Chapter 38
HARLEY
I’m glad to see Cooper show up at the gym today.
I wasn’t sure if he’d be here, because he usually only comes three days a week.
But when I emerge from my Zumba class, there he is, grunting as he lifts weights in a seated position.
I stand in the corner of the room, about ten feet away from him, waiting for him to acknowledge me.
When he doesn’t even glance my way, I walk right over to him.
“Harley…” He looks startled to see me. “What are you doing here?”
“I work here.”
His gaze darts around the room anxiously. His friend that he often comes with is on another machine, working out, but he’s not looking at us. “I told you, we can’t talk here. It’s too dangerous.”
Too dangerous. This is a man who is scared shitless of getting caught by his wife. Scared because she’s completely out of her mind? Or scared because he still loves her and doesn’t want to lose her?
“Well, sorry.” I plant one hand on either hip, pushing my breasts forward. Cooper definitely notices. “I’ve just been missing you today.”
Cooper opens his mouth, and at that moment, I am absolutely certain he is about to tell me that we need to cool it. I’ve seen that look before, and that’s always what’s coming. I brace myself, waiting for him to say the words.
But he doesn’t say it. He just reaches out, gives my hand a quick squeeze, then pulls away.
“Not here, okay?” he says. “We have to be careful here.”
My shoulders sag in relief. “Right. I’m sorry.”
“But I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Tonight?” I ask hopefully.
He shakes his head. “I can’t get away tonight. Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” I agree, smiling at the delicious thrill that runs through every molecule of my body at the thought of an hour of pleasure with Cooper. “What if you come for dinner?”
He hesitates so long, I’m almost positive he’s going to tell me no. Getting to have dinner with your boyfriend when you’re the other woman is one of those pie-in-the-sky things.
“Please,” I say softly.
“Okay,” he finally agrees, and I almost jump up and down like a little kid. “I’ll come at six-ish. I’ll tell Debbie I’m staying late at the office.”
I’m floating on a cloud as I make my way to the front desk to pick up my schedule for tomorrow. I barely even notice the disapproving look on Cindy’s face when she hands me my schedule—until she won’t let go of the piece of paper.
“Harley,” she says in a low, firm voice.
I try to tug the paper out of her hands, but she still won’t let it go. “What? What’s wrong?”
“He’s married,” she says.
Ugh. This is not what I need right now. I tug harder on the paper, and finally, Cindy releases it from her grasp.
“I know he’s married,” I hiss at her.
“Then why are you messing around with him?”
Cindy doesn’t get it. She is single and seems to have no interest whatsoever in dating or sex.
She’s old—even older than Debbie—but she’s actually pretty attractive.
She could have a partner if she wanted, but she doesn’t want one.
She must be one of those women who hates sex.
You can’t expect somebody like that to understand.
“This is actually none of your business,” I tell her quietly.
Cindy blinks at me. “You’re right,” she says. “It’s none of my business.”
I celebrate a little moment of triumph, but then I realize that if she wants, Cindy could tell Debbie what’s been going on. If she tells Debbie that her husband’s been cheating on her with me… Well, I do want Debbie to find out, but not like that. I want her to find out in a way that I can control.
That means that I have to be the one to tell Debbie that her husband is cheating on her. I just have to figure out how to break the news.