Work Boyfriend

I sat speechless. The most flattering things in the world she could say were all coming out and I couldn't even savor them because I knew this was going nowhere.

"So last weekend I figured the most I could do for you is show my appreciation by getting you something to let you know I do care. I went to a friends' house to make that collage and told my husband I was working all weekend. She watched me cry as I cut out those pictures, trying to make me feel better by telling me I was doing the right thing and in a way, that was closure...but..."

"But...?"

"It wasn't...it hasn't been. And it won't be. Then you make love to me like you just did and... Jerome, I've never had anyone make love to me like that, ever. In all my years of marriage and life, what we just had was the best sex...the best love I have ever made with anyone. And I will never forget it. But I also can't forget my husband and I can't leave him out in the cold.

I want you. I do. I think...I think I love you, Jerome. But as much as I love to be around you, right now is not a good time to be with you romantically. That's why we can't do this again. I don't want an affair with you because if I have you I want you the right way."

"So what do we have now, Lydia? What is this that we have?"

"We have an incredible friendship. And I don't want what happened to come between us. Honestly, if we act any different now, everyone is gonna know something is up?"

"So you want me to act like nothing happened to keep up appearances?!"

"No," she said, cutting me off. "I want you to be the sweet man you've always been, the one who showed me love and how to love again because that's the man you are. I don't care about appearances, Jerome, you know that. But I do care about you."

I was so blindly furious that I didn't know what to say. So many things were dancing around my head yet again. I wanted to storm out and tell everyone. I wanted to walk calmly and tell no one. Hell I even thought to take her phone, call her husband and let him know everything. That's when she walked up to me and hugged me. Just like she always did; tightly, cozy and warm. Full of passion, full of warmth and everything I wanted from her. Then she kissed me softly and said, "Do this for us. And when you find someone else I will do the same. I care for you too much not to."

It didn't take long for me to reply. "Okay," I told her. "I'll do it...for us. Come on. Let's clean up this mess."

We picked up the room to make it appear as though nothing happened. As normal, no one had come by during our little rendezvous so we weren't going to be found out unless one of us said something. Before we exited I had one more thing to ask her.

"Am I really the best you've ever had?"

She smiled sweetly, "Never better. And I promise, Jerome, if I ever leave my husband again, I will come crawling to you. You are too good of a man to let go. Your next woman should be honored to have you."

I smiled back at her and told her we had to go, but leave a few minutes apart and go in separate directions. We met for lunch that day and smiled at each other more than talked. Since that day almost a year ago she hasn't left her husband yet but as bad as it sounds, I hope she does. I haven't lost faith in her yet and I think our connection has only gone stronger since that day. We've never argued once and I can tell now that our friendship is undying.

For now I'm okay being her work boyfriend. It actually...works, for me. Plus Valentine's Day is coming up again. I can't wait to show her what I'm going to do for an encore.