I spent that weekend and learned a lot about Simone. She liked to get up early and do complicated yoga in her living room, twisting herself into all sorts of interesting poses with the grave concentration of a watchmaker. That was fun to watch, frankly. She had only two perfumes but an entire bookcase filled with mysteries. The woman didn't own a television and had three stray cats ("Louise, Herbert, and Feinberg,") she fed from the back porch.

And deep in the back of the guest room closet in a battered canvas case, she had a cello.

"Yes it's mine," she told me when I found it. "I haven't had it out for a few years though. I took lessons all through high school and my teacher took me to a pawn shop off the Strip so I could buy my own instrument. It's huge and old but I love it."

"Play for me?" I asked, trying not to beg. Finding out she played an instrument was like finding hidden treasure and after a very indulgent Simone got the thing out and tuned up I realized she was good. A little rusty but she knew music and played with natural grace.

One more thing to make me love her, damn it.

Little by little things of mine moved over to the house in Gentilly: shaving gear, shirts, cooking utensils. Simone gave me drawer space and my own key; I took the time to get the gutters fixed and tackled the back yard, taking on the kudzu that had overgrown the high fence there. It took a few hours but by the time I'd finished on a Saturday a few weeks later, the yard looked livable.

I took a bath and was stepping into the bedroom where Simone was putting away the last of her laundry when she turned a hot-eyed look at me and bit her bottom lip. "Ohhhh myyyy," she breathed, looking me over from head to bare toes.

Given that I had a towel wrapped low around my hips and nothing else on I was damned flattered. "Merci," I told her with a grin, preening a little. Once you're past fifty, getting that sort of response from a woman definitely feeds the ego, among other things. "So I figured we could go . . . to the, ah, farmer's . . . market . . ."

Simone had scooted over and was running her hands over my chest in a way that told me she had other plans. "Nope," she announced in a little purr. "I don't think so, Mr. Pride, you big gorgeous man, you. I think it's time you tied me up."

I throbbed at that and I know she felt it through the towel because she looked at me through lowered lashes. We'd been holding off on sex since her period but it had been a few weeks and it looked like that was about to change.

Yeah change of plans, starting immediately. I caught her wrists and gently pulled her hands behind her back, holding them firmly as I brought my face to hers, holding that hot green gaze of hers with mine.

"Are you trying to boss me around? Because you're going to find that hard to do mon ange. I don't take orders, even from a sweet little hellcat like you."

Simone gave a little sigh, giving in. "Pretty please, then?"

"Better," I assured her, walking forward, herding her back towards the bed. "First things first. Someone here's overdressed."

I let go of her hands and she pulled off her shirt, but I stopped her, looming over her, my hands on my toweled hips. "Ah-ah. Slower. You hear me? Slooooower. I want to enjoy this."

Simone caught on and made it a point to undo the front hooks of her bra in a much more artistic fashion, shooting me smoldering glances as she did so. The towel wasn't hiding much of my enthusiasm and I worked to look stern, which encouraged the woman tossing her lingerie aside to lick her lips.

Ridiculous and yet, so damned sexy. Simone shimmied out of her shorts and panties, letting them drop to the carpet before kicking them aside and sitting very primly on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knees. I could feel the heat coming off of her sweet nudity in waves, a sort of lush sensuality that had me completely focused on her. "Better?"

Oh she sounded downright cheeky, and before I knew it I was lifting her chin with one hand, making her look up at me.

"We're just getting started," I breathed in her face. Her pupils went dark and I could see her blush as she stared at me in anticipation. There was something addictive about having her full attention and I held it a moment before letting my gaze run down her body.

"You try to be saucy but we both know you're sweet. Woman like you is nothing but syrup, minou. Just waitin' to be licked up."

I saw the goosebumps along her arms and knew my words were getting to her, so I added, "Bring me a scarf."

Simone scrambled, scooting to the dresser and fishing out a filmy length of green silk. I took it, tugging it to test it. Mostly for show, but once again the woman gave a little shiver.

I was starting to realize that kink was fun. Extra spice for foreplay I guess. A little sensual cayenne to heat things up so to speak. "Stretch out, hands over your head," I ordered lightly, thrilled to see Simone do so, her hips rolling a little as she followed my directions.

She had a wire headboard in curly black metal, and it barely took me any time to lash her small wrists in the scarf, anchoring them to the bars with a tight bow. Easy to undo, but secure enough for what I had in mind. Simone's pupils were so big now her eyes looked black, and those perky nipples showed me how aroused she was. I trailed a finger across her lips as I leaned down to look at her. "Not so sassy now, are you?" I teased. "Gonna be a good girl?"

