Secrets in Suburbia Read online

  He huffs in indignation, “What makes you think that I’m going to be paying for you to live in this house while I have to find somewhere else? It was my hard work that made it possible for us to buy this house!” He roars, “Your measly salary would only get you a little box of an apartment!”

  “Oh Rich,” I laugh, “You seem to forget who left a lucrative career, and my whole family, to make sure you could take this job. I gave up so much for you! I made it possible for you to get where you’re at! And you,” my voice breaks,” you just throw me away like a piece of trash. I was a damn good wife to you. I didn’t deserve this.”

  I reach deep down into the pool of anger sitting like a viscous acid in my stomach. I draw from it to bolster me for what I needed to say next. “None of that matters. What matters is that I currently have proof of everything you’ve done. I could easily take this proof and ruin your career,” I threaten.

  “Y-you wouldn’t do that to me,” he tries to make it a statement, but it comes out as more of a question. “You don’t have an evil bone in your body.”

  “That was before,” the venom in my voice making him drop his eyes in submission.

  “I know I broke us. I know you hate me right now…”

  I interrupt, “Hate is not how I feel. I’m hurt and angry, but I don’t hate you.”

  “I just… I just need you to find it in your heart to do me a favor. I’ll get out of the house and I’ll keep paying the bills here so you can stay until we figure out how to divide everything. But I need you to help me.” He hesitates as if trying to find the right words, “I have to keep up appearances at my job. You know my boss is a traditional old fart and this could all ruin my chances of a promotion if it gets out.”

  “Just spit it out Rich,” I think I know where he’s going, but I’m going to make him ask.

  “Can we pretend that we are a happy couple for the company event?” He pleads, “Please, I know I don’t deserve this favor, but I’m begging you to find it in your heart to do this one last thing for me.”

  I want to say no. I want to tell him to bring Todd or Lydia, but I find that little piece of me that used to love this man and find myself saying, “Alright. Email me the details.” He pays the bills for the house and all I have to do in return is be arm candy. I suppose there are worse things in life than being an escort to the man I used to love.

  Chapter 18

  The weather has turned cooler, giving relief from the hot, humid Georgia summer. The trees have turned from green to various shades of oranges, reds, and yellows. Fall has arrived in my little suburban paradise, and with it comes my turn to host a community event, the late October colors giving the perfect backdrop.

  Victoria was nice enough to allow me to have a simple barbeque. “I wouldn’t want to give you too much stress for your first event, given your current circumstances.” I just barely restrain myself from a nasty retort.

  I haven’t spoken to Rich since the night of his company event. I did my part of acting like the perfect little wife and he’s kept up his end of making sure I have enough money in my account to cover all of my expenses. He did get the promotion to partner, which was a surprise to me. It was also a surprise when he put a little, well a lot of actually, extra money in my account. He said it was a bonus for charming all his coworkers and, most importantly, his boss. “For Services Rendered’ is what the deposit memo had said, and I had laughed at the implication of being an escort.

  Though we haven’t spoken, our lawyers have regular communication. He’s fighting to keep his savings and retirement accounts. Stuart did find that Rich didn’t become a silent partner in La Petite Mort but is in fact a member there. I believe he’s been staying there while our lawyers battle it out. I have a feeling we won’t be coming to an agreement and will be bringing it in front of a judge.

  Elena and Robert are helping me set up for my barbeque, Robert volunteering to man the grill for me. I’m grateful for his offer and thank him profusely. He responds, “It’s the least I can do for you. You’ve helped Elena to become herself. I’ve never seen her so happy and sure of herself.”

  “She always had it in her, she just needed to get away from those who were bringing her down,” I nod my head in the direction of Victoria’s house. “She’s honestly the best friend I have ever had. You are a very lucky guy.”

  “Don’t I know it.” He tips his head and starts opening the box for the new grill I had to purchase. I was going to put it together, but Jake insisted that he would take care of it for me.

  Speaking of Jake, I hear the gate open in the fence between our houses. He struts in, looking like a hot lumberjack in his flannel shirt and tight jeans, a small toolbox in his hands. “Let’s get the tablecloths on,” Elena interrupts my ogling. I really need to be more careful.

