Chapter 1: Introduction
"I swear it's not supposed to be this tight," Sarah mumbled to herself, staring into the hallway mirror as she slid on a green Nine West dress. It hugged her figure in all the right places, but still, she couldn't help feeling self-conscious. The collarbone-grazing neckline made her feel exposed, sexy in a way she wasn't used to. Shr fussed with the hem, pulling it down just a touch to cover the tops of her thighs, which felt an inch too bare.
She smoothed the fabric over her waist, peeking at her reflection once more before snatching her pearl earrings off the dresser and slipping them on.
"Sarah?" came Mark's anxious call from down the hall. She paused, blew out a breath, and opened the bedroom door.
"You look... fabulous," he stammered, reluctant eyes sweeping over her. But there was something in his gaze, a glimmer she hadn't noticed before - something almost... hungry.
Sarah questioned the thought, but brushed it off, attributing the curious heat in her husband's stare to her own unfamiliar appearance.
"Mark, you told me this was going to be boring!" she protested, scanning the sea of monochrome suits and gowns inside the ballroom. "Isn't this a charity thing for your company?"
"Yeah, and that's why it's so dull. No excitement factor among the businessman here. Boring as hell unless you actually work there," he replied, attempting a light chuckle.
"But come on, look around. Everyone's dressed to the nines, ready for the big reveal. I bet you're wondering who the guest speaker is, right?"
Sarah frowned, suspecting he was trying to distract her from his earlier reaction. Ignoring the tension coiling in her chest, she nodded, suddenly eager to find out. "Who's speaking?"
"That's the best part, babe. They're keeping it a surprise." He smirked, pulling her close for a kiss. "Just remember to enjoy yourself tonight.
I don't want you stressing," Mark said, reluctantly releasing her.
Sarah nodded, but her mind was racing. She wanted to trust him, to believe that everything would be alright. He never seemed the type to deceive her. But what if...? What if he was hiding something?
“Oh shoot - I left my phone at home. Can I use yours really quickly, mark? I need to make sure our accounts have the money we’re supposed to donate.” Sarah said.
As Mark reluctantly handed her his phone, Sarah couldn’t help but glance back at the door, wondering if it was too late to back out of attending the event. She reminded herself that keeping Mark happy was crucial, as evidenced by the post-it note on his computer screen: “Read Mark’s ‘Private’ Folder.”
Her heart had skipped a beat when she saw it earlier.
She had no idea why Mark had a 'Private' folder saved on his desktop, and her fingers had trembled slightly as she slid the mouse over its icon.
*Click*
Images flooded the screen, ones that she never could have imagined Mark would even dare to look at. The girls in the photographs were nothing like Sarah. They wore seductive looks, barely there clothing, and were caught in the throes of passion with other couples or each other. Sarah felt both disgusted and intrigued at the same time. There was one thing all the pictures and stories had in common - they were all wives in cuckolding and hotwifing.
Sarah's body suddenly felt ice-cold, then blazing hot under her cheeks. She stared at a particular image of a couple, their faces concealed with black bars, but she could still see her own features reflected in the woman's eyes.
Mark wanted this. He wanted this for them. Despite Sarah's disbelief, as she looked into those wanting eyes, she couldn't ignore the inexplicable excitement zinging through her.
“honey - are you coming?” Marks voice interrupted her shock. “Sarah? They are about to start the presentation, we better find a place.”
Her mind reeling, she did her best to regain her composure, following Mark towards the stage. But her thoughts drifted again, replaying the photographs seared into her brain. Was this really what he desired? Could she fulfill such a need?
As the main speaker was introduced, Sarah glanced around the room, making mental notes of all the different attendees. It was then she locked eyes with a ruggedly handsome man in his early forties, standing in the shadows near the bar.
Oddly, a shiver of excitement run through her core. He wore a smoldering smile that tugged at her subconscious, urging her to investigate.
The man was tall, athletically built with dark, tousled hair streaked with hints of gray and deep brown eyes that burned with a mysterious intensity. Kris.
With a name like that, Sarah speculated, he could only be trouble. Yet she continued her clandestine appraisal. He exuded a magnetic charm, and his wardrobe reflected his free-spirited nature.
His words were captivating, and Sarah couldn't help but lean in closer as he spoke, her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of intrigue and envy.
