by Rosie Harper
“I-I’m so sorry, Jen. It didn’t occur to me that you would care so much about it. I can call the guy back and—” Carl started, his tone pleading and trying to back track.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore right now, Carl. I need some time alone to think.” She said and promptly hung up, his pleas still coming from the receiver as she pushed the “end” button. Her eyes never left the window where she knew Chris had been listening and watching her. If all Carl cares about is his wants and desires, then why should I care about anything other than my own? She wondered. Squaring her shoulder determinedly, she walked into the house and strode up to Chris. He was leaning against the wall across from the kitchen and when he saw her coming toward him he pushed himself off the wall, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall to his sides.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eaves drop but you sounded very upset. Are you okay?” He asked kindly. Jennifer’s heart quickened and she pushed down her nerves. He was dreamy and caring. Why couldn’t Carl be more like him? She shook the thought from her head. She didn’t want to think about Carl anymore. She walked right up to Chris and before he could say anything else, she planted her lips on his. Chris froze in shock, he was not expecting this reaction from her. Earlier in the day she had rejected the connection between them and he thought his opportunity had been rejected along with it. Not wanting to lose the opportunity again, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Jennifer moaned and ran her hands up the panels on his chest, feeling his tight muscles twitch beneath her fingers. Chris tangled his fingers in her long hair and tilted her head back to give him better access to her mouth. He plunged his tongue between her lips and Jennifer moaned again as he began to massage her tongue with his own. His lips felt like fire on her skin and she clutched his shirt, wanting more.
Chris dragged his hands along her sides and Jennifer shuddered. She slipped her hands beneath his shirt and let her hands wander over his skin. Chris lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side somewhere. He trailed kissed down her neck and his hands reached behind her to unclasp her bra. Jennifer gasped once her breasts were free and he took one of her nipples into his mouth. Wanting nothing between them, she tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head, breaking his hold on her breasts for just a moment. He switched to the other nipple and swirled it in his mouth while she unfastened his belt and pulled his pants down. She reached for his growing arousal and wrapped her fingers around it, pumping slowly. Chris groaned and yanked her pants down before scooping her into his arms and carrying her to his bedroom. Skin to skin, he lay her on his bed and stretched over her. Jennifer moaned and ran her fingers through his short hair as his lips explored her body and made her cry out in pleasure.
“Chris, I want you.” She begged him. Unable to put off his desire for her any longer, he grabbed a condom from his nightstand and slipped it on. In one quick motion he plunged inside her. Jennifer gasped and dug her nails into his shoulders. He thrust into her hard, fast. She threw her head back and cried out as he brought her to pleasurable heights made even more so by the fact that she knew this was wrong. She lifted her hips against him and met each of his thrusts, taking him deeper. Chris moaned and grunted, trying to keep from losing all of his control too soon. Jennifer flipped him over and began to ride him, sliding up and down on his length. Chris gripped her hips and thrust inside her each time she came down on him. She cried out, her orgasm shattering and washing over her. Chris continued to lift her hips as he felt her contract around him until he reached his own climax. He cried out his own release and pumped into her until it faded. Panting, Jennifer rolled off of him and lay beside him. Neither of them spoke or said anything, they simply enjoyed the lingering effects of their shared pleasure.
“Again?” Chris suggested, rolling onto his side and looking at her passionately. Jennifer smiled and looked at his body which was already rejuvenated for round two.
“Again.” She said and he rolled back on top of her, kissing her deeply.
