Free Full Moon by Mari Carr Page B

you can.”
    “Will you sing to me?”
    She grinned. “If you really want me to.” Her voice was nothing to write home about, but apparently all her young son heard in her lullabies was a chorus of angels. It was nice to be loved so much. When Tommy looked at her, he saw perfection, not flaws. It warmed Josie’s lonely heart.
    “Daddy sings bad.”
    Josie carried her son upstairs to her room and laid him on the bed. She pulled off his shoes and jacket—she and Tony had left him in his pajamas—and tucked him into her bed. She walked to the bathroom for medicine and a cool washcloth, then put on her own PJs. Returning to the room, she crawled in next to him and felt his forehead. He was still hot, but she didn’t think it was anything to worry about.
    Placing the cloth on his head, she gave him a dose of bubble gum-flavored medicine and curled up next to him.
    Tommy lifted his arms, wrapping them around her neck and placing a soft kiss on her cheek. The same cheek his father had kissed less than half an hour ago, the same Jake had pressed his lips to two hours earlier.
    Three men, three kisses.
    God. She was fucked up.

Chapter Four
    Josie’s Howl List—April
     
1.      Sex with a stranger
2.      Sex in public
    3. Anal
    4. Bondage
    Josie looked at her phone. She’d found the number to Blue Moon in the phone book nearly half an hour earlier and since then, she’d been holding a stare-down with her cell. He’d warned her last time that if she came back again, he’d want more from her.
    And she’d truly left Jake’s apartment last time swearing that was it. The end.
    Then, as usual, she’d spent the last few weeks thinking of nothing but him. She’d started the New Year, feeling so optimistic, hopeful about her future. Instead, all she’d found was a mess of confusion, self-doubts and unending horniness.
    No. That wasn’t true. The horniness was definitely alleviated after a few hours in Jake’s arms. Problem was it came back with a vengeance the next morning, wanting more of the sexy bartender.
    Her Howl List lay next to the phone, taunting her.
    This weekend’s full moon was bondage.
    There was no way she was going to attempt that game with anyone she didn’t know. Unfortunately the list of male acquaintances she’d be willing to play with sexually was woefully short. In fact, it contained only one name.
    Jake.
    “Fuck it,” she muttered, picking up the phone and dialing before she could talk herself out of it.
    “Hello.”
    “Laura?” Josie knew there was only one person who would understand what she was going through.
    “Hi, Josie. What are you doing calling me? I thought it was full-moon night.”
    Josie grimaced. Her friends had told her on more than one occasion that they were living vicariously through her adventures. Their Thursday wine dates following the full moon were saved especially for her. She hadn’t disappointed them, filling them in on the details of the sexual games. But she’d always held back the more personal aspects, Jake’s compliments, the way he was tugging on her heartstrings, making her long for more than a casual affair.
    “It is, but I think I’m getting cold feet this time.”
    Laura sighed. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”
    The phone disconnected and Josie laughed when—true to her word—Laura was standing outside her door one hundred and twenty seconds later.
    “What’s wrong? I thought this full moon was in the bag. You said Jake invited you back.”
    “He did, but he sort of attached some strings to it.”
    “What sort of strings?”
    Josie sank down onto her couch, while Laura claimed a nearby chair. “He wants to start dating me.”
    Laura leaned back, nodding slowly. Josie had called the right friend. While Shelly would have squealed with delight over such a pronouncement, Laura understood the gravity of the situation.
    Or at least, Josie thought she had until Laura asked, “So what’s holding you back?”
    Josie reared back,