I Love My Man (Nicole's Erotic Romance) by Sabrina Lacey Page A

the people, saying, “Excuse me,” over and over.
    I can’t believe it! Standing in front of the
painting of her husband, is Laura Benitez. She turns her head like the girl in
the Exorcist, and locks crazy eyes with me. “You have got to be kidding me! You
lying little…”
    I cut her off. “Laura! So good to see you
again!” I motion to the staring crowd to go on about their lives. They’re not
having it. And Laura is seething; there is no stopping this train.
    “You said you didn’t sleep with my husband!
You lied!” The music shuts off abruptly and the entire room silences, craning
to see.
    I shoot a nervous look around me. “I didn’t,
Mrs. Benitez. Now why don’t you lower your voice?” It’s sort of true what I’m
saying. When I told her that, I hadn’t. Does that still count? My heart races
with fear at what she might say next.
    “Bullshit!” she spits, little flecks of
saliva hitting my face.  
    The familiar rage begins to boil. This is my night. What is she doing here?
Bringing my hand up, I slowly wipe the disgusting wetness off my cheek. “Okay,
that’s about enough. I don’t know where you learned your manners, but I have a
feeling you didn’t receive an invite to this party. This is invite-only. Right,
Jack?” I look over to Jack, who’s walked up and stands watching.
    He raises one disdainful eyebrow. “That is
correct.”
    She looks around, embarrassed. Her normal
shyness comes back, and fast. But she doesn’t want to give up. She says
quietly, looking at the floor, hurt. “I don’t believe you. I know you slept
with him.”
    “Laura, what are you doing?”
    I turn and see Michael pushing his way
through, dressed in a suit and looking his best. He gives me a polite nod and
flashes his eyes over my dress.
    The entire room starts whispering as they
recognize him from the painting that is next to him, staring back at all of us.
    “Look at this, Michael!” Laura points to it.
He glances and sees the red eyes, looks back to me for half a heartbeat,
disturbed by my portrayal. Oops. I shoot a look to Mark and see my other
friends staring also, standing farther back behind him amid the strangers.
Everyone’s lips are a thin, tight line.
    “Laura, you’re making a scene,” Michael
warns, quietly. He’s a private person. I’m sure this is the last thing he finds
appealing. I just want them both to leave. How dare they come here tonight?
    “You fucked her! I know you fucked her!”
    My stomach falls to the ground and I stare
into what feels like the end of the world. She’s right. He did. And now everyone
will know. Michael is going to let out our secret. My perfect Amber will never
forgive me for not telling her the truth, and Mark? Mark will always have the
image of me and Michael in bed together, in his mind. I have it with him and
Jess, but I can forget. Men aren’t so easily distracted from things like that.
Being fiercely territorial when they love a woman, it’s in their blood.
    With my face unreadable, I look at Michael.
    He reaches out and takes her hand. “We never
did, Laura. I promise you, we never did. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
    Stunned, I blink and my mouth falls briefly.
He lied to her face, and to everyone. And he didn’t do it just for me. I can
see it so clearly, that I was right. He loves her.
    Taking the opportunity to turn the tides my
way, I give my most winning smile to the crowd, feigning amusement. “Okay
everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the show. Another will be coming in half an
hour.” The crowd chuckles and people turn away. I lock eyes with a person who’s
videoing. “If I see that on YouTube, I’ll hunt you down. And who turned off the
music?”
    Jack throws me a wickedly guilty smile and
heads off to turn it back on! The big jerk, he was loving every minute of
this.  
    Michael, taking the hand of his wife, turns
to me. “I’m sorry, Nicole. Great reception.” His eyes land on Mark and the two
men nod at each other, neither of them