Page 63 of The Husband Diet
Julian chuckled. ‘I can send youshamefullysexy text messages.’
‘Yeah, but I’m not Miss Sexy.’
Julian sat up. ‘Erica, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you. Ira’s the one who doesn’t know what he’s lost.’
‘That’s sweet of you, Julian.’
‘I’m serious. I’m so happy you’re here with me. Truly I am, and you shouldn’t let such a clueless bloke hurt you like this.’
I looked up at him. I was the clueless one, because I didn’t have a clue why he was saying such nice things to me. He’d already got me in the sack, what more did he want?
‘You’re a gorgeous guy. A former baseball celebrity. Why would you waste your time on me?’
‘Erica, you have to stop measuring relationships with people’s looks or jobs. I slept with women because something in their personality triggered me, certainly not their physical beauty.’
‘And I’m your latest bursting-with-personality and non-beautiful woman,’ I concluded.
He took my chin. ‘No, you’re not. You’re very beautiful, with your sparkling eyes and this cute dimple on your cheek.’
‘But you could have absolutely anybody.’
He grinned. ‘I don’t want anybody. I want you,’ said my tall British and delicious baseball warrior.
‘Oh, well. In that case, kiss me.’
‘Now you’re talking,’ he agreed and took my mouth. ‘Mmm, you taste wonderful.’
‘You’re not so bad yourself, Julian,’ I offered.
‘Here, I want you to have this. Use it whenever you want – no strings attached,’ he said, reaching behind him into a bureau and wrapping my fingers around a small metal object.
A key.
I looked up at him. The key to his home?
‘Julian, you can’t be serious,’ I whispered.
His hand curled around mine. ‘The alarm code is 190651.’
I buried my face into the hand holding the key. To me, it was more than a house key. It was ahomekey. It was the key to happiness. If only I could use it. I slipped it onto my necklace and beamed at him through my tears.
‘Use it any time, day or night, even just to chill out. If I’m not home and you need me, call me and I’ll come,’ he whispered.
I looked down at the key around my neck. ‘Thank you.’
‘Will you have lunch with me tomorrow? I know a place that serves fantastic shrimp linguine and the most amazing scallops.’
What do you say to a guy who gives you all you need? Plus scallops…
22
Juan and the Hooch
The next day, as you can imagine, I was walkin’ on sunshine, floating above the clouds, beaming at everyone and everything and shamefully happy. I knew it couldn’t last all day.
‘Uhm… Mrs. Lowenstein?’ came my senior waiter’s terrified voice behind me, bringing me out of my steamy sex memories, and instantly the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I needed to announce my change of name.
I turned around in my swivel chair. ‘Yes, Mitch?’
