“Thank you, Joshua. They’re gorgeous.”

“They’re just a token of thanks, James. I could have filled the room and it still not be enough,” JC told her sincerely.

“Conspicuous consumption is a waste.” She chose one long stemmed bloom from the vase and pulled it free. As she walked towards bed, she plucked off the thorns. “Care to open that bottle and bring it here?”

“Oh, yeah...” he muttered excitedly.

She didn’t even pretend they weren’t going to get into bed quickly. She pulled back the covers to find ivory satin sheets. “Busy boy this afternoon?” she asked as he approached with the champagne and flutes. He had to quit doing this romantic crap. Kevin had to re-inspect the room every time someone entered. He was probably having a field day with this!

“I want to show you how much I appreciate you, James.” Setting down the wine, he moved to grab a lingerie box from a chair. “For you – and, well, for me.”

“Is suppose you want me to change into this?”

“Please, baby?”

Damn his earnest blue eyes anyway! He was making her feel all warm and melting inside. “If this is some slutty–“

”That’s not the way I see you.”

Taking the box into the bathroom, she was surprised to find a rather subtle nightgown of chocolate brown satin. The cut was simple, a modest drape accented her breasts then the fabric skimmed over her curves to brush her toes. The back consisted of two spaghetti straps that criss-crossed to meet the fabric at her waist. Her back was virtually naked. Her reflection caught her eye. Was she that woman with eyes sparkling at the expectation of her lover’s touch? Face it, she told herself, with Joshua you lost your professional objectivity on day one. Part of her hated it. Part of her feared it – the largest part threw caution to the wind. She wanted to enjoy being loved.

“James?” JC called from the bed. He had stripped out of his clothes and into his pajama pants. He was beginning to worry she wasn’t coming out of the bathroom. Then she stepped out. A sigh escaped him. His beautiful, earthy goddess. “I knew it was perfect.” The rich color brought out her eyes – and they were glowing with something new tonight, something special.

“The color was unexpected. I thought red or black.”

“I saw that color and thought of your eyes.” He held out his hand to guide her next to him on the bed.

For the next hour, they sipped sparkling wine, kissed, touched, spoke in whispers. Clothing slipped away. When JC reached for a condom, James forestalled him.

“Not anymore.” she whispered.

“Thank you, baby.” That night he loved her as he never had before.

JC pretty much decided Heaven was their Los Angeles suite. He actually didn’t have a lot of appearances to make and had come to do a little studio work. Much of the time he spent alone with James – which suited him fine. Even after the enforced closeness of the last few months, they hadn’t tired of each other. She still listened to him intently when he spoke of his dreams and goals. As she revealed the inner workings of her mind to him slowly, he found her endlessly fascinating. They were still playmates, entertaining each other in down time. And the flaring passions that had first drawn them together had not diminished in the least. In fact, the intimate knowledge of each other’s bodies only seemed to heighten their desire for one another. Some nights, all it took was a look from James and JC wanted his friends to leave immediately so he could be alone with her again. Several times a quick bathroom rendezvous was in order so he could continue playing host. He didn’t see where it could get any better.

But it did.

“How do you like your shower?” James asked one morning as they lingered in bed.

“It’s fun.” JC ran his hand up and down her arm as she lay with her head on his shoulder. He liked the way she curled against him so naturally; she fit just right.

“I’m glad.”

“It could be fun for two, you know.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“Then how come you never join me?”

She tipped her head back to meet his gaze. “I have never been invited.”

“What?”

“You have never asked me to join you.”

“Is that the only reason? I didn’t realize I had to ask.”

“Hygiene is a personal thing. As you recall, I asked you to join me in the tub...”

“Is that all it takes?” He was incredulous she had chosen the bathroom to set certain boundaries.

“Uh-huh.”

JC bounded from the bed and extended his hand to help her rise. “Lady J, consider yourself invited into my shower anytime!”

He towed her into the bathroom, her laughing at his eagerness as they went. Once at the unit, he asked, “What sounds good? Summer Thunderstorm?...Tropical Rainforest?...Sunset Sea?...”

“How many environments are there?”

“One…two…uh…six.”

“What’s first on the dial?”

“Rainforest.”

Opening the glass door, James stepped into the enclosure. “Let’s start at the top and work our way through the rest,” she suggested over her shoulder.

“Yes, ma’am!” Setting the dial to rainforest, he entered behind her and closed the door.

A moment later, the muted light simulated the sun sifting through the lush vegetation in a greenish hue. The sounds of tropical birds calling were interspersed with other jungle sounds. The shower itself was a warm, humid drizzle.

“Wow!” She was surprised at how much it actually felt like the jungle. A projector somewhere even had the suggestion of fern fronds flashed against the glass. This was decadent.

“Ever made love in a rainforest?” JC asked huskily as he pressed against her from behind. Moving her damp hair to one side, his mouth sought the one sweet spot behind her ear that made her melt.

“Mmm....no, but I have a feeling I’m gonna find out what it’s like,” she murmured as she felt him swell against her.

His hands moved to the front to cup her breasts. “Only if you want to, baby.”

She melted back against him. “Wasn’t that the reason for the invitation?”

“Let’s say I was hopeful, but I can control myself if all you want to do is shower.” His voice was thick with arousal, the low octave seducing her.

