Turnaround (5 page)

After her shower, she sent him a text inviting
him for pizza and a movie and James readily agreed. Her day crawled, until
finally she was home and able to change into jeans and a T-shirt. Becca grabbed
the menu of her favorite pizza place and ordered, hanging up just as James
knocked.

She wiped her clammy hands on a kitchen towel.
Why
am I so nervous? James has been beyond great. This will be fine.

He came in, grabbing her around the waist and
kissing her before moving farther into the living room. She told him to sit
while she went to get them both colas. When she returned, Becca handed James a
can and blurted, “I want to sleep with you.” She gasped.
I can’t freaking
believe I said that.

James looked startled.
“Now?”

“No, no. God, I’m such an idiot.”

Pulling her down next to him, he said, “You are
not
an idiot. I’ve been thinking about it a lot too. Honestly I wasn’t sure how to
approach you. Apparently I should’ve gone with the direct method.”

“I’m totally embarrassed. Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not. I’m trying to make you see this is
really okay. Better than okay.”

Becca bit her lip and then smirked. “So what’s
the direct approach? ‘Wanna fuck?’”

James laughed and hugged her. “I like to think
I’m a little smoother than that. Maybe ‘Wanna have sex?’”

“Yes, that’s much better. Practically suave.”

“I try.” He leaned over, and, pushing her hair
behind her ear, whispered, “I like it when you talk dirty.”

“James!” She turned her head to look at him. “I didn’t
even know I could. I mean, you consider ‘wanna fuck’ dirty talk? Seems pretty
lame to me.”

“You could never be lame.”

The doorbell rang. “Food!” Becca rose and
hurried toward the door, hearing a chuckle behind her.

“Hungry or just trying to get away from this
conversation?”

Becca pivoted, stuck her tongue out at James and
then continued to the door, as another snort of laughter came from James. It
was a revelation that she felt comfortable enough to show her silly side. She’d
spent the first few weeks carefully planning out every sentence, every
response. But lately she’d let more of the real Becca show through and James
seemed to appreciate it.

She set the food out on the coffee table and
James brought in plates.
He knows where stuff is in my kitchen.
It was a
very “domestic” scene, and yet felt so right. At some point she could see this
being her life–both of them going to work and then coming home to each other.
No more cold beds or lonely evenings. Someone besides AAA to rescue her if she
had a flat tire. A man to kill spiders.

Ah, bliss.

James popped in the DVD of the TV series they’d
begun watching together and they relaxed, first eating and then stretching out,
heads on opposite arms of the couch and various other limbs tangled together.
He began to massage her sock-clad feet and Becca groaned.

“Why do you wear such uncomfortable shoes? I’ll
never understand that about women.”

She glanced at him. “We suffer for fashion. It’s
a requirement. In the handbook and everything.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “Handbook, huh? I might
have to search that out.”

“Oh, it turns invisible when men are around.”

“A
magic
handbook? Even better.”

“Watch the show.”

“I’d rather watch you.”

Becca threw a small pillow at him, which he
reached up and caught with one hand before tossing it onto the floor. “Now,
now. No need for violence, or I’ll stop rubbing your feet.”

She mock-whimpered and, with a soft chuckle, he
resumed working his own brand of magic on her tired, aching feet.

When the third episode finished, James said, “I
want to talk to you a little more about the thing earlier. Sleeping together.”

“Okay…”
He’s not getting cold feet, is he? Do
men
ever
get cold feet about having sex?

“I want to make sure you’re happy and have
everything you need from the experience.”

“Uh, all right.” She paused. “But what are you
talking about? Happy with what, exactly?”

“That you’re making the right decision, that you
want to take this step, that you’re ready for it.”

“Yes, yes, and yes. How’s that?”

James grinned. “Perfect. How about we try for
this Sunday? Planning it out doesn’t seem very romantic, but with both of our
schedules—”

“I know what you mean. And sure.”

Crawling to Becca’s side of the couch and
straddling her, he said, “It’s a date.”

“For sex.”

“Still a date.” He tickled her and she shrieked.

“Yes, still a date. Now stop.”

“In a minute.”

“Hey, you’re forgetting I know your spots, too.”
Stealing around to his back, she searched out that one spot that made him jump
every time. She’d discovered it by accident one night when they’d been messing
around, but this was the first time Becca had deliberately set out to tickle
him there.

With a surprised grunt he jumped off her. “Fine.
Truce.” Pulling out his cell, James unlocked it and groaned. “I should go.”
Kneeling, he leaned forward and kissed her. “I really hate leaving you.”

