Always

By Jae Johnson

John and Amelia Foster have let life get in the way of their five-year marriage. Careers, temptations and betrayal threaten to tear them apart, but instead of giving in, they decide to pick up the pieces together and go on a journey of discovery to find their way back to each other. Desire and passion battle jealousy and insecurity. Will they find their "Always"? Find out in the debut erotic romance "Always" by Jae Johnson.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jae Johnson
• Release date: Oct 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311120793

Jae Johnson

Jae Johnson has graduated from spinning erotic tales in her head to putting them down on paper. A born-and-bred South Carolinian, she enjoys many different tastes and indulgences and, in the true fashion of Southern Hospitality, wants to share them all. Jae lives in Aiken, South Carolina with her very patient high-school-sweetheart husband, their beautiful daughter and their myriad animals. Jae is a professional copywriter by day and a fantasy spinner by night. When not writing and being a wife and mom, Jae spends her time onstage with local community theatres losing herself in the fantastic art of make-believe. A few of her onstage credits include Chicago: The Musical (Matron Mama Morton), 9 to 5: The Musical (Judy), Rabbit Hole (Becca), The Drowsy Chapperone (The Woman) and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Jeannie.) While Jae has been spinning tales since she first put pen to paper, ALWAYS is her first novel, and is the first book in The ALWAYS Series. Jae is a member of Romance Writers of America, the trade association for romance writers. She is also a member of RWA's special interest chapter for erotic romance writers, Passionate Ink. Jae is available for speaking engagements, public appearances and interviews and is always thrilled to speak with reading and writing groups by telephone or Skype.

Book preview

Prologue

Robert's kiss on her neck sent waves of heat and desire through Amelia Foster, even more so as he slid his hand under her bra and cupped her breast. She had longed for the attention, to have her body worshiped. Robert must be a good lover, she thought – Lord knows, he was handsome and masculine. Unfortunately, he was simply a friend, a co-worker, not her husband of five years.

But her husband had his own mistress -- Spencer Tucker Johnson CPAs -- and he was on the fast track to becoming a partner. Amelia had tried everything she could think of for the past year to get and keep his attention. She'd bought lingerie. She'd tried to initiate sex, even offered to live out the fantasies he'd talked about in their passionate years.

She went out on a limb and texted him a picture of her topless, in sexy panties, earlier this evening. Still, he remained at work, making love to his job, not to her.

Robert's other hand joined the worship of Amelia’s breasts, and he slipped the bra up. In one swift motion, he pushed her bra and shirt over her head and his mouth found one of her taut nipples. He sucked it, then nibbled.

No, we shouldn't, Amelia said, stepping back.

Shhhhh, he said, placing his finger over her lips. Tell me to stop, and I will. Don’t tell me ‘we shouldn’t’.

She looked him in the eyes for a moment, thought of her husband’s rejection, and then took his head in her hands and pushed his mouth to the other nipple. As he captured her nipple between his teeth, Amelia slipped her skirt and panties off, and they slid to the floor. She found Robert's belt and began to work on his pants, feeling the stiffness of his erection.

Chapter 1

John stared at his computer screen -- the numbers just didn't add up. He was already late getting home, but he had to get the Forrester project off his desk to impress the bosses. His phone rang for the second time in 30 minutes, and again he declined Amelia's call. He fired off a text -- STILL WORKING. DON'T WAIT UP -- and went back to the computer.

His phone let him know he had a text. He checked it, and it was a picture of Amelia. She was topless, wearing skimpy, sheer panties.

As tempting as it was, he looked at the clock and reluctantly replied -- DON'T WAIT UP -- and went back to the infernal account.

Amelia stared in stunned silence at his reply, then threw the phone down on the bed and shamefully put on the first T-shirt she could get her hands on. It was one of John’s. She inhaled. Oh, it smelled like him! Suddenly, she was on the verge of tears.

Another text.

Amelia's hope rose as she picked up the phone. Maybe John changed his mind, she thought. But, no, it was Robert. She read his text and just sat for a minute, thinking. She then discarded the comfortable T-shirt that wrapped her in her husband’s scent and replaced it with the bra that matched her panties, a low-cut blouse, short skirt and her favorite pumps and headed for the door.

On the drive to Robert’s, Amelia thought back over the past year with her husband. One of the things that she’d always loved about him was his passion. He didn’t do anything without it. Yet, there had always been a balance, until the job with the CPA firm. After just a few weeks with them, John had begun calling, saying that he would be working late. She’d stopped setting two places for dinner and began putting his portions in storage containers so that he could eat when he got home. Eventually, she’d grown accustomed to take-out, knowing that he would fend for himself whenever he made it home.

