Until We Meet Again - Episode 4

Trope: older woman, younger man
Subgenre: interracial romance
Heat level: sensual
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Sadie Jackson’s trip takes an interesting turn the night before she leaves Chicago. A chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her desires and just might change the entire course of her life.

Episode 1     Episode 2 ​     Episode 3     ​Episode 4     Episode 5

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Mark insisted on breakfast, and Sadie agreed. She buttered toast across from him in the suite, having ordered breakfast for two up to the room instead of going downstairs. That was a selfish act on her part. She’d wanted to spend more time with him and not get distracted by servers and other diners.

Even though she knew she’d never see him again, she didn’t want the interlude to end. She wished she had met him when she first arrived in Chicago so they could have those few extra nights to enjoy each other’s company. To talk. To have sex.

Mark had reawakened her sexuality, and she’d never be the same moving forward. She’d always enjoyed the act with her husband. He was, however, the only man she’d ever had intercourse with. But Mark was good. Gentle and considerate, but giving her intensity and roughness when she needed it.

They made love twice last night. She’d initiated the second time. Waking up to his warm body next to hers, she’d immediately become aroused and woke him up with kisses and her hands stroking over his firm body. In the dark, their bodies had joined together again, hard rubbing soft, hairy against smooth. Until another orgasm had soared within them both, leaving them once again gasping and laughing at the pleasure they’d experienced.

 “Why were you in the bar last night?” Sadie asked.

“Trying to get away from my crazy family for a little bit.” Mark laughed softly. “I come from a big family, and I needed time alone from them. I love coming to visit, but they can be a bit much.”

“I understand. I don’t have a very big family, but they can be a bit much, too.”

They both laughed.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before he broke it.

“When can I see you again?”

Sadie sipped her coffee and then set the cup carefully in the saucer. “You can’t.”

“Olivia—”

“This was a one-time thing.”

“Did you not enjoy yourself?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I enjoyed myself much more than I expected.” Fortunately, her dark complexion hid the heat that rose in her cheeks. “But realistically, we both know there’s nothing that’s going to come from this. You go back to California and your job search, and I’ll go back to my very sedate life as a mother and administrator.”

He rested his forearms on the table, angling his body toward her. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“It does. You’re young, you have your whole life ahead of you. I’ve lived my life.”

“You talk as if you’re dying. You can’t be much older than fifty, and I’m only saying that because you told me you have a son my age.”

“I’m much older than fifty.” Sadie clasped her hands on the table. “Listen, I don’t do casual. At my age, I want something more, something more meaningful. A relationship. Companionship.”

“And you think you can’t have a meaningful relationship with a man my age. Period.” His eyebrows arrowed down over his nose and he sounded offended.

“Like I said, you have your whole life ahead of you. You should marry someone your own age, have your own kids.”

“I didn’t say anything about marriage. I just want to get to know you better.”

“Isn’t that part of the problem? At my age, I’m thinking about marriage. I’m thinking long term.”

Mark let out a harsh breath. “I enjoyed myself with you and our conversation, and I want to see you again. I want to make love to you again. I want to be inside you again. If you enjoyed yourself, why wouldn’t you want to do the same?”

“I do want to do the same.”

“Then…” Exasperation laced his voice.

What was the hesitation? They couldn’t work.

“You live in California. I live in Georgia. We live on opposite sides of the country. If that’s not enough, the age difference is a factor. I know it doesn’t mean much to you,” she said, holding up a hand as he opened his mouth to object, “but it is a problem for me. I have to be realistic, and I know myself. I don’t want to get my emotions tangled up in a man I don’t have a future with. What happened last night was special to me, yes, because I’ve never experienced anything like that before. You have no idea what you’ve done for me, and I appreciate it. You’ve lit a spark that makes me realize I can go back out there and start dating again.”

“I suppose I should be happy I made such a difference in your life. But in all honesty, I’m jealous of the man who gets to be with you after me. I feel as if I’ve paved the way, not for myself, but for someone else to slip in. That doesn’t make me very happy.” He tossed a crumpled napkin onto the table.

Goodness, he was charming. She was almost tempted to give in. But she knew she couldn’t. It didn’t make sense. They didn’t make sense.

“Can we at least exchange numbers?” he asked.

“No,” she said softly. She stretched her hand across the table and held his. He squeezed her fingers.

“I have to admit that I’m extremely disappointed, but I understand,” he said.

“Thank you.”

They finished breakfast. When they went downstairs, he helped her put her luggage into the taxi. They then held hands for long seconds, staring into each other’s eyes.

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?”

“You were just what I needed, too. Now I know what to look for in the next woman I date. I need the same spark. I believe it can happen again, but the next woman has a tough job making me feel the same way I did with you.”

Sadie stroked his jaw and raised up on her toes. They kissed gently before pulling apart.

“Until we meet again,” Mark said, his gaze holding hers.

How sweet. He believed they would see each other again. Maybe. As far she was concerned, if it was meant to be, then they would.

“Until we meet again,” she repeated.

Sadie climbed into the taxi and waved goodbye as they pulled away. The visit had turned into a much better trip than she’d ever expected, but as she settled into the seat, a smile of regret touched her lips and an ache settled in her chest.
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Should she have at least exchanged numbers with Mark? Had she made a mistake?