I pulled her hand to me, fingers glistening and caked. Pulled them to my mouth and sucked them clean.
"Tastes like a delightfully sexy pussy."
Then I stepped into the bathroom and showered myself clean.
We flew to San Francisco the next day to meet Ellen and Mary. I wrestled with my conscience and agreed that I was -- barely -- on the right side of things.
When we got to the Intercontinental, it sure felt like Ellen felt differently, backed by Mary. It was icy cold, and the only thing stiffer than Mary's greeting of me was Ellen's greeting of Marta. I checked myself...had we been posting fuck videos online? What the hell?
After a massively uncomfortable supper, Marta discovered that she needed to be back in New York ASAP and took a cab to the airport.
That night in our room, I asked Ellen -- "What the hell was that?"
"What?" she asked.
"The cold shoulder you gave me and Marta just now."
"I'm just in a mood. I'm tired of being pregnant. I realized I didn't want you going off with a woman who had tasted your cum."
"Well fuck that. She also tasted yours."
We stared at each other, then got ready for bed and went to sleep.
That was the beginning of Ellen's angry period...the last weeks of pregnancy she was just one spark away from exploding all the time. I walked softly, did chores, and stayed out of her way.
Then Ted was born, and things changed. We were both exhausted and happy.
But there was a wall. We obviously didn't have a lot of sex -- and I didn't ask for any.
Two weeks after we came home she surprised me in the morning with a blowjob; I woke up to her mouth and tongue on me and suddenly filled her mouth as I groaned my satisfaction.
Three weeks later, I got ready to leave for a conference in New York. Two weeks at the Javits Center. I planned to come home for the weekend, just to give her a break and see Ted. I flew east on Delta, my thoughts on handshakes and a deal book.
I stayed at the St. Moritz -- it was far enough away to be quiet, work enough to be affordable, and the view of Central Park out my window made me happy. When I'm at big events and actively socializing all day, I need a few hours of being unplugged.
My phone buzzed, and I opened it to read Marta's text.
Hey -- hear you're in town.
Yes, I replied.
Really sorry about what happened. Forgive me?
You didn't do anything.
Well...
Anyway. Just wanted to say no hard feelings here.
None here either.
I thought for a moment.
Hey -- if you want to grab a drink, let me know. I want to look you in the eye and apologize.
Sure.
We met Wednesday about 8 at a bar in Columbus Circle. Scott Hamilton was at the bar next to us with a few friends.
I started, guilty.
"I'm really sorry for how Ellen and Mary acted, and I'm sorry I gave them an excuse...even if they didn't know about it. You didn't deserve that."