Second Time Around

Chapter Ten

The room was dark and peaceful and Tony had to fight to keep his eyes open. Kelly curved against him, warm and soft, her head on his chest. Her fingers had been sweeping over his stomach, but they slowed, then stopped. He didn't want to move, didn't care if he ever moved again.

But according to the clock on Kelly's bedside table, it was nearly one in the morning and he had to be up and in the shower by five-thirty. Four hours of sleep, if he was lucky. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

He gazed down at Kelly. Her blonde hair spilled across his chest, glinting gold in the soft glow of the bathroom nightlight. Her hair was so soft, so silky, he couldn't resist touching it. Couldn't resist touching her. He couldn't remember the last time sex was this good. Come to think of it, he didn't know if it had ever been this good.

Damn, he hated to shatter the quiet. "Kell? You awake, honey?"

"Mmmm... yeah..." She lifted her head from his chest and he couldn't help but smile. Her hair was a wild tangle about her face, caused by his not-so-gentle hands, and her eyes were heavy-lidded. She looked like a woman who'd been thoroughly loved and enjoyed every moment of it.

She squinted at the clock. "Damn... I'm going to need massive amounts of caffeine to get through tomorrow. Er, today, that is." She rubbed her eyes. "You should probably get home."

"I hate to leave, but I don't want to leave the girls alone overnight, either."

"Of course not."

He reluctantly untangled from her and slid to the edge of the bed, where he sat up. Rubbing his face with both hands, he said, "When's the next time Alyssa and Shane go see their dad?"

"A week from tomorrow. Why?"

He peered over his shoulder at her. She lay under the comforter, which was rumpled and crooked atop the bed. "I don't want to have to sneak off in the middle of the night."

She offered up a sleepy smile. "It would be nice."

He slid from the bed and fished his boxer briefs from the floor. As he did, she also made to slide to the opposite side of the bed and sat up, reaching for a white terry robe draped over a rocking chair in the corner. As she moved, the light danced along her hair. He eased into the briefs, then stretched across the bed to snag her about the waist. Pressing his lips to her ear, he whispered, "Tonight was wonderful, honey."

She leaned into him. "It was wonderful, wasn't it?"

"Why don't you just go to sleep? I can see myself out and you look beat." He gave her a gentle squeeze. "I'll give you a call later."

After trying unsuccessfully to smother her yawn, Kelly nodded. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Get some sleep. I'll talk to you later."

He kissed her once more, then let her lay down while he finished dressing. She watched him, her eyes glittering in the half-light, until he said, "Enjoying yourself?"

"You should only know how many times I played out this scenario in my mind. I never thought it would really happen, though."

Tugging his shirt over his head, he said, "I hope I didn't disappoint you. I'm not twenty-three any more."

"That's okay. I'm not sixteen and this was even better than I imagined it." A soft sigh wafted toward him. "Somehow, I think you've probably improved since you were twenty-three."

"I hope so. Lord knows I was a hell of a lot more selfish back then." He sank onto the edge of the bed to tug one boot on, then lowered his foot, resting his hand on his thigh. "But, on the flip side, back then I could go all night, if I wanted to."