Still in Love
I try to pull her down on my lap to prove exactly how quick I can be if necessary but she dances away and I’m left holding her robe tie. She swats me lightly and then leans in to give me a quick, teasing kiss on the lips. “Stop that. I have to meet Orchard this morning. We’re discussing the renovation of all the Good Food groceries. She wants my advice.” She laughs and scampers up the stairs, calling over her shoulder. “Save it for tonight. I’ll be all yours.”
“That better be the case,” I mock threaten. “If you’re not home by five, I’m going to have to mete out some punishment.”
“Promises, promises,” she sings gaily.
I look at my glistening fingers and lick her essence off. My dick shudders angrily in my pants. I’m going to have to go and rub one out before heading into the office, but, hell, there are worse things. I chuckle to myself and drape the tie around my neck. Yeah, my marriage is fine. I don’t know why I worried about it for a second.
Chapter 2
Abigail
“Earth to Abigail.” Orchard snaps her perfectly polished nails in front of my face.
“Sorry.” I look up from the spreadsheets I was going over for the third time to make sure my numbers were right. I don’t trust myself right now so I keep triple checking my own work. Numbers come easy to me but lately nothing else seems that way.
“Don’t be sorry. Tell me what’s bothering you. And don’t say nothing.” Orchard takes a seat next to me. Normally she’d plop right down but now she is carrying twins. She isn’t far along but with two babies in her oven she is already showing. I reach out, running my hand along her belly. Hopefully, one day I’ll be able to experience the same thing.
“Are you good with the plans?” I ask, changing the subject. I gave my final okay on them when I’d gotten in this morning. She said she wanted to look over them again. I knew that meant she wanted to show them to Heath. I couldn’t blame her. I like for Con to look over things for me too. The man is brilliant in business and I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t make me happy when he asks me something about work. It always reminds me of how much he values my opinion.
“I sent the signed contracts over and alerted the stores that they will be starting on the first,” she answers. “I know you’re avoiding my question.”
I let out a long sigh, not really wanting to talk about it.
“Did you and Con get in a fight?” Her brows furrow together in concern.
“We’re fine.” I smile. We are. How can we not be fine? Con is the perfect husband. One that would do almost anything for me. It is me that is coming up short. That isn’t holding up my end of the bargain. It is also me that has become a liar. I haven’t been able to get pregnant and I was lying about talking to my brother.
Okay, I wasn’t lying about it, I was just hiding it but I’m pretty sure that’s just as bad. And I know for a fact that it would hurt Con if he knew that I had contact with my brother and not told him. I also know that he would say I’m being ridiculous for blaming myself for not getting pregnant, that it isn’t my fault, but I can’t help feeling that way. So I don’t tell him. I hold it all inside and try to deal with it on my own.
“Okay, then what’s up with you?” There is the problem. Me. Everything that is wrong in my marriage circles back to me. Con is the perfect one. I don’t know how he got it stuck in his mind that I am some perfect creature but he did. I can do no wrong as far as he’s concerned. How very wrong my husband is.
He’s truly the one that’s perfect. From that very first day he walked up to me at lunch and became my friend. My best friend. I’ve known him longer than anyone I’m not related to. I didn’t even find Orchard until college. She doesn’t know of a time when it wasn’t Con and me. It’s always been the two of us. We’re a team. But lately, I find myself feeling alone even when we’re together. My thoughts seem to take over, consuming me.
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“It’s your brother, isn’t it?” Her face scrunches up.
“No.” I rush to say. Again, I’m a liar. She narrows her eyes on me and I’m not sure she believes me. She’s the only other person besides Con that can tell when I’m not being truthful. But I know she won’t push me too hard. She’ll nudge me until she gets what she wants. It may not be today but she’s a patient friend.