Marco was happy on the drive back to his apartment. He chatted nonstop about the new house, which of his furniture he wanted to swap over, and which pieces he didn’t care if they stayed. He checked with me each time he made a suggestion and I said yes to every idea.
If he asked me to bend over and offer myself to him, I’d say yes too. But I knew that wouldn’t happen.
“Work was great today too.” He settled on the couch and kicked his ankle up onto his knee giving me an unobstructed view of his groin.
Could he flaunt his sexiness any more?
“That’s good.” I perched on the edge of the couch.
“We signed all the paperwork for my partner status. They’ll announce my position tomorrow in the office, but everyone already knew my promotion was coming.”
“I’m glad it worked out for you.”
I picked up my cell needing something to do other than sit there and stop myself from telling him how I loved him, or worse yet asking him for sex.
“Friday night we’re going to a big dinner party with the firm to celebrate in style.”
As if they knew any other way to celebrate. The rich liked their fancy dinners and champagne. I may even drink myself to happiness.
“What time?” I peered over my phone.
“Eight o’clock. We’ll be in the new house then, so we’ll have to leave a bit earlier than if we were living here.”
“I’ll be ready at seven. What would you like me to wear?”
He kicked his foot off his leg and leaned forward, his eyes flickering all over my face. “I’ll buy you a dress.”
“You don’t need to do that, I’ll buy one.”
“No.” He slid across the couch to my side. “I’ll buy you a pretty cocktail dress. Leave your hair down too.” He stroked his fingers through my hair, tugging the hair tie free from the ponytail in the process. “You have such pretty hair, it’s a shame you tie this golden beauty up all the time.”
“The twins were always grabbing the strands when they were younger, it was easier to keep my hair out of the way than pry it from their chubby fingers.”
“Prue used to complain about that.” He tucked the strands behind my ear.
Didn’t he realize the simple stroke of his fingers through my hair made my body hungry for more?
I lifted my chin. “What would you like for dinner?”
He traced his finger along my jaw. “You don’t cook for me, that wasn’t part of the deal.”
“I can if you’d like.”
“The cook would have left us meals.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll go get them at least.” I inched away from his touch.
“Kennedy.” He grabbed my hand. “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” I blurted out quicker than a game show contestant with an answer.
“Mmm-hmm.”
I jumped up from the couch.
“Next you’ll say you’re fine?”
“Well, I am fine,” I tossed over my shoulder and strode into the kitchen to see about our dinner.
He followed me. Of course he did. I don’t know why that surprised me.
“I thought I said no lies.” He placed his hands on the countertop and watched me from the other side.
“I’m not lying.”
“For Christ’s sake, I know this marriage isn’t what you wanted, but I’m trying to make it good for you.” He blew out a breath. “Meet me halfway.”
Removing the dishes from the oven, I set them on the counter and said, “I’m trying too.” I shook off the oven mitts. “This is an adjustment.”
He sighed. “I know.”
Then he ate a forkful of food. Guess we were eating in the kitchen. I picked up my fork, herbs and spices drifted from the steaming dish, and I ate too. The meal was good.
“How was your day with the boys?” he asked.
I launched into a description of our day that lasted until we’d both finished our meals. Marco smiled and laughed and listened to every word as though I was talking about our children. It took little for me to imagine I was regaling my husband about our kids’ daily antics. Another pang flared in my chest. I placed the plates in the dishwasher.
“I’m going to have a bath then read in bed for a bit. What do you usually do at night?”
“If I’m not working, I watch television.”
“Okay, I guess I might see you when you come to bed?”
“I have a bit of work.”
“Maybe not, then.” I walked out of the kitchen.
“Kennedy, don’t fall asleep in the tub again, otherwise you’ll force me to remind you to take better care of yourself,” he said in that husky tone that made me quiver for more.
****
I’d given up on the bath after half an hour. All I’d thought about was Marco sitting behind me—his firm chest, strong thighs, hard erection. My body hummed with need. I’d taken to tossing in bed, the book a mild distraction from the warm moisture building between my legs.
I thumped the mattress.
This was ridiculous. Since when did I obsess over sex this much?
Since my husband gave me many multiple orgasms in one night.
The noise of the television traveled down the hallway from the lounge room. Now I’d have to get to sleep with a loud TV? Wait. I sat up. The voices on the video were mine and Marco’s. Oh, shit, he was watching our wedding night. My heart raced. He said he would. I didn’t expect him to watch our video this soon.
My cries of ecstasy made me jealous of myself.
I shoved a hand between my legs, not surprised to find myself damp with arousal. Was this what Marco was doing? Was he stroking his erection while watching us have sex? Did he find it as erotic as me? Three minutes of well-placed touches and I came against my fingers, but the orgasm didn’t ease my hunger for Marco.
It was my husband I wanted. I longed for his fingers on my heated flesh, his mouth over my hard nipples, his cock in my welcoming wetness.
I picked up his pillow and hugged the downy softness to my chest. Inhaling deep to catch the lingering expensive aftershave he wore, I closed my eyes, settled surrounded by his scent. Like this was what I’d needed all along. An orgasm and a hug.
And a good night’s sleep. Wasn’t that the saying? Everything appeared brighter after sleep. Because you’d been in the dark with your eyes shut and nothing but the back of your eyelids to examine. Not a pretty sight. If you’d ever rolled your eyelids back in the mirror you’d understand.
My mind was all over the place. I needed sleep. I reverted to the good old days when I couldn’t sleep and counted fluffy white sheep, getting to five thousand before the bed dipped when Marco climbed in. Pretending to be asleep, I kept my eyes shut. He wriggled his pillow from my arms then circled his arm around my waist.
An involuntary sigh slipped from my throat.
“Good girl,” Marco whispered.
That was all I needed to send me off to slumberland.