As per my Sunday routine, I began the day with a visit to the Church, followed by a trip to the local homeless shelter. I endeavored to lend a helping hand to those in need, a gesture that had earned me recognition among the shelter's regulars. A quick glance at my Rolex revealed it was past eleven.
Upon entering our bedroom, I found Evan still deep in slumber. His week had been filled with relentless work, and he deserved this extended rest. However, it was unusual for him to sleep this late. A rush of color flooded my cheeks as I recalled the late-night activities we had engaged in, which explained our exhaustion.
Overcome by fatigue, I too felt the need for a nap.
"Where were you?" I was brought out of my thoughts by Evan's husky sleep laden voice. He slept in the nude, but the blanket partially covered his body, that didn't stop me from admiring his smoking hot form.
"To the church." Despite my several efforts Evan never stepped foot in the church. By his own admission he didn't believe in God. It broke my heart but that didn't stop me from falling for him.
"Come back to bed." He purred linking our fingers and tugging me to him.
As tempting as the offer was, I knew I'd never get out of bed or be productive for the rest of the day if I fell in bed with him. I was proven right when his morning wood stood proud to attention. Oh, he had bad intentions!
"Not a chance. You, me, and your little friend are going to make a bad tangle." He flashed me a wicked smile and pulled me on top of him. Swiftly rolling me underneath him he caged me.
"Oh, its little now?" He teased churning his hips suggestively. I gasped as he lengthened and thickened at the slightest friction. I flushed in embarrassment.
"That's not what I meant. I'm sorry." He stopped me from speaking by placing a finger on my lips. I knew he wasn't offended. He was too confident to feel insecure about his body.
Evan lifted my chin with his fingers. But I refused to look up. "Look at me." He was no longer teasing me. There was a surprising softness in his voice. "Do you know fucking sexy you look when you blush?"
"I'm not sexy." I was plain, fully aware that I was nothing more. My usual attire was simple and understated, except when Evan chose my outfits. I knew he had a preference for me in more revealing clothes. A realization dawned upon me, explaining his constant companionship with supermodels.
"To me you are the sexiest woman in the world." I rolled my eyes. "Maybe I should start wearing more revealing outfits at work." I said dryly.
"Shut up! Your body is for only my eyes to see." He immediately grew serious and started frowning. My poor, jealous husband. I placed a kiss on his frown to smooth out the lines.
"Seriously, you better believe when your husband tells you you're sexy. Did they not teach you that at the Church? Obey your husband." I laughed at his attempt to soothe my insecurities. But the truth was I had no qualms about being plain. I was happy the way I was.
Evan's hand crept up under my dress that had ridden up. He was drawing circles on my thighs and kneading my butt. "What would my husband like me to do then?" I bit my lip when his hold tightened, and his fingers found the triangle of my panties. His eyes mischievous and bright blue darkened quickly.
"I want you to get on your knees and suck me off." He ordered. I felt devious. Taking advantage of his distracted state I whispered to him, "Are you hungry?" "Very" He responded.
"I'll make you breakfast. Now get up quickly." I bend down to kiss his lips before jumping out of the bed. Startled, he blinked twice and then lunged for me but I was already running out of the door.
*****
Monday didn't hold the same enthusiasm for Claire as it did for me. Her demeanour was gloomy, and I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with her recent breakup with Ron. Upon seeing me in my blue blouse and white skirt, she managed to muster a smile. It was evident she was trying her best, but the sparkle didn't quite reach her eyes. I understood all too well the struggle of maintaining a facade when an internal emotional storm was wreaking havoc. We agreed to discuss things further over lunch, and I was more than willing to lend a sympathetic ear.
Upon returning to Evan's office with his morning coffee, I noticed him impatiently tapping his fingers on the desk. "Rose," he began, his tone stern yet tinged with a hint of playfulness, "I need my morning coffee more than anything, yet you're always late. Are you asking for another punishment?" It was a rare sight to see Evan's playful side, and I felt privileged to witness it.
