Chapter 8

Zach

I barely made it through the rest of the workday.

Not that the emergency board meeting was all that stressful. We had been expecting something like this while our legal department looked into Charlie’s non-compete he signed years ago as well as the prevailing and current state law. But fuck if the day didn’t drag by after seeing Moira in her feminine lingerie, straddling my lap while trying to get my dick out so she could ride it. I had to spend most of my energy redirecting my thoughts to avoid a constant hard-on throughout the day.

Lila didn’t seem all that surprised when I left at five PM on the dot. For once, she didn’t try to hold me back to sign or review a million things I hadn’t gotten to during the day. I thought that was either very nice of her because she felt guilty I got called away from my wife—not that she had any clue what we were doing—or she was working some other angle to get at me. While I still haven’t quite figured out my very own secretary, sometimes things seem so discombobulated in my life that I can’t help but expect the very worst from her. Still, I think I’m best served by just trusting Moira’s insight that it’s probably nothing and worry about more pressing things.

Like how fast I can wolf down my dinner when I get home and pack the kids off to bed. I realized today just how boring our sex life had become when my wife, who is usually not the naughty instigator, showed up practically naked under her coat at my office. She took the time to do that… for me, for our marriage, and it made me realize… I am going to drown her in pleasure tonight and I’m going to take my fucking time doing it. In fact, so much time that I might just claim her ass when it’s all said and done.

I’m slightly thrown off when I walk into the kitchen, thinking I’ll smell the wonderful scent of my wife’s cooking and the kids already sitting at the table waiting to be fed. Instead, it’s silent, aroma free, and empty. I lay my briefcase on the counter. Still clutching the small bouquet of daisies I picked up on the way home, I walk through the formal sitting room back toward the family room.

When I walk in, I am most certainly not expecting to see whom I’m assuming is Moira’s intern, Josh, sitting on the floor with the kids. We had not met yet, but Moira has been singing his praises. I struggle to remember personal details. It vaguely hits me that he’s from Boston and is completing his doctoral thesis. I can’t remember a damn thing other than Moira telling me every night that she would not have been able to handle this job without him.

I quickly take him in.

Even though he’s sitting on the floor with Jaime sitting opposite of him, I can tell he’s tall by the way his legs are stretched out. He’s young, maybe mid-twenties, and lean. Brown hair with blond streaks running through it and very tanned. He’s sporting a full beard, which seems to be popular nowadays. Good-looking guy, but that’s not what’s setting my hackles up.

It’s that he’s on the floor, playing with my kids, who look to be having a fucking great time.

Cannon is hanging on his back, his little arms wrapped around Josh’s neck, and Jaime is trying to crawl up his front. They’re all laughing and giggling, and my stomach cramps.

“Hey,” is all I think to say as I set the flowers on the armrest of the couch. I crouch down and hold my arms out to the kids. “Daddy’s home.”

My heart almost shrivels and dies when everyone goes still and gazes at me in surprise. Cannon looks at me with vague recognition, and Jaime eyes me shyly. I almost stand up and walk back out of my own house when finally, someone comes to their senses. Jaime releases her hold on Josh’s shirt to run to me. I scoop her up, take care not to squeeze her to death, and almost sob in relief when her arms come around my neck as she screams, “Dada”.

Oh, thank fuck. At least one kid likes me still.

But then Cannon’s got his arms latched around my leg, and I shift Jaime over to one hip while I bend over and pick him up to put on the other. Josh springs up from the ground, tugging his Northwestern t-shirt down a bit, and gives me a big smile.

Perfect white teeth too.

“Hey,” he says as he sticks his hand out for me to shake. “I’m Josh.”

I give a quick shrug of my shoulders and an apologetic look—not sorry at all—and say, “Sorry… hands full. I’m Zach. Good to meet you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Josh says as he stuffs his hands in his jeans pocket. “Um… Moira’s in her office wrapping up a call. I was just watching the kids for her.”

“Bet you didn’t think that was part of the job description,” I say dryly as I stare him down.

“Oh, I don’t mind. Cannon and Jaime are great—easy kids. I have a ton of nieces and nephews, so it’s all good.”

I nod and look down the hall, desperately willing Moira to come out of her office. We converted a spare bedroom for her once she got the job with Senpace.

“She got an emergency call from her boss,” Josh explains with a nod of his head toward her office.

Thanks, Josh… figured that one out on my own.

“Well, I’ve got everything in hand if you want to head out,” I tell him with a meaningful look that says, Get the fuck out; I’ve got plans with my wife.

He gets the message loud and clear, his face flushing red. “Sure… yeah. It was nice to meet you.”

With Jaime pulling on my hair and Cannon just watching the interplay with interest, Josh grabs a backpack off the recliner and slings it over his shoulder. He turns toward the front door just as Moira walks out of her office. Her eyes see him first, and she looks confused. “I just ordered pizza. I thought you were going to stay for dinner?”

Josh slides a guilty look my way, which really raises my hackles because what the fuck does he have to look guilty about? He says, “Um… Zach’s home so I thought I’d just head out—”

Moira’s head turns my way, mollifying me somewhat when her face lights with joy at seeing me there. She strides over to me while saying to Josh over her shoulder, “Nonsense. I invited you to eat dinner with us and you’re going to stay.”

I can’t help the grimace on my face as she goes to tiptoes, hands at my waist to brush a kiss over my lips. When she pulls back, she looks me direct in the eye, her back to Josh. “I invited Josh to dinner since I kept him late to work, and then he watched the kids while I handled a call with my boss. I hope you don’t mind.”

And in her eyes, I read her message loud and clear. I had better not mind.

