a long time coming (closed)

[Sexy_Trinity69]

Tonight was just like any other night for Roxy. Come home. Cook dinner. Clean house. Wait. Wait. And Wait some more. Her husband, Mike, was late for dinner. Per usual. It hadn’t taken her long to learn to go on and sit down at the empty long table for a meal by her lonesome. Mike’s was in the microwave, just in case he was sober enough to reheat it. Those chances were slim. They would sit there until after she read a few more chapters of her sleazy romance novel. Then they’d wait until she clamored upstairs to a bath, where she’d cure her loneliness with a few delicately placed fingers and the soothing sounds of the ocean. Only after that, would she trudge back down the steps and set the plate in the fridge.

Roxanne was on chapter 16 of her book when it began to get juicy. A lonely housewife had finally taken matters into her own hands and seduced a man at a hotel bar to join her in her room, while her husband wasted away on the craps table downstairs. Her new lover was nose deep in her hot core when her cellphone rang. The chorus of bells startled her. No one ever called this late. Most of her friends were out with their husbands or boyfriends. Or out trying to find one of the two. Roxy sighed at the thought. After all these years of technological and human advancement, most peoples biggest concern still involved lust and mating.

To be honest, she’d always wanted more than this. She wanted to be a strong independent woman with a career. She’d taken all the necessary steps. High school. College. Interning. She’d landed a nice gig as an dentist by day. But at night? She felt lonely. She still needed someone to come home to…and Mike had been that. For a while. A few weeks. Tops. Roxanne bit her lip and answered the phone. She should have guessed.

Mike’s work. Again. Roxy grabbed a pen and a scrap of paper, quickly jotting down the time of Mike’s flight and directions to his destination. He had a business trip scheduled for the week and hadn’t said one word about it. Now it was the night before and he was out getting plastered. And who would have to come get him? Roxy. Who would have to get him home? Roxy. Put him to bed? Roxy. Get him up? Roxy. Drive? Roxy. Pay? Roxy.

The tips of her caramel tinted ears shone purple as she thought about it. Her cheeks matched in color were hot. She was going down there. Now. And she wasn’t going to be gentle about it. After slamming her book on the glass coffee table, Roxanne changed into a pair of tight blue jeans and a yellow blouse that accented the soft yellows of her mixed skin. She pulled her dark curls into a messy pony tail, grabbed a jacket and stormed out of the house, making her way to the bar.

It only took a few minutes to arrive in her husband’s favorite watering hole. It wasn’t far from the house, which is probably why he frequented it. That and the drinks were cheap. “Mike.” she practically growled, seeing him at the end of the bar making gogglie eyes at a pint of whiskey. “You have a flight tomorrow. Which, by the way, you told me nothing about. What the hell are you…” her voice trailed off a bit, noticing a someone out of the corner of her eye. A bit further down the bar sat a very familiar face…making very familiar eyes at the woman next to him. The woman’s back was to Roxy, but she could see the face of her friend…and he was not asking directions to the nearest payphone to call his wife for a lift home. Roxy chewed on her lip, ignoring the slurs coming from Mike’s direction as she made a beeline for her old companion.

“Really…I’d expect something like this out of Mike, but you?! I can’t believe it! What would your ‘wife’ have to say about this?”

 

[The_gladiator]

Ben sat at the bar sipping his beer and smiling at the leggy redhead to his left who was flirting with him. She slid her hand sensually up ben’s arm and he smiled taking another sip.

Ben felt a little twinge of guilt for what he was doing but then quickly quashed it. This night was for him, he needed something to release the tension. He wanted to lose himself in this woman’s green eyes, fuck that he wanted to lose himself between her soft thighs.

It had started innocently enough; Ben wanted to with some friends, wanted to relax and watch a football game with the guys. Beth didn’t like that at all; she threw a fit that he left her in fact. So, to avoid the same fight the next time he wanted to go out with his friends, he’d told a little white lie. He had said he had a business dinner to go to. Such a thing was not uncommon for him as a business manager running a mental health facility. However, on that occasion it had not been the case. Discovering the work excuse worked he began to use it sparingly over the years. It allowed him to feel just a little less smothered by his clingy wife.

The situation had changed recently when Beth began to withhold sex from him, began to put conditions on him, exchanging favors for sex. For example she might demand he spend x amount of time with her if he wanted to get any. She might also say that if he completed a list of chores she set for him he might get lucky. Although she would often find an excuse to no delver on her promise.

As you might guess such an arrangement was completely devoid of any passion, she used sex as a tool and treated it like a duty. Ben was lonely; he missed feeling wanted by a woman. He spent almost every waking moment with Beth yet still felt alone. She never wanted to go out; she just wanted to stay in. Ben was reaching the end of his rope. This was certainly not where he pictured he’d be at age 30, in an unhappy marriage with no children only inches away from cheating on his wife.

He wasn’t really sure if he could go through with this, but he knew that he was at least going to try. He would try flirting and then see where it lead. Already in a half hour Cassandra, the redhead had shown him that she wanted him much more than his wife had in the past 2 months.
He was suddenly drawn away from the sensual touch of Cassandra by a familiar voice and, over the redhead’s shoulder he saw a familiar form striding purposefully towards him, fire in her eyes.

