The Affair Continues

Teri awoke with a start. She had been sleeping so peacefully. It was such a beautiful dream. Then she realized that it wasn’t a dream. She felt a twinge from her irritated mound and smiled to herself as she remembered being loved by her husband like she hadn’t been loved in a long time. Bill had been so passionate, so driven. He was almost like a sex-crazed teenager tonight and Teri had wanted it all. She needed it. She had craved his touch for so long. Hungered for his love and affection. Tonight it had been as though he had been making up for lost time.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Bill walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed. He hunched over and brought a foot up to rest on his knee. Teri sat up and noticed that he was tying his shoe. He noticed her and told her to go back to sleep.

“Where are you going”, she asked.

Bill finished tying the other shoe, and then got up and moved over to Teri. He bent over and planted a kiss on her forehead. He hadn’t meant to wake her. “Go back to sleep,” he repeated softly.

Teri couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Here was her husband who an hour before had just made wild, passionate love to his wife. And now he was showered, dress, and putting on his shoes to go out. And it seemed his plans didn’t include taking her with him. She sat there and gave her husband the blank but slightly irritated look.

Here it comes, he thought. He sat back down on the bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her. Dean had called and another good buddy of theirs from the West coast had come into town on business, and had been able to make it to his son’s birthday. They were going to go out for some drinks. Yes, he knew it was their anniversary. But Bill had reasoned to himself that he had spent the afternoon and evening with Teri, sat through what he thought was a rather boring over priced songfest, and had made love to her until they were both sore. What more could she want?!

Teri just sat there in disbelief. How could he abandon her on their anniversary? What happened to the Bill she saw, felt, touched, tasted and experienced an hour ago? Teri’s heart began to break. He had brought her up to the pinnacle and now he was dropping her over the edge.

She suggested that he wait for her to have a quick shower and she’d go with him.

“Babe,” (She hated it when he used that tone.) “It’sa guy thing. You wouldn’t like it. Besides they’re all waiting for me.”

He suggested that she went over to Sharon and Dean’s and saw the boys. That was a big comfort. She knew the boys were all in bed by now, and Sharon wouldn’t be far from it.

“I gotta go. Are you gonna let me go or not?!”

Now it was the “ego thing” with him. If she didn’t let him go, he’d look like he let his wife rule him and she’d never hear the end of it. But if she did let him go, then she’d be left alone. Besides, she really didn’t want to be the one to tell him to stay. She wanted him to stay and make the choice on his own to be with her. If she made him stay home with her, he would probably end up in the den on the computer and she wouldn’t get to spend any time with him anyway.

So, she did what any loving wife would do. She let him go. She asked him not to be out too late, hoping he’d make an appearance there and then rush home to her.

“He’s only in town for tonight. I can’t promise anything,” he said as he went out the door.

The door closed behind him, and there she was, alone again, as she always was. Now she was truly alone as not even her boys were home.

She flopped back into the bed once more and pulled the blanket over her head feeling sorry for herself. Then she folded the covers back and sat up determined. She knew she couldn’t stay in bed all night. It was still too early for her to go to bed. Also, she had remembered that she hadn’t eaten yet. She forced herself to get up and toddled into the bathroom to wash the now dried juices off from their vigorous lovemaking session.

The warm shower felt good but at the same time it burned as it ran down her sensitive privates. As she lathered herself up she smiled and thought back to this evening’s events. Bill had made her feel alive again. She had felt like a part of her marriage that had been deadened was suddenly awakened and alive again. He had been so good to her today. She still couldn’t believe he had actually taken her to the opera. Usually that would have been something he had suggested that she do with Sharon or one of her other girl friends. She had remembered how he had serviced and pleasured her. She ran her lathered hands over her breasts and fantasized it was his touch. She lingered there for a moment lost in a memory. Then moved on to the rest of her body. She winced when she touched her womanhood. She was sore but had been very satisfied there. She couldn’t believe he had orally pleasured her there twice that day. Usually he had preferred not to unless she really begged him to.

Hunger was beginning to over take her. She quickly finished her shower without reminiscing about her day and got dressed. She was just finishing her hair when she heard a faint knock on the door. She wondered who it could be at this hour. All of her friends and family had known it was their anniversary, so she wasn’t expecting any one to come around today. And at this time, most people were home settling down for bed.

