Her Heart's Desire

Tiffany dragged herself up, and he helped her off the bed. “Okay, but then I’m getting back in this bed, and I’m going to sleep for ten hours.”

“That’s a deal,” he promised her.

Ivan turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature. He got in first before helping her into the hot spray. Ivan had a rain showerhead that cascaded water over them.

“I’ve never used one of thes

e before,” she told him, and instantly perked up. “This is neat.”

“Glad you like it. Now come here.”

Ivan washed Tiffany’s back. She returned the favor when he was done, and then they washed each other. They got out and towel-dried off before returning to bed.

They were entwined in each other’s arms a while before Tiffany said, “Ivan?”

“Yeah, sweetheart.”

“Did I hear thunder earlier?”

He chuckled. “Yes, you did. It stormed earlier.”

She yawned. “Hmm…I didn’t notice.”

“Then my mission is complete,” Ivan teased.

“So is mine,” she said sleepily.

“Really? What mission was that?”

“Operation Seduction…did it work?”

His chest shook with mirth. He kissed her shoulder. “I’d say you nailed it, babe.”

*

Tiffany awoke slightly disoriented. It was still dark outside. After a moment, she remembered where she was. Ivan’s house. She turned over and reached for him. Her hand connected with air. “Ivan?” she called out.

“Hey,” she heard him say from across the room.

She sat up. “Hi. What are you doing?”

“I wasn’t sleepy, so I figured I’d read over my prep work for the new client.”

Tiffany yawned. She had slept well curled up next to him in his massive bed. A clap of thunder sounded outside, followed by the sound of heavy rain. “What time is it?”

“Zero two hundred.”

“Oh. Are you finished?”

“I can be.”

“Good. Can you come back to bed?”

Ivan set his work down, and then sauntered over to the bed and climbed in. He gathered Tiffany up in his arms. “Hey, beautiful. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No,” she said. “Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”