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Olivia dropped her cell phone into her
purse.
Holy crap.
She looked expectantly through the shiny brass
revolving door as Brian entered the hotel lobby. He’d run down the street to
grab coffee before they hit the road.

“Did you talk to the girls?” he asked,
handing over the full-fat mocha with extra whipped cream that she’d ordered.

“Just for a minute. They’re good. They’re
excited for us to get home, but I think they’re going to miss your mom’s
cooking. It sounds like they ate cookies and ice cream all weekend.”

“Great. We get them right after the sugar
crash.”

Olivia twisted her lips.
Just tell him.
It doesn’t have to be a big surprise.
“So, I had a voicemail from the
restaurant. They were calling about the job.”

Brian’s eyes widened. “And?”

She bounced on her toes. “I got it.”

He squeezed her tight and kissed her on the
forehead. “I knew it. I just had a feeling.” Gently, he tucked her hair behind
her ear. “We’re still going to get you set up to get back to painting, but I’m
glad this worked out. I know you wanted it.”

She nodded. “I did. I really did want it.”

His crystal-clear blue eyes were as bright
as she’d ever seen them. “The perfect ending to a perfect weekend. I’m so proud
of you.”

She pecked him on the lips. “You’re proud
of me for the job or for the weekend?”

“Both.” He knocked back his coffee while surreptitiously
giving her ass a squeeze.

Olivia gave him a feigned look of
admonishment. If there weren’t so many people around, she would have
reciprocated. “Looks like the valet just pulled the car around. You ready?”

As they strode toward the door, Carson
pushed an empty luggage cart out of the elevator. Brian came to an abrupt stop.
“Actually, stay right here. I need to do one thing.” He trailed Carson, who was
pushing the cart across the lobby, and tapped him on the shoulder.

Oh God. Now what?
She knew better than to try to interfere. He’d been so weird about
Carson all weekend. If she butted in, it would only make it that much more
awkward. Plus she wasn’t eager to hear whatever horrific thing Brian might say.

She studied their interaction, trying to decipher
the body language. Brian’s back was to her, which was quite the pleasing
vista—his perfect ass in jeans. She squinted for a better view of that and also
kept an eye on the scene unfolding before her. Carson looked at Brian then
looked at the floor. She took a long sip of her coffee.
I’m so ordering the
real stuff from now on.

Finally, Brian slapped some money into
Carson’s hand and gave her the high sign to join him. Carson rolled the cart to
the front desk and disappeared through a door.

“What in the world did you say to him?”

Brian slung his arm over her shoulder and
they made their way outside. “I just called him out on looking at you.”

“You what?” Olivia climbed into the car. It
jostled when Brian joined her.

He polished his sunglasses with the hem of
the t-shirt he was wearing underneath his sweater. One glance at her and he
cracked a smile. “That’s what I planned to talk to him about. The truth is that
I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He’s a good kid and you
are
very
pretty. I can hardly blame him. I just told him he did a good job this weekend
and I was sorry if it seemed like I was giving him a hard time.”

She shook her head as Brian pulled out into
traffic. “Why in the world would you want to say anything to him in the first
place?”

“What? You’re my wife.”

“And? That means other men can’t look at
me? Last night was the polar opposite of that, don’t you think?”

“Ah, but I was in control last night.
That’s the difference. I had dictated the circumstances and knew the limits of
what would happen.”

She looked out the window as the city
whizzed by. Like any other driver in Manhattan on a Sunday morning, Brian was
taking full advantage of light traffic by barreling down the street. “There’s
something I want to know about last night.”

He nodded but his eyes remained on the
road. “Of course. What?”

“When we were in the moment, you know, when
Michael and I were together, what were you thinking?” She cleared her throat.
“What made it hot?”

Brian reached out and caressed her thigh as
he turned on to the 59th Street Bridge. “It was a lot of things. It was all
hot.”

Talk about a nonanswer.
She sighed and dug in her purse for some gum. She’d sensed that
Brian might want to simply close the chapter on what had happened last night
rather than revisiting it. He could conjure the memory whenever he wanted to,
if ever, and she’d still be left wondering what he was thinking. “I’m sorry,
hon, but that’s not good enough. I want you to tell me what was going through
that head of yours. You had the most raging erection I have ever seen.”

“Nothing like cutting to the chase,
darling.” He smirked and nodded. “Fair enough. Well, it was the whole
experience, I guess. It was like watching the most erotic movie you can
imagine, except you get to touch the leading actress, you get to be in the same
room with her.”

Now we’re getting somewhere.
“Good. What else?”

“Honestly, Liv, just watching the way your
body moves is pretty incredible. I’m usually in the thick of things. I get to
feel it. I don’t get to see it.”

“Men
are
very visual creatures.”

“That we are.” He set the cruise control
and settled into his seat a little more. “But in the end, it was just about
appreciating and admiring the beauty of what I have, and that’s you.”

Tears gathered almost instantaneously in
her eyes. “That’s very sweet. This weekend was really wonderful. I love you so
much.”

