“You have nothing to be jealous of, Tasha.” Jim’s tone was soothing, needing her to feel reassured, but the truth was he was deadly serious; he not only loved Tasha, but he absolutely and utterly found her to be the most attractive woman in the world. “Is this hormones, honey?” Even with his gentle tone he managed to inflame the situation.
“That depends. Will it be hormones that cause your mid-life crisis that results in you fucking the blonde bird out there and ending our marriage?”
Jim shook his head calmly, but Tasha could see that he was becoming irritated with her and her raised voice.
“Lose the mouth in front of Connor. I am not having a mid-life crisis and Rachel holds no interest for me, nobody does, nobody except you.” He got to his feet and gently placed his son back into the stroller.
“I don't like her.” Pouted Tasha. “She was rude and dismissive of my mere presence. She tried to hold my son.”
“Our son,” corrected Jim.
“She touched you, she looked at you like—oh my God!” she cried a very unwelcome penny suddenly dropped. “I thought she fancied you. That she wanted you, and she does, but it's more. She looks at you like she knows exactly what you bring to the table and she does, doesn't she? You've fucked her?” It was a statement as much as a question.
“Tasha,” he began.
“Oh fuck, you have! And now you expect me to be perfectly okay with her being here, with you every day when it's quite obvious that she isn't done.” Tasha had gone to a full-blown shout that startled the baby, the sound of raised voices, her raised voice that he was unused to hearing.
“Stop shouting,” Jim told her firmly as he stroked a finger across Connor’s cheek, immediately calming him. “When have I ever given you cause to doubt my love and fidelity to you?” He paused, clearly expecting an answer.
“You have six ex-wives and a track record.” Her reply was tearful more than angry.
“Jeez, Tasha! Six ex-wives you knew about and a track record I told you about. I never lied to you about what I was and yes, I've fucked her, Rachel, once. One night and I had no clue she worked here. We met at a function, she was waiting staff at the function for her brother who was the caterer. I was there alone and we talked and when I was leaving she was outside trying to find a cab so I offered her a ride and it happened. I never even stayed the night or gave her my number. I didn't even remember her name and then about six months later I saw her here in the elevator, but that is it and she was sent along with six other possible assistants from the pool and Marc and Marcia selected her as the best candidate.”
“Do Marc and Marcia know about you and her?” Tasha asked, unsure why that was relevant or had any bearing on anything.
“Marc does because he was with me in the elevator that day, but Marcia, no. If you want me to revoke the offer I will, or give her another sideways move, whatever you want because I can't have your head having crazy thoughts all day.”
“If I say I want you to get rid of her you’ll find a way to offset that won't you? Insist I do or don't do something with someone?”
“Maybe. I don't have anything in mind, baby, but you know I remember everything and I am Mr Control Freak,” he acknowledged as he gave a quick glance in Connor’s direction who was settled once more.
“You need to let her know that she is very old news. That I am the only woman you want even if I'm not quite the woman you signed up for, but—” was as far as she got before Jim's mouth was over hers, kissing her breathless.
Unsure just how it happened Tasha soon found her legs wrapped around Jim's middle while she lay flat out beneath him on the sofa.
“James,” she moaned against his lips as her fingers laced through his hair.
“Right there with you, baby,” he replied as she realised one of his hands had made its way under her t-shirt and was teasing her nipples through her bra.
“Please,” she pleaded. “I need you,” she panted making him smile.
“What about your doctor's appointment?” He continued his assault on her breasts she desperately hoped would not begin leaking milk.
“I don't care. I want you, now.” She was rewarded with another kiss, a deep one that saw his tongue gently dipping into her mouth, exploring every corner. “Please say you have a condom.”
He grinned down at her as if he knew some great secret. “Honey, I have been carrying one with me for the last week and half, since that night in the hot tub,” he told her making her laugh as she recalled the night they'd come closest to breaking the six week rule which Tasha had now decided wasn't a rule as such.
“Have I mentioned how much I love you?”
Her question caused a high arch of his eyebrow. “Not since you arrived here and in case there was any doubt, I love you too and I don't even see women as attractive anymore unless they're you; you are my wife, my friend, my lover, the best mommy my son could ever have and you really are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, the way you look, the way you smell and the way you feel,” he told her making her sniff back tears, happy tears, sentimental tears.
“Sorry, this is hormones. I can't cope with you saying such nice things.” She sniffed again.
“Sorry, baby. Let me try a slightly different approach then; I love the way your skin reacts to my touch, the way your breath catches in your throat when I do this—” he teased her nipple again and as if on cue her breath caught in her throat making him smile triumphantly. “I especially love how wet I make you. How greedy you are, you and your pussy for my dick and I really, really, really love the funny little noises you make when I make you come, the fire of the passion in your eyes, just like they are now Tasha.”
“James, please,” she mewled.
“Hormones gone, honey?” he asked with a grin then frowned as his hands moved to her hips. “Jeans, Natasha?”
