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I don’t respond. What’s taking Marley so long to come back? I need a distraction. As if on cue, she reappears and takes her seat next to mine right after Gabe returns to his in a tiff.
“What took you so long?” I ask.
Not fazed by my snippy voice, she takes a sip of her champagne. “There was a big line.”
Her thigh brushes against mine and I shift in my seat. Gabe remains silent, giving me a look that could kill.
The emcee bellows, “And now let’s all give a warm welcome to Ned Sinclair, the co-founder and CEO of IMAGE, this year’s recipient of the Agency of the Year Award.”
Loud applause and cheers.
I rise, but feel myself sinking.
Winning is everything, so why do I feel like such a loser?
THIRTY-FIVE
NED
Marley and I get back to the house before midnight. The entire car ride I kept my hands gripped on the wheel and my eyes on the road. And put some music on so I didn’t have to converse with her. I’m making it sound like it was easy, but it wasn’t. Not with her sitting right next to me in that sexy dress with its thigh-high slit that was begging me to slide a hand under it. It was hard. Very, very hard.
After parking my Maserati in one of the detached garages, I escort a tipsy Marley to the house. Still no words bounce between us until she almost takes a spill in those strappy high heels. My reflexes fast, I catch her in my arms. While the overcast night is cool, the heat of her singes my skin right through my attire.
“Thanks, Ned,” she says, recovering her balance. “That was a close one.”
“Yeah. Hold my hand.”
Wordlessly, she laces her fingers with mine, and I usher her into the house. I flick on the entry hall light, keeping it dim, and close the front door behind me. I’m at an awkward loss for words.
I turn to face her and she takes my other hand so that she’s holding both of them in hers. Her eyes level with mine, we’re about a palm’s width apart. So close, I can feel her warm breath on my face and smell her intoxicating lilac scent. It’s an aphrodisiac and I long for her in the worst way. I want her so badly I can feel my pants strain. Her eyes holding mine, she softly says, “Thanks, Ned, for an incredible evening.”
“Yeah. Thanks for coming.” Overcome with desire, I draw her closer to me, her lips so close I can taste them, when a familiar voice seeps into my ears.
“Ned, is that you?”
Ava.
I immediately pull away before all the lights go on, hoping she didn’t see anything. Keeping my distance from Marley, I turn to face my wife.
“S-sweetheart, what are you doing up?”
“And what are you doing with my baby carrier?” snaps Marley before Ava can answer.
Ava beams. “I’m carrying my baby. What does it look like? I had an incredible evening,” my wife continues, describing it the same way as Marley. “Not only did I get strength back, but my milk came in!”
Marley’s eyes look like they’re going to pop out of her head. “What?”
“Yes, it came in and I was able to nurse Isa. Twice! It was the most amazing experience. She couldn’t get enough of me.” My wife looks down at Isa tucked in the carrier. Our child flaps her tiny feet, making me think she’s awake. “And I burped her!”
I feel the tension in the room. The last thing I want is a fight.
“Ned, I’m going to put Isa back in her crib and then call it a night.” My wife looks again at Marley. “Oh, and by the way, I was able to express a bottle of breast milk. I’ve left it for you in her room.”
Completely sobered up, Marley narrows her eyes at Ava and folds her bare arms across her chest. “Ava, are you trying to say you won’t be needing me anymore?”
Without another word, Ava does an about-face and heads toward the nursery, walking more quickly and steadily than I’ve seen her walk in ages.
Smoldering, her arms still folded across her chest, Marley holds me fierce in her gaze. “Ned, I’m not going to let her undermine me. I don’t want to leave Isa.” Her expression softens. “And I don’t want to leave you.”
