Things Happen For A Reason Ch. 01

What the--?! If Luke had been confused before, he was even more so now. Was Sarah cheating on him? Who was she talking to? What--? He willed himself to relax. Maybe she was talking to her mother? Hell. Not likely. Then he heard her laugh sexily and say, "Don't be silly, Jack."

Another man?

Granted, Luke didn't feel any strong emotional ties to the woman yet. But Sarah was still his wife, and by all accounts, she seemed to love him. He felt an unfamiliar pang of betrayal as he tried to listen to more of the conversation to be certain of his suspicion. Her voice faded as if she had walked into the bathroom, and he couldn't make out anything else. She padded back into the room, and judging by the silence followed by the light turning off under the door, the phone call had been ended. He considered confronting her with what he'd heard but reminded himself he didn't know all the facts. If only he could remember what their marriage had been like...

Troubled Luke retreated to his room and spent much of the night tossing and turning, and thinking. Around 3 a.m., he glanced at the clock beside his bed and groaned. He doubted he'd get any rest at all with the ideas troubling his mind. Maybe he should insist on going to a hotel tomorrow. Maybe he should ask her straight out who Jack was. Maybe it was none of his business, he decided. Maybe he should just leave now.

He'd avoided taking any of the painkillers the doctor had prescribed but reached for them now. They'd put him straight to sleep, with any luck. He was thinking of turning the TV on for company when he heard soft footsteps in the hallway. He held his breath, wondering if Sarah would hear him if he got out of bed to investigate what she was doing.

He didn't have to.

His eyes were well adjusted to the darkness of the room, and he saw the door slowly open to frame his gorgeous wife in the doorway. Sarah stood there in a diaphanous gown, her feet bare, and her caramel hair hanging loose around her shoulders. Every male cell in his body instantly snapped to happy attention. She just stood there for a few seconds, seemingly staring at him before she finally whispered, "Luke?"

He propped himself up on his elbows. "Everything OK?"

"Oh yes. Sorry. I—" she glanced back down the hallway toward her bedroom and said quietly, "I couldn't sleep."

Sarah stepped further into the room, and Luke saw that she was wearing a nightgown that glowed in the moonlight and outlined her gentle curves beneath. She really was a beautiful woman, he thought as she stepped closer to the bed, giving him a better view. She hesitated, glancing down at him and then glancing toward the chair sitting next to the bed. With a half smile, she moved to the chair, curling her bare legs beneath her as she got comfortable. "Do you mind if I sleep here the rest of the night?" she asked, sounding vulnerable all of a sudden. "I promise not to disturb you."

"What, in the chair?"

"Yes," she whispered, settling in, using the arm of the chair as a pillow. Her lips curved in a slight smile and he couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed as if her eyes were exploring the parts of his body bared from the covers. "Good night," she whispered. "You need your rest."

Raking back the unruly hair in his eyes, Luke sighed and said, a bit frustrated, "You can't sleep there. It looks damned uncomfortable."

"I'm OK."

Without thinking, he offered, "This bed is big enough for two."

Sarah perked up. "You wouldn't mind? Just for tonight?"

Seeing he'd backed himself into a corner, Luke simply lifted the covers and shifted more to one side, giving her room to slide in if she chose to. With only a little hesitation, Sarah accepted the offer, slipping in beside him. Cautiously, she curled up next to him, and when he didn't protest, she slid one arm across his chest and pillowed her head in the curve of his shoulder. Weren't these the actions of a loving wife? Would she be acting this way if she were cheating on him? He didn't think so, but ... god, he didn't know much of anything right now. He couldn't trust his memories. Could he trust his instincts, or had they been damaged as badly as his mind?

Luke wasn't sure what the protocol was for a situation like this but willed his body to relax instead of reacting. He felt the soft, smooth and unfamiliar slide of Sarah's leg pressed against his, and the feel of the material of her nightgown as it slid between them was almost unbearably erotic. She lay perfectly still, and he wondered if she had actually managed to fall asleep so fast. How long he lay there, stiff like a board, he couldn't say. He could already feel his body relaxing, thanks to the effects of the drugs he'd taken. But the arm she was using as a pillow began to fall asleep, so he stretched it and found himself curving it around her shoulder to get the blood flow going again.

As if she'd only been waiting for some hint of an invitation, Sarah's lips began moving against his skin, and then she maneuvered the arm she'd thrown across his chest so that her fingers could caress the area around his nipple. Slowly, those fingers started on a leisurely trail down toward his stomach, touching him, exploring his body. Luke laid there, not certain if she was dreaming and acting it out or actually making a play for him.

Had talking to the other man made her horny or what? Should he take advantage? Swallowing, he shifted beneath her. He just didn't think he was the type to take advantage, unfortunately.

"Sarah?" he whispered, trying to wake her if she was asleep. Her hand stopped just an inch above his cock, which was already aroused and standing at attention beneath his boxers thanks to her mere proximity. He felt her sigh, and then she repositioned herself so that one of her legs was thrown over his, almost high enough to brush his cock, and she snuggled into him contentedly. "G'night, Luke," she said sleepily, and he felt her body relax again. A few seconds later, she was snoring softly.

Not long after, Luke was doing the same.