  “Victoria says she’ll be over in an hour or so to help out. Her and Rachel are finishing cutting up a tray of fruits,” Jake says with an eye roll as we stop to chat. We both know that cutting fruit is not the only thing those two are doing.

  “Thank you for coming over to put the grill together. I really appreciate all the help you, Stuart, and Robert have given me since Rich left.”

  I was planning on hiring people to take care of any maintenance that I don’t have the skill or desire to do, but the guys have insisted on doing almost everything for me. Jake changed all the locks. Rich leaving was the perfect excuse for me to have only one extra set of keys, which I gave to Elena. No more worries of Victoria or Rachel entering my house while I’m gone or walking in on an indecent moment.

  That’s not all they have done. I was out front using the push lawn mower when Robert came running over, insisting on finishing it for me. One of them, and I’m not sure which, has even been pulling my garbage cans out to the street each week. I’ve tried to tell them that I can do these things, and had been doing them even when Rich was around, but they are the chivalrous men that feel the need to rescue me, the damsel in distress. It’s annoying and endearing all at the same time.

  “I’m happy to help…” his voice changing to a soft whisper that only I can hear, he adds “I like to take care of you, Samantha.” He gives me a wink and struts off to help Robert, who was looking perplexed at the instructions in his hands.

  I mentally slap myself to keep my eyes away from that tight ass I know is on full display. We must be very careful around others. Stuart is the only one that knows, but he doesn’t approve so I don’t like to rub it in his face.

  Even though the air is cooler, I’ve worked up a sweat running back and forth getting everything ready. Elena and I take a break, sitting on the deck, drinking some iced tea. I think we are both too tired to talk. My mind drifts off to the last time Jake and I were able to be alone for a few hours.

  He rips my clothes off between passionate kisses. Lifting my naked body, he sets me on the dining room table, pushing my legs open. Leaning back to take in my core, laid bare before him, he licks his lips. I clench, thinking of how good his mouth would feel.

  “I haven’t done this in a long time,” he admits, “I might be a little rusty.”

  “It’s okay big guy,” my voice husky from need, “ I don’t know that I can hold back if you lick me.”

  Hesitantly, his large tongue touches my nub, moving down to my opening. My moans encourage him to do it again. “You taste so good,” he murmurs before swirling his tongue up and down my folds and around my nub, making me cry out in pleasure.

  I’m soaking wet, writhing on the dining room table, when he slowly slides in one long thick finger, my pussy clenching around it, “Fuck that feels so good, Jake. Please don’t stop,” I beg.

  My body trembles, the feeling of his mouth and his fingers too much...

  A loud yawn pulls me out of my memory. I look over at the culprit. Elena looks a little pale, and she’s absently rubbing her stomach while staring off into space. “Are you feeling alright, Elena?”

  “What? Oh, yeah, I’m just feeling a bit tired. My stomac
h has been upset for days. It usually gets better in the afternoon though. I must have overdone it today,” she brushes my concern off. “With my diet, I wouldn’t be surprised if I have an ulcer. I’ll make an appointment to check in with the doctor this week if it doesn’t get better by Monday.”

  I offer to get her some water or some peppermint tea, but she declines, “I think I just need to rest here and drink for a bit.”

  My brain is a little slow to put the pieces together, but I finally do. “Elena, are you late?”

  She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, “Samantha, I’m sitting right here, and the barbeque hasn’t started yet. Of course I’m not late, silly.”

  Her laugh cuts off with my next statement, “No I mean your time of the month. Aunt Flow, your period… Is it late?”

  Her brow furrows and it takes her a moment to answer, “You know, now that you mention it, I think I might be late. When me and Robert went to that concert, we couldn’t have sex because it was my time. That was…” her rambling changes to shock. “Oh my god! That was eight weeks ago!”

  “I do have tests up in my bathroom if you want to check,” I offer.

  “Yes!” She jumps up and races for the door, only stopping when I shout the location of the pregnancy tests to her.

