Yes Ma'am.

And more than a few times when Nick would help her into bed laying her down gently before removing her shoes, she'd invited him to join her. "There's plenty of room in my bed, Nicky," Joss would croon, knowing he was her son and that it was wrong but unable to help herself.

If the licentious patting on the space next to her wasn't signal enough, Joss would squeeze her full tits together while spreading open her legs. Often he'd leave in such a huff that he'd slam the door behind himself and Joss would soon pass out halfway through masturbating. But a few times, blackness would wash over her while Nick was still standing there, watching. Joss would always wake up alone, but she wasn't always sure that she'd fallen asleep that way.

***

Joss arrived at work the next Monday to find several colleagues crowded around her desk. Seeing her approaching, they parted and revealed a bouquet of red, pink and white roses, clearly labeled Josslyn Atwater in unfamiliar handwriting.

"What's this?" she asked incredulously. It didn't seem like Chase's style to beg forgiveness, even before Valentine's Day...

"We were going to ask you the same thing. When were you going to tell us you have a boyfriend?" Mary practically accused.

"Whenever I got one. I don't know who these are from."

Several of them looked at one another doubtfully.

"Open the card and find out then," Raymond suggested, putting her on the spot.

Thinking this had to be some kind of practical joke, Josslyn opened the envelope and read the enclosed note to herself.

I've admired your beauty as one admires a rose. I dream of plucking you from your bed at night, pressing my nose to the source of your aroma and caressing your petals until they unfold for me. ~Your Secret Admirer

A blush crept to her cheeks and she quickly folded over the paper.

"So- who's it from?"

"Oh, just an old friend," she lied, not wanting to attract any more attention with talk of a secret admirer. They'd probably just think she'd sent it to herself.

"Some friend..."

Joss shrugged it off and got to work and soon the crowd had dissipated. Throughout the rest of the day, she kept an eye on her male coworkers, namely Eric and Raymond, and a few of the female ones, for any sign that they were her admirer. Not that she'd necessarily pursue a relationship with one of them, but she was both flattered and aroused. The note was so sensual that it made her ache. Who could feel that way about her?

By the time she clocked out, though, she was no closer to knowing the admirer's identity. Once she got in the car, against her better judgment, she texted Chase.

Send any roses lately?

A moment later, he replied, Who is this?

Josslyn.

I don't know what you're hinting at but we're over, Joss. Move on.

"Fucker." She tossed her phone back in her purse.

Driving home, she started to get paranoid. What if it wasn't a shy, smitten coworker after all? What if it was Nick's father, Drew? He'd contacted her out of the blue before. Or any one of her many unstable ex-boyfriends. Fortunately, Nick's car was in the driveway when she got home and didn't have to worry about someone popping out of the bushes. Thinking it would probably worry him too, Joss left the roses in her car.

Her son had always been protective of her, and after his dad died, that instinct only got sharper. After the nasty confrontation in the club, Nick offered in all sincerity to break Chase's nose. Once, one of Joss' particularly deranged exes came over, threatening to break a window if she didn't open the door, and just as she was considering calling the cops, her son came home and kicked the shit out of him. If Nick didn't care for one of his mother's dates, he'd make a show of flexing his impressive biceps and cracking his knuckles while he glowered in their direction.

Joss felt guilty that he'd had to step in so many times, but she was also grateful that he had.

"Hey Mom!" she heard her son call from the kitchen when she walked in. Surprisingly, the smell of food cooking greeted her as well: not burning, or being microwaved or reheated, but cooking.

When she walked in, Nick was pouring wine into a skillet, smoke rising up to his face as the liquid sizzled. Joss had always thought there was something sexy about a man who could cook, and she had to stop herself from coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, as she would have done with Michael.

"Am I hallucinating or are you making dinner?" she asked, peering around his broad shoulders to see what he was making. Whatever it was, it looked delicious.

Nick kissed his mother on the head before shrugging, "I signed up for those Blue Apron meals. Thought it would be a nice change,"

"A very nice change. Thanks, Nick."

"How was your day?"

The bouquet came to mind, but Joss decided not to mention it.

"Fine, for a Monday. Yours?"

"The same."

"Have you heard from April?"

Nick scowled. "No, and I don't want to."

