The Marriage Rival

Haden withdraws his fingers, bringing them to his lips as I open my eyes. He carefully rolls his tongue around them, licking every inch of me off. How does this man do this to me every time?

“You ready to go home?” he asks with a satisfied smile.

I nod, barely able to function.

On the car ride home, I close my eyes as Haden takes a business call. The second I open them, we are driving up the driveway.

“Nice snooze?”

“Sorry,” I yawn. “I had three cups of coffee today. You’d think I’d be pumped and raring to go.”

Haden sneaks a kiss on my cheek. “Go inside and take a bath. I’ll take care of Masen. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like you’re playing Prince Charming because you need to get blown tonight.”

He parts his lips, a grin forming as he moves my hair away from my neck. “Sounds like you know your husband very well.”

Masen’s eager to see the two of us having spent the day at pre-school, then with Gemma. He has a dozen stories to tell—how he fell over and scraped his knee, quick to point out the smallest of sores on his already bruised knee where he scraped it last week at the park, to the games they played which included a song about dinosaurs.

Rosa’s also still around and has made us dinner which I appreciate so much since it isn’t part of her job description. Today has really taken a toll on me, and that orgasm has completely knocked me out. I ask her to stay, but she tells us she has church to attend tonight. Not wanting her to take the bus so late, I offer to drive her home.

“Are you sure? I can do that,” Haden offers. “You still look tired.”

“No, it’s fine.” I grab a bottle of water, downing the whole bottle in one go. Dehydration often led to my body feeling flat, so this should help for the next few hours.

“I have to pick up some stuff at CVS. I ran out of shampoo, plus Masen didn’t see you last night. You spend time with him.”

Rosa lives twenty minutes away, and with the traffic easing, it doesn’t take me too long. After dropping her off, I quickly pop into CVS grabbing a basket in my hand. On the ride here, I made a mental note of other supplies we’ve run out of.

My hair, as usual, requires the most attention and reacts to certain products. It is the hardest thing in my life to manage aside from Haden’s libido.

I grab my shampoo and a few other supplies, then decide to head to the checkout.

Passing the feminine hygiene aisle, I pull up to a stop. Dr. Somersby’s warning suddenly comes to my mind. The pill is only ninety-nine-point-seven percent effective.

Yet my feet walk on their own accord until I’m facing the pregnancy tests. So, I’m one day late, which means absolutely nothing on the pill. There are still a few days before panic is warranted.

Menstrual cycles have a way of delaying due to stress. Work is piling up, the house is getting

a bit out of hand, and all signs point to just that—stress. Yet, it won’t hurt to ease my worrying mind, for all intents and purposes of eliminating the stressful elements.

There is a substantial number of pregnancy tests perched on the shelf, each box displaying its accuracy and speed. It’s been five years since I last completed a test. So much looks like it has changed, yet maybe, nothing has at all.

I throw one into my basket and quickly pay, then head back home.

Masen has just finished his bath and is getting ready for bed when I arrive. I put away my supplies, shoving the test underneath the vanity amongst my tampons.

Haden is reading a story to Masen, the two of them almost falling asleep in sync. Haden’s also been pushing himself lately, and I am worried it will soon take a toll on him. Between flying back and forth, acquiring Indie Press, and Marshall’s demands, I don’t want him to burn out. He often refers himself as a machine, but machines can only run for so long before they blow a fuse.

I clear my throat, and his eyes spring open at the sound. Haden places the book down, kisses Masen on the forehead, then climbs off his bed and shuts the door behind him.

“He’s knocked out cold.”

“As were you,” I tease, unbuttoning his shirt. “Come to bed. You need rest.”

“I’ve got to work tonight. I won’t be too long. Promise.”

Haden disappears into our study as I make my way to the bathroom. I never got that bath earlier and contemplate having one now, but the test is burning a hole in my vanity and making me extremely anxious.