discarded napkin.
“Guess I fell asleep.”
“Give that man a prize!” She helped him to his feet. “Next time try a pillow instead of a pizza box, genius.”
She pushed Martin into the bathroom so he could wash his face before she went into the bedroom to undress for bed. By the time he emerged from the bathroom smelling more like soap than pizza sauce, she’d just removed her bra. Instinctively, his presence caused her to cover herself by crossing her arms across her chest.
“Don’t,” he said, as he approached her.
“You’re tired; go to bed.”
“I’m wide awake,” he said, drawing her closer to him.
They stood there looking into each other eyes. He’d forgotten how beautiful her brown, doe-like eyes were. They always made her seem more vulnerable—until now. When he tried to kiss her trembling lips, she pushed him away. Martin looked at her trying to understand her actions. Why didn’t she melt into my arms? Was it because I still reeked of beer? Was she tired, herself? Then he became very still. Or did she surmise he was having an affair? Carla interrupted his thoughts, partially giving him an answer.
“I’m tired Martin, and from the way I found you, so are you. Go to bed,” Carla said and climbed into bed facing the wall. A few minutes later, Carla felt the mattress sag as Martin got into bed. The room was quiet for the next several minutes until Martin’s rhythmic snoring broke the silence.
* * *
As Carla lie awake listening to Martin snore, she went over the previous scene with him again in her mind. Had she been a coward or had she done the right thing? Had she blown another chance to confront him and let him know she was aware of his cheating? She concentrated on Martin’s reaction to when she’d told him she was tired. He hadn’t even attempted to try and change her mind. Was that because he’d been with his lover that day? No matter how she looked at it, deep down inside she knew she played it correctly. He didn’t really want her. She was just handy. Even so, she had nearly caved. After all, it was tough passing up having sex with him for the first time in God knows how long.
Carla sighed. No, it seemed best not to let him know that she knew he was cheating just yet. That way she could hold out for the entire ball of wax and win his love back completely with no strings attached. Seriously now, how much sweeter would that be?
And yet, despite her rationale, Carla still wondered if she was doing the right thing. What if pushing Martin away had given him the wrong idea? As she lay there listening to Martin’s breathing, Richard’s image came to mind. Maybe she should talk with Richard and get his thoughts on the matter.
Richard was the first male friend she’d ever had. She truly loved being with Richard and looked forward to seeing him. And if sometimes he looked at her so intensely it made her pulse go into overdrive, she wasn’t going to make too much of it, because it made her feel good. Besides, she knew their relationship was only platonic.
* * *
Noon, the following day, Richard came out of the gym to find Carla frowning at her car door. Curious, he wondered what she was doing and walked over to her.
“Oh, hi, Richard.”
“What are you looking at?”
“My car keys.”
“Your car keys?”
“Uh-huh. You know I was looking for you.”
“Before or after you came out here?” He was becoming increasing curious about her strange behavior.
“Oh, before.”
“Enlighten me. Why are you staring at your keys? He asked finally. “Are they going to do something special?”
“Nope.”
Then why are you standing out here watching them?”
“I’m not watching them,” Carla replied.
“Then what in the world are you doing?”
“Wondering how I’m going to get into my car.”
All of a sudden a light bulb turned on and Richard saw the whole picture. “You’re locked out?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” he replied as
“Guess I fell asleep.”
“Give that man a prize!” She helped him to his feet. “Next time try a pillow instead of a pizza box, genius.”
She pushed Martin into the bathroom so he could wash his face before she went into the bedroom to undress for bed. By the time he emerged from the bathroom smelling more like soap than pizza sauce, she’d just removed her bra. Instinctively, his presence caused her to cover herself by crossing her arms across her chest.
“Don’t,” he said, as he approached her.
“You’re tired; go to bed.”
“I’m wide awake,” he said, drawing her closer to him.
They stood there looking into each other eyes. He’d forgotten how beautiful her brown, doe-like eyes were. They always made her seem more vulnerable—until now. When he tried to kiss her trembling lips, she pushed him away. Martin looked at her trying to understand her actions. Why didn’t she melt into my arms? Was it because I still reeked of beer? Was she tired, herself? Then he became very still. Or did she surmise he was having an affair? Carla interrupted his thoughts, partially giving him an answer.
“I’m tired Martin, and from the way I found you, so are you. Go to bed,” Carla said and climbed into bed facing the wall. A few minutes later, Carla felt the mattress sag as Martin got into bed. The room was quiet for the next several minutes until Martin’s rhythmic snoring broke the silence.
* * *
As Carla lie awake listening to Martin snore, she went over the previous scene with him again in her mind. Had she been a coward or had she done the right thing? Had she blown another chance to confront him and let him know she was aware of his cheating? She concentrated on Martin’s reaction to when she’d told him she was tired. He hadn’t even attempted to try and change her mind. Was that because he’d been with his lover that day? No matter how she looked at it, deep down inside she knew she played it correctly. He didn’t really want her. She was just handy. Even so, she had nearly caved. After all, it was tough passing up having sex with him for the first time in God knows how long.
Carla sighed. No, it seemed best not to let him know that she knew he was cheating just yet. That way she could hold out for the entire ball of wax and win his love back completely with no strings attached. Seriously now, how much sweeter would that be?
And yet, despite her rationale, Carla still wondered if she was doing the right thing. What if pushing Martin away had given him the wrong idea? As she lay there listening to Martin’s breathing, Richard’s image came to mind. Maybe she should talk with Richard and get his thoughts on the matter.
Richard was the first male friend she’d ever had. She truly loved being with Richard and looked forward to seeing him. And if sometimes he looked at her so intensely it made her pulse go into overdrive, she wasn’t going to make too much of it, because it made her feel good. Besides, she knew their relationship was only platonic.
* * *
Noon, the following day, Richard came out of the gym to find Carla frowning at her car door. Curious, he wondered what she was doing and walked over to her.
“Oh, hi, Richard.”
“What are you looking at?”
“My car keys.”
“Your car keys?”
“Uh-huh. You know I was looking for you.”
“Before or after you came out here?” He was becoming increasing curious about her strange behavior.
“Oh, before.”
“Enlighten me. Why are you staring at your keys? He asked finally. “Are they going to do something special?”
“Nope.”
Then why are you standing out here watching them?”
“I’m not watching them,” Carla replied.
“Then what in the world are you doing?”
“Wondering how I’m going to get into my car.”
All of a sudden a light bulb turned on and Richard saw the whole picture. “You’re locked out?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” he replied as
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