by Sierra Rose
She told the cook to cancel that special dinner she’d ordered to share with Brandon at midnight…the picnic by the fireplace that she had planned. So much for romance and reconnecting. So much for everything.
At the club, she met up with the girls. They danced and threw back a few shots.
“So that’s what I told my boyfriend,” Tina said. “I think deep, deep, deep down, maybe I’m a really shallow person.”
Marj burst out in laughter. “Deep down and shallow contradict each other. It’s one of those, uh, what’s it called?”
A sexy man approached and smiled at Marj. “Oxymoron,” he said.
Marj smiled. “Yeah, that’s it! Like ‘happily married.’”
Beth spit out her drink and laughed. “Hey, that’s mine!”
“Okay, then mine can be…” She stared into the sexy guy’s green eyes. “Beautiful disaster.”
And she wasn’t kidding. The man was beautiful. And a disaster for her marriage if she kept looking at him like that.
“How about sweet misery, true lies, or bittersweet?” he said.
Marj lifted her finger. “Those are good ones.”
They started talking. But he was vain. As in he kept talking about how well-endowed he was, making the other girls blush. He looked pretty ordinary, his wrists even a little on the slender side. She cursed herself for looking at his wrists because they reminded her of Brandon’s thick, strong wrists and arms, and the thickness they promised, the fullness and skill he’d delivered.
Her face hot, she made herself laugh at whatever he was saying. She closed her plummy lips around the straw of her Pepsi. She’d had enough to drink and wanted to stay responsible. She was buzzing and didn’t need more alcohol. He asked for her number, and she brushed him off. He was way more interested in himself than he was in her.
And what Marj needed right now was attention. She needed flattery and flirtation and someone who couldn’t take his eyes off her for a second. Not some dismal guy who was probably trying to catch his own reflection in a teaspoon.
She unbuttoned the blouse a little further, touched up her gloss and started talking to the next guy who came over. He insisted she needed a ‘real’ drink. He bought her one of those tall, violet colored cocktails that tasted like berries. His friends joined them at the table, and Beth really liked the muscular Spanish guy with long, wavy hair.
She was halfway down her second one when Marco asked her to dance.
“Go ahead!” Carla said. “Have some fun.”
Marco was a little on the short side but he had the Italian good looks, and she was ready to dance. He looped an arm low around her hips, and they ground together on the dance floor to techno music and flashing lights in the club.
After a while, sweaty and breathless, they returned to the bar where she finished her drink and had another. He told her about himself, about how he sold vacuum cleaners for his uncle’s company and managed the showroom. She was tipsy enough to find this interesting and hung on his every word. On her fourth drink, or maybe fifth, she had lost count, he asked her what her job was. She admitted she was ‘between jobs’ which sounded better than confessing that she quit work so she could be available for her husband who decided to screw the help instead. That dinner, that fireside dinner she’d planned…it kept taking up space in her mind when she should be lapping up the attention of a man who was actually interested in her, or, at least, her cleavage.
She danced with a couple of other guys, even tried a Nashville hot wing, which tasted even more repulsive than it sounded. Then she returned to Marco. They danced some more, rubbing against each other; her arms draped around his neck. He was exactly her height so when his nose bumped hers and their lips met, it was easy. Not like craning her neck to reach Brandon’s mouth with her own. No standing on tiptoes. No scrabbling for purchase on his clothing, so she didn’t fall over trying to get a kiss. This was so convenient. Because that’s what you want to think about a first kiss…how delightfully convenient that was.
Yeah right.
She drew back with a shake of her head and told him it was time for her to go home. There was no spark. She only thought about her husband. When she told her friends, she was going home, they insisted she go out for breakfast at an all-night restaurant like Denny’s. She declined, but told them it was fun seeing them. They said they’d have to do it again soon.
Marj called a taxi, checked her face in her compact, but she felt like traces of that kiss were everywhere, written all over her. Alcohol and kisses didn’t mix! Hadn’t she learned that already? The last time she got loaded, she got married!
She was doing good for a while. Had even switched to Pepsi when she knew she was buzzing. But that darn Marco and his drinks… His name made her feel guilty.
She schooled herself not to care if Brandon thought she’d been misbehaving, but she did care. When she fumbled her way in, it was about two in the morning. Every light burned in every window. She felt like she’d missed her curfew and really had it coming. Brandon sat on the stairs by the door and got to his feet when she came in.
He met her gaze. “Where have you been…”
“All my life? Well, I’ve been right here, darling husband. Until you cheated on me.”
“That’s not what I was going to say.”
“Before you start in on me, let me take off these boots. They look hot but they’re murder,” she said, starting off with a flippant offense.
“This can’t wait!”
“Okay then, go ahead. I’m multi-talented. I can talk, work sliding these boots, and piss you off all at the same time.”
“Our marriage isn’t supposed to be a roller coaster.”
Marj covered her mouth. “It might be because I’m about to throw up.”
“So you went out and got yourself drunk?”
“Maybe just a little. And I called you. I think I called you. Did I call you?”
