Evan’s eyes flickered open. He saw the sparkling brown eyes of his wife, and her shining brown hair draped across her shoulders as she lay facing him. He smiled at her, catching the aroma of her floral shampoo and the crisp smell of peppermint toothpaste on her breath.
“It’s Monday, darling,” she reminded him, “time to come back to reality.”
“It’s a holiday, dearest, remember?” He reached out his hand to touch the silky hair over her right ear.
“Labor Day!” she said, looking embarrassed. “I’m so sorry I woke you.”
“I’m not,” he responded. “I’m glad, actually. We’ll have the whole day together.”
Emily sighed. “But, we can stay here together just a little while, can’t we? I love being close to you when you’re all warm and sleepy.” Her right hand reached out to lie softly on his chest.
“You’ve been up, though,” Evan told her. “I can smell the toothpaste. I should at least do that.”
“Do you promise to come back to me here?” she asked, sounding almost coy.
“I promise, my love,” he said, tossing off the sheet and briskly rising from the bed. He used the bathroom, quickly brushed his teeth, swiped his mouth on a towel and returned to his waiting wife. He marveled at the beauty of her shape outlined under the single sheet.
“You’re naked,” she observed.
“As are you, I imagine,” he responded.
She smiled and pulled back the sheet and revealed her naked form, patted the bed and invited him to join her. “I am,” she said. “I wonder how that happened.”
“If I remember,” he mused, “when Rich and Janice left, we showered, dried each other and fell into the bed without dressing.” He climbed back into the bed, lay on his back and cupped his right arm around Emily.
“This is nice,” she said, snuggling into him. He nodded, smiled, and hummed agreement.
“Evan?” Emily said softly after a few minutes.
“What is it, dearest?” he asked her in reply.
“Should we talk about this weekend? About this week?” Her breath tickled him.
“Of course, if that’s what you’d like.”
“I just want you to know that I still love you just the same as always.”
“And I, you,” he answered.
“What do you think happened? I mean, why did things turn out the way they did with Rich and Janice? Is there something wrong with us?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he chuckled. “That’s three questions as once.”
“Okay,” she said, sighing. “Is there something wrong with us? I guess that’s the most important question.”
“I don’t believe there is anything wrong with us, darling. What I think happened is that Rich is a, what do they call them? A hunk?”
“Yes, but, what difference would that make?”
“Well,” he said patiently, “I think you just wondered. Due to our limited experience, I think your curiosity was piqued. You just wanted to know if being with a hunk would be any different.”
“But, I’m quite happy with you, darling. I really am. Even if I did wonder what it would be like, why do you think it happened like that?”
Evan smiled, leaned over and kissed the top of her head, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. “Because I gave you permission, my dear,” he said. “You do remember that conversation, don’t you?”
“You said that if I wanted to try him that you would still love me.”
“That’s right. And, you did, and I still do.”
“He makes me feel wicked, you know,” Emily told him. “When we make love, it is really wonderful. You’re kind and gentle, and you always make me feel so good. But, with Rich, I feel so raw and sexual. It is very exciting.”
“And you like that feeling, that excitement. But, at the same time, you still love me, don’t you?”
“I do,” she said, snuggling. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Always,” he said softly.
“I like looking into your face when you watch me.