  My excitement for her is ruined by the next voice I hear. “Samantha, we need to talk. Privately.” Oh, shit. The last thing I want to do right now is have a private talk with Victoria.

  We move to a private area of the yard. I see Jake out of the corner of my eyes shooting me a look of question. I shrug in response, acting like it’s no big deal when inside I’m panicking. What do I say if she asks about me and Jake? Fuck, he’s stuck with her for some secret complicated reason, and I wouldn’t hurt him by admitting to it. Deny! That’s my brilliant plan.

  “I’ve noticed that Elena has been changing since she started spending so much time with you.” This is the first time I’ve seen Victoria lose her normally composed face, her eyes shooting daggers in my direction, a scowl on her face. “The changes have not been good. She has fallen away from our teachings.”

  I do a bit of a happy dance in my head because Elena is the one subject between Victoria and I that I have no problems fighting for. “Well, she seems to be very happy. Robert is also happy with her changes. Isn’t that all that matters?” I narrow my eyes at her.

  “This isn’t about happiness,” she snaps, “this is about her duty to God. We all made vows to be God’s children, following his word.”

  “I think it is her decision of what rules she wants to follow. She is an adult, after all,” I retort.

  Victoria shakes her head at me, her voice increasing in volume, “I realize that you do not know about our religion and ways. Therefore, I will forgive you for your uninformed opinion. But let me make this very clear to you, Samantha. I will not allow you to ruin Elena. I will not allow a person, who can’t even keep her sacred vows of marriage, to lead my dear sister astray. This is her soul at stake.”

  Anger burns through me. I can’t believe she has the balls to stand here and blame me for my husband’s infidelity. “Her soul?” I laugh wickedly, “I don’t believe it’s her soul you should be worried about Victoria.”

  She starts to speak, but I cut her off, whisper shouting, “You are the biggest hypocrite I have ever met. You stand here, in my yard, and have the nerve to spout out bullshit about Elena not following your religious beliefs, when you yourself are breaking them!”

  “I think you must be mistaken, Samantha,” she replies icily. “I may have left my home, but I follow the word of God. I’ve kept my vows.”

  I snicker, “Really? Because last time I checked, your religion doesn’t allow lesbian relationships or infidelity.”

  Victoria flinches, but recovers quickly, “You must be mistaken, Samantha. I have done no such thing.”

  “I know, Victoria. I know about you and Rachel.”

  She shakes her head, trying to deny it, but I won’t let her off that easily. “You came up with a plan, dragging Elena away from her family, so that you and Rachel could be together. You both conned two innocent men into marrying you, knowing that you would never love them or be intimate with them the way you are with Rachel.”

  I shake my head. “You lie to two dedicated husbands, and the woman that is supposed to be like a sister to you, yet you stand here and accuse me of being a bad influence?” Waving my hand up and down I continue, “This whole pious woman thing you have going on is just an act. And the ones who suffer from it are the ones that you are supposed to take care of.”

  “It’s not like that,” she protests.

  “Look, I know you love Rachel. I’m not judging either of you for being gay. You love who you love. What I am judging you for is that you pulled so many people into your web and ruined their lives.” Hell, who am I to judge considering I’m sleeping with her husband.

  I turn to walk away, but stop as she pleads to my retreating form, “Please don’t tell anyone. It will destroy them. If you care for any of them, half as much as you say you do, you won’t share what you know.”

  I turn and look her directly in the eyes, “It’s not my secret to tell. But I do think that you should at least tell Elena. She deserves that much.”

  A small amount of pity accompanies the anger I feel towards her as I walk away, hearing her quiet sobs. My life before moving here was never this full of emotional turmoil.

  Chapter 19

  “Sweet baby Jesus!” Elena’s squeals of excitement pull me out of the dark mood that Victoria had put me in. “Robert!” she screeches even though he’s only a few feet away from her, “You’re going to be a daddy! I’m going to be a mommy! We’re pregnant!”

  I’m pretty sure the first line was clear enough for her husband to figure it out, but that’s our Elena, her excitement contagious. I watch them with longing as they embrace, tears of joy streaming down both of their faces.

