CHAPTER 20
Declan
I did a little shopping while Rayna was at work for the trip. I wanted a few casual outfits to wear, and I also bought Rayna a few things that reminded me of her. I knew that she’d complain and tell me that I was already spending enough money on her, but I had it to spend. It was nice being with someone that appreciated it, loving the flush that covered her cheeks as she smiled gratefully whenever I did something kind for her.
She was beautiful when she smiled when she was coming…anytime. I thought ahead to when we came back home and wondered what would happen. I didn’t give a shit that I was in the middle of a divorce. I wanted this woman in my life.
I returned home with the bags and put away my stuff, leaving Rayna’s in the closet in a bag. I’d surprise her later with them, maybe when she got the things that she was having shipped to my house in the next couple of days. I hoped that there were some sexy lace and silk included in it, imagining seeing her body in the outfits that I imagined in my head. I looked down at my groin, knowing that it would be hours before I’d be seeing her.
I got her something in one of the stores I came across, a black lace teddy that was going to look amazing on her.
I got some work done on the laptop for a few hours, sitting at the table in the afternoon sun. It was gorgeous out today, and I got a hold of some managers on the phone to let them know that I was taking a vacation. After the email, my cell phone rang, and I checked the screen with a laugh. “Yes, Matt?” He was one of the best local managers, and I knew just what he was going to say to me. “Declan is taking a vacation? Is the fucking world ending?”
“I’m allowed to do that, right?” I asked as he chuckled.
“Hell, yes. Where are you going?” He asked, and I told him the plans, leaving Rayna’s name out of it. “Are you going with someone?”
I paused for a moment and tried to think of what to say. “There is a girl, but I’m going to keep that on the down-low. Claire might have a shit fit.”
“Why? She cheated on you. Good for you. I hope she’s a good one since you deserve it.” He sounded happy, and I smiled.
“She is.” We chatted about work for a bit longer, going over some of the active accounts before I ended the call. I glanced at the clock, seeing that I still had a couple of hours before I needed to start dinner. I kept working, wanting to get as much in as I could before we left but I also sent her messages on her new phone throughout the afternoon. Having that freedom was great.
I decided to do tri-tip and salad for dinner, starting it in time to be close to done when she got back here. I added some sweet potatoes and popped them in the oven to cook while I did the rest. I was anxious to see Rayna, and I took a slow breath and admitted that I was falling for her. I was doing so from the very start, which had driven me to pursue her after what was supposed to be our one night together.
I didn’t know if it was a good thing. I was uncertain if the trip would be a mistake but it was what I wanted, seemingly what Rayna wanted as well. Even through her protests, I saw that she was excited about it. It showed when she spoke of it and particularly when she told me about her shopping online. She seemed to have plenty of money saved and deserved to use some of it for herself. Hell, she could use it all for herself because I was willing to take care of her as long as she would have me. I was willing to give Claire a little money to get her started on her own if she was even alone. I was a fair man, and she was my wife for a while, but she did not shape my career and assist in my earnings.
I thought about the gift that I’d purchased last with a smile. It was for the end of the trip and would come with a question if the trip went well. I wanted to see how we were together away like that, in a place where she could relax.
I was cooking outside when I heard someone call my name, looking into the house with a grin. I frowned when I saw that it wasn’t Rayna. “What are you doing here?” I asked Claire as she stumbled into the kitchen, clearly intoxicated. I didn’t get her key, thinking that she wouldn’t be back.
“I left him at a bar and took a cab here. I don’t have anywhere to go,” she mumbled as I stepped inside the house.
“Claire, you have a job. Go to a hotel,” I told her as I glanced at the clock. I had about twenty minutes before Rayna would be here. “You can’t stay here.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, impulsively throwing her arms around my neck as I stilled. “I miss you, Dec. I miss us.”
I heard the garage as I tried to push her away, wondering how I was going to get her out of here. I had to find a way out of this before Rayna got the wrong idea. “It’s not going to happen, Claire. You made your choice, and we’re over.” She looked up at me with a pout, something that would have worked once upon a time.