His tone instantly choked her up. “Ditto.” A
tear escaped anyway, and he swiped at it with his thumb.

“Shh, baby.”

“I’m sorry.” More tears leaked out.
What is
happening to me?

“Hey, hey. What’s this all about?”

“I don’t know.”

“Scoot over.”

She did and he lay on the couch with her. “I’ll
stay for a bit, okay?”

“I feel dumb.”

“Never dumb. You wear your heart on your sleeve,
and I love that.” James stiffened momentarily before relaxing once more. He
rocked her, crooning soft nonsense in her ear.

“I’m fine, James. Go. Really. I just got weird
for a minute.”

“For a minute?” James turned her face up to his
and smiled at her.

“Smartass.”

After James left and Becca got ready for bed,
she slid underneath the covers and pulled them up to her chin. So they were
going to sleep together–to have sex. This Sunday. She hoped she satisfied
James. It had been so long, but she guessed the whole thing would come back
pretty quickly.

It had better.
Becca drifted off to sleep, imagining
herself in James’ arms. Maybe someday it would be for longer than a few hours
or a night. Dangerous thinking at this point, but Becca didn’t care. She firmly
believed you could spot your soul mate and know them in an instant. For her, it
hadn’t been quite that fast, but she saw him now.

*****

James led Becca by the hand into his bedroom.
They’d been together for nearly six weeks and, despite Becca’s initial
reservations, things had been going great. Even so, he was still nervous to
take the next step. Would she freak out after they slept together, even though
when they’d talked about it she’d been fine? James wasn’t the type to fall into
bed with just anybody, so it had been a while since he’d last had sex. What if
he came too soon? What if he couldn’t make Becca orgasm? Sure, the two of them
had done plenty, but they’d stayed above the belt. He had no idea how hard it
would be to please her and didn’t want to be a disappointment.

When they entered the room, James glanced around
at the lit candles he’d placed throughout. Maybe he’d gone too far, created too
much pressure.

Becca was also looking around.

“You okay?”

She glanced at him. “Yeah. This is nice.”

“I was hoping I hadn’t gone overboard.”

“I feel like I should warn you. I haven’t done
this in a long time. Like, a
long
time.”

James grinned.
Thank God.
“Neither have
I.”

“Oh, great. We’ll bumble and fumble together?”

“Sounds like a plan.” James kissed her. She
tasted sweet, like the dessert they’d shared at the restaurant. Slowly, he
undressed her. “You’re gorgeous.”

She made a face.

“Don’t put yourself down, honey. You’re a
beautiful woman. If you don’t believe my words, believe this.” He placed her
hand over his still-covered erection and her eyes widened. “See what you do to
me?”

“Wow.”

“Lie down, baby. I want to make you feel good,
and it sounds like a whole lotta fun to run my tongue from your head to your
toes.”

“Oh, my.”

She fanned herself and he laughed, but soon she was
lying on his bed and, man, she looked so natural there. His breath caught.
James wanted to tell her he loved her, but right before sex was a very bad time
to do that. Instead, he undressed and joined her on the bed.

Turning her head away, he attacked her neck.
He’d spent a lot of time on that region of Becca’s anatomy in the past couple
of weeks and still couldn’t get enough. “You’re so damn sexy.” Moving down, he
took her distended nipple into his mouth, sucking it hard, as he’d learned she
liked. When he started on the other breast, James moved his hand down her belly
to her pussy. Finding her already wet, he groaned. “Killing me.”

Becca let out a whimper. “Don’t tease.”

“I don’t intend to.” James eased one finger
inside and felt around for the bundle of nerves contained therein, rubbing
until Becca moved, moaning.

James scooted between her legs, spreading her
with his hands. He took a tentative lick, trying to work out what she liked. As
soon as the tip of his tongue found her clit, Becca gasped, closing her thighs
around his head. A sense of relief infused him.
I guess she’s enjoying
herself.

“Let me touch you. This isn’t fair. Come up
here.”

With a chuckle, James spun until they were in a
sixty-nine position and then nearly swallowed his tongue when her warm, wet
tongue circled his cockhead.
I forgot how freaking good that feels.
He’d
come too fast if he let himself concentrate on the sensations surrounding his
dick, so instead he lent his attention to Becca’s orgasm. He wanted her to
come. If she did again while he was inside her, that was a bonus, but he was
going to do anything he could to drive her crazy now.

Focusing on her clit, he took it into his mouth
and she squeaked around his cock. Soon, she was thrashing and released him,
throwing her head back on the pillow and emitting a high-pitched scream. Becca
contracted around his finger and he groaned. He couldn’t wait to be buried in
that tight sheath.

