The Affair

Talking

“John we don’t have a lot of time; we have to get back to the hospital soon. She’s just giving us this moment alone to talk things over. She doesn’t know everything; just that we’re together.” She needed to tell him about last night, about her talk with Roman and their so called date for later on; but most of all she needed to apologize to him for blowing everything with Rebecca out of proportion. She still didn’t know what happened; all she knew was she was sorry and she wanted everything out in the open.

But before she could begin John beat her to the punch. “Doc I’m so sorry. Sorry about last night and about tonight.”

She placed her hand on his leg and squeezed it. “It’s okay. In fact there’s something ….”

John interrupted her before she could say anything else. “No I’m not just talking about last night or my date with Rebecca; I have to leave Salem tonight for New York.” He could see she was taken aback by his announcement. “It’s an emergency business trip that can’t be helped. I’m leaving tonight and I won’t be back until next week; the day of the Policeman’s Ball.”

Everything she wanted to say to him was no longer important. He was leaving town and this would be the last time they would be together; right here in this diner. There would be no private goodbyes. When they left the diner she wouldn’t see him again until the night of the ball and he would be with Rebecca. At last she found her voice, “When did this happen?”

“This morning. . . when I got to work I had an urgent message from one of my executives, Kristin Blake. It seems there’s a negotiation problem with one of our suppliers and since I’m the CEO of Basic Black I’m the only one who can fix it.” He hated like hell to drop everything in her lap at once but he had no choice. This would be the last time he would see her before he left and he didn’t want her finding out he was out of town through the Salem grapevine.

“When do you leave?”

“Since I’m taking the corporate jet, I’m not leaving until late tonight. This wasn’t planned and I need to make sure Boaty is taken care of and everything is in order before I leave.”

“Who’s going to keep Boaty while you’re gone?”

“I thought I’d let Victor watch him.”

She was aware she was actually having a conversation with John but in reality her mind was reeling from the thought of him being gone for a week. “That should make Victor happy.”

John could see she was visibly shaken. “Doc, I’m sorry but it can’t be helped. I wish I didn’t have to go. . . I wish I could spend my last night in Salem with you or that you could come with me but that’s not possible. Please say you understand.”

“I do. . . it’s just that nothing is going the way I thought it would.” She thought she would be telling him about Roman instead of listening to him tell her he was leaving for New York late tonight.

“I know.” Now it was his turn to comfort her. He slipped his hand on her leg and squeezed it. He felt there was something else she needed to say to him. “Doc is there something else going on?”

The minute she felt his hand on her leg her heart began to beat faster. A simple touch by him could always send her heart into overdrive. The previous tension between them was gone. It was the perfect time to tell him about Roman but with his hand slowly making its way up her thigh she couldn’t think straight; so she answered him the only way she could, “No, nothing important.”

He wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t what she said it but the way she said it. “Are you sure? I get the feeling you’re not telling me everything.”

“John right now the only thing I can think about is your hand on my thigh. You have to stop.”

“I wish we were alone so I could show you how much I want you.” His hand continued on its journey.

Now not only was her heart beating faster but she could feel the wetness between her legs begin. If he didn’t stop soon her panties would be soaked. “John what are you doing?”

“I’m sitting next to the woman I love most in the world.” He flashed her one of his famous smiles; one guaranteed to melt her resolve. His hand was now underneath her skirt making its way to its final destination.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” She was struggling for self control. She slammed her legs together trapping his hand in between them. “What if Laura comes back or someone sees us?”

John pretended to think about that possibility while he gently pried her legs open once more. “Doc no one can see underneath the table cloth. And as far as Laura is concerned, if she comes back before I’m done, I’ll stop.”

Marlena turned the upper half of her body to look at him while keeping the bottom half, the half John was currently caressing perfectly still. “What do you mean when you’re done?”

Again he smiled at her, “Doc if we were alone right now and I was leaving town late tonight, what would we be doing right now?”

She whispered her answer, “Making love.” It was too late; she was already anticipating his touch; his fingers inside of her.

