The Procedure

by Tabatha Vargo

  Even though I tried to keep my eyes to myself, they instinctively roamed across the crowd looking for Samantha. And then I saw her. She was moving across the room toward the alcove that housed the bathrooms. Her dress was low, showing off her elegant back. Squeezing my fist, I closed my eyes and imagined kissing my way down her back and slowly undressing her. I had yet to see her completely naked, but I could only imagine how glorious she looked.

  Setting down my drink, I left the group and made my way across the room just as she disappeared around the corner. Already, my knickers were feeling tight. Just thinking about being near her was getting me hard. She had woven some strange spell over me. It was the only way I could describe how she made me feel.

  Stepping around the corner, I found her standing there, waiting. Her skin glowed under the overhead lighting. Without a second thought, I reached for her without care of who would see.

  I DIDN’T REALLY have to use the bathroom, but I couldn’t sit there anymore and watch Roman. Not when everything inside of me begged to be near him. I’d even turned my head without care when Michael was openly flirting as usual. The fact was that I didn’t care what he was doing anymore.

  Leaving the stifling space and being away from where I could see Roman, I felt as if I could breathe better.

  I pulled on the bathroom door, only to find it locked. So I stood there and waited. That was when I felt the familiar touch of Roman’s fingers across my back. He worked them up my arm slowly, goose bumps following his fingers like a wave in the ocean. Closing my eyes, I took the moment in… relishing in the touch of another human being.

  When he reached my shoulder, he cupped it with his warm palm before softly massaging. His other hand followed on my other shoulder, his hot breath tickling the back of my neck.

  “Samantha.” My name rushed past my ear.

  At first, I couldn’t respond, but once I was able to make my vocal chords move, the only sound that came out was, “Hmmm.”

  “You should tell me to stop,” he said.

  The thought of him stopping was unbearable. My body begged for his touch—my center was molten lava and ready to erupt. I hadn’t felt so connected to another person in so many years, and I wasn’t ready to let that feeling go.

  “No.” My voice was stern.

  “No? Why not?” he asked.

  Using his own words against him, I said, “Because I deserve this.”

  A soft chuckle lifted the hairs on the back of my neck, making me shiver.

  “Is that so?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Well, in that case, what else do you deserve?”

  Turning in his arms, I crushed myself to him. He leaned down at that exact moment to press his lips to mine. His tongue swept across mine, filling my mouth with his taste and the drinks he’d had at the bar. Instantly, I felt drunk on him.

  He moved me against the wall as he slowly began lifting my long dress. Anyone could have walked into the alcove at any time. Not to mention there was a lady in the bathroom who could have stepped out, as well. Everyone knew I was Michael’s wife, and they also knew that Roman wasn’t Michael.

  Pushing against him, I looked around the alcove for a place for us to go. Spotting a third door, I pulled him with me.

  “In here,” I said, pushing the door open and pulling him into a second celebration space.

  The door slammed loudly behind us. Roman shoved his hands into my hair, pins flying, like a man possessed as he began to kiss me again.

  “I can’t…” he started with heavy breaths. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  Again, he began moving my dress up until the hem was resting just below my hips. With the dress out of the way, I was able to wrap a leg around his hip. He took the opportunity to press himself into me, making me break the kiss to release a sigh of pleasure.

  He shifted, lifting me like I weighed nothing, onto a cloth-covered table. The unused table wear jingled loudly. Reaching down between us, I went to work on his button and zipper. I wanted him. No, I needed him. When I pushed down his pants and boxers, he sprang free into my hand, warming my palm with his hardness.

  He threw his head back on a hiss before planting hard kisses down the side of my neck. I moved my hand over him, his breath shaky against my neck.

  “Samantha,” he whispered. “Don’t stop, love.”

  I hadn’t planned on it, but I was sick to death with being teased. I was very married, and I knew it was so wrong, but I wanted him. I needed to feel him inside of me. A hand job wasn’t on the menu tonight—I was.

