With a Little T.L.C. by Teresa Southwick Page A

you,”Liz said in a tone that told him she knew he didn’t have a clue. “We were discussing what I like to call post-partum lackluster libido syndrome. I’ve tried to come up with some suggestions to combat this phenomenon in new mothers. They love their husbands. They’re anxious to show their love. But they aren’t quite there yet, if you get my drift.”
    He groaned inwardly. Here we go with the doublespeak again, he thought. The wild thing, you know, the horizontal boogie, and so on. He looked at his watch. “It’s almost that time. I wouldn’t want to shirk my volunteer responsibilities. My boss is a tough cookie—”
    â€œNot so fast, Joe.” Barbara bounced her sleeping infant. “We’re talking about the wild thing here. Remember that?”
    Did he ever. Since that night under the stars with Liz, it was all he could think about. That and how good she smelled. How soft her skin was when he’d held her small hands. How delicate and feminine those hands were and how it made him want to protect her. And that led him to more wanting—like the touch, texture and taste of her lips— if he’d taken a chance and kissed her.
    â€œWhat about it?” he asked, hoping they hadn’t noticed that his voice sounded hoarse.
    â€œIt’s what brought me this beautiful baby boy. I feel so blessed. And I feel bad for my husband. I love him. But I’m afraid that I’ll never want to be with him again. You’re a guy—”
    â€œBrilliant, Barb,” Andie said with a chuckle. “What was your first clue?”
    â€œThe beard and muscles were a dead giveaway,” said a woman whose name he didn’t know.
    â€œOkay, Christina,” Liz said laughing. “We don’t want to embarrass our guest speaker.”
    â€œAre we making you uncomfortable, Joe?” Barbara asked.
    â€œNo,” he said and found it was true. Only one woman in the room made him uncomfortable. She was wearing shapeless scrubs and had a kissable mouth.
    For half a second he thought he might have said that out loud. When they didn’t look at their fearless leader and snicker, he figured there was no need to duck and run.
    But he realized he truly wasn’t embarrassed about the subject matter. This was an earthy group of women who were at ease with talking about this perfectly natural subject.
    â€œDo you have any advice?” Liz asked, tapping her top lip with her finger.
    There it was again. His pesky inclination to trace that exact spot with his tongue. “Well,” he said, then swallowed hard. “I would start with kissing.”
    â€œHow’s that?” Liz asked. He wondered if it was wishful thinking on his part or if she actually sounded a little breathless.
    â€œTake baby steps,” he continued. A general giggle erupted. He grinned at the group as he moved to the front of the room. “You and your mate have been through the most intimate experience a couple can share. But life is a series of trade-offs. Having a baby brings you closer.”
    â€œI hear a but,” Christina said.
    He nodded. “The demands of an infant can drive a wedge between you if you’re not careful. Make time for each other. Start with kissing—no expectations foreither of you. Then just holding. Again no expectations. Before you know it, the wild thing will just happen. Like anything fragile, libido needs raw material to help it grow. I suspect if you start slowly, you’ll find yourself really getting into it.”
    â€œYou make it sound easy,” Barbara said, sighing loudly.
    â€œIt is. Finding a window of opportunity and wedging it open is the tough part.” They all laughed.
    â€œHow do you know so much about this?” Christina asked. “Are you married?”
    He shook his head. “But I have a sister who’s gone through what you are now. As a matter of fact she and her husband must