A Man After Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page B

shivered.  The little lick reminded her of what he’d licked the night before.  “Ah, what, um…” She cleared her throat.  “What safe word?”
    “Something innocuous, like banana .”
    “I like bananas,” she said.  “What if you ruin them for me?”
    He grinned.  “I don’t think you’ll have to use the word, but it’s good to have it out there.  Any time you feel overwhelmed with how things are progressing, then say banana.” He used one of her fingers to tap her nose.  “But I mean only use it if you are truly frightened.  Otherwise, don’t end the experiment.”
    She narrowed her eyes.  “You still haven’t said what the experiment is .”
    “That will be tonight.”  He let go of her hand and rose from the bed.  “But for now, let’s go sightseeing in the Big Apple.”
    Caroline sighed and wrinkled her nose as she caught sight of her abandoned black dress.  “Time for the walk of shame,” she said. 
    “Hey, no shame involved,” he admonished.  “Banana.”
    “You know what you can do with your banana?  You can go stick it up your––”
    “Uh-uh!” he said, laughing as he held up his hands and backed out the door.  He closed the door, cutting off a pillow as it flew toward his head.

Chapter Five
     
    She wrote a message for Aldy and set it on the table in their room, explaining where she planned to be and with whom. Caroline stared at the words and bit her lower lip, not sure how to feel about the fact that she was planning on plunging into a vacation affair.  She grabbed a pen and some hotel advertised paper, drawing a line down it with one side saying ‘Pros’ and the other saying ‘Cons’.  She quickly started writing all her thoughts down, the whys and the why-nots.  Then she sat back and read over her inner turmoil. 
    All the second-guessing came down to one simple fact: that in three days, she could leave it all behind.  What happened in New York could stay in New York.  Her fantasies explored.  Her body sexually satisfied.  Her heart untouched.   As long as she was careful not to read anything more into Wren’s words and actions, then all that would remain after the trip were the amazing memories.
    Yes, the perfect weekend affair.
    As she adjusted the temperature of the shower, Caroline knew she didn’t want to be that woman who let one bad experience ruin an opportunity of a lifetime.  She had never imagined that she would be involved in a little vacation affair, but she hoped she was pragmatic enough to handle it.  Wren Calder could only be a fling, and perhaps that’s exactly what she needed right now.  Someone who didn’t know her too well, who could point out all her faults and missteps.  He wouldn’t expect her to look perfect all the time, to never have a zit or PMS and bloating.  There would be no petty arguments over what was for dinner, or who would take out the trash.  There would be no decay of communication until all that remained were generic questions.  He wouldn’t expect her to be anyone except his bed partner for three more nights, to share in the bliss and ecstasy of sexual abandonment, which she had never, in her entire life, experienced.  Sex with her ex-husband, Greg, had been routine, slightly boring.  The only way she could climax was by being on top.  Could it be Wren himself who had managed to turn her body into a quivering mass of sexual need, or was the thought of all the naughty delights he promised the true culprit? 
    Did she even care?
    Caroline stepped under the hot spray of the shower.  The last day with Greg filtered through her mind as she washed her hair.
    He lay on the bed, staring up at the bedroom ceiling when she had walked into the room.  Caroline had spent the day mindlessly walking through the mall, not really knowing what else to do because she didn’t want to be at home.
    She stood in the doorway, looking at him with emotions that fluctuated between half-angry and half-sad.  He hadn’t