John had even missed the dinner thrown by her co-workers to celebrate her first promotion to account executive. She’d been so excited when she’d gotten the news that she was being promoted. She was good at what she did; marketing was a natural fit for her. She’d wanted to share her success with her husband. Her co-workers had planned a huge celebratory dinner at this great little Italian restaurant downtown, and John had promised that he would be there. She remembered watching the door all night waiting on him to show up. She’d kept checking her phone for messages and had kept making excuses as to why he was late. What should have been a celebration had ended up being an embarrassment. That was the first night she’d allowed herself to notice Robert.

Robert had always stopped by her cubicle each morning before going to his, and, truth be told, Amelia had enjoyed the attention. Morning hellos graduated to lunch in the break room, and Amelia had found herself looking forward to seeing his warm smile every day. His friendship and listening ear had given her something to anticipate. She’d found herself checking her makeup in her compact mirror just before his visits to be sure that her lips were shiny enough and her eyes were bright. She’d wanted his attention; she’d needed it to fill the void left by John.

The evening of her promotion dinner, Robert had lingered even as her other co-workers had called it a night, each giving her an apologetic, so-sorry look over their shoulder before leaving with their dates. He’d commiserated with her at the bar over a glass of dessert wine. He’d listened as she lamented the loneliness she’d felt over the past year. Amelia had known that what she was doing was dangerous; she’d felt Robert’s eyes roam over her face and body all night, and, though she should have discouraged it, she’d felt warm and desired. It was a feeling that she craved. She’d encouraged Robert by leaning a little further into him so that he’d gotten a glimpse of the black lace of her bra. She remembered shivering at his gasp and feeling heated by his gaze. It had been so long since she’d felt appreciated as a woman.

That was the evening that she’d allowed herself to think of Robert as a potential lover. His attention at work had remained the same to avoid gossip, but they’d begun going out for lunch instead of having lunch in the break room. It began at the popular lunch spots close to the office but soon grew to lunch at more isolated, romantic locations. He’d begun tucking her hair behind her ears, brushing her cheek with his fingers and other intimate touches that she’d missed so much. She’d lean into them and sigh, and he’d let his touch linger.

Amelia had known that she was flirting with disaster, but if all she was doing was flirting, then, surely, it would be okay.

But, tonight, John had pushed her too far! His rejection had been a slap in the face. She’d put herself out there like she’d never done before. She’d been so nervous doing her makeup and curling her hair so that it fell just right on the tops of her breasts. Yet, she had been excited, and the dampness in her panties had betrayed how very much taking this picture to send to John turned her on. She’d set the timer on the camera and stood in place and waited for it to snap her picture. When she’d downloaded it to the computer so that she could email it to her phone and send John the text, she’s actually been surprised at the image staring back at her. She’d almost not recognized herself. The woman in the photo was a goddess meant to be devoured, and the hunger in her eyes was evident. She wanted. She desired. She craved.

She’d clicked SEND on the text message and waited for John’s appreciative reply. Instead, what she’d gotten was an insult. DON’T WAIT UP. That’s all he’d said. She’d been stunned, hurt and had felt the sharp sting of rejection. Still, her hopes rose when her phone chirped the next text; Amelia had been willing to bury her the rejection if John would only come home and spend the evening in bed with her. But the text had been from Robert and had been a photo of a bottle of open red wine and two glasses with an invitation for her to come over. Closing her heart off to John, she’d headed to Robert’s open arms.

***

Two hours later, John said a little prayer and hit the sum button on the final column on the spreadsheet. Success! The numbers added up; the project was complete. Now, all he had to do was email it to his bosses, and then he could go home. While waiting for the file to attach, he picked up his phone and looked at the clock. Amelia was probably in bed. He thought briefly about calling her, but he had told her not to wait up. Instead, he pulled up her last text and stared at the image of his wife. It was the first topless picture he’d ever seen of her, though he had countless images captured in his memory. He’d repeatedly begged her to let him photograph her, telling her that a body as beautiful as hers was art and needed to be captured and appreciated, but she’d always balked, feigning shyness. Now, here she was.