"Just curious. Valentine's Day is next week and you shouldn't spend it alone."

"I won't be," he replied, plating up the two steaks he'd cooked.

"Oh? You met someone already?"

"You could say that."

"Who's the lucky girl?"

Nick carefully ladled sauce over the meat. "Someone special."

"I see, keeping it a secret for now."

"Don't be jealous, Mom. You'll find out who she is soon enough."

"As long as you like her, that's all that matters, sweetheart."

"I don't just like her," he murmured, serving up the green beans and mushrooms now.

"Then she's a very lucky girl." Joss stood on tiptoe to give Nick a kiss on the cheek, rubbing his back. She could feel his musculature beneath his shirt, the warmth of his skin, the firmness of his flesh.

"Soon," was all he said before spooning out the risotto.

After dinner, Josslyn suggested they catch up on one of the many shows they watched, but Nick said that he'd taken a shift that night.

"Do you need money for something? Because I'd rather you put more hours into studying than work." It was mostly true.

"I know, Mom, but this is important for me to do on my own, okay?" His tone was flat, final.

She just nodded.

It stung, but it always did when Josslyn thought about how one day, he would be on his own. And so would she.

***

That night, Josslyn had another one of her dreams about Michael. They were in bed, making love. She'd started out on top, holding her husband's hands while she lifted and lowered herself, but soon he was rolling her onto her back. His weight and heat felt so real, his taste and smell so vivid, his gravelly voice and strained groans reverberated in her ears.

"Michael, I thought you were dead," she whispered, clenching her muscles around his cock as he brought her closer to an orgasm.

"I know, my love. I'm sorry I had to go away for so long."

Joss raked her fingernails down his back, tightening her legs around him, the pleasure so intense that she knew they were about to cum together.

"Please, Michael, don't leave this time. Never leave me again," she whispered in his ear, knowing that it was a dream.

"I won't. I promise."

But it was not Michael's voice saying those words. Joss looked back up at her lover's face and found that it wasn't her husband but her son.

"Nick? Oh, Nick...."

He was driving into her harder, faster, his mouth covering hers as she tried to tell him this was wrong. And then his body was seizing up.

"I love you, Mom," he whispered as he came.

Josslyn started shuddering as she joined him, kissing him back with all the lust she'd repressed over the years, watching her boy become a man. Her man.

***

Guilt wracked Josslyn the next couple of days. It was hard to even look Nick in the eye, much less cuddle with him on the sofa as they often did at night. But another unexpected arrival at work pushed that out of her mind. A large pink teddy bear holding a box of Godiva chocolates.

"Is it your friend again?" Mary inquired in her simpering tone.

"Not sure." She had to stop her hands from trembling as she opened the attached envelope.

Like all pleasures, chocolate should dissolve in your mouth and coat your tongue in desire. Savor these, as I would your sweet flavor; licking, biting, sucking, until you melted away. ~Your Secret Admirer

Josslyn's stomach fluttered as she imagined a lover eating her up so willingly...

"Joss, you're blushing," Eric observed as she hid the note away.

"Oh, my mom's just trying to cheer me up. So embarrassing," she said breezily, placing the bear and chocolates under her desk as if they were but a minor inconvenience.

It must have seemed plausible enough because everyone cleared away after that. Everyone but Eric.

Josslyn looked up quizzically. "Yes?"

"Just wondering if you're doing anything Wednesday night."

For a moment, she didn't catch his meaning, but then she remembered that it was Valentine's Day. "Um, sort of."

"Sort of?" he pressed.

"I have dinner plans." It wasn't altogether a lie- she was going to order Thai food since Nick wouldn't be there. "Why?"

"I thought you might like to catch a movie with me, but if you have a date," he trailed off, sounding unusually snippy.

She started to say that it wasn't really a date but thought better of it. "Sorry, Eric, but I appreciate the offer."

"Well if your plans fall through, it still stands."

Joss just nodded, a little irritated that he would suggest her made-up date would bail on their pretend dinner.

But as the day went on, she started to wonder if her secret admirer was Eric after all.

