Valentine (On Dublin Street 5.5)

That sounded so thrilling and passionate.

I’d been envious of them both.

Adam and I had a wonderful sex life. We did. But a little adventure would be amazing. Especially now we were parents and got so little time to ourselves, so little time to feel as young as we once did.

But apparently Adam didn’t think I was capable of being sexy, danger girl.

“Christ, Ellie,” he said, his voice soft. “Are you mad at me?”

I looked up into his concerned eyes. “You had sex with that waitress in public on my eighteenth birthday. I found you both going at it behind the hotel.”

Adam frowned at the mention of her. “She was a quick fuck. Not my wife, whom I love and respect.”

Dear God, could he make me sound any more boring?

I grimaced and Adam sat back, wary. “I said the wrong thing didn’t I?”

“Let’s just say I feel as sexy as a ninety year old grandmother with no teeth right now.”

He winced. “I didn’t mean—”

Lifting my hand I cut him off. “Let’s just eat and forget about it.”

The rest of our dinner was tense and silent.

In fact I was pretty desperate to get out of the restaurant and to the Valentine’s party we’d been invited to by one of my colleagues at the university. There I could mingle with other people and avoid my husband until I wasn’t quite so hurt and annoyed by him.

“We better grab a taxi,” I said as we stepped outside of the restaurant. “I’ll—Oh!” I yelped out in surprise as I found myself jerked backward down the alley between the restaurant and the bar next to it. “What are you doing?” I whispered frantically as Adam dragged me further into the dark.

Suddenly he pushed me up against the brickwork of the restaurant and started kissing me.

I got over my surprise quickly, kissing him back as he pressed his full length against mine. I sighed into his mouth in pleasure, remembering that I did indeed have a wonderful husband who loved to make me happy.

His lips trailed down my neck and I arched into his kisses, loving the heat of his mouth, the touch of his hands on my breasts, the smell of…

I wrinkled my nose, almost gagging.

“Fuck.” Adam broke away and looked at me. “That smell.”

I turned my head. “We’re right next to the bin.”

He followed my gaze to the huge rubbish bin we were standing next to. “That smell is horrific.”

“Not sexy,” I said softly, disappointment moving through me.

Adam looked back at me. At the sight of my disappointment he lifted his hand to brush my cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I love what we have. I don’t need sex down an alley. I just need you.”

I warmed at his words, trying to ignore the still swirling disappointment in my gut. “Yeah. Let’s just go the party.”

He took my hand and led me away, but I couldn’t help glancing back into the dark a little forlornly.

***

“Are we okay?” Adam said, giving my waist a squeeze.

We’d been at the party for five minutes, chatting to acquaintances and being introduced to people we didn’t know. I gave him a little smile. “We’re fine.”

His brows drew together but before he could say anything my colleague, and the host of said party Anthea, appeared.

“Ellie, I want you to come meet my friend Lacey. She’s this fabulous American who loves art history so much her knowledge will blow you away. Come, come.” She took my hand and began leading me away. I glanced over my shoulder at Adam. “Two minutes,” I mouthed and he nodded patiently.

But it wasn’t two minutes.

I was introduced to Lacey and her date for the night, Jack. Lacey could talk! I barely got a word in edgeways, and it was with some relief when Anthea arrived to drag Lacey off to meet someone else.

“Drink,” Jack said, offering me a glass of wine.

I smiled and took it. “Thank you.”

“She’s uh… she’s a bit much.” He nodded in the direction Lacey had taken off in.

I eyed him carefully. “First date?”

He grimaced. “And I’m afraid the last.”

“Oh dear.” I sighed.

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “If you don’t try though right?”

I smiled at his optimism. “Exactly.”

“So, you’re actually a college lecturer for art history? Did Lacey get any of what she was saying right?”

Laughing, I nodded. “Lacey may talk a lot, but at least she’s talking with the knowledge to back it up.”

“Well that’s something,” he said dryly.

“What is it you do?”

“I’m an optician.”

“Really?” I grinned. “I’ve never met an optician before. I mean of course I’ve met an optician because I go to one every two years but not outside of the actual opticians…” I wrinkled my nose at my rambling but it only made Jack laugh.

“I got what you meant. I can assure you, it’s not the most interesting job, although I do enjoy watching people’s reactions when I lean in close to inspect their eyes. You’ve got the ones who tense up, completely uncomfortable because I’ve stepped over the personal space line. Then you’ve got the heavy mouth breathers… I don’t even want to go there. And my personal favorite… the people who are struggling not to get the giggles over it.”

I laughed. “I’m the last.”

Jack chuckled. “I thought you might be.”

I fell easily into conversation with him, laughing and chatting about everyday nonsense as we finished off a glass of wine and started another.

We’d found a corner where we could hear each other over the noise of the party and I thought nothing of our amiable chitchat until I lifted my left hand to smooth my hair back from my face.

Jack’s eyes caught on my hand and he grew still. To my surprise, disappointment entered his expression. “You’re married?”

I tensed, realizing he’d only just now spotted my wedding rings.

Oh crap.

Did he… ?

“Yes, I’m married.”

He dragged his gaze over me and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable standing there in my cocktail dress and heels. “Of course you’re married,” he said hollowly. “Why wouldn’t you be?”

“I thought you saw them.” I looked down at my wedding rings. “Did you think I was flirting?”

“Yes, I definitely did.” He stared at me intensely. “Are you sure you weren’t?”