Happy New Year!
There is one more chapter of this story which will be released by the end of this week.
*******************
"I can't hear you," I told the guy again. He had to be at least eight years younger than me, but he reminded me of Brendan in a strange way. The thought made my heart hurt.
He said something else. The music drowned out the sound, and I was never a great lip reader.
The atmosphere was getting to me in the worst way. I'd had enough to drink, my head was pounding, and the little black dress I bought was pressing uncomfortably against my breasts. I just wanted to get back to my room, take 2 Advil and pass out.
His lips were against my ear. "You look sexy in that dress."
In spite of the pounding music, I understood every word. His statement sent chills down my spine. I found myself breathing in deeply, the pressure of my dress now a pleasure instead of a hindrance.
I'm not sure why I had such an instantaneous and dramatic response to what was a rather simple and cliched come-on. And yet...
His blue eyes watched me shift on my heels uncertainly. I looked around. My sister, Abigail, and her wedding party were doing shots at the bar, but they were too far to help me.
My eyes found his again. Did I want help?
He smiled as if he heard my thoughts. He took my left hand—which proudly displayed my wedding ring—and tugged me towards him. "Let's get out of here for a bit."
When we finally stepped out onto the Atlantic City boardwalk, the fresh air and much quieter ambience nearly alarmed me. I blinked into the night, hearing the faint crash of waves. Crowds of people moved past, pushing me closer to the stranger who hadn't yet let go of my hand.
We walked closer to the edge of the boardwalk, just slightly out of the bright lights.
"I'm not sure I should be doing this," I said, mostly to myself.
The man looked down at me. "Doing what?"
I gestured between us. "This. Plus, you're luring me into the dark."
He laughed. He looked even younger when he laughed. Shit.
"Listen, my sister and friends will be looking for me."
He sat down on a bench. "I'm sure they're all a little distracted by now. And they could call you on your phone, right?"
"They might worry."
He shrugged. "They might."
I fought a smile. "Come on. This is weird."
"Having a conversation is weird?"
"Having a conversation with a married woman is weird, yeah." I fidgeted under his direct gaze. "I'm not sure why you'd want to be talking to me when you could talk to... pretty much any other girl in the club."
He smirked. "Thanks for the compliment, but I just felt like
talking
to someone tonight. You were the first to respond intelligently."
I sat next to him, suddenly feeling more comfortable. "Just so we are clear. I'm
married
."
"I noticed."
"That doesn't bother you?"
"Nope." He reached over to play with my hair. I should have slapped his hand away. I should have asked how he could dare and stomped back to the casino. Instead, I leaned into his touch. "Does it bother you?"
"Being married?" I pulled back slightly and shivered. It was a chilly evening and I was just in my simple black dress. "Of course not."
"Then why do you keep bringing it up?"
"Because."
He smiled briefly and then sat back. "What's your name?"
"No. No names."
His eyebrows lifted. "Why not?"
"I don't know. Makes it easier to flirt with a younger man."
"Is that what you're doing?" he asked with a grin.
I rubbed my arms to try to get warmer. He noticed. "Let's go back inside."
I thought of the bright multi-colored lights and the rhythmic music pumping through the floors and walls. I felt the shoving of bodies and the slipperiness of the floor. I could even smell stale beer and spilled vodka.
He caught the expression on my face. The stranger smiled. "You don't want to go back."
It wasn't a question.
"We could try another casino," I offered.
"We could," he said, but didn't sound that enthusiastic about it.
It dawned on me he probably had his own friends wondering where he was. "Let's go back."
He pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. A classic and effective move. "Let's not."
"Listen..."
He stepped closer. "I'm listening."
"I don't know what's happening but I'm not having sex with you." I blushed even as I blurted the words.
Again, the stranger smiled. "Now, who said anything about
sex
?"
I studied him. He had dirty-blonde hair that shone brighter than my own and gray eyes that reflected all the lights around us. He had a good seven or eight inches on me. His clothes were nice and effortless; he didn't look like he'd spent hours analyzing what he was going to put on. He was naturally appealing.
