Part IV: Twin Problems
Kevin shows Nicole and Taylor Claymont around DC. Leah wonders what it would be like to be in Adrianna Giuliani’s shoes for a day.
Chapter 1
The Sunday after the Giuliani's Midsummer Night Party was spent in recovery mode. Kevin thought he had refrained from drinking too much, sobering up enough to drive home sometime around 1 or 2. His head told him a different story. It was also recovery mode for his conscience, which was feeling particularly black this fine Sunday afternoon.
He'd been having an affair with his boss, Adrianna Giuliani, for nearly two months, ever since he'd been promoted to assistant director under the lovely Italian. Since then, his world had undergone a rollercoaster of emotions: guilt, lust, pleasure, jealousy, love. Every time he came home to his beautiful wife, Karen, he was reminded of the vibrant woman he was betraying. She was everything to him; she was the college girl who tutored him on Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales
, and was the woman who urged him to stand up for his benefits when DWW was sticking it to everyone. That hadn't ended well, but her support never wavered. Every time he came home, those beautiful green eyes reminded him that this was a woman worth fighting for, worth standing by for.
And yet, when he was in the presence of Adrianna, his resolve melted like snow in Southern Italy. She was all the things his wife was not: no-nonsense, unflinchingly confident, untouchable. The difference was that he
could
touch her. He could do a lot more than that. At times, life for Kevin felt like a dream. The olive-skinned Mediterranean was like the girl in high school who wouldn't look at him twice, yet whose thoughts would fill his restless nights. Now, he was in bed with the prom queen, or the cheerleader captain, or, most appropriately of all, the exotic exchange student. And she wanted him right back. There was no reluctance to her sweaty embraces or her nighttime moans.
Every time he made up his mind to end the affair and return to his beautiful red haired wife, all Adrianna would have to do was shut the door, put her arms softly around his neck, and stare up at him with those deep, dark eyes.
Last night was a bit over-the-top, even for Adrianna's standards. They'd fucked each other in the study, just two floors above his wife, not to mention a large amount of guests. It was reckless. For the
nth
time, Kevin decided that things had to end. Tomorrow was going to be the day. If he had to do it over the phone, then he would. If he had to close his eyes in her presence, he would.
While Kevin's head was splitting with both guilt and hang-over, it was all Karen could do to keep her stomach from heaving. Nothing worked; not the cold shower, not the coffee, not the extra sleep or greasy food. All she could do was pop Tylenol and hope she could keep the pills down long enough for them to work. She could still detect the aftertaste of gin through the bile and the dirty tang of smoke that lingered in her throat. Somewhere, she must have secured a cigarette while her husband was up in his business meeting with that curvy young boss of his. For one moment, she grew nervous that her husband saw her smoking (a habit she'd developed of late), but then her stomach cringed and she buried her head in the toilet.
Kevin was there to help her, holding her red ponytail out of the porcelain bowl as she dry heaved. She looked at him and imagined what she must look like right then: pale, clammy skin, blood-shot eyes, greasy, unwashed hair. A monster. A slutty, out-of-control monster. Karen had her suspicions about her husband and his boss. She wasn't stupid. She could read body language. If nothing had happened, she at least knew that Adrianna Giuliani harbored some kind of feelings for Kevin. But was anything that they'd done any worse than what she, herself, had done? And in the same house as her husband, during a business meeting?
She wretched again and Kevin cooed somewhere above her, smoothing his fingers over he sweaty brow and rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. Sure, she thought, he was here now. But what about the week days? What about the week nights? What about their bedroom, and her needs?
And once again, the guilt returned. Had they talked about their problems? Had she voiced her complaints? Had they tried to work these problems out together, or had she taken matters into her own hands?
And then, the thrill. It was so bad. Her heart fluttered at the memory of her encounter the night before with Roberto Giuliani. She remembered his strange cock sliding into her from behind for the first time. She remembered the way it pulsed in her mouth as she worked it with her tongue. With him, with the other men, there were no expectations. She wasn't his wife, or his companion, or his best friend. To him, she was a fuck. And that was so fucking thrilling.
Chapter 2
On Monday, Kevin dressed down in a pair of his favorite jeans and an old, olive green polo shirt. Today, he was acting as tour guide for Mr. Claymont's twin nieces. At first, he looked at the job as a chore, but the more he thought about it, the more he looked forward to it. Not only was he scoring points with the president of the company, but it gave him the opportunity to get out of the office and, more importantly, away from Adrianna. Besides, it felt good going into the office dressed down when everyone else was wearing a tie.
He stopped by Adrianna's office, a strange part of him a little giddy from having an excuse to get away from her. She wasn't there, but Leah walked in as he rooted around for a pencil to write a note. “She's in Florida. Business. Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Carter?”
The short blonde was all business and wouldn't meet his eyes. She kept fidgeting with her dark-rimmed glasses, nervously putting her bag to the side of her desk and shuffling the papers uselessly. Kevin admired her briefly, laughing inwardly. Leah was a really pretty young woman. Definitely more on the petite side than either Adrianna or Karen, she had a cute body and a kind and innocent face.
“Since when have you called me ‘Mr. Carter’?”
She sighed, finally staring up at him with those warm, hazel eyes. “God, I'm sorry, Kevin. I acted so inappropriately at the party. I shouldn't have been drinking so much—”
“Shh…” Kevin said, stepping up to her and giving her a hug. Her warm body felt good snuggled in his arms. “Listen, don’t worry about it. Really. Things are already hazy from that night. I hardly remember what you said,” he lied.