spilled some of the golden liquid on Lily. They laughed, and then Jack took Lily’s glass and set it downon the coffee table.
“Can’t stand to see that champagne go to waste,” Jack said, leaning over and licking the spilleddrops off Lily’s collarbone. Lily gasped with delight. “You know what?” Jack whispered in her ear. “I’venever seen your bedroom.”
Lily giggled in spite of herself. “You really want to? With the boys just across the hall?”
“They’re busy. They won’t pay any attention to us. And we’ll be quiet.” She smiled. “Not like lasttime.”
In Lily’s room, inhibitions washed away by the champagne, Jack and Lily undressed each otherand slid into a slow, sensual round of lovemaking. The first time they made love, it had been with theravenous urgency of a starving person sitting down to a lavish meal. Today, though, with the wholeafternoon ahead of them, they savored the experience, enjoying the taste of each other’s kisses, exploringthe texture of each other’s skin, and breathing low sighs of pleasure.
Between the champagne and Jack’s capable hands, Lily felt the coils of tension she had beencarrying for the past week start to unwind. Ever since she had come to Versailles, Lily had been trying tocontrol a situation that seemed uncontrollable. But here, beneath Jack’s hands and mouth, she could allowherself to lose control—to turn off her brain for a few minutes and surrender to sensuality.
Afterward, as they lay naked beneath the cool sheets, Lily said, “Have you ever heard theexpression that you grow a new heart for every child you have?”
Jack started. “You and Ben aren’t expecting, are you?”
Lily laughed. “Not unless a star is rising somewhere in the East.” She laid her head on Jack’sfreckled shoulder. “No, I was just thinking about that idea. When I was with Charlotte, I didn’t know if itwould be possible for me to love anybody else ... I just felt so full and content, you know?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And then we had Mimi, and I discovered this whole other capacity for love I didn’t even know Ihad. And then, getting to know you...I mean, it’s not that I love Charlotte less, but with you...I guesssometimes meeting someone can cause you to grow a new heart, too.” Lily laughed. “God, I neverwould’ve said something like that if I was sober.”
“Do you mean it, though?”
Lily thought for a moment. She had spoken just then without thinking, but she had meant what shesaid ... just as people usually did when they spoke without considering their words beforehand. “Yes.”
“Then I’m glad you’re not sober.” Jack and Lily’s lips met in another long, slow kiss. When they