Page 8 of Midlife Tiger’s Last Chance

CHAPTER FIVE

Minnie

“Dinner?” I ask. I feel lightheaded. The weakness is pretty damned strong but part of what makes me feel unsteady is certainly that I can feel my nipples firm up into hard little bullets. I can also feel my pussy throb with need. I can’t believe the sound of this man’s voice impacts me so profoundly. Of course, it isn’t just the sound of his voice. Every glimpse of this man over the last four weeks has a similar effect.

“I’m sorry,” Brock says, “I didn’t think. You need more notice for childcare.”

“No!” I say. For the love of God, it’s almost a shout. “I mean, um, my sister is actually taking the kids for the rest of the weekend. She’s picking them up at any minute now but definitely by noon so I’m free after that.”

There is a pause on the line and he says almost tentatively, “Then what if we make a day of it? I can pick you up around one for a late lunch and then we’ll have dinner in the evening. In between, we’ll see some of my favorite places, I mean assuming the Earth didn’t swallow any of them up while I was overseas.”

“One o’clock?” I ask. Jesus, I feel like some kind of tiny child trying to talk to him!

Again, there’s hesitation. “I’m sorry. It’s wrong for me to ask.”

“No!” I say. Again, I’m almost shouting. I take a breath and say, “I just… Well, it’s been a long time since anyone wanted to go on a date with me.” I feel my cheeks go hot as hell. “Oh my God,” I say, “is this a date? I mean, is this a work thing? I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s most definitely a date,” he replies and there’s no hesitation in his voice. “At least, it will be one if you tell me to pick you up at one.”

“Okay,” I say. “I mean, okay, pick me up.”

“Great,” he replies, “and Minerva?”

“Minnie.”

“Okay, Minnie,” he says, “I just want you to know it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a date and a long time since I wanted to go on one.” I think my blush deepens and it’s a good thing he adds more because I think I’ll break out in nervous laughter if he doesn’t. “Dress comfortably, okay? We’ll be doing some walking.”

“Okay,” I say, relieved to have an easy response.

“I’ll see you at one o’clock,” he says.

“Wait!” I cry, “you need my address!”

“Have you moved since the company hired you?” he asks. “I can access the database from my phone.”

“No,” I say. “Same place.”

“One o’clock it is then,” he says and if I were turned on before, it’s nothing compared to how desperately aroused I am now. I let out a long breath and put my phone on the table.

“Yay, mom!” comes Gwen’s voice from behind me. I turn around mortified to see my sister and daughter smiling at me.

“Oh, Jesus!” I say. I look at Gwen and modify it. “Um. I mean goodness. Oh, goodness.”

My sister Tabitha is beaming. “About damned time, Minnie,” she says. She looks at Gwen and corrects, “Darned time.”

“Yeah, Mom!” Gwen adds.

Tabitha says, “It’s ten-forty-five, Gwen. Get your brother. We’re going to leave now so your mom has all the time she wants to make herself pretty.”

“Mom’s always pretty,” Gwen says. She still runs off to get her brother.

Fifteen minutes later, they’re waiting at the door and babbling excitedly about the fact that mommy has a date. Joe tugs at the legs of my sweatpants and says, “Are you gonna kiss him, Mommy?”

I blush a little and say, “Don’t worry about that, buster.”

He turns to Gwen and grins. Gwen nods her head knowingly and says, “She’s going to kiss him.”

Tabitha looks conspiratorially at me and says, “She’d better kiss him.”

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