The Pick Up Wife Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Fine. I’ll follow you to your hotel.”

    ****
    Ten minutes later, Leo ushered Symmone to an empty table. She glanced around the dimly lit room, surprised to see so many of the tables full. A slow, sensuous blues song filled the air as the vocalist moaned about lost love and the need to find his way home. She could so relate.
    “Did you want anything?” He sat next to her, his arm draped across the back of her chair.
    “No.” She leaned forward, rested her elbow on the table, and propped her chin in her hand.
    Only in her deepest dreams did she expect to be this close to him again, and even with his knee 78
    brushing her thigh she still couldn’t believe she was sitting next to him, listening to music.
    She closed her eyes, swaying to the beat.
    Gentle fingers slid down her spine and a soft sigh left her lips. She couldn’t even remember the last time she went out by herself or even a group of friends. Most of her time and attention was focused on her children. And that left little room for a relationship. If she was really honest with herself, she missed being with Leo.
    The chair beside her creaked and Leo’s arm grazed her shoulders as he leaned closer.
    “Dance with me.”
    Anticipation crackled down her spine. She twisted her head to stare into his eyes, his face mere inches from hers. All she had to do was close the scant few inches to taste his lips. Wanting him 79
    the way she did was insane, yet she couldn’t deny the lure of being held again.
    “Okay.”
    He grasped her hand and led her to the dance floor. Once there he swept her into his arms, bringing her in contact with his hard lean body and his arousal. A shudder of awareness rippled through her body. This close to him she went rigid. How else were they supposed to dance together?
    “Relax.” His warm breath tickled her ear and tightened her nipples. “I just want to dance with you.” He slid a hand to the curve of her hip, while his other clasped her hand. “Remember how much we loved listening to music and dancing until management asked us to leave?”
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    Resolve waning, she smiled at the memory.
    “That was so long ago, I’m surprised you thought of it.”
    They swayed to the music, and despite being tired Symmone sank into the strength of his embrace. With a sigh she leaned her head against his shoulder and inhaled his scent, a little spiced pine and all male.
    “Every day I remember.”
    She fell silent. So many times she’d wanted to be in his arms, dancing or just being held by him. For a moment she allowed the memories of the good times to wash over her. The day he proposed, he’d taken her on a picnic. Then their wedding day. The only member of her family who’d showed up for the big day was Melvin. He cheered her on when no one else would, and the day had 81
    been perfect. Beautiful weather. Then the day she found out she was pregnant. Before she could even share the good news, her happy world came crashing down.
    They’d been married just over a year, and for some reason Leo decided the best thing for his career was to leave her. She thought he did well as an architect straight out of college. Maybe it was too much too fast. She didn’t even have the benefit of hindsight to pinpoint the exact moment when things went wrong. They hadn’t argued about money or the time he spent working. She was too busy with her accounting classes to really complain about long hours. Somehow they always managed to spend Sundays together, or a few stolen moments at the end of each day.
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    If she’d known he wanted out, maybe she could’ve prepared for the breakup in some way; but being blindsided… She exhaled a stuttered breath. That’s why the divorce hurt so much. And now he wanted her back? Would he still want her when he learned about the children?
    The easy jazz number flowed into something more melodic, more sensual, a bit reminiscent of Luther Vandross’s “If Only For One Night,” and she wanted to have just one night with