The Love Affair

Chapter Ten

I could have collapsed onto the floor.

"Oh, Shane. I didn't expect to---"

"Yeah, your wonderful  wife here had just made me some breakfast after I secured the leak on that  kitchen tap of yours. You should really get it checked out," Shane politely interjected, thankfully dressed and not naked. Not that I could complain, my inner voice sneered. It seemed to work as Nick relaxed, thanking Shane in the process as he removed his beige suit jacket and threw it over the stair banister.

"Oh, well, cheers for that, Shane. I appreciate that. Hun, when did the tap start leaking? If it was last night, you could have called me," Nick said to me, his hands on his hips as he weakly smiled. "Good job we've got that insurance out. I should probably go call the plumber, shouldn't I?"

"I didn't want to worry you, babe. You've had a lot of stress with work lately and besides Shane was able to assist." My eyes naturally flickered over to Shane's. I bit down on my bottom lip wondering if he knew he'd helped more  than plenty  last night.

"Well, next time. Just call me. Thanks though, Shane. Do you want me to pay—"

Shane held his hands up in surrender. "No, that won't be necessary. Your wife was  more than enough company. I should be going. I have some errands to run and I need to head into the office to double check bits and bobs," he replied coolly, that lustful glint passing me as he headed for the front door. Those subtle hints were a dangerous game I thought watching as Nick waved him off, blatantly oblivious to the sexual tension between myself and Shane.

But, fuck. It had actually happened. I had slept with my neighbour. It took me literally a week. Did I have no patience, no morals, my mind sneaked in. Yes, I scolded inside to myself. I knew it was wrong. I had problematically caused a dilemma. It was like the wedding band was burning against my finger, reminding me that I had broken the eternal circle. I had destroyed the trust, the loyalty in a night.

"So, hun. You didn't message back last night," Nick piped up, his back facing me as he grabbed a mug out the above cupboard. I leaned myself on the opposite counter cuddling my arms as I juggled the wild images of skin on skin, my name slipping from Shane's mouth and the intense sensation it had given me. I was trying  my hardest.

"Sorry, I fell asleep. How was it anyway? Did you sort out the problem in the end?" I probed him with questions hoping to divert his attention. It seemed believable as he didn't question me any further. Besides, what could he suspect? His wife having  an affair?

"Yeah, we sorted it. Turns out it was some glitch within the system. The money's still there. We were up for ages. Honestly, babe, I hated sleeping alone at that hotel when I knew my beautiful wife was alone in bed waiting for me," he replied, embracing me into his arms and then kissing my swollen lips. If only he knew where these lips had been, I shamefully thought. "So, did you manage any more writing?" he added, pulling away as he headed for the kettle that had clicked.

The document. Shit. I swallowed thinking back to how I'd managed some, how I managed to write near enough a goddamn paragraph adding to that resemblance of my current situation. The guilt ran through my fingers and toes as I heard Nick blabber on in the background complimenting my talent and joking again to his part to play.

"So, what's it about?" he asked eagerly, stirring the teaspoon around the rim of the mug.

"Oh, you know. The usual. It's not---"

"Want me to take a look? I'll give you some feedback. I'm free for the rest of the day," he suggested, his broadening smile making me feel more uneasy. Maybe, it was only starting to hit me now? I had cheated on my husband with another man. A man who wasn't Nick. I had committed a crime. Not literally. But it felt like one. I had literally sent our marriage to execution. There was no way coming back from this. Maybe, I needed to just tell him. Come clean. Shit. So, many thoughts were orbiting around my mind that I had forgotten Nick was there for a second.