I paste a smile on and slide my eyes over to Josh. “Of course, I don’t mind.”

“Excellent,” Moira says as her hand comes around and pats me on the ass. “I didn’t have time to cook, so it’s Pizza Hut tonight.”

“That will work,” I say, even as I shudder.

We eat pizza so fucking much that the thought of it makes me want to puke. I’d kill for something different… homemade. Hell, even some spider monkey over an open flame would be awesome now. I know, without a doubt, that part of my resentment stems from the fact that I still have more years than not of living in a society where the women subjugated and kept the men’s bellies filled with food after a hard day’s work of hunting and protecting the tribe. While I’m now modern in my thinking and truly believe that Moira’s work is as important as mine is, I can’t help but feel disappointed that we have to order delivery because my wife is too busy to cook dinner.

Christ, I’m a fucking caveman and I hate myself for it.

I lower the kids to the ground and head down the hall to our bedroom. “I’m just going to get changed.”

I hear Moira ask Josh, “Will you watch the kids for a minute?”

My back tenses as I know that means she’s following me back, and I also know this means she senses my displeasure right now. I take a deep breath and will myself to remain calm. Now is not the time for a fight.

As I loosen my tie, I hear her step into the bedroom behind me and shut the door. She whispers so we aren’t overheard. “Is something wrong? You seem bent out of shape about something.”

Yanking my tie free, I start on my cuff links. I debate for a split second whether I give her honesty or I hold peace, either option being appropriate in my mind, but then I decide… I’ll give her simple and honest. “I just thought we’d have a nice family night. Didn’t figure on company.”

“Well, I didn’t either,” she says with a hint of fight in her tone. “I certainly didn’t expect an emergency call from my boss that would prevent me from cooking dinner, or make me ask my intern to babysit. But it happened, and I made do.”

“But did you have to invite him to stay?” I ask as I set my cufflinks on the dresser before turning to her.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she says sarcastically. “Did you have to miss my celebration dinner a few weeks ago?”

“So this is payback?” I hiss at her as I attack the buttons on my dress shirt.

“No,” she says with a horrified look on her face. “This is adjusting to circumstances. Something got in the way of our plans.”

“Something always gets in the way of our plans,” I mutter as I pull my shirt off and throw it on the floor rather than the basket for our dry cleaning. That will drive Moira nuts and was completely petty, but deep down, I know I’m in the wrong here so it’s bringing out the inner petulant child in me.

Moira snorts in disbelief and says exactly what I expect. “Well, welcome to my world, Zach. Now you know how I feel most of the time.”

And fuck… I knew that would pack a punch, leaving an empty hole in the middle of my chest that immediately fills with guilt, but I didn’t expect it to almost knock the strength from my legs. Suddenly, I feel bone tired, helpless, and out of control. I scrub both hands through my hair and turn away from my wife so she doesn’t see that bit of vulnerability.

Immediately, I feel her hands on me… lightly on my lower back and then circling around my stomach. She presses her body up against mine, soft breasts resting against my back, and I can feel her cheek touch my shoulder blade.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, and that makes me feel even guiltier.

I spin around, catch her face firmly, and bend down until we’re almost nose to nose. “Don’t. You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s being a jackass.”

“But you’re a cute jackass,” she says impishly. “And you’re my jackass.”

I can’t help it. This woman just gets me.

Gets to me.

In the best fucking way.

Chuckling, I pull her in hard, hug the breath out of her, and rest my chin on her head. “Christ… I’m sorry. All I’ve been thinking about all day is you in that green bra and panties, straddling me… getting ready to ride my cock, and I’ve been desperate to get home to be with you.”

“We’ve still got time tonight, baby,” she says soothingly.

But that’s not true. By the time the pizza gets here, we entertain our guest, and then get the kids ready for bed and down… I know without a doubt what will happen.

What happens almost every other night.

We’ll be too tired to do anything but a quick, fumbled fuck where we’ll fall into a deep, exhausted sleep immediately after.

Again.

“I’ll send Josh home,” Moira says suddenly in an attempt to give me something she can see I really need. “We’ll shove some PB&Js down the kids’ throats and lock them in their rooms. I can be naked and in the bed in about fifteen minutes.”

I can’t help it. I laugh at the thought of my wife kicking Josh out, running around like crazy all so I can do dirty things to her all night. God, I love this woman.

Shaking my head, I lean down to kiss her. “No, let’s go be good hosts to your intern. He seems nice and deserves your freshly ordered pizza, I suppose.”

“He is nice,” Moira says as she grins up at me. “You’ll like him.”

I cock a skeptical eyebrow at her. He’s young, clearly brilliant, and good looking. I’m betting he’s single. My kids like him, and he works in close proximity to my hot-as-hell wife. I don’t like him at all, but I keep that to myself.

“And besides,” Moira continues on with a mischievous sparkle. “He doesn’t have any family here, so I invited him to spend Thanksgiving dinner with us next week.”

“You did?” I ask tightly, but I maintain what I think is a jovial smile on my face. There goes another intimate family dinner.

“Yup. And I invited Lila today before I left your office,” she says with an even bigger, more mischievous grin on her face. “I think they’d make a cute couple, don’t you?”

I blink at my wife in awe. “You’re trying to set Josh and Lila up?”

“Well, I am a romantic at heart, and not everyone can have what you and I have, but we can at least help people to be somewhat happy. I think they’d really like each other.”

“You’re too much,” I tell her sincerely. “And I’m a romantic too. I left you some flowers on the couch.”

She laughs at me, eyes sparkling with love and appreciation not just from my efforts, but because I let her turn me around. I let Moira take me from my funk and annoyance, and I let her do what she does best.

Remind me what a lucky man I am.