Lucy
The moment he severed their physical connection, Lucy’s skin erupted in goose pimples. She didn’t know whether it was his suggestion, her reaction to his suggestion or the fact that he’d virtually read her mind that disturbed her the most.
One look at the huge bed and all she could imagine was her and Seth, naked with limbs tangled in heated passion. Him breathing words of love and adoration and her caressing every square inch of his body.
Suddenly feeling bold, Lucy reached up and placed her hand on his chest over his heart. His eyes zeroed to hers.
“I’d like that,” she admitted and then hurried to the dining room before she could embarrass herself. Oh, she wanted him, she wanted him bad. But, her body was weak, they weren’t alone and she still questioned her bold move.
She wasn’t surprised to see new – matching – plates and silverware delicately placed around the table. Each place setting had one of those fancy napkin rings containing a real cotton towel. The placemats matched the little blue design on the plates and bowls and her inner girl squealed in glee.
“He really outdid himself,” Chris murmured, gesturing toward Seth who’d walked up beside her. “I honestly didn’t think the man had any taste at all, but looking at all this, I’m not afraid to admit I was wrong.” Her brother moved the elaborate centerpiece of daises and set a cardboard bucket of fried chicken in its place. Jacob, making multiple trips, followed with smaller containers of mashed potatoes, gravy, cole slaw and rolls.
Lucy’s eyebrows rose in question at their dinner choice and she couldn’t help but wonder just what Seth had been feeding her son in addition to the potato chips and cola. Chris caught her expression and smiled apologetically.
“Apparently Seth’s culinary skills only include ordering takeout and you know I don’t cook,” he explained and lifted the thin lid from the bucket. Her stomach rumbled in response to the delicious aroma of food. She’d been eating bland hospital food for weeks; perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to eat a little fast food – for now.
They all sat down, Chris loaded her plate first and then the boys filled their own. They dug in with a flourish and Lucy moaned as her taste buds exploded with each bite. It put the tasteless food she’d been eating to shame.
The boys settled into a witty banter and she couldn’t help but watch in fascination as Seth and Jacob teased each other mercilessly. She was shocked at how much her little boy had come out of his shell since Seth had been around. It warmed her heart to see the ease in which they got along during an everyday activity.
“Lucy, I was thinking about taking Jacob to a movie after dinner,” Chris offered as they cleared the table, carting the leftovers back into the kitchen. Lucy stood at the refrigerator door, polishing off her bottle of water. “That new cartoon is showing and it’ll give you some time to relax and settle in. I’m sure you’re tired,” he explained but slid a salacious grin at Seth. It didn’t take much imagination for her to realize that Seth had finagled a way for them to spend some ‘alone’ time together.
Her stomach hitched at the mere thought of being alone with the man, but at the same time, she felt excited.
“Please, Mommy?” Jacob tugged on her leg and smiled up at her. His blue eyes twinkled with such innocence. It was a smile she couldn’t say ‘no’ to.
“Alright,” she relented and reached down to tousle his dark hair.
“Perhaps Mommy would like to soak in a nice, hot bubble bath for a while?” Seth offered softly. “It’ll help you relax,” he added with a smirk.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Lucy agreed all too quickly and turned to flee through her bedroom into the safe confines of her private bathroom. She closed the door and leaned back against it with her chest heaving. But before she could so much as catch her breath, she took in the room before her.
Candles in all shades of red and pink were spread throughout the small room and bottles of scented bath stuff littered the side and back corner of her tub. On top of the toilet tank sat a huge vase of red roses and a small white card sat beside it. Reaching for it, she took it in her hand and opened it.
“I hope this makes you feel as special are you truly are.” The words were scrawled in a chicken-scratchy style and it was simply signed, “S.”
Smiling like a teenager, she quickly stripped out of the pajama set and turned on the hot water tap. Slightly adjusting the cold to suit her comfort, she lowered herself into the filling tub and studied the selection of soaps, gels and creams.
“A girl could definitely get used to this,” she mumbled to herself and poured a dollop of jasmine scented gel under the running water. Once the tub was full, she turned both taps off and lowered herself down to the nose in the hot, bubbly water.
She needed to do some serious landscaping, but for now, she merely indulged in the hot, blissfully scented water. After being in the hospital for so long and only able to shower, she’d had no strength for shaving and refused to ask the nurses for help. So, once she soaked a little while, she’d take her razor and shave the cavewoman from her body.