Mickie
“Don’t forget to pack your crotchless panties,” Cynthia called from her desk, winking.
“I don’t think she’ll need any panties at all,” Lanie chimed in, glancing up from her clipboard.
I rolled my eyes and chomped down on my energy bar, acting like I couldn’t hear them. With those two, sometimes it was better that way.
Cynthia jerked her thumb at Lanie. “This spoken from a woman who’s probably never owned a pair of crotchless panties, and doesn’t understand how fun they can be.”
Lanie walked around to the copy machine. “I tend to go for the edible kind, thank you very much. Of course, I speak as a woman who got laid twice last night.” She faced Cynthia with a finger on her chin. “Remind me…how many times was it for you last night?”
Cynthia scoffed and spun around in her chair. “Oh, jump up my ass.”
Lanie chuckled. “I can’t. That stick up there is already taking up too much room.”
I choked on part of my energy bar, almost spitting the whole thing out. “All right, ladies,” I said. “I appreciate that non-pep talk, but it’s just a weekend away with my husband. There will be no crotchless or edible panties. Or toys, for that matter.”
Lanie pouted. “At least pack some good lingerie.”
“That I’ll do,” I said.
“So, he never said where you were going?” Cynthia asked. “Or what he had planned?”
I’d been constantly wondering the same thing ever since he mentioned it. “Nope. Just that we’d be alone together all weekend.”
They both made kissy noises like a bunch of pre-teens gushing over… Who was the latest heartthrob for twelve-year-olds? Justin Bieber?
“Are you going to make another baby?” Lanie asked cheerfully. Excitedly.
“Hell, no.” The woman was absolutely out of her mind. “I’m starting to have a panic attack just thinking about that.”
I was still kind of surprised he even wanted to go away together, considering how things had gone the last time we were completely alone.
After the other night when he’d stayed home with the kids, though, it felt like we’d formed some sort of a truce. Like we had both apologized without actually speaking the words. Although, his cleaning of the house was enough of an apology for me. If that had been his intention.
As if my thoughts had conjured him, my phone pinged with a text.
Dawson: I’ll pick you up at the house in an hour.
And that was my cue.
Me: Sounds good. See you then.
“Well, I’m out,” I announced. “If anyone needs anything while I’m gone, you know where not to reach me.”
Cynthia saluted me. “Farewell, fearless leader. And may the orgasm gods be with you.”
“See everyone on Monday.”
I turned around and ran smack into Dr. Stein. Even his brief touch to steady me so I wouldn’t trip made me feel all icky.
“Whoa, where you off to?” he asked, pasting on his usual cocky smile.
“She’s got a romantic weekend planned with her hubby,” Lanie answered for me.
Stein’s smile faltered, though he hid it well. If I hadn’t been standing so close to him, I probably would have missed it. He stared at me a bit too long for comfort.
“In that case, good luck,” he said, sounding sarcastic. “I hope you’re able to solve your marital problems. Divorces can get so nasty these days.”
With a smirk, he strutted off like a damn peacock. Lanie stood there, mouth agape. Cynthia shot flaming arrows from her eyes at his back. And I was just plain enraged. He and I were going to have words soon.
He’d be lucky to escape with his balls intact.
Forty-five minutes later, I was at the house trying to finish packing my bag when I heard a commotion downstairs. I went down to find the kids being chased around by a goblin mask-toting…Kinley?
“What’s going on?” I shouted over the screams.
Kinley pulled off the mask with a triumphant grin while Gabby and Leo played tug-of-war with her arms.
“Hey, Mickie,” she said. “We just stopped at the ninety-nine cent store and found some goodies.” She held up the mask. “Hours of entertainment for only a dollar, right here.”
“And I got this awesome sling shot,” Leo proudly stated, showing off his new toy.
“Kinley said I could have bubbles,” Gabby said, marking the occasion by blowing a stream of bubbles from a tiny plastic wand.
I held my hands up. “Wait. I’m confused.”
Kinley scrunched her eyebrows together. “Dawson didn’t tell you? I’m watching the kids this weekend while you guys are away.”
How in the hell had he managed that?
“You don’t have a photo shoot this weekend?” I asked.
She was an in-demand nature photographer—pretty famous in the photography world. I didn’t want to think she was missing out on some awesome gig to watch her boyfriend’s niece and nephew.
