Las Vegas Honeymoon by Francis Drake

a shower.
    He cracked open one eye. “With you?”
    Smiling, she rose to her knees, straddled him, and then climbed out of bed, resisting his hands on her hips trying to hold her in place. “You can shower with me only if you hurry.”
    “For that I can find the energy. I hope they have lots of hot water, because I’ll hurry to get there, but I don’t plan a short time in the shower.”
    Laughing, she sauntered into the bathroom and turned on the water. The liquid burst from the spigot, steaming almost immediately. Rather like she felt when anywhere near Dan. For a few seconds, she enjoyed the heat in the cool, tiled bathroom, but the intensity couldn’t continue. She moderated the temperature, as she knew she’d have to adjust to living without Dan in a few days.
    Last night she’d determined to be a bold bird of paradise, but Mary couldn’t kid herself. Deep inside she was a violet—shy and demure, but, as she was discovering, not as delicate as everyone thought.
    Dan’s mother said he liked the flashy and spirited. Mary would take these few days to be that and more, before going home to face reality. A violet could withstand a lot, but not the searing heat and steam of Dan’s world.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
    Dan looked across the lunch table. He’d never had a night like they’d shared last night. For one thing, lacking a steady girlfriend, he never spent the night with anyone. Waking up next to Mary was like opening his eyes on a sunny day. Her passion astounded him. The sweetness that shone through when she slept humbled him. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was in love.
    “Mary, will you attend the prom with me?”
    “What?” She giggled and slapped his arm. “Didn’t we already do that once?”
    He thought back. He’d been seriously boffing two girls, both of whom expected an invitation to the senior prom. Going with either one would have caused him trouble, so he leapt at his mother’s suggestion that he take Mary. No one in his crowd expected her to be anything more than a pity date, not that he treated her in any way other than as a gentleman. But still, his heart hadn’t been in the right place.
    “Not like we should have. Tonight’s the company dinner dance. It’s as close to a prom as we’re likely to get. I want to share it with you, have something to eat, dance a little, and later, maybe…” He saw a flash of emerald fire in her eyes and knew she wanted what he did. Shit. Too bad they couldn’t skip the damn dance, but he couldn’t. Besides, he owed her one.
    “Okay.”
    “Great. We’ll have to get you another dress.”
    “Dan, really. It’s too much. I’ll buy something this time.”
    “Do I need to remind you that you’re out of work?”
    She seemed to consider this. “Okay.” But she didn’t look happy. “I’ll let you buy me another dress, and I’ll go to the dance. But this is the end of buying me things, okay?”
    “Okay, no more gifts. And it’s the prom .”
    “You’re silly,” she said laughing. But her eyes sparkled with joy and he knew he’d made the right move.
     
    * * * *
     
    The lead singer announced, “The next song will be the last for the night, so take your sweetheart in your arms and make the most of this magic moment.”
    Dan took Mary’s hand and led her to the dance floor as the band struck up a slow beat. She melted in his arms as she had many times during the evening. The very short, full skirt of her new gown tapped the backs of her thighs. She still hadn’t been ready for anything as daring as the first black dress, but this one was a giant, intrepid step forward from what she would have purchased. Betty had persuaded her, and the look in Dan’s eyes all night had her sending Betty telepathic thank yous .
    Spaghetti straps crossed her shoulders, formed an X, and then caught the material again just above her bra-less breasts. The design left her back almost bare. In the front, the material draped to just above