The Married Man

1. The Ring

My body trembled. I tried to stare out the car window at the passing lights as if I wasn't painfully aware of how his hand on my knee warmed my skin through my thin black stockings.

He was only trying to comfort me. I had to remind myself this over and over, forbidding my insides from feeling fluttery.

He was just driving me home since my car broke down outside the restaurant, and he had his hand on my knee because I was on the verge of a panic attack and he was just being a nice guy. He was always such a nice guy.

Despite myself, I glanced down at his hand. The gold wedding band glinted on his finger as we passed the neon lights of stores on the way to my house. That uncomfortable pit settled itself in my stomach again. I was getting all too used to this feeling.

I kept staring at his ring. It was pretty. It had engraved detailing near the edges and a part of me wondered if he had an engraved message of love on the inside of it. The pettier part of me never wanted to find out though.

I sighed at my ridiculousness.

I didn't know what I was thinking, wearing stockings and stiletto heels to meet up with him tonight. I even went to the effort of wearing lipstick even though I have no knowledge whatsoever in makeup. I think the lady who sold it to me called the shade 'Lust'.

What a joke.

I suddenly wished I could wipe it off.

Everything from the suit he was wearing, that fit his body perfectly and accentuated his broad shoulders and hard biceps, to the scent of his cologne, musky and rich, was perfection. I felt like a child in dress up, compared.

"Is Mrs Bellino going to be ok?" I asked, staring out the window again. I had the urge to pull away from his hand, but... couldn't, so I left it there.

He chuckled lightly but, before he could answer, the GPS chimed in with his next direction. He turned the steering wheel one-handedly with ease.

We weren't far from my house now.

"She'll be fine," he assured. "She would've driven you home herself but Carley was getting tired."

I nodded absently.

I'd been nannying Carley since she was 2. watching her blow out the birthday candle in the shape of a five tonight was really special. It was also nice being invited to be there for it.

But like any five year old girl, she could only take so much festivities in one night. No matter how much she loved me or her dad, she was certainly a mama's girl when she was tired. No one else would do.

I wrung my hands awkwardly. "I just ... saw Mrs Bellino still struggling with the car seat before we left." I chewed the inside of my cheek.

Mr. Bellino smiled, and it was the kind of smile that made me pause because he was so handsome. "Poppy and Nanna can help her," he said with a tone of finality.

I stared ahead of me, quietly a little happy that I got to spend this small moment of alone time with him, as mundane as it was. I smiled a hidden smile to myself, which faded as we pulled onto my street.

"Which one is yours?" He asked peering out at the houses in my cul-de-sac. I could tell he was taking it in, automatically assessing each house with his keen real-estate agent eyes.

I pointed while simultaneously unbuckling my seatbelt. We came to a stop.

"Oh it's quaint," he decided.

Fumbling for words I settled for, "I like... gardening."

My little yard was bordered by rose bushes and to one side I had my little vegetable garden, and on the other side, an assorted flower garden area with a small table and singular chair in its centre.

He'd never seen my house before, let alone my area. Neither he nor Mrs Bellino ever tried to visit me within the three years I'd worked for them.

It may not have even been personal, it could've just been the fact my entire house was the size of their kitchen. Why leave their house if everywhere else is substandard?

The only thing in common we had was our love for little Carley. I was surprised to even have been included in her party guest list tonight, but it was at Carley's request.

Outside of that, the Bellinos and I kept to our own side of the garden, so to speak, and that's the way I wanted to keep it. No matter how handsome a rich man's smiles could be.

As I hurried to grab my things, I heard the unclicking of Mr Bellino's seatbelt.

"What are you doing?" I blurted.

He hopped out of the car before I could say another word.

By the time I collected my purse from the ground and reached for my door handle, the door was already opening for me.

He stood there, leaned against my now-open door, and grinned. "Walking you to your door of course. It's dangerous out at night these days."

I rolled my eyes. Dangerous? In this quiet little cul-de-sac? What's dangerous? My roses? They didn't even have thorns.

I reluctantly let him walk me to my front door, trying my hardest to keep my eyes on my very uncomfortable shoes instead of at his lean arms under rolled up shirt sleeves.

He waited with me as I rummaged for my keys in my purse. With them in hand, I turned to him, fully expecting to say our goodbyes there and part ways.

But he was staring at me. His eyes were unmistakablely on my lips.

Did I have something on them? I absently brushed them with my hand and realised, with chagrin, that I'd wiped some lipstick off.

"Uh," he said, slowly rubbing the back of his neck with his palm. He seemed sheepish all of a sudden.

I tilted my head, a silent question.

"I don't suppose I could bother you for a quick drink of water?"

My stomach dropped. I didn't know what I expected him to say, but it wasn't that. "Oh." I said. "... sure." Should I have offered him a drink earlier? He had gone out of his way to drive me home.

"Oh thank you, I'm so parched," he said.

I turned the key and the door unlocked with a click. We entered into the dark house. I flicked the lights on and was relieved I had cleaned earlier today. If my boss saw my house in a mess, I didn't think I would recover, especially since one of my duties, on top of nannying his child, was to clean his house.

I gestured for him to follow me and I placed my things on the kitchen counter. Soon I had a full cup in my hand and as I turned around to hand it to him, my body bumped into his. He was standing maybe a few inches behind me, close enough that I could smell his new cologne.

The only thing I saw right before he kissed me, was the glint of his ring as he cupped my face.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_