Damnation she’s got me as horny as a teenager that can’t hold his load. I’m about to come all over myself with our dry humping. Her hair falls forward in a cascade of brown silk as she leans in to suck on my lips. Fuuck! That’s sexy, as my bottom lip pops out of her mouth. Her eyelashes sweep across her cheeks, and I’m lost to her. She can have anything she wants at this point.

I grab her hips and flip her under me, as the hammock sways with the quick movement. She giggles, as she twists under me to get comfortable. Her hair is splayed out in a tangled mess as she pulls a stray strand of hair from her lips. Jesus Christ, she’s perfect. “I want you,” I whisper before pressing my lips to hers. My hand slides down her belly and I rub the seam of her jeans that runs over her sex.

Her eyes cloud with lust, and she slowly nods her head giving me permission to touch her. I pull the snap loose on her jeans and slide the zipper down feeling the lace edge of her panties. Her skin is soft and smooth, as my fingers skim just under the soft band. Her legs spread wide, giving me greater access. She hisses in anticipation of my heated touch as my fingers graze over her clit in a whisper-light touch. My finger presses down on it and a long, broken moan escapes her lips.  The dampness of her panties brushes my knuckles and seeps into my skin. She’s soaked for me, and I fucking love it.

Her back arches high off the hammock causing my dick to ache and want to slam into her. I need to be in her; to feel her wet heat squeeze me tight. I keep stroking her, my fingers sliding in and out to the rhythm of her panted breathing. She goes silent for a moment, and I stop rubbing her completely. “Isabella, are you okay? Am I hurting you?” I ask, gently removing my hands from her panties. She looks at me a little dazed and confused. “You got quiet on me.”

“I got quiet because I heard myself and I...I uh, I didn’t want to wake your neighbors,” she admits shyly, slapping both hands over her eyes so I can’t see her. I reach down and re-zip her jeans, ending with pushing that tiny fucking metal clip back through its snap.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood,” she murmurs.

“Do not apologize,” he demands. “Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes those reasons aren’t clear to us right away.”

“Alright,” she mumbles behind her hands.

She is clearly confused about why I put the brakes on after her admission, but I don’t have the heart to explain it to her. “I don’t want to push the boundaries of a third date, so maybe it’s best that we call it a night.”

“Besides not wanting to embarrass you with your neighbors, did I do something wrong?” she asks, pushing herself out of the hammock and twisting her clothes back to their proper way. Her voice is shaky and unsure like she had to build up the courage to ask that question. I don’t know if she’s pissed or hurt, but neither one of them is good. She won’t look at me.

“Isabella,” I whisper, softening my voice and holding out one hand beckoning her to come to me. “Please come here to me?”

Her head is hung low and it feels like forever before she takes her first step, but she decides on her action and steps forward to me walking right into my arms. I wrap myself around her and gently rub her back.

“Sweetheart, I haven’t done this in a very long time,” I say. I tilt her chin higher with my finger to force her to look me in the eyes. “A very long fucking time. Please give me room to fuck up, but promise me that you won’t run. I’m a broken man and scattered all over this fucking state, but I’m trying hard to piece myself back together.” She half smiles and lowers her head again. Her hands move to my chest and begin smoothing out the wrinkles on my shirt.

“Use Gorilla Glue on that shit, it works amazingly well at holding stuff together,” she laughs and a chuckle escapes my throat at her words. “I know. I’m a wedding planner. I use that shit on everything.”

“That was funny,” I say, pressing my lips to hers for a quick kiss.

“Well, I’m a funny girl,” she replies, tucking her thumbs in the belt loops of my jeans.

“Woman. You’re a funny woman,” I correct. “There is nothing girlish about you. You are ALL woman, and that’s exactly what I want you to be.” She looks up at me with sparkling eyes and apparently that was the right thing to say.

“I should get home. It is getting late,” she groans. “I have brunch scheduled with a client tomorrow, and I need to be bright and fresh for that. She’s a tough client or to be honest—her mother-in-law is a tough client. She pushes up on her toes and kisses my chin.

“Oh, c’mon. We can do a better good-bye kiss than that,” I tease, scooping her up and swinging her around, cradled in my eyes until she’s dizzy. She’s holding onto my arms for dear life, and when I stop we both say, “Whoah.”

I pull her up higher to my chest and tuck her in against me. Our lips connect and a burn ignites in the pit of my groin. We could be a raging inferno if I don’t control the flames. Our tongues dance when she opens up to me. Her hands are cupped around my neck and she pulls me closer to her, wanting more.

