Nice, she said again. She had his shirt mostly unbuttoned and her hands rubbing his bare chest, so he didnt know if she was talking about the car or him.
He slid his hand up her dress to caress her thigh, then her bottom, which was covered with something very silkyand very tiny. Really nice, he murmured, fingering the lacy waistband of her panties. Id like to see these.
You can see them if you take them off. She claimed his mouth for yet more kisses, hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses with tongues and teeth.
He was not one to argue. In a maneuver theyd perfected with practice so many years before, she leaned down until she was chest-to-chest with him, pressing her wonderful, soft breasts against him. Natalies breasts were fuller, softer than he remembered. She straightened her legs and swung them around to the side. Now, with her sitting on his lap with her back to the window, it was easy to whisk her panties off.
Still agile as ever, Josh couldnt resist saying.
You talk too much. And youre wearing way too many clothes.
That he could fix. He had his pants unfastened and unzipped in record time. Natalie reached inside his briefs and wrapped her hand around his arousal, and he sucked in a breath. It had been way too long. He suspected he would have about as much control as a teenager, which was only appropriate, since they were acting like teenagers.
Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to him. Dammit, I dont have any protection.
Natalie laughed. Josh, get a grip. Remember who youre with.
Oh. Right.
Even if Id been fertile as a bunny rabbit in my twenties, Im forty-three now.
Jeez, Nat, Im sorry. How could he have made such a blunder, reminding her of what had torn them apart? I guess I was back in time, when we did have to worry about that. But I never for a moment forgot who I was with.
She grinned. I should take it as a compliment that having sex with me made you forget what year it is.
Were not having sex, he argued.
Not yet. But she soon changed the status quo.
As he entered her, he felt as if hed come home after a long, long absence. No, he would never mistake her with any other woman.
He tried to make it last, but it took everything he had to hold off just long enough so that she could reach the peak of pleasure. Then he fell into a void, a vacuum in which there was nothing but white-hot sensation. He wanted to stay in that place forever, but it was over far too quickly.
When he returned to the here and now, he realized they were both slick with sweat. Theyd been in a sealed car on a warm Texas summer night while generating their own heat.
He cradled Natalie against his left arm while he sat up slightly and reached for the car key. With a flick of the ignition the engine was running, the air-conditioning blasting.
Well, Natalie said.
Josh laughed. And when he looked down at her with her dress half off, her hair everywhere, her makeup smeared, not to mention his state of disarray, he laughed again. Guess we still got it.
She punched him lightly on the arm. Is that all you have to say?
Okay, so hed never excelled at after-sex dialogue. One of his many failings. Natalie, that was fantastic.
Yeah, we still got it. Were still crazy. What if our children saw us right now?
Shh. Our children arent here. And were consenting adults. We havent done anything wrong. In fact, he thought it had felt pretty right.
She leaned her cheek on his chest and sighed. Im glad you have tinted windows.
Theres nobody out here, anyway.
Josh, why did we do that?
Good question. If he thought there was any chance they could start overBut that was impossible. They didnt even live in the same city. It was a four-or five-hour drive between Dallas and Houston, depending on how far one exceeded the speed limit.
But even if they werent geographically challenged, thered been too much pain between them. Each time theyd failed to conceive, Natalie had gotten a little more frustrated, a little angrier, until those negative emotions had infected every aspect of their lives.
Not that he couldnt take some responsibility for the mess theyd made of their marriage. Hed been less than sensitive to her insecurities. Hed viewed their infertility as a logistical problem to be overcome. If they just tried a little harder
He hadnt realized that Natalie considered her misbehaving ovaries a slap in the face of her womanhood, and he hadnt understood her emotional storms. Sometimes, when shed seemed especially moody, hed just removed himself rather than comfort her and say the things she needed to hearthat he would love her forever even if there was never a baby.
Their disagreement over adoption had been the proverbial straw.
Right now they were wallowing in the good times, the fun times of high school, before real life intervened. But they were riding a pink cloud of nostalgia that couldnt last for long.
Still, this night could last.
Lets go back to the hotel, he said. I want to make love to you properly, on a real bed, with air-conditioning.
Oh, no, I dont think so.
What? What was she saying?
We need to get back to the reunion. There are so many people I havent talked to yet
Nat, youre making excuses. Whats the real reason?
She maneuvered off his lap, managing to narrowly avoid kneeing him in the groin. I dont regret this, Josh, but I think we should return to our senses.
I happen to think making love to you in a comfortable king-size bed is perfectly sensible. He adjusted his clothes and buttoned his shirt while Natalie located her panties and worked her feet back into her high-heeled sandals. Besides, Im not sure you want to go waltzing back into the VFW Hall looking like that.
What? She pulled down the visor and checked herself in the mirror. Oh, my God, I look like I just had sex in a car. Melissa would know instantly.
Everyone would know instantly, but he didnt say so. She opened her little purse and pulled out a comb and a lipstick, working feverishly, first on her hair, then her lips.
This is hopeless! And Im all sweaty. She smelled her hair, then her shoulder. I smell like Stetson! All right, yes, take me back to your hotel room. Im going to shower and air out the dress.
Not exactly what he wanted to hear, but it gave him time to change her mind. I have to go inside to get my jacket and tie, he said. What do you want me to tell Melissa? Because shes going to ask where you are.
Tell her were going for a drive.
NATALIE SAT IN Joshs fancy car waiting for him to return and ordered herself to calm down. She needed to downplay what theyd just done, or Josh would know how profoundly it had affected her.
Shed had no idea what shed been missing. Shed thought her memories of Josh were pristine, untouched by the years of separation. Every so oftenprobably more often than was healthyshe trotted out those treasured memories and relived them. But clearly shed suppressed some thingslike how Josh could send her to the moon with a simple touch.
Her hormones hadnt had a workout like this in a very long time. But it was more than just the physical stimulation. Memories assaulted her from every direction, things she hadnt thought of in twenty years. Like when Josh had carved their initials in that picnic table, her first real indication that what he felt for her was more than fondness or teenage lust. And all those times theyd driven out to Cemetery Road and made love in his truck. Theyd always done it in the cab, because the one time theyd spread some blankets out in the truck bed and attempted to make love, a sheriffs deputy had driven by and caught them with their clothes half-off. He hadnt turned them in, hadnt called their parents, but hed told them to get dressed and go home.
Her hormones hadnt had a workout like this in a very long time. But it was more than just the physical stimulation. Memories assaulted her from every direction, things she hadnt thought of in twenty years. Like when Josh had carved their initials in that picnic table, her first real indication that what he felt for her was more than fondness or teenage lust. And all those times theyd driven out to Cemetery Road and made love in his truck. Theyd always done it in the cab, because the one time theyd spread some blankets out in the truck bed and attempted to make love, a sheriffs deputy had driven by and caught them with their clothes half-off. He hadnt turned them in, hadnt called their parents, but hed told them to get dressed and go home.
Natalie had never been able to look Deputy Klegg in the eye again.
So many good timespicnics, taking Joshs familys boat to the lake with their friends and waterskiing, parties at Melissas house dancing to MTV. So much love.
Though theyd raised a lot of eyebrows by marrying so young, most people thought theyd make it. The only ones who werent surprised when Josh and Natalie divorced were his parents. Though theyd always been civil to Natalie, shed known they thought Josh could do much better.
Josh returned a couple of minutes later with his jacket and tie in hand. Good news, he said as he climbed into the car. Melissa was out on the dance floor. I didnt have to tell her anything.
Good. Maybe Natalie had a chance of returning to the reunion before it was over and pretending nothing had happened.
She and Melissa had once shared everything, but Natalie would never tell anyone what had happened tonight.
The Holiday Inn was a good twenty-minute drive and two towns away. Josh turned down the air-conditioning and opened the sunroof. Natalie was quiet as the breeze blew in, whipping her hair around.
This is a gorgeous car, she finally said to break the silence.
Thanks. Kind of a cliché, though, dont you think? A guy hits forty and buys himself expensive toys to compensate for his loss of youthful virility
Ah, trust me, you havent lost anything. In the dark Id have thought you were seventeen again.
I hope my technique has improved some since I was seventeen.
Fishing for a compliment? Still, she couldnt help smiling, remembering their early fumblings. Theyd been each others firsts. Theyd learned together through trial and error. Lots and lots of trial and error, followed by even more trial and success.
She squirmed a bit in her seat and deliberately changed her line of thought. She didnt want to get all hot and bothered again, not when they would soon be alone in a hotel room. She could only hope Josh would honor her desire to freshen up and return her to the reunion.
The hotel was nice, built only a couple of years earlier. As Josh let Natalie into his room, she noted the open suitcase on the bed as well as the faded Levis and golf shirt hed draped over the back of a chair, probably the clothes hed driven here in.
The bed was covered with a snow-white duvet, but the pillows had been rearranged. She could see him propped up in bed, probably shirtless, one arm behind his head as he channel-surfed.
Her mouth went dry and she walked briskly across the room, out of touching range. She tossed her purse on the bed and kicked off her shoes. Guess I better get busy. You made quite a mess of me.
I think you look better than you have in your whole life. The way he looked at her almost did her in.
No, no, no, she couldnt succumb again. But she froze as Josh followed her, walking slowly, purposely, with a devilish intent obvious in his blue eyes.
But instead of reaching for her, he reached for her purse and opened it, snagging her cell phone and pulling it out. He extended it toward her. Call Melissa and leave a message that you wont be home until morning.
A whole night with Josh? Did she dare? Or rather, did she dare pass up the chance? How much fun did she allow herself, anyway? Her life was devoted to her work and her child. Not that she and Mary didnt have fun, but Natalie seldom did anything for herself.
One night with Josh. Melissa would know the truth, but so what? Even if she told their friendsand she probably wouldNatalie was no longer a part of this community. It wouldnt matter what they thought.
She opened the phone, located Melissas cell number and dialed it.
Chapter Three
So what is it? Natalie asked her gynecologist, pulling her sweater more tightly around her. Youre not saying anything. Im in early menopause, right? When her doctor still remained quiet, Natalie became alarmed. Is it something worse? Cancer? Am I going to die next week? What?
Oh, no, no, honey. I didnt mean to scare you cause its nothing like that. I just didnt know how to say it, but I guess I better just blurt it out. Youre pregnant.
Natalie laughed. Of all the people in the world, you know thats not possible. Surely Celia Brewster was kidding. Shed been Natalies doctor for close to twenty years, but more than that, the two had become friends.
Natalies laughter died as Celia stared at her with an unreadable expression. It must be a mistake, Natalie pointed out. A lab mix-up. I could not possibly be preg She couldnt even finish the word.
Celias steady gaze never faltered. Theres no mistake. You are most definitely pregnant.
Natalie couldnt believe this. Pregnant at forty-three, when she was supposedly terminally infertile. Shed had sex exactly once in the last several yearsokay, more than once if you got technical. Shed lost count of the number of times she and Josh had made love that crazy night of the reunion two months ago. But still
How is it possible, Celia? What about my underfunctioning ovaries? Women just dont get pregnant at my age, even normal ones!
Youd be surprised how many women give birth in their forties. As for how you could have overcome your fertility problem, I have a theory about that. Remember when you first came to me as a patient? You were very thin and your periods were almost nonexistent. Underweight women often dont ovulate.
Natalie did remember Celias concern about her weight. But Natalies diet had been more than adequate. She just hadnt easily gained weight and she was perfectly healthy in every other respect.
Over the years youve put on a few pounds, Celia continued. Im not criticizingyou looked a bit malnourished before. Now you look great and youre healthy as a horse. But discounting the last couple of months, have your cycles become more regular?
Frankly, Natalie had never paid that much attention. After adopting Mary, shed put all thoughts of conceiving her own child out of her mind, so her cycle was inconsequential. But now that she thought about it, she had been more regular the last few years.
She nodded numbly.
My theory is that in your late teens and early twenties, your body weight was slightly under what you would need to regularly ovulate. In addition, you were under tremendous stress.
Because of how badly I wanted to give Josh a baby, you mean?
And because you were so young, married, both of you trying to go to school and make ends meet.
My doctor at the time did say if I could relax a bit, it might help, she admitted. But I thought that was just something doctors said to nervous women patients.