Page 66 of Filthy Little Midlife Fling

A short breath huffs out of him, and his shoulders drop. His thumb strokes my cheek as he rests his forehead against mine. We close our eyes and breathe each other in until Remy says, “I don’t want this to end at the end of the month, Audrey. I don’t want it to end at all.”

A trembling smile curls my lips. “Me neither,” I whisper.

His kiss is languorous. It heats my blood as he tugs me closer, letting his hands roam all over my body. All too soon, he pulls away. “I have to get back to Danny,” he tells me quietly.

“Okay.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” he says as we get up.

I walk him to the door, where we kiss once more. “Tomorrow,” I repeat, and then he leaves.

It’s the first time we spent time alone together without tearing each other’s clothes off since the start of this fling. We didn’t have sex, but somehow it felt more intimate than anything we’ve done before. I bared my heart to him as he held me on the sofa, and he cradled me in his arms like I was precious to him.

As I get into my cold bed—alone—I drift to sleep and dream of the possibility of forever with Remy, Danny, and our perfect little life together.

TWENTY-FOUR

REMY

Leaving the bank fills me with a sense of elation. I have pre-approval for a business loan, which means I can call Jeff and tell him this is really happening.

But I don’t want to call Jeff. Instead, with my phone in my hand, I dial Audrey.

“Hey, you,” she says. “How’s your morning going?”

“Better now that I’m talking to you,” I tell her.

I can hear the smile in her voice when she teases me: “You’re a shameless flirt, Remy Campbell.”

Laughing, I head down Cove Boulevard toward the local café. The sun shines through the trees lining the street, their vibrant green leaves fluttering in a gentle summer breeze. The air smells fresh, and life is good.

Last night, I held Audrey in my arms like we belonged to each other. I hated leaving her. Hated hearing about the hurt she’d been through at her ex’s house. Hated the thought of that scumbag coming on to her.

“I’m heading to Four Cups,” I say. “Want a coffee? I can tell you my good news when I deliver it.”

“Can’t wait,” she answers.

A few minutes later, I park in front of my house and cut across the yard to get to Audrey’s front door, two drinks in hand. Audrey opens the front door before I ring the bell and extends her arms toward the coffees.

“Gimme.”

Chuckling, I hand over her cappuccino and plant a kiss on her forehead. “In need of caffeine?”

“Among other things,” she answers, a sparkle in her eyes. I’m not the only shameless flirt around here. Audrey leads me through the house to the back patio. We sit on her deck chairs before she asks, “What’s the big news?”

I watch as she opens the lid to her coffee to take a sip, sighing as the chocolate powder hits her tongue. Summer sunlight gilds her skin, the breeze making tendrils of her hair dance to the music of the summer wind. I don’t think I’ll be able to live without this woman.

“I got pre-approval for a business loan,” I tell her, settling into my chair. I stretch out my legs and take a sip of coffee. “I’ll call Jeff this afternoon and tell him this is happening. I’m buying the garage.”

“That’s amazing!” She brightens, reaching over to squeeze my forearm. “Congratulations, Remy! How do you feel?”

“Terrified. Excited.” I’ll have to check over the contract, which means I need to find a lawyer who can take me on at the last minute. And then I’ll have to look into hiring an apprentice, maybe an office manager. My mental to-do list lengthens with every passing moment.

Audrey interrupts my racing thoughts. “You’re going to do great,” she says like she means it, and a knot tightens in my chest. I don’t remember the last time someone believed in me so unreservedly; it’s an addictive feeling.

“Thank you,” I say, voice hoarse. “There’s so much to do.”

“It’ll be fun,” she promises.

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