He crossed his arms. “Marco answered your phone and said you’d be home late.”
Her jaw dropped. “Oh, he’s just a friend I met.”
“Really? Well, I know who he is.”
“Did you have me followed? Hire a private detective to stalk me?”
“No, Marco handed the phone to Beth, and she told me you girls were just hanging out. And then Marco told me you danced with him. Says you dance like an angel.”
Marj bit her lip. She was so busted. “Nothing happened. Just some innocent flirting.”
“I’m disappointed in your behavior. We had an agreement,” he said, taking her arm and propelling her upstairs to the bedroom and shutting the door decisively.
“Was boning your secretary part of the agreement?” she asked. “Because I got the idea there was some wiggle room in the vows considering what I walked in on.”
“You saw an employee in my office.”
“Sitting on your desk with her crotch practically in your face!”
“Holly was, in fact, seated on the desk. We were discussing her reassignment to another division of the company because it hasn’t worked out well with her as my assistant. So you saw an upset employee at her exit interview, and you overreacted and went and did God knows what and probably got yourself photographed and filmed with a dozen other guys so I can lose my dad’s company.”
“I’m so glad you’re focused on the important things like how you’re the wronged party here, and your money is the only thing that matters! Did it ever occur to you that I might be HURT by seeing you and fucking HOLLY together? That I didn’t get pissed off and go screw someone, I got trashed. Again. By some jerk with no impulse control and his all too eager secretary,” she said, trying to keep her voice from trembling. “Do you realize this is the second time this has happened to me?”
“It’s why Lena picked a secretary. To piss you off even more!” He ran a hand through his hair. “She’s so conniving. The crazy bitch planned it out perfectly. We both know Lena knows everything about you. She wanted to cut you long, deep, and wide. Lena
was screwing with both of us! You can’t let her win.”
“So she has a bag of tricks?”
“She’s coming at us with everything she has. Sabotaging this marriage is her number one priority. I’m going to have to call the lawyers and explain that there may be a backlash; that you’ve behaved indiscreetly, and the press is likely to know about it.”
“You’re going to, what? Tattletale on me to your lawyers? Ooooh. Big scary lawyers are going to come tell me to keep my knees together, right? Maybe they should give you that lecture since you were the first one to stray. Gosh, we didn’t even make it the six months!”
“You’ve jeopardized my inheritance, the future of the family business. All because you felt, what? A little bit neglected? Like you wanted attention? There’s a pretty strong possibility that you’re too high-maintenance for a corporate wife anyway. Instead of talking to me about the misunderstanding, you took off running like werewolves were after you and then did god knows what until two in the morning with whoever you could find to look at you twice. You’re irresponsible and immature, and I can’t count on you to keep your word,” he said grimly.
“You’re a sexy bastard,” she replied simply.
“I’m what? That’s your response to being called out on your ridiculous behavior? To call me a name?”
“Just stating the facts, Cates. It isn’t high maintenance to expect to see my own husband on a daily basis. You’re not, like, deployed overseas. You just like to work late and go running and shit without me. You can’t keep your face out of your secretary’s crotch, and you’re trying to make it sound like I’m public enemy number one for going dancing after my husband HUMILIATED me at his office when I came by to lend emotional support as we had promised to in our vows. But you were busy trying to bone your gorgeous blonde secretary.”
“It was an exit interview.”
“Goodbye fuck, then? No need to argue over terminology. You treated me like crap, and you want to turn it around so you’re the wounded bird, and I’m the big mean person who took advantage of your trust. Well, fine. I’ll go. I’ll pack my stuff and go. We can get an annulment, or you can even stay married to me on paper till your precious will clears probate. I just don’t intend to have to lay eyes on you again.”
“That would never work. Lena’s lawyers would catch on in a heartbeat. I can’t believe you can’t see that Holly was a plant straight from the Wicked Queen herself. She knew too much and was pretty relentless—”
“Oh, did the scary, pretty, blonde woman frighten you?”
“Frankly, yes. I was afraid I’d fuck up my marriage and lose you and the company. So I sent her to IT for a reassignment. I never laid a hand on her. In fact, I turned her down. But you were too busy dancing and drinking to ask me straight out what went on.”
“Let’s just give it up. Neither one of us is mature enough to handle even the pretense of a serious committed relationship, so just leave. I’ll be out of here with all my crap by the time you get home tomorrow night. I’m sure it won’t be hard to find a place to live. In Brooklyn, since I let my apartment go,” she groused.
“Look, Marj.” He took her by the arms. “I’m disappointed in both of us. We can do better than this. I apologize. I shouldn’t have blamed you for walking in on something that upset you, and I also…I kicked the wall after you ran out, so I overreacted, too. I don’t want to quit you. I believe this can work, and I need for it to work.”
“I’m disappointed, too, Brandon. But right now I’m going to sleep. No promises. You hurt me, and I don’t appreciate that. My trust doesn’t come cheap, and it’s nearly impossible to repair.”
