Frayed Silk(18)

Pulling over outside their gorgeous three-bedroom beach-style white cottage that Trey spent two years renovating himself, I grab my purse and climb out. Nerves take hold as I walk down the driveway to the front steps of their wraparound porch. I walk up them and knock, but Lola’s already there, pulling open the door and grabbing my hand to drag me inside.

“Are you crazy?” she hisses, the door slamming closed as she releases me and marches into her living room. I follow her, feeling like a child who’s about to be scolded and take a seat on the plush couch by the window next to her.

“It’s from him, isn’t it?” She reaches over and moves my hair aside to see the hickey that I remembered to cover with makeup this morning. She licks her finger and rubs it off.

“Ew!” I try to squirm away from her.

“Shut it, hussy. Stay still,” she orders.

I do as I’m told, rolling my eyes.

“Shit, it’s a good one. Has Leo seen it?” She sits back, her eyes bugging out comically as she drums her fingers over her mouth.

“Apparently. But he only warned me to cover it up before the charity gala next weekend.”

My heart hurts at the memory of his cold, annoyed voice.

“Are you shitting me?” She breathes.

I shake my head then scrub my palms over my face.

“What a prick. He doesn’t even care that you’ve been with another man?” She doesn’t try to hide her anger or disbelief.

“It doesn’t seem like it. But Jared and I, we didn’t …” I trail off.

“You didn’t have sex with him?” she finishes for me.

“No, we didn’t. I couldn’t do it.” I sigh, leaning back into the couch and curling my feet under my ass. “But we kissed, and he, well, he made me, you know …”

“Oh, my God.” She pauses. “I shouldn’t be asking you this, but what was it like?” Her eyes light up with interest.

“Amazing. Well, it was until I … fuck, I feel like such a moron.” I close my eyes briefly, “I started crying, Lola.”

She tries not to laugh, but I see it there, the amusement in her eyes. “You’re not exactly cut out for the whole affair thing after all, are you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” I admit.

“Not when you’re clearly still in love with your idiot of a husband.” She sighs, relaxing back into the couch.

“I told him.” I stare off at a picture of her, Trey, and Sophie on the wall. “I told him before it even happened that I was having an affair.”

“What? Are you serious? But if you weren’t …” It must click for her because she says, “Ohhh, you were trying to goad him into giving a shit, weren’t you?” She laughs. “A little evil but clever.”

I pick at my nails. “I guess.”

“He didn’t care when you told him?”

“No, just said to do what I want, and that we’re not getting divorced.”

“Holy fucking shit, I could kick him in the balls so hard right now, Lia. How the hell haven’t you yet?”

I laugh, despite feeling like I want to curl up into a ball and sleep until this whole disaster is long behind me. “I have no idea.”

She’s quiet for a beat then asks, “So what did Jared do when you burst into tears? Hightail it out of there as quick as he could?” She smirks.

“Actually, no.” I smile as I remember how sweet he was about it. “He held me. He comforted me.”

“Seriously?” She frowns. “He’s into you then? Wants more?”

The words make my back straighten. “Uh, well, he knows he can’t have more.” I think about that for a second, knowing I’m probably fooling myself. “So I don’t think so. I think maybe he just has a thing for married women.” I scoff. “The sneaky bastard sent me a text yesterday. He called himself from my phone when I was cleaning up my face in the hotel bathroom.”

She slaps me on the shoulder. “Shit, Lia, delete it. It’s bad enough that what’s happened, has even happened and Leo knows. Don’t let this go too far.”

“Would you quit hurting me, woman?” I grumble and rub my shoulder.

“Sorry,” she mutters sheepishly. “But seriously, what did he get all over your face that you needed to wash off in the bathroom?”

We both burst out laughing when my phone chirps in my purse, which is sitting on the coffee table. She dives for it, and I let her. Not really caring at this point.

“What the …” She drops the phone between us on the couch. I glance up to see her a little red in the face. “It’s him,” she whispers.

I can’t help but laugh. “Oh my God, stop it. He’s not going to reach through the phone and make you have sex with him.”

I pick it up, shaking my head and laughing softly until I read what it says.



Jared: Can’t stop thinking about the way you squeezed the fuck out of my finger. Makes me wonder how awesome it’s gonna feel when you come wrapped around my cock.

PS: I don’t like being ignored, Blondie.



I drop the phone, too. Dumbfounded and flushed as hell.

“I know this is going to sound bad,” Lola says. “But my freaking panties feel damp.”