Now and Then by Brenda Rothert

tall, dark wood chair at the dining table, and she reache d for her water glass when she sat down, hoping to cool her desire. Instead she warmed further at the feel of his palm resting on her bare leg, hidden beneath the table cloth, his fingers grazing her inner thigh.
    “I don’t think we met earlier. I’m Marley Brandt,” said the polished, pretty woman next to her. “And you’re Emma, Cole’s girlfriend?”
    I am? Emma grinned, loving the sound of the words Marley had spoken.
    “So, Emma, what do you do?” Marley asked.
    “I’m a graphic designer and an artist.”
    “Really? That’s fascinating.”
    “I love it,” Emma said. “What do you do?”
    “I’m a partner at the firm.”
    “That’s great. You must work hard, you look young to be a partner.”
    Marley laughed and reached for her wine glass.
    “I’m not as young as I used to be. It took me quite a few years. I don’t think it’ll take Cole as long as it took me. He’s off to an impressive start.”
    A small swell of pride rose within Emma. This was what being the girlfriend of someone like Cole would feel like. She glanced at him, wishing their story was the truth. She’d had a lot of casual sex in Paris, but only one relationship, with a Parisian artist named Matthew. It had been nice at first, but then just draining. Matthew had quit art school a few years before they got together and was struggling to make a living. It created tension between them until Emma kicked him out of the apartment they shared. His resentment and lack of motivation had dragged her down.
    The cheesy bisque, crusty bread and deep red wine she was enjoying reminded Emma of eating at small cafes in Paris. She wished she could roam around the city with Cole, showing him her favorite haunts and sampling all the best foods.
    The electricity between them was increasingly charged each time they were together, and tonight it was all Emma could think about. Though it looked like she was engrossed in the story Marley was telling, she was focused entirely on the sensation caused by Cole’s fingers stroking her thigh. The higher his hand roamed, the more eager she became.
    She felt her eyes widen when his fingertips reached the seam of her satin panties. When she glanced at his face, it was a picture of polite attention to the story Leo Stanford was telling about a trial he’d just finished. Nothing about Cole gave away the fact that he was brushing a knuckle over Emma’s panties, likely feeling the wetness his attention was causing.
    Knowing what was passing between them under the table ma de Emma’s pulse thunder. It was blissfully forbidden, and she was shocked by how arousing she found it. As she reached for her glass of water, she slid her legs apart slightly. No one else seemed to notice Cole’s sharp inhale.
    She had a small, kin d smile on her face, but when Cole’s fingertips skirted beneath the seam of her panties, Emma gasped involuntarily. Marley turned to her, concerned.
    “Are you okay?” she asked.
    “Oh, I, uh – forgot to feed my cat,” she said, clearing her throat nervously.
    “Do we need to go, babe?” Cole asked, looking at her. His fingers were still, but they were there , and knowing it made Emma sure everyone at the table must notice the flush she felt warming her face.
    “No, it’s fine. He’ll just have to be patient and wait until we get home,” she said, giving him a pointed glance.
    “Ah, but he’s really impatient someti mes,” Cole murmured to her, raising his eyebrows in amusement.
    “ It’ll be worth his wait,” she said, reaching for his hand under the table. She boldly drew it to her lips and kissed his fingers. Those fingers .
    Cole’s eyes closed briefly for a second and Emma smiled sweetly at him. Emma heard Marley chuckle and wondered if she knew what was going on. The others at the large table were absorbed in their own conversations.
    The intensity on Cole’s face empowered Emma in a way that reminded he r of