Red Lily

Gliding on it, she curled her body a little closer to his, and smiled dreamily when his hand stroked over her back.
    “That was wonderful,” she murmured. “You’re wonderful. Everything’s wonderful. I feel like if I stepped outside right now, this light inside me would blind the entire population of Memphis.”
    “If you stepped outside right now, you’d be arrested.” His hand slipped lower. “Better just stay right here with me.”
    “You’re probably right. Mmm, I feel so loose.” She stretched like a cat. “I guess I was pretty blocked up, you know? Self-servicing isn’t nearly as satisfying as . . . Oh God, I can’t believe I said that.”
    His shoulders were already shaking as he snorted out a laugh. He hooked an arm firmly around her before she could roll away. “Happy to be . . . at your service.”
    She buried her face against his shoulder. “Things just jump out of my mouth sometimes. It’s not like I’m a sex maniac or anything.”
    “Well, now you’ve shattered my dreams.”
    She cuddled closer, tipped her head up. “It’s nice being here like this. I mean just like this,” she said, and feathered her fingers through his hair. “All soft and warm, snuggled up in bed. I wish we could just stay, and tonight would just go on and on.”
    “We can stay, and when tonight stops going on, we can have breakfast right here in bed.”
    “That sounds amazing, but you know I can’t. Lily—”

    “Is sound asleep in the Portacrib we moved into my mother’s sitting room earlier today.” When her eyes widened, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Mama was practically rubbing her hands together with glee at the prospect of keeping her overnight.
    “Your mama . . .” She pushed up on her elbow. “God, did everybody know about this but me?”
    “Pretty much.”
    “Roz knows we’re . . . that’s just very strange. But I don’t think I should—”
    “Mama said to remind you she managed to raise three boys, keep them all alive and out of jail.”
    “But . . . I’m a terrible mother. I want to stay.”
    “You’re not a terrible mother. You’re an awesome mother.” He sat up as she did, took her shoulders. “You know Lily’s fine, and you know Mama loves having her.”
    “I do. I do know that, but . . . what if she wakes up and wants me? Okay,” she said with a sigh when he just lifted his eyebrows. “If she wakes up, Roz’ll handle it. And Lily loves spending time with her, and Mitch. I’m being a cliché.”
    “But you’re such a pretty one.”
    She looked around the room. Beautiful, sumptuous—absolute freedom. “We can really just stay?”
    “I’m hoping you will.”
    She bit her lip. “I don’t have any . . . things, you know? Not even a toothbrush. A hairbrush. I don’t have my—”
    “David packed you a bag.”
    “David . . . well, that’s all right then. He’d know what I’d want.” She felt giddy little bubbles rising up in her throat. “We’re just staying?”
    “That’s the plan. If it’s okay with you.”
    “If it’s okay with me?” she repeated, and a gleam came into her eyes as she launched herself at him. “Let me show you what I think about that.”

    L ATER , SHE CAME rushing out of the bathroom. “Harper, did you see these robes? They’re so big and soft.” She stood rubbing a sleeve against her cheek. “There are two of them, one for each of us.”
    Lazily, he opened one eye. The woman, he thought, was proving to be insatiable. Praise Jesus. “Nice.”
    “Everything in here is wonderful.”
    “Romeo and Juliet suite,” he murmured, almost drifting.
    “What?”
    “The suite. It’s the Romeo and Juliet suite.”
    “Really, but that’s . . .” Her brows drew together. “Well, if you think about it, they were a couple of teenage suicides.”
    On a laugh, he opened his eyes. “Trust you.”
    “I never saw it as being romantic. Tragic is what it was—and plain stupid. Not the play,” she corrected, turning a circle to swirl the robe. “It’s brilliant, but those two? Oops, she’s dead, I’ll drink this poison. Oops, he’s dead, I’ll stab myself in the heart. I mean, Jesus, and I’m babbling.”
    “What you are,” he said, staring at her, “is fascinating.”
    “I get pretty opinionated about books. But whoever it’s named for, the suite’s downright awesome. It just makes me want to dance all around it, buck-ass naked.”
    “I knew I should’ve brought a camera.”
    “I