Reina woke up alone again, only this time it was her own doing. She was so angry at Chad and needed space away from him. She had cried herself to sleep because he’d been such an ass to her. She had expected him to come home with Chinese food in tow and to fuck her brains out. Instead, he came home with Bill, the college roommate and spent the night drinking and reminiscing instead. She had handled it when he’d forgotten their plans, she’d even tolerated it when he humiliated her by telling Bill that she was one of his Office Whores. But when he said she was being a bitch, that was more than she could take, and she had taken refuge on the third floor of the house. She’d seen a side of Chad she didn’t like last night. She’d experienced him being angry before, but he’d never been so purposely cruel. She wasn’t ready to face him, so she stayed curled up on the sofa-bed and hugged her pillow as she tried to replay the events in her head to see if there was anything she could have done differently.

About a half hour later, Chad woke up with a dry mouth and an aching head. What the hell did he drink? He didn’t think he’d overdone it, but he was having trouble remembering what happened last night. Reina. Where the hell was Reina? He got out of bed and looked in the room next to theirs, but she wasn’t there. So, he wandered down the hall to the guest room and saw a dude in the bed. He shook his head as if to clear the fog. “Bill?” he asked, confused.

Bill opened his eyes and grinned, “Dude, we got so fucked up last night, huh? Wasn’t it awesome? Just like old times.”

“Where’s Reina?” Chad asked, still trying to recall why Bill was here.

“I have no idea, but I think she was really pissed last night,” Bill answered. “She stormed out of here after you called her a bitch. I don’t remember anything after that.”

“Wait, what? I called her a bitch? Oh, fuck! What the hell was I thinking? Bill, what the hell were we drinking last night? Why do I feel like death warmed over?” Chad asked.

“I think they’re called Death Bombs. A whole lotta booze and some Xanax. I still know how to party like a rock star,” Bill laughed.

“Xanax? What the fuck, Bill!” Chad was furious.

“Chill out, man, it’s Saturday. No reason to not party hardy on a Friday night!” Bill said, seeming irritated at Chad’s reaction.

Chad ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. “Jesus, Bill, I don’t do that shit anymore! I have a well-respected firm and a wife. And, dude, we’re forty years old!”

“You sound like my grandpa when you talk like that. The Chad I knew in college was always down for a party. Look, you said no women, but you didn’t say no drugs. Lighten up! I mean, if you can’t have a little fun with a buddy, then maybe she is a bitch,” Bill said callously.

“Get out!” Chad shouted. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

“Seriously, dude, you need to relax. Your little sex bimbo wife is probably downstairs making you breakfast. She sure has nice tits. I got a good look at them when I found her in my bed last night,” Bill said grinning.

It took every ounce of energy he had for Chad to not punch Bill in the face. He remembered now, the look on Reina’s face when he said something about her being a bitch. But what the hell was she doing in this room anyway? So many details were still fuzzy. He knew two things, he needed Bill to leave and he needed to find Reina.

“I don’t know what the hell I was thinking, partying with you last night when I should have been…” Chad started to say.

“Should have been what?” Bill interrupted. “If your wife can’t handle you having a little guy time, then you picked the wrong woman, Chad.”

Chad glared at Bill, “No, I didn’t pick the wrong woman. I just hope she can forgive me, because I am quite sure I was an asshole last night.”

“Whatever, dude. Just because you put a ring on it, doesn’t mean she’s any less of an Office Whore. She probably fucked a bunch of guys before you got to her,” Bill remarked.

“Shut the fuck up, Bill! You need to just go. I’m serious. This was a mistake. I should have had the one drink with you at the bar and then parted ways. I’m not the same guy I was in college. I don’t want to be. That guy was an asshole and a real jerk! I spent a lot of years being that guy after graduation. And I kept being that guy right up until I met Reina. I like who I am with her. I need you to go so I can find her and make this right,” Chad said quietly.

“Pussy whipped loser!” Bill said in a snarky voice.

Chad raised a fist but held back. Bill shrugged and grabbed his pants. He put them on and said, “Nice digs you got here Chad. Make sure she doesn’t get the house in the divorce settlement.” Then he grabbed his stuff and walked out.

Chad went downstairs and called for her, “Reina? Reina! Baby, come out so we can talk.” But no one answered him. He couldn’t find her anywhere. He checked the garage and found her car was still there. He went outside in the backyard and didn’t see her. Then he looked up and saw a little light on in the third-floor window. He ran back into the house and raced up the stairs. By the time he reached the third floor he was panting heavily. But there she laid, curled up with her pillow, and a sea of used tissues all over the little table and on the floor near the sofa-bed. Her red hair was coming loose out of the pretty braid she’d had last night. God, she looked so vulnerable right now. He wished he could recall all of what took place. But he remembered enough to know he had hurt her.

Her eyes fluttered open as she felt him staring at her. He sat down on the bed next to her and laid his forehead against her hip. “I’m so sorry, Reina. I don’t know exactly what took place here last night, but I know that I hurt you, and I am…”

“Just don’t,” she interrupted. “Just don’t make excuses or give me apologies. Is he gone?”

