Todd paused, the towel in his hands. “First, there isn’t going to be a next time. Second, I would never do that because then I wouldn’t be the life and soul of the party. There’s only room for one party animal in a relationship, and I nabbed that spot.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes to hide the fact that he charmed her, just as he’d charmed her a thousand times before.

“Does the party animal have a headache after last night?”

“I do not. Jack drank more than I did. Did you see the way he was with her?”

“With Izzy?”

“No, with Flora.”

“I can’t keep up with your thought process. He was protective of her. Possibly because Izzy was rude.” Todd dropped the damp towel over the side of the bath but for once Clare didn’t say anything. She was too busy thinking about Jack.

“Not just that. He couldn’t stop touching her. He and Becca never did that.”

“Well they’d been married a long time.”

“We’ve been married a long time. We still touch.”

“Yes, but I’m a sex god and you’re temptation on legs so we’re different.”

No matter what the conversation, he always made her laugh.

“Do you think they’ve had sex yet?”

“I have no idea. I take an active interest in my own sex life, less so other people’s. And talking of which—” He prowled toward her and she gave a gasp and a giggle as he powered her back onto the bed.

“Todd! The windows are open.”

“Better not make a noise then.” He flashed her a wicked smile and then kissed her as if he hadn’t spent the past twenty years doing exactly this. He was as hungry for her now as she was for him. Those two decades hadn’t dulled the edge of desire. She’d never stopped wanting him, or he her. Every touch they exchanged was tinged with a delicious familiarity, an intimacy that only came with deep knowledge of a person.

She gasped as he fastened his mouth over her breast. “Todd! What are you doing?”

“I’m searching for your flaws. So far I haven’t found any but I’m going to keep looking.” He kissed his way to her other breast and then paused, his breathing uneven. “God, you’re beautiful.”

Flattered, charmed, she slid her hands over his shoulders, her fingers lingering on his muscles. “You’re not so bad yourself. I love your body.”

“Me? I’m a puny architect. Can’t lift more than a pen.” But he quickly disproved that by flipping her easily, so that he was on his back and she was on top. “Except when it’s my wife. For her, I’ll move a mountain.”

She stroked her hands over his chest and lower to the towel. “Did you lock the door?”