AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She smiles, “We’ll see.”
The rest of the week, I managed to avoid Alicia though she tried her best to corner me alone. Lana was patient when a few snags at Eltech took place, and I needed to spend time on my cell and laptop, trying to work them out. One conversation with her father ruffled my feathers. He warned me that she was fragile, and I should be careful not to play with her emotions. I assured him that I would not, and I was enjoying her company.
Each night, Lana would slip through the connecting closet door to join me in bed. There were nights we made love all night and others where I just held her. She especially liked to open the slider to the balcony and listen to the waves crashing against the shore while we dozed. I know we could have been caught, but I wanted her to be happy. I promised her that one day we would rent our own place so we could stay in bed naked all day.
Chapter 5
Our vacation in the Hamptons was weeks ago, and the summer is giving way to the cooler days of September. Lana and I have slipped into a routine of domesticity. We spend most nights and weekends at my place, even though her apartment is very nice but not as large. Paige got her place, so it was just us.
In the mornings, we take turns making each other breakfast and at night dinner, though sometimes I come home hours after she’s cooked. I know that Lana gets upset with me, and I’ve explained that I’m building a company. Her complaint lately has been that I spend more time at Eltech than I do with her. She might be right, but I have a company to look after.
Orders have been pouring in for our new game offering. I think we might be able to finally turn a large profit this upcoming quarter. But Lana doesn’t care about that; she only cares that I’m slipping away to the mistress that is Eltech. I know at times I take her for granted, always expecting her to be there. As far as I’m concerned, she’s the one. I want her to be my wife.
Strangely, neither of us has verbalized our love for each other. I do love her, and I have for many weeks now. I should tell her, and I want to hear it from Lana. Decidedly, I should say it tonight because it’s almost ten and I’m on my way home. She’s been waiting for me for hours, and I was so busy that I ignored her texts. I hope our evening doesn’t bloom into a full-blown argument.
When I walk in the door, Lana is sleeping on the couch with the television on, her hand wrapped around the remote. I remove it and stand there, gazing at her. She’s perfect and just the way I love her, face scrubbed clean of makeup and in a casual outfit of sweatpants and one of my t-shirts.
Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles at me, then it fades as quickly as it came.
“Finally home?” her voice like ice.
“I’m sorry. I know I keep saying that, but it’s an important time for Eltech.”
“I keep hearing that over and over. When is it our time?”
“Lana, you’re very important to me.”
She gets up and slips past me, heading for the master bath to brush her teeth. I undress, and I’m in my boxers when she comes out. I don’t get as much as a glance, which means she really is pissed at me. Our lovemaking has decreased along with the increase of my work hours. It has nothing to do with desire. I want her all the time. Our chemistry is off.
“Are you going to be angry with me all night?”
She wheels around, “What all night Zane? It’s bedtime. There is no more night. I have a job, too, and I need my rest.”
“You can survive on two hours of sleep; you have before.”
“I’m tired; I want to sleep.”
“We haven’t made love in almost a week.”
“Whose fault is that? Not mine. I’m not the one walking in the door at almost eleven.”
I rake my hands through my hair. I’ve been thinking about her all day, and it might be selfish, but I need her.
“Lana, tell me how to fix this.”
She slips under the covers with her back to me. I sit on the bed next to her and stroke her hair; she flinches away.
“Leave me, Zane. Go to sleep.”
“Is this the end of us?”
“Maybe,” she whispers.
“It can’t be. Please look at me.”
She turns, and I can see tears welling in her eyes, “Tell me what I can do.”
“Nothing. You can’t change who you are. You’re a workaholic, and you just can’t stop. You said it yourself; your company is doing fine now. Why can’t you hire some more people to take care of things?”
