Tanner and Esme

Chapter 2 (Tanner): A Look Of Disgust

Esme's eyes were burning into me as they accused me from across the room where she stood frozen.

What had I done?

I'd just put my whole life at risk for a memory, a reminder of the days when I didn't have a wife, or a child or another one on the way. A time when I didn't have a mortgage, a respectable job at my family's company, complete with benefits. I'd betrayed it all so, just for a moment, I could relive a time when I had dreams of seeing the world for a few years as an extreme travel blogger, Mindy at my side to capture everything in photographs.

I'd sold everything I had for the bargain-basement price of a blow job.

Watching Esme closely, I saw the moment her eyes swung to Mindy.

"You need to leave so I can talk to my husband. After that, he's all yours."

"He just had his dick down my throat and reminded me of how much I missed the taste of his cum. I'd say he's already mine so you can say whatever you need to in front of us and then you can go."

Just as I began to snap at Mindy, Esme shocked me by not backing down. "After I talk to him alone, you're welcome to him. Now get out."

Mindy looked at me for some back up, but I just repeated get out to her, not taking my eyes off Esme.

Mindy paused by Esme on her way out the door. "Ask him what happened between us at his brother's last weekend, sweetie. Ask him what he really thinks of your life together. Ask him why he came running to me when I sent him that text tonight."

"Get the fuck out, Mindy!" I shouted and walked toward her, ready to throw her out if I had to.

"Call me when you're done here with her, Tanner." Mindy walked out and Esme continued staring at me.

"Unlock your phone." Esme's words were shaky and her chin was quivering but her spine was straight as she thrust my phone at me.

"Ez, don't."

"Unlock your motherfucking phone, Tanner!"

Fuck, fuck, fuck. This shit show wasn't good for Esme or the baby.

I walked over to her and tapped in my passcode while she held tight to my cell phone.

I watched as she read the texts from Mindy, thankful I'd never responded to any of them but still sick that I'd even allowed them to happen. That I'd kept them. I'd flung the door wide open to Mindy, and she'd walked right through. Then, as if I couldn't feel any sicker, Esme began going through the texts one by one. I saw the anguish on her face as she registered the implications of what she was reading.

"You better be honest when I ask you questions about this, Tanner," she said. "Do you think you have that in you?"

"I'll be honest." It'd kill me because it was going to hurt Esme, but I had to put it all out there if there was any hope of salvaging this mess I'd created.

"I can't forget the feel of your lips on mine when you walked me to my car last weekend. So, when you told me your brother was having a get together for some old high school friends who were all in town at the same time, you knew Mindy was going to be there?"

Please don't do this, Esme. "Yes."

"And that's why you said it wouldn't be much fun for me since you and your old friends were going to be reliving your high school football glory days. You let me think it was just the guys. You purposely misled me. And then you pretended to care that I was coming down with a cold and told me to just stay home and rest since I wouldn't be missing much."