“Love you too, Liv. Always.”

Olivia sat back and dabbed at the corners
of her eyes as they drove in silence. Funny how just two days together could
turn things around, make her see their future in an entirely new light. They
weren’t headed down a path that led to nights of sweatpants and reruns in bed.
They’d reminded each other that even with kids and endless responsibilities,
they were still a loving and vibrant couple. Expressing that was one of the
greatest gifts they could share.

Just when she’d thought she couldn’t
possibly love him any more, something profound had happened and love had grown.

Brian’s phone rattled in the cup holder.
“If it’s work, I’m not answering.” He grabbed it, quickly glancing at the
display. “It’s Michael.” He pushed the button to accept the call. “Michael,
hey. What’s up?” He nodded. “Yeah, of course.” He handed her the phone. “He
wants to talk to you.”

Olivia swallowed, hard.
Really? We’re
walking down memory lane already?
Michael had been a sweetheart for helping
them out with Brian’s fantasy, but she wasn’t ready to talk about it in broad
daylight on the phone. “Hello?”

“Hey, Liv. I just want to make sure you’re
doing okay after last night.”

“Yep, I’m great.” She smiled at Brian.
“Couldn’t be better, thanks.”

“That’s really good to hear. I’m glad.” His
voice trailed off and an uncomfortable silence was left in its absence.

“Is there something else on your mind?”
Olivia asked.

“Uh, yeah. This might sound silly, but
Brian was really talking up that game you bought. You know, the sex game.”

“The Spice Rack?”

“Is that what it’s called? Let me grab a
pen.”

She smirked. “Yes, it’s called the Spice
Rack.”

“Where do I get one?”

“Lots of places. Lingerie boutiques, sex
toy shops, online.”

“And women are into it?”

“Yes. It’s fun and romantic and sexy. Women
like all of that.”

“Okay, cool. There’s this woman in my
building and I really like her. A lot. I think I’m going to ask her out.”

Olivia blinked several times. This was
Michael, the ultimate B.M.O.C. “You’re thinking of asking her out? Since when
do you wait to get what you want, especially when it comes to a woman?”

“Hey, there’s an art to this, you know. I
don’t want to mess this up.”

“And you think the Spice Rack will help?”

“I get the impression she’s a bit of a
handful in the bedroom. I want to have reinforcements if necessary.”

She hesitated to ask what gave Michael this
impression about his neighbor, but she wasn’t surprised, considering the
subjects he was comfortable bringing up. “You must really like her. Are we
thinking she might be girlfriend material?”

“Whoa. One step at a time.” Michael
chuckled. “But, yeah she’s amazing. She’s a lot like you. Smart. Talented.
Gorgeous.”

Olivia blushed. “Thank you for saying that.
She sounds lovely. What’s her name?”

“Sabrina.”

She clamped her hand over her mouth.
Sabrina.
Of course her name is Sabrina.
“That’s a sexy, sexy name.” A titter began
to leak out of her and Brian glanced over with a quizzical look. “Brian once
had a thing with a woman named Sabrina. Something kinky with a silk blindfold.”

“He told you about this?”

“I had to drag it out of him.” She winked
at Brian.

He playfully smacked her on the leg with
the back of his hand.

“Hey, thanks, Liv,” Michael said. “I really
appreciate this. I had fun last night. You’re wonderful. Unfortunately for me,
your husband is pretty amazing too. I hope you two are very happy together for
a very long time.”

“Thanks to you too. I hope things work out
with Sabrina. Keep us posted.”

Olivia hung up. Her cheeks were tight from
smiling.

“Good thing you didn’t tell him I had a
thing with Sabrina yesterday morning,” Brian quipped. “He really would’ve
wondered what you and I were up to.”

She nodded and tucked her leg under her
butt, turning in her seat toward Brian. “That was sweet of him to ask me that
stuff. He actually wanted love advice.”

“Sounds like you pointed him in the right
direction with the Spice Rack.”

“Yep. I think that’s his plan.”

“It’s not just Michael, darling,” Brian
said in a distinctly fit-for-the-bedroom tone. “It’s part of my plan as well.”

Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl
transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music, Judy Blume, and the films of John
Hughes. Her lifelong preoccupation with rock ‘n’ roll led her to spend her
twenties working her way from intern to executive in the music industry. Much
of her writing revolves around the world of backstage passes and band dynamics.
When she isn't creating fictional musicians, she's listening to music with her
kids, honing her Southern cooking skills or sweet-talking her astoundingly
supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.

Karen welcomes comments from readers. You
can find her website and email addresses on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.

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For Keeps

Long-Distance
Lovers
with Karen Stivali

Love My Way

Long-Distance Lovers
with Karen Stivali

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Love Plus One

ISBN 9781419947315

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Love Plus One Copyright © 2013 Karen Booth

Edited by Jillian Bell

Cover design by Syneca

Cover photography by conrado/shutterstock.com

Electronic book publication September 2013

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