The Love Affair

Chapter Thirteen

*some mild maturity* *read author's note*

"What?" I anxiously slapped my hand against my neck, protectively defending it as Nick insisted to look. I had to remove my hand knowing it wouldn't make my innocence look good if I was refusing to show my husband. Nick's brows furrowed as I anticipated to what he'd say. Was he going to catch me out? Was my game up? Would I have to come clean? Maybe, it was for the best.

"Is that a hickey? Two hickies," he said, brushing his fingers over the other side of my neck. I naturally flinched as I nervously chuckled. "Babe," I began, as I stepped back. "You did them the other night when we slept together," I stated, not knowing how else I could convince Nick that the two marks weren't evidence of my extramarital relations with Shane.

"What? I did them," he muttered, resting his left hand on his waist as he continued to look at my neck, baffled. I felt exposed as I attempted another series of anxious laughter. "Yes. Babe, you had been drinking when you went to the pub that night. You stunk of alcohol. Don't you remember?" I hinted at, remembering and using the other night to my advantage. Nick had been a little tipsy if anything, and with the gear of passion driving him, he could have slipped a hickey or two on my neck without realising. Even if he was sober. It was possible.

"Oh." I wasn't sure if that meant he was fully persuaded. It could have been a 'oh' that meant he hadn't realised or a 'oh' that could have meant the total opposite and Nick was growing more suspicious of it. I held my breath. Maybe, I just needed to come clean. Really, this time. I should prepare myself to start explaining. Tell him exactly how it all started. Maybe, Nick would hear me out or he could just completely brush me aside, yell and throw me out.

Then he startled me as he chuckled deeply. "Well, aren't I a dark horse? Sorry, hun. I mean, do I need to be sorry?" His brows raising as he ran his right hand through his hair.

I shook my head, inside exhaling with relief. "Of course, not. I just need to conceal them if we go out. I don't exactly want to have people staring at them though. I thought you knew or at least remembered," I said, thankful Nick believed me and wasn't doubting the false accusation of his lips being the ones that caused the marks to form on my neck. "You were all over me," I added, indirectly referring to Shane. He was the one who was all over me, not Nick.

Nick held a crooked smile as he embraced me into his arms. "How can I resist you?" He kissed my cheek before letting me go. "I better head off to work before I decide to take you back up those stairs. Hm? Wouldn't that be much more appealing than w---"

"----And you've got to go to work. So, get going, Nick Stanton," I interrupted him, nudging him a little as I followed him towards the front door.

"I love it when you lecture my ass. You're so sexy when you get all Miss Bossy with me," he declared as I rolled my eyes playfully.

"You can tell me more about that later. Now, go. You don't want to be late and I need to get some words down onto paper before Pete turns up next week wanting to know why my manuscript is unfinished. And I'll just have to blame you for that, won't I?" I said, waving him off as he climbed into the driver's side of the red SUV. He blew me a kiss from the other side of the window screen before starting the engine and reversing into the road and heading off.

And just like that. I had managed to safely steer Nick from the truth. At least, I didn't need to worry if I forgot to conceal those hickies again, but it also acted as my reminder of how close I was to revealing the affair. I needed to be more careful than I currently had been, knowing I could have easily nearly given it all away.