She went down the stairs and to the front door. She pulled the lace curtain aside on the sidelight and froze. As if in a trance, she opened the door and just stood there. Standing there in front of her was Clark. She blinked her eyes at him, half expecting it to be a dream and him not there a millisecond later when her eyes reopened. But it wasn’t a dream there he was standing right in front of her looking at her with those sapphire blue eyes.

“Have you eaten?” were his first words to her.

“”No,” she said, “I was just about to get something.”

“Let’s go out.” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. No “Hi, how are you?” No explanation for his sudden appearance on her doorstep at 9 o’clock on the night of her anniversary. No apology for not emailing her in a while. What was happening to her?

She stood there staring as if to say she wasn’t moving until she heard something more. The truth was, until he showed up on her doorstep, she hadn’t thought about him all day. She had been lost in the moment rekindling the flame with her husband.

He had come down for Dean’s son’s birthday and had been out with Dean when Bill showed up. He knew it was their anniversary and couldn’t believe Bill had left her alone.

With that explanation being offered, she stepped inside for a moment to grab her purse. She was after all starving and slightly upset with Bill for leaving her and not treating her to dinner on their anniversary. She left Bill a quick note that said she went out for a bite to eat, hoping to make him feel guilty if he should come home early and walked back out the door.

“We should probably take both cars,” Clark said. “Bill just thinks I went back to my hotel room to turn in for the night. It wouldn’t do for you to go out for a bite to eat without your car.”

Teri followed Clark back to his hotel where the restaurant was still open. She knew that it was dangerous going with him to his hotel, but this was only the restaurant and she was hungry. She really didn’t care about anything else but food at the moment.

The restaurant wasn’t too busy, but it was after 9 and to be expected. A couple sat in the booth in the corner laughing over their coffee and servings of pie. An older man sat quietly at a smaller table eating pot roast by himself. A waitress was running a carpet sweeper over some crumbs, and a busboy was clearing off dirty dishes left there by a relatively large party. Teri and Clark followed the hostess to a quiet table in the back away from the rest of the diners. Clark must have requested it.

Clark sat there in silence and stared at Teri who was busy looking at a menu. Teri sensed his eyes on her but continued to look through the menu. She didn’t know what to say to him. She was glad to see him, but at the same time she wished he hadn’t come to her tonight. She felt like she was betraying her husband by even speaking to him, and yet she also felt like she had betrayed him with her husband this evening.

“I’ve had a busy week.” Clark said breaking the silence.

“What?” she mumbled not looking up from the menu.

“I’ve had a busy week.” Clark repeated. “That’s why I haven’t contacted you. That’s why I haven’t written.”

Teri put down the menu and looked at him. His face was somber, apologetic. She still didn’t know what to say to him.

“You don’t owe me an explanation.” Yes he does, she thought, but she didn’t know what else to say.

“I’m trying to say I’m sorry. I’m trying to let you know that I didn’t just use you and then throw you aside.”

Teri sat there and stared at him. She couldn’t think. Not without food anyway.

He noticed the pearls around her neck. The pearls Bill had placed around her neck earlier in the day.

Teri noticed it too. Her hand went up to touch them. “He gave them to me for our anniversary.” Oh, yes, the anniversary where he abandoned her, Clark thought to himself.

“I love him,” she quickly stated.

“I know you do.” He replied. “If you didn’t you would still be married to him. And you wouldn’t have celebrated your anniversary with him.”

What was he saying? What was he doing here? What was she doing here, with him?

The waitress came and took their orders. She ordered the Oriental Grilled Chicken salad, an order of French fries, and a large iced tea. He ordered a light ham and cheese sandwich and a Diet Coke.

They sat there in silence again.

“Clark, I don’t know what to say to you.” Teri finally broke out. “What happened between us was beautiful, but it shouldn’t happen, it can’t happen again.” “You stirred something inside that had almost been forgotten. You awoke my sensuality. You made me feel like a woman again bursting with passion. Before then, all I had felt like, all I had lived my daily life for was my boys and my class at school. You gave me something. You brought me out of my loneliness and despair. For that, I am grateful. But this can’t go on. You and I can’t have that kind of relationship again.”

