Changing Course (17 page)

"You are absolutely, one hundred percent, not allowed to get any better at sucking my dick." Her cheeks flash pink and her eyes widen at my dirty words. I purposely try to poke the beast a little more. I love seeing her mad. It's adorable and a little terrifying too. But most importantly, it's sexy as hell.

"Gorgeous, you've had me in your mouth once. I'm already half tempted to quit my job and lock us both in this apartment for the rest of our lives. We can survive solely on protein shakes, beer, and Chinese takeout. So no, you are not allowed to get any better. If you do, it might convince the other half of my brain to follow through with that ridiculous plan."

I pause walking over pulling the dress she was holding in front of her out of her hand. "I'm honestly a little afraid for you Jess. If your mouth was any preview of how it's going to be when I get inside of you, there is a very good chance you may never see the light of day again."

I reach down dipping my finger into the top of her bra brushing against her nipple. "Did you want me to come in your mouth?" I look down to find, just as I hoped, all anger and embarrassment erased from her face. All that's left is pure heated desire.

When she doesn't answer me, I take it one step further pushing a hand into her panties. "Did you, babe?" I ask again and push the tip of my finger inside her. She lets out a loud gasp reaching forward using my biceps to balance. Leaning her head against my chest, she nods.

"Jesse, you have to stop worrying so much. I like you, and I enjoyed the hell out of everything you did tonight." I wrap my free hand around cupping her perfect ass. "I loved everything about what happened in that bed. Have a little faith that I'll be honest with you. If I don't like something, you'll know right away. However, I want you to be comfortable enough to try. Okay?" Again she only nods.

"Now, I want to get you naked and try all of that again, just to make sure we both enjoyed it as much as we think we did. Purely for research purposes. For the betterment of science." She lets out the most amazing giggle. I swear I can feel it in my soul.

It really should terrify me. If I was a smarter man, this would have been the moment I realized things were moving entirely too fast. I would have put some space between us, backed up, and recognized I was getting in too deep. It's been two dates. My soul isn't supposed to be anywhere near this yet. However, I'm not a smart man, so I suck in a deep breath and revel in feeling something again for the first time in over four years.

Brett

W
HEN THURSDAY
night rolled around, I was in no mood to go visit Sarah. Things had been getting worse with her recently. She's hated me for a long time. I like to think that I have gotten used to that over the years, but every time I see her it still burns. When I look into her eyes, I can still see the wild and crazy woman hiding underneath her sad, broken exterior. She is only a shadow of the woman I used to love. She's lost too much weight over the years, and for a woman who used to love shopping, she is almost always wearing yoga pants and t-shirts these days.

Two years ago, Sarah cut off all her beautiful blonde hair and dyed it red. I'm not talking just any color red either. She dyed it a shade of red that is not found naturally...anywhere. It's definitely not like Manda's deep vibrant shade of wine. Sarah's hair is the color of a fire engine. Ronald McDonald would probably sue for trademark infringement.

The first time I saw her new hair, I picked up a vase that was sitting on her kitchen counter and shattered it against her living room wall. I turned and immediately walked out, slamming the front door and causing a nearby picture frames to fall to the floor. I had already lost her mentally, but that was the first time I didn't recognize her physically.

I mourned her loss all over again that night. I stayed up for hours alternating between drinking beer, breaking things, and punching holes in my walls. It killed me, and not because I'm one of those superficial assholes that cares when my woman cuts or colors her hair. It was just one more thing about Sarah that was lost to me.

"Wow, is it Thursday again already?" Sarah asks, pulling the door open.

"Yep." I walk in carrying take out gyros. Her favorite.

"Did you get extra Z sauce and feta?"

"Don't I always?"

"Whatever." She walks to the kitchen, pulling two beers out of the fridge.

"What have you been up to since the last time I was graced with your presence?" She asks, but I know she doesn't care. It's a common courtesy she offers every week. She tunes out the moment I open my mouth to respond.

"We need to talk." I say while moving to sit down on the couch.

“This should be good. What did I do wrong this time?"

"Don't start with the attitude, Sarah."

"If you don't want my attitude, don't come over anymore."

"Do you ever get sick of being pissy all the time?"

"Nope! Do you ever get sick of hanging out where you're not wanted?" I shake my head and sigh. I'm exhausted from this back and forth we do all the time. It used to be something I just accepted, but after hanging out with Jesse for a few days, I don't have the patience for Sarah's verbal abuse anymore.

"Look, I'm not doing this tonight."

"Oh, yippee!" she says sarcastically. "You know where the door is. You don't have to do anything tonight."

"I met someone." I rush out before she has a chance to unleash anymore of her bitchiness. I've become the master of ignoring her snarky comments, but that doesn't mean I’m immune. It still hurts like hell when she treats me like shit under her shoes.

