added the plants and I’m changing out a few of the lamps next weekend. Also, we’re thinking about putting in an aquarium.”

He turned us to face each other and quirked his right eyebrow up at me. “Oh, are we, now?”

“Yes. We both keep slightly strange hours during busy spells, so we’re not quite settled enough for something furry. Don’t worry – we’re just thinking about it for now. It might be our Christmas present to each other over the holidays.”

It felt so deeply perfect that we were both smiling as his lips met mine. His fingertips slipped into the back of my hair, as my hands gripped his thick biceps.

Vaughan lifted me, setting me on his lap. The indescribable hum pulling the two of us together was incredible. It felt like my body burned for his. As if we couldn’t possibly be close enough.

My lips parted so that he could deepen the kiss as I clung to him. My breasts crushed against his chest, and I heard him groan.

Then I realized my thigh was brushing quite insistently against a very firm area in his jeans. It was intoxicating to think that he was so aroused just because of me. Just because of a little kiss.

How strange that it made me feel powerful, but it also told me that this oddly accelerated relationship was absolutely real. Well, mostly. Once we got through tomorrow night, things would probably be a bit more relaxed.

Trembling in his arms, I gasped softly as his tongue entered my mouth, exploring, tasting. When he finally pulled back to gaze into my eyes, I felt like I was floating.

“Claudia,” he began, as his thumb ran down the side of my cheek. “My precious girl.”

I reached up to tweak his nose with my finger. “Wife.”

“Yes, dear,” he said in that teasing singsong voice that I was falling in love with. Oh. Wow. I really was falling.

“We have a big day ahead tomorrow, gorgeous,” he murmured softly against my ear until I shivered. “As much as I would love to take you upstairs, I think I should probably take you home so you can get a good night’s rest.”

“Yes, I guess so. I have to start getting ready at three.”

Vaughan held me back another few inches so that he could stare at me. “Three? I’m not picking you up till six-forty-five.”

“Yes. But I have to shower and do a scrub before the makeup artist arrives at four to do my face and hair.”

He shook his head. “I’m so sorry.”

“Really, it’s okay. Actually, I’ve never gone anywhere so fancy before. It’s going to be an adventure.”

Vaughan’s grin would have knocked me over if he wasn’t holding me so tight. “Now that’s an attitude I respect,” he said. “Life is an adventure. New things are how we grow. I can’t stand it when peopl

e have their minds made up about something when they haven’t even tried it yet.”

I knew that he was probably referring to Jessica, but certainly didn’t want to think about her right now.

We walked out to the front foyer, and Vaughan grabbed his keys as I grabbed my purse. “Oh – I almost forgot.” I took a long, flat cardboard box out of my bag and handed it to him.

“What’s this?”

“Just look.”