She didn't know what to do. She needed to get home and hit the shower. She had never cheated, never wanted to, but she had literally fallen into the arms of a friend. Really fallen...she was sure her husband wouldn't approve.
Daphne had been married for 10 years and had married young. It had always been understood that she and her husband would keep some amount of separate social lives. They frequently would trade off going out with work colleagues or other groups of friends, which is exactly what happened tonight. The guys from the office were meeting at a dive bar for some drinks. Never in her life did she think that casually flirting with Rick would lead to anything, they were both married.
She pulled into the garage and silently crept into the house. As she peeled off her heels and headed to the bathroom, she peeked into the bedroom at the sleeping form of her husband and sighed. Tired and anxious hazel-green eyes met hers as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her full lips showed shadows of smeared lipstick, and her once tamed auburn curls had taken on a life of their own. She looked like what she was...thoroughly fucked. She slid her now stretched out slip dress over her breasts, turned on the hot water and contemplated the events of the evening.
Daphne had gotten there late. The Crowbar was crowded. It was a small place with a small parking lot. Cars were everywhere, illegally parked, parking people in, oddly angled, taking up every inch of available asphalt. She was forced to park down the street, several blocks from the bar. She swore under her breath, knowing that she would have to walk back to her car in the dark, likely alone.
She touched up her lipstick as she walked down the street. Joe, the bartender nodded at her as she entered and she waved back. Her friends were in a very large curved booth at the back of the place and she scooted into the last remaining space, the end of the booth next to Rick. He subtly slid his arm around her as their mutual friend Alex regaled them with a story about the intimacies of his latest conquest. She glanced at his tall form from out of the corner of her eye, noting the way his lips curved in a wry smile, the glint in his dark eyes, and the unruly lay of thick black curls. He caught her eye and gave her a wink. His wife was a lucky woman.
The pitchers of beer from an excellent microbrew were plentiful, everybody enjoying them and immediately ordering more rounds. The conversation got louder, the jokes dirtier, and everyone was having a great time.
She froze. Unnoticed by their other friends, Rick's hand had crept over to her thigh, under the table. He was sliding it up under her skirt until she caught it with hers. She looked at him questioningly, he smiled, shrugging and shaking his head at her. Silently telling her not to say anything. She patted his hand, then using her own placed it back where it belonged, in his lap. She was somewhat confused. They had been friends for years, had always flirted, but (she thought) innocently. Of course there was some underlying genuine attraction, his sexy brown eyes and rich silky voice always made her swear that "if she were single..." He was a friend and mentor, helping her learn the ropes of her job. They had been friends before either of them were married and no lines were ever crossed, despite the occasional crackle of chemistry between them.
She decided to chalk it up to the drinks.
As the night progressed people started to filter out. She said her goodbyes and grabbed her purse. She was headed out the door when Alex stopped her and asked how far away she was parked. Rick was leaving at the same time and was assigned by Alex to make sure that she got to her car safely. Despite her protests , he grabbed her arm and lead her out the door, guiding her forward with a hand at the small of her back.
They walked a few steps, making light small talk, then conversation drifted into silence. The air started to feel heavy and her breath caught in her throat as they kept walking. She was suddenly excruciatingly aware of the man next to her. What had changed? Nothing had happened. They were just walking but now she couldn't look at him. She was scared of what he'd be able to read in her eyes, or what she would see in his.
At that moment while passing an old garage, her heel caught in the crack of the sidewalk. She let out a small yelp and toppled forward, twisting as she went. Rick sprang into action, catching her and shoving her against the dark wall of the building. He bent down and freed her foot, gently palpating her ankle for injuries.
He slowly stood, brushed a curl from her face. "Are you all right?" he asked.
