by Nora Ford
His hand found the side of my neck and held on. "How about I come with you next time. You pick, and I pay?" I lifted an eyebrow and held still as he closed the space between us. "I have expensive taste."
"I can afford as many of these as you want." He patted the pocket holding my panties and hung over my lips. I lifted my lips to his, letting the sensual jolt vibrate through me. Again, everything around me was forgotten. When we both pulled back, I was blushing.
"You'd better go now before anyone notices," I said as I smoothed my dress and went to unlock the door.
Aron shook his head and gave a sexy grin. "It's no good. You look like a woman who just had sex in the on-call room."
I ignored his comment and opened the door, relieved to find the corridor empty. I shoved Aron towards the door.
"I feel so used," he said, and I couldn't help laughing.
"Go play poker or do whatever you're doing tonight," I said as I gave him one last push.
Aron grabbed my face and kissed me once more. When he pulled back, he whispered, "My good luck charm."
After I watched him walking away, I felt more than a little hazy; I had to physically shake myself out of the sexual daze he'd put me in.
Chapter Fifteen
Tessa
Two hours later, I was sitting in my pajamas on Talia's living room sofa with my feet tucked up under me. Liv sat next to me, and Talia sprawled on the other couch; both were grinning as I told them about Aron's visit.
"In the on-call room," Talia said and bit into a slice of pizza. "You did it in the on-call room. Wow, this is like Grey's Anatomy."
"In the next staff meeting, I'll suggest they install survey cameras in those rooms, so the ones, who don't get any can at least watch," Liv joked.
"God, I hope we weren't too loud. We were animals."
"Now you're bragging. And I'm jealous," Liv commented.
"You look happy," Talia observed.
She was right. I was happy; I was lost in a blissful bubble with Aron. We spent the past few weeks hanging out at my apartment and having the hottest sex of my life. However, with happiness came the guilt.
So many nights I had with Seth should have been enough to last for a lifetime, but it was true. The few weeks with Aron overshadowed even the height of the nights of the years that I lived with Seth. Maybe I was starting to forget how I loved him, the first time Seth and I made love. The memories struggled for clarity, growing old. Now they seemed as if they happened ages ago. Only the memory of feeling happy could be brought to the surface with ease.
Talia's statement reminded me that I needed to re-evaluate the situation with Aron. Everything was going fast with no brakes in sight. I pulled myself quickly out of my thoughts when I realized they were talking to me.
"Hmm?" My head jerked up at the sound of Liv.
"Does he know?"
"Know what?"
Liv turned to face me; her eyes were searching mine. "That you're in love with him." I was sure my heart stopped at those words. She gave me a reassuring smile. "So you haven't told him yet? But it's pretty obvious to me."
"It is? That's weird since it isn't to me!"
"It's the way your eyes glitter when you talk about him."
"I wasn't talking about him. I was telling you about the sex with him. Everybody's eyes brighten when they speak about sex."
Liv chuckled at my anxious tone. She reached out and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's not the end of the world, Tessa. Trust me."
"It's just sex," I murmured.
She shook her head, and her eyes glimmered in amusement. "No, it's not. My eyes don't gleam when I speak of my sex life."
"Having a vibrator isn't a sex life," I countered. Since her divorce last year, Liv had sworn off men.
"That's not a very nice thing to say, and it's not completely true. Liv had a date last week," Talia commented.
"Really? Who? Someone, I know?"
"Don't change the subject. You're the one on the spot now, not me," Liv said.
"Am I being interrogated?" I cocked a brow.
"Don't look at us with your brows all up. Yes, you are," Liv said then Talia added, "If you don't have feelings for Aron, you wouldn't be so tense."
"I'm not tense. I…I just don't want to feel anything," I sighed.
"Why?" They both asked at once.
"Because it's not right. I feel like I am cheating on Seth," I paused. "I never felt this guilty before."
"You never felt guilty before, because the others were meaningless flings. This is the first time you are in a real relationship since Seth," Talia said and gave me a reassuring smile.
"I'm not in a relationship with Aron," I quickly said.
"So, what do you call it?" Liv asked amused.
"We're having a situation. Besides, it's a matter of time. As soon as Jacob gets out of the picture, everything will return back to normal."
"What do you mean? I thought you have to stay married for a year?" Talia asked and sounded alarmed.
"Yes, but if Jacob went to jail, Aron and I wouldn't have to live together, and the situation will be resolved."
"Would you be happy if Aron moved out?" Talia wanted to know.
"It would be better that way. I don't want to give him hope. If we stayed together, I know I would hurt him. I can't give him what he wants, Tal," My heart ached as I said that but it was true. I didn't want to love again.
