Page 95 of The Challenge

Chloe turned to me and smiled sadly. “Because I can’t be here forever. I’ll have to go back to Chicago at some point, and I don’t think my mom is—”

She stopped herself and looked to me. It was hard to give Effie an explanation without getting into the subject of death. Chloe probably wasn’t sure how much Effie knew about that.

I reached across the table for Effie’s hand. “Because we don’t know how much longer Chloe’s mom will be here with us, honey. There’s a chance she might go to heaven. But we have no way of knowing when it will happen.”

Effie nodded sadly.

Once my daughter went to take a shower and get ready for bed, my mind returned to the challenge note Chloe had left me earlier.

“You want to break open a bottle of wine tonight?” she asked.

“I would love to, yeah.”

“Meet you in the living room at eight forty-five?”

“Sounds like a plan.” I slapped her playfully on the ass with the dish rag I’d been holding.

It was like she knew I’d need wine to loosen up a bit. It’d been difficult keeping my hands off her over the past week. We couldn’t lose control with Effie in the house, so it’d been easier not to start anything at all. We’d only had sex once, when I was able to come home during my lunch break. The other days, I’d either had work obligations or Chloe had web meetings.

I still didn’t know where things were going with us or how it was going to end. In my heart of hearts, I wanted her here with me forever, but I didn’t know how I could ask her to give everything up and take that risk.

I opened a bottle of wine and went into the living room about ten minutes early. So far as I could tell, Effie was asleep. I poured two glasses of red and bounced my legs anxiously as I waited for Chloe.

When she finally appeared, she was wearing a T-shirt with no bra and skimpy shorts. While it had always driven me crazy when I could see through her shirt, it had never been harder than now, when I knew what she looked like naked—not to mention what she tasted like and what it felt like to be inside her. Tonight, the little peekaboo show was going to kill me.

She sat across from me, and I gave in to the temptation to kiss her.

“What are you doing?” she whispered over my lips.

“I know. I can’t help it.”

She dug her nails into my chest. “I’m really horny tonight. It sucks.”

My dick twitched. On that note, I pulled myself away and reached over to hand her one of the glasses of wine. “We do have to be careful.”

“You’re the one who kissed me.” She scoffed.

“I know. That was more a reminder to myself.”

“Ah.” She took a sip, peeking at me over the rim.

I gulped a bunch of wine and placed the glass on the table. Slinging my arm over the back of the couch, I decided to broach the subject I’d been avoiding. “So…your challenge. I wasn’t expecting it.”

She smiled. “It was my turn, wasn’t it? Besides, when do we ever expect them? That’s part of the beauty of the notes. They’re surprises.”

“I wasn’t sure if we were continuing the game.”

“Well, that wouldn’t be any fun.” She winked. But then she fidgeted in her seat, seeming tense.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I suspect you’re gonna tell me something tonight, and I’m a little afraid of what it is.”

“Don’t be. All the worst stuff when it comes to us has already come out in the wash.”

She licked her lips. “So there’s nothing you haven’t told me that would upset me?”

“Nothing bad.” I shook my head. “A little…sad and unfortunate, maybe. But nothing that should upset you.” I paused. “There is something you don’t know.”