“No. Don’t do that.” I straighten up and tear myself away from him. My
legs are so shaky I fall back against him. Then I stand up straight and
turn off the shower. We towel ourselves dry, then go into the bed room to
complete what we’ve started. In the bedroom, I light a candle and turn
off the lamp as he spreads the spare quilt over the bed. As I turn
around, he takes me by the shoulders to kiss me, and, laughing, I throw
my arms around his waist and pull him onto the bed on top of me. He yelps
as he loses his balance and comes sprawling down in a jumble of arms and
legs. “Hey! Would you mi…” he begins. I shut him up with a kiss.
It’s so good to feel his warm weight on my body and his clean, bare skin
against mine. I savor the feeling, and enjoy a slow, hot kiss as well.

I could tell that the instructor was watching me,
waiting for me to collapse — or perhaps trying to figure out
what I was doing in her class. It wasn’t an advanced aerobics
class, but it was more than what a beginner like me should have
been in. I signed up knowing only that I needed some structured
exercise — no one told me what I was getting into, or, more
probably, I wasn’t paying attention. Now, I was too proud to
admit that I was in a little over my head. Yes, the instructor,
a rather nicely put together brunette who appeared to be about 19
or 20, was definitely looking at me.