I wasn’t even divorced yet, and I was already more involved with another man than I wanted or needed to be, a man that was my boss. I thought about Carmen and how close we’d grown and fear rushed through my veins at the thought of her getting hurt by this affair.
I walked up the steps and into the kitchen, setting my phone down on the counter as my stomach rumbled. I pulled out the stockpot of soup and fixed a bowl as I sensed Nick looking at me. “Want some?”
“Sure. It was delicious,” Nick replied as I grabbed another bowl and took a small pot from the rack. It would be quicker to heat it up on the stove, so I dumped both bowls in and turned on the flame. “What would your mother think of this?”
“Of us?” I asked as I glanced at him, seeing him nod. “She loves the two of you, as you know. I think that she’d be worried about my getting hurt in this, though, especially after everything with Sean.”
“Are you still in pain over that ending?” Nick asked as I pondered the question. I’d heard from friends in Boston that the baby was a girl, making me a little resentful for a moment or two. Still, I wouldn’t want that with Sean.
“I think it was a blessing since we didn’t want the same things in life,” I replied as I stirred the soup absently. “I am back home again and happy, though this might be happening quickly.” I looked at him as I listened through the house for a moment. “Are you still suffering your loss? Am I a replacement in your bed? I don’t want to risk hurting Carmen further.” My voice was small enough for Nick to hear me without carrying through the house, making a stricken look cross his perfect face.
“No, Celia.” He glanced around before moving closer to me. His voice was still a whisper as he spoke. “I wasn’t happy with Melanie any longer when the accident happened. I was considering divorce, but I was trying to work out the best plan with my lawyer to keep Carmen as safe and secure as possible. Melanie was having an affair, Celia. She was on the way to his house when the drunk driver hit her on that curve.” He swallowed before speaking again, looking around. “Carmen isn’t mine. I have always known that but I let the lie that she was telling me continue because I loved her from the moment that I saw her at the hospital, and there is no fucking way that she’s going anywhere else but this house. The man that Melanie was with at the time left as soon as he found out she was pregnant. I had a PI looking into everything. Melanie got through that, and I swore that I’d be the best dad that I could, even though I knew that my marriage was suffering. She didn’t have another affair until recently, at least not one that alerted any red flags though by then I only cared if the piece of shit that didn’t want Carmen came back for her. I was going to fight that every step of the way if he did, but so far there has been nothing.” Tears were sliding down my cheeks as he cupped them to wipe my skin gently with his large thumbs. “I felt alive when I saw you that first day. I didn’t want to fall for you, but I knew that I was and last night sealed the deal.”
“Do I look like her?” I asked as he narrowed his eyes for a moment.
“Vaguely. Carmen loved her mom and Mel did the best she could with her. I always made sure of that and had no intention of ripping that love away from my daughter. I can see why she’d see Mel in you at that time, but now she loves you for you, Celia. I see it every day.” He smiled before kissing me gently. “You’re a beautiful woman, inside and out.”
There was no stopping us from there. When Carmen was at school, Nick worked from home as much as possible, and we’d be in bed much of the morning when she was at school. I learned more about intimacy than ever before, as well as the pleasure of light domination. I’d work out with him at night, working us both up until we went to his room to fuck like animals, all the while listening to the monitor.
Carmen didn’t know about us yet. We wanted to make sure that it was going to last before we told her anything, and every day I felt more hope for a future with Nick.
It was the arrival of the holidays that slowed us down. Rebecca arrived, and while I adored her, Nick and I didn’t have a great deal of time to be alone. We didn’t push it, wanting to keep our affair between us but it was hard to stay in my room at night. It was hard to act like everything was normal during the day with Rebecca, and every time I talked to my mom, I fought the urge to tell her about us.
Since Nick’s house was bigger, he got the list of things needed for Thanksgiving and passed it along to the personal chef, so Mom could cook here. She was thrilled and tried to offer him money several times, though Nick declined every time as he assured her that she did a lot for his daughter. He wanted her to consider the gesture a thank you, and he was appreciative of her cooking for us. Nick was great in the kitchen, but he loved Mom’s cooking more and enjoyed the idea of Carmen’s local grandma making dinner in the house. I did as well, though I was on edge having to be away from him more than I cared to.