She waved me off. “No, I cleared my schedule for this weekend months ago.”
Now, I was even more confused. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Dawson asked you to babysit months ago?”
She bit her lip, looking afraid she’d revealed something she shouldn’t have. “Um, yeah? He had everything set up a while back.”
Seriously? He’d actually made these plans that long ago? They hadn’t been some last-ditch effort to make up for us fighting? Admittedly, that made me phenomenally happy.
She and I chatted and caught up while we waited for Dawson. And man, when he arrived, I swear it was like seeing him picking me up for our first date all over again. He was wearing similar black jeans like he’d worn all those years ago, a gray T-shirt, and black boots.
The closed-off, sexy Dawson of my past, colliding with the stubborn, gorgeous man of my present.
He kissed Kinley on the cheek after he walked through the door. “Thanks again for this,” he said. “We really owe you.”
“Pleease stop thanking me,” she said, groaning. “You guys deserve some time to yourself. Besides, I believe I’m getting the better deal here.” She glanced over at the kids, who had started to build a fort in the living room. “I promised we’d play pirates, so don’t hurry back.” She winked before scuttling off to join their game.
I finally looked Dawson in the eye, and was instantly pulled in by the dark magnetism emanating from his features.
“I can’t believe you arranged all this,” I said, awestruck.
He seemed uncomfortable by my praise. “If that’s true, then I must be really out of practice.” I started to explain, but he stopped me. “No, it’s okay. I’m making up for that starting now.”
Well, I wasn’t going to argue with that.
I was desperate to know where he was taking me. But I refrained from asking and kept to myself the whole car ride. Though, that didn’t stop me from keeping my nose pressed to the window, trying to figure out where we were going.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you,” he said, finally breaking the silence, “but this look is my favorite on you.”
I glanced down at myself, verifying I was still wearing what I thought I’d put on earlier. Sometimes I really couldn’t remember. Yep, still the same black yoga pants and hot pink tank top I had on earlier.
Was I missing something?
“This?” I clarified, pulling at my top. “You prefer me looking like this over anything else?”
He flipped his turning signal on and slowed at a stoplight. “Mmhmm.” He eyed my outfit again, his gaze eventually landing on my makeup-less face. “You look comfortable just being you. It’s just…natural.”
Huh. Men liked to say those things. But deep down, I’d always assumed they were just trying to be nice.
“Not that you don’t look beautiful with makeup on,” he rushed to add. “And you know how gorgeous you look in dresses and heels. Or fishnets.” We sent each other sly grins at the reference. “But I see those looks as…bonuses. Because the real thing is tempting enough without all the extras.”
I was unable to control the blush. After ten years of marriage, the man must have had magical powers to accomplish such a feat.
“I have to admit that I’ve missed this look,” I told him, my voice soft, almost embarrassed.
He laughed and rubbed his neck, looking embarrassed himself. “I thought you hated the black.”
“No, I hated when you didn’t know any other colors existed but black,” I retorted.
“Good point.”
We were nearing the marina and my pulse spiked, my mind considering all the possibilities. He parked in a private area and after unloading our bags, he led us to one of the slips where a sparkling white houseboat was docked. He spread his arms out, gesturing to the boat.
“Our weekend getaway,” he said.
I stared in shock at the boat. It was an absolute beauty. “We’re taking that out? As in, we’re sleeping on it?”
He dropped our bags on the deck and approached me. “Does that work for you?” he asked.
Was he kidding?
“Oh, my God,” I said on a gasp, hand covering my mouth. “This is incredible. Wait.” I wracked my brain. “Whose is this? And when did you get your boater’s license?”
“Kyle’s rich grandfather left it to him in his will,” Dawson replied. “And I got my license online a few months back. It was actually pretty easy. Don’t worry, though. I’ve taken it out with Kyle several times, so I know what I’m doing.”
He took my face in his hands, which I responded to with the cheesiest smile imaginable.
“You have no idea how much it means to me that you did all this.”
He covered my mouth in a kiss so pure and honest, I swear it was like inhaling heaven.
He pressed our foreheads together. “Happy Anniversary, Mick.”
If it was possible to fall in love with the same person twice in one lifetime, well…
I had just done that with my husband.