He'd asked her out before, and coworker or not, it was hard not to flirt with an attractive man who showed interest in her for so long. Then again, why wouldn't he just say something? Unless he was hoping to woo her anonymously before revealing himself. But then he wouldn't have asked her to the movies. Maybe wanted to make sure Joss was still single in a roundabout way?

Nick had a late class that night, so Joss didn't have to smuggle the giant bear in, as she had to do with the bouquet, which she'd kept in her bathroom. She wasn't quite sure why she was guarding her secret from everyone, or hiding her gifts from her son like he was her boyfriend, only that it felt thrilling to have something belonged to her alone. Joss pinned up her ponytail, set the teddy bear next to the bouquet, along with the chocolates, and started a bath before undressing in front of the vanity.

This is crazy, she thought, peeling her trousers down and letting them fall to the floor. I should be worried, not turned-on. Her blouse soon followed, so she stood only in her pale blue bra and panty set. Even if he does send romantic gifts with sexy notes, who's to say he's not dangerous? Dangerous and strong and well hung...

Imagining that some stranger's hands much larger than her own was doing the honors, Joss unhooked her bra and dropped it to the floor. After grazing her palms over her pebbled nipples, she stripped off her underwear and ran her hands over her mound. God, she was horny.

Opening the box of chocolates, she thought of his words.

Like all pleasures, chocolate should dissolve in your mouth...

Taking a bite of the smooth confection, Joss did just that, letting desire coat her tongue as she wanted her desire to coat his.

Stepping into the tub, she almost heard a deep, cunt-drenching voice whisper in her ear, Savor these, as I would your sweet flavor...

And sinking into the steaming waters, Joss took the rest of the piece of chocolate between her teeth and let her hands drift down between her legs.

Licking, biting, sucking...

She could almost feel him there, instead of her slippery fingers.

Until you melted away...

As her moans echoed against the white tile, Joss did just that.

Fortunately she'd regained solid form and was brushing out her hair, which was extra curly from the humidity, when Nick came home, calling out his customary greeting from the front hall.

"Hey, hon. I just got out of the bath, I'm in my room," Joss called back, pulling out a pair of flannel pajamas from her dresser drawer. Her skin was rosy from the hot bath and her orgasms, blue eyes particularly bright, like her smile. It almost seemed a shame that the sexy man who'd just gotten home was her son.

"I was thinking about getting pizza tonight-" Standing in the open doorway now, Nick stopped mid-sentence when he saw what his mother was wearing. Or rather, not wearing.

Pulling her pink robe tighter around her naked body, Joss felt herself blushing at the way her son couldn't help but stare.

"Sounds good. From where?"

His gaze had stopped on her breasts, and she could feel her nipples stiffening against the silk material. "Pantelli's," Nick said softly.

"Yum. Will you get a Greek salad for me too? No onions, extra olives, please." Joss tried to sound casual, but now his eyes had drifted down, to where the hem of her robe rested on her upper thighs.

"Yes Ma'am. Anything you want."

When he looked back up at her face again, Joss saw a glint in her son's eyes that reminded her so much of Drew that she shivered. "I need to get my pj's on," she told him with a hint of regret.

"I'll go put in an order then," and Nick closed the door behind himself.

***

The third, final and most thrilling gift from Josslyn's secret admirer arrived on Valentine's Day morning, but not at work. It was delivered to her home, not long after Nick left for school. In fact, she thought it was him knocking at the front door for some reason and answered in her nightgown.

The UPS man gave her a once over and a big grin, which only grew larger when she leaned over to sign, giving him a glimpse of her generous breasts.

"Thank you," Joss said, holding the large rectangular package in front of herself out of modesty.

"Thank you, Ma'am, and have a wonderful day."

Locking the door, including the chain, Josslyn perched on the edge of her sofa and examined the parcel before opening it. The label had been entirely printed, and there was no return address. It felt light and made a rustling noise as she shook it ever so gently.

"Here goes," she told no one in particular and opened the package.

Setting aside the wrapped gift, Joss opened the blank envelope to find a piece of stationery with The Four Seasons on the letterhead. The message was written in the familiarly unfamiliar slanted script she'd become enchanted with.

I greatly desire for us to meet, to share our hearts and bare our bodies. If you would like to be my Valentine, come to my room tonight and let yourself in with the enclosed key. I will be waiting. ~Your Secret Admirer

Josslyn's head was spinning. Meet him? Tonight? At his hotel room? Like a whore? A horny, nasty, filthy whore....