“Please don’t leave, don’t move out. I’m begging you, Marj.”
“Sometimes you can’t fix a relationship.”
“We can fix this one.”
“Maybe it’s better to leave broken glass on the ground instead of hurting yourself when you try to pick up the pieces.”
He looked into her eyes, deepening the connection, and then softly touched her cheek. A tear dripped down her face, and he wiped it away with his thumb. She was lost in his gorgeous eyes. The need to kiss him was overwhelming. She wanted to feel his lips against hers and be held by his strong arms. More tears welled up in her eyes as emotion washed over her. He laid a soft kiss on her shoulder, and she moaned as his tongue trailed down her skin.
“All I want is you, Brandon,” she whispered. “That’s why this hurt so much. It’s not just about losing money for me. It’s about losing you!”
Brandon leaned in to place a kiss tenderly on her lips. His hands wrapped around her waist, and her hands locked around his neck, pulling him closer.
“I’m right here,” he whispered in her ear.
Everything faded around her as she was lost in that one glorious moment. His lips brushed over hers, his tongue sliding between her lips.
Their fight had ended, and he rewarded her with a sweet, passionate kiss. And nothing ever felt so right.
Chapter 14
Brandon slept with her. They had this amazing, intense chemistry and he was drawn to her. Was he leading her on? Maybe they shouldn’t have jumped in the sack until they figured out their problems. But it was the only thing that made sense at the time. She turned that appealing, tear-stained face up to him like an offering, loving him and hurt by him, and it was the only way he could think of to reassure her without actually giving her more concrete answers. Her tears had startled him and moved him.
Her declaration hadn’t been that much of a surprise, but it added up with his own resistance to Holly, his conviction that Marj shouldn’t leave him. It wasn’t a road he wanted to go down. So instead of chopping logic and trying to give her some sort of half-truth, he’d just taken her to bed. They were already sitting on the edge of the mattress, so it was a simple matter to kiss her, to lower her onto the blankets and divest her of those leather leggings and the peekaboo blouse that was driving him crazy. He couldn’t deny the woman was so damn sexy.
Marj had kissed him, had clung to him and said his name with tears in her eyes as they moved together, his hands on her breasts, his mouth on hers. In truth, he thought of nothing but her, her body, her feelings, her pleasure. He could not pretend to be indifferent to her then at least, joined as they were.
When she was limp with her release, breathless in his arms, he laid her on the pillow and covered her with the sheet. He didn’t sleep. There was no way to turn away from what was happening to him, what this infuriating woman was doing to him and his life.
***
Brandon was gone. He might as well live at that office, she thought with a grumble. But she had told him, had confessed that she loved him. He hadn’t given her a stern lecture about their business arrangement like she’d expected him to. Instead, he had taken her, tenderly, deeply, without a single word spoken. That was the trouble with his silence, she could read it however she wanted. It could be that his feelings were too profound and surprising for words. It could be that he was tired of talking. It could be that all that pent up conflict had demanded physical release. There was really no way to know without asking him.
He didn’t come home. He texted once to say he had a late meeting, some paperwork to finish up and not to wait for him. He was giving her the brush off. She wondered why he’d even made love to her in the first place. Was it to make her stay? Keep her from leaving? So he could get his money? Her heart was breaking. Why was love so painful and confusing?
Why do guys run when you tell them you love them?
Enough of this shit. She wasn’t a yo-yo. When she went to pack, Brandon called her and told her he had a work emergency.
Of course!
She called a couple of friends at work and his story checked out.
“I know we need to talk,” he said. “But I’m drowning right now.”
“Just deal with the problem. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
“Promise?”
“I promise. I’m not going
anywhere. At least for now.”
He spent two days straight trying to fix it. Marj wondered if he was happy to have the ‘work excuse’ to stay away. She scared him by telling him she loved him. It was way too early to ever tell him that. She should’ve kept her mouth shut.
***
The next day her phone rang at eleven at night as she was watching Netflix and trying to figure out what all the fuss was about Bradley Cooper.
“Hello?” she said, hoping it was Brandon.
“Marjorie, I hope I didn’t wake you. It’s your mother-in-law,” Lena said silkily.
“Is there something I can do for you?” Marj asked in a business like tone.
“No, I’m perfectly well. In fact, I wanted to check in on you. I was, after all, married to a Cates man and they are, I’m afraid, very much alike on this score. Married to the corporation, treating the wife as a mistress. Tell me, dear, how many nights you’ve been left alone? All of them? My husband, God rest his soul,” Marj smirked at that, “made business calls every night of our honeymoon. I was half his age and besotted, and he could not tear himself away from business long enough to spend a single evening with me.”
“Your point is what exactly? That my marriage makes you want to reminisce about the bad old days, Lena?”
“That I am in the unique position of understanding how lonely it can be when you’re a rich man’s wife. A Cates wife, to be polished but sexy and above all else, not demanding. Low maintenance,” she said, “as if we were a car they bought which made an irritating, squeaking noise from time to time and might be called defective.”
