Page 58 of Marry Lies
“What’s the secret?” Estelle asks, winking at me. “I’d like to see my husband more.”
I don’t deserve her.
“I swear, he must sleep in his office some nights,” she adds, patting my thigh in a teasing manner.
I do.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Chase adds, looking at me with an arched brow. “Though I’m not sure why he would when he has a lovely, orange duvet to curl up with.”
Estelle cackles.
I love it when she laughs like that.
I can’t help but smile at Chase’s joke. “Yes, well, some of us prefer the cold, hard leather to polyester,” I retort, hollowing my cheeks as I look down at my wife. “Though, the sentiment is much appreciated,” I add for her sake.
“Okay, well now I have to see what all the fuss is about,” Juliet answers. “Chase told me that Stella has livened the place up a bit, but I haven’t had a chance to look around since before your wedding day.”
“You meanyourwedding day?” I ask her, and she throws her head back as she laughs. I turn to Estelle. “Did they tell you about that?”
Estelle nods. “They did.” Something sad crosses her features. “It’ll be fun for them to remember when they celebrate their anniversary.”
Theirs.
Notours.
Because she doesn’t see us celebrating any anniversaries.
I take another sip of my beer as the three of them get back to their conversation, unaware of my self-flagellating inner monologue. Chase and Juliet are talking about their upcoming honeymoon when I see Estelle look up at me out of the corner of my eye.
She’s seated next to me, nearly thigh to thigh. Leaning back, I place my arm around the back of the booth, and to my surprise, she scoots slightly closer to me. I get a whiff of her perfume, and I have to close my eyes briefly to keep from actively sniffing the top of her scalp. Her warm body presses against me as Juliet and Chase continue talking about the Maldives. I’m not paying attention. All I can think about is how my wife fits so perfectly against me. How soft her thighs feel against mine, even through the thick fabric of my trousers.
How she always smells like jasmine.
How she’s constantly smiling—except when she talks to me.
Her hand roves over to my thigh, and I have to clench my teeth so that I don’t moan out loud.
Why is she doing this to me?
More importantly…why am I letting her?
Before I can put distance between us once again, Estelle leans in close enough to whisper in my ear.
“It was nothing, you know.”
Chase and Juliet are talking to only each other now—something about the logistics of their overwater cabana. I tilt my face slightly so that my lips are closer to her ear.
“What was nothing?” I ask, though I know exactly what she’s referring to.
“The server. When I went back over to him. I just apologized. Like I said, it was nothing.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” I murmur, pulling away slightly.
Her grip tightens on my thigh, andfuck meif my cock doesn’t twitch against the placket of my pants.
“I didn’t realize you were so jealous,” she says slowly.
My jaw feathers as I consider her words. “I’m not jealous.”