“Hey…” Rayna said as she walked through the door, just as I pushed Claire away from me forcefully. I looked at Rayna as she paused and took in the scene in front of her, seeming to recognize Claire. “Am I interrupting anything?”
“No,” I said curtly as Claire looked at Rayna curiously for a long moment. I knew if she found out the situation, Claire would tell everyone that she knew as well as any mutual friends. “I am going to get you a car.”
“Hello, there. I’m Claire,” my wife stepped forward, smiling a sugary sweet smile as she took Rayna in. “I didn’t know that you were seeing someone new, Declan.”
“I’m…Rachel,” Rayna said slowly as she stared at me. I saw hurt in her pretty eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose before I grabbed my phone. I made quick work of getting an Uber for Claire, not giving a fuck where she stayed tonight.
“She’s leaving,” I assured Rayna as she kept standing in the kitchen. “Come outside, Rachel.” She stared for a moment before stepping forward and following me, and all the hurt showed once we were alone. “She just came here. I forgot that she had a key. She’s barely been here.” I stepped over to the grill, checking on the meat to keep myself busy. I also didn’t want it to burn, since I was determined to have a decent dinner somehow with all of this happening.
“Are you sure?” She asked as I stared at her. “She’s your wife, Declan.” He voice lowered as she looked at the ground. “I am someone else’s wife.” Her voice was low, and I grimaced.
“I don’t want her back. She’s regretting her choice now, that’s all. She left me for a child,” I said, touching her chin to make her look at me. “The car will be here in ten minutes. I am taking the damn key from her tonight.” Rayna looked like she was going to cry and I sighed as I glanced into the kitchen to see Claire looking through the fridge. She had the wine, and I moved towards the door. “Claire, you don’t need any more alcohol.” I opened the door and yelled inside as she jerked her head up. “You are leaving, and I don’t care where you go. I just want you out of here.”
“Please forgive me,” she asked as she stared into my eyes. “Please. I messed up, Declan.” I was well aware that Rayna heard all of this and I shook my head.
“It’s over. We’re getting a divorce, and nothing will change that, Claire. Go to a hotel and sober up, figure things out for yourself.” I took the wine and set it on the counter, making sure that she didn’t open it. That wine was for dinner. “You have a great job, and you’re a good person, just not the one for me.”
“She is, though?” Her tears slid down her cheeks as I nodded, unable to lie to her.
“It would seem so,” I replied softly as I walked back out to plate the steaks as I glanced at Rayna sitting in a chair with her purse in her lap. She looked miserable, and I glanced at my phone.
Soon.
I got Claire to the car and knew that it was going to take her to a good hotel if she chose that. I sighed as I ran my hands through my hair, preparing to walk back inside. This night was a train wreck, and I had to fix that. “Ray?” I called out as I walked back into the house and looked around. She was nowhere to be found, and I looked outside to see her sitting and staring at the ground. “That was completely unexpected. She just showed up whining about her boyfriend, since she realized that he’s not a great guy. I told her that she had to leave from the start.” I knelt before her, and she looked at me with tears sliding down her cheeks. “Oh, Rayna.”
“She was in your arms.” I stared at her for a moment, not saying anything. “The way that you pushed her away when I walked in looked…bad. It looked like guilt to me.”
“I just wanted her the hell out of here. There’s nothing about Claire that I miss. I have moved on,” I assured her as I slipped my arms around her waist, resting my head in her lap as she froze. “Do you think that I would be the way that I am with you and then sleep with another woman, Rayna? Do you?”
“No, I don’t want to think that,” she said as she sniffled.
“Then don’t, because I’m in love with you. I don’t want anybody else.” I told her before I could stop myself. She gasped, and I closed my eyes as I felt her hands in my hair. “I do. I love you, Ray.”
“You shouldn’t,” she murmured as I felt her fingers against my scalp. “I’m trouble, Declan.”
“No, you are unbelievable. I am going to keep you safe from anything that you’re scared of, Ray. I won’t let him hurt you.” I stood slowly and pulled her into my arms as she sucked in her breath.
