Page 71 of The Playboy and the Widow
He left the room and returned a couple of moments later with an extra shrimp, taking delight in feeding it to her. Diana hurriedly dried off and dressed in a whispery soft peignoir of sheer blue. The lacy gown had been a gift from Shirley Holiday, with instructions for her to wear it on her wedding night.
When she reappeared, Cliff had poured them each a glass of champagne. He turned to hand her hers and stopped abruptly when he viewed her in the sheer nightgown, his eyes rounding with undisguised appreciation.
“Do you like it?” she asked, and did one slow, sultry turn for effect.
Cliff only nodded; to speak was nearly impossible.
Diana took a sip of the champagne and pulled out a chair. One by one, she started lifting domed lids to discover what he’d ordered. “Oh, Cliff, I’m starved.”
He dragged his gaze from the dark shadow of her nipples back to their meal. His gaze fell to the table. Food. Their dinner.
“Filet mignon,” Diana said, and sighed her appreciation. “I can’t believe how famished I am.” She looked up to discover her husband’s eyes burning a trail over her.
Cliff moistened his lips. Diana’s gown teased him with a soft cloud of thin material that fell open to reveal her thigh and the top of her hip. He found he couldn’t tear his eyes off her. Wistfully he cast a glance at the bed. He dared not suggest it—not so soon after the last time. Diana would think he was some kind of animal.
“Cliff?” Diana whispered.
He squared his shoulders and forced a smile.
“Cliff Howard.” Although he made a gallant effort to disguise what he wanted Diana knew. This man was a marvel. “Now?”
He looked almost boyish. “Do you mind?”
She glanced longingly at her dinner, grabbed a second shrimp and smiled. Standing, she reached for his hand and led him toward the bed.
“Married life seems to agree with you,” Shirley Holiday commented three weeks later, after Cliff and Diana had returned from their honeymoon.
There’d been some adjustments, Diana mused. They’d recently moved into their two-story house, situated between Des Moines, and Salt Water State Park and were still unpacking. The girls had settled into their new school and were learning to adjust to sharing their mother, which was something they hadn’t realized would happen once she and Cliff had married.
“It has its moments,” Diana agreed. Like the first night they were in their new house! Cliff had just started to make love to her, when Katie burst into the bedroom, crying because of a bad dream. Cliff murmured something about having a nightmare of his own, while Diana scrambled for some clothes. The first thing the following morning, Cliff had put a lock on the bedroom door. Then, later in the same week, Diana and Shirley had planned on hitting a sale at Nordstrom’s, when Cliff had shown up at the house unexpectedly. She’d thought, at first, that he’d come to take her to lunch, but he’d had other plans. Giggling, Diana had phoned her friend and said she’d be a few minutes late.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw you this happy,” Shirley said with an expressive sigh. “You know, I feel responsible for all this.”
“For what?” Diana asked, joining her friend at the kitchen table.
“For the two of you getting together.”
It took a supreme effort on Diana’s part not to remind her former neighbor that she had done everything within her power to discourage Diana’s relationship with the known playboy and womanizer, Cliff Howard.
“So when do you start your college classes?” Shirley asked while Diana poured them each a second cup of coffee.
The bride glanced in the direction of the kitchen calendar that hung beside the phone. “In a couple of weeks.” After the wedding, Cliff had insisted Diana give up her job with the school district. As far as her future was concerned, Cliff had other plans.
“I think it’s wonderful the way Cliff’s encouraging you to go back to school. How long will it take you to get your nursing degree?”
Grinning, Diana propped her elbows on top of the oak table. “About ten years, the way we plan it.”
Shirley’s eyes widened with surprise. “That long—but whatever for?”
“I plan to take a couple of long breaks in between semesters.”
“But, Diana, that doesn’t make sense. This is a golden opportunity for you. I’d think...”
“Shirley!” Diana stopped her. “We’re planning on me having a baby as soon as possible.” And another the following year, if everything went according to their schedule. From the way Cliff had been working at the project, Diana believed she was bound to be pregnant by the end of the month. Not that she was complaining. The lovemaking between them was exquisite, just as she’d always known it would be. Each time her husband reached for her, she marveled at how virile he was. And how gentle.
The conversation between the two women was interrupted by Cliff, George and the girls, who came through the front door, returning from a golfing match.
“We’re back,” Cliff said, leaning over the chair and kissing Diana’s cheek.
