Page 74 of Outside the Lines
“Si, ice cream is like having sex,” I said. “It’s all about how you do it.” Next, I pulled out a bottle of Godiva chocolate liqueur and a bottle of Chambord.
Lydia exhaled. “Well, that’s better.”
“It’s mildly kinky.” I set a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips down next to the bottles. “I mean, I could have gotten Fireball or something like that, but I wasn’t sure if you were into pain play with your ice cream.”
I think Simon tried to swallow his tongue. Lydia burst out laughing.
Finally, I pulled out the movies I’d grabbed from my collection—my set of cheesy eighties fantasy movies.
Simon flipped through them. “Nowthisis pain play.”
Lydia punched him in the arm. “Hey now! I like those! Besides, this ismydate night with Ian.”
He held up my copy ofLadyhawke. “But themusic!”
Okay. He had me there. Prog-rock didn’t exactly scream medieval period, but I loved the movie anyway. “It’s a product of its time.”
He set the case down. “You realize we were all toddlers when these movies came out, right?”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “Don’t listen to him. He gets a boner for theFifth Element.”
Simon tossed his hands up in the air in mock disgust, then laughed. “I’d better get to the shop.” He kissed each of us goodbye, and this time, the peck didn’t make me want to tie him up and fuck him—though that was still on my to-do list for the near future.
When the front door clicked closed, the smile slipped from Lydia’s face. “Thanks for coming over. I know Si’s worried and I’m—” Her voice cracked and she choked back the sob. I wrapped her in my arms and she pressed her face against my chest. “I’m a fucking mess,” she said.
I stroked her back. “It’s been a rough couple of days, that’s all.”
“I’m gonna lose him.” Scared words spoken into the weave of my shirt.
“No, you’re not. You’ve been married for ten years, and he loves you to pieces. You’re not losing him. You’re not losing me. Not anyone.”
We stood there while Lydia tried not to cry and failed. “Yeah, but this is hurting him so much. I know what he wants me to do. I . . . can’t, Ian.”
“He realizes that. And he loves you, Lyds. You’re not gonna lose him.”
This would hurt for a good long time if things dragged out, but I wasn’t going to say that. Not now.
She shook, then her breathing eased out. “Logically, I know that, but my heart . . .” She paused. “He’s such a good man. He doesn’t deserve this.”
Hewasa good man, but there was more she wasn’t seeing. “And you’re a fantastic woman. You don’t deserve this, either.” A bark of a laugh escaped me. “Besides, he put up with my sorry ass. You both did. And you let me stay.”
She hugged me tighter, but didn’t speak for a good long time. Finally, she pulled away. “Ice cream’s gonna melt.”
“Mm-hmm. Would you like a bowl with the works?”
“Magic words.”
I untangled myself from Lydia and made us bowls of liquored-up ice cream while she took the movies into the living room. When I walked in, the menu screen forLadyhawkewas already cycling.
“You’re too good for us,” she murmured, and took a bowl from me.
“Other way around. But thank you.”
Lydia’s sadness fell away for a moment. “You really don’t know yourself, Ian.”
I met her gaze. “Do any of us?”
A small snort. “Million-dollar question.” She picked up the remote and started the movie.
