Free Trouble Won't Wait by Autumn Piper Page B

wouldn’t be at all surprised if he wore Birkenstocks with it.
    Our hippie therapist proceeds to take a rough history of our marriage, ages and frequency of lovemaking. The last seems odd to me, especially when he dwells on how much enjoyment we each derive from our love life, on a scale of one to ten.
    Mike tackles the task at hand. “It’s always been a nine or ten for me, up until this last week when she started holding out on me.” Bastard. Does he want me to tell this guy what he did?
    “Probably from a six or seven to a ten sometimes,” I admit. “Until I saw Mike boning our friend’s girlfriend the night before Thanksgiving.”
    Mike’s selectively honest mouth drops wide open. Apparently, he didn’t expect his sin to be disclosed in the therapeutic process.
    Baldwin carefully and non-judgmentally notes the facts in his tiny spiral pad, which bears our last name, LAWSON , across the back. Is this guy for real? Is that our case file? Again, I fight back laughter.
    He wants to see us separately next. My appointment is Thursday, an hour after Mike’s. I have little doubt we are all Baldwin has on the books for the week, which explains how he got us in so quickly.
    On the way home, Mike and I both crack up over the spiral notebook and the decor. We’re still laughing about Baldwin when Mike follows me in the house. He pins me against the wall in the foyer and starts kissing my neck. Clearly, therapy works for him.
    “Mike!” I screech. “Get off me!”
    He’s murmuring, nuzzling around my hairline, which he knows drives me crazy. “Baby, let’s go build a fire. I’ll stay home from work and spend the whole day making it up to you. I’ll make you want me so much. Mandy.” My name comes out a cross between a moan and a sigh.
    His hands are everywhere good, rubbing seductively, and my traitor of a body likes it, wanting more. Wants me to relax into him and let him take me where only he can. “I love you,” he murmurs on the other side of my neck. His thumbs rub my nipples, while he presses against me, making me want him so. He moans, a sound which makes me think of a garage. Oh yeah, that garage!
    “You asshole, you weren’t even going to admit to the counselor that you screwed around on me! Get off me! ” I shove him hard, knee wedged pointedly in his groin, and he lurches back.
    His eyes are glossy with that look I used to love. The look that meant he was going to do anything it took to get me there with him, writhing in ecstasy. “I’m sorry, baby. Let’s make it go away. Please, let’s forget this.”
    “Easy for you to say ‘Let’s forget’! You weren’t the one who was wronged. What if you’d walked in and found me bending over for Brad?”
    Mike’s eyes instantly narrow with the wrath we both know would rain down if the tables were turned.
    “Don’t you need to go to work?” I storm off.
    “I won’t give up on you, Mandy! You’ll see. I’ll fix this,” he calls after me as I rush downstairs.
    I hear him humming Mandy again on his way out.
    * * * *
    It’s Thursday morning and I’m waiting for my appointment with Baldwin. Mike is still in there, I know, since his truck is out front. I can’t imagine what he’s been talking about for an hour with Baldwin, but I bet it’s not the truth. Since I’ve been carefully cool with him since Tuesday, he hasn’t tried to kiss me again in front of the kids.
    I’ve made it a point to not be alone with him, ever. Two more bouquets of flowers have been delivered, one each day. He’s pulling out all the stops. My girlfriend even called the other day and told me he had the radio station play that song for me again. I wasn’t listening, on purpose.
    Via email, I’ve learned Adam doesn’t care what kind of cat he gets. I’m considering getting him a kitten from a litter my friend has. Adam was catching a cold when I saw him yesterday, definitely under the weather and not in good spirits. For myself, I’m amazed I’m this chipper