Page 232 of Falling for the Wife

“Aren’t you used to it by now?” His murmur felt like silk on my skin. “You’re beautiful, and I find it very hard to look away.”

Biting the bottom of my lip, I gawked, knowing I was skirting a very fine thread of temptation. God help me, I was beyond tempted to relive a little of what I had lost, too. He might not be the real Reiss, but I could pretend it was him, even if only for a short amount of time.

As I blushed, Ashton’s loving face appeared before my eyes, as if to give me a warning. “I’m a married woman.”

He didn’t blink before saying, “A lonely one, at that.”

True, I was bloody lonely. How long had it been since Ashton and I’d had good sex? Ever since he’d been promoted, all he ever had in mind was sex, not shagging. There was a difference between the two. To me, sex meant sex—you simply reached your orgasm without any intention of emotional intimacy. Shagging … well, it was primal and powerful. It was animalistic, and both parties felt entwined, emotionally and physically, as they pleasured each other, whether the pace was rough or slow.

How long had it been for me?Too long,really, since I couldn’t quite recall when the last time had been. Knowing this vital tidbit made it rather frightening to be around Craig Chambers. An extramarital affair was something that hadn’t entered my brain until tonight. Frightening … it truly was.

“Craig,” I whispered his name, “whatever it is you think you’re doing … don’t do it.”

His jade green eyes sparkled fire. “What am I doing, Ava?” he sexily taunted. “I’m sitting across from you, not even touching you at all.”

“You know what I’m talking about …” How had we gotten to this point? We had been having coffee—orI had been having coffee—while we had discussed what had happened three nights ago. Seemingly, amidst the past and the recollections, we somehow had ended up here, capsized by this effervescent sexual tension.

“All right.” He nodded. “As you wish, Ava.” He then immediately stood up and pulled out his wallet, leaving a wad of bills on the table before he held out his hand.

Staring at it as if it was going to burn me, I hesitated. “What are you doing?” Though I appeared to be bothered, deep down, I was far from it. Everything about this man demanded attention, and I admit, his admiring eyes weren’t unwelcomed.

“First, I’m taking you back to your hotel. Then I’ll resume my evening, presumably dining with my date tonight.”

Drive me back to my hotel? I think not.

“No need. I’ll be fine.” Scrambling to my feet, I ignored his outstretched hand. “I can manage pretty well on my own.”

“You interrupted my night; this is the least you could do for me. I promise no harm will come to you.”

It wasn’t because I’d thought he’d harm me. Of course not.It was me. I didn’t trust myself to be around him. Now that I had told him the rundown of things, there wasn’t much to explore other than how blatantly he oozed confidence and outright sex appeal. Nor did it help that, each time I glanced at him, my heart sped, wishing he was Reiss …

“I shan’t…” I regrettably said, but he was persistent.

“You have my word, Ava.”

Could I trust him? Again, it was odd that I found myself silently responding that I did, which was surprising since this man was as good as a stranger to me. After realizing this, my hand made its way to clasp his, granting him his wish.

CHAPTER78

Ava

His driver was waitingacross the street, holding the car door wide open as he nodded towards us. “Good evening, Mr. Chambers.” He then directed his kind gaze at me. “Madam.”

Once secured in the back of the Mercedes and with the driver starting the engine, I rested my hands on my lap, fighting the need to fidget because, even though he sat an arm’s reach, I felt the tension. It utterly crackled between us. It had gone from innocent to sinful in the blink of an eye.

After five minutes of silence, my tensed shoulders started to ache, so I gradually reclined my head against the headrest, sighing as I silently begged for my sanity back. My body hadn’t been the same ever since Craig had appeared in the picture three nights prior. It tingled, every pore sensing everything—from a single touch to one of his dashing smiles, I was profoundly affected by this man.

This heightened state was the cause of my dreams of him, doing some ungodly things a married woman shouldn’t even dare to think about. However, my subconscious did dare, and what dreams they were. They had completely left me wanting. This curling hunger had slowly been building for over seventy-two hours since meeting him, and it kept thriving, growing. As if needing to feed, it wouldn’t stop until I had accomplished what it wanted, what it needed to be satisfied.

Maybe it was that devious, animalistic look he had that trigged this unquenchable thirst within me. Although, as much as it thrilled me to know I was still capable of feeling such sexual intensity, it was frightening that it wasn’t Ashton. It was supposed to be only him, my husband, who should make me feel like I couldn’t live another second longer if he didn’t remedy this ache in my loin.

“Ava.” The sound of my name rasping out of his lips like a caress made my breasts ache.

Bloody hell, could I get a moment without thinking of sex? Not only was it frustrating that I wanted him so badly, but it simply didn’t help when he called to me in such a seductive tone.

“We’re here.”

Slowly and seductively, I lifted my gaze to meet his, immediately feeling the world suspend—stopping. I was hanging on a pendulum that was ticking away, as if I had little time left to make a decision—a decision that would change me, my life, and everything I believed myself to be.

---