  I dare to catch a look at Jake, standing nearby watching as I do. Though he has a huge grin on his face, I can see the sadness in his eyes. Like me, he yearns for children, as I found out during our many nights cuddling. I know that he and Victoria had gone through infertility treatments with no success. They had discussed adopting, but Victoria was hesitant. She kept telling him “It’s not the right time.”

  I allowed myself to get lost in a fantasy of Jake and I having a child together. With his rugged good looks, my blonde hair, and his milk chocolate eyes. I don’t know why I was torturing myself this way. It wasn’t in the cards for Jake and I to be together. I know this is just because I’m lonely, soon to be divorced, and my future is uncertain. I really do.

  But Jake is the constant in my life that keeps me from slipping into depression. We are friends with benefits, and I must build that wall between us before I get too emotionally invested. I think it’s time that I start looking into the dating scene. I bet Elena would love to help me create a profile and pick out men.

  The thought of her swiping right and left makes me giggle. I could see her getting addicted to doing that for me. I’m just a little scared of which guys she would swipe right.

  ∞∞∞

  The barbeque is in full swing and I’ve managed to avoid Jake, Victoria, and Rachel so far. I haven’t been lacking in conversation with so many people stopping me to chat while I’m trying to keep the plates of food and pitchers of drinks full, and at the right temperature. I haven’t hosted a get together in a long time. Not since Rich and I left Chicago, leaving our family get-togethers behind. I had forgotten how much work it is.

  I need a break from the guests. I think I’ve heard one too many “I’m so sorry to hear about you and Rich.” It’s a good time to go in the kitchen and make some more sweet tea. I can see outside from the island sink as I fill up the jug with water. Stuart is off talking with Old Elmer, seeming to be keeping his distance from his wife. Victoria and Jake are standing together, Rachel pretty much right up Victoria’s ass. The former are playi
ng the perfect couple, Jake’s arm wrapped around Victoria’s waist, fake smiles plastered on.

  “Shit!” The feeling of cold water on my hand alerts me to the fact that I let the water overflow. I grab the handle and turn it off, only it doesn’t turn off. My hand comes away with the knob and water is still flowing. “Fuck!”

  I have no choice. I walk up to the group, holding up the knob that should be on my sink and ask, “I don’t suppose anyone knows how to fix this or the name of a plumber that can make an emergency call? I’ve got water running out of my faucet.”

  “I can take a look at it and I’m sure I can fix it for you, Samantha,” Jake offers without hesitation. Yes, I’m setting up that dating account asap because just the sound of his voice makes me wet. “It’s a good thing my tools are still here,” he chuckles.

  “That would be great, Jake. Thank you so much!” I catch sight of Rachel’s eye roll and wonder if she will ever get over her jealousy of me. Then I wonder if I’ll ever get over my jealousy of Victoria.

  Feeling a wee bit naughty, I usher Jake in ahead of me, clicking the lock on the door behind me. If he hears it, he doesn’t question it, instead setting out tools on the counter to work. “I hate these events,” he sighs, “I’m so tired of acting like my wife is perfect and I’m the good husband on her arm.”

  “I can think of something that will help your mood.” I check to make sure no one is looking this way before dropping to my knees. “You just keep working on that knob and I’ll work on the knob I know how to fix.”

  “You are so bad Samantha,” his voice smooth and rich, teasing me. “It might take me longer to fix this if I can’t concentrate.”

  “That just prolongs your pleasure,” I purr as I undo his jeans and pull out his cock, slipping it into my mouth.

  He stops what he is doing, pleasure overriding his senses. I pull him out of my mouth and give his ass a playful slap, “Get back to work big guy.”

  I know that to anyone looking in, they will only see Jake bent over the sink. His face scrunched up in pleasure easily mistaken for concentration from afar. They can’t hear the grunts and groans that I can hear as I slide his shaft in and out of my mouth. I grip his cock with one hand, gripping hard and sliding it in time with my mouth as I use the other hand to rub my slick folds.