by Vera Roberts
“Right love at the wrong time,” he shook his head.
“Pretty much,” she agreed.
Eli motioned her to sit on his lap and she complied. “So what now?”
She kissed him, dragging her lips over his. She gently suckled on his bottom lip before pushing her tongue inside. “You’re going to give me one hell of a parting gift or I’ll give you one, whichever comes first.”
Eli began to unbutton her blouse, exposing her breasts cupped in a black lacy bra. He nibbled on her neck and Erica arched her back in pleasure, giving him more room. He trailed his tongue down to her chest and freed one of the breasts from the bra. His mouth covered the areola as his tongue danced with the hardened nipple. His free hand gently played and twisted the other nipple, hardening it as well. “Speaking of coming first…”
Eleven
“Why is your apartment nicer than our house?” Faith looked around. Situated on the top floor, Eli also had private access to the yoga studio, gym, and business center. A separate kitchen was built for caterers and hired help.
Eli fed E.J. while Nathan watched Thomas the Train on TV. “The house is pretty nice, Faye.”
“But it’s not like this!” She gesticulated. Faith came over to pick up the children before she headed back home for a weekend of absolutely nothing. She didn’t want to run into Eli’s girlfriend and pretend she had to like her. “This is so gorgeous! I think I want a re-do of our house!”
“Well, do it.” He shrugged and wiped some baby food off E.J.’s mouth. “You certainly have the money to do whatever you want with it.” Eli’s child and spousal support was in the five figures.
Faith walked over to the table and sat beside Eli. “So…how’s your friend?”
“My friend?”
“The doctor,” Faith replied. “I want to meet her.”
“You’ve met her already,” he wiped some food from E.J.’s mouth. “She treated Nathan.”
“Oh,” Faith fell silent. She remembered the doctor. She was a stunning woman. Tall like a model, dark-skinned, and had an accent that indicated she was from the U.K. Now Faith’s insecurities came out tenfold. She swallowed her emotions and pressed her lips together. If Eli was happy with the doctor, she should be happy for him. “Are you two happy?”
“We’re no longer dating,” he replied. “We broke up a few weeks ago.”
“Oh.” This time it was more positive and full of hope. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Eli glanced at his ex and smiled at her. “No, you are not.”
“What? I’m not capable of being happy for my ex? I only want your happiness, Eli.”
“You didn’t want things to work out with Erica…”
“Oh, that’s her name?” Faith gestured.
“You don’t want me to be with anybody else and I understand that,” he briefly paused, “I don’t want you to be with anyone else, neither.”
Faith’s heart warmed and she felt like doing a jig on the dining room table. “Anyway, back to redecorating the house.”
“The house is fine.”
“I want you to help me decorate it.” She began envisioning colors and themes. “I want bold and bright colors in there.”
“No, you don’t.”
She stood up as she looked towards the sky. “And I want that wow factor each time someone comes over.”
“They already have it.”
“And I want a space that screams love and family and…” she slowly sat back down and looked at her husband. “…everything.”
Eli grinned. “Do you really want me to redecorate the home?”
“Well, yeah!” Faith replied. “Why else would I say that?”
“Because you want me back inside the home,” he replied before he looked at her, with his trademark megawatt smile, “you ain’t got to lie to kick it.”
A small silence passed between the couple before Faith began talking again. “I want you to move back home.”
“Okay,” Eli wasn’t sure how to respond to that. The last time he moved back home, he slept in the guest room for a month.
“I want us to start going to therapy,” she revealed and for the first time, Eli straightened his posture. It was the first time Faith mentioned about them working as a cohesive unit. “I want us to be a family unit again.”
“Do you mean that?” He finally turned to her. “I don’t want you to say this and then when I move back home, it’s a 180.”
“I’ll admit I acted like a child. I’ll admit I didn’t believe you when you said you’ll never cheat again. I’ll admit I was wrong.” She breathed a deep breath. “I’ll admit to all of that. It took losing you for good to make me realize that maybe I played a role in the breakdown in our marriage. I can be silly and immature at times and I think a part of me will always be. But I do want to be a better wife to you.”
Eli grabbed her hand and smoothed his thumb over it. “I would like to go to therapy again. I really want us to work out, Faye. But I don’t want to try if you don’t want it.”
“I really want this, baby.” She blinked back tears. “I really do.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” He pulled her close and she softly cried into his shirt. “It’ll be fine, all right? We just have to do what the therapist says and work on everything. We need to learn how to retrust each other and not live in some fantasy that things will go back to how they were or think it’s going to be puppies and unicorns and roses all of the time. There are going to be times you can’t stand me. There are going to be times I won’t stand you. But we need to be committed to each other first. Can we do this again?”
“I want to,” she softly cried, “no more secrets?”
Eli thought about the newest revelation in his life. Elena. He needed to tell Faith sooner than later. He was leaving for Houston in a few days to visit Elena in perrson. He decided he’ll tell Faith after he returned. “No more secrets.” He decided to turn the mood light. “Let’s go out tonight. We can ask my mom and dad to watch the boys.”
“Out?”
“Yeah, out.” Eli lifted her face to his. “A date.”
