you answered your phone. What the hell is going on up there?”

“Wha…what do you mean?”

“Well, I just spoke with Tim and something was off. I figured since you’re there you can give me the real deal. Anything happen I should know about?”

Tasha hesitated, “No. Not that I’m aware of.” What was she going to say? I just made love to your husband and it was the best sex of my life? Oh and by the way, let’s schedule a spa day for next Friday.

“Hmm…well. Keep an eye out for me. He’s been acting differently. Anyway, I’m quitting my job? I’m really going to do it.”

Tasha swallowed hard and forced her voice to sound normal, “Wow. Seriously? That’s…That’s almost unbelievable.” Tasha looked up at Tim, “We haven’t really talked much today.”

“Well, I’m trying to line things up now. I’m thinking after the New Year. I’m not an idiot. I know my marriage is in trouble and I need to do something drastic to try and save it. So, if he wants those children…in a year or so, we’ll have them.”

Sabrina’s words broke her. It felt like a knife went straight to her heart.

“Hey, I’ve got another call coming through that I’ve got to take. But, call me if you find out anything. I know something more than usual is up with him.”

Tasha had to clear her voice a couple of time before she could speak because her throat was tight.

“You’re alright, Tasha?”

“Yeah…I must be catching a cold or something.” Tasha hadn’t realized the free-flow of tears had been rolling down her cheeks. “Right…okay. Talk to you tomorrow.”

The anguish on her face was unbearable. He had to make things right as soon as possible.

“We can fix this. I promise it’ll happen sooner rather than later.” When he tried to wrap his arms around her, Tasha pushed him away, got up off of the sofa and walked toward her bedroom, “There’s no fixing this.”

This situation was a mess and one he planned to straighten out very soon. He’d had a piece of heaven and there was nothing and nobody that would keep him from having all of it.

Chapter 30

It was a long and quiet drive back from Michigan. He was drained. Tasha did her best to keep her distance, barely speaking for the rest of the weekend.

When he dropped her off at her apartment, she called herself trying to make it clear that there could be nothing between them.

He’d been waiting for the speech and could see her trying to work it out in her mind the entire ride home.She waited until they’d pulled up in front of her place. Obviously, she didn’t want to give him time to try and convince her she was wrong.

Speaking softly and looking down at her hands, “Tim…”

The second his name rolled off of her lips, he braced himself, here it comes. He put the car in park, “Yes.”

Tasha fidgeted in her seat, “I…” She started then stopped. Nervously, she chewed the bottom of her lip before starting again, “This…weekend…what we did…”

There was no way he was going to make this easy for her, “What we did this weekend? You mean when we made love?”

Her eyes pleaded with him, “Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

Tim rolled his head back and forth then from side to side. He was all prepared to convince her that they belonged together and to give them a chance, until he saw her face. Instead, he made the decision to let her speak uninterrupted.

He thought to himself…deep breaths Tim, “I can only do my best.”

Tasha nodded, “You told me that you knew Sabrina was the one on your very first date. I know at some point you loved her. Yesterday, she told me that she’s prepared to quit her job and start a family with you. She loves you. I think, if you and Sabrina could get rid of all the distractions…you could find your way back to each other. I won’t be…a…distraction.”

A distraction, is that what she really thought she was to him? Even after he told her that he loved her? “You’ve always been more than a distraction. You know that.”

He’d never been in love with Sabrina. He was in lust. It wasn’t until after he started to spend unvarnished quality time with Tasha that he realized…what he thought he wanted not only wasn’t what he wanted but wasn’t what he needed either.

Screw being honorable and noble, he’d heard enough. That’s when he reached out and pulled her close. Expecting her to resist, she came easily. He kissed her. When their lips connected it was like magic, as if nothing else existed but them.

If this was going to be Tasha’s last kiss…she wanted to put everything she had into it. Her arms snaked around his neck. There was a mixture of hunger, frustration, anger, and love in their kiss.

Why couldn’t things be different? She let the kiss go on longer than it should. Tasha ended the kiss when it turned from being a goodbye kiss to raw need.

They were both breathing heavy, “Tim…I can’t do this. I won’t do this.”

Tim had no intention of the kiss going that far but when he touched her, he lost control. He touched his forehead to hers, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about the pain you’re going through but I’m not sorry about anything that happened between us. I’ll give you some time but I won’t let you go.”

She pushed him away, “Stop! Just stop. Don’t you know this is killing me? There is no way this could ever work! If I choose you, it’ll be the worst betrayal a woman can make.” Tasha had never cried

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