Mark, oblivious to her growing fascination with Kris, droned on next to her, focusing more on his glass of wine than the presentation.
As Kris's speech came to a close, the crowd erupted in applause, and Sarah felt a pang of disappointment knowing she would likely never see him again.
Or so she thought.
As she and Mark weaved through the dwindling crowd, gathering their belongings while pretending to listen to the last of the speeches, Sarah spotted Kris at the edge of the dance floor, cornered by a group of women who didn't look like they were planning on letting him leave anytime soon.
Temptation stirred in Sarah as she glanced at Mark, who was busy tucking an envelope into his jacket pocket. They had pledged their donation, and it seemed he was ready to leave. Without her.
Sarah gnawed at her lip, stealing one more glance in the magnetic stranger's direction.
He caught her eye and quirked a brow, as if daring her to take a chance. To what, she couldn't be sure.
Taking advantage of Mark temporarily stepping away to speak with a colleague, Sarah seized the opportunity. She excused herself, slipping from Mark's side and into the anonymity of the ballroom.
She approached Kris warily, heart racing faster than her steps.
The hairs on the back of her neck bristled, her nerves stretched to the edge, but something about the man drew her in - like a moth to a flame.
"Hi, I'm Sarah. I couldn't help but notice your amazing presentation. It really resonated with me," she said softly, looking up into his eyes.
"Well thank you, Sarah." Kris scrutinized her, not missing the uncertainty behind her smile. "It's nice to meet you.
I'm Kris."
Sarah felt her palms grow clammy, but she stood her ground, clinging to her composure.
"Kris... yeah, it was really fascinating, and what you told us, it was like, you were talking straight to me," she continued, grasping for words.
"I can tell you're not just here for show, so what brings you to this event?" Kris inquired, flashing her a crooked smile that exposed a hint of even, white teeth.
"I'm here with my husband Mark.
He works for this company and, well, I figured a night out would do us some good," she confessed, wrinkling her nose in mild embarrassment.
"Mark. A good man?" Kris probed with a knowing smile, toying with the ice in his whiskey glass.
Sarah's lips formed a thoughtful pout. "Mark is... he's a good guy. Just, sometimes I think he doesn't know how to really let go and...
live a little?" Kris winked, the edges of his eyes crinkling with amusement.
Just then, mark walked up.
"Sarah, there you are." He glanced at Kris before turning his attention to his wife. "I see you've met Kris. He gave an inspiring speech, didn't he?"
Kris tucked a loose strand of Sarah's hair behind her ear, his gaze lingering for a moment before breaking contact. "We were just discussing the enlightening points of my speech," he replied smoothly.
Sarah felt her cheeks heat at the sudden attention.
She was keenly aware of how out of place she looked next to Kris, the embodiment of confident charm, and her boring, simple outfit. She tried to slip from Mark's side, offering a shy smile in Kris's direction, but he took her hand in a firm grip, preventing her from retreating.
"So are you ready to go, Sarah?” Mark asked.
Sarah blushed deeper. "I... um... I don't know.
There's...there's still this one presentation I really want to catch," Sarah said, grasping at straws. She hoped Mark wouldn't be too upset, but she couldn't quite bring herself to leave Kris' side so soon. Her heart fluttered, and she felt like a teenager all over again, meeting an attractive stranger.
She glanced at Kris, and he flashed her another coy smile. The heat in her cheeks radiated down her neck as she broke free of Mark's hold with a shaky nod.
"Thank you for the invitation, I'll catch up with you later."
Mark's eyebrows furrowed, but his confusion didn't last long. "Sure, have fun then." he grumbled, still a bit taken aback by his wife's sudden turn of events but resigned to accept it for the time being.
"Still, Sarah don't disrespect me like this. Where are you heading?" Mark demanded, his voice hinting his growing annoyance. “We need to get home.”
Sarah hesitated, but then agreed. “Okay fine let’s go home.” She said.
A tepid apology filled her voice. She felt bad for rushing away, but there was something magnetic about Kris that reeled her in. Nervousness panging through her veins, she searched for the right words to explain herself to Mark. They walked side by side in silence, Sarah stealing furtive glances at her husband, anxiously awaiting his mood to shift from displeased acceptance to annoyed regret.
The trio strolled out into the balmy autumn evening, the valets swiftly producing their vehicles as if on cue.