Page 61 of Straight to Me

Dragging a large rucksack from under the bed, I hear VP’s knock on the door. “Brew’s here.”

“Thanks.” He places it on the dresser and looks around the room at my stuff.

“You weren't lying about not having much.” I walk to my drawers, grabbing enough underwear for the next two nights.

“No. Chris kept everything, I kept what I paid for, which apparently was clothes and not much else.”

“I don’t like this Chris.”

“Not many people do,” I say, a cynical laugh escaping me.

“How’d you end up marrying him?” It feels weird to answer that.

Avoiding it, I walk to the wardrobe, grabbing my comfy clothes, an oversized jumper and my warm hat. “Mads?”

I let out a sigh. “It was my life plan, to get married and have a family. Feels weird telling you, but I was young and me and him, we hung out all the time. It just seemed like the right thing to do.”

As I fold my clothes, he moves behind me, kissing the back of my neck. “We got married, bought the house. When I couldn’t give him children, that’s when he stopped loving me. I think.”

I hear VP breathe heavy, a low noise of frustration rattles near my ear.

“Do you think you’d ever get married again?” My heart flutters, my palms suddenly sweaty.

“Can’t say I’ve thought about it,” I lie.

I know I wouldn’t.

He kisses me below my ear and my head starts to roll back into him. My legs squeeze together as my body instinctively craves his touch. I need to get away from him. We can’t have sex here. “Can you grab my boots from the bottom of the wardrobe?” I feel him smile against my skin. He knows exactly what affect he’s having on me.

He opens my wardrobe door and stands there for a while unmoving. Wondering what’s wrong, I stop folding and just watch him. They’re easy to find. I can see them sat at the bottom amongst the other shoes. “What’s up?” He grabs something off the rail, then turns with it in his hand.

“This.” My LBD. Taking the black dress off the hanger, he carefully folds it, placing it at the top of my rucksack. “You’ll need this.”

“For camping?”

“For tonight.”

I have to pinch my lips together, to prevent the moan leaving my mouth. I can only imagine how tonight is going to go. His eyes are eating me alive. I can feel him picturing exactly what he’s going to do to me. “I’ll let you pack in peace,” he says, slapping my bum as he walks past me.

I’m grateful for the space, my body’s a sucker for him. Back at my underwear drawer, I add in the raciest set I own.

“I’ll be back Sunday afternoon. Shall I message when I’m on my way?” I ask Jess standing at the front door.

“No don’t be daft, just enjoy yourself. Oh, one thing, message mum about your move in date, she messaged yesterday.”

“Will do...” I look at her for help. “What do I say?”

“Maybe invite her over, you could have a little move in party at yours?”

“A party, for real?”

“Come on, you used to love partying, before Chris anyway.” I feel VP’s eyes on me. “She was a real hoot,” Jess plays, looking at him.

“I’ll think about it,” I tell her.

Just as I’m about to walk out the door, I grab my keys off the rack. “You won’t need them,” VP says, nodding to the keys in my hand.

“Won’t we need my car to get the camping stuff in?”

---