“You can, and eventually you will. You don’t have to let your love for Seth go; but you can’t keep pushing people away. It’s unhealthy. It’s been three years now. Time to move on. You have to let someone in,” Talia insisted
Before I could respond, Liv added. "Sure, you can. You don't have to love Aron the same way you loved Seth, but it's okay you're not that girl anymore. People fall in and out of love all the time, Tess." It was clear that Liv shared Talia’s notion about the issue, she went on, "The accident wasn't your fault; you should try and forgive yourself."
I took a deep breath and gave them a weak smile. "Easier said than done."
Before they could plague me with any more questions I wasn't sure I was ready to answer, I asked Liv changing the subject, "What about you? How was your date?"
"A disaster. Liv was so turned off that she couldn't even use her vibrator," Talia said and laughed.
"Oh, that bad. Anyone, I know?"
Liv nodded. "Dr. Chase Davis, you know him."
"Yeah, he's your colleague, the one that keeps asking you out."
"That's the one," Liv confirmed and took a sip of her wine, "he's been asking me out for months. Last week I was tired of spending the evenings alone, so I said yes but it turned out to be a big mistake."
"Why? What happened?"
"He spent the first half of the evening talking about his ex-wife and how dumb she was to leave someone like him. The rest of the evening he kept talking about himself, his house, his cars and how great he is in bed," Liv said and rolled her eyes.
"God, men can be mean idiots."
"Yeah, anyway at the end of the evening I insisted on paying my bill. I didn't want to feel compelled to invite him in, then he was distraught when I didn't."
"So you haven't tested his bed skills. How about kissing, have you at least tested that?" I asked.
"Hell, no. If you want a report, you can rate him yourself. You know where to find him," Liv suggested.
"Nah, he's probably a sloppy kisser anyway."
Talia and Liv burst out laughing. After they calmed down, I asked Liv, "What are you going to do now? It won't be easy. You work together, you'll see him on a daily basis."
"I know, but it was only one date. He’ll stop asking eventually," she shrugged.
For the next hour, the three of us sat savoring Talia's homemade pizza. Talia drank iced tea while Liv and I shared a bottle of Adam's expensive wine. After a couple of glasses and more pizza, Liv was getting tipsy. Without warning, she blurted out, "Peter is getting married."
Peter was her ex-hus
band. I knew he was getting married, but I didn't know that Liv was keeping tabs on him. "Yeah, I knew, but I wasn't aware that you still care."
"I don't, but it bruises the ego to be left for another woman," Liv said as she sipped on her glass of wine.
Talia and I exchanged worried looks then she said, "He didn't leave you. You were the one who filed for divorce."
"I did. But he left me first. Peter stopped loving me years ago."
"Do you still love him?" Talia asked her.
Liv shook her head. "No, I don't. It doesn't hurt less though. Do you know who he is marrying?"
"Who cares?" I patted her leg.
Liv ignored me and went on. "He's marrying the bitch he was fucking in his office when I walked in on them. She is a senator’s daughter. Her father is going to help him in his campaign. He is running for the governor seat. Do you think that was a coincidence? He must have been planning this for years. Peter needed a divorce, but he wanted me to ask for it."
"Oh, I didn't know that. Wait a minute, isn't Jason running for the governor seat too? That's interesting," Talia grinned.
"How so?" I asked and gave Talia a warning look. She took no notice of it and continued, "Her ex-husband is running against her ex-lover. That will be fun."
"Yeah, it looks like they have something in common; they both left me."
I shot a look at Talia and this time she understood. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way," she quickly said.
"I saw him the other day," Liv said as she poured herself another wine glass.
"Peter came to see you?!" Talia asked, and I frowned.
"No, not Peter, Jason. I saw Jason. He came to the hospital last Thursday."
"What did he want?" I was the one who asked this time.
"He wanted to talk. I told him I was busy and there was nothing between us to discuss. I don't know what reminded him of me after all those years." Liv sounded stressed and confused. I hadn’t seen her like this before. Liv rarely showed others how she felt. Even in the middle of her divorce she was always composed and in control of her emotions. I didn't know if it was the alcohol or Jason’s unexpected visit that made her open up.
"That's weird, maybe the news about Peter running against him reminded him of you," Talia frowned.
"It's not important. I won't see Jason again anyway," she gave us a weak smile and changed the subject. "What are we watching tonight? Who is choosing the movie?"
"It's my turn. I think I have the right movie for you. Fifty Shades Freed," I wiggled my eyebrows as I rose to start the movie on Netflix.
"Yeah, I guess, after my date last week, I need inspiration so I can use my Rabbit again," Liv joked, Talia and I noticed that she was trying to get her emotions under control. Although we didn't question her again about Jason, I made a mental note to ask her about her feelings at the next possible opportunity.
By the time we finished the movie and drank the rest of the wine, Liv, and I looked less tired, less stressed. Talia was in the best mood too, although she didn't drink with us. That was always the way after our Girls Night. I wasn't as drunk as Liv, but I was definitely tipsy. After Talia went upstairs to her room and Liv fell asleep on the opposite couch, I sat in silence for a while, when it dawned on me. I realized that I missed Aron.