****
She had no reason to be nervous. It was just a regular date with her husband.
Faith carefully focused on applying the mascara, in hopes it didn’t smudge or stain her eyelids. It wasn’t just a date. It was everything. The date would be the beginning of a reconcilation between the two of them. If they fought during the date, Eli wasn’t going to move back home.
No. I will think positive thoughts. Positive thoughts. Positive thoughts.
They’d known each other since high school but tension caused the separated couple to become strangers. Even Faith could admit she didn’t like the person she’d become. Once full of life and vigor, Faith found herself cold and bitter with a chip on her shoulder. Her mother was right – she liked being angry. She liked holding a grudge. Meanwhile, Eli moved on and became happier.
No, she wasn’t going to be a bitter old hag with cats to keep her company. She was going to fight for her marriage. Her sanity deserved it.
The doorbell rang and Faith put the finishing touches on her makeup. She particularly loved how the red lip contrasted against her dark skin. She also knew it was Eli’s favorite combination as well.
She eased down the stairs and looked through the peephole. She couldn’t see his face but she could see an enormous bouquet of flowers. “Well, then,” she opened the door to a bouquet full of calla lillies, roses, gerberas, and hyacinths in rich, dramatic colors. “You most certainly how to make an entrance.”
Eli lowered the bouquet and walked inside the home, setting them on the dining room table. “I try.” He turned to his wife. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, but I’m not understanding this get-up,” Faith looked down at her attire of jeans and a sweater. “Where are we going?”
“For a ride.” He promised. “Something we haven’t done for a while.”
“A ride, huh?” Faith waited as Eli opened th
e passenger door to his SUV. “What ride is this?”
“You’ll see.”
****
Jane’s Carousel was one of New York’s most famed spots. Located on the East River in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the carousel attracted thousands of visitors each year. It was a special place for Faith and Eli; one of their first dates was at the carousel.
“Did these horses get taller?” Faith struggled to get on one.
“No, you just got shorter,” Eli teased.
Faith flipped him off. “You’re lucky you’re fine,”
“No,” Eli helped his wife on a horse and placed a hand on her thigh. “You are.”
A smoldering heat passed between the pair and Faith wondered how long it would be before reconciliation sex would occur. “You need to get on.”
A slow smile spread across Eli’s lips, revealing his pearly white teeth. “That I will.”
After a small ride at the carousel, the couple went to the Williamsburg Waterfront, where Eli had a picnic ready for them as they enjoyed a free jazz concert. Faith leaned on Eli as her makeshift chair, as he covered her with a blanket.
“Do you think we can ever go back to where we were?” Faith asked.
“No, I think that part of us is dead and gone,” he replied, “but I think things can be better between us.”
Faith sighed and lightly swallowed. It was time to be real with herself and her husband. “I’m sorry I caused you go to her.”
“Hey,” Eli shook his head, “you didn’t cause it. I did it on my own.”
“I could’ve been a better wife. I certainly didn’t make it hard for you to stay away from her.” Faith let out the breath she held. “I take responsibility.”
Eli covered them both more with the blanket and kissed Faith’s temple. He knew how hard it was for Faith to admit her role. He thought he would be overjoyed over her admission but he wasn’t. Instead, he felt a weird combination of relief and sadness that she had to admit it. “Let’s enjoy the night.”
After an ice cream run, Eli dropped Faith off at her home. “I’m on my way back to the apartment. I’ll see you in a couple of days?”
“Can you wait just a moment?” Faith asked. “There’s something I want to show you.” She hurried upstairs and came back down within a few minutes. She’d changed her outfit from to a yellow sundress. “I bought this the other day in prepartion for summer.” She twirled around. “What do you think?”
Eli stared the sundress and felt his cock sprung to life. The light fabric breezily moved in the air and accentuated Faith’s backside. He always had a thing for sundresses and she knew it. “It’s…it’s great.”
“You think so?” She walked to the floor-length mirror in the living room and began posing. She bent over in one pose and Eli felt his heart race. “You don’t think it’s too short for me? It doesn’t make my legs look too chunky?”
Eli set down his car keys and stepped closer to her. He felt flushed and his mouth became cottonly dry. “It’s p-p-perfect, Faye.”
“I mean,” she held her hair up and twitched her mouth, “you don’t think I should take it ba—”
Before Faith could finish her sentence, Eli grabbed her by the waist and forced her onto the sofa. He flipped her over onto her stomach, lifted the sundress up, and pulled her panties down. He removed his belt and bonded Faith’s wrists together with it. He freed his cock that bulged against his jeans and swiftly entered her.
They both moaned at the sudden pressure as Faith gripped him like a vise. Eli could no longer wait and pushed deep into her, setting a rapid pace. “You knew better than to wear a sundress around me,” he said with each thrust.
“I’ve been a bad girl, Daddy.” Faith moaned as she gripped the pillows. “Punish me.”
Eli slapped Faith’s ass and she yelped in surprise. “I am going to fuck the taste out of your mouth.”
