The Best of Us (Sullivan's Crossing #4)(56)

“No. I was listening and your voice just lulled me. I love your voice. Plus, I spent much of the day at the clinic catching up on paperwork since it was closed and quiet. Paperwork always makes me tired, probably because it’s so boring! I was so excited about tonight I might’ve peaked too soon. I promise to stay awake the rest of the way and through dinner,” she said.

“Go ahead and have a little nap,” he said. “You’re in good hands. And I’ll make sure you get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

“Oh, I know you will,” she said.

Their dinner was lovely; the chef was welcoming and excited to host them. The resort where they stayed was lovely, too. There was less talking and their usual wonderful lovemaking. Leigh was in heaven and definitely not moody. She curled up against him and admitted to herself she was so happy. This, she thought, was good enough. She could be satisfied to have this lovely man in her life, even with all his complications, for years.

She laughed softly against his chest.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“It’s really not funny,” she said. “I was just thinking, you’re the perfect guy for me. I’m very happy. I think you meet all my needs. I hope I do the same for you.”

“Oh-ho,” he said, pulling her closer. “And then some.”

Helen felt the bed dip and she opened one eye. Sully was shuffling off to the bathroom. She glanced at the clock. It was almost six and she sat up.

He came back to the bedroom. “Oh, Helen, you don’t have to wake up yet. Sleep in. I’ll make you some breakfast when you’re up for real.”

“I’m ready to get up. I have things on my mind.”

He sat on the edge of the bed. “Let’s get it out,” he said, like a man expecting the worst.

“Last night was lovely and I slept so well. I’m not good at sleeping with anyone but I slept very well.”

“I get up a lot,” he said.

“Twice,” she said. “I took advantage and got up myself.”

“And I snore.”

“I only had to put a hand on your back and you quieted at once,” she said. “The real question is, how did you sleep?”

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I feel better than I have in about forty years and I’m sure not tired. You stay so still when you sleep, I thought about putting a little mirror under your nose to see if you were breathing.”

Helen laughed. “I don’t thrash around much. But I have that issue with getting hot on and off.”

“I was aware of that,” he said. “Helen, I’m not a young man, but you knew that.”

“You’re actually perfect for your age,” she said. “I felt so comfortable with you. Sully, I had a good time.”

“Will you ever stay over again?” he asked.

“I imagine so,” she said.

“If Rob and Leigh have another getaway?”

“I’m sixty-two and she’s thirty-four. I should think that by now we can be honest with each other. I have no criticism of her sharing a night with her gentleman friend. We’re all responsible adults.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “We don’t have to be worried about birth control, do we?” And they both laughed. “I wish, mostly for your sake, I could have met you when I was younger.”

“Don’t,” she said. “We manage just fine at our ages. It may not look very pretty, but it obviously still works.”

“Whew,” he said, a shudder running through him. “I’ll be honest with you—I wasn’t sure it would.”

“Do you suppose we could have a walk this morning?” she asked.

“I have to have a cup of coffee first,” he said. “Old dogs—new tricks.”

“Okay, I’ll be patient.”

“I’ll make the coffee in the kitchen,” he said. “Then we can go for a walk before I open the store. In fact, Enid might beat me to it today.”

“Should we act as if I just got here?”

“Why do that? I’m kind of proud you stayed the night. Course, I don’t intend to divulge, but I don’t see the need to make up any stories.”

“Good. I prefer to be honest and I’m not at all embarrassed, nor do I have regrets. In fact, Mr. Sullivan, you’re just about the biggest surprise of my life.”

“How’s that?” he asked.

“The last thing I imagined I’d find here was a man. And not a man I was so fond of. And yet...”

“Well, girl, you surprised me, too. I thought I was prolly long past getting together with a woman. And one who can scare the bejesus out of me, at that!”

“And I like this place. You do need a new mattress, however...”

“It sinks in all the right spots!” he said.

“We’ll go together to pick one out. It’s not quite an emergency but a sinking mattress isn’t good for you, either. Will that be all right? That’s me, asserting myself into your space.”

“Woman, you can do anything you want to this space.”

They each had a cup of coffee, let Beau out to water the grass, then Sully grabbed the leash and asked the dog if he wanted to lead the way. “He won’t know what to make of this. I don’t usually walk him before breakfast.”