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Degrees of Love: A Novel

Olivarez Media, Inc.erschienen am01.07.2017
Like the shiny new BMW parked in the driveway of the Silicon Valley home she shares with her husband, Matt, and their two boys, Susan Sinclair is the picture of personal and professional success. Yet with each advance in her career, Matt has grown more distant. When Susan meets her new boss, Reese Kirkpatrick, their working relationship slowly turns into something more. Now, unable to stomach the façade her marriage has become yet unwilling to decimate her family by moving forward with Reese, Susan faces a choice that could cost her everything-including her children . . . but possibly bring her more than she can dream.mehr

Produkt

KlappentextLike the shiny new BMW parked in the driveway of the Silicon Valley home she shares with her husband, Matt, and their two boys, Susan Sinclair is the picture of personal and professional success. Yet with each advance in her career, Matt has grown more distant. When Susan meets her new boss, Reese Kirkpatrick, their working relationship slowly turns into something more. Now, unable to stomach the façade her marriage has become yet unwilling to decimate her family by moving forward with Reese, Susan faces a choice that could cost her everything-including her children . . . but possibly bring her more than she can dream.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9781543907223
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Erscheinungsjahr2017
Erscheinungsdatum01.07.2017
Seiten344 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Dateigrösse1109
Artikel-Nr.10227392
Rubriken
Genre9200

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe


I fired up the engine of my BMW, and listened to it purr while I inhaled the leathery new car scent. Last week, I d come home in love with my handsome ride, but ever since I d felt guilty about the indulgence. Not so much anymore. I wanted one minute, a mere sixty seconds, simply to sit and savor my success, but I had to go. I d promised my boys I d cook dinner. I also had to break the news of my promotion to my husband, and hoped he wouldn t object.

Putting the car in gear, I drove out of the San Francisco International Airport parking lot and wedged my way into the stream of commuters nudging south. It took about an hour to drive the paltry thirteen miles to my home in San Carlos. After a long day of travel and meetings, I was too tired for any kind of TGIF joie de vivre.

I stepped out of the car just as Micah ran out the front door. Mom s home!

Jason followed close on his heels. Mommy!

I hugged them close. The boys were getting so big, and I wondered how much longer they would race to meet me or call me Mommy.

Hey, give Mom a chance to get inside before you tackle her, Matt half-heartedly ordered from the doorway. He stretched over the boys and pecked my cheek as I passed him.

As soon as we walked into the house Micah asked, So what s the dinner plan?

I was fried and really wanted to order a pizza, but I d already used my free pass the night before with Chinese takeout. Rallying energy, I threw on an apron and dug red bell peppers, zucchini, and chicken out of the refrigerator while my guys settled around the kitchen table.

Glass of wine? Matt already had a bottle of Sangiovese sitting on the counter.

Love one. My stomach clenched, but I went for it. I got the call.

Matt paused with the wine in one hand and the corkscrew in the other. What call?

The job. I took a breath. I was offered the promotion.

Oh. He glanced at me as if surprised and returned his attention to inserting the screw.

I don t have to accept. I tried to sound as if it wasn t a big deal, but it was. I d worked hard for that promotion and in the marrow of my bones needed a change for reasons I couldn t even begin to explain.

Matt meticulously poured an equal portion into each glass and handed one to me. His lips bent up, but his eyes weren t smiling. Take it. Sounds like a great opportunity.

You sure?

He took a drink, and his smile became more genuine. Absolutely. Congratulations.

Thank you. I took a gulp from my glass and the lump in my throat receded.

So, what will your new title be?

Senior Vice President.

Impressive. When do you start?

Monday, since I ll already be in New York, and I ll meet my new boss. I knew almost nothing about Reese Kirkpatrick. Monday was his first day with Global Security. I didn t want Matt to know I had any qualms and asked, How was your day?

Dad said we re going camping 4th of July. Micah looked at Matt. Right, dad?

Jason s face lit up. Yeah, he said we d catch fish and eat s mores at night.

Oh, really? I raised my eyebrows at Matt.

Matt shrugged and this time he changed the subject.

After dinner, Micah and Jason wandered off to watch a movie while Matt twisted in his chair. He knew he was in the doghouse for promising the boys we d go camping.

How s work? Did you get your test results?

The left side of his mouth lifted. Yes, the preliminary reports are very promising, but I won t bore you with details you don t understand.

