Lex nods somberly, continuing to scroll through the series of videos. “I do. My mom would’ve loved these when she went through treatment.”

“I didn’t know Mimi had cancer.” Ruby had never mentioned it.

“It wasn’t something she broadcasted. You know how it is. She just sort of disappeared for a while. People suspected, but we kept it pretty quiet. It’s the reason behind the Halloween fundraiser.”

“She’s okay now though?”

Lex smiles. “She is. She’s a real fighter. She wasn’t as lucky as your mom, she had to have a mastectomy, but she had reconstructive surgery at the same time. Anyway, this is really incredible.”

I blush and look away, unable to manage the compliment. “They’re not all like that. Some of them are just Halloween makeup and how to be a sexy zombie, but that series was special. It was hard for my mom to be around people when all they wanted to do was be sympathetic. This made her feel normal.”

“What’s this one?” He taps the screen.

“We went to the cancer ward over the Christmas holidays and I did makeup for the terminal teens. We had to get waivers signed by the parents to make the video, but we raised something like seventy thousand dollars, so as hard as it was to see, it was totally worth it.” I wave my hand around in the air because talking about it makes me teary.

Lex sets the iPad on the lounge chair and takes my face between his palms. His expression steals my breath, something like reverence passes behind his eyes as he searches my face. “You’re an incredible woman, I hope you realize that.” I attempt to shake my head, but Lex keeps me still between his palms, thumbs stroking my cheeks. “Don’t argue with me, just say I know.”

I smile and whisper the words.

“Good girl.”

I shiver when he brushes his lips over mine, the sadness washing away, everything ceasing to exist except for him. All it takes from this man is a touch to melt me from the inside.

“So incredible.” I tip my head back when he tugs the end of my hair so he can nip along my jaw. “You taste like coffee and oranges,” he murmurs.

“That’s because someone sent me to be pampered today.” I’m glad for the change of topic, I don’t want to think about sad things right now. I just want to enjoy this time with Lex while I have it.

He skims along my collarbone, and follows the contour of my breast. My nipples harden with the simple touch, then tighten further when he grazes one with his thumb. He moves in closer, until his chest comes flush with mine, and his roaming hands finds the center of my back, thumbs smoothing down my spine until he reached the waist of my bikini bottoms.

“You enjoyed yourself, then?”

“Immensely.” I run my palms over his chest, his gentleness sparking need. I don’t know if we have enough time before dinner to enjoy each other, and waiting until after dessert seems like unnecessary torture.

“Good. I’m glad.” He’s still looking at me intently, eyes traveling over my face. I wish he was kissing me again, with tongue this time. “What was your favorite part?”

“The flowers, the dress, and you here, right now.”

His smile widens. “I meant the spa services.”

“Oh, right. The massage was nice. Everything was, actually.” I palm the back of his neck and tug.

He resists slightly, that smile still playing on his lips. “Not interested in conversation anymore?”

“That’s what dinner’s for, isn’t it?” I slide the screen door open and step inside the bungalow, pulling him along with me. The clock to my right indicates it’s just seven. We have plenty of time for pre-dinner sex. I pull the tie at my neck, and the one between my shoulder blades. My bikini top falls between us at our feet. “I thought maybe I could be your appetizer.”

“Did you now?”

I tug the ones at my hips and the bottoms join my top on the floor. His erection strains against his pressed khakis. “I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable through dinner.”

“That’s very considerate of you.”

I palm him through his pants. “That’s me, Miss Considerate.”

Lex runs his hands down my sides and cups my ass. His lips glide along my shoulder, teeth nipping at my neck until he reaches my ear. “I was very distracted during my meetings this afternoon.”

I free the clasp on his belt. “Oh? What was the issue?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

“What kind of things were you thinking about?”

“About the ways I want to have you, about the hours I had to wait before I could touch you again. Kiss you”—his mouth descends on mine as he walks us further into the room, but not in the direction of the bed—“fuck you.” Lex spins me around and bends me over the back of the couch. His warm palm travels down my back. “Here is okay?”

“Anywhere is fine, as long as your plan is to get inside me.”

His hands move to my ass, staying there for a moment before he slips one between my legs. I clutch the back of the couch as he eases two fingers inside me. I’m already wet, but he plays with me, teases, strokes, and caresses until my knees are weak and I’m shaking with the promise of release. The rip of the condom follows and then he’s pushing inside, groaning as his hips come flush with my ass. “I promise I’ll take my time with you later.”

His shirt appears beside me, and then his chest is flush against my back. Trailing gentle fingers down my arm he lifts my hand and wraps it around the back of his neck. I need the other one to keep my balance, so I’m unable to rub my throbbing, needy clit. I moan when he grabs my hip and rolls his own. He’s deep, the head of his cock hitting the same magic spot with every thrust. I shudder and he chuckles.

“Fuck, Amie, all day.” He shifts his hips back and pushes in slowly, lips still at my ear. “All I could think about was being inside you.” Another deep thrust. “About those sexy, sweet sounds you make when I fuck you.”

I groan at the grind of his hips against my ass.

As he straightens I rise with him. His hand moves down the outside of my thigh and he lifts my leg, setting my knee on the back of the couch, spreading me wider, changing the angle so he goes even deeper.

“You know what I thought about the most?” His fingers drift slowly over my hip until they rest above the crest of my pelvis, so close to where I need them.

I shake my head, the word please falls from my lips almost like a plea.

“How much I love the sound of you coming for me.”

His fingers dip low and he rubs slow, soft circles. It’s more than enough, almost too much, and I whimper his name, the sensation electrifying, overwhelming.

He keeps his fingers clamped over my clit as the orgasm starts to wane, and that’s when the real fucking commences. I tighten my grip on the back of his neck as he pounds into me, his hot breath on my shoulder as he says things like, “so fucking good” and “nothing feels better than this” and “so sexy.”

When he comes he bites my shoulder and slaps my clit, causing me to jerk in his arms and come again.

Once we’re both capable of doing more than moaning and breathing, he sets my foot back on the floor and I drop my hand from his neck, bracing myself on the couch as he eases out.

I turn and use the back rest to support my ass, my knees weak from the orgasm. “Well, that’s one way to work up an appetite.”