by J. J. Hayle
“How can I get him to like me?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart.”
“Can I come to St Andrews if he goes?”
“Of course.” He smiled. “Now let’s see if we can’t find you someone who knows how to treat a woman, or maybe we could leave, and I could get Callum for you?”
“Thank you, darling,” she said. “I love you. We can stay. There will be someone here who is a little more grateful, and if not there is always Chad Holmes. He’s left his wife at home.”
“There.” Tom smiled. “That’s the spirit.”
It was an hour before opening, and Clare and Olly were quickly working through making sandwiches for their delivery orders. The bread had not long been removed from the oven, and the shop smelled of delicious freshly baked loaves.
Olly packed the trays ready for the deliveries, and Clare finished the final touches to the cakes as the shop opened. Clare took a breath as she prepared for the breakfast rush. Olly had to make the deliveries, and Clare had to manage alone as Emma was on holiday.
They had prepared a stack of sausages, bacon, and eggs for breakfast sandwiches as customers began to stream through the doors. By the time Olly returned from his deliveries, the rush was over, and Clare was ready for a cup of tea before they had to prepare the lunch order.
“We need someone else,” she said as she sipped her tea. “I can hardly manage when Emma is away.”
“You’ll have to,” grumbled Olly. “We’re not taking on anyone else.”
“How about I make the deliveries, and you man the shop and see how quickly you hire someone?” She huffed.
“You’re not insured on the van.”
“No, convenient, isn’t it? I told you to put me on the insurance, but you wouldn’t. You did that to avoid being left with the shop.”
“You’ve managed, haven’t you?” Olly snapped at her. “We can probably manage every day. We don’t even need Emma.”
“Don’t you dare suggest getting rid of her. I cannot manage like this every day.”
“You’re just shy of a bit of hard work. You’d rather give away our profits than do it yourself. Stop whining. We need to get on with the lunches.”
Clare glared at him and stood to make the sandwiches.
Olly returned from the deliveries half way through the lunchtime rush, and this eased the queues a little. Clare sighed as the worst part of the day was over. She didn’t mind the afternoon when she could relax a little. Well, they were still busy, but it felt relaxing when compared with the manic rush of the morning.
“Good afternoon, Clare.” Mike Foster, one of their regulars, smiled at her. “How’s business?”
“Busy.” Clare smiled back.
“Is Emma not around?”
“She’s on holiday. How are you doing?”
“Good.” He grinned. “My plan to conquer the world and retire before I’m fifty is coming along nicely.”
She laughed. “I won’t last until I’m fifty if Oliver doesn’t hire someone else.”
Mike laughed and bid her a good afternoon.
The afternoon passed, and Clare and Olly were soon cleaning the shop and preparing to close for the day.
“Next door is available,” said Olly.
Clare sighed. This again.
“We could make the owner an offer.”
“No, Olly.”
“Why not?”
Olly had been pestering her to expand the business for the last five years, since their son was older. Now he was at university and working part-time and had practically left home, Olly thought Clare had no excuse not to work round the clock. He was always scouting for larger properties. Every time the shops either side of them became vacant he brought up changing the sandwich shop into a café as well.
“Because I work long enough hours as it is.” She sighed. “I don’t want to work evenings.”
“You’re lazy. We could have the mortgage paid off in a few years if you had a better work ethic.”
“You’re joking, right? Besides, we’d have to take a loan anyway. We don’t have the money for refurbishment, and we’d have to shut the shop while the work is done.”
“We could still do orders—we could make them at home.”
“No, Olly,” she said. “I’m not working every hour God sends. If you want to expand then, you take on extra staff because I refuse to work evenings.”
Olly glared at her and continued to wipe the surfaces. Soon they were closed and heading out of the door. Olly set the alarm, locked the door, and pocketed the keys.
“Are you coming home?” she asked him.
“I’m going to the bar.”
Clare didn’t know why she bothered asking. Olly never came home with her at the end of the day. She had followed him a few times. Sometimes he went to a bar, and other times he met other women. Sometimes he even went to their homes. He always returned home late smelling of alcohol and perfume. The only time they spent any time together outside of work was on a Sunday, and then they would usually just work on the house or Olly would tinker with his old VW Beetle.
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” She sighed once more and walked towards the tube station.
Clare arrived home to see a removal truck outside next door. The man who lived there was called Aaron. Clare didn’t know much about him, other than he ran a bar and now seemed to be moving out.
“I didn’t know you were moving, Aaron.” She smiled at him.
“Yes,” he said. “It all went through faster than I thought—I only put an offer in last month.”
“Well, best of luck. You have been a good neighbour.”
“Because I’m out all night and asleep all day?” He grinned.
The removal men took what appeared to be the last of the furniture and drove off as Aaron spoke on the phone.
“That’s unfortunate,” he said, hanging up as Clare unlocked her door.
“What’s that?”