  “No. I want you, Roman,” I said, my voice full of need.

  He leaned back and looked into my eyes as if to make sure I was positive I knew what I was saying, and then he nodded his agreement.

  Reaching down, he pushed his fingers inside the side of my panties before ripping them from my body and stuffing them in his coat pocket.

  “Forgive me,” he said out loud to no one.

  Then he moved between my legs and positioned himself at my entrance. Suddenly, the door flew open and a staff member walked in. Thankfully, we were in the darkness and had time to adjust ourselves before he could see us.

  “You can’t be in here,” the guy said as he flipped on a switch, swathing the room in golden light.

  Grabbing my hand, Roman pulled me toward the door. “Our apologies,” he said as we passed the guy.

  Once we were in front of the bathrooms again, he pulled me to him long enough to whisper in my ear. “Mama Maria’s. Tomorrow at noon. Meet me there.”

  And then he walked back into the ballroom with the stride of a man on a mission and my panties in his pocket.

  THAT NIGHT, I went home alone. Michael never came home, and I couldn’t find it in myself to care. I hated it, but after so long with him being the way he was, I decided I no longer cared about what he did or who he did it with. Either I’d really hit my breaking point, or I was falling for Roman. Either scenario was a bad one.

  The following day, I sat at a quiet table in the corner of Mama Maria’s and waited for Roman. I was excited to see him and after the way things had been between us the last couple of times we met, I figured it was time I found out exactly what it was we were doing.

  The minute he walked in, my eyes were on him. He looked sexy in a pair of dark denim jeans and a button-up shirt. It was a major change from his usual doctor wear or suit. His hair was untamed as usual and his whiskey-colored eyes sparkled when they met mine from across the room.

  My breathing accelerated when he came my way, slipping by tables without taking his eyes away from mine. A knowing grin stretched his thick lips, making his dimples pop, as he sat across from me.

  “I’ll have whatever the lady is having,” he said to the waitress when she stopped by the table.

  The waitress blushed with his words. Apparently, I wasn’t the only woman in the room who thought Roman’s British accent and good looks were a complete turn on.

  Once the waitress left us, Roman sat in silence while he stared at me. I turned my head and tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear. His eyes followed my movements, making me nervous. My many faults moved to the front of my mind, and I tried to figure out which one of them he was noticing.

  “You’re staring.” I stated the obvious.

  Another wicked grin worked its way across his lips as he sat back in the booth, throwing an arm over the back.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t seem to help myself with you.”

  Again, his eyes devoured my face, and I felt the rush of heat move onto my cheeks.

  I was thinking maybe we would come to lunch and pretend that the few times we had touched each other had never happened, but apparently, Roman had other plans.

  “Don’t apologize. It makes me a bit nervous, but I like that you like looking at me,” I said into my glass of water before I took a quick, refreshing swig.

  My throat was dry with nerves, and my pulse was banging hard and fast in my ears.

  “I do
n’t like it.”

  Embarrassment crept in. I’d spoken too soon. I always felt more confident when I was with Roman. He was always such a sweetheart that I hadn’t even considered the fact that he was being rude.

  “I love it,” he said in a whisper as he leaned across the table, reaching for my hand. His warm fingers enveloped mine, sending sparks up my arm and down into my core. “I love looking at you. The responses I get from you. You’re so sexy, and you’re clueless to it.”

  Heat moved over me. I’d never felt more wanted. Not even when Michael and I had first started dating. He was always so slow to touch or compliment, but Roman laid it all on the table, and I was reaching for his words in total desperation. I loved every minute of his flirting. It was different from when we originally started, but I couldn’t deny he made me feel womanly.

  I looked up at him from beneath my lashes and smiled. The room around us blurred and in that moment, there was only us. Roman and Samantha. It was completely against the rules. It was breaking several of the commandments, but I couldn’t stop myself from feeling the way I felt, and I didn’t want to stop him from looking at me the way he was.