“Really, I’d expect something like this out of mike, but you?! I can’t believe it! What would your ‘wife’ have to say about this?” Her words shot out into the air and hung there. Ben gaped at her like a fish out of water, he looked like a deer in the headlights.

One name came, the name that matched that angry face, Roxy. What was she doing there His eyes swept over her shoulder and just then spotted Mike who appeared to be making eyes at his pint. “You’ve got to be fripping kidding me. He muttered as he watched her approach.

“Excuse me? Did she say wife?” Ben’s eyes were dawn away from Roxy to meet green fire. “You lying cheating bastard.” With that Ben’s head rang with the slap he received across his face. The woman swung her long leg over the barstool and stalked off.

One hand pressed to the smarting cheek Ben glared at the woman approaching him. He was angry and defensive. Ok, so maybe she had known him a long time, ok had known him forever. Yes, and maybe she had been the first woman to give him his first release that wasn’t self-induced, and maybe they had explored what sex was together in her mother’s basement, and maybe even she had become his step sister when they were in their late teens or early twenties, so she was sort of family. All that being said, what in that gave her the right to lecture him? The words ‘it was just a business meeting’ had been forming on his lips but now somewhat seemed superfluous with a red mark shaped like a woman’s hand on his face. “Uh… hi Roxy.” Was all he could think to say, long time no see. What brings you here?” He asked trying to sound casual, ignoring everything she had just said. He did not want to have this conversation with her, did not want to discuss his wife right now. His glare he directed towards her said everything his blasé tone did not, his irritation and anger that she had spoiled his plans. How dare she judge him, couldn’t she just mind her own business? Didn’t she have her own damn problems? Like that sot of a husband of hers?

 

[Sexy_Trinity69]

Roxy puffed up her chest like a rooster with a bone to pick as she charged toward Ben. Wasn’t it enough that she had to see her husband gallivanting around, doing god knows what? But Ben too? How could he even think of stooping so low? That wasn’t the boy she first kissed…the young man she felt comfortable with…the young man that kissed and caressed her in ways no other man…not even her husband had. He was not the same guy she knew once upon a time. That guy. That man. Wouldn’t be out cheating on someone he loved. All of Roxy’s frustrations were bubbling to the surface and she lashed out, hoping her words had stung him just as much as the red welt on his face. He deserved it. In fact. Mike deserved a good knock around too, but she could deal with that later.

The look in Ben’s eyes read differently than his tone. She knew better regardless. He wasn’t a confrontational guy, especially not in public. Blowing up at her would be logical, but embarrassing. Which made Roxy take a step back from her rage. She must have looked insane. Her arms crossed over her chest and she stole a glance around her. The bartender was still working, but kept glimpsing over to keep track of the commotion. No doubt ready to kick them all out on a dime. Several of the bar patrons were watching the show intently and others couldn’t care less. She chewed on her lip, self-consciousness flushing out the anger in her voice, cooling it down to disappointment. Maybe even pity.

“Serves you right.” she said with a huff. “What on earth were you thinking?” Roxy looked over her shoulder just in time to see her husband downing the last of his whiskey. His hand shot up for another, but she shot a look at the bartender that could have burst a boulder into pebbles. Mike, stumbling off his stool, was trying to work his way over to them, muttering something about one more pint. Roxy ignored him. She put up with his nonsense every other day. It could wait. Before she could say anything else, Mike’s lumbering figure was flopping against her shoulder, trying to use her as a crutch. “Mike! Please…”

“Come on, babe…just one more drink. Then. Then. We’ll go home and I’ll,” he put a hand to his mouth in an attempt to whisper, but his voice staid loud. Only extra spit and a hoarse sound was added on. “I’ll give it to you real good and hard…just like my…” Roxy grimaced and turned, clapping her hand over his mouth. The shift of weight caused her lithe figure to stumble into the bar a bit. She was strong but Mike was a thick man. It was hard for her to drag him about…which was why she often let him find his own way home. Tonight was different though. It was too much and watching her husband fumble about made her remember why she was here. It was none of her business what Ben did on his own time. Sure…it hurt to see him fall. There was no hope for the male species if Ben of all people fell to cheating. But…he wasn’t her problem. No matter how close they were.

“Look Ben…I’m sorry. I just got…well…you see what I’m dealing with here,” she said, attempting to squeeze out from between the bar and her husband. “Just surprised me is all…but really…that isn’t you. Don’t be like Mike…go home…to your wife…”

 

[The_gladiator]

Ben’s self-righteous anger faded when he began to watch Roxy struggle with an obviously overly inebriated Mike.

Ben was like that, he had the ability to lay aside his own feelings and give to others, hell he did it often enough with his wife. He was at Roxy’s side in a second grabbing the unsteady mike and straightening him up.

Befuddled Mike didn’t recognize him, so thinking him a threat took a swing at Ben. Ben blocked the blow with an upraised forearm. He caught a second badly aimed punch with his right pam before it could catch Roxy in the face.

