PERFECT TEMPTATION

One

Leena was seated on the balcony sipping her glass of very expensive wine. She was waiting for her husband to show up as planned with their guest that evening and decided to indulge herself in a bit of 'me time'.

She was recalling the time she had that evening with her friends. They were more of people she knew and neighbors than friends. They had been talking about their marriages and their sex lives, all four of them.

She was of course happily married and living the dream life any woman would want in the group. Her sex life was amazing and so was her man. They were in a perfect place financially, her marriage was a happy one and so was her entire life in general. She had a stable career and definitely no reason to complain.

Jean complained about her three year marriage. She often did and they had gotten used to it already. Her husband barely touched her. He always came home exhausted and went straight to bed. That was what she said but everyone in the group knew she was fucking her husband's assistant. No one said anything though.

It was one thing Leena had learnt about fitting in. Act like you do not know anything and only say things they want to hear. That meant being positive. It was hypocritical and exhausting but better than living in spite with her neighbors.

Rachel was, oddly, happily divorced and basically had a new man every week. According to her, life was too short to be tied down to one man. It was obviously a lie. She longed to have a man and quench her insatiable sexual thirst but had not found 'the one'.

Her latest catch, Drew, had overstayed and everyone got the feeling she was ready to settle down again. He seemed like a nice guy anyway. Too nice even for Rachel.

As for Kate, she claimed her life was perfect but everyone knew her husband was cheating on her with their maid. She was too caught up taking care of her two adorable kids to give a shit about it. She ignored it and acted like she did not see anything, so much that her husband did not try too much to hide it. The only question was why she had not fired the maid yet.

Everyone in the circle had something going on in their marriage. Some kind of drama. Everyone except for Leena. She was Mrs perfect in the group. The perfect wife, the perfect friend, the perfect woman and with the perfect husband. It was hard  being perfect, and so when she was alone at home, away from the prying eyes of neighbors, with all her curtains closed,she had a chance to be herself. With her hair a mess, and clothes that were too baggy to show her amazing, overly talked about figure.

When she finally got a chance to eat all the carbs she could make without being judged or worrying about gaining more pounds, and smoke weed like she could not get high enough. With her earphones in listening to music that she barely got a chance to hear or sometimes,on very few occasions, pleasuring herself with the toys she so carefully hid from her husband.

Let's face it, her husband could not be entirely perfect at everything. He was good, perfect actually in bed, but something was missing. Besides, it was healthy to have some self gratification. At least that was what she told herself to lessen the guilt.

All this was before she could get back to her perfect wife self, constantly thinking only of her husband and keeping him happy. And of course, what people would say.

She was not complaining though. She, in some way, enjoyed the perks of being a housewife. All she did was clean, cook and shop, all day, everyday. To be honest, it was boring, but it meant she did not have to work too hard for money. She knew what it felt like, being poor, and if being rich meant getting bored sometimes, she definitely did not mind.

She would go to spas sometimes, maybe have a little get together with the friends she had made and sometimes just go for anything random but fancy. That was enough to keep her occupied, if the gossip brought in by Rachel was not counting.

She had a job,sort of. It was one she had barely been active in for quite sometime. She was a designer. Not a fashion designer but rather an interior designer. That was how she met her husband. He was her client and one who fell in love with her. There were many of course, but she had chosen him. He was fun and being with him felt easy. Probably because he was so understanding. Once she had gotten married, she had put all her attention into being a wife. A perfect wife.

They did not have kids, yet. Jonathan had agreed to taking things slow. They were going to have as much time as possible, being husband and wife before they could have children. In the meantime, they would keep up with the image of the perfect couple they had created.

Today would be the first time she got a client in a long time.

Michael Wardwell.

Jonathan had personally asked her to take up the job since the guy was his new business partner and investor. It did not need much convincing though. She missed working,so she gladly took it up seeing it as a way to get back to her working life.

Now she sat, with a blank look on her face, staring into the sky. She had nothing in mind. At least nothing specific since thoughts came in and out of her brain like they were checking in and out of a hotel.

She knew Jonathan was back when she saw his car. She quickly made her way downstairs to the kitchen, put the empty glass away and went to open the door.

"Hi honey," Jonathan beamed at her holding his bag in hand.

She smiled at him when he gave her a peck on the cheek before turning her attention to the person behind him whom she had not noticed at first as Jonathan got into the house.

Oh my fucking God!

She could not take her eyes off the man standing at her door. This was her client? Her husband's new partner? The man moved forward to formally shake her hand and usher himself in, pulling her out of her trance.

"You must be Mrs Miller. Nice to finally meet you."

" And you're Michael Wardwell. Nice to meet you too."

She shook his hand as he stared directly into her eyes with a smile. Was it seriously him? How was it even possible? Last she checked, the man could not afford to pay rent for his apartment and now he was in front of her, as her husband's investor, and business partner.

In that moment she felt anxiety kick in. This had to be a dream. Someone pinch me, she thought to herself still looking at the man. This was her ex boyfriend standing before her as her client. And God! He looked better than before.

That is what money does. It gives you a glow, but his glow was extreme, yet he was still so, himself, if that was one way to frame his simplicity.

She welcomed him into the house with an exaggerated smile plastered on her face. Not in a million years would she have been ready to face Shawn. She still remembered his name, his play name, and as much as some things about him had changed, he was still the same man. The man she could never seem to forget.