***
Jennifer looked down at her phone as it rang for the third time that day. Carl had been calling her multiple times a day since their fight. She pressed the “ignore” button again and put it away. She wasn’t ready to talk to him yet, just like she wasn’t ready to talk to him yesterday or the day before. She looked over at Chris as he guided one of the stallions around the training ring, teaching it new commands. She’d only been back to the hotel to grab clothes and shower, otherwise she’d spent the last two nights in his bed. Guilt started to eat at her but she knew she had no reason to feel so guilty. Carl had done this very thing to her for far longer than three nights after she had had their second son. He came clean and apologized for it, but she always resented that he got to go have an adventure while she was stuck in the life they built together. She loved Carl, but she resented him sometimes. Being with Chris, while morally wrong, made her feel like herself again. Her younger self who got to enjoy life carefree and not always picking up the pieces of her husband’s impulsive mistakes. Her phone rang again and Jennifer pulled it back out of her pocket with a groan. Looking down her frustration dissipated and she quickly answered.
“Bre?” She asked, excited to see her daughter’s contact picture.
“Mom! I was able to get off work early this afternoon so I’m going to head your way tonight, is that okay?” She asked. Jennifer’s face fell and she looked over at Chris again. It looked like her adventure was up and it was time to get back to the life she built.
“Yeah, that’s great! It’ll be wonderful to see you.” She said, a little disappointed but knowing that time with her daughter was more important than another steamy night of a passionate affair.
“Awesome! I’m heading to the hotel now and my GPS says that I’ll be there in about an hour. Should I just meet you out front?” Brenda asked. Jennifer tore her gaze away from Chris when he noticed she had been staring at him.
“Yeah, that’s perfect. I’ll see you soon!” She said, hanging up the phone. Chris strode over to her and leaned against the railing to the ring, draping his arms nonchalantly over the rail. He smiled at her and Jennifer couldn’t help but return it. Maybe she could get one more quickie in before she called it quits.
“You want to ride him?” Chris asked, not taking his eyes off of her. Jennifer grinned mischievously and shook her head.
“I’d much rather ride you.” She said, leaning over the railing and kissing him. Chris smiled and hopped the fence, pulling her against his sweaty chest. He slid his hand up her skirt and Jennifer’s breathing quickened. She was already ready for him and he just unbuttoned his pants, pulling out his erection. He slammed into her and took her against the railing. She wrapped her legs around him and rolled her hips against him. She brought her to the edge of her pleasure and then pushed her over as he took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking on it through the fabric of her shirt. Jennifer cried out, arching against him. He thrust into her again and again, building her pleasure once more. Just as her second orgasm washed over her, he reached his climax and spilled into her. Panting, he lowered her back to the ground and held her while she regained her footing. He smiled down at her and kissed her tenderly. Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoy the last kiss she was going to have with him. When he broke away, she touched his cheek longingly.
“My daughter is coming into town a little early. I’m going to go meet her at my hotel and bring her here to see the horses. Thank you for the past few days, they’ve meant more to me than you know.” She said, kissing him again. Chris frowned, his heart filling with disappointment. The past few days had meant more to him, too. He knew she was married and it would never work, but he was hoping for more than just a few days together. He nodded at her in understanding and kissed her one last time.
“Me too.” He told her, taking a step back and hoping over the railing to return to the horse he was training. Jennifer let out a breath and jogged over to her car. She checked the time
and cursed. She had just enough time to maybe beat Brenda to the hotel, or at least arrive there at the same time. Turning her car on, she sped down the dirt road to meet her daughter. She pulled up to the hotel and cursed when she saw Brenda’s car sitting in the parking lot. Even going ten over the speed limit, Brenda still beat her. Brenda got out of her car and waved at her, her smile just as wide and happy as when she was a child. Jennifer returned the smile and got out of her car to hug her daughter.
“Hey, sweetie. I’m so glad you made it! How’d you get off work early?” She asked, pulling back and looking at her daughter. She was her spitting image but twenty-three years younger. At twenty-five her daughter had taken a very different life path than her mother. She went to college and got a degree in business journalism and got hired at a local magazine a year out of school. Then she took after her father and became a bit of a work-a-holic. She spent hours researching topics and putting together presentations and pitches for articles and stories that she then wrote when they were approved. She was so successful, her boss promoted her after two years and now she was in charge of training all new-hire journalists the proper techniques for business journalism research and interview techniques.