“Don’t you dare control yourself!” She turned in his arms and began caressing his chest. “I’ll even let you play Tarzan if you want – even though you’re more like George of the Jungle,” she said impishly.

JC burst out laughing.

“Not a brain in his head, but George’s body was hot!”

He laughed even more at that comment. “Are you calling me brainless?”

James grinned. “I thought I was calling you hot.”

Backing her against the far wall, he kissed the smile off her face. He took his time seducing her with his mouth. After learning that first night the tenderness with which he lingered worked better than anything else, he plied his lips and tongue with great care until she was whimpering helplessly.

“Joshua...” she whispered breathless when his mouth moved to her ear.

“Baby...” His warm breath and that single word was her undoing.

She lifted her foot to run along the back of one of his hard calves. “Here. Now,” she demanded as her arms went around his neck.

Raising her to her toes, JC bent his knees slightly so their bodies aligned just right. He guided the one leg around his hips then slowly pushed into her tight welcoming center.

“Mmm....” she purred.

“Yeah, baby, this feels so good, so right.”

James was surprised when, instead of banging her up against the wall, he rocked slowly into her. She had expected something quick and hot. He kept surprising her – which should have become more difficult with the time they had spent together. This...this was the type of man she believed would always give his all to the woman in his life – it was awesome and scary at the same time. Nuzzling his ear, she let her heart whisper what she could not let her lips say, ‘I love you, Joshua!’

“James...” He could have sworn he heard...No...Lifting her other leg so she was wrapped around him, he increased the tempo of his hips to pleasure her even more.

“Joshua!”

“Feelin’ me, baby?”

“Yes!”

“C’mon then. Let’s go there together,” he urged.

She started meeting his hips with her own, reaching for that shattering moment of perfect union and bliss she had only achieved with this man. “Josh...please...”

He felt her clench him within, “Take it, baby. Reach out and grab it,” he told her hotly.

And she did. Greedily, James let herself be swept away, sucked into a whirlpool of exquisite pleasures. “Ahh!...”

“Sweet!” he growled as her release was answered by his own.

They held on to each other as the shudders eased into trembling in the shimmering afterglow. A moment later, JC eased her to her feet, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

“I think I like making love in a rainforest.”

“Minus the bugs and snakes,” he teased.

“Our rainforest then,” she amended.

“Oh, yeah.”

“What’s next?”

“Uh, the soap and water part of the shower?”

She chuckled. “Well, duh! I meant what is next on the dial?”

“Thunderstorm I think.”

“Ooh, I love thunderstorms!”

“You realize this means every time it rains, I’ll be horny as hell,” JC pointed out.

“Haven’t you heard? It never rains in California.”

Giving her a teasing kiss, JC eased her from the wall. “Then we’ll spend a lot of time in here.”

The shower and its varied environments turned into an adventure in lovemaking. Summer Thunderstorms found James on the bench on all fours while JC knelt behind her, entering her from that position. Spring Rain had them back on the bench, James stretched out atop of him while they took each other with their mouths. For Sunset Sea, she climbed astride JC’s lap as he sat on the bench. When Early Morning Rain came on the dial, JC laid her on the bench and took her with exquisite tenderness. And who knew the sound of crickets would make James so frisky. Starry Night found little actual water in the shower, but she pushed him back on the bench teasingly for the ride of their lives.

And that was only the first time around the dial!

“I’m gonna have to redo the master bath at home,” JC panted after another shower romp. “I gotta have one of these too!”

One night, after his friends had left, the couple stretched out on the sofa, just cuddling. It had been a particularly hectic day with very little time for them to be alone. This was good. Just listening to each other’s heartbeat. Not having to say a word. These sorts of moments made JC see a future with James. Even after their fiery passions cooled to warm embers, they’d still enjoyed each other’s company. But he had his doubts about his desire for her ever dimming. He truly believed even at 70 all she would have to do is flick him that look of hers and he’d be ready – without Viagra.

The thought made him chuckle.

“What?” James raised her eyes to his.

He shook his head. “Nothing I care to share.”

“Bad?”

“No, Lady J, not bad.”

She didn’t press the issue.

They were silent for a few minutes more, then JC said, “I know you said you didn’t want me to give you things...”

“Joshua...”

“Don’t scold.” Reaching into his jeans pocket he pulled out a necklace. It was a silver heart on a delicate chain. “It isn’t that much really. Please?” He held it out to her. “It’s just a token.”

James doubted that. Across the front ‘My Lady J’ was written in script. On the back it was inscribed ‘to James from Joshua’ – except the ‘a’ in James was a winking diamond and the ‘o’ in Joshua was a tiny ruby heart.

“Joshua...” She was truly and deeply touched in a way she shouldn’t allow.

“I had it made for you. You’ll take it, won’t you? And wear it?” He sounded humble and hopeful.

She couldn’t refuse him. “Of course. It’s lovely.” She kissed him softly. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you, James. Thank you for taking my hand that night and staying with me.”

Which was what she was paid to do. She felt awful and wanted to confess the entire scheme. But what then? Would he storm out of her life, leaving him vulnerable and unprotected. Instead, she offered the one truth she could. “I want to be with you, Joshua.”