Read Proposal in Room 309 for Free Online Page B

relive our youth.’
    ‘Well, we try to,’ Bert corrected. ‘We’re not exactly as supple as we used to be.’
    Oh, there was a mental picture he could have done without, Ben thought.
    Bert placed his hand on Marge’s shoulder as the lift doors opened. ‘It’s been the best half century ever.’
    Fifty years, hell, that was a long time. Joely didn’t say anything, she just stared at her feet and Ben’s heart sank. He wasn’t going to win this round he thought, he recognised the stubborn look on Joely’s face, the determination in her eyes. Maybe this disastrous evening was a big old slap around the head, telling him to leave things as they were, to appreciate what he had and to stop trying to…what did Joely say earlier? Don’t fix what wasn’t broken…
    He had a gorgeous, smart, independent woman in his life; in his bed who said that she loved him…did he have a right to ask for more? Maybe she was right, maybe marriage wasn’t relevant in the world they lived in today…
    The younger couple exited the lift and then the blonde woman stopped and turned around. ‘What’s the secret to staying married for fifty years?’
    Ben felt Joely stiffen next to him.
    ‘Oh, honey, what a question! ‘ Marge sighed, tipping her head. ‘Mostly I think it’s because we’re two old lunatics who have far too much money and not enough sense.’
    They probably were, Ben thought, because really, who discussed their sex lives with perfect strangers in the lift of an exclusive hotel? Crazy people, but entertaining all the same.
    Bert took Marge’s hand and patted it. ‘I’m sure it helps, honey bee,’ he said.’ But we also raised six boys, educated and fed them and fostered two more. We bought and sold antiques before it was fashionable to do so and made a killing. And through it all we loved each other to distraction, even on those days when we didn’t particularly like each other. Because love is a choice, not a feeling. You love through it all, hard times, good times, crazy times. You’ve got to be each other’s soft place to fall.’
    Blondie placed her hand on her heart and sighed. ‘That’s so lovely.’
    ‘But that’s not the secret.’ Marge’s head tipped further sideways and Ben thought she looked like a colourful budgie. He expected to hear the usual spiel; more about compromise and forgiveness, about picking your battles and not going to bed on a fight. Marge shocked the hell out of him with her take on the sacred union.
    ‘Blow jobs, honey. For apologising and for getting your own way. There ain’t nothing that can’t be fixed, or obtained, in a marriage by a good BJ.’
    Good grief… Not that he necessarily disagreed.

Chapter Six
    ‘So if I give you a blow job, can we be done arguing?’ Joely said to him as he slid his wet key card through the lock. Naturally, because this was his life, the door refused to open.
    Ben took a long time to answer, thinking that he wanted the fifty years with her, wanted what that old couple had; laughter, affection, love and a whole lot of damn good sex. Did it matter whether there was a licence attached to their relationship? Could he live without one? That had a simple answer…he’d rather have Joely than no Joely at all.
    He shrugged and flicked her a look. ‘I think I’m done with arguing about this, Jo.’
    Joely’s eyes widened as his jacket slipped off her shoulders and she caught it as it dropped. ‘You’re giving up?’
    ‘Yeah.’ Ben looked at the card and cursed a long streak of blue. ‘Can something just go right tonight?’
    He pulled his shirt tail out from his trousers and found a patch that was less wet than the rest of his clothes and ran the magnetic strip between the folds of fabric.
    ‘Why are you giving up? Have you decided that you now don’t want to marry me?’
    Ben felt his temper bubble. ‘God, you are the most infuriating woman alive! When I want to discuss the issue, you storm out of the restaurant; when I want to drop