“Exactly, we would be making love.” His hand was now inside her panties slowly making its way toward her center. “And since we’re not alone and it will be a while before we’re alone again, tonight just before you drift off, I need you to remember this moment; how I made you feel.”

Marlena tried to maintain her outward calm demeanor while inside she was screaming his name over and over.

“Right there,” he whispered as his fingers finally reached their destination. She gripped his leg as his fingers began to slowly caress her. He knew her body better than she did; every last inch. In fact he once jokingly told her if there were ten naked women in front of him and he was blindfolded he would know which number she was simply by the way her body responded to his touch. He wasn’t bragging; it was a simple fact. His fingers began to slip in and out of her with each circular motion. She was losing control. One hand gripped his leg and the other held on to the edge of the seat. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to control her breathing. John could feel the heat rising from her body and knew she was close. As her eyes began to involuntarily close she realized if he didn’t stop right then and there she would explode against his hand; which was exactly what he wanted. The moment he saw her struggling to keep her eyes open he knew she almost there. He adjusted his body slightly so he could see her face. “Doc, look at me. Focus on me.” To anyone looking at them, they appeared to be two people in a serious conversation.

“John if you don’t stop right now it’ll be too late.” It was already too late and they both knew it. His fingers moved faster and faster. She wanted to scream, she wanted to close her eyes but instead she bit her bottom lip as she came hard against his fingers. Her legs were trembling, her hands were white from the death grip she had on the seat and his leg. But through it all her eyes stayed focused on him. Finally it was over. As John removed his fingers from inside of her she leaned back into the seat. No one would ever know what had just taken place.

After waiting a few moments she was able to speak, “John, I can’t believe you did that.”

“Are you complaining?”

“No.” Her body was still tingling from the after effects of her orgasm. “But . . .”

“But what?”

“John anyone could have seen what you were doing to me.”

“Marlena look around and tell me what you see.”

She took a quick glance around the diner. “I see people having lunch, reading the paper and talking to the person sitting either across or next to them.”

“Exactly, that’s my point. People are here having lunch in their own little world just like we were in ours. No one pays attention to anyone else unless they absolutely have to. No one was watching us.”

Since she couldn’t refute his logic she did the next best thing; she slid out of the booth and headed for the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be waiting.” John leaned back into the booth. She was such a beautiful woman and never more beautiful than when she was in the throes of passion. It still amazed him that she wanted him and only him. If he made love to her everyday for the rest of their lives it still wouldn’t be long enough. She was everything to him.

Laura saw Marlena making her way towards the bathroom as she stood at the pay phone. She was on hold and had been for quite some time. That was alright though; it gave Marlena and John a chance to talk. And by the way Marlena looked, everything had been worked out. She covered the mouthpiece just in case the other party clicked back in, “You ok?”

She felt great, fantastic, superb, wonderful and any other adjective she could think of but all she said was, “I’m fine; I’m just going to the restroom to freshen up.”

“Ok, I’ll meet you back at the table. I’ve been on hold for a while now and I’m about ….” The other party clicked back on. Laura rolled her eyes, “Yes I’m still here, no I’ve been on hold for a while now, never mind I’ll call back.” She hung up the phone and turned back to Marlena, “Sometimes I hate doctors.”

Marlena smiled, “Present company excluded of course.”

“Of course, see you in a few.”

Marlena entered the bathroom and into one of the stalls. She slipped her panties off, wrapped them in tissue paper and slipped them in her purse. They were soaked thru and thru. She left the stall and walked over to the counter intending to freshen up her lipstick but instead just stood there looking at her reflection in the mirror. What was it about John that made her body respond to him in such a way? Was it the sound of his voice or the way he looked at her? No; it was simply him. She wanted him every time she saw him; today was proof enough. It didn’t matter where they were, she always wanted him. She couldn’t help it. He pushed her buttons every time they were together. Enough daydreaming she told herself. She needed to get back to work. She pulled out her lipstick and began reapply her makeup.

While Marlena was in the bathroom having a conversation with herself, Laura walked back to the table. She could see John leaning back. He looked like a happy man. God she was glad these two worked out whatever their differences were. They were destined to be together. Laura sat across from John.