  The waitress stopped at the table, breaking us from our spell, and sat his food in front of him. Still, he looked at me over her while she worked. I could practically hear his thoughts. He wanted to get out of there. He wanted to take me back to his office and throw me over his desk. And I couldn’t lie to myself. I wanted those things, too.

  As soon as the waitress left, he moved his food to the side and reached out to take my hands.

  “Go away with me this weekend,” he said, effectively changing the game and adding his own rules.

  “What?” I choked.

  “I have to go to New York this weekend for a conference. Go with me.”

  Going away for the weekend was a massive step. I had to decide what I wanted to do before then. Did I want to make my marriage with Michael work? Because if I did, there was no way I was going away for the weekend for what was sure to be mind-blowing sex. But if I decided that what Michael and I had was long gone, a weekend of mind-blowing sex with Roman was exactly what I needed.

  My mouth started before my mind was done drawing its conclusions, making the decision for me. “When do we leave?” The words slipped from my lips, shocking not only Roman, but me as well.

  His grin was sexually charged and sinful. “Tomorrow.”

  MICHAEL’S CAR WAS in the garage, but the house was empty when I got home. Except for Duke, who nearly toppled me over when I came through the front door. He jumped on me, bathing my face with dog kisses.

  “Down, Duke,” I chuckled.

  Now that I wasn’t in front of Roman and completely mesmerized by his smile and eyes, my decision was looming over me. I couldn’t go away for the weekend with another man. I was a married woman. Even if I decided to leave Michael, which was in the back of my head, I was at least decent enough to wait until we were legally separated before I got in bed with another man.

  Moving up the stairs, I slipped off my shoes and dangled them from my fingertips as I took each step at a fast pace. Ever since I’d gone running in the park with Roman and I saw how therapeutic it was, I’d gone every day at least once. I need to run in that moment. I needed to think.

  Reaching up, I ripped my hair from its bun and ran my fingers through my strands. I was going to change into something comfortable and run until I figured out how to get out of the ridiculous decision I’d made.

  Throwing open the door, I was met with Michael and a raven-haired beauty going at it in our bed and, sadly, I wasn’t the least bit shocked. Moving across the room, not even bothering to disturb them, I pulled open my closet door and reached for my suitcase. There was no need for running. My original decision was the correct one. What I had with Michael was gone, and I was no longer worried about what I was doing while I was married to him. He obviously didn’t give two shits about our marriage or me.

  The bed creaked, and all the movement in the room stopped. I heard their bare feet on the hardwood behind me in frantic movements, but I ignored it as I tossed all the clothes I’d need and more into my suitcase.

  “Sam? What are you doing?” Michael asked from behind me.

  There was a hint of panic in his voice, but I ignored it. I was no longer going to make out things in my mind that weren’t there.

  “Packing,” I simply stated.

  My words weren’t angry because honestly, I wasn’t mad. I didn’t care, and I knew in that moment that any love I had for Michael over the years was thoroughly squashed. He’d done it. This wasn’t my fault. I had done everything I could to save what we had, but it was obvious he did not intend to do the same. We were over.

  I’d go with Roman and have a weekend away having what I hoped was amazing and much-needed sex, and then I’d come home and deal with the rest.

  “I can see that, but why?” he asked.

  Swinging around, I burst into laughter as if I’d just heart the funniest joke. It was the laugh of a crazy woman who had snapped.

  “You’re kidding, right?” I asked.

  My eyes moved around the room, seeing that the dark-haired beauty was long gone. The bed was a mess and when I closed my eyes, I could see his face in rapture as he slammed his body into hers.

  And then a calm moved over him, and a cocky grin moved across his face. “We both know you’re not going anywhere. Quit being ridiculous and let’s talk about this.”

