Andy chuckles as he has me figured out. With a wide smile, he dips his head to kiss me.

“Subtle, Cate,” Mitch says.

Catching a glimpse of the flirtatious girl, I notice she now suffers from fake eyelash paralysis The girl’s fake eyelashes freeze wide open as her face sours.

“Sorry ladies, we aren’t interested … tonight,” Dave says to the other girls. Out of his mouth, the dismissive words seem thoughtful and sweet. He is good. The women walk away, wondering if they should be offended or flattered.

“Cate, who is this tasty morsel you’ve brought over for us to sample?” Dave asks with a wink.

But it’s Mitch’s eyes that are glued to Mandy as if she were the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Interesting.

“Mandy, this is Mitch and Dave.”

Mandy barely gives Mitch a passing glance as she beams at Dave. Dave smiles back, looking very used to the attention.

Daniel walks by and snags Mandy’s shoulder. “Can I talk to you?”

She nods and holds up a finger for me to give her a minute before she walks away. I can’t imagine being Mandy right now. I’m not sure how all of it will play out considering both Dave and Mitch watch her walk to Daniel. Tammy stands alone looking uncomfortable while the two talk.

“Are you going home?” Andy asks.

I nod. “I’ll see you later, right?”

Andy doesn’t answer. He turns to his friends. “Dave, Mitch,” Andy says, gaining his friends’ attention. When they shift their eyes, he says, “I’m calling it night.”

“Don’t blame you. And Cate, if Drew treats you bad, call me. I know how to make it better.” Dave winks.

I laugh because I can only imagine.

“Dude, she calls him Andy,” Mitch says with a chuckle.

If Mitch and I hadn’t patched things up, I might have gotten mad. I know him better now and he uses words like a marine in combat. “Don’t worry Dave, if Drew and I have problems, I know to sic Mitch after him.”

Mandy walks up then with a shell shocked expression.

“Are you ready?” I ask cautiously.

She nods and glances back to Daniel who is busy helping his date get into her coat with his eyes firmly on Mandy.

“Andy will give you a ride,” I say, because I know he will.

Mitch, who somewhere in all this has gotten up says, “I’m sure Andy,” he glances at me as his mouth twitches, “and Cate want some alone time. Dave and I can see her home.”

I silently ask Mandy what she thinks. Her face brightens as Dave saunters over.

“We’ll make sure she gets home.” When he says it, it sounds salacious.

“Go on Cate. I’ll be fine.”

I shake my head. When I turn, Andy has my coat. I get into it as Dave and Mitch give Mandy the princess treatment.

After we leave, I ask Andy, “Should I be afraid?”

He laughs. “They’re harmless. They won’t do anything she isn’t on board for. Enough about them, they’re adults. With you so close but not close enough for me to touch, I’ve been hard all night. I think I have blue balls.”

As we walk through the underground parking lot to get his car, I slyly ask, “You’re the doctor. Do your balls actually turn blue? You tell me if you have blue balls or not.”

He takes my hand and places it on his cock. “Blue or not, I need to get you home now.”

The ride is fast, but not fast enough. I consider giving him a blow job while he drive, but DC cops fill the streets with their vehicles and I don’t want to waste time explaining to an officer how I was looking for my contacts down his pants even though I don’t wear contacts.

We barely make it inside the door of my apartment before Andy’s cups my face and kisses me so tenderly I begin to melt.

“Cate, I don’t think I could ever love someone as much as I’m in love with you.”

The intensity in his gaze has me paralyzed. I begin to open my mouth to speak, but he’s there with a fiery kiss that weakens my knees. His hands skate down to the buttons on my blouse and I’m almost ready to tell him to rip it off with how badly I want him inside me. I shrug out of my coat and toss it somewhere into the room as he makes quick work of divesting me of my top. When he releases the last of the buttons, he slowly pushes the shirt down my arms. When it reaches my wrists, he pulls the ends of the blouse together. Caged in, with my hands behind my back, I have no idea what he’s up to.

“You stay right here while I worship you.”

I feel the fabric tighten around my wrists right before he slides down the length of my body. His palms glide up my thighs, pushing up my skirt. Belatedly, I wish I’d worn garters tonight. Then again, I didn’t have plans to see him until after I got home.

His heated breath skims my skin before I feel his tongue through the fabric of my thong. I lift a leg and lean back on the door to gain leverage to press myself against his eager mouth. He hooks a hand under my knee and settles it over his shoulder.

When he pulls the fabric apart, leaving me exposed, my other legs gives out. I begin to slide down the door. He stops my progress by hooking my other leg over his shoulder. He moves forward, so my back is as close to flush with the door as can be with my hands in the way.

“I need to touch you,” I call out.

“In a minute,” he hurriedly says slipping a finger and curling it to stroke my g-bell.

My legs begin to shake from the force of the orgasm building inside me.

“Andy,” I breathe. “Don’t stop.”

He slips another finger inside and finger fucks me until I explode around him. I’m boneless as he frees my hands. He lifts me in the air and carries me back to the bedroom.

“Don’t leave me yet, Cate. I’m not done with you.”

After I make contact with the mattress, I hear the rustle of fabric while I explore the back of my eyelids.

“Cate,” he breathes, covering me with his magnificent body.

“Please,” I beg.

“Shit Cate.”

“I need you, now. Make love to me.”

There is no doubt in my mind I see stars as he slips into me. My back rises off the bed as it feels like heaven, like home. Nothing in so long has felt this right.

“I love you,” I breathe as he begins to move.

Something breaks in my chest as he drives into me with so much passion I feel his love in every stroke. A tear falls from my eye and I know there is no turning back. This man is mine and I am his.

He doesn’t ask if I’m on the pill. And had I not been, I would be ready to make babies with him. When his name slips off my tongue, it surprises us both. I call him Drew as he climaxes on a growl of pleasure. My vision explodes with a million stars.

We settle back on the mattress and he threads his fingers through mine. Tears slip out the corners of my closed eyes because my emotions are raw and I’ve admitted the truth I’d been holding back.

COMING BACK FROM OUR OWN little paradise is harsh. I shouldn’t complain because life is pretty damn good. We live in a fabulous home, Drew loves his fellowship and the attendings he works with, and my new job is great. I landed an entry-level auditing position with Ernst and Young. It’s not my dream job, but with my ambition and goals, I can see myself making partner one day, if not here, then another firm.

Every day, though, I find myself daydreaming of our little villa on the sea, and how Monique and the rest of the staff spoiled us. The summer ends and fall is upon us before it barely registers.

One day at my new job, a huge flower arrangement is delivered for me. I scratch my head, wondering if Drew is trying to apologize for something. But that’s silly because the man never does anything to piss me off. Then I open the card and feel my heart beat a little faster as it thumps a lot louder.

Cate, Catelyn, My lovely wife,

Happy Anniversary! Two years ago you agreed to go out on a date with me