“Shit, Clove. That doesn’t sound like Turner at all. You sure you’re not reading the signs wrong? I mean, hell, you two have never been apart like this before. Maybe he was just tired and couldn’t wait to get home.”

I shake my head back and forth even though I know he cannot see me.

“No,” I state a little too loudly. “I am telling you that something is not right, Zack. I know my husband better than anyone else, and he is not acting right. Something is off. I don’t know why I think he’s having an affair . . . maybe that’s not it, but something is definitely not right with him. I- I’m so scared. I just can’t lose him. Not like this. And especially not to another woman.” Tears start to rapidly flow down my cheeks.

“Hey. Come on, now. Don’t start crying. There has to be a logical explanation for all of this, and you know it. Like I said before, I just can’t see Turner cheating on you, Clove. That man loves you, and you know it. You’re overreacting here. There is just no way.”

I try and process what he is saying and I know he knows Turner, but shit, I know him better. I know when something is off with him and there is. I can feel it. Every part of my body feels it.

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you tell him when he gets back that I invited you guys over for dinner tonight for him to meet Nolan, and I will feel him out and see what I think?”

I take a deep breath and let it out.

“Okay. Sure. I would love to see my little nephew myself, anyway. What time should we come over? Oh, wait. Are you sure Krista is up for company? I mean, she did just have a baby a week ago, you know. I am sure she is exhausted.”

“We’re both exhausted, sis, but not enough that I can’t have my sister over for a few hours. Besides, I will stop and pick up a couple pizzas on the way. She’ll be fine with it.”

“Well, if you’re sure then yes, I would love that. Oh, and Zack? Please don’t say anything about this to dad. You know how he worries all the damn time.”

My face grows sadder as I think about my father and how much he worries about the two of us.

“I won’t say anything to anyone, Clove, not even Krista. I have a feeling that everything is fine and you’re just being paranoid over nothing. I should be home by five, so why don’t you two just come over straight from work, okay?”

“Sounds good. Thank you, Zack.”

“Hey, anything for you and you know that. Now get back to work crunching stupid ass numbers or whatever the hell it is that you do.”

Forcing a small smile, I hang up with my brother and feel a little bit lighter about the situation after talking to him. Yet that doubt still lingers, and frankly it scares me to death.

A few hours later, I am knee-deep in reports when I hear Turner outside of my door talking to our secretary, Mandy. I look up from the pile of papers on my desk just in time to see him strut through my door.

“How did it go?”

“It went good. Really good. We got the job!” he smiles enthusiastically.

“That’s great, Turner! Nice job.”

“Well, I wouldn’t give myself all the credit, Clove. You seemed to impress them just as much as I did. Even more so, I think.” He quirks his eyebrow.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything. I just believe you won them over before I had a chance to. Are you upset with me about something? Is it about last night, because I thought I apologized for my behavior?”

“No, I’m fine. Exhausted, I guess. I didn’t sleep very well when you were gone and I think it’s all catching up to me now,” I lie. Making his way over to my desk, he stands behind me and gently starts to rub my shoulders in his big strong hands.

“You’re so tense.”

“Mmhmm,” is all I can seem to get out as I let myself relax under his touch. His hands caress and massage my flesh and it feels so good. When his hands start to roam lower, that is when my body seems to tense up again as he dips his hand inside my gray silk blouse.

“The door is open, Turner. What if Mandy walks in?”

“Who cares if she walks in, Clove? We’re married, for fuck’s sake, and if I want to feel my wife up in her office then I can.” He bends down and nips the side of my neck as he pinches my nipples through my lacy bra. “God, I love how your tits feel in my hands. You’re so fucking perfect and I can’t wait to bury my dick inside that tight pussy that belongs to me.”

Both of our breathing becomes ragged as he pinches and tugs my nipples. I have lost all reason and control of my body with his touch. When my toes start to curl and my body starts twisting with desire, and I start to writhe from the pure onslaught of his seduction, that’s when he stops and spins me around in my chair. My look shoots daggers up at him in frustration.

“You asshole! You start that and don’t finish? Now I am pissed off at you.”

“No you’re not, because you know I’ll finish the job later. There is no way in hell that you’re going to come without me being able to lick up every last drop of your sweet self. Now get your ass back to work and let’s be out of here by five and go grab something to eat somewhere.”

“Oh! I almost forgot! I talked to Zack and he invited us over for some pizza so you could meet Nolan tonight after work. I told him it was okay.”

“Um. Sure. All right. But only for a few hours, all right? I need to finish what I just started, and I would prefer to have my wife naked and squirming underneath me in our bed while my dick slides into your perfect pussy as it commands me to fuck you.” He stares down at me with hunger in his eyes.

“I would love that, too.”

He bends down and gives me a chaste kiss and spins my chair back around.

“I love you, Clove,” he says as he walks out the door. Fuck me if I am not more confused than ever right now. The man that was just in here was the attentive husband I remember, with his long, strong fingers. His penetrating, intent look said he only sees me.

And yet, his mouth . . . his filthy damn mouth has my core convulsing with need and a desperate ache for him to march his ass right back in here and fuck me right here on my desk. But even though the lower half of my body enjoyed his dirty talk, the upper half that holds my heart is desperate to know why the hell his unfamiliar, foul words leave me with such desire for him to do exactly what he said he wanted to do.

************

“You all set, Turner?”

I peek my head into his office as he is just hanging up the phone. He sneaks a quick, guilty look my way as if I have caught him doing something wrong. And maybe I have. Maybe he has secretly gotten himself hooked on watching porn, or maybe he was e-mailing his lover? Shit. All the extra layers of my skin want to crawl off of my body at the thought of not being enough for him.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He stands up and shuts down his computer, then grabs his suit jacket off the back of his chair. He places his hand on the small of my back and guides me out of his office. You know the sparks and electric shocks that crawl up your body and seep into your pores when the man you love touches you? They’re not there like they always have been before. There’s nothing, no sense of affection in the way he touches me. It’s like he’s a damn robot being programmed what to do and I don’t like this strange alien feeling coming over me. In fact, I despise it.

Shutting off all of the lights except for the one in the reception waiting area, we pass the front desk where Mandy has already left for the day. Turner pulls his keys from his jacket pocket and locks up the door, and without another word he heads toward the car.

“So, tell me more about Nolan,” Turner says as he turns the radio down, speeding up as we hit the highway.

“Like I told you on the phone, he’s a mini Zack. You’re going to love him, Turner,” I gush.

“I know I will, and I can’t wait to meet him.”