She was quite beautiful. She kept her dark hair long and thick because she knew that he liked it, even though she’d been wearing it up off her neck in a messy bun more lately. In the photo, it fell to the swell of her breasts. Her brown eyes were hooded, and her crimson lips curled up to the side in a sexy grin. Her creamy breasts were a thing of beauty – slightly larger than average with perfect pink nipples budded like raspberries waiting to be tasted. Her belly button was nestled in the middle of her taught belly.

The panties must be new. John searched his memory for them and drew a blank. They were a tiny scrap of a thing, barely enough to call panties, but they did the trick. He could see right through them to her bare mound beneath. Amelia’s long, tanned legs supported the perfection staring at him from his phone.

John’s cock stirred in his pants and brought him back to the present. The Forrester file was attached and waiting for him to click the send button. His cock grew harder by the moment, but his brain dominated and redirected his blood flow. Caution won out over desire. Just one more check, he thought. Amelia is asleep. What’s one more hour? Completing this report was just one more step to partner, but one mistake could keep him in his current position for God knew how long. John deleted the attachment from his email and opened the file once more.

***

God, that was fantastic! Robert pulled Amelia close. You are…just WOW!

Amelia reluctantly let herself be pulled into Robert’s side. She listened while his heartbeat slowed, and she tried to gather her thoughts. She might as well be herding cats instead of wrangling her thoughts at the moment, but she knew one thing for sure – this had been a huge mistake.

What’s wrong, baby? Robert cajoled. You haven’t said a word. It was that good; huh? He sighed and pulled her even tighter into his side.

Actually, Amelia hadn’t even gotten off, though she pretended she did twice to preserve Robert’s ego.

It was great. I just really need to get home before John does. I’ll just get – Amelia began.

No round three? You’re killing me here, Robert teased. You know you want it. And I want you from behind so I can see that perfect ass of yours.

Amelia’s stomach churned.

As tempting as the offer is, I really have to get home.

Robert reluctantly let go of Amelia, crawled out of bed and headed in the direction of what she thought was his bathroom. Amelia swung her legs over the bed and put her head in her hands. Damn, John! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! She had to get home, get showered and get into bed before he got home.

Amelia shrugged back into her clothes, grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Just please let me get out before Robert is done in the bathroom.

No such luck. Damn.

I’ll see you at work Monday, he grinned at her as she reached for the door. Had she really been attracted to him for so long? Sure, he had been nice enough. He had made her feel pretty and wanted, had made her laugh and left little notes on her computer monitor at work. More important, he had made her feel like he could take care of her when all John did was neglect her needs. He had alluded to being an attentive, sensitive lover, so after John’s rejection earlier tonight – on top of feeling neglected for over a year -- she accepted his invitation to come over for a drink. She had hopes of a passionate evening being worshiped and being able to worship. She had this fantasy of pouring all of her sexual frustration into Robert and of him taking her to the orgasmic heights she’d longed for. She’d wanted to be wanted. Yet, as his voice sunk into her, so did her disappointment – in John, in Robert, in herself. As quickly as she had rushed to Robert this evening, she couldn’t wait to get away from him now.

Her failure to get into the evening wasn’t Robert’s fault. He performed very well. His stamina was inspiring, and he was very attentive to her body. He lavished kisses over all of her hot spots, and everything was going well at first. Her body responded to Robert’s touches and kisses. She’d been drenched anticipating his possession. Yet, when he’d entered her, the sensation was dulled. The electricity that she was so used to feeling with John simply wasn’t there with Robert. She knew in that moment that she’d made a terrible mistake, but she liked Robert too much to disappoint him. He’d worked for this night, and she’d give it to him. The mistake had been made; the least she could do was let him enjoy his spoils.

Amelia risked a glance over her shoulder at her co-worker, friend and now-regret. She gave him the best smile that she could muster and closed the door behind her. Once safely in her car, she let the darkness wrap around her like the lover she so desired, and her tears came to wash away her shame.

Chapter 2

Amelia exhaled in relief when she pulled into the drive and John’s car wasn’t there. Her brain functioned on autopilot parking the car, letting herself into the house and tossing her keys and purse on the small table inside the door. She pulled her phone from her purse and checked for new messages from her husband. Nothing. Both disappointed and relieved, she dropped the phone onto the table. She shuffled through the house to find the bathroom. All she wanted was a hot shower, comfy pajamas, her bed and the sweet oblivion of sleep.

Alone in the confines of the bathroom, Amelia turned on the shower to let the water heat as she stripped off her clothes. She stared at the heap of dirty laundry