“This is stupid.” Ben growled and slugged Mike in the jaw. His eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped to the ground. Ben was nice enough to catch him before he hit the ground. “You have no idea how many years I’ve waited to do that.” He muttered as he hoisted the heavier man over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.

He moved towards the door, “What are you waiting for an invitation, flowers and a box of candy?” Ben asked over his shoulder, some of his customary humor creeping back as he gave a quote she’d heard him use before. It was from a star wars novel, of which Ben was still at 30 a big fan of.

“I sure hope you have your car… I don’t relish the thought of carrying his drunk ass on my bike… although his face on the hot exhaust pipes might sober him up…” he mused half to himself. He was serious though that he hoped she had her car.

He didn’t really know why he was helping her, she’d just royally embarrassed him, was probably going to tell his wife what she’d seen and he had every reason to run away from her as fast as possible. However, here he was hauling her drunken husband outside for her.

 

[Sexy_Trinity69]

Roxy's mouth opened to scold Mike but no words came as his fist came dangerously close to her face. Ben caught it just in time and she exhaled. She hadn't flinched though. Roxanne never did. She was used to being swung at...used to being hit...but that wasn't to say she took it either. She was smaller than Mike, but she left him just as battered and bruised the next morning. Unhealthy. Very. But that was just her life. Mike had never swung at her in public though...then again he wasn't swinging at her. He was aiming for Ben who was now lugging him toward the door.

She had zoned out and back in just in time to catch his invitation comment. Her blood boiled, but quickly shimmered as the phrase played through her head. He wasn't being a dick. He was a dork. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips for the first time all night and she rolled her eyes, following along like child just rescued from a bully.

"I guess you're in luck." she said, dipping past the two out into the cool night air. She fished the keys to her Corolla out of her pocket and tapped the button to unlock the car that was parked about a foot from the entrance. "It would be pretty hilarious to see him on your bike, though," Roxy opened the back passenger door, not wanting Mike anywhere near her if he woke up. She'd much rather strap him in the back seat like the baby he was.

She helped Ben load Mike into the backseat. There wasn't much of a struggle considering her was out cold. Pausing next to the door, Roxy glanced down at her feet a moment then back up to Ben. He had no reason to be helping her right now...but here he was. Playing the good guy as usual. "You didn't have to do this, ya know? You could have just left me to suffer. I would have got him out eventually..."

Roxy mused, trying not to lose her typical independent edge, but she knew it was useless. It always was with Ben. He was one of the only guys that just...melted her rigid disposition without even trying. "Thank you though...." she said shutting the car door. She leaned against the metal and bit the inside of her cheek. "I...uh...won't say anything to Beth. It was none of my business anyhow..."

 

[The_gladiator]

“I’m pretty sure its Mike who is in luck you have your Corolla.” Ben said dryly. He lifted the solidly out cold Mike down from his shoulder and began, with some well-placed helping guidance from Roxy’s delicate hands, to shove the drunken nuisance into the back seat of the car. After a couple of moments they got him in and Mike watched Roxy pause before shutting the door.

Hazel eyes came up to meet hers as he ran his fingers through his short dark hair. He seemed to consider her words as she spoke them his eyes on hers. “I could have, but maybe I’ve not fallen as far as you thought I had.” He really didn’t mean to make the statement a dig at her but it kind of came out that way. “That’s not my way. You needed help…so I helped you.” He shrugged it off like it was nothing. His hand came up to brush her hand where it rested against the door. Their hands had brushed when putting Mike in the car but this touch was different; there was no business in it. It was not the touch of a lover, nor was it the touch of a brother. “You’re welcome. … I’ll follow you home and help you get him in the house too, if you’d like.”

When she slammed the door it broke the all too brief contact of their flesh and when she spoke again his expression hardened a shield coming down between them as he visibly shut down. “Thanks, I don’t think she would like hearing that I was not at a business meeting tonight.” He said trying to reach for his humor again. Humor was his shield; he was good at putting people at ease at times with it, and used humor and sarcasm to hold people at a distance, to cover the softer inner core within.

He seemed to want to say more but didn’t seem to have the words. “I…, dammit Roxy you wouldn’t….” he finally sighed, “You wouldn’t understand,” he said and turned away breaking the eye contact. He didn’t want to see pity or her condescension that he expected to see there. He didn’t want to see her anger with him. He deserved it he knew but she wouldn’t understand, he had reasons. He almost laughed at that. Isn’t that what everyone who had ever cheated on their wife ever, had said? They all had reasons they thought justified such a behavior. Did that make any of those million and one reasons good reasons? Probably not….

He headed for his bike. She hadn’t said whether she wanted him to follow her home to help with Mike. He figured he would just do it anyway, he just couldn’t explain, he figured she wouldn’t listen anyway. She had always been there for him in the past, had listened to him always, knew secrets that no other knew about him, but in Ben’s mind this time was different. He was not worthy of her trust anymore in his eyes. As Freud might say, he was projecting his own self-disgust onto Roxy, assuming things that she may or may not actually truly think or feel.