A memory of his previous 'punishment' flashed in my mind. In my haste, I had opted for a quick coffee from the nearby café instead of brewing it myself. Evan, being the man he is, couldn't conceal his annoyance at not receiving his usual cup of coffee, personally prepared by me.
He had bent me over this table that was right in front of me and....
"You're thinking about it aren't you?" He teased.
I thought about his question.
Yes! The temptation was there. But...
"I have to go." I said before running out of his office. I saw him grinning before I left.
*****
Claire and I made our way to our favorite lunch spot across the street. Despite the restaurant's usual bustling atmosphere, our earlier reservation ensured we were seated promptly. I opted for a plate of spaghetti carbonara, while Claire chose a simple slice of pizza. As soon as our orders arrived, Claire began to pour out her feelings. I offered no advice, only a listening ear. Sometimes, that's all a person needs - a non-judgmental listener. I wanted to be that for Claire.
Her heartache was palpable as she spoke of Ron leaving her and their son, promising to return from work soon. I felt a surge of anger towards him for leaving his family in such a manner. I knew Claire was facing the challenges of essentially being a single mother to Sam, but I also knew her strength. She was a resilient woman who would find a way to manage.
In a gesture of reassurance, I placed my hand on hers, "I'm here for you, Claire. I'll always be here for you." At my words, her eyes softened, and her smile broadened. We shifted our conversation to lighter topics, indulging in gossip about the latest celebrity news and sharing laughter over our own lame jokes. Eventually, our conversation circled back to our personal lives.
"Seriously, no dick is worth all this trouble." She muttered casually. Then her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, look at me talk nonsense. You were wise staying a virgin. It's not worth it." My uncomfortable shifting in my seat made her arch her brow. I didn't want to lie anymore to my best friend. It weighed heavy on my heart to lie constantly to everyone. Besides, a little truth wasn't going to hurt me.
"I'm not a virgin." I tried to sound nonchalant about it, but Claire was taken aback.
"No way! I thought you were a strict Christian. I mean no offence, Rosie, but I know you mentioned a long time ago that you were saving yourself for marriage and all that." She waved her hand in the air. I swallowed my bite before answering, taking the time to think of my response.
"Things happened. It's complicated." Vague answer but that's all I had to give.
"I can't imagine Mr. Carter being able to keep his hands off you. He looks at you like he wants to eat you whole." Lying would be easier if it weren't so obvious that Evan was possessive and sexual.
"How would you know it's Mr. Carter and not someone else?" I challenged.
She gave me a knowing smile, "Because you look at him like you're smitten."
"It's not that easy." I muttered dryly. I wished I wasn't so easy to read. But I couldn't help but be deeply in love with him. I didn't care if it showed. If only our relationship was normal, and we didn't have to hide it.
"So what? He's gorgeous, I can't imagine all the single ladies not going a little crazy over him. I'm not indifferent to him."
"Well, if it's any consolation I have seen his face and how he looks at you when you're around. If I wasn't so bitter about my own love life, I'd say he is madly in love you." My heart did a little dance when she told me exactly what I needed to hear. Was it that obvious to everyone that we were in love? I wished Evan would realize it soon as well.
"It doesn't matter. He doesn't believe in love."
We paid our bills and were on our way back. Claire gave me a sympathetic smile.
"Then he is an idiot."
Upon my return to work, I headed straight to Evan's office. However, he was absent. In his place, a stack of files awaited me, topped with a small note in Evan's handwriting.
Gone for a meeting with Miller. Will return shortly.
Evan
I got to work drafting the necessary notes and sifting through the files. Thirty minutes in the office phone rang.
"Evan Carter's office. I'm his assistant, Rosaline Jacobs."
"Rose! It's Claire. Someone by the name, Mark Johnson, is here. He claims to be Mr. Carter's friend and wishes to meet him. Should I send him up?" I vaguely recalled Evan mentioning that name a few times, so I let Claire send him up.