Chapter Sixteen
Aron
After I left Tessa, I wasn't so pleased with myself. I should have come clean with her and told her that Jacob was dead. We had an agreement. Our living arrangement was temporary. I promised to leave as soon as Jacob was out of the picture. He was now, permanently. However, when I made that promise, I didn't know that I would get so attached. I couldn't leave now, Tessa was getting used to having me in her life. Something was growing between us. I was sure she too felt it. I'm doing the right thing. We both need a chance to explore our feelings toward each other, I finally told myself.
Later that night, Jason, Adam, and Nate were complaining. "You're damn lucky tonight, Bro," Jason said and threw down his cards.
I piled my chips and thought about the tattered black lace in my pocket. If you only knew, I thought.
"Brought it in with me," I said, and grinned as I took a sip of my beer.
"How about giving us some," Nate, a friend of Jason and mine, said as he placed his next ante, "I've had shit all night."
"Don't worry. The next hand we'll clean you out. Then you can just sit and watch the rest of us," Adam said dryly.
"You're a cold bastard, Grant," Nate glowered at Adam.
"Poker doesn't pull on my heartstrings, pal."
Adam was ruthless at the table. Just the same in business. When he took over his father's investment firm, he lived to work not worked to live. However, Talia changed all that. She gave him a purpose to live and love life. But some things never change, he hated to lose.
I studied my cards, calculated the chances and tossed the next bet as the conversation flowed around me.
When Jason turned up the next card, and Adam jolted the bet, I folded.
In my opinion poker and life had a lot in common. One played the cards he was dealt, figured the odds and decided whether to take a gamble or not. I'd always played my cards well. I took the risk when the pot was worth it. I knew exactly when to bluff and when to quit. Unintentionally, I found myself thinking of Tessa as the pot I wanted to win. However, this time I wouldn't be risking my money. I realized that I put my heart on the table.
Nate's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "So, Jase, are the rumors true? You're running against Peter Redding?"
"No, he is running against me," Jason smirked.
"I've heard that he’s engaged to Senator Morison's daughter." Nate took a pull of his beer. "But there are rumors that you're going to beat him to it by marrying the Governor's daughter."
Jason almost choked in his beer. "Hell, no! Becky wants to marry a checkbook. All she thinks about is money."
"Money is all women want, trust me," Nate said bitterly, he had just gone through an ugly divorce, "But you need someone like Becky; her father could be a great asset to your campaign. Besides, the voting public wants their politicians married. Just make sure she signs a prenup," Nate suggested.
"I know that I have to settle down, but I have someone else in mind," Jason grinned.
"I didn't know that. Who? Someone, I know?" I asked curiously. Jason was a player before becoming a politician. Unfortunately, his money, looks, and charm, along with his taste in women often left him on the front page of the tabloids instead of the Wall Street Journal. I knew Jason was ready to run for Office, but I doubted that he was primed for marriage.
"Yeah, you both know her very well," Jason looked at Adam and me. "Olivia, your sister-in-law."
"You can't be serious. Liv?! She’s family, man," Adam said, of course, he was worried about Talia's reaction.
"Jesus, Jason. She just came out of a marriage. Redding screwed her over." I tried to talk some sense into him.
"Wait a minute; you want to marry Redding's ex-wife? God, the press is going to have a field day if that happens," Nate grinned.
"It's good publicity," Jason shrugged.
Adam and I were both furious and at the same time we said, "You aren't going to marry her for publicity, are you?"
"You married Talia for publicity," Jason said to Adam then he looked at me. "Tessa was family, and it didn't stop you from marrying her. Besides, Olivia was mine first. I want her back."
"She was yours, and you left her. You broke her heart once," I reminded him.
"I wasn't ready to settle down back then. I'm a different man now. I don't want a spoiled politician’s daughter, I want Olivia, and I'm going to have her," Jason said as he studied his cards. "Now, can we play poker?" His tone didn't give us a chance to argue any further.
Adam and I exchanged worried looks, but we dropped the subject. For the rest of the night we played poker and avoided all tricky topics of conversation.
***
Three weeks have passed since I learnt abo
ut Jacob's death. I haven't told Tessa that he was dead, but I wasn't ready to say anything about it yet. Over the past few weeks, I familiarized myself with most of her facets. Although we were getting closer each day, there were two subjects that she never talked about. The baby that she'd lost or "our situation." She still refused to call it a relationship. It was frustrating, but I knew that at some point, I'd have her in every possible way. Tessa had a softer side that intrigued me and seemed to show up whenever she was touching me. I'd bet good money on the fact that not many were acquainted with that side of her. It boosted my ego to know that she let me in, at least a little.