“I am scared that he’ll hurt you,” she told me as her arms slid around my neck. “He won’t let me go.”
“The fuck he won’t. You’re mine,” I growled before our lips met roughly. She gripped my hair as I pulled her hips against me, digging deeply into her skin. I wanted her. No, I needed her in a way that I’d never craved a woman before this. I lifted her just as she wrapped her legs around my waist, bringing her inside to the couch as our tongues slid together. Rayna had worn a dress to work, and I pushed her down on the cushions as I slid it up. She was crying out as I stroked her skin, drawing her underwear down and over her feet. I dropped my pants, moving in front of her on the couch before I moved my mouth between her legs. Emotion turned her on, and I lapped at the sweet juices that covered her folds as she clawed at my head. “Ray,” I moaned before diving in for more, feeling her arch against me.
She came with a scream, demanding for me to sit down once I’d pulled away. I moved to my back as she jumped over me, claiming my cock with her tight pussy. She slipped all the way over me with one movement, making us both cry out as she stayed there for a moment. It wasn’t long before she was riding me fast, rocking her body against mine as I held onto her. We came together as she kissed me, moaning against my lips. I pushed her onto her back, still hard for her as I thrust a few more time just to feel her around me.
After some time, we made our way to the kitchen, half-dressed and hungry. I heated up the meat and potatoes for us, plating it as she got the salad out of the fridge. We sat outside tonight, sipping wine and enjoying the fresh air after the wild sex. Rayna didn’t say anything as she took small, careful bites and kept looking at me as I watched her. “You knew who she was, didn’t you?” I asked to break the silence.
“Yes, I did. You have a couple of pictures left in the house and I…I looked at her Facebook. I know that she has a lot of pictures of the new guy, but the ones of you make you two look so happy. It seemed like a great life.” I watched her sigh as her shoulders slumped.
“What did we say about fucking Facebook earlier?” I asked as she looked at me. “It’s fake bullshit.”
Rayna nodded slowly. She stared at me for a moment and then licked her lips. “Did you mean it?”
“Every word. It took me by surprise because this was just supposed to be a night at a hotel with a woman. I was just going to release some demons, but then I saw you.” She blushed and smiled faintly.
“I never loved James,” she admitted as I watched her carefully. “I knew him, and I got on well with him, as friends. There was just never that attraction with him that I felt should be in a marriage, but it’s so common for families like ours. It was just known that we’d get married, and I wonder if I didn’t look for anything else because of that.” Rayna sipped her wine and seemed to think for a moment. “The moment that I kissed you, I felt something. I went into that night thinking that I’d have to force it but it was great. I have never wanted anyone like I did you that night.”
“But you never did it again?” I asked her as she shook her head.
“It was never going to be a career. I was just rebelling, I suppose. I never thought I’d find you doing that.” Her eyes clouded over and she shook her head. “I’m going to get you hurt, Dec. I’m not worth it.”
“Woman, I am going to take you to one of the most beautiful places in the world and show you just how worth it you are. If you like it there, I’ll get us a house, and you’ll never have to come home. I’ll give you the world, Rayna.” I reached across the table and took her hand, stroking it gently.
“You’re too nice to me, Declan.” Her eyes filled with tears and I stared at her as she wiped at them.
“You’re a wonderful woman,” I assured her as I stood to take the plates inside, smiling as she followed me to help wash them as she always did.
“I can’t believe that we’re leaving in two days,” Rayna told me in a hushed voice as we worked together, making me smile. “I’ve never looked so forward to traveling before.”
“I can say the same,” I told her as she glanced over at me.
“You’ve had such a life, Declan. I’m sure you’ve traveled the world,” she spoke in a disbelieving tone and shook her head. “You’ve been to this place before?”
“I had with a girlfriend years ago, but it wasn’t like this. I’m looking forward to this time with you, where we can just be us.”
“I am, too.” We finished the dishes and made our way to the bedroom, stripping down to shower together before we dried off and crawled into bed. I held her close, kissing her damp hair as she snuggled close to me. I wondered if I should have told her that I loved her now since it slipped out in the heat of the moment.