"What the fuck!" she yells, shocking me with her reaction. I was expecting her to throw a freaking party, but judging by her tone I have definitely pissed her off again. "You met someone?" She jumps from her seat and leans into my face aggressively.

"What is your problem?"

"You are my problem, Brett! I have been asking for a divorce for years. YEARS!" she screams, only inches from my face. I slide over far enough to get up without having to touch her. She has that crazy look in her eye and I know if I sit there even a minute longer, she will slap me. New Sarah has zero issues getting physical during an argument. Sometimes, I think she hits me just because she knows I'll leave as soon as she does.

"So, this should make you ecstatic then!"

"You are such a dumb fuck!"

"Wow, thanks! Got any other cuss words you want to try out on me?" I know I'm not making this any better, but damn it gets under my skin when she starts acting like this. I try to reel it in though, hopefully we can have this conversation before shit
completely
hits the fan. "Look, can you please calm down."

"So…let me get this straight. I have been begging for a divorce and you fought me at every turn. I hired a divorce attorney, you and Caleb pulled some strings and had him drop me as a client. So, I very kindly ask you for a divorce, and you give me some bullshit reason why we needed to stay married."

"Sarah, you have no job. You need my health insurance for all your...care."

"I have money! I can pay my own damn medical bills."

"That settlement from the wreck isn't going to last forever. Why would you waste it on expensive doctors’ bills?"

"So us staying married was only so I could use your health insurance?" I can't answer her without lying, so I stay silent.

"I didn't think so. You are a selfish son of a bitch, Brett Sharp. You have made me fight to get rid of you, yet you still show up week after week like a lost little puppy dog who can't find a home. I only let you in on Thursdays because I feel sorry for you. It's pathetic! Now you stand here and tell me that you're in love with someone else, so I guess I'm finally allowed to move on with my life, huh?"

"I didn't say that I'm in love with Jesse."

"Oh goodie, your soul mate has a name. Jesse, how perfect."

"Are you jealous?" I ask, almost humorously.

"Hell, no! I'm pissed. You have been smothering me for years. Now some little tramp comes along spreading her legs, and suddenly I'm allowed to move on with my life?" she says, and her slam about Jesse makes me lose all my calm and rational thoughts.

"I'm not going to say this again, Sarah, so I want you to listen very closely. Don't you dare talk about Jess like that. You can call me whatever you want, but you will watch your damn mouth when it comes to her."

"Oh my God. You are such a tool!" She busts out laughing as if I told a joke. "She must be really dirty in the sack to have turned you into such a pussy already. If I recall correctly, that's how you like it. Dirty, right?" She continues laughing, pausing to bite her lip and questioningly lift an eyebrow.

"Screw you. Send me whatever divorce papers you want. I'll happily sign so that you can finally be rid of me once and for all."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. You're going to have to work for it, the same way I have for the last four fucking years."

"Okay, this conversation is over. When you are done acting like an ass, send me the papers." I'm turning to walk away when I see her rear back, surprising me, as she slams her fist into the side of my mouth.

"You bastard! You don't get to make all the decisions. You don't get to decide when this is over." I've never in my life hit a woman. I sure as hell would never lay my hands on Sarah. But this woman standing in front of me, is really testing the limits of my self-control. I dab the blood from my lip, snatch my jacket off the back of the chair, and stride out the door before I can say or do something I will forever regret.

Standing in front of my car, I pat down my pockets trying to locate my keys. "Fuck." I mutter when I remember putting them on her table, along with my cell phone, when I first arrived. It sucks that I forgot my keys, but without my cell phone, I can't even call Caleb for a ride. I have no choice but to go face that crazy woman again.

I wait a few minutes giving us both time to calm down after our heated argument before walking back up to her front door knocking quietly. "Who is it?" I hear her sing-song from the other side.

"It's me. I left my keys and phone. Can you just hand them to me, and I'll leave you alone."

"Oh, no problem, sweetheart," she says, cracking open the door.

Sarah is standing in the doorway with a shit eating grin on her face and holding my phone to her ear when she drops the bomb on me, "I was just chatting with Jesse."

Jesse

"W
ELL,
HELLO,
officer," I say when Brett's number pops up on my phone.

"Jesse?" I hear a woman’s voice on the other end of the line. I pull my phone away from my ear checking the caller ID again. Yep, it definitely says Brett.

"Yes."

"Hi, this is going to sound strange, but I found your phone number in my husband's phone. I know this is crazy, but we have had some infidelity issues in the past, and I had such a bad feeling when I ran across your number."

"Um, okay?" I stumble out.

"Do you know Brett Sharp?"

"Yes," I whisper as my heart drops to my stomach. Brett's words from the Bears game flash into my mind. “
I'm married
.”

This must be some type of mistake though. He specifically told me he lost his wife in a car accident. Crap, what if he lied to me? I don't know him outside of the coffee shop, who knows what he has going on at home. Felling sick, I walk towards the bar stool to sit down before my suddenly flimsy legs give out underneath me.