"Talk about your deep, penetrating moisturizers," Eddie said, shaking his head.

"Yes," Emily said, then made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh.

"I'm really sorry about that. Really."
"I know, it's not your fault."
"No, I was too, um, vigorous. It's just you're, Madonna mi! You're amazing!"
"Thank you. So are you."
"Thanks."

"And I was moving a lot, too, and, well, these things happen."

"I guess. What should we do now?"

She shook her head. "It'll be fine. It's not the right part, I mean the wrong part, I mean the dangerous part, of my cycle."
"You sure?"

"Yes." She didn't look like she was 100% sure, but she was the woman and knew more about it than he did. "And it stayed on most of the time, so it's probably fine."

"OK." He kissed her forehead and she snuggled closer to him. He didn't want to have to think about what would happen next, not even what would happen right after they left the back of Tony's van.

"And I, well, maybe I shouldn't say this, but it felt good to have you come in me."
"I loved it!" he couldn't help exclaiming.
She chuckled. "I could tell."

"You liked it, too, didn't ya?" he gently teased.

"Mm hm. I've never had anyone reach orgasm in me without a condom. I mean at that moment."

"I usually use one. I'm safe, in case you're worried."

"So am I. Safe I mean."

"So it's fine, right?" He wanted more reassurance.

"It's lovely," she said, this time initiating their kiss.

They kissed for awhile until she reluctantly pulled away and said, "I really do need to get back to Angela's."

"Yeah. And I was supposed to help Tony clean up from our all-night poker game."

"You went all night?"

"Sometimes I can go all night and all day." He liked this, the post-sex flirting.

And she seemed to like it, too, since she said, "I hope I get to play with you some night."

It wasn't easy but they did make themselves get dressed and then to the front seat of the van. He drove her back to Fairfield. They didn't talk much along the way. He wasn't sure what to say, and maybe she wasn't either. But they did give each other enough fiery side-glances that he was a little worried about his driving.

He wanted to be with her again. Even with the condom slippage, it had been, well, this wasn't a word he normally used, but, she was right, it was lovely. As lovely as a lake in the middle of a forest. She was gorgeous, with her wavy dark blonde hair, her high cheekbones, and her slim but curvy body. And it had been real good between them. Hot but something else he couldn't quite define.

He wished he could see her, really date her. But she lived across the country, in a land where it never snowed and where chicks had jobs like studying organizational productivity. What was he going to do, take her to Marty's Melody Room and teach her how to shoot pool?

He thought of Tony and his boss Angela. She was a classy dame who ran a big advertising agency, but she'd showed them last night that she could play poker like one of the guys. Tony always said there was nothing going on with the two of them, but Eddie had his doubts, especially after seeing them together. It was nothing specific, just a feeling, a not-yet-ness.

Anyway, maybe Eddie wouldn't have hit on someone like Emily if he hadn't thought that Tony should and someday maybe would get with Angela. Emily wasn't Eddie's usual type, but he thought of classy dames differently now, especially classy dames getting with earthy guys. Well, Emily could be earthy in her own way.

"You know that one thing you did, right before?"

She blushed. "I think so."
"Well, where'd you learn that?"

"Graduate school."

He chuckled, although he wasn't sure if she was kidding.

He wished she were visiting longer so he could see her again. Then again, what was the point? Even if they had fun together, maybe a lot of fun, there was no future in it. She was the kind of woman who deserved a real relationship, and how could he give that to her? They were miles apart, and not just on the map.

And then let's say somehow it got serious. What then? He couldn't expect her to give up her fancy job and her snow-less home to marry him and live in Brooklyn. She was not exactly a Pitkin Avenue girl. He was starting to see why Tony had never pursued things with Angela. And they each had a kid, so that made things even more complicated.

Still, he'd give Emily his business card. Maybe she'd visit Angela again someday and, who knows, she might look him up. They could meet in New York, or maybe he'd head up to Connecticut. She'd be worth the trip.

And if she never contacted him, he'd understand. They'd had a great time, but it didn't have to lead anywhere to stay great.

"So what are you gonna tell Angela?"

"About what?"

"About why it took so long to get your hand cream." He tried not to remember how it had felt smoothing it onto and into her delicate skin.

She laughed. "Oh, um, I guess I'll say we had to go all the way to New Haven."
"Or Hartford. That's a half hour further."

She nodded. "Too bad it wasn't Boston."
He wanted her again, right then, but he just chuckled and said, "Yeah, too bad."