Chapter 13 – Isaac
Chapter Thirteen
Isaac
Iam so fucked. Gabby might have enough self-control to make it through several days trapped in Ethan’s basement with me, but there’s no way I have that kind of strength.
Teasing her this morning served to torture me more than it tortured her.
I caught her glancing down at my dick, but it’s a dick that just appeared in her face.
Of course, she’s going to look at it. That doesn’t mean she wants me.
Gabby made it pretty clear that she doesn’t approve of the fact that I have a wife – on paper – and honestly, I’m not fond of the idea either.
I’m not a cheater. I’ve never cheated on Tylee throughout our relationship, despite my knowledge of the ways she’s stepped out.
The way I see it, if you’re going to have somebody with that type of flaw in a relationship, there can only be one of you.
Tylee struggles to feel any kind of love.
It’s not like she isn’t capable, it’s just a struggle for her to handle those strong emotions.
I’m not making excuses for her, I just know this woman like the back of my hand (unfortunately).
She’s been that way since we were kids. It always fucked her up that she wasn’t one of the boys, that both her father and the world would treat her differently.
She was the first woman I ever loved. I can’t remember the last time my feelings for her were all-consuming the way they were when I was a kid.
I put up with enough from Tylee and gave her plenty of chances to change and mature along with me.
She wants to stay stuck in the past and I can’t help that.
Looking at Gabby, I wonder if I’m making the same mistakes – romanticizing her because I don’t know her yet. How can I know that this strong pull I feel towards this new woman will end up any differently? The smartest thing to do would be to keep my hands off of her.
She doesn’t join me in the shower, although I never expected to get that lucky.
I take my clothes off and examine my body in the mirror with attention to detail that I haven’t paid towards my physique in a while.
I used to lift weights with Magnum Sinclair when we were much younger and my muscular physique hasn’t taken as much work to maintain as I crested into my forties.
I find grey hairs in places that I wish I didn’t, but aside from that, age suits me.
I might have aged a lot more slowly if I chose a different wife.
The hot water feels good and I fight every urge in my body to beg Gabby to join me.
She’s still afraid of me and I shouldn’t blame her for that fear based on what she saw.
Once I get out of the shower, Gabby hops in and I promise her that I’ll go upstairs and stir up some clothing for her.
When I get to the kitchen, Amanda and Ethan are draped over each other, booking a vacation on Expedia at their kitchen counter together.
That’s what it looked like at least before Amanda quickly minimized the tab.
“Good morning, Isaac. How did you sleep?”
“Fine. Gabby’s in the shower. We didn’t have a chance to grab clothes.”
Amanda nods and hops off her seat. “I have some extra sweatpants. Does she like the Patriots?”
“Whatever you have works.”
Amanda steps out of the room to grab some clothes for Gabby, but Ethan lingers behind.
“Can I get you coffee?” Ethan offers with unusual hospitality that instantly rouses my suspicions.
“Sure.”
Ethan grabs his filled coffee pot and pours me a crimson red Harvard University mug. I take it eagerly and decline his offers of milk and sugar.
“I’m heading out all day. Think you and Gabby will be okay here?
” he asks. There seems to be subtext there, although it’s not unusual for Ethan to work all day.
He has to keep this operation out here running.
Zeb hasn’t returned from his west coast trip yet, and I heard some rumors that there’s a woman out there with him – some girl he picked up out there who got into trouble and needs his help.
“I’ll be fine,” I tell Ethan. “I haven’t caught up on that show I’ve been watching with the kids…”
“Cocomelon?” Ethan asks with genuine surprise that I might be watching that oddly hypnotic kids show that I had to wean Kyler off of like he was an addict. (I didn’t make the same mistake with the other kids.)
“No… That British show with all the cakes. The show puts me right to sleep…” I mutter. I don’t need Ethan investigating what kind of television shows I enjoy. He’s judgmental.
Ethan raises an eyebrow skeptically. “Right. Well, Gabby should enjoy that.”
“She’s going to kill me if she can’t run around and do whatever she wants today.”
“Like going to the cops?” Ethan asks. I don’t think he trusts her, and I don’t blame him for that since I don’t know her enough to trust her either.
“No. But… She doesn’t like me very much.”
Even if I saved her life. There was something she saw in me when I killed that man and instead of feeling flattered by how much I would do for her, she treats me like I’m a thoughtless monster.
“Why?” Ethan asks, grinning. “Did you screw up with her and start talking about your ex?”
Ethan pisses me off. He’s no expert with women either. While I was married with a family, he couldn’t keep a girl in his bed for longer than a weekend. Still, I understand that I’m in his debt right now, so I avoid turning this into a fight.
“No. But she thinks I’m a cheating scumbag like her ex because of this Tylee situation.”
Ethan visibly tenses when I mention his sister. He never had the same relationship with Tylee that Wyatt did. “Tylee deserves the whip.”
I don’t comment on that. Never laid my hands on a woman, much less a whip.
“If what you’re saying about Scum is true, I’ll have to leave eventually. Find out where my wife is. Get my kids back.”
“Wyatt won’t like it if you take matters into your own hands.”
“I can’t keep Gabby here against her will,” I explain to him. “I hardly know her enough to let her run off and possibly run her mouth.”
Ethan shrugs. “She’s a woman. Dazzle her with gifts and sex. Treat this like a vacation.”
Sex. I’ve obviously thought about it. I noticed Gabby’s pretty face and her prettier skin tone the first time I saw her at the bar. She doesn’t trust the fact that I’m married on paper, which I don’t blame her for. I doubt I’ll be getting laid anytime soon… Thanks, Tylee.
Marriage never stopped my soon-to-be-ex-wife… But I can resist temptation at least temporarily. Not like I expected to get that kind of advice from Ethan.
I answer casually, “I’ll take Gabby on a ride when she gets too restless. The bike will make her jumpy. Good idea to desensitize her.”
He drops the sex subject and I’m grateful.
“Good idea,” Ethan says.
Amanda returns with a stack of clothing and a concerned look on her face.
“What’s a good idea?” she asks us.
Ethan gives me a warning look. “Nothing, baby,” he says. “Have I told you how good your butt looks in those work pants yet?”
“Ethan!” Amanda scolds him. “Please, be appropriate. Isaac, here are some options for Gabby including an unopened package of underwear that I impulse bought at Costco last week. I swear, I’m psychic.”
“That’s an interesting way to sound out shopaholic…” Ethan mutters.
Amanda gives him a warning look this time. Ethan clears his throat. “Want me to make waffles, baby?”
“That would be nice, Ethan.”
“I’ll take the clothes down to Gabby. I’m sure she would like some waffles too.”
Amanda smirks at Ethan. “I like the idea of you making breakfast for everybody before work. I’m starving.”