  Again, I laughed out loud. The entire situation was completely ridiculous and hilarious. I had been so dead set on fixing what was wrong with me to save our marriage, but for the first time, I could see that the problem was never me. Michael was the one in need of fixing… not me. I was far from perfect, but I was still me. Maybe a little more confident, thanks to Roman, but I was still me.

  “There’s nothing to talk about.”

  And there wasn’t.

  Turning away, I continued to pack my clothes and a few personal things.

  “Samantha?” His voice sounded unsure, and I had to shake myself. It had been so long since he’d spoken my full name in the way he had. It was full of need and love, but I knew it was a sham.

  I was doing the right thing. I couldn’t back out now. “Yeah?”

  And then he managed to shock me once again.

  “If you leave, don’t come back,” he said. All the loving emotion had disappeared from his voice just that quickly.

  My resolve built itself back up. Turning on him with a freeing smile, I nodded. “Don’t worry. I didn’t plan on it.” Slamming my suitcase together, I slipped my shoes back on and started toward the door. “I’ll have Duke put in a kennel until I return. I’ll be by next week to get the rest of my things.”

  And then I walked out and shut the door behind me without looking back.

  AS I PACKED for the weekend, my mind was racing a hundred miles per hour. I was going to go straight to hell where I’d burn for eternity. And I wasn’t talking about the kind of burning I did for Samantha.

  What I was doing was wrong, but I couldn’t manage to stop myself. She was like a beacon. No matter how hard I tried to stay away, I was drawn in. There was no doubt in my mind that I was madly in love with her. And since my emotions for her were so strong, I naturally wanted her. Even though I knew wanting her was wrong and I was breaking one of my biggest rules, I couldn’t stop myself.

  Asking her to spend the weekend with me was completely spontaneous. She was sitting across from me, looking beautiful as usual, and I knew I had to leave her for the weekend. The thought of being away from her for even two days was unbearable. The words tumbled out of my mouth, shocking me and really shocking her.

  Her big, brown eyes had grew before my eyes and even though I thought in that moment that she would decline, she shocked me even more when she easily agreed to go away with me. Apparently, we were on the same page, and that filled me with a happiness I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

  I had no e
xpectations or plans for the weekend. I wasn’t some devious wretch who had a weekend of sex and debauchery planned. I was simply going to go with the flow. Let the chips fall where they may. It wasn’t in my usual style to let whatever happened, happen, but that was my plan as I loaded up my car and locked up behind myself.

  Samantha was so vulnerable. I was determined not to be like Michael and force things on her, especially my feelings and emotions, but if things happened naturally, then we would cross that bridge when we got to it.

  All I knew for sure as I drove across town to meet her was that she was too good for a man like Michael, and I loved her enough to fight for her. I wanted to spend the weekend showing her how a woman was supposed to be treated, and I wanted to do it as a man, not a doctor.

  It took me less than twenty minutes to meet Samantha at the kennel she was dropping Duke off at. She had called me the night before and told me she didn’t feel comfortable leaving her new pet with Michael. Honestly, I didn’t trust the arsehole either. I could easily see him tossing Duke from an overpass or something equally disturbing.

  She was waiting for me outside when I pulled up. Her yellow summer dress moved around her legs in the breeze, giving me a peek of her perfectly shaped calves and knees. Her dainty feet were covered by silver sandals and her toes were painted. She had taken the time to look nice, and it made me feel manly and desperate to touch her.

  Getting out of the car, I hid my desire behind the darkened sunglasses that were perched on my nose. Walking around the car to her side, a smile made my cheeks ache. That smile dissolved the minute I reached her and my shade-covered eyes found hers.

  Something was wrong. Her eyes were strained, and she was fidgeting with nerves. She had her hands gripped so tightly in front of her that her fingers were turning white. Reaching out, I covered her hands with mine. Her cool fingers melted beneath my heated palms.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked immediately.

  She moved her hands, so I busied myself with her bags.