"Part of it. What's the matter? Don't you think it's appropriate for a twenty-nine-year old?" He turned to his side and propped up one elbow so he could look at her.
"Oh, I think it's very appropriate." Mary rolled over to face him. "Especially for a twenty-nine-year old who's wearing her birthday suit."
"And what a pretty birthday suit it is!"
"Yours isn't so bad either," Mary told him. "Except that it appears to have a hole in it. And I don't remember pulling the trigger."
Lee glanced down. "What, this?" He tried to make light of his gunshot wound. "It's nothing. Just a flesh wound."
"It's bleeding." She touched the stained bandage very gently.
"Probably from all the exertion. I didn't expect to have to break into the house just to be here in time to give you your birthday gifts." He watched as Mary's brown eyes widened in shock and her face paled at the memory of their confrontation on the stairs.
"I thought you were a burglar. Oh, dear Lord, Lee, I nearly shot you."
He leaned over to kiss her, gently. "But you didn't."
"I could have. I could have killed you." Mary began to shake and her voice quivered.
"But you didn't. And, except for a previous hole in my handsome birthday suit, I'm fine. See?" He took her hand and placed it on his chest over his heart.
Suddenly overcome by emotion, Mary wrapped her arms around his neck and began to cry.
Her tears alarmed him. "Ssh, ssh." Lee smoothed the stray strands of silky black hair away from her face, rubbed her back, and kissed first her cheek, and then her mouth. "Twenty-nine-year olds aren't allowed to cry on their birthdays," he told her.
"But I could have lost you, Lee," Mary sobbed, "and then, I would never have known about… this."
Lee couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing. "Oh, I'm pretty sure you could have talked someone else into showing you all this."
"It's not funny!"
"Sure it is," he teased. "What man wouldn't be thrilled by the prospect of teaching Mary Alexander all about lovemaking?"
"Mary Kincaid," she corrected, drying her tears on the top of the sheet. "Did you teach me everything?"
Lee shook his head. "No, but you sure taught me something." His voice was husky and low and sent shivers of anticipation running down Mary's spine.
"What was that?"
"How lucky I am. If you had shot me, we definitely wouldn't be doing this right now."
A teasing light appeared in Mary's brown eyes. "But we aren't doing anything."
"Oh yes we are." Lee leaned closer and covered her mouth with his. He wrapped his arms around Mary and hugged her tightly, then rolled to his back so that she lay sprawled atop him. "Time for another lesson, teacher," he told her when he finally let go of her mouth. "And this time, in deference to my wound, I'm going to let you do the work." He lifted her then, and carefully eased her down to cover him.
Mary almost purred. "I think I'm going to like this lesson," she said. "Teach me."
Lee taught her the motion, then lay back and allowed her to practice until she got it right.
They awoke a second time to the sound of a high pitched bark coming from the pile of clothing Lee had dropped on the floor as the terrier puppy reminded them of his presence.
"What was that?" Mary asked, coming slowly awake.
"Your other birthday present." Lee rolled to his side, then leaned over, and lifted the puppy onto the bed. "I think he's lonely."
The terrier pup waddled over the bed clothes, across Lee and over to Mary, where he promptly licked her face. "Lee, he's wonderful." Mary hugged the little fellow.
"I thought he might make a nice companion for you. Something to bark at would-be thieves and housebreakers whenever I'm away. Something to guard you while you sleep whenever you're alone." Lee's voice took on that husky quality Mary loved, the one that made her heart race and her body quiver with anticipation.