Clark was taken aback. He couldn’t believe Teri was saying this to him. The beautiful creature that had bore her soul to him a week ago was telling him it couldn’t be.

“Teri, don’t you see? That’s exactly why we should be together. Tonight is your anniversary and where is your husband? He’s out with the guys. He didn’t even wine and dine you first.”

Teri became upset. She wanted to race out of there, but she was starving and hadn’t eaten yet.

“What happens between Bill and I is between a husband and his wife. You shouldn’t be coming between us.” Teri heard what she was saying and she believed it somewhat. Then a part of her wanted to rush over to him and take him in her arms. If he didn’t stop staring at her with those blue eyes like that she was going to melt, in spite of what had happened between her husband and her earlier.

Neither one had a chance to finish the discussion as the waitress had returned with their food.

Both of them sat in silence while they ate. The rest of their time in the restaurant was spent in silence.

Clark paid the bill and took offered Teri his hand. “Walk with me.” He said warmly.

Teri hesitate until Clark looked at her and told her with his eyes that it would be all right.

They went out the back door and walked outside by the pool. A fountain was trickling in a nearby courtyard. They walked around by the fountain, which was dimly lit and sat on a bench. The courtyard was secluded with large hedges and a few rose bushes in the flowerbeds.

Clark looked at Teri. Her brown eyes twinkled in the moonlight. “Would it be so bad if we were to continue seeing each other?”

Teri looked back at Clark trying not to give way to the spell his eyes would cast on her. “Clark, I’m married. That means something to me. And I still love my husband deeply. I’m in love with him. He’s my soul mate.”

Clark didn’t want to hear any of this. Teri had made him feel something no woman has made him feel in a long time, if ever. “If he’s your soul mate, then why does he treat you so? Why doesn’t he sense your pain, your loneliness? And why does he leave you all alone like he did tonight?”

Clark wrapped his arms around Teri. “He should be with you. He should be holding you.” His voice trailed off. “And kissing you.”

Clark made a move to kiss Teri, but Teri resisted. “Clark, don’t. Don’t try to seduce me.” She was confused, and weak, and hurt by her husband tonight.

“What did he do for you today, for your anniversary?” Clark asked smugly. “He gave you the pearls and then what?!”

“Clark, please!” Teri begged. “Don’t do this.”

Clark had had Teri and was hungry for her again. He was determined that he was going to have her again. He was angry with Bill for leaving her on their anniversary. He wanted to punch him out at the pub and tell him what a sensuous wife he had, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. He knew that if he had, he would have lost Teri for sure.

Clark turned and moved his hands up to Teri’s shoulders and began to massage them. He knew he was good with his hands. He knew his massages were like magic. He knew that if Teri were really serious about Bill she would have left him before now.

Teri’s’ shoulders were sore after her lovemaking session with Bill earlier, and tense from the situation she was now faced with. Clark’s hands were warm and soothing. She felt a lot of the tension flow right out of her. She sat quietly staring at the fountain.

Clark stopped his massage and reached for Teri’s chin. He pulled her chin and directed her face to his. He looked at her big brown eyes for a second and then kissed her wantonly.

Teri’s senses became alive in that instant. His touch was familiar to her. Heat rose into her cheeks. Teri broke off the kiss, hung her head and cried.

She cried because she loved her husband. She cried because she wanted Clark. She cried because Bill had left her and treated her so coldly. She cried because she was lost.

Clark knew just what to do. He took her in his arms and embraced her. He stroked her long curls and kissed her forehead.

“He took me to the opera. It was beautiful, pulsating, and energetic. It was heartrending.” Teri sobbed into his chest. “Afterwards we went home and we made love. It was just like the opera, alive and full of passion. It was like it used to be between us. I felt like things were finally changing and our marriage was coming back. He made me scream out in desire and pleasure.”

That was a little more than Clark had wanted to hear, but he knew she was rambling on and had to get it all out. For her sake, he let her go on about the details of their sexual tryst.

“It was beautiful. We held each other and fell asleep in each other’s arms.” Teri sobbed. “And then he left me for his best buddy Dean and their buddy from out West.” “Every time I turn around he’s out with Dean. Dean’s always coming between us. Why doesn’t he just marry Dean?!”

