I Slept with My Husband's Brother

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I tried to shift, but my body felt like it had been hit by a truck. Every muscle screamed

from my own bedroom. This was a mix of expensive cologne, something sharp and w

was in a massive king-sized bed in a hotel suite I didn't re

ade me gasp and fall back against the pillows. It was a

mmered agai

d. And on the pale skin of my inner thighs, there were small, dark r

mind was a fog, a blur

g me a glass of champagne. The bubbles tickling my nose. Then..

his heavy breathing in my ear. His burning Adam's apple brushed against my cheek. I instinctively tried

ntering my body. As if responding to me, he pushed harder, like som

n't a

ed for two years, had slept with

y I had saved for Julian, for eight long years since we started dat

I collapsed in front of the toilet, my body heaving wi

d mess. My eyes were puffy. And scattered across my neck and collarbones

ack streamed silently down my face

hy wasn't he here?

in my chest. I forced myself to stand

the shoulder and lay discarded on the plus

m Julian. No texts. Just a few "Happy Anniversary"

mber. It rang and rang, and just as

with impatience. In the background, I coul

You had too much to drink," he continued, hi

as lying. That giggle w

call without

ting under the morning light. A cufflink. It wasn't Julian's. It was made of bla

ogo. The memory of that solid, burning body from last

ht solid and real in my trembli

what happene

tel suite. The bright Chicago sun hit me li

address to my bakery, The Rolling Pin.

s to surface. But all I could conjure was a pair of deep, ice-b

der

acing the edge of a simple platinum band. I'

ight surfaced, and

ound a woman lying in my bed. Unconscio

But I had a condition. A severe aversion to physical contact with the opposite se

ed through me. An inexplicable pull I c

in pleasure, but in pain. Her body was stiff,

had hit her f

y's wife. Married two years and still a virg

ned. This was a setup. A c

se to the top of my list. I slipped the ri

"Everything. The deals, the debts, the women. I want eve

the thought of last night, a smir