He's got it coming: Love is the best revenge

by Alexandra Winter

  Instead of the warm sensation of my body’s ecstasy, I shiver from the disgusting thoughts and regain control of myself while Henrik speeds up his thrusts, possibly thinking I’m orgasming. I moan louder until I scream.

  He falls down, wet and warm by my side, consumed in heavy breaths, but he hasn’t climaxed.

  You stopped before you came? Why?

  When he sees my body no longer covered in goosebumps and my nipples gone soft, his expression turns sad as if disappointed.

  Shit, this won’t win you over.

  I’m exhausted after what seems like hours of work. But flip myself on top of him for another attempt. Caressing my nipples and thrusting, doing my best to look as sexy as I can. As my sensation builds, I pick up where I left off thinking of sticky floors, dirty toilets, but this time it doesn’t work.

  The pulsing sensation grows in me again, more determined this time.

  Come on asshole. Come!

  I lean my hand on his chest and lock my eyes on his and grin, thinking this will make my building orgasm vanish. But instead, it kicks into high gear, and I have no other choice than to tilt myself off him.

  Fuck!

  I pull up the duvet for cover and to distance myself from him. He kisses my nose, climbs under the covers, lays his hand over my stomach, and closes his eyes. I close mine, shutting out Isac’s disappointed face as I give in to exhaustion and fall asleep.

  My eyes shoot open when the light leaking in through the open curtains hits them. I’m staring straight into Henrik’s face. His eyes are closed, and he’s sleeping with the hint of a satisfied smirk. We’re still in the same position that we fell asleep in, our legs tangled together, forehead to forehead. I jerk back, away from him. I’ve never slept this close to a man before, not even Isac.

  What the hell is going on? Did I take on the role so brilliantly last night that my body believes it’s in love?

  Henrik turns around, pulling the duvet with him and snuggles into the pillow.

  I slide out of bed.

  Shit. If I could throw you into a meat grinder, you’d be gone for good.

  Instead, I’m covered in his sweat.

  17

  Every step stings like there’s a hot plate between my legs. I brush my teeth and shower to get Henrik’s scent off me. Desperate to relieve the pain, I’m smearing antibiotic ointment over my genital area and on the insides of my thighs when I catch my reflection in the mirror. Tears well then stream down my face in a waterfall. I want to scream. I did this for nothing. What man wants a woman he can’t even orgasm with?

  Especially one as sex crazed as this psycho.

  I’m a failure. Henrik fucks everything with a pulse. I can’t even make him come once, and, by God, how I tried. During the whole disgusting incident, I allowed myself to get caught up in the act, to make him enjoy it.

  How could I?

  A gentle knock. “Daniella? I’ll be late for work, but I need a kiss before I leave,” Henrik whispers through the door.

  I inhale, fluff my hair, force a smile to compliment my damp naked body and open the door. “Good morning.”

  “Wow.” He covers his mouth with his hand. I step back. “No, not you,” he says and enters the bathroom. “Me.”

  I hand him a toothbrush I snatched from a hotel three years ago and watch him brush his teeth in a hurry while throwing glances from the corner of his eye.

  “I have to go.” He pecks my lips, then runs downstairs. I listen for the slam of the door. “Are you coming to say goodbye?” he calls.

  I throw his toothbrush in the trash. It’s not like he’ll need it again anyways.

  He grins as I slide my hand down the railing, taking my time, strutting my naked body as I descend the stairs. “This is a sight I will replay in my meetings today, and forever.”

  He pulls me to him, and I give in to a make-out session, tongues dancing.

  The door clicks loudly when I lock up behind him. I’m walking up the cold steel steps when the apartment buzzer rings. I run back to the video door-phone.

  “Let me in!” Cecilia is outside, trotting back and forth. “I have to pee.”

  I buzz her in and throw on a blanket before opening the door. “Are you insane? What if Henrik was here?”

  “I saw him leave.” Like a gust of wind, she blows past me, up the stairs, and slams the bathroom door shut behind her.

  I get a glass of cold water to ease my throat, hangover, and revulsion from last night. The countertops have been cleaned, and the dishwasher light signals a clean load. I set my glass down and open the fridge where Henrik has placed the leftovers in containers.

  He cleaned the kitchen while I showered?

  Cecilia calls from the stairs on her way down. “That was too close.”

  I bury my face in my hands. “I’m sorry,” I say not only to Cecilia but to Isac and every other person who’ll ever be affected by my failure. “I’ve made a whore of myself for nothing.”

  “What are you talking about?” She gasps. “You had sex! I knew you would.” Then she looks at me and cocks her head to the side. “But why on earth are you crying? Are you okay?”

  “I can’t talk about it. I did my best.” I sniffle the words out.

  “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. He was always great in bed with me. I assumed you had a great time with it.”

  Cecilia hugs me, holding me tight until her sweater is drenched in tears, and I let go.

  “Get dressed, I’ll make tea.” She pulls two bags from her pocket, and I stumble towards the staircase.

  Why are you walking around with tea in your pockets?

  But I’m too tired to care. When I return, Cecilia is sitting in my favorite spot. She’s by the glass door in the kitchen looking out onto the veranda and large tree in the backyard, its red leaves swaying in the light breeze.

  “I’m exhausted, sore, and I can now sympathize with hookers.” I sit on the chair she’s pulled up next to her but immediately regret it. “I can’t even sit without it hurting.”

  “I don’t get it.” Cecilia’s brows pucker. “Didn’t you orgasm? Is that why you’re sore, because he kept trying too long?”

  Her question is like a blow, and my mouth falls open. “Do you really think I’d let Henrik see me climax? It’s bad enough I’m cheating on my husband, but even I have to draw a line somewhere.” After all, it’s bad enough that I woke up with my forehead on Henrik’s and our bodies entangled. “I did my best.”

  “I’m sure you did.” Cecilia smiles. “Why don’t we see what he says first, before declaring this a failure.”

  What are you smiling about? This isn’t a happy occasion.

  I take a deep breath. “I suppose you want to read Henrik’s messages with me?”

  Cecilia grins. “Like you’ve read mine.”

  She has a point. I’ve seen everything they wrote to each other, including Henrik calling her ‘okay’ in bed.

  Two minutes after leaving my apartment this morning, Henrik sent a message to Simen with three words spelled out in capital letters.

  BEST SEX EVER!

  “What?” Cecilia throws her arms out. “What are you crying about?”

  I reread the message. “Maybe Henrik’s talking about someone else?” It makes no sense. “I couldn’t even make him come!”

  “Of course you couldn’t. Henrik never comes first. It’s his thing.” She bursts out laughing, unable to restrain herself.

  “What?” I can’t help but smile even though I have no idea what’s so amusing.

  She snorts and gasps for air after laughing so hard. “Don’t you get it?”

  “What is so funny?”

  Cecilia’s leaning on the glass door at this point. “How long did you have sex with him?”

  “I worked my ass off.”

  “How long?”

  “Four hours, okay? I couldn’t get him to climax in four fucking hours! Happy?”

  Her entire body shakes, and I can’t help but laugh along, although I don’t
enjoy her mocking me.

  Once we calm down, I clear my throat. “Seriously, Cecilia. What’s so funny?”

  This gets her going again, but she desperately tries to stay serious. “You refused to come. Henrik tried for four hours to make you come while you were trying the exact same thing with him. Neither of you wanted to climax first. It’s a match made in heaven.”

  Her words sink in. If Henrik refuses to come before a woman does, he was struggling as much as I was.

  I scroll through messages on his phone, several of which have passed us by while we were laughing and I stop dead at Henrik’s text to Simen.

  FOUR HOURS. I thought I would die. She never tired, no matter what I did, she kept going. I won’t need exercise this week. She’s a goddess!

  Simen replies:

  Details, please!

  A smile creeps onto my face reading Henrik’s reply.

  Keeping them to myself this time

  It widens to a grin at Simen’s last message.

  That’s a first.

  Cecilia’s right. He isn’t just pleased, he’s beside himself.

  “Don’t look so smug about it.” Cecilia winks at me and holds up her palm.

  I give her a high five, then sigh. “I’m not supposed to be happy about this.”

  “Then I’ll be happy for us both. All you have to do is get in a few orgasms, and you’ll be on the right track.”

  Cecilia’s words hit me like a train rushing into a tunnel, knocking the air out of me.

  “I’ll fake it,” I say.

  “Haha. Henrik will know. Unless you’re able to blush, make your nipples perk up, and cover your body in goosebumps.”

  Shit. That’s why Henrik had such a sad look when he saw my breasts after we collapsed.

  Cecilia grins. “Let yourself go. He knows what he’s doing, and an orgasm might actually do you good.”

  I sigh, recalling the moments in bed with Isac after orgasming, shaking.

  My phone rings. When Victoria’s name appears on the screen, my energy drains.

  Not again. I can’t, no matter how much I miss her.

  I switch the phone to silent, flipping it face down on the counter.

  Cecilia frowns. “You’re not going to answer that?”

  “No.”

  Cecilia picks it up and looks at the caller. “Who’s Victoria Teigen?”

  “Hey!” I snatch the phone from her. “High school acquaintance,” I say.

  “Not a friend?”

  “Will you leave it? She was a friend. She’s not anymore.” I tuck it into my back pocket.

  Cecilia studies me for what feels like half an hour before seeming to shake off her thought. “Back to your orgasm, then?”

  “Fine. I’ve gone this far. I can’t stop now.” Every day people use others to climax. I can do that too.

  After Cecilia leaves, I log onto Henrik’s computer and check his history. Before our date last night, he researched breathing in synchronicity.

  I read the information out loud to ensure I’ve read it right. ‘Adjust your breathing to match your partner’s. This will make him or her subconsciously feel a deeper connection to you as their body relaxes and syncs with yours.’

  That bastard. Henrik tricked me! No wonder I fell asleep in his arms.

  I’m not the only one playing games here.

  Bring it on!

  The following day, Saturday, October seventh, Henrik travels to Bergen. When Katelyn meets him at the airport, she probably jumps into his arms in welcome. I imagine her happy face and dinner prepared back home.

  How does he stomach this?

  Clearly well, since he’s texting me from the airport.

  You look fantastic naked, and you’ve at least achieved one thing. I’m captivated by you.

  Good!

  I like that

  Henrik replies:

  PS: I’ve never enjoyed lying like that (face to face) until last night with you...

  Bullshit. But I can play along with your lies for now.

  That makes two of us.

  Henrik has his hands filled tonight, so when he stops texting, I do too.

  Waking up Sunday morning, I decide to step up my game and start my day by texting Henrik. I’ve played hard to get a bit too long, but now that we’ve slept together, holding back will only make him insecure.

  Last thought I had before falling asleep was you, and the first thought waking up too. So what’s more natural than wishing you a happy morning :)

  As if he’s rereading it, he doesn’t log off or answer until over two minutes pass.

  I’ve reread that message, and it seems right. Huge smile here because the last and first thing I thought about was you.

  So you were rereading it. Good.

  I can’t think of anything to say, so I keep it simple with a smiley.

  :)

  Henrik, on the other hand, has more to say.

  You’ve become a very disturbing element in my life, and I like it.

  No need to lie about my reaction to that text. I’m grinning, knowing I’m closer to breaking his heart.

  Huge smile here as well now

  It’s true. After our date, I can’t stop thinking of you, and it’s disturbing my day. I’ve never been this captivated after a date before. Here’s a crazy thought for ya. Why don’t you come here?

  To stay with you and Katelyn? Are you drunk?

  Haha, like a booty call?

  Call it whatever you like, just get here. I’ll pay for tickets, and you can stay with me at the hotel.

  Hotel?

  I scroll through his messages to her and look for hotel reservations. There’s nothing. He’s living with her and the kids.

  On the wall next to me hangs the printout of his Tinder profile, which informs me, and any woman reading it, that he likes impulsive and positive people.

  This might be my chance to hook him even further. If I let myself orgasm, give him the night of his life all over again, he’ll be bound to fantasize about me even when he’s with Katelyn. I can’t help but enjoy the superiority of knowing he’s prioritizing me.

  I book a flight to Bergen leaving at five tomorrow evening. I pack my bag, including white lace underwear, skirts, and tight tops. This time, no matter how difficult, I can’t hold back.

  18

  The next evening, I exit the train at Bergen. My heels sink into the cobblestoned streets leading up from the station. It’s too dark to see the gaps.

  I stop at a bench tucked into some bushes to change into sneakers before continuing my way over to the hotel Henrik has booked for us. It has a brick façade and is located in the middle of a vast cobblestoned square.

  What is it with this city and stupid cobblestones? There’s a reason people invented asphalt.

  Before entering the lobby, I change back into heels, then march in with the sexiest walk I can conjure. If Henrik’s waiting, I want the sight of me to blow him away.

  Katelyn is your everyday life, filled with chores and responsibilities. I’ll be your soul mate, a dream come to life, filled with everything you desire.

  The grand lobby is empty. Henrik isn’t there, but when the elevator doors open, he grins at me like a little boy opening a gift he’s been dreaming of. His stride is determined. At the reception, he cups my face, merges his lips with mine, and doesn’t let go as he loses himself in the kiss. I chuckle at the receptionist’s stiff smile while she pretends to look away. Scared to ruin this moment for Henrik, I close my eyes.

  “When your kiss transforms into a smile under my lips, you’re too adorable,” Henrik says, not caring about receptionists or anyone else who might be around. I follow his lead and act like I don’t care either.

  He takes my hand and leads me into the elevator. Before the doors close, I grab his hair and copy his passionate greeting. Our bodies slam into the side. The closing doors muffle a snort coming from reception.

  The room he’s booked resembles his apartment with its oak floors, white wall
s, and minimalistic style. I lay Henrik on the bed and strip off my clothes while he watches me reveal my white lace underwear. He beams as he pulls me onto the bed, flips me over, and disappears between my legs.

  Having no other choice, I let go.

  It doesn’t take long for a tingling sensation to build and spread to my thighs, my back, my legs, and arms. As a finger slides into me, my back curls in response when my body explodes.

  Henrik crawls up next to me and inspects my body with its goosebumps and stiff nipples. A satisfied smile spreads across his face.

  Is this what you usually do? Get the woman to orgasm, then stop?

  He leans back and watches me. I enjoy my body’s euphoric sensation after its orgasm. The last thing I want to do is blow him, but I’ve never seen him comment on anything about women ever returning the favor. That’s his norm. He gives, and the women love receiving.

  Fighting the growing dizziness and revulsion, I lick my lips.

  But I need to stand out from the crowd.

  “Your turn,” I say, forcing myself to move and slide down about to put him in my mouth when he flips me over and slides into me instead.

  Hmmm, interesting. You want to give but not receive…