Becca’s skin was flushed with desire.
Understanding her unspoken plea, James put on a condom and then shifted until
he was between her legs. Slowly, he sank into her.
Heaven.
The pale
curves of her breasts called to him and he planted little kisses along the side
of her right breast before moving higher and taking the delicate lobe of her
ear into his mouth, mimicking what he’d done to her clit.

Her mouth landed on his neck with open, sloppy
kisses and she shifted underneath him. Sensing she was ready, James began to
move. She fit him perfectly. Becca’s back arched and he redoubled his efforts,
spurred on by the musky smell of her arousal. James’ senses went haywire as his
cock dragged back and forth inside her. Too soon the base of his spine
tightened; orgasm was imminent. Reaching down, he pinched her clit and then
rubbed, trying to hold off his release. She screamed, her knees pulling up to
her chest as her own orgasm began. James let go, his eyes slamming shut as
nerve endings sang.

“Oh my God,” Becca gasped out, breathing heavily
underneath him.

“Yeah, that.” James wanted to stay there all
night, but knew he had to take care of the condom, so, with a sigh and a little
arguing with himself, he pulled out and took care of it.

“Is it okay if I get under the covers?” Becca
asked. “I’m freezing.”

James nodded. “Very much so.” He paused,
gathering his courage. “Would you stay with me tonight?”

“I’d love to.”

“Maybe we can find some energy and do that
again.” James waggled his eyebrows and Becca’s hand flew over her mouth as she
laughed. “Hey, what can you expect? I’m a guy, and that was fun.”

“I wasn’t saying no.”

“Might need a bit of recovery time first,
though.”

“Then cuddle with me.”

“That I can do.”

James climbed into bed, gathered Becca into his
arms and closed his eyes. Life was perfect.

EPILOGUE

One
year later…

“I can’t believe you got us into this party,”
Becca said, as she gawked at the glamorous decorations and elaborate spread of
food. Uchi, a local Japanese restaurant, was known to give a great Valentine’s
Day party, but Becca was the last person who ever thought she’d be an attendee.
She didn’t even want to ask how much James’ client had paid for the tickets to
thank James for getting a project in under budget and a full two weeks before
the due date. She knew normal dinner tabs could easily run into the thousands
there and shuddered at the thought of it.
Dinner checks the size of a
mortgage.

They wandered around for a while, admiring ice
sculptures, watching sushi and other things she couldn’t begin to describe
being made to order, and observing as decadent sorbets in a rainbow of colors
rapidly disappeared. A woman approached.

“Would you be willing to be interviewed for
KXAN?”

Becca looked at James, who smiled and shrugged.
“Yeah, sure.”

“Great. I’m Sasha.” Her brows rose. “And your
names? That usually makes things go smoother.” Sasha smiled.

Becca’s face heated. “Oh, sorry. Becca and
James. Do you need last names?”

“No, this will be a pretty casual interview,
just a few questions.” She nodded to the cameraman next to her. “Ignore him.
Talk to me.”

“All right.”

The red light and a spotlight lit and Sasha
said, “I’m here at Uchi’s famous Valentine’s Day party with Becca and James.
What they don’t know is that
I
already know something about them.”

Her heart raced.
Oh, God, what?

Sasha continued. “I heard the two of you met at
an anti-Valentine’s Day party one year ago today, is that correct?”

Whew. I don’t know what I would’ve done if she’d
brought up something embarrassing.

“We did,” James answered, and reached for
Becca’s hand, squeezing it.

Sasha kept her attention on Becca for the most
part. “You were the one there for the party and James was bartending, if I
understand correctly?”

“That’s right.”

“So here’s the big question. How do you feel
about Valentine’s Day now?”

Becca grinned. “I think we can say I’ve had a
complete turnaround.”

James squeezed her hand again and said, “I hope
so.” Then he dropped to one knee, still holding her hand. “Becca, will you
marry me?”

She gasped, the lights and camera and people
around them merely a blur as blood roared in her ears. “Are you serious?”

He laughed. “Of course I’m serious. You’re the
one.” James waited a few beats. “Can I have an answer? I’m dying here.”

“Oh, God! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” James
rose and she launched herself at him. He staggered back a few steps but
laughed.

“Whew! I was getting pretty nervous there.”

Sasha cut in. “By the way, Becca, you were set
up for this by James and your friend Annie.”

For the first time, Becca noticed Annie hiding
behind Sasha with a sheepish grin.
Yeah, we’ll talk later, girlfriend.

Right now, she had celebrating to do.