Page 31 of Temptation

“But no kids?” Quinn asked, clearly interested in their whole marriage. Tenn shook his head as he sat beside her on the couch.

“We struggled with getting pregnant, and when she did, she would miscarry. I got checked out, and everything is good with me. She got checked out, and everything was good with her. Doctors couldn't find a medical reason. Two years ago, after her fourth miscarriage, she went on this whole spiritual journey, quit her job, got into crystals and meditation, yoga... all that.” Tenn ran his hand through his hair as he remembered that discussion. He hadn’t understood what she meant about the giant black rock she bought removing “negative vibes” but figured it was like religion; if it did something positive for her and she wasn’t hurting anyone, have at it.

“I supported her as best I could and figured this was something she needed to do to work through her grief. It was two years of me funding weekend spiritual retreats, meditation classes, and yoga retreats. Not to mention almost nightly club trips to “live what she missed in college.” Meanwhile, I’m suggesting therapy, both couples and individual, and she kept saying she was handling it herself. If I complained about her being gone all the time, she would basically tell me to suck it up and pay for the next retreat. I had to get a second job to keep up with paying her allowance, paying for her retreats and our bills.” Tenn sighed and rubbed his jaw as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

“When I had to move money from my savings to pay the bills, I put my foot down and told her to get a job or get out. Her Yogi came into my home and tried to tell me I was a terrible husband for not supporting her through her journey. I told him I supported her for two years, and if he felt she needed to continue, he could support her and kicked them both out of my house. I was 90% sure she was having an affair with him, but I couldn’t find any proof, and she, of course, denied it.”

“She came back the next day and asked what she had to do to stay married. I told her to find a job. She did, and two months later, she tells me she came close to getting fired, but one of the salespeople stood up for her and was going to help her figure it out. She started working long hours and doing what she did before with her spiritual journey, putting it down to her work requirements. I didn't know receptionists at car dealerships were required to do so much work and not be compensated for their extra hours, so I hired an old friend who is a PI. He got my proof, told me about you, and here we are.” He stood up and offered her his hand. “Come on, let's go finish the cameras.”

Quinn

Quinn followed Tenn upstairs to the second floor. He hadn't dropped her hand when he offered to help her off the couch - which was needed; it was one of those big, deep, soft ones that almost enveloped you - and her heart fluttered in her chest. She checked him out from behind as he led her up the stairs. Quinn had always been a shoulders-and-back girl, and Tenn did not disappoint. The t-shirt highlighted his broad, muscular shoulders and narrow waist and hips, and the man did not skip a squat day; his ass was incredible. She helped him position a camera at the end of the hall, looking around with blatant interest. Three of the four doors were open. One was the bathroom. The next one was a room done in pastel pinks and purples, with a yoga mat, a large meditation pillow, and Chinese symbols on the walls. Viki's Zen Room, she guessed. The other was what once was the spare room but looked like a bomb had gone off inside the dresser; from what she could tell, the room was a powder blue, or at least that was the colour of the walls. When he got the camera put up, he grabbed the last two and opened the door to the last room.

In stark contrast to the room across the hall, this one was neat and tidy, the bed made, and everything put away. The walls were storm cloud grey, the furniture was black, the bedspread was grey and black, and the walls had black and white pictures. She looked around in surprise. “This is very monochromatic.”

Tenn nodded, watching her as she took things in. “Yeah, I like blacks, greys, and slate colours.” She wandered around, looking at the black-and-white pictures of buildings with unique architectural features.

“You took these?” Her voice was quiet and slightly awestruck.

“Yeah, I did.” He smiled proudly as he positioned the ladder in the corner of the room. “Quill has some of my pictures hanging up in his office building.”

“I know. Well, I knew when I saw these, I recognized the style. I thought you said photography was a hobby?” She looked at him; the pictures were incredible, and the play of shadows and light said he had spent a lot of time waiting for the right weather and the right time of day.

“It is.” Tenn climbed up the ladder and put the camera in position. “Tell me how this looks.”

Quinn looked up at him and bit her lip. Something about him doing handy work, being in his bedroom, surrounded by the smell of his bergamot and sandalwood cologne, looking at his photographs, or maybe following him up two flights of stairs, his ass in her face and him holding her hand or some combination of everything, had clicked something in her brain and she suddenly had to actively hold herself back from jumping him. “It looks really fucking good.” Her cheeks flushed as her inside voice became her outside voice, but she didn't regret saying it.

Tenn grinned, and she could see she had just made him incredibly amused and happy. “Thanks, but I meant the camera.”

“Right. Camera.” She swallowed and looked down at the tablet. “A little to the left.” When he finished, he climbed off the ladder and approached her, taking the tablet from her hands and tossing it on the bed before putting his hands on her hips. She looked up into his eyes, her hands sliding up his arms. A voice in her brain screamed not to do something stupid; she was still married, while another said Joel was cheating and she didn't love him anymore. Quinn could tell Tenn was having the same argument with himself. “We should wait.” She murmured, hoping he wouldn't.

“I know. I don't want to, though.” His hand slid up her back to hold her neck.

Quinn closed her eyes and put her forehead on his chest. “We'd be no better than them.” She heard Tenn's soft sigh. His arm went around her waist, and he released her neck to wrap around her shoulders, hugging her tightly.

“I’m of the opinion that we’re already better than them, but as soon as they're served...” He murmured.

“Private divorce party.” She grinned. An idea hit her, and she pulled back, looking up at him excitedly. “We should have a party!”

“I don't think you're talking about a private one anymore.” He raised an eyebrow.

“No, after we meet with Deedee on Friday, they have to be served, right?” Tenn nodded. “So, we plan a party to celebrate our project getting approved and to present the idea to our friends and families, announce the speakers we have confirmed, the dates, all that. Then we call our supportive partners up to the stage, give them a “gift” to thank them for their love and patience, and serve them the divorce papers!”

“Brilliant! Fuck you're diabolical, and I think I might love you.” Tenn smiled as Quinn giggled. “We should show the video of them falling out the window in the background when we do.”

“I love it!” She squealed and hugged him. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

“Quinn.” Tenn's voice was serious, and she looked up at him in surprise. “Private party after, right?”

“We'll do it on a Friday so we can have the whole weekend to party.” She promised as she checked her watch, “Your bed will be here soon; want me to help you get this one out?”

“Sure. I'd rather do something else on the bed with you, but yeah, let's get this one out. Maybe it will take my mind off our private party.” Tenn stepped back, and Quinn noticed the impressive bulge in his jeans.

“Fuck.” She muttered under her breath. He was hard, and she was soaked, and neither of them could do a damn thing about it.

Chapter Sixteen: More Lies

With much giggling and teasing between them, they got the mattress and box spring down the stairs and out into the driveway. Quinn took some pictures and posted them on Social media as free. She had just finished when the delivery guys showed up. Luckily, they helped Tenn get the mattress up the stairs because he had gone all out and gotten the sleep number mattress, which was a lot heavier than the one they had pulled down the stairs. While they did that, Quinn met someone who picked up the mattress and then went into the kitchen and set up her laptop on the kitchen counter. Using Tenn's Wi-Fi password, she connected and pulled up the text exchange between Viki and Joel.

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