“Really?”
“Yeah, I can’t not be with you now.” He buried his face in her neck. “Imagine the drama. Me leaving my Instagram wife for some student piece of ass.”
Beth giggled. “The scandal…”
“Fuck it, you’re worth it.” He pressed her nose against hers. “I love you, Bethany.”
She sighed as though she’d never been told that before. Itfeltlike she’d never been told that before. “Oh, Mr Thomas…”
Byron huffed out a laugh. “You’re not gonna say it back?”
She smiled, so in love with him it ached worse than needing to be taken. “I love you too, Byron.”
They stayed there for a moment, everything precious, and Beth wished they could live in this warm post-sex glow forever. Yet, as the seconds ticked by, she changed her mind. It was fun to be here, but it was better to be Bethany Myers-Thomas, podcaster and mother of Simon. The woman who’d call the cops if a horny father harassed her the way Byron had.
She smoothed her hands through her husband’s hair, massaging his scalp a little. Byron moaned. “Christ, that was incredible.”
“It was.”
“You were…” he blew out a breath.
“Me? You should win an Oscar for that performance!”
“For wanting to cheat on my wife with you?” Byron’s mouth quirked. “You made it easy. This outfit…”
He smoothed her skirt to her knees. “When I first walked in, I almost fucked it all up, you looked so good.”
“I’m glad,” Beth said, flushing like she was back in character. “It wasn’t… too much?”
“It’s perfect. You’re gonna be wearing this again really fucking soon.”
Beth smiled. Maybe she could get more winter-bimbo, dark academia looks. She liked it, and why couldn’t she wear clothes she liked? “I’m glad you approve. Also, I know it’s what you usually wear to work, but you look so hot in your little business outfit.”
“Thanks.” Byron ruffled a hand through his already ruffled hair. “I’ve gotta go away somewhere and lodge all that in my long-term memory. When’s Simon due back? Do we have to go get him?”
“No, Wendy’s dropping him off.”
“You’re amazing for planning all this. Seriously, I can’t tell you…” he swallowed. “I’m sorry I was a useless asshole when you were having a hard time?—”
“You weren’t!”
Byron held up a hand, and though Beth wanted to keep protesting, she realised she owed him a chance to talk, to explain, and get his feelings off his chest.
“I didn’t know what to say,” he whispered. “I didn’t know if you’d get better by yourself or what was normal, but I wish I’d pushed harder. Given you more money so you didn’t feel so trapped. If we’re ever there again, with another kid, I promise I’ll do better.”
“I know you will.”
“But I could have done better already. I… I feel like I let you down.”
To her surprise, Byron’s eyes shone with tears as though their roleplay had unlocked something in her husband’s stoic heart. Beth waited, but he didn’t say more, so she threw her arms around him again. “I know you love me, and I know you love Simon. You did the best you could. We both did.”
“Yeah.” Byron pressed his face into hers. “I love you. You and Si are my whole fucking world.”
And you’re mine,Beth thought.Both of you. Simon and Byron. Us. Our little family…
She felt Byron’s stomach rumble against hers and laughed. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
