Club Fantasy Read Free Page B

and more frequently until they had slipped into a comfortable, almost married life. And the sex was good too.
    He traveled back in his mind to the first night they’d made love. Neither of them had been virgins, of course, but they had come together new to each other. Since that evening they’d made love at least once a week. They had tried a few sexual experiments together, but he preferred standard missionary-position lovemaking. Now it was pretty much routine, but he was quite sure she climaxed most of the time.
    If it wasn’t the sex, why had she said no to his proposal? He’d planned the evening so carefully, from the violets on the table to the vintage of the champagne. He’d even arranged for the restaurant to play some of their favorite music, mixed with a little cool, soft jazz. He could still hear it. They’d had such a wonderful time. Finally, over brandies, he’d taken the ring from his pocket and watched her face tighten. He still couldn’t understand what he had seen. If he hadn’t known better he would have thought she’d looked like some cornered animal, like she’d been asked to do something illegal or immoral.
    He remembered exactly what she’d said. “I need time. I need space. I can’t do it. I just can’t do it.” He had no clue what that meant. What kind of space and how much time? Did she really mean six whole months? Thanksgiving? Christmas? He reached for the phone, then pulled his hand back. He loved her, so he’d give her what she needed. But what about what he needed? He picked up the receiver and dialed Jenna’s number.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œHi, Marcy. Is she there?” Funny, although the two women teased him about it, he always knew from just a hello which was which. He heard some muffled conversation, then Marcy said, “She is, but I think you’d be better off leaving her alone for a while.”
    Glen sighed and let his shoulders droop. “I want to talk to her, make her understand that I’ll give her whatever time she needs, although, frankly, those will be the longest months of my life. I want her to know, too, that I’ll be there for her whenever she wants to come back.” When, not if. He didn’t want to think about his life without her in it.
    â€œI think she knows that but I’m afraid that it’ll be a while,” Marcy said, then added, “If ever.” It was said so softly that he wasn’t sure he’d actually heard it.
    He allowed his body to slump back into his chair. “I know, but we’ll still see each other at work. That’ll have to be enough for now.”
    He heard Marcy’s heavy breath. “Glen, you know I think you’re a great guy, but I have to be honest with you. She’s planning to go away for a while. She’s arranged to move to New York City and stay with an old friend, temporarily. I don’t know what that means for you and her but I wouldn’t hold out too much hope.”
    Shit, Glen thought. She’s leaving. Temporarily. Marcy had said temporarily. “I need to talk to her before she leaves, tell her ... Please.” What could he tell her that she didn’t already know?
    After another moment of muffled conversation, Marcy returned to him. “She won’t talk to you. Not now. Maybe not ever. Maybe you should just move on.”
    Move on? Glen felt his throat close and he swallowed hard. “Is she mad at me for asking her to marry me? I thought she’d be happy.”
    There was a pause. “She’s in a panic right now. She feels that she’s never been by herself so she can’t consider becoming part of a new pair. I sort of know how she feels. We’ve always been part of a very intimate twosome, one maybe only twins can understand, and now she wants—maybe needs is a better word—needs to be on her own for a while.”
    Glen realized that Marcy was right about the