“Teri, will you listen to yourself?” “You’re sounding silly now.” “You don’t really mean to sound so harsh with Dean. You’re angry and hurt with Bill. And you have every right to be that way.” “Just remember that Dean is my good friend too.”

“Why don’t we go up to my room for a night cap?”

Teri looked at Clark. She knew what would happen if she went up there. She knew she should be getting home. What if Bill came home early? She also knew in her heart that if Bill was out with the guys, he wouldn’t be home before 2.

Teri opened her mouth to protest, but Clark quickly silenced her with a kiss. Teri melted in his arms. Clark’s tongue had entered her mouth and was probing her. The sensations were sending shockwaves throughout her body and numbing her mind. Teri couldn’t think. Her mind was racing, her heart was pulsating, and her body was shaking.

Clark wrapped his muscular arm around her and walked her into the elevator and then to his room.

Once inside, he offered her some rum from the mini-bar courtesy of the hotel. Teri sat on the small couch and numbingly accepted it. The sweet liquid burned as it went down. Teri was not accustomed to liquor. She rarely drank and when the occasion called for some alcohol it was usually wine, Champagne, or frozen daiquiris. After a few sips of the rum, it had sort of a calming effect on her. She sat there staring down into her glass in between sips trying to think about what she was going to do.

“Teri, I care for you.” Clark said breaking the silence. “It bothers me to see you so hurt. I can’t stand to see you treated so coldly by your husband, the man who supposedly professed his undying love to you.”

“You’re not helping make it any easier on me, either.” Teri quietly said without looking up from her glass.

Clark moved over and took Teri’s hands removing the now empty glass from them. “Teri,” he said and waited until her had her attention. “If you can look at me, straight in the eyes and tell me that you never want to see me again, I will go and never try to contact you.”

Teri knew in her heart what she needed to do. What she should do for her marriage sake. She tried to muster up the courage before looking up at him. With her hands still in his, she stood up. Then she looked up at him, into his eyes, those sapphire blue eyes that were like those mini-reflection pools in the atriums of Greek architecture and she was taken aback. She saw all of the fire, all of the passion, all of the excitement that she had experienced last week. She saw her knight in shining armor who had rescued her from her tower of isolation and loneliness. Tears formed in her eyes, as she stood there trembling, weak and drowning in the moment. She tried to tell him to go, but instead she found herself pleading with him, begging him. “Please stay,” she said hoarsely.

Clark brought his lips down to meet her and kissed her longingly. His tongue seared into her mouth like a hot needle invades the flesh. She was broken and weak. She could resist him any longer. He scooped her up into his arms never breaking the kiss and brought her into the bedroom. Gently he placed her on the bed lying down on beside her. He cradled her in his arms as he tenderly kissed her.

They broke the kiss and Clark stared into her face. For the first time, he saw the beautiful, vibrant woman that she was and not just some conquest. He saw the fire burning in her eyes. He saw the succulent outline of her ripe, full lips that he had just kissed. He smelled the sweet scent of her hair and saw the reddish tendrils that softly framed her face. He saw her looking back at him lovingly and smiling.

He began to realize that he truly cared for this woman. Those just weren’t words he had spoken to get her to go to bed with him. He wanted to be near her. He wanted to hear her breathing and feel her heart beating. He wanted to hold her and protect her for his own.

“What is it?” Teri whispered.

“It’s nothing.” Clark replied softly. “You’re beautiful.”

Teri smiled sheepishly, then pulled him to her and kissed him again.

They broke their embrace again and Clark sat up to remove his shirt.

Teri sat up to remove hers and Clark stopped her. “Are you sure you want to do this? You can still leave, go home, and not go through with this if you want to.”

Teri looked at him and saw the softness in his face. He no longer had that determined look. She smiled and said she wanted to do this.

Clark met her hands and helped her pull her shirt over her head. Then he sat there and looked at her body. He reached up and touched her shoulder lightly. His fingers seemed to be electrically charged sending current throughout her body. He ran his fingers down her shoulder then straight across her chest. Her touched her chin as if he were holding her face in place studying it. Her skin was soft and smooth. He could feel it responding to his touch. He stroked her cheek and reached for another kiss.