Second Time Around

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The black silk jersey dress skimmed lightly along Kelly's curves as she wriggled into it and as she moved to the mirror, she smiled. Tony had never seen her in anything nearly as nice. She looked forward to his reaction when he saw her tonight.

"Kelly?" Speak of the devil.

He rapped on the closed bedroom door. "Honey, I have to get dressed, too, you know."

"I know. Are the girls ready?"

"Troy and Jake just showed up."

She eased her feet into her four inch strappy sandals, buckled said straps, and then practically floated to the door to tug it open. "Sorry I took so long."

"You can't help it. You're a--" He stopped dead in his tracks in the doorway, his jaw going slack as his gaze slowly slid upward. "Damn, Kell... you look... wow..."

She smiled. "I do believe this is the first time I've ever seen Mr. Marino speechless," she said, doing a little twirl in the middle of the room. "I take it I won't embarrass you?"

He shook his head. "You certainly will not. Damn, baby, you look beautiful." He closed the door behind him, locking it as he added, "Absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you."

He tugged open the closet door and stepped inside. "I hope I don't embarrass you. I don't clean up nearly as well."

"That's not how I remember it."

He came out, tugging his dark green long-sleeved tee shirt over his head to toss in the laundry hamper. Unbuckling his belt, he smiled. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

She crossed over to him. In the heels, she was almost the same height. "Please tell me you aren't one of those guys who refuses to dance."

His hands were warm on her hips. "I don't dance well, honey. I'll tell you that right now. I'm okay with slow dancing, but a disaster with everything else."

"That's fine." She let her fingertips brush along the warm, smooth skin covering the firm muscle of his shoulders. "I like slow dancing best anyway."

"Then you're in luck, beautiful girl," he told her, pulling her flush against him. "I'm not one of those guys who refuses to dance."

His lips brushed hers and she sighed. "Good." She kissed him and then stepped back. "Okay, I'll let you get ready and I'll go check on the girls."

"I'll be down in a few."

Grabbing her small, beaded bag from the foot of the bed, she left Tony to dress in peace and went downstairs, where everyone congregated in the den.

"Hi, Mrs. Adams," Jake said. "Whoa... has Coach seen you yet?"

She smiled. "He has and he approves." She smiled at the girls. Alyssa and Amy both wore blue--Alyssa in royal blue, Amy in midnight blue, while Deirdre wore emerald green. Jake and Troy both wore navy blue suits, while Amy's date--whom Kelly did not recognize--wore black.

Amy smiled as she gestured to her date. "Kelly, this is Rick Shepherd. Rick, this is my dad's girlfriend--and Alyssa's mom--Kelly."

"Amy, trust me, we know who Kelly is." Rick grinned at Amy, then at Kelly. "Coach made quite the impression out in Hunterdon."

Kelly chuckled, remembering how Tony kissed her that night after their fight. He probably made more than an impression on his players that night. Not that she'd complain. "It's nice to meet you, Rick."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Adams."

Kelly dug her phone out of her bag and when the girls groaned, she laughed. "You had to know it was coming."