“God, yes!” She cried as her husband pushed deeper inside her. Eli leaned over and passionately kissed her, slowing down his thrusts. His lips devoured hers as their tongues tangled together. It wasn’t just about sex and lust between the pair; it was a reconnecting of souls and being together as one. Faith fulfilled a need he never knew existed. Eli delivered everything Faith’d ever wanted.
He went back to the fast pace, his balls slapping aginst her wet slit. He hands gripped her ass hard as his thrusts became more powerful and faster. Her pussy gripped him tigheter as the coils of an orgasm began to unravel in her body. Her feet curled up into tight balls and her thighs began to tremble.
Faith screamed as her body exploded in orgasmic fireworks, one going off after another and then another. Eli met his release and collapsed on top of his wife, her spasming pussy milking his cock.
They breathed hard together, emotionally and physically spent. Eli pushed himself up and withdrew from her. Faith, however, remained in the same position. Her heart was pounding nearly out of her body. The rollercoaster of emotions was just too much to bear. Happiness. Lust. Anger. Desire. Confusion. She went one from valley and peak to another, with no pause in between.
She sniffled and wiped a few fallen tears. The release was more overwhelming than she’d imagined.
“Hey,” Eli heard her sniffles and lifted her to him. He covered her with a nearby blanket and kissed her forehead as she softly cried into his chest. “Hey now. What’s going on?”
“I miss you, Eli,” she sniffled, “I miss us. I want our home back.”
“I ain’t going anywhere,” he reassured her, “I’m moving back in tomorrow.”
“Tonight,” she demanded. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. “I want you home tonight.”
“Okay,” he agreed and kissed her forehead, “I’m here tonight.” He softly swayed her. “And forever.”
Twelve
“This is a really nice apartment, Eli.” Nicola looked around. “Are you going to keep it still?”
Eli finished packing the last box and set it aside. He spent the last couple of days at home with Faith and the boys. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed being home until he wasn’t there anymore. Almost immediately, the routine was back as if he’d never left at all. “Yeah. I tend to rent it out, anyway so I’ll just keep doing that.”
“Sit down for a minute, you’re all over the place.” Nicola motioned and Eli sat across from her at the dining room table. It was their weekly lunch meeting and Nicola sensed there was more to Eli than just him moving back in with Faith. “What’s going on?”
“I have to leave for Houston tomorrow,” he began, “something’s come up.”
“Oh?” Nicola asked. “What’s going on in Houston?”
“Simone,” Eli stated and Nicola’s eyes widened. “She saw me the other day.”
“We’ve noticed,” she referred to her and Joey, “what was that about? Why can’t she meet you here? What’s in Houston?”
“Apparently, my daughter.” Eli said it so fluidly, Nicola almost misheard him. “So yeah…”
“Daughter?” Nicola asked. “Are you sure it’s yours?”
“I have no idea,” Eli pulled out his cell phone and showed Nicola a picture of Elena. “I mean she kinda has my features.”
The child had no features of Eli, but Nicola kept that opinion to herself. “Why was she here?” Nicola asked. “Just to see you?”
“I guess. I didn’t get into all of that. She lives in Houston now, though.”
“She came here to inform you there’s a possible child between you two. But she didn’t bother bringing the child to see you while she was here?” Nicola felt her heart rate shot up. “She wants you to go to Houston so you can see the child for yourself? You don’t find that suspicious at all, Eli?”
“I said some pretty horrible things to her when she told me about the girl, Ma,” Eli defended, “I wasn’t about to make this situation worse than it is.”
“Simone’s been chasing a fantasy since high school and worse yet, you let her.” Nicola’s eyes narrowed. A long silence
passed between the pair before she spoke again. “Do you believe that’s your child?”
Eli wanted to say yes. He really wanted to say yes. But no matter how many times he studied the picture of the little girl, no matter how many like mannerisms they shared, it was clear that there was something missing. He blamed the distant connection on the fact Simone introduced him to Elena long after the fact, missing out on birthdays, Christmases, and other special occasions. “I hope so.”
Nicola raised an eyebrow. “You hope so? That right there tells me no.” She shook her head. “Have you told Faith yet?”
“Not yet,” he replied and quickly silenced his mother before she could speak, “that’s why I’m going to Houston and see first. I’ll tell her when I get back.”
“You need to tell her when you get back,” Nicola demanded, “she needs to know, Eliodoro. Your marriage depends on it.”
Eli took heed of his mother’s advice. Telling Faith about Elena wasn’t going to be difficult. It was Faith’s potential reaction to Elena he wasn’t prepared for.
****
There was the West Coast. There was the East Coast. There was the North. There was the South.
None of them were like Texas.
It was rich with skyscrapers and wide plains. It was back country and unpaved roads. It was clean asphalt streets with working lights. It was cattle, ranches, and cowboy hats. It was cookouts, Texas Southern University, and Black Mecca. An oil magnate wearing Stetsons and driving an old Ford pickup was not unheard of. It was a new world, a different kind of life, and far from anything New York.
Eli immediately felt like an outsider.
He’d traveled incognito to the airport and took a red-eye flight to avoid paparazzi. When he arrived in Houston, he insisted on renting a car by himself. He knew his mere presence was going to cause the tabloids to have a field day and more speculation about the status of his marriage.
