"Wash or dry?" Sheila asked.
"Dry," Mike said. With one hand, he caught the dishtowel his wife tossed at him.
"How's the shed coming?" she asked as she carefully washed a wine glass.
Mike chuckled. "It's gonna be awesome. I should be done with the framing by the time Dave gets his rear end over here in the morning."
Sheila shook her head.
"You can't wait to get up and use that nail gun again, can you?"
Mike snapped the dishtowel at his wife's lovely ass.
"That's right. A man needs power tools." They grinned at each other as Sheila shoved a dripping pan into Mike's chest.
Mike dried the pan and turned to hang it on the rack suspended above the kitchen island. Reaching around him for the last of the dishes, Sheila deliberately pressed into her husband's back. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the mixture of sweat and fresh air that clung to Mike's skin from his afternoon's labor.
"Go upstairs. I'll finish the dishes," Sheila murmured.
Mike knew the tone in Sheila's voice. He draped the towel over her shoulder and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Don't keep me waiting," he told her.
Once the kitchen was cleaned to her satisfaction, Sheila went upstairs to the bathroom. She took a long time preparing for bed despite the fact that Mike was waiting for her.
Sheila slipped into the dark bedroom and quietly closed the door.
"What were you doing in there?" Mike asked in a hushed voice.
"Brushing my teeth, washing my face . . . you know, that pesky personal hygiene hangup I have," Sheila said. She navigated her way through the blackness to her bureau. Mike heard her fumbling for something.
"What are you doing now?" he asked, trying to hide his impatience.
"Looking for the matches. It's so dark in here; there's no moon tonight."
"It's getting late, babe," Mike whispered.
"I know."
"You'll be tired in the morning, Sheila."
She had to laugh at that one. "Always thinking of me, aren't you? The sooner I come to bed, the sooner I'll be asleep, right?"
"Something like that," her husband replied. Sheila could practically hear the smile on his face.
"You know, hon, you do take good care of me. I don't tell you that often enough," Sheila said. She struck a match and lit a candle resting in a wrought iron holder. The light it shed was meager, barely enough for Mike to see what Sheila was wearing.
"We take good care of each other," Mike insisted.
Sheila moved to Mike's side of the bed. Bending down, she stroked his hair, pausing only slightly as her husband turned his head to kiss her palm.
"Honey, there is something I wanted to talk to you about," Sheila said seriously.
Mike suppressed a groan. Why did she always do this right before they went to bed? The excited feeling that was stirring between his legs began to waver.
"What's that?"
"I wish you had asked me before inviting Dave and Tricia over this afternoon."
Mike sat up in bed, perplexed and feeling defensive.
"Sheila, that was your idea. You suggested it this morning."
Sheila sighed. "I know, but I wasn't ready for company. The house was a mess."
Mike couldn't believe his ears.
"Sheila," he began firmly, "you said it was too nice a day to be stuck indoors cleaning. You said you wanted to take a walk with Trish while Dave and I worked on the shed." Mike's eyes were adjusting to the thin candlelight. He could see Sheila was wearing a pair of baggy flannel boxer shorts and one his old t-shirts. The evening was not shaping up as he had hoped.
"I don't always say what I mean, Mike. If you paid closer attention to me, you would know that," Sheila said soberly.
Mike sat speechless on the bed and stared at his wife, who stood next to him with her hands firmly planted on her hips.
"It's just that, you know . . . you don't always take the time to find out what I'm really thinking."
Mike slumped back onto the bed.
"Oh, Sheila . . . what the hell are you talking about? Just come to bed, will you?"
"No. I want to talk about this. I want you to start listening to me. Be more respectful."
Mike rolled onto his side and pulled a pillow over his head. Tonight had such promise. He had seen the look in his wife's eyes and felt her brush up against him as they cleaned the kitchen. How could he have been so wrong?
"I'm serious, Mike. Get out from under that pillow and look at me when I'm talking to you!"
"Okay, Sheila. I'm sorry, honey," Mike stammered as he emerged. He couldn't believe he was apologizing. "I thought you wanted them to come over, really." Mike reached a hand out to touch his wife's arm, but stopped in fear that she would smack it away.
"I thought we had a relationship based on love, respect and trust. I guess I was wrong."