“Bill? Yes, I told him to get the fuck out,” Chad answered quietly.

“Good,” Reina said. “I don’t want him here ever again. I don’t know who you were last night, but you weren’t the man I fell in love with and married. The minute you walked in the door last night, it was as if married, responsible Chad was taken over by asshole college Chad. If a few drinks with your good old buddy, Bill, makes you act like that, then he isn’t welcome in our home. I’ve never been so humiliated in all my life. Why the fuck would you tell Bill about my being your Office Whore? It’s bad enough that most of your friends think I’m a gold-digger opportunist. Now when Bill shoots his mouth off to everyone, they’ll decide that I’m just the hot piece of ass that conned you into marriage.”

Chad let her rant at him. God knows he deserved it and, probably, worse. The look in her eyes was crushing. More than anger and hurt, he saw disappointment. He’d let her down in an unforgiveable way. He needed to come completely clean.

“I won’t make excuses or give you empty apologies, but I do owe you an explanation,” he said contritely.

Reina fumed, “Oh, so there’s a good explanation for why you came home late, brought a buddy home, forgot to pick up Chinese take-out, drank yourself stupid, and failed to make good on your promise to fuck my brains out? Because I’d really like to hear that, Chad!”

“It’s not a good explanation, but I want to at least tell you why I acted the way I did. Then you can decide to forgive me or not,” he said.

“Does this involve you cheating on me?” Reina asked bluntly.

“Cheating?” Chad asked, dumbfounded. “God, no, Reina. It doesn’t. I didn’t. I would never cheat on you. I made vows with you.”

“Okay, then, tell me what you wanted to explain,” she relented.

“I left the office on time, despite my last conference call running longer than it should have. I was frustrated with the outcome, and then Bill called, out of the blue. He heard we got married and was giving me shit for not inviting him. I told him that there must have been some kind of mistake because he was invited. Anyway, he told me I could make it up to him by meeting him for a drink at Louie’s. It’s on the way home, so I figured I could pop in, have one drink, and then be home in a reasonable amount of time,” Chad explained.

“Keep going,” Reina said skeptically.

“So, I went because I felt guilty. I pulled Bill’s invitation before they were mailed. I didn’t want him at our wedding, or anywhere near you. I haven’t actually seen him in a few years, but the last time I did, he was still pretty much the same jackass he was when we were in college. Back then, it was fun. But it’s like he never grew up. I know I was an idiot when you met me, but I wasn’t the rude pig that he is,” Chad continued.

Reina nodded “That’s a fair statement.”

Chad gave her a weak smile, “Thanks for that. So, he ordered drinks for us while I went to take a piss. When I came back, he said we needed to do our bottoms-up toast to my lovely bride. I slammed the entire drink. He suggested we drive home to our house and drink here so we wouldn’t have to drink and drive. It made sense. Somewhere on the way home, I started feeling really hammered. I didn’t understand why until Bill told me this morning; the drinks had crushed Xanax in them.”

“Are you serious?” Reina asked, genuine concern in her voice.

“Yes,” Chad answered. “Once he told me that this morning, I told him to leave. He said I wasn’t fun anymore and that I was pussy whipped.”

Reina rolled her eyes. She hated that term. She was still furious, but she started to get a clearer picture of who the instigator was in all of this. “Why didn’t you invite Bill to our wedding?” she asked pointedly.

Chad didn’t hesitate, “Because he’s an asshole. He was my best friend during a time when I was an asshole too. But I’d like to think that I grew up, even though I was still pretty much a jerk when you met me. I was afraid he’d say or do something to spoil our day and I would never have forgiven myself for that.”

Reina sighed. There he was, HER Chad. The one who cared about her feelings. He wasn’t gone. He just took a night off when influenced by alcohol, drugs, and a shitty former best friend. He looked miserable. But she was not about to let him off the hook that easily.

“You called me a bitch,” she said, the hurt feelings evident in her voice. “In all our arguments or misunderstandings since I’ve known you, you’ve never called me any derogatory name. You stabbed me in the heart with that one, Chad. I could have been a bitch last night. I was waiting for you in a black lace teddy on the chair with my legs open wide for you. Thank goodness I had the blanket handy to cover myself, so your lewd friend didn’t get an eyeful.”

He started to speak, but she shook her head, “No. You’re going to let me finish what I have to say. I could have been a bitch when you asked what was for dinner when you were supposed to have picked up Chinese food. I could have been a bitch when you drank all night with him instead of fucking me like you promised after teasing me merciless in your office. But each one of those times, I held my anger and excused your behavior because I was trying to be the understanding wife. This was your best college buddy. You deserved to spend time with him. It was one night. Well, fuck that!” Tears streamed down her face.

He took her hands in his, then pulled her into an embrace, “I don’t deserve to hug you, but you need it Reina. Just let me hold you for a moment, then you can keep being as mad as you want at me.”

