And Charlie Makes Three — Jane Thompson

It's 1953 and Ann Reynolds can't seem to get into the expansively perky spirit of the new decade. After the struggles and derivations of the past twenty years, she feels guilty she's not as happy as everyone keeps telling her she should be. There's something missing from her life and she thinks it might very well be her. After dropping her sons off at summer camp, Ann sets out on a journey to discover what's left of her life when she removes her kids, their schedules and, maybe hardest of all, Charlie Atwood.

Charlie is Ann's ex-husband's ex-golf buddy. He likes to tell people Ann got him in the divorce settlement along with the dog and a stack of old Saturday Evening Posts. Ann isn't sure why Charlie has stuck around to help since her husband left three years ago but she knows the time has come to relieve him of active duty. If Charlie was interested in a permanent place in her life he would have let her know by now, and Ann can no longer pretend that what they have between them is enough to sustain her.

When Charlie finds out about Ann's plan to take a solo driving trip down the coast, he is relieved. After three years standing in for his old golf buddy, a break is exactly what he needs. And if the break becomes permanent, well, Charlie can't say he didn't see it coming. He isn't husband material and it's become increasingly obvious that Ann needs more from him than he can ever give her.

Then Charlie hears Ann's added a passenger to her journey, Trey, a man no one has ever met before. As the gossip regarding the scandalous behavior exhibited between the normally oh-so proper Ann and her handsome stranger reaches him, Charlie feels honor bound to make sure the man isn't out for just one thing. Ann deserves better, which is exactly why he's kept his hands to himself all these years.

But if all Ann is looking for is a summer fling…well, hell, Charlie isn't opposed to helping her out one last time. And he's got no problem if her new friend wants to come along for the ride.

To My Readers: Charlie began as a modern idea, with minivans and soccer leagues in the background but then someone said, “Why not set it in the fifties?” Oh the difference a few decades make! Charlie became all that much naughtier, and Anne far more interesting for the choices she makes. Now if I could only remember who suggested the time change…

EXCERPT AND CHARLIE MAKES THREE • Three Kinds of Wicked
Anne twined her fingers into Trey's thick, dark hair, her eyes sliding closed as he opened his mouth over her neck. She shivered in anticipation but there was no tension in it, only languid warmth that made her feel as if she was floating. His lips brushed the base of her throat, followed by the tip of his tongue before he gently sucked the thin skin against his teeth. Anne arched her back at the sharp, unexpected sensation. Her fingers tightened in his hair and he groaned, his arms around her waist and shoulders pulling her harder against his long, solid body.

He whispered something against her neck that sounded like, “Finally.” Before she could wonder at his word choice, he set her away from him. Anne realized he had hit his limit and let him go without protest. Trey had very old-fashioned ideas when it came to sex. Sure, he kissed her until she couldn't remember her own name, pinned her against hard, vertical surfaces, wrapped her body around his and they rubbed against each other until she was seconds from orgasm but then he'd go straight into gentleman mode, pulling back, apologizing, begging her pardon for taking advantage.

“I brought something for you,” he said, smoothing his palm gently over her hair as he slowly backed away. “I'm going to go get it, I'll be right back.”