There was a hint of defiance in her expression and she refused to answer; most likely because she was afraid I'd stop—and that really would be cruel for both of us because I was just as turned on as Simone was at this point.

"All right," I told her as I slipped a hand to stroke her collarbone. "Let's get one thing straight here . . . you are not in charge right now. You can pout and fuss all you like angel mine, but things are going my way. And I like to take my time."

Under my fingers I felt how velvety her skin was. I trailed my touch to flick around one hard nipple, bending to lick it and blow on it. Simone whimpered very nicely for that so I repeated it with the other nipple. I hadn't shaved yet, to I brushed my stubble lightly on the underside of her breasts as well.

Simone was making interesting sounds now; breathy little gasps mostly. I lifted my head to look at her. "Having a little problem? Should I . . . stop?"

"No," she breathed. "Please."

I liked the 'please' and shifted to kiss her throat, working my way up to her mouth. My own body was moving into high tension now, well-aware of the beautiful naked woman just under me. "Mannerly. I like that," I told Simone as I tugged off the towel. "I want a good look at you in the daylight," I murmured and climbed onto the bed.

So much to explore. I spent time kissing her belly button, which made her squeak, and running my hands over all that hot silky skin of hers. And the scent! I loved her perfume but even her bare skin smelled delicious to me; sort of a sweet ripe woman scent. I stroked her ribs and hips; ran my hands on the outside of her thighs and blew a cool breath through that silky fur between them just to watch Simone shift restlessly under me.

"Patience," I chided.

Simone gave a little breathless chuckle. "I'm slowly going insane here!"

"Ah, then I should slow down," I threatened. "Would that help?"

She cursed very softly in French but I got the gist of it. With my thumb I rubbed the wet seam of her sex, feeling the warm slickness that was already trickling there. Feeling a little urgent myself I knelt between her spread knees and cupped her ass, lifting the bottom half of her up. Startled, Simone's legs draped on either side of my forearms, opening up the erotic sight of her curly mound and under it, the slick petals of her pussy.

Some words, crude as they are, fit the moment and this was one of them. I pressed a kiss and delicately used my tongue, sliding it, flicking it lightly along each fold, teasing the sweet little pearl that throbbed there.

She squirmed but I kept going, knowing it wouldn't take long for Simone. The slick sweet taste of her really was like syrup and fought hard not to come as a savored ever lick and nibble, but eventually she began to groan so I pressed my lips tightly around that little bud of hers and suckled.

Yowling, Simone wrapped her legs around my shoulders, shuddering hard, her entire body tensing in waves against my palms. I rode it out, letting her enjoy her climax, feeling kinda proud at being able to drive her there. My own body was climbing towards critical though, so I gently set her ass down again, and stretched out on top of Simone, letting my cock throb and dribble against the inside one of her damp thighs.

"Ready for me?" I rasped, trying to be a gentleman and not really succeeding. I suckled on one hard rosy nipple, making her shudder again.

"Yessss," she hissed. "More than ready!"

"Good to know," I shifted, angling myself before I thrust into her . . . and stopped. God the fit in that snug body of hers was bliss personified but I held back, fighting the urge to move. Simone fought the scarf, rolling her hips, looking up into my face.

Raw. We were as bare to each other as we ever would be at this point, and I throbbed deep within her, feeling the sweat, heat and lust between us; the primitive power of our animal natures tempered by something more. Something hungry and wild between us that couldn't be defined. Simone belonged with me and I belonged with her in a way we'd never be able put into the right words though we tried.

"Mine," she told me, raising her head up from the pillow to lick my mouth, tasting herself there. I rocked, pumping a slow stroke in her, making Simone moan.

"Mine," I told her, loving the feel of her body under mine, giving into my urges. "You're mine."

She nodded, kissing me, bringing her legs up around my hips and locking them around me. "Yours," Simone agreed. "Yes."

I couldn't fight my instincts any longer and thrust into her, settling into a deep steady stroke that drove us both hard as the bed creaked under it. I felt my entire body begin to tense, the teasing madness of pleasure building with every pump, and blindly managed to tug on the bow's end, undoing Simone's arms. She pulled them free, wrapping them tightly around me as I came, and the sweet sting of her nails on my back sent me over the top, as I came, hard and deep within her.