Mark Johnson turned out to be a handsome fellow with dark blonde hair that was neatly cropped. He looked to be around Evan's age and of similar height. Like Evan he kept physically fit but wore lighter colours. He walked in with a mischievous stance.
Catching me observing him, a playful smile spread across his face. "Hello, beautiful!" He flashed me charming smile, "I think I've lost my way. Could you direct me to Evan's office?"
"You must be Mr. Johnson." He nodded. "You're in the right place. Mr. Carter is out, but he'll be back shortly. I'm his assistant, Rose. Please, have a seat, Mr. Johnson. Can I get you anything?"
"Please, call me Mark." I nodded. "Thank you but I don't need anything. But I would appreciate your company until your boss returns." My uncomfortable reaction wasn't unnoticed by Mark.
"I'm just teasing, Rosaline. I'll wait here for Evan. You can continue with your work." I immediately felt bad. He was my husband's friend and I wanted to make him feel welcomed. Besides who knew when Evan would be back from his meeting.
Mark took a seat on one of the plush brown couches that offered a stunning view of the city skyline.
"Have you been working here for long?" I looked up at Mark, who was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, much like Evan often did.
"I've been here for about three years now." He nodded, seemingly lost in thought. Then, his eyes widened suddenly.
"Wait, aren't you the one who spilled coffee on my shirt a few years ago?" I remembered that day and my eyes widened in recognition. Now I remembered, it was Mark.
"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was going," I said awkwardly. Yikes!
"No need to apologize. It wasn't your fault. I should have noticed a beautiful woman." I smiled, not knowing what to say. Mark was kind to me. He hadn't scolded me as I had expected him to do. Instead, he had simply excused himself without uttering a word to me. I was a newbie and scared that he might grumble about me to Evan, and I'd lose my job. Thankfully, he didn't.
"It's not fair of Evan to dump all his work on his assistant and enjoy himself. If I were him, I wouldn't trouble such a delicate thing." I stared at him, partly shocked and partly confused if he meant it as an insult.
I replied firmly, "Mr. Carter has a lot of faith in my skills. It's my job, Mr. Johnson. I'm sure you know running Carter Industries isn't an easy task."
"You're so kind, Rose. Evan's a lucky man to have you with him," he paused for a moment, and I saw the wheels turning in his head. "I want to offer you a job, Rose. I'm ready to offer you twice of what Evan is paying you." I was taken aback by his offer. Was he really trying to poach his friend's employees? Either way I was offended on Evan's behalf and felt a strong sense of disliking for his disloyal friend.
I gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I'm grateful for the generous offer, Mr. Johnson but I'm loyal to Mr. Carter." Like I'd ever leave Evan for all the wealth in the world.
"I like you, you're different." He commented. "Can I take you for a coffee some time?"
"We have nothing to talk about."
"I'm sure we'll have something come up."
Because I was curious to know what his deal was, I agreed. "Alright, I'll let you know when I am free." He grinned even as I wondered how my possessive husband was going to respond to that. But that was a problem for another time.
"... I'll think about it. You don't have to come here..." Our heads turned towards Evan walking in. His dark suit fit him like a second skin. He ended his phone call upon seeing us. Evan's brows shot up finding his friend and me in his office.
"What's happening here?" He asked taking off his jacket and hanging it over the coat rack. I watched both men greet each other with a back-slapping ritual that guys usually do.
"Good to see you, Carter." Evan sat across Mark and totally dominated the space. Mark continued, "You're a lucky man for having Rose."
"That I am," He coolly replied. I looked up to see Evan's face break into a small smile.
Evan gave me slight nod of his head that told me he wanted to be left alone. I stepped out giving them the privacy they needed even as I was curious to know what was happening. Evan had always been reserved about his friendships, hardly ever introducing me to his circle. Given that Mark was one of his closest friends, I expected to see him around frequently. It made me wonder if Evan would ever reveal our marriage to his friend.
But I knew it was unlikely.
. . .
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