His superior attitude grated on me. Still, I probably wouldn t understand. Matt s work was difficult for most people to grasp. As a computational biologist, he studied genetic sequences in proteins. His work chemically linked the relation between depression and chronic illness, and was equal parts biology, mathematics, statistics, and computer modeling.

Funny, I understood when his colleagues explained what they did.

I m happy for you. I emptied the remaining wine into his glass. So, camping? What happened to La Jolla and the Cove? Snorkeling and a condo with indoor plumbing?

I found a campsite along the Truckee River with great trails and fishing. It has flushing toilets and showers. I didn t bite and he threw me a bone. You don t have to go.

He knew I wasn t big on camping, our vacation time was limited, and now I would be the bad guy if I didn t go. Some choice you ve given me.

I thought it d be nice to go someplace where you couldn t use your laptop.

He looked at me with his wide blue eyes and I melted. My vacations were never truly vacations. I always kept up with e-mail and joined important conference calls. Knowing the level of dedication expected by my company didn t alleviate the mom guilt. You re right. A surge of affection for him filled me. I sat on his lap, and kissed him.

He leaned his forehead against mine. So you ll come?

Will you clean the fish?

Always do.

Then I ll go. I kissed him again; then moved to get up. He tugged me back on his lap and hardened underneath me. The boys are awake.

They re watching a movie, he murmured close to my ear.

This was not Matt s typical behavior, but I liked it and my body responded. I led him by the hand to our bedroom. Before the door shut, Matt had his shoes kicked off and was unzipping his jeans. I locked the door and undressed too. I pictured a pre-show of tasting and touching before the main event. Matt had a different agenda. He thrust his tongue in my mouth and thrashed it around as if we were having a tongue war. The strange thing was it didn t feel like it stemmed from passion. It was habit. I pulled away.

No matter how many times he did the crazy tongue thing, or how many times I jerked back, Matt never clued in that I hated it. I wanted to tell him just how much it turned me off but was afraid of wounding his ego. In a blink, he mounted me and a few blinks later, collapsed on my chest. He pecked my cheek and murmured, That was great. Then, he went to the bathroom. No kissing, no cuddling, no post-coital chat.

A weight on my chest kept me down. I should ve been happy. I d just finished having sex with my husband. It hadn t been great, but not horrible either. At least we had sex.

Matt walked back in the room. You tired?

A little bit.

He pulled on his boxers with his back to me and looked over his shoulder. Think I ll watch the movie with the boys. You mind?

Go ahead. They were watching Cars for at least the hundredth time. I got up, finished the dishes, and went to bed.

The next morning, Matt slept snoring beside me while I lazed in bed daydreaming about the guy who worked at the Safeway fish counter. He had deep dark eyes and, while not great looking, exuded manly sexuality. I imagined how our first contact would be made.

May I have four trout fillets, please? I asked.

You got it! Do you have a good recipe for trout?

No, I thought I d just throw them on the grill.

If you d like, I ll write one down for you.

That s very kind.

My pleasure. He handed me the recipe with a rakish wink.

Instead of a recipe, it s a confession that he watches for me. If I m interested, call him.

Silliness. Even though it was Saturday, and my bed was comfy, I got up. Maybe I could get through at least one cup of coffee in peace before Saturday morning cartoons started blaring from the television. I made a pot of coffee, poured a cup, and headed for the back porch. The cool air bit my skin, but curling up on a lounge chair, I was comforted by the early sun on my face. As I sat enjoying the morning, sipping coffee, my thoughts wandered back to my increasing awareness of other men.

Last week, I had even caught myself checking out a Safeway bagger s butt. He couldn t have been more than twenty, but his chinos looked good on him. I imagined myself as Blanche DuBois. Young man! Young, young, young man ... I just want to kiss you once, softly and sweetly on your mouth! How pathetic. I shook my head clear.

Everyone who knew Matt and I would attest we were happily married. We didn t fight. Neither of us indulged in excessive bad habits. Matt wasn t abusive. He didn t cheat. As my mother repeatedly said, I was lucky to have a man like Matt. So polite, so steady ⦠so reliable.

He d changed very little since we d met while attending Northwestern University. I was getting my master s in Acting, and he was getting his in Biological Engineering. One day I decided to eat in the cafeteria. When I couldn t find an empty table, I hunted for any open seat. Then I caught Matt staring at me. He was sitting alone, and he was pretty darn cute.

I walked up to his table and smiled down at him. I saw you looking at me. Would you like to invite me to sit down? He chuckled and turned a deeper shade of red. I noticed the serious pile of books on the table. It s too noisy in here to study...

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