Excerpt of A Bite Of The Apple from Chapter 1

“That’s the nursery all made up now. I cannot believe at last your kid brother’s coming to stay and with his fiancée too.” Lori yawned as she climbed into bed and pulled out the toggle, tangled in her mass of medusa-like, ebony curls. They fell onto her shoulders and Lucas brushed them away, knocking the strap of her slip, tempting him to kiss the bare flesh before him.

“Is Frankie asleep?” he whispered, kissing the nape of his wife’s neck and placing his hand on her stomach.

“Only just,” she whispered back, putting her hand on his and turning away on her side. Still, Lucas nuzzled into Lori and spooned against her, intent on arousing some feelings of pleasure; feelings that were long overdue since the birth of Frankie-Lucca, three months ago.

“…So what’s she like?” Lori asked as Lucas continued to kiss the back of her neck and purposely ignored the question.

“Lucas.”

“What?”

“I asked what is she like?”

“Who?” He tightened his grip on Lori’s stomach and kissed around her ear but Lori squirmed, and breaking free from his animalism, she reached out for the lamp.

“Faye, sillyass,” she laughed.

Lucas turned on his back defeated, and huffed noisily; taking it as a hint that conversation was more than likely on the agenda than two becoming one.

“Faye’s…nice, kinda sweet – you’ll like her I’m sure. She’s good for Alexei and he’s crazy ’bout her. What more can I say – you’ll see for yourself in a coupl’a days.” His tone was a tad curt as his attempts to make love were once again shunned.

Surprisingly Lori reached out to touch his face. A playful stroke of his beard turned into a finger on his lips. Lucas stared at the ceiling fan anticipating the possibility of a kiss that he for once would not instigate.

He felt her breath on his cheek so he parted his lips as hers brushed across his mouth. How he worked so hard for such simple rewards and feeling so tense he would surely burst if they didn’t ‘get it on’ tonight. Like an obedient, loyal dog that had been walked half to death whilst jumping every hoop along the way, Lucas was still waiting for that treat at the end of his run - a pat of gratification at the very least.

Excited to feel Lori’s hand slide towards his groin, he leaned up and kissed her hard; their tongues connecting for the first time in months – it felt like their first passionate kiss.

“Oh, Lucas.”

“Oh dio, Lor…”

“Mama!”

“Don’t stop…she’ll go back to sleep.”

“Mommy!”

“I can’t leave her crying, Lucas.” Lori was out of the bed and putting her dressing gown and slippers on in no time. "It's okay, Angelina, I'm coming!"

Wish I was, thought Lucas, as he flung himself back against the pillows and rubbed his face in frustration.