3. When Every Back is Turned [We All Know His Sins]

Michael raised their joined hands to his lips and blew on her bare fingers. He smiled up at her. "Better?"

Elena grinned. "Much. I should not have let you take my glove off, and when I did I should have taken you up on cuppa when we passed that ven— Oh!" She gestured with her chin. "What about him?"

Eyebrows going up Michael followed her eyes as they tracked the person in question moving through the park.

Elena nudged his side when he didn't respond. "Come on… No opinion at all?"

"He's handsome enough."

"But…?"

"Look at that nose, Elena."

She frowned. "Oh, I didn't notice that. Moving on then."

Hand in hand, the pair sat pressed together on a park bench they had lain claim to for over an hour and visually perused the people going about the business of enjoying the clear brisk day. Elena crossed her right leg over her left so that it was practically in Michael's lap. He turned to quirk an eyebrow at the move when something caught his eye. "How about him?"

Elena looked up. Then slapped his arm. "Michael! Really! He's absolutely queer. I can't believe you didn't notice. I bet he walks better in heels than I do."

Laughing softly, Michael leaned toward her, nuzzling her hair with his cold nose. "I did notice."

She turned toward him, mouth open in surprise as she studied his face. He ducked in and kissed her.

"We're not here for you," she reminded him, trying to sound stern.

"Of course we are," he said softly and squeezing her fingers. Eyes back on the park at large, he kissed her forehead. "It's very important to my continued existence that you have a child," he continued in a very practical tone, "even if thinking of you sexually makes my skin crawl."

"Mmm, you make me feel so attractive when you say that."

Touching a gloved finger to her chin, he raised her eyes to his. "You know I love you, Elena."

She grabbed his free hand with her own and kissed his leather-covered knuckles. "I know. But every woman wants her husband to find her desirable."

"I do desire you," he quietly assured her. "Just not in the bedroom."

She rolled her eyes. "Well that one certainly won't appreciate me in the bedroom any more than you do. Which defeats the purpose, don't you think? Now… What about… What about him?"

Michael turned his attention to where she was looking. "The blond?"

"No, no. That wouldn't work. What if she's born with light brown hair? A child from the two of us? Never. Next to him, on the left. With the big black dog."

"He's short! Even my sister was well on her way to being over two meters."

Laughing, Elena said, "But imagine the intimacy of being able to kiss someone you can look in the eye."