Eric Benét gets his groove back in Love & Life

"I want to be a lover, but I want to know when to stop," says soul man Eric Benét. Labeled as a sex addict by ex-wife Halle Berry in a messy public divorce in 2004, Benét underwent therapy to deal with the alleged problem. "It became pretty clear to me that I'm not a sex addict," Benét says, but "somebody who made some really stupid mistakes and dealt with some situations in my personal relationship in exactly the wrong way."

With the single "You're the Only One" from his new album, Love & Life (Warner Bros.), reaching the top of Billboard's urban adult radio chart, Benét's career and emotions are back on track.

But just because he's checked his hormones, Benét hasn't turned into a monk. His 1999 song, "Spend My Life With You" featuring Tamia, was so romantic it became a wedding anthem. He takes things a step further on his latest. "This record, you can get married and get in trouble on," he says, laughing.

The matrimonial material includes "You're the Only One" ("Other girls don't mean a damn thing," he sings), which he also performs on YouTube in a beautiful a cappella duet with 16-year-old daughter India. She also sings background on the love song, "Still I Believe."

The trouble starts on "The Hunger," escalates on "Spanish Fly" and builds to a climax with "Chocolate Legs": "Take my soul and set me free/when you wrap them chocolate legs around me," Benét croons.

Benét says his sexy songwriting is a throwback to the days of Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers, who used metaphors rather than hitting listeners over the head to lay them down. But "Weekend Girls" clearly lays out his intentions. "I'm not really looking for relationships and I'm pretty sure you're not, too, so let's go have a fun weekend together," says Benét, summarizing the theme.

"I'm at a place in my life right now where I want to have fun," the smooth soul man says. "I want to sing, live, love and make love, and just enjoy life."

Eric Benét with Brian McKnight, Jon B and Dwele. $40.75-$75.75. Sat., Sept. 27. 7 p.m. Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Drive. 404-733-4900.