Page 54 of The Husband Diet
‘OK. And… I’m extremely flattered for all the time you’ve dedicated to me. You’re very generous and selfless,’ I said, trying to ignore the fact that we were sitting on my sofa, holding hands, our thighs touching, only a ‘yes’ away.
‘Selfless? No, lately I’ve been extremely selfish, thinking only about happiness and not worrying about others. Forgive me, Erica,’ he whispered as he took my hand and brought it to his lips, his thick black lashes lowered.
I watched as he kissed my hand, his beautiful mouth on my skin, and I almost melted from the scorching pleasure that ripped through my insides without warning.
He closed his eyes briefly and then shook his head. ‘I should go,’ he sighed and stood up. ‘For both our sakes.’
I nodded and followed him to the door. He gave me one last look, concerned but at the same time full of longing. I leaned against the door, fighting the urge to call him back inside. He’d asked if there was nothing between us. He felt something, too. It would have been so simple just to wrap my arms around him and ask him to stay.
‘How come you’re seeing so much of Julian?’
I snapped out of my reverie and looked up to see that Ira had pulled up, just in time to see Julian driving off.
‘Are the kids having problems at school?’
I crossed my arms in front of my chest. Of course it wouldn’t remotely cross Ira’s mind that Julian might be attracted to me. I almost wished he were my lover – he was definitely excellent rebound lover material. He was built for sex, that guy, with a smile that would take your panties off in one go. I loved the way he looked at me and the way he spoke to me – the opposite of this jackass here.
There was no way I was telling him that Warren had given me and the school a few problems. Not this time. Ira would only give my little boy a hard time and now that things were OK, I didn’t need a major regression.
‘We’re just keeping a close eye on the kids, that’s all.’
‘Good. They’re good kids, aren’t they?’ Ira grunted, already having lost interest as I ducked back inside while he pounced on his mail, which he tore open and read avidly.
‘Yes,’ I agreed, happy we were managing a conversation. ‘Julian’s coaching a little league and Warren’s in it. He’s great.’
Ira kept on reading for a while, a smile forming on his lips. Then he dragged his eyes away from the letter and looked up. ‘Yeah? That’s great.’
This was the longest conversation we’d had in weeks. When I got to Tuscany, we wouldn’t have to converse with him at all. He’d be a long-distance, forgotten memory. The thought made me shiver all over with delight.
19
Losing a Friend?
I told Paul about Warren hitting Billy Blackmoore.
‘You can’t blame the kid. You must be hot news all over the school.’
‘What?’ I said, panicking. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
I hoped that we were never really a topic of conversation. I didn’t know many other mothers and the few I knew were acquaintances – not people who would pull me aside and discreetly warn me I was regarded as the school slut. But if this episode was anything to go by, we were in shit. Deep shit.
‘Erica’s in love with the pri-i-i-inci-pal,’ Paul sang as he painted my toenails, each one a different color.
I had a high ponytail and my cow jammies on with my matching stuffed cow slippers by my side that even had ears. Or were they horns? If only my fearful hotel staff could see me now, they’d have a field day.
‘And the principal’s gonna get fi-i-ired because he can only keep it in his pants for so lo-ong!’
‘Sto-op,’ I said, slapping his arm, giggling.
But the thought of Julian warmed me from the inside, like a glass of brandy. Not that I ever drank any. Paul and I were wine freaks, especially Italian wines, which he brought back from Italy in copious quantities, despite the fact that I always got it for free from Dad’s Italian Gift Store.
‘What would you do,’ Paul said with a cute Kermit the Frog-like burp, ‘if Julian rang the doorbell right now and wanted to take you upstairs?’
I stopped munching on a mini Mars bar and stared at him, then slapped his shoulder. ‘Why is it always about sex with you?’
‘Because I know when I see an interested guy. So say you could make a wish and it happened…’
‘Oh, so we’re talkingFantasy Islandstuff, then?’