“I just used some sick time I’ve been accumulating. I rarely take a sick day so when I ran it by my boss he was ecstatic to get me out of the office. He says I work too much.” Brenda said, grabbing her bag out of her trunk. Jennifer laughed and showed Brenda up to her room.
“Well you do. I’m so glad you were able to take a little break to come spend the weekend with me.” Jennifer said, giving her daughter another hug. Brenda laughed and nodded.
“Me too. Besides, I could never pass up the chance to see horses. Whatever possessed dad to buy a ranch, anyway?” She asked. Jennifer rolled her eyes and let them into the room.
“You know how he is. He gets offered something, is convinced it’s a deal or an investment and goes for it. We need to have a serious talk when he gets home, though.” Jennifer said, sadness creeping into her voice. They were going to have a lot to talk about when he got home. Brenda chuckled.
“He didn’t talk to you first, did he?” She asked rhetorically, her face showing that she already knew the answer. Jennifer frowned and shook her head.
“Nope. I’m so sick of your father pulling shit like this. We are in this together, he can’t just make huge life-altering decisions without talking to me but he doesn’t see that. It’s his life and I’m just a decoration.” She said solemnly. Brenda gave her mother a sympathetic look and plopped down on one of the queen-sized beds.
“You know he doesn’t see you like that. He’s just clueless, all men are.” Brenda said, trying to make her mom feel better. Jennifer shook her head and grabbed some clothes so she could shower and change. Her shirt was all dirty and had wood splinters in the fabric from her tryst with Chris.
“Not all men.” She whispered, heading into the bathroom.
***
After her shower, Jennifer took Brenda to a late lunch and then drove them up to the ranch. Brenda’s eyes got wider the closer they got and she stared admiringly out the window.
“It is so beautiful over here! How did dad hear about this place?” She asked, aghast. Jennifer laughed and shook her head.
“You know, I have no idea.” She confessed. It actually hadn’t occurred to her. It wasn’t like he was out for a drive and saw a “for sale” sign or something. Jennifer shrugged and turned up the dirt road to the house. Her heart started to quicken but she ignored it. It didn’t matter anymore. She pulled up beside Chris’s truck and turned the car off. Brenda gave her a strange look and gestured to the truck.
“Whose is that?” She asked. Jennifer glanced around, looking for Chris but unable to see him.
“Your dad and I hired a ranch hand to run the property and take care of the horses since neither of us know what we’re doing.” Jennifer said, heading in the direction of the stables. Brenda followed behind her, glad that she switched from her heels to a more practical pair of sneakers. Jennifer brought her up to the mares who were still in their stalls and smiled warmly at them. She was going to be so sad when one of them left, they were her favorites.
“This is Bluebell, and that’s Timber. Aren’t they lovely?” She said, introducing the mares to her daughter. Brenda smiled and stroked Timber’s nose, letting her nuzzle her a little. Brenda giggled and closed her eyes.
“They’re amazing. How many are there?” She asked, opening her eyes and looking around at the stalls.
“Twelve total. Those are the only two mares and then there’s ten stallions.” Chris said, appearing behind them leading two of the stallions by the reins to their stalls. Brenda’s mouth dropped open as she looked him up and down the same way her mother had. Chris nearly tripped when he came up and saw the two stunning women. He couldn’t believe that Jennifer’s daughter looked just like her. She had the same dark hair and olive skin but her eyes were the dark brown of her father instead of the hazel of her mother. She was stunning and his heart softened to her in a way he’d never had before.
“Oh, that’s more than I expected.” Brenda said, pulling her eyes away from Chris. Jennifer saw the attraction spark between them and took a deep breath. Jealousy bubbled up within her but she knew it was better this way. Chris was a wonderful man and she would be happy if her daughter was with a man like him. He might actually be able to do some good for her. Chris was very laid back and lived a simpler lifestyle which could bring her daughter out of the isolated, work-obsessed world she’d created for herself. Chris nodded and began talking to her about the different horses they had.
