I was in the middle of trying on one of her Bottega Veneta jackets and admiring myself in the mirror, when I saw a reflection that made me nearly jump out of my skin. Derek was standing in the doorway, watching me.
“Oh, hi!” I quickly shrugged off the jacket and reached for a hanger. “I was just… you know…”
But there was no judgment on Derek’s face. He smiled at me, and he looked so handsome at that moment, it made my knees weak. “It looks better on you.”
I blushed like a teenager. I didn’t think it was true, but his face looked sincere. “Thanks.”
He came across the room, and my heart sped up. He reached out and straightened the collar of my shirt. His fingers lingered there, making a tingle go down my entire body. I held my breath, not sure what to make of this turn of events. Sometimes when I was visiting, Derek would flirt with me a bit or maybe wink suggestively. Truth be told, I had a crush on him. It was hard not to.
“You’re a masseuse, right?” he said.
“Yes,” I managed. Men rarely left me breathless, but there was something about Derek.
He rubbed at his shoulder. “You know, I have this terrible crick in my neck. I was wondering if you might take a look.”
“I could do that.” My body tingled at the thought of getting Derek on my massage table. “When do you have in mind?”
“How about right now?”
“I don’t have my massage table.”
His lips quirk up. “Couldn’t we use the bed?”
I felt suddenly breathless, but I managed to nod. “Yes. We could.”
I watched Derek strip down in front of me to his underwear. I’ve never seen my sister’s husband naked before, and I have to say, he was spectacular. Like a sculpture. He lay down on the bed, face down. Waiting for me.
I rubbed my hands together to warm them. I didn’t have any of my oils or lotions, so I ran my bare fingers along his broad shoulders. I started working the palms of my hands into his trapezius, kneading his taut muscles. He moaned at my touch.
“You’re good at this,” he commented.
“It’s my special skill.”
“Do you have any other special skills?”
Before I could answer, he rolled over. His eyes met mine, and my body melted. He sat up and pressed his lips against mine. I have never been kissed like that. Rob wasn’t capable of it. Neither were any of the other men I had kissed in my life. Derek was different. I knew it right away.
That was the first time we ever had sex. In my sister’s master bedroom, while she was away on a business trip.
At first, I was sleeping with Derek because I was wildly attracted to him, and also to get back at my sister for all the sacrifices she never appreciated. But I got to really like him. After a session together, I didn’t just throw my clothes back on and run out. We would lie together in bed, talking, for as long as we dared. He would run his fingers through my hair, staring into my eyes.
“I think I chose the wrong sister,” he told me last week.
I whispered back, “It isn’t too late, you know.”
“If I left Quinn, would you leave Rob?”
I answered without hesitation: “I would.”
I don’t know if he meant it. I guess I’ll never know. But at the time, I believed he did.
All afternoon yesterday, I was tingling with anticipation at the thought of seeing him, but then right after I sent my two o’clock packing, my boss came out and told me Heather had to go home sick. Any chance I could take Heather’s three o’clock client?
As much as I wanted to see Derek, I couldn’t say no. I needed the money too badly. It wasn’t like my sister would lend me money if I needed it.
I sent Derek a regretful text message from the burner phone I bought so the two of us could communicate, letting him know I would be an hour late, maybe longer. Of course, if I came over there too late, I risked running into Quinn.
Although part of me wanted her to walk in on us. He told me he would leave her for me—well, that would force the issue. And I wanted to see the look on her face. She always thought she was better than me. How would she feel when she discovered that her wonderful, perfect husband preferred me to her?
When I finished up with Heather’s client, I grabbed my burner phone. There were no messages from Derek, but I took no news as good news. Derek wasn’t the kind of guy who felt the need to respond to every message. He wasn’t needy.
But Quinn was an issue. I didn’t want her walking in on us, considering it was getting late. So as I got into my car, I called her. The phone rang several times before she picked up.