We both break the kiss, knowing we are heading for danger. Neither wants to end up where we were moments ago, unsure and second-guessing ourselves. She slides down my body and I feel her hips roll over my hard-on. Her eyes close as she grazes my dick. “We will happen. I just need more time,” I explain. She nods in understanding.

“Thank you for three dates in one night,” she says, grabbing my hand and swinging our arms wide as we walk towards the back gate. She stops abruptly. “Oh shit. I need my car keys. They’re on your counter.” I leave her momentarily, fetching them for her.

We get out to her car, and I push her against the door and trap her inside my arms, stealing one last, long kiss goodnight before she leaves. “I really don’t want you to go,” I whisper against her lips, nipping at them between trailing kisses up her cheek and down her long throat. “I don’t like the fact that you have so far to drive still. I’m going to worry until you call me.”

She fumbles around in her back pocket for her phone, and holds it out to me and says, ”Then you better give me your number so I can call.”

I finish running my tongue up her throat and take the phone from her fingers. I press contacts and start typing furiously, entering in my information.

“You’ve typed more than your number. Show me,” she says, standing on the tip of her toes and trying to peek over her phone to the bright screen. I hold it higher to finish in private and press the center lock button before handing it back to her. I grab it back quickly, swiping it from her hands before she can unlock the screen. I turn her around and tuck the phone into her ass pocket, patting it safely before removing my hand.

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk,” I say, wagging my finger at her. “Let’s remember that California is a hands-free cellular state. Just look for me when you get home. Trust me, you’ll know it’s me.” I open her car door and help her get in, making sure she locks the door before starting the engine. I wag my finger at her again. “No peeking,” I remind her. “Goodnight, Isabella. Drive safely, please?”

“I will. I promise,” she says, holding up two fingers like the Scouts do in their pledge. “One last question before I go.” I smile and nod at her to go ahead and ask. “Earlier you said it had been a long time for you. How long?” she asks. I watch her body brace itself for the harsh reality of my answer. She’s not sure she’s prepared for the answer, but I like that she’s got enough gumption and bravado to ask.

“Twenty-two years,” I answer.

She smiles, looking like I just gave her the best answer she’s ever heard. Her eyes crinkle, and I swear I heard a little trill of excitement bubble up from her throat before she rolled up the window and sped off.

There goes my warmth and sunshine.

I’m not proud of the fact that it’s been twenty-two years since I’ve been anything to a woman besides her boss, but when you love someone as deeply as I loved Olivia, you hold on tight to that feeling. I’ve been squeezing it for every memory that I can until one day I woke up and realized that I can’t remember exactly how she smells or how she wore her hair. I can’t remember what her favorite color is. She has faded...but Isabella, she’s as bright as the morning sun. Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be.

They say time heals all wounds, but time fucking hurts worse than the wound itself. Time is a cruel bastard, and I trying not to give it any more of my energy.

I turn and face the bar. Music is blaring from the new addition and I can see people on the dance floor through the large glass doors. Nah. They don’t need me tonight. I need to start saying no and making room in my life for other things. I’ll start with this tonight.

I turn again and head towards my gated backyard, stopping once to let a car pass in front of me. The kitchen needs my attention before I settle down for the night. The distraction of placing everything back where it belongs takes my mind off my worry for her. I don’t know how long it will take her to get home. Stupid. I should have asked her.

An hour passes and a small bit of tension starts to grow in my belly. After another fifteen minutes, I’m just about out of my mind with worry. My stomach is in knots and is still twisting with each tic-toc of the clock on the wall.

I walk outside and plop down in the hammock for peace and quiet. Maybe this will calm my mind. My head hits the pillow and the smell of honeysuckle wafts up to my nose. Olivia. You jackass. No, it’s Isabella. The minute her name pops into my head my phone rings with an unknown number.

“Hey, Sexy As Fuck Older Guy Who Owns THE Best Bar in Knightsen, California,” she chuckles with each syllable of my name that I typed. “You know, I’m leaving that as is. I like it.”

“Hey, beautiful,” I say on a low sigh, relieved. “I’m glad you made it home safely.”

“I’m safe, but I might have gone above the speed limit the last few miles,” she admits brazenly. “The unknown contact in my phone was burning a hole in my curiosity. I had to know.” Her warm voice melts through the phone, and my dick thickens just hearing her breath.

“Well, now I have to know something. When can I see you again?” I ask.

“Would you like to come see me?” she asks. I take a deep breath not expecting that question. She doesn’t know yet. I haven’t told her that I don’t drive. “I don’t know how often you get to the city, but there are lots of fun things we can do for our fourth date.”

I growl into the phone. Damnation she’s going to test my will to the point of breaking. “Text me where and when, and I’ll be there,” I say.