What Emma Craves Read Online Free PDF

Candace?”
    “We have rules about sex with other people, including no intimacy, and certainly no contact while the other spouse is away. I shouldn’t have to remind you of that.” When Emma reached the bottom of the staircase, she spun around, surprising her increasingly distraught husband. “I only need to know one thing from you.” She held up a single index finger in front of his face. “One thing.”
    “Anything,” he said, putting his hands up. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. I have nothing to hide.”
    “Is this the first time you’ve kissed another woman without my permission?” Her face was set. Even though she was milking the role of angry wife, this question was a big deal to her. Emma knew tonight was all on Candace and her husband would never take that woman to bed, but their entire marriage had been based on a very strict no-sneaking-around rule.
    Period.
    If Pete had ever messed around with another woman behind her back, it would be devastating news—news that would change her life forever. Trust and honesty were the two things that had kept their marriage rock solid throughout the years, even though they lived an open lifestyle. If Pete had cheated, it would be a game changer.
    “Yes, of course it’s the first time!” Pete practically shouted his response, even though they were a foot apart. “You have to know me better than that. I love you. I would never cheat on you! We have rules on purpose. I swear to you I’ve never gone behind your back with another woman in my life. Why would I?” When she didn’t answer immediately, his face changed to open pleading. “Em, you have to believe me. I didn’t do anything to lead Candace on! She came on her own.”
    He really believed the root of the issue was Candace.
    Why wouldn’t he think it was about Candace? Emma thought selfishly. It wasn’t about Candace. It was that Pete expected her to brush this off like it was nothing, to be her normal, affable self and soothe his ruffled feathers. Even though she felt peevish about that right now, she was relieved because she believed Pete hadn’t cheated on her.
    Piper should become a full-time therapist. The advice she’d given Emma tonight had been spot-on. Emma now knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she needed to feel empowered in her marriage again. She needed to know she mattered to Pete— first .
    That he would choose to put her ahead of their lifestyle, ahead of sex, ahead of his own pleasure.
    Right now, she was pretty sure he didn’t.
    And the only way to change those things would be to make Pete realize it for himself, and it wasn’t something she could just tell him. He had to discover it on his own.
    She turned her back and headed up the stairs without another word.
    “Wait!” he called, coming after her. “You can’t just say nothing. Can’t you at least acknowledge that this has nothing to do with me cheating on you? Emma!”
    She stopped midway up and whirled around. “What I saw was you kissing Candace. I know she came here sniffing around in hopes of a quick fuck, but what I didn’t see was you trying to get away from her.”
    “I didn’t have time,” Pete argued. “You walked in the second she kissed me. Believe me, I wanted her off me—”
    “Pete, I want to believe you, I do. But I’m tired. I had a long day, and I want to go to sleep.” She turned and started up the steps again. “I mean, we fuck other people,” she tossed casually over her shoulder. “Why wouldn’t you feel like you could just fuck Candace if you wanted to? I think maybe our rules have blurred over the years and it’s time for some new ones.”
    “What are you talking about? Our rules haven’t blurred at all!” Pete’s voice was frustrated. “This isn’t on me. I didn’t ask Candace to come over. She came with her own agenda!”
    At the top of the stairs, Emma turned one last time, placing a hand on Pete’s chest before he could reach the top of the landing.