“I said I’d meet my new tenant, but he is going to be another few hours. I’m going to have to come back or wait inside with no furniture.”
“Why don’t you come in here?” she said before she could stop herself.
I barely know him.
“Oh, I couldn’t put you to any trouble.”
“It’s no trouble. I’ll make you dinner, and I think I have a bottle of wine.”
What are you doing, Clare?
“That is sweet of you? Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she replied, holding the door open for him to pass.
I’m sick of spending every evening alone.
She showed him through to the lounge and poured him a glass of wine.
“Thank you.”
He had a nice smile. She hadn’t really noticed before.
“It’s nothing fancy for dinner, I’m afraid. Leftover lasagne, garlic bread and salad.”
“Sounds lovely.”
She warmed the meal and set the table. Aaron had taken off his jacket and was taking a seat at her table.
He’s very muscular. He must work out. Clare felt her breathing quicken. Did she really have this hunk of a man at her table?
“This is good,” he said, tucking into the food. “Did you make it?”
She nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
“Your husband is very lucky. Is he due back?”
“No,” she said. “It will be after midnight before he is back. He stays out every night.”
“Really? Doing what?”
She shrugged. “Whatever he likes with whomever he likes.”
“Ah,” said Aaron. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m used to it now,” she said.
“It must bother you.”
“It did, but we’re more like housemates than husband and wife. It has been that way for a long time, more so since Callum left for uni.”
“That’s a shame.”
She smiled. “What about you
? Are you with anyone?”
“No,” he replied. “Not for a while. I got divorced two years ago, and I work unsociable hours so it’s hard to manage a relationship.”
Clare felt her heart quicken at that. She cursed herself but smiled at him. “Would you like more wine?”
He grinned and held up his glass.
After dinner, Clare invited him to sit on the sofa.
“So,” Aaron said with a smile, “what does a bored wife get up to on her evenings alone?”
“I usually have an early night.”
“That’s not very exciting.”
He’s flirting with me!
“No. What should I do?”
He blushed and sipped at his wine
Clare edged closer to him, and his eyes met hers. “I have a few hours before my husband returns. Perhaps you can show me something exciting to do.”
When did you get so bold, Clare?
“I know a few things.” He leaned towards her. His eyes smouldered, and Clare felt her heart flutter. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with Olly that she had forgotten how good it felt to be aroused. She leaned in and kissed him, thrilled with excitement as he kissed her back.
He pushed her back onto the sofa and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Clare wrapped her legs around him and gasped as he kissed her neck. She pulled his T-shirt up over his head.
Wow. He is so gorgeous. He even has a six-pack.
She scratched her nails down his muscular back. He groaned, lifted up her top and began to massage her breasts and lick and kiss her nipples. She moaned. It had been a long time since anyone but Olly had touched her.
Aaron reached his hand below her waistband, and Clare felt her heart pound in her chest. She was getting wet between her legs. His hand was inside her knickers, and he rubbed against her sex, slipping his fingers inside her. He unfastened her trousers and pulled them and her knickers off, leaving her lower half naked. He rubbed his fingers against her clitoris and licked the folds of her sex.
Oh, that feels so good.
Clare opened her legs wider, arched her back and dropped her head and was met with a view of a photograph of her and Olly on their wedding day. She closed her eyes and smiled as Aaron pleasured her.
He rid himself of his clothes and retrieved a condom from his wallet. After settling the sheath onto his hard shaft, he lowered himself on top of Clare and pushed his hardness inside her. She raised her hips to let him in deeper and he kissed her as he began to make love to her. He pinned her arms above her head and moved faster.
He turned her and pulled her down so her bottom was on the edge of the sofa and then, kneeling on the carpet in front of her, he began to penetrate her hard. He held her hips as he moved against her, his rhythm gaining speed and intensity with each passing moment. Clare moaned and grabbed at Aaron’s shoulders to pull him closer to her. She scratched her hands down his back and dug her nails into his buttocks. She bit his ear and felt his hot breath against her neck, and then she was coming. She groaned excitedly as she felt the first orgasm in she didn’t know how long thundering through her body. Aaron came a few moments later and rested his head on her chest as he panted from his exertion.
She put her arms around him and held him. She hardly knew this man, but she was so starved of affection that she loved having him close to her.
A few minutes later, Aaron’s phone rang. His tenant was just a few minutes away.
“I have to go,” said Aaron. “Thank you for inviting me in, it was the best meal I’ve had in ages.” He winked at her and then kissed her.
She smiled. “Can I see you again?” she asked, cursing herself for seeming desperate. “If you want to, of course.”
He grinned. “I usually take Tuesday nights off.”
She smiled at him. “Till Tuesday then.”
Clare smiled to herself as she saw Olly sitting on their sofa the next morning in the very spot where Aaron had made love to her. She thought she would feel sick or guilty, once it had sunk in that she had cheated on Olly, but she didn’t. His own cheating had driven away any loyalty she had towards him.