Her hands were trembling with anticipation as she undid the giant red bow and tore open the red paper on the present, though she already knew what would be inside. Enclosed in layers of tissue was a sheer red push-up bra with lace trim, matching panties with a lace-up back, a black lace garter belt and black thigh highs. The ensemble was obviously expensive and undoubtedly sexy, but Joss couldn't possibly wear it to meet some stranger at a hotel.

Could she?

The bra was her size too- 32 DD. Had he guessed, or did he know it already? There was one way to find out for sure...

Scolding herself for even considering such a risky move, Joss closed the gift box and hid it under her bed with the rest of the evidence. She tried to put it out of her mind as she got on with her day, but Joss couldn't focus on anything else. That morning's delivery distracted her so completely that her blouse was buttoned up crooked, her hair stuck out at odd angles from her untidy bun, and she found herself staring blankly at her computer screen more than a few times, revisiting her admirer's offer in her mind.

After what seemed like an inordinately long day at work, Joss found herself speeding to get back home, even though she'd told herself it was just going to be another boring Wednesday night. But then she remembered that Nick had a date. A sharp pang of loneliness struck, followed immediately by the guilt of knowing how much she depended on her son; how much she needed him.

Forgoing her plans for Thai that evening, Joss reheated leftovers and picked at them in front of the television, barely watching or even tasting as she wondered what to do. Leaving her half-eaten meal on the coffee table, she went upstairs and took a shower, telling herself the whole time that getting ready to meet her secret admirer wasn't the same thing as going to meet him. Even as she trimmed the wiry patch above her slit into the shape of a heart, Joss murmured there was no way she'd actually go through with it.

It wasn't until she was standing in front of her full-length mirror, putting on her new bra and panties, did the reality set in. Not only was Joss going to meet a mysterious man wearing sexy lingerie, but she was going to let him take it off. She was going to let him eat her, make love to her, fuck her, tie her up, spank her- anything he wanted to do.

And as she attached the clips from her garter belt to her thigh-highs, Joss knew that above all, she was going to enjoy it.

The complete effect was more stunning that she'd anticipated. Her breasts seemed to defy gravity, offering enough cleavage to get lost in for hours; the garter belt accentuated her trim waist; the cheeky lace-up panties made her ass a divine temptation; her legs looked especially long and shapely. With her curly chestnut locks spilling down her shoulders and skin positively glowing, Joss felt like a Victoria's Secret model or a sex goddess.

Unfortunately, the only dress she owned even remotely worthy of being worn over such finery happened to be the one she wore on her last date with Chase. The very sight of it made her nauseous, bringing to mind the abject humiliation of his betrayal. Slamming her closet door shut, Joss decided that she was going to find a dress that would make Chase crawl back to her on his hands and knees- if he ever had the good fortune of seeing her in it.

***

Combing through the racks at a boutique, Josslyn felt like she was a senior in high school shopping for her prom dress again. Of course, that was the fateful night that she conceived Nick. She'd skipped the eighth grade, earned college credits, gotten a nearly perfect SAT score, several academic scholarships and an acceptance letter from Vassar- so naturally she made the wise decision to ditch her sweet prom date for bad boy Drew Savage. And what self-respecting bad boy carries around condoms?

Before she was pregnant, her entire life had been planned out, from college to marriage to baby in the carriage. And not that she would trade her son for anything in the world, but changing the order of said plans made them exponentially more difficult to follow through with. Now look at her, throwing out every plan in the book and behaving more irresponsibly than teenage-Josslyn ever would.

Though she'd never considered red to be her color, after putting on her new lingerie, she began to think differently. The vibrant hue brought out the tones of her hair and the color of her eyes and looked especially rich against her pale, freckle-dusted skin. Every gown she brought to try on was a tone of crimson, scarlet, vermillion or coral.

Several didn't work with her bra, a couple were too tight over her bust, but one in particular fit like a glove; a very seductive, slinky, curve-hugging, head-turning glove. The V-neck exposed enough cleavage to just border on indecent, and the slit up the side ended where the lacy top of her thigh-high began.