Separation Anxiety Read Online Free

Christ’s sake.”
    “How is the old ball and chain? You haven’t talked about Racy Richard in forever.”
    Quinn never made it a secret when she thought someone was hot, my nearly ex-husband apparently included.
    “He’s fine.”
    “What’s he up to on this fine Friday?”
    “Hell if I know,” I muttered. I finished up and flushed, and I heard her flush a few seconds later. We met at the sink.
    “What did you say?” she asked.
    “I don’t know what he’s up to. I just know I’m here at happy hour and having fun. What are your plans after this?”
    “Meeting Caleb,” she said, grinning. Caleb was her current fuck buddy (“and nothing more,” so she claimed).
    “No nickname for Caleb yet?” I asked.
    She grinned. “Cock-a-licious?”
    “Nice,” I said with a smirk. “More info than I needed. But you kids have fun.”
    “You and Richard have big plans for the weekend?”
    I thought about that. I doubt she meant filing for divorce, but that had suddenly become my weekend plan. To answer her question, I shook my head, inspecting my face in the mirror and wiping away a tiny smudge of eyeliner.
    “Nope,” I said. “Grading papers, maybe.”
    “That sounds like a lame ass weekend.”
    “Tell me about it,” I said with a sigh.
    We headed back out, and my heart did a little flip flop and my breath got stuck somewhere in my esophagus when I saw Jesse stretch in his chair, the hem of his shirt rising up just a little to reveal the bottom of what looked like a perfect washboard stomach. I thought I spotted some ink, too, but it was hard to tell from my quick glance. But a tattoo? On Jesse Drake? Yes please.
    I was in serious trouble.
    “Jesus Christ,” Quinn said, apparently having spotted the same sight as me. She sighed. “Too bad I don’t sleep where I work, or I’d have to give that a try,” she said. Funny how the one limit she set was the one thing I was suddenly obsessing over.
    I settled back into my chair. Jesse draped his arm across the back of my chair and leaned in toward me. “I ordered you another,” he said, that sexy edge to his low voice back in full force. His scent invaded my senses. He wore a hint of some sort of masculine cologne that was fresh and reminded me of Christmas at the same time. It smelled like winter and pine and sex.
    “Thanks,” I managed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I spotted a fresh drink in front of me. I took a sip. “ Single or double?”
    “Double,” he said , a scandalous smile spreading across his features.
    “Are you trying to get me drunk?” I asked, pressing the boundaries just a little further than I probably should have and definitely a little further than I would have if I was sober.
    “Sure. Why not? Then I’ll take you home to that two first name husband of yours.”
    It was strange that he suddenly mentioned my husband in the midst of the air thick with sexual tension between us, and all it served to do was snap me back to reality. While I was enjoying my time with Jesse, I was aware that it would never go past flirting. Even if he was a player, he seemed like a good guy. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would hook up with a married woman, even if I suddenly wanted it like I wanted the next sip of my vodka drink.
    Reese , one of the English teachers, asked Tami for her bill, and a few others followed suit. The first few teachers left, and it was down to the typical core group who always stayed latest: Quinn, Avery, and me from the English department, Kevin and Dane from Social Studies, and Jesse. Avery and Kevin had been flirting back and forth for as long as I had known them, and I knew someday they would eventually hook up (if they hadn’t already… Avery had a bit of a reputation). Dane and Quinn had co-taught lessons before, so they had plenty to talk about. That left Jesse’s attention on me.
    Everyone was too wrapped up in their own conversations to notice what we were talking about. I chanced a glance over at Quinn