Chapter 1: The Tease at the Tavern
The dim lights of the Rusty Anchor Tavern cast a sultry glow over the crowd, the air thick with the scent of cheap beer and cheaper cologne. Ruth, my wife of ten wild years, sat perched on a barstool, her crimson dress riding up just enough to hint at the lace of her thong beneath. She knew exactly what she was doing, and I knew exactly why I couldn’t look away. Her long legs crossed and uncrossed with deliberate slowness, a silent invitation to every hungry pair of eyes in the room.
I leaned against the bar a few feet away, nursing a whiskey, pretending not to notice the way she flicked her dark hair over her shoulder or the sly smirk she shot at the burly guy in the leather jacket who’d been staring for the last ten minutes. ‘You’re playing with fire, babe,’ I muttered under my breath, though I knew she’d hear me. She always did.
Ruth turned her head just enough to lock eyes with me, her gaze sharp and mischievous. ‘Fire’s my favorite toy, darling. You should know that by now.’ Her voice was a low purr, dripping with challenge. She uncrossed her legs again, letting the hem of her dress slip higher, and I caught the briefest flash of her bare skin beneath. My grip tightened on the glass. She wasn’t just flirting—she was hunting.
Leather Jacket Guy took the bait, swaggering over with a grin that screamed overconfidence. ‘Hey, gorgeous, you look like you’re waiting for someone to buy you a drink,’ he said, his voice rough but cocky.
Ruth tilted her head, her smile cutting like a blade. ‘Oh, honey, I don’t wait for anything. If I want a drink, I get it. If I want something else…’ She let the sentence hang, her eyes flicking down his frame before returning to his face. ‘Well, I get that too.’
His grin widened, but I saw the flicker of uncertainty. Ruth wasn’t some shy flower; she was a goddamn wildfire. ‘Is that so?’ he pressed, leaning closer. ‘What is it you want right now?’
She laughed, a sound that could make a man’s knees weak, and leaned in just enough to whisper something I couldn’t hear. Whatever it was, it made his face flush red. My own pulse quickened, a mix of jealousy and raw anticipation. I knew this game. I’d seen it a hundred times. Ruth didn’t just flirt for fun—she did it to win.
‘Careful, big guy,’ she said louder now, pulling back with a wicked glint in her eye. ‘I bite harder than I bark.’ She slid off the stool, her dress shifting to reveal just a hint more as she sauntered toward the back hallway, the one that led to the dimly lit bathrooms and God knows what else. She didn’t look back, but I knew the invitation wasn’t just for him. It was for me too.
Leather Jacket hesitated, then followed like a moth to a flame. I set my glass down, my blood running hot. I wasn’t about to let her have all the fun without me. The hallway was narrow, the air heavier with tension as I caught sight of her leaning against the wall, one hip cocked, waiting. She saw me first, her lips curling into a smirk. ‘Took you long enough, love,’ she teased, her voice low and hungry. ‘Thought I’d have to start without you.’
‘Not a chance,’ I growled, stepping closer, the heat of her body already pulling me in. Leather Jacket appeared at the other end of the hall, but Ruth’s eyes stayed on me, daring me to make the first move. My hand slid to her waist, fingers digging into her skin through the thin fabric of her dress. Her breath hitched, but her smirk didn’t falter. ‘You gonna stand there gawking, or are you gonna do something about how wet I am right now?’ she challenged, her words a spark to the fire already raging in me.
I pressed her against the wall, my body hard against hers, feeling the heat radiating from her. Her hands were on me in an instant, bold and demanding, as her lips crashed into mine with a ferocity that promised an explosion of raw, unbridled need. The game was over. Now, it was time to play for real.
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