Sophie read the words with a strange feeling of confusion.
Where was the emotion? Where were the ‘x’s he had signed off with previously? At least, she thought with a small flicker of pleasure, he would be back. Then everything would feel normal. Then, it would be fine.
Feeling like even more of a traitor to womanhood in general, she quickly mopped up her tea and then set about preparing for him. Thoughts of dinner fled from her mind completely; instead, she thought only of Alex. She wandered the garden and collected wildflowers. Frangipani, hibiscus, and the spiky bougainvillea that grew rampant over one side of his villa, all pulled together to make a bright and fragranced arrangement. She set it on his side of the bed, and then bathed in the beautiful milk and honey lotion he’d given her as part of her wedding present. She shaved her legs and moisturised them until they were soft and silky, and styled her hair into a loose bun at her nape.
She wore only a simple black dress, low cut at the front and scooped at the back, it fell to her knees with a little kick, drawing attention to her slender form.
And then, she waited. Nine o’clock came and went. Ten o’clock followed. And then eleven. It was almost midnight when Alex finally returned. Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to wait up for him, because he walked into the house silently. Sophie, from the armchair in the lounge, watched as he placed his keys on the sideboard and then ran a hand over his neck.
He looked … wonderful. And yet tired, too. He’d undone his tie and it was loose around his neck. His shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a strong column of neck and some coarse hair, which she knew ran down the middle of his taut waist, into his pants. Sophie felt her body stir instantly at the thought of his nakedness.
He stood in the hallway for a very long time. Not moving, not doing anything, except thinking.
Had something happened? Was something the matter? She ached for him in a way that she hadn’t known possible, and yet she stayed where she was. Though he was her husband, his absence had done something to her confidence. She no longer felt, as she had done only days earlier, as though she had a right to touch him.
As though he could feel her intent gaze, his eyes lifted quickly and landed on her with a sharp, searing inspection. And Sophie gasped. Her stomach was in knots; her heart was pounding into her ribs.
“Hi.” It was a strangled whisper; a plea into the night air.
He walked towards her slowly. Sophie might have even said reluctantly. And when he was close enough, she breathed in deeply and let his intoxicating fragrance soothe her nerves. Only it didn’t. Her body lurched with remembered sensations and she found herself standing on autopilot.
“Where have you been?” Her anguish was obvious in her voice. He ignored it.
“I told you. I was held up.”
His words were spoken with unmistakable coldness. She tried to ignore it, but a sense of uncertainty was haunting her.
“Did you … did you find a nanny?”
“A nanny?” He dragged his dark gaze over his wife. She looked better than he remembered and he loathed the way his body responded to her, with a shocking degree of awareness and need.
“For Eric and Helena?”
At the mention of her lover, something inside of Alex snapped. Sanity? Temper? He lifted his hands to the flimsy straps of her dress and slid them down her arms, without taking his eyes from her face.
“Yes.”
“Oh, good. I’m glad. The boys are such a handful. They’ll need help now that I’m here. With you.” She was babbling. Her dress had fallen to the floor. She was completely naked before him and he was looking at her as though for the first time.
“I’ve missed you.” She was begging him to say it back. To say something that would quell the pooling uncertainty that was filling her heart and mind.
“Let us see how much.”
“What do you mean?”
His eyes stayed on hers, and there was a faintly mocking quality to them.
“I mean, my dear, beautiful wife, that I want to fuck you until you scream this house down. And then I want to fuck you again.” His anger was a force riding high with his desire, and he enjoyed using the harsh language with her. “If you would be so kind as to undress me.”
“I …” Her eyes flashed briefly with the hurt that was in her heart but she told herself to ignore it. Hadn’t she been craving him with a desperate hunger? Now he was home, and the first thing he wanted was to make love to her. Sure, she wanted more than sex, but for the moment, sex would at least answer one of her needs.
Her fingers trembled as she unbuttoned his shirt. He watched with growing impatience as she fumbled with the buttons and then slid it from his body. When she knelt to attend to his pants, he groaned in anticipation. She was slow, but it only added fuel to the fire of his need. He undressed with an economy of movement, then put his hands down to pull her to standing.
Only she stayed at knee level, her big eyes looking up at him. Her cheeks were flushed; she was eye-height with his arousal and it was confronting.
“I … Alex …”
“Yes, Sophie?”