confront Tammy the next day. There was no way to ensure Tammy would leave them alone. Running for things, or letting them happen on other people’s terms just wasn’t Mark’s style. Tomorrow, one way or another, there would be a reckoning. Tonight, however, he would just be with Alana for as long as she needed.
The next morning, Tammy promptly threw Jeremy out. To his credit, Tammy felt, Jeremy offered no resistance to this. He probably could’ve had her again that morning before he left, but something about his demeanor insinuated that he was confident they would be getting together, again. Tammy smirked. She liked that about Jeremy, though not enough to give up on Mark. And she knew that, after yesterday, Mark would be on his way to see her. There was only one motel in town, after all, and a day left before her week was done. Tammy knew Mark wouldn’t just sit around and run down the clock down, knowing there was a risk for more trouble later. He would want to resolve things directly, and as soon as possible. An old business habit, perhaps. Or, and Tammy felt this was more likely, that was just the way he was.
It was near noon when Mark called, asking where she was. He’d been reluctant to come to the hotel room, but Tammy had said she would be there all day. She’d even gotten pulled a bottle of bourbon from her suitcase - Tammy had been saving it for just this moment.
He arrived wