by L. A. Fiore
Gage reached for his cell, his thoughts all over the place. Did his wife truly like him anymore? Were they growing apart? Wanting different things out of life then they did in the beginning? Without a second thought, Gage typed out.
Sweetheart, you and I both know you aren’t talking about scones. ;) And I have no doubt you’re sweet. Heather is still out all day tomorrow. If Luke is still taking the kids to the water park, you wanna do lunch?
Tilly’s focus zeroed in on his last line. Lunch? She assumed he meant like they were sharing breakfast, but the idea of meeting him, hearing his voice, seeing his expressions when he spoke, getting to look her fill. Heat pooled between her legs at the thought. A clear warning, but she didn’t heed it when she replied to him.
I’d love to do lunch. Breakfast has been so much fun. What are you thinking you want to eat?
Gage’s cock twitched reading her last line. Fuck. He knew exactly what he wanted to eat. He took a deep breath. Succumbing to the warmth in his balls, his growing cock, he typed back one word.
You!
“Oh dear God.” Tilly stood up, and walked away from her phone. She saw the line in the sand, she’d been toeing it, but reading that...heaven forgive her, but she wanted that too. Standing in her yard, her children sleeping, she wanted to give in to all this man made her feel. She heard the warning bells, they’d been soft but persistent from the beginning of this, but she was growing immune, because now, all she could hear was him saying, You. Over and over again.
She walked back to her phone, her heart pounding painfully in her chest when she confessed.
That makes two of us.
In no circumstance was Gage stupid, he recognized what was going on. Since the beginning his eyes were wide open, never turning a blind eye. But, fuck, as wrong as this all was, it felt right. Standing, he stretched his arms above his head, contemplating his reply. One that didn’t consist of him telling her how he wanted her. To feel her, to taste her. He moved to the cherry blossom tree, bent and pulled a few weeds along its trunk. The few minutes he took to cool down from their messaging didn’t help one bit when he picked up his cell and typed out.
Fuck, Tilly. This is so wrong, but why in the fuck does is feel so fucking good?
Tilly looked up at the sky, closing her eyes and letting the heat of the morning sun wash over her. Her emotions were everywhere, but reading he was feeling it too, that they were in it together, she took a deep breath before she replied,
Serendipity, Gage. Sometimes those passing ships change course. Or at least, I really want them to.
Gage read her words, looked to his house and wondered if the life he was living was not the one he was meant for. Why didn’t their ships pass years ago? Raising a hand to his chin, he rubbed it, his mind all over the place, everywhere but where it should be, on his own marriage falling to the wayside. Gage took long steady steps to his phone, brought up their thread and tapped on the screen with force.
I want to hear your voice, Tilly. Say tomorrow that I can…
Her eyes were wide open, stepping down a road she had no business being on, when she replied with just her phone number. She may have just damned them both, but she didn’t care.
Gage read the number, every single digit, one by one in a whisper. His hands slightly shook when he backed out of the message, brought up his word doc and entered the number. His eyes focused on the screen but not seeing it; he wanted to use it now. He wouldn’t cross that line today; he’d wait for when they were both alone. He didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to; Tilly would understand why he didn’t. There was nothing left to say. Shaking the haze she had left him in from his head, Gage went about his day.
_______________
Tilly listened to the joy in Ashley’s voice as she taunted her brother. They were at her in-laws; Ashley was kicking their asses in Forza. Even Justin was grinning, despite getting his ass kicked. She was surprised when Luke joined them. Sitting next to her. He wasn’t playing, his focus on his phone, but he was there. Her in-laws were fixing dessert. She sat there, among her family, but part of her wasn’t there. She was still on her patio with Gage, thinking about how they’d left things. She was cheating. In her heart, she was cheating. She knew this, but she couldn’t stop the want...the need. From the beginning, there had been something between her and Gage. That something had been building with every word spoken. She knew, from the start, where it was leading. She could have taken a step back at any time during their exchanges. She hadn’t. Tomorrow, she didn’t have to answer the phone. He’d know she’d had a change of heart. It would likely end what had only just started between them, or at the very least, rein it back in. The thought caused a pain in her chest.
“Mom, aren’t you paying attention!” Ashley shouted, yanking Tilly from her thoughts. Her focus moved back to the game she wasn’t paying any attention to.
“Sorry. I’m ready.”
Luke touched her lap. “You okay?”
Her heart twisted, her words getting stuck behind the guilt lodged in her throat. “Yes. I was just thinking about my upcoming week.” Her stomach twisted at the white lie. She could stop this, she could go back to the life she had. It was a good life, safe, and it was also missing something. She loved her kids, but a woman was more than a mother. A woman needed more than to nurture and to love. She needed to be loved, to be wanted, to be desired. She’d allowed that part of her to be ignored. Gage woke that part of her up. She liked it; no, she loved it. She loved how he made her feel, enough that she could sit next to her husband and wish his touch was Gage’s.
“This is nice.” Luke said, giving her leg a squeeze before he removed his hand.
Nice. It was nice. She’d had enough of nice. She wanted passionate, wild, and she wanted that with Gage. She should feel worse than she did admitting that, but instead, she found herself counting the hours until he called her.
“Dessert.” Madeline called from the dining room.
Like they were on fire, the kids paused their game and ran out of the room. Tilly lingered, Luke too. He leaned closer, touched his lips to her ear. “I’m thinking I want my dessert later.”
Her first reaction was to pull away. What was she doing? This was her husband, the father of her children, but lately, it wasn’t him she thought about when she brought herself to orgasm. It was wrong, so very wrong. This time, she looked him right in the eyes when she lied, “I’m actually not feeling so hot.”
His concern made her feel like shit. Leaning up, he touched her head. “What’s wrong?”
I’m a terrible person, that’s what’s wrong. “I’m just feeling off.” She held his concerned gaze and swallowed down the guilt before she whispered, “Rain check?”
He touched his lips to hers. “Absolutely.”
_______________
Gage pushed the empty plate away from him, leaning his elbows on the table; he tried to look interested in the conversation happening at the table. The woman sitting next to him laughing at everything anyone said, her voice unnatural when she spoke about her life. The tone was filled with a high pitch of happiness. Moving his eyes to her, he took in his wife. The woman he’d been married to for sixteen years sat next to him, but she was unrecognizable. Could one instance, like taking on a job, change someone?
Heather moved into him. “Is there something wrong?” She asked in a hard whisper.
Gage shook his head. “No, why?” He lied. Everything in their lives had started to feel wrong.
“Then why are you looking at me like that?” She spat out.
Fuck. Gage had forgotten he was even looking at her through new eyes. “Never seen you like this before.” He admitted.
She cocked a brow. “What? Being social, unlike you.”
Gage leaned in closer to her. “For fuck sakes, Heather, these are your friends, not mine. Sorry if talking about loans and accounts doesn’t excite me.�
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She twisted in her chair to face him, put her chin to his shoulder and bit out lowly, “And did you ever think talking about mowers and trimmers weren’t my favorite fucking subjects?”
Gage turned his head, so his mouth was close to her ear. “Yeah, Heather, there was a time, and don’t fucking lie to me, that you enjoyed it.”
She let out a small chuckle and whispered, “Smile.”
“What?”
Her voice was hard when she said, “I said, smile. I don’t want anyone knowing we’re having an argument.”
“Jesus,” Gage grumbled. “Gotta live the perfect life, don’t we, babe.” He not only gave his wife what she wanted, but he added a hearty enough laugh to get everyone’s attention. Heather’s head snapped up, eyes wide, before she started to laugh along with him. The full table of ten all grinned at what they thought had been a private joke between them. When all sobered and went back to talking about mortgages, Heather put a hand on Gage’s arm, her mouth to his ear and said, “You’re an asshole.”
When she pulled her head back, Gage lifted a hand and placed it on her cheek, put his lips to hers and muttered. “Right back at ya, sweetheart.” Then he kissed her lips firmly before he stood and excused himself to the bathroom.
Two hours later, his wife flung open the door to the master bathroom. “What do you call that shit tonight?”
Gage was just removing his shirt when his wife stormed in. “Me,” he pointed to himself. “You’re the one who called me an asshole,” he bit out, throwing his shirt to the hamper, but missing.
“Well,” she put her hands on her hips, “just calling it like I see it.” She started removing her heels, tossing them on the floor with a clatter. “You could have engaged with the others, looked happy to be there.”
Gage did play along for the first hour, but when the conversation only revolved around the banking industry, he’d lost interest. Gage was undoing the button and zipper on his jeans. “Really? We gonna play the happy couple for everyone?”
Heather slipped her dress off her shoulders with determination, and let it slide to the floor, where she kicked it to the side. “Looks to be.”
Gage took in his wife as he pulled the jeans from his legs. She was beautiful, no doubt. Were her dreams different now, ones that didn’t include him? He didn’t stop at his pants as he removed his boxer briefs, too. His cock twitching when he watched her, her back to him as she slipped off her bra.
He moved to her, fit his back against hers, and whispered in a hard voice. “Then let’s play.”
His hands moved to her hips, slowly, they rounded her waist and up. With his hands palming her breasts, he pulled at her nipples with his thumb and index finger. Her body fell against his, a needy whimper falling from her lips. Gage closed his eyes and did the unthinkable… thought of Tilly. A fiery burn coursed through his body. The need. The want. The anger. All the battling emotions coming to a head. A fight his mind struggled with every day since he first spoke to Tilly.
His arms fell to his side, stepping back, he grated out, “Bend over.” Without haste, his wife did as he ordered, putting her hands to the edge of the vanity. Gage spit in his hand, coated the tip of his cock, and in one swift motion, drove into his wife. He clenched his teeth, head falling back, and he closed his eyes. “Fuck,” he grunted as he started to pull out slowly, only to plunge back in with force.
“Oh, God,” Heather moaned.
With his hands steadily on her hips, leaving imprints, Gage aggressively fucked his wife. And Tilly’s name edged his lips when he came.
CHAPTER FIVE
Gage played with the phone in his hand. It was noon on Sunday. He swore he could hear the second hand reverberating in his head all morning. Tick. Tick. Tick. Saying he was on edge appeared to be an understatement. When his daughter caught him outside, picking weeds in the flower beds, he’d just about come out of his skin. Tilly’s husband and kids were long gone for the day. His wife was sure to be soaking in some fancy mud bath. As much as he wanted to hear her voice, pacing his kitchen, he couldn’t bring himself to dial her number. Partly because he battled with the thoughts of last night playing vividly in his mind. Almost uttering Tilly’s name when he came, blowing his cover. But… was there a cover to be blown? The guilt he thought he’d pushed below the surface only rose to dangerous levels when he kissed his wife good night and told her he loved her.
He did.
The issue was, did he love her the way he used to? The way she deserved to be loved. Jesus. A few weeks chatting with another woman had his head spinning so much, he was becoming dizzy. As he tapped on the screen, he told Velvet. “Just one call, girl, then we gotta reel this shit in, yeah?”
Velvet didn’t answer him, she only stretched out, unaffected by the shit swirling around the house. He copied and pasted the number into the call screen and stared at it. One press of the green button would change everything. His finger hovered over it. It was the last words his wife spoke to him before she walked out the door earlier that had him pressing it. A simple, you’re on your own for dinner tonight had him connecting to Tilly. Gage’s pacing continued into the hallway, living room and kitchen.
One ring.
Two.
He listened as the third started.
_______________
Tilly’s heart moved into her throat when her phone rang. She’d been holding it, not letting it go since she waved goodbye to her family, pasting a smile on her face all the while knowing she was waiting for a call that would change everything. Her traitorous heart. It rang once, then twice. She didn’t have to answer. She could stop the rollercoaster now. Get off before it got too out of control, before she was tossed and turned, flipped upside down to the point that she lost her direction. Her life could go back to normal. And it was that thought, the days, the months, the years of exactly what she had, and worse, that voice that she’d hear until the day she died, taunting her that she hadn’t answered his call. All the what ifs that she knew, standing in her kitchen, she wanted to learn...with him. She took a deep breath and stayed on the rollercoaster when she accepted his call.
Her phone to her ear, she whispered, “Gage.”
Gage’s steps halted, a warming sensation flowed through his veins when he heard the soft female voice on the other end say his name. His voice was low and raspy when he said, “Tilly.”
Both Gage and Tilly knew from just the simplicity of saying each other’s name that their lives would never be the same, no matter what lie ahead. But neither cared at that moment, the moment when their paths finally collided.
A few beats of silence followed, both regaining their composure. It was Gage who spoke first, and he whispered, “Fuck, you sound so much better than I imagined.” He moved from the spot he seemed to be frozen in and sat on the edge of the couch.
A soft exhale came over the line. “My hands are shaking. My heart hurts it’s pounding so hard…” a short pause before she added, “I almost didn’t answer.” Another soft breath. “But just hearing your voice, I’m so glad I did.”
“I almost didn’t call,” he confessed, lowly, and went on, “But, I’m glad I did, too.” Gage had thought of all the things they’d talk about during this conversation, but at the moment, he couldn’t seem to find his words. “How long do you have?”
“They won’t be home until five, maybe even later.”
Gage glanced at the clock on the cable box. The bright blue lights displaying the time appeared different in that moment. Gage let out a chuckle. “Jesus, I feel like a fucking kid, like I’m gonna get caught by my parents or something.”
Tilly laughed softly. “Me too. I’ve never done this. Sure, I’ve looked for brain sucking aliens, but I’ve never found one. Who knew they could be so charming.” She teased then took another deep breath and added softly, “You are charming.”
The sweet sound of her giggle hit
him in the gut; reeling in the feeling, he rose, and headed for the kitchen, telling her, “I haven’t either. Actually,” he paused not only at the island, but in conversation, and took a deep breath, “never thought I would. I get what you’re saying. I never thought consuming your own hair could make one so fucking beautiful. Go figure. And, thank you.”
She laughed out loud, before replying, “It’s the organic shampoo.”
Gage responded with a serious tone, “That makes sense. I should try doing that shit.” He laughed and asked, “How was your morning?”
“No, you really shouldn’t. The human eyes can only take in so much. You’ve already exceeded the limit.”
“Now look at who the charmer is,” Gage whispered.
“Is it being charming if you’re just stating facts? My morning was okay. I had a knot in my stomach, waiting for your call. Maybe I shouldn’t admit that, but I did share my beauty secret so… How about you? Are you on your fifth cup of coffee, sixth?”
Gage’s ass hit a stool and his shoulders slumped as he put his forehead in his hand. The easiness of their texting banter, flawlessly moved to a phone conversation. He recognized only being a few minutes into the call. He was fucked.
Gage sobered from the realization and asked, “Why? Does my heavy intake of coffee worry you?” When Tilly had found out that Gage’s veins were usually flowing with the delicious brew, she liked to tease him about it.
Tilly had wondered if they could slip from texting to talking on the phone and maintain the easiness of their banter. She wasn’t surprised they could. Their conversations weren’t superficial; they didn’t dwell on shit, but it wasn’t like they avoided what was going on in their lives. Maybe it was so easy because they didn’t live the day-to-day together, but instead, escaped it with one another. Whatever the reason, if she was being completely honest, she was attracted to him. Lying to herself was pointless. Physically, he was gorgeous, but his personality edged out his looks. It was a dangerous combination, and there was a part of her that knew she needed to proceed with caution. “Well, maybe a little. I like my coffee, too, but for you, it’s a food group,” she replied truthfully, then asked, “So how long did it take you to make the call? Because if it had been me, I think I’d still be pacing.”