"Seriously. I feel some vibe right now and that's just not going to work." I swallowed. I hadn't felt like this in years. I felt reckless. Sensual. Turned on.
He hadn't even
done
anything. He'd struck up a conversation with me at the bar and then suddenly we were too close on a bench outside. This wasn't me. I was safe. Predictable. I didn't fucking flirt in the darkness with men whose names I didn't know. I didn't flirt, period.
"So, you don't want to fuck me, but you don't seem that eager to leave me, either."
My pussy became wet as a thrill vibrated through my body. I'd definitely had too much to drink. That was the only explanation.
He ran two fingers down the column of my throat, the silk across my collarbone, the cold skin of my cleavage. I shook and found myself moving closer to him, craving his touch.
"You have a vibe, you said. That must be good. And you haven't been able to take your eyes off me since we started talking." I blushed and looked down. He leaned his head down to meet my eyes. "Except when I call you out on it, it seems."
"Please stop." I didn't mean it.
The man tilted his head. "Why?"
"This is wrong."
"Who says?"
My laugh had just a touch of hysteria. "Everyone!"
He caressed my cheek. "You look like you haven't been fucked in ages." I trembled beneath his touch. "It seems to me like that should be rectified. I don't think that's wrong."
"I'm—"
"Married, yes I know." He had the nerve to touch my hip and smile.
"I don't even know you."
His smile turned into a smirk. "Isn't that better?"
"No," I muttered. I felt pathetic.
"Just come have a drink at my hotel. You can do whatever you'd like after that."
I knew I shouldn't. I knew I was making a huge mistake, but I was so tired of my life. Brendan and I had been fighting like crazy lately. We'd even discussed divorce a few times. Weak excuses, I know, but that's truly what went through my mind.
The liquor was getting to my head. I was buzzed and confused and turned on. Right and wrong were no longer concepts I could understand.
I pulled my phone out and texted Abigail. I told her I was at another casino trying my luck. She was so wrapped up with her bachelorette party that she wouldn't think twice about it.
A burst of guilt burned through my chest when I noticed I had a miss call from Brendan. I put my phone away and forced a smile.
"How old are you?"
"21. Want to see my ID?" he teased.
I sighed. I felt the warped relief one feels when they have made a big decision, even when they know the decision is wrong. "Just
one
drink."
*******************
"He doesn't sound like he has much of a sense of humor." The stranger watched me as I spilled secret after secret, his chin resting on his hand.
I sipped my drink and shrugged. "I think both of us used to be a lot funnier."
"Then what happened?"
"People change. Sometimes they change so much that they barely resemble the person you fell in love with."
He rested his free hand on my lap. The heavy heat of his touch drove me crazy. "So you don't love him anymore?"
"Of course I do. That's... that's not what I meant. It's just that marriage is hard. My mom tried to warn me." I smiled and shook my head. "She really did. Being married is the toughest thing I've ever had to do. Don't get me wrong—there are many pros to being married. It's just important to realize that it's not all rainbows and butterflies and catchy pop songs."
He squeezed my leg. "So what brings you to Atlantic City? I don't think I asked you yet. Some kind of party, obviously."
"My sister is getting married."
He leaned close to me. The smell of his cologne was divine. I wanted to tell him that but I figured I would sound even more insane than he probably thought I was.
"Did you give her your "marriage sucks" speech?"
I laughed and said no. "I wouldn't want to take that honor away from our mom. Besides, my sister's relationship is different."
He left one hand on my thigh and then grabbed hold of my right hand with his free one. "In what way?"
"Oh, you know. They're really romantic. He is legitimately interested in everything she does and says. He's really patient and indulgent with her. She's really good to him back. They're the real deal."
"Huh. The real deal. And for a moment there, I thought you didn't believe in any of that." The stranger's expression became intent. "Well, our drinks are almost over. What would you like to do next?"
What a loaded question. I wanted him. There was no doubt about that. It's funny what distance, a fight and some liquor can do to your resolve. Brendan felt like another world. So did my sister. I quickly decided I didn't want to think about them, so I pushed them out of my mind and asked myself what
I