She was exhausted, so she allowed herself to take what he was offering because he was right, she was emotionally drained and needed comfort. She pressed her face against her chest and let the tears come down like rain. He held on to her and rocked her gently while she wept.

He laid her down on the sofa bed with him and kissed her softly until she drifted off to sleep. Only then did he allow himself to fall asleep as well.

It was several hours later when she woke up, wrapped in Chad’s arms. She nudged him and said, “Hey, we should probably get up and shower. It’s the middle of the afternoon.”

Chad kissed her neck and nuzzled her, “I had a horrible dream that I acted like a complete asshole and made you cry.”

Reina gave a weak laugh, “You weren’t dreaming.”

“I know,” Chad said remorsefully. “I don’t know what to say or how to make it up to you. Nothing seems to be enough.”

“Are you sorry?” she asked.

“More than words can express,” he answered from his heart.

“Then don’t tell me, show me. If words can’t express how sorry you are, then demonstrate how you feel,” she suggested.

“Reina, I…” he began.

“Shhh, no words. Show me,” she demanded.

Chad looked into her eyes. He’d often marveled at how amazing her capacity for forgiveness was. That she was offering a way for redemption now was nothing short of a miracle. He didn’t need to be told again, he took a finger and traced it delicately along her jawline, down the side of her neck, and across one of her lovely large breasts. His mind drifted back to his relentless teasing with the ice and realized how cruel he had been to leave her frustrated yesterday and then to never finish what he started as he had promised to. He leaned down and took a hardened nipple into his mouth. A soft moan escaped her lips.

As he sucked and nibbled at her breast, he continued skimming his fingers along the soft skin of her tummy, down to her bare mound. He slid a finger along her slit and was pleased to find her incredibly wet. Her mind and soul might still be angry at him, but her body was losing the war. Her hips started to grind as he found her clit and started to get it wet with her own juices. Her body hummed with need and arousal as he switched breasts to give the other one some attention. He slid a finger inside her and back out again, rubbing her labia, slick and swollen, begging to be touched. He saw all the signs of her impending orgasm. But, unlike yesterday when he denied her that release, his fingers continued playing deftly until he felt her arch up and then crash down as she came intensely.

“More,” he whispered as he crept down between her legs and traced tiny wet circles on her mound with his tongue. He gave her time to catch her breath while he kissed the inside of her thighs before moving in for a feast. He licked gently at first, then he probed her heat with his tongue. And, when he felt her body tense up again, he devoured her! His reward was her sweet nectar, quenching his thirst. God, she tasted so fucking good!

“Again,” he commanded as he continued his assault on her senses. He was relentless as he pushed her over the edge again and again. His cock ached to be inside her. But this was all about pleasing her. His need could wait.

But, to his delight, she begged him to fill her, “Please, Chad, I need you to fuck me! I need you now! Please don’t make me beg.”

Her request was music to his ears. He moved over her and, taking wetness from her hot, slick hole, he lubed up his cock and entered her in one slow deliberate thrust.

“Oh, God! Yes! Please, I need you so badly!” Reina cried out.

Chad began to move in and out of her, while he looked into her eyes. She moaned with immense pleasure as she met each thrust. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her deeper still. He held back, wanting to make her cum again before he exploded inside her. And when he felt her reach the peak, he gave her his seed, his cock pulsing as it shot rope after rope cum into her hungry cunt.

Her orgasm was so intense, that she was overcome with emotion. Tears started rolling down her cheeks again.

“Baby, don’t cry,” Chad said softly. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I promise to be a better man and a more worthy husband. I know it will take time to win your trust again, but I will do whatever it takes.”

Reina just curled herself into Chad and took comfort in his arms again. He kissed her gently and took her sighs as a sign of contentment. Then he got an idea. “Hey, baby, do you still want to take that shower?”

She smiled for the first time in what seemed like days, “Yes, but only if you treat me to your amazing brand of shower sex that I have come to know and love.”

Chad felt himself getting choked up. He’d come so far as a man and a decent human being and had almost blown it with one careless, stupid night. He needed better friends he thought briefly. Then he smiled at Reina and said, “I’d love to do that, baby.”

He carried her down the stairs to their master suite. The shower bigger in there and had a built-in seat. He sat her down gently and turned on the water, watching the stream of water wash away her sadness as he caressed her body with show gel. He looked at her with amazement and wonder as she offered herself to him again for his use.

“Take me, Chad. Use me, love me. I need more,” she pleaded with him.

He picked her up and moved her down onto his once again rigid pole. “Hold on to me baby! I want to touch your body while I fill you,” he demanded as his kisses became more passionate. She rode his cock as the hot, steamy water rained down on them. Thrust after thrust had them both moaning with lust and desire, until they came together almost violently. Once their shuddering ceased, he slid down to the floor of the shower gently, holding her in his arms.

After a few moments, Reina said, “Baby, turn off the water before we drown.”

Chad’s heart leapt at the sound of her calling him baby. It seemed like such a small, foolish thing. But to his ears, that term of endearment meant he had at least cracked the exterior wall around her heart. He knew he had much repairing of trust to do, but this was a start.