“I’m actually bringing them all in so I can turn the ladies out for a while, would you like to help me?” He offered, gesturing with his head toward the fields where she could see the other horses grazing. Brenda glanced over at her mother who smiled encouragingly at her.
“Yeah, go for it!” Jennifer encouraged. Brenda smiled back up at Chris.
“Sure, we’d love to!” She said. Jennifer smiled and started to follow behind them, letting her daughter and Chris walk ahead. She sighed and shoved her hands in her jeans, looking down at the ground. As they came over the hill she heard the slamming of a car door and she lifted her head in confusion. Jennifer sucked in a gasp and stopped in her tracks.
“What are you doing here?” She asked, staring at Carl as he made his way over to her. Chris and Brenda paused up ahead. Brenda smiled at her parents and took Chris’s hand, pulling him away so that her mom and dad could have a moment alone. Carl strode over to Jennifer, his eyes focused only on her.
“You’re supposed to be in New York for another week!” Jennifer said, her mind still unable to wrap itself around the fact that her husband was here.
“I got one of the other VPs to cover for me. When you refused to answer my calls or to return any of them I had to come to you. I had to see you and talk to you.” Carl said, his voice choked with emotion. Jennifer’s heart leapt and she just remained where she was.
“I’m so sorry, Jenny. I never thought this would upset you so much.” He apologized. Jennifer looked up at him and then glanced away. He still didn’t get it.
“I’m not upset that you bought the ranch, I’m kind of upset that you traded one of our mares, but that’s not why I haven’t been answering your calls. You just don’t get it, Carl.” She said, turning from him and starting to walk toward Chris and Brenda to help bring in the horses. She saw Brenda laughing at something Chris had said and they were standing beside one of the stallions talking. Jennifer felt a pang and didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to disturb their bonding but she also didn’t want to be by Carl. She started to divert her path but Carl reached out and grabbed her wrist.
“Then explain it to me. Don’t just walk away from me, that’s not what we do. When things get hard we work it out! We always have.” Carl said, pulling her back to him. Jennifer felt tears fall from her eyes and slide down her cheeks.
“Yo
u don’t treat me like your partner, Carl. Ever since you got promoted to director and then to VP it was like your decisions were the only ones that counted. What about what I want? What about my opinions?” She shouted, the tears flowing freely. Carl gave her a sad look and held on to her so she would run from him.
“I’m sorry you’ve felt that way. Everything I’ve ever done I’ve done for you, the kids, us. I’m nothing without you. Why do you think I’ve been saving for this ranch?” He said. Jennifer’s eyes widened in surprise and her mouth gaped open.
“You, what?” She asked. Carl smiled at her and ran a hand through his salt-and-peppered hair.
“When we got married I promised I’d give you everything you’ve ever wanted. I know how much you love horses and our getaways to the countryside, so once I made VP I began saving. When I got my bonus promotion this month, I finally had enough. I’ve had an agent looking for land for me for the past two years and finally the money and perfect property came together so I bought it. I didn’t ask you because it was for you. You don’t ask me about gifts you get me.” He explained with a chuckle. Jennifer wobbled a little and reached out for him.
“But you’re right, I got too excited and shouldn’t have made the trade without talking with you. That’s why I renegotiated and traded one of the stallions instead.” He said. The tears coming out of Jennifer’s eyes were for a completely different reason now as she clutched on to her husband.
“I love you, Jenny. Always have.” Carl told her. Jennifer collapsed in his arms and kissed him. They broke apart by the clearing of a throat and turned to look at her daughter and Chris standing behind them.
“Um, we’re going to go grab some dinner. We’ll be back later.” Brenda said, looking over at Chris with growing affection. Chris smiled at her with just as much brightness and showed her to his truck. Jennifer grinned and turned back to Carl.