Free Love in Another Town by Barbara Taylor Bradford

breasts. Her hands rested lightly on his shoulders. After a while she began to stroke his back and then his hair.
    His voice was muffled when he said, ‘I don’t ever want to move. I want to stay right here forever.’
    Maggie said nothing. She bent over him and kissed the top of his head, thinking of his words earlier, before their passionate lovemaking. He had told her he loved her, startling her with this declaration. But she believed him. Jake always meant what he said and he was very sincere. She felt the same way about him, but for days now she had been suppressing her feelings, convinced he had no interest in her. How wrong she had been. But nothing could ever come of this, there was too big a difference in their ages.
    Before she could stop herself, Maggie said, ‘I’m a lot older than you, Jake.’
    â€˜I like older women,’ he laughed. ‘They’re more interesting.’ He chuckled again. ‘Anyway, you don’t look it.’
    â€˜But I am. I’m almost forty-four.’
    â€˜Numbers don’t mean anything. And I told you, you don’t look much older than thirty-two, thirty-three. But who cares?’
    â€˜I do. How old are you?’
    â€˜How old do you think I am?’ he asked in a teasing voice. 
    â€˜Thirty, thirty-one.’ 
    â€˜Wrong. Guess again.’ 
    â€˜I can’t. Please tell me.’ 
    â€˜I’ll be sixteen in June.’ 
    â€˜Be serious, Jake!’
    He laughed. ‘Okay, okay. I’m twenty-eight until June the twelfth. Then I’ll be twenty-nine.’
    â€˜That makes me fifteen years – ’
    â€˜Who’s counting!’ he exclaimed peremptorily, cutting her off. He lifted himself up, lay next to her, taking her in his arms.
    Jake started kissing her, quietly at first and then more passionately, and soon he was moving on top of her. He was fully aroused and he entered her quickly, without preamble, possessing her more forcibly than before.
    â€˜Oh God, how I want you,’ he groaned against her hair. ‘I’ve never wanted a woman the way I want you, Maggie. I want all of you, every bit of you. Come to me, please come to me.’
    â€˜Oh Jake,’ she cried, ‘I want you too, you must know that.’
    He pushed his hands under her buttocks, brought her even closer to him. They moved together with rhythmic grace, rising and falling as one. They soared, crested on the heat of their passion for each other.
    Finally they lay still, their breathing rapid and harsh.
    When Jake regained his breath he said against her neck, ‘And you think age matters … this is what counts. This … this … chemistry between us, Maggie. It doesn’t often happen, at least not like this, with such intensity. It’s very rare …’
    When she was silent, he said, ‘You do know that, don’t you?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜What we have together is something very powerful, and believe me, age has nothing to do with it.’
    They ate supper together in the kitchen. It was a simple meal which Maggie had prepared quickly: scrambled eggs, English muffins and coffee.
    â€˜More like breakfast, I’m afraid,’ Maggie said, smiling across the table at him. ‘I haven’t had a chance to do much shopping this week.’
    â€˜I don’t mind. I was starving.’ Jake smiled back at her and added, ‘Can I have it again for breakfast, please? You are going to let me spend the night, aren’t you?’
    â€˜If you want to,’ she replied, and felt suddenly shy with him.
    â€˜I want.’ He reached out and took hold of her hand and squeezed it. Then he lifted it to his lips and kissed her fingers. ‘You have beautiful hands, Maggie, such long, supple fingers. And
you’re
beautiful.’ He shook his head. ‘Oh God, you do have a terrible effect on me … I could take you back to bed right now and do it all over