Illicit

Chapter Forty Nine- Under the Radar, Maybe

"How did you two meet?" Naomi withheld the question as long as possible before the curiosity and jealousy grew the best of her. She squirmed as Nadine appeared to hang all over Logan, intertwining her fingers with his and kissing his cheek. Each time, his gaze would shift to Naomi and see her pain and be riddled with guilt.

"During a photo shoot." She answered, reminiscing as she stared in the distance. "Well...he was on one and my car had broken down and he fixed it for me and we began talking and realized we had a lot of things in common and I asked him out for a drink...and one thing led to another and now we are married...I have some wedding photos if you wanted to-"

"Don't make the poor girl suffer." Logan tried to save Naomi but Nadine glared at him.

"Logan hates talking about it because I made him cut his hair and wear a bow tie. But girls love looking at pictures of true love." Naomi's gaze shot to Logan as he motioned towards the waiter to get more alcohol.

She swiped through the pictures before one struck Naomi close to home. One of her photos had been in the background of the hotel they hosted the reception at as she felt somewhat honored, creeped out, and confused. Her heart ached to see them together.

"If you'll excuse me. It was an excessively long plane ride from New Zealand to California and I am dying to use an American restroom." She teased. "I'll be back in a little bit." She kissed Logan quick before moving towards the bathroom as Naomi crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"She seems the epitome of a perfect wife...and yet you are still hung up on me?"

"You don't forget a first love...No matter the circumstances...Teacher. student-"

"Don't remind me."

"I think I might have to..." He glared before taking a drink and she crossed her legs under the table, showing she was not going to allow another attempt to win her come into play.

"This is a dangerous game you're playing. I don't get why you want me when you have a hybrid of the perfect human being a literal angel!"

"Because she isn't you."

"Or because you're indecisive. Even on your wedding day, you pick a place with my photos!"

"She's a fan of yours. She thinks you are helping me open a studio here..."

"So you have it all planned out then?"

"No. I didn't come here planning on sleeping with you-or even seeing you. I came here to open a studio but when we spent that first night, I missed a scheduled call with her and had to think of an excuse and she knows I'm on your campaign for the last Cancer Awareness shoot so I had to think of something-"

"So you have no problem lying to her?"

"She lies to me everyday she leaves the house. She says she works at a school-when she travels more than average. She says she loves me when she doesn't."

"The way she is with you-"

"Is because she feels threatened by you."

"ME?"

"She knows you were my student...my partner...not romantic-she thinks..."

"She never suspected?"

"And she never will."

"I can't do this. I can't pretend it's okay and fine-"

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes. I'm leaving. I have a job to get to. I have an actual stable life before you. But as always, you come in like a tornado and screw it up." She jumped up before he grabbed her arm, gaining the attention of all around them. "Let me go."

"Not until you admit that you want to be with me."

"Good luck explaining why you are not letting go when your wife comes back-"

"Stop using her against me. You knew I was married. You knew and you accepted it-"

"I looked past it. But I see now you are a nymphomaniac!" He pulled her past the dining section and towards the front doors of the restaurant.

"I can't freaking forget you. The smell of your perfume on my clothes, the feeling of your nails on my back, the feeling of releasing my inhibitions inside of you..." He pressed himself against her. "I cannot just leave you and I won't. I made that mistake of letting you go-and I swear to God on my own soul, I will not allow you to walk out of my life again. So you can run and hide and pretend I mean nothing more than a one-time fling- or several-time fling, but I will chase you and throw you back into bed each time Naomi."

"You think I'm that weak around you?"

"You are. Whether you know it, or like it...you crumble when I'm near."

"Maybe in high school."

"You did last night...this morning...several times..."

She glared. "Leave me alone-"

"You don't want me to."

She glared before turning back. "Tell your wife I'm sorry I couldn't stay. Her husband is a sex addict a** who thinks he can own anything and everything because he says so."

"Let's play." He said as she turned and walked from him.