“I’m going to approach the guy who owns that shop and make him an offer,” Olly said as he fastened his shoes.
Clare huffed. “And who is going to run it in the evening? You? Are you going to do that instead of propping up a bar every night.”
“I don’t mind working, Clare. I go to the bar so I don’t have to be here,” he said.
“Fine,” she snapped. “That’s settled then. You can open a café, and then you can run it.”
“You’re not even going to help?”
“No. I have told you I don’t want to work in the evenings.”
“You’ve nothing better to do.”
“I have a lot of things I’d rather do. And relaxing and recovering from my already sufficiently long days is one of them.”
“I want the café.”
“Then have a day service, take on extra staff, and I’ll agree.”
“It’s not worth taking out a loan for just a day service, we need to do dinner time.”
“Then you can do it on your own.”
“Why do you insist on being so difficult, Clare?” he said. “Why don’t you ever support me? If we work hard for the next few years, we can pay off the mortgage and have lots of time for relaxing.”
“I already work hard, Oliver,” she said. “I get up at five o’clock and work until five o’clock, six days a week with no holidays. It’s enough.”
“I’m wasting my breath as usual,” he said, finishing his tea. “We’d better go or we’ll be late.”
Tuesday seemed to take forever to arrive, and Clare was excited to see Aaron again. He had texted her to confirm that he would be at her house for six. Olly locked the door to the shop.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said to him and turned to walk towards the tube station. Olly went in the direction of whatever bar he was going to meet his latest fling in.
Clare arrived home and changed into one of the short, flimsy nightgowns and thongs she had ordered online. It had been a long time since she had any reason to wear such a thing and she felt giddy. She covered her nightgown with a matching dressing gown as the doorbell rang.
She pulled Aaron into the hall and kissed him.
He is so sexy. I could just eat him.
He returned her kisses, and she led him to her and Olly’s bedroom. He removed the dressing gown from her and found the flimsy nightgown.
“You’re so sexy,” he murmured as he kissed her.
How long is it since I’ve been told that? And by someone so gorgeous as well.
They lay on the bed and kissed passionately. Clare unfastened Aaron’s shirt and smiled.
“You are gorgeous,” she said, kissing his chest and licking at his nipples.
She unfastened his jeans and freed him from his boxers. She rubbed her hand along his length before taking him into her mouth and working her hand and lips. He groaned and grabbed the quilt with his fists as she sucked him.
Soon he moved and put her on all fours. He spread her thighs and licked between her legs. She blushed as her wetness ran down her legs, and he caught each dribble on his tongue. He entered her from behind; she gasped as he grasped her hips and his thighs slapped against her own. Clare reached between her legs and started to rub her clitoris. Aaron ran his tongue along her spine and sent shivers through her. Her hand trembled under her weight, and she lowered herself to her elbow. Aaron began to penetrate her deeper and moved faster. She rubbed herself harder and moaned as she reached her orgasm, and Aaron allowed himself to come.
Aaron held her in his arms. She put her arms around him, and for a few blissful moments she could forget about her hectic life and her loveless marriage. Eventually, Clare got up and, still wearing the tiny gown, went downstairs to pour them both wine. Aaron could only stay until eleven, but it still gave them a few hours to enjoy each o
ther’s company. They cuddled in her bed and talked. Talked and laughed.
She had missed this. It had been years since she and Olly had done this—maybe even before Callum was born. She had loved Olly once, and he had loved her. There was a time when they were happy in each other’s arms. A time when they would stay up all night talking. A time when they would spend their days making love and laughing. It was a lifetime ago now. Their son was almost twenty, and their love life was well and truly in the past. It had grown up and left home many years ago. She hadn’t even realised it was missing until she found Olly with other women and found she did not care as much as she should have.
“We should go out next week,” Aaron said. “We should go for a meal and a few drinks. Perhaps we can go to my place. Then we don’t have to end the night early.”
She smiled. What would Olly say if he came home to find she wasn’t here?
He probably won’t notice.
“I’d like that.”
Clare woke to her alarm the next morning and found it easier to get out of bed than usual. She had forgotten she was still wearing the tiny nightgown. She glanced at Olly—he was checking his phone and hadn’t even noticed. She trotted to the bathroom to ready herself for the day.
It was Tuesday, and Clare was excited for her date with Aaron. She’d had a mobile hairdresser call round last Thursday to do her hair. She’d had a new cut and highlights—Olly hadn’t noticed. She’d also bought herself a new outfit for her date.
Clare was loading up the delivery trays, and Olly was typing a message on his phone when a courier arrived. Olly placed his phone on the counter and went to greet the driver. Clare took a peek at his phone. The screen was open, and she quickly scrolled through the last few messages. He was texting someone named Erin:
I’m going to tell her I want a divorce. Are you still OK with me moving in?
Erin had replied:
Of course I am when r u telling her