"So, where to now?" Mark asked as they walked arm-in-arm to her car. The night air had turned cool as a gentle breeze rustled the palm
trees. It was a welcome relief after four hours in a stuffy bar.
"How about the fishing pier in Deerfield? It's so beautiful out now,
I'd like to walk by the ocean."
"The pier it is, then," he said, drawing her into another intoxicating
kiss. Neither one of them could keep their hands off of each other; it was
as if some magnetic force had taken over once the apology had been
given and accepted. Still, Madeline wondered what he might be
anticipating from the evening, knowing she would not be consenting to
consummating their budding relationship on this particular date. It was
simply way too soon. And charisma and clean-cut good looks
notwithstanding, they barely knew each other.
Coming up for air, Madeline ordered him to drive, and tossed him her
keys. At every stoplight on the way to the pier, Mark leaned over to kiss
her. Each kiss had an intensity that surpassed the previous one, as if years
of pent-up emotion were spilling out in gradual waves. Any lingering
thoughts of Ken were completely eradicated as Madeline lost herself in
Mark's touch. She ran her fingers through his thick hair and pursued his
lips hungrily; it had been so long since she'd been held by a man, she'd
almost forgotten how good it could feel.
Yet there was something she still did not trust. Maybe she was still
reeling inside from Ken's nuptial announcement and of course, Mark's
recent actions. In spite of his sincere apology she wondered where this
was all heading. Mark was a man with needs after all, and she realized she
could only satisfy his burning desire to a certain extent tonight. Would he
accept that? For goodness' sake, it was only their second date!
But here was a man who'd been somebody's husband for fifteen
years, father to two children almost as long, and engaged to another
woman for God knows how long. He never did specify the length of his
engagement, though obviously its demise had been fairly recent.
Regardless, it was a safe bet that his experience in these matters far
exceeded hers. Although she'd been in many intimate situations with Ken
during the time they were together, he always maintained the proper
boundaries, at Madeline's insistence; much to his credit, Ken had shown
admirable restraint, despite their intense passion and chemistry.
But Ken had also been her exact same age-quite literally-and there
was a comfort level knowing he'd never been committed to someone else
in a legal sense. True, he'd been sexually involved with at least two other
women she knew of, and possibly even a few he'd never told her about,
but his heart had definitely been in finding the right girl to settle down
with. One thing she'd known for sure: Kenny was not a player. The jury
was still out on Mark.
Besides, the prospect of being with someone new-someone who'd
not only been around the block, but who could so easily and skillfully
awaken the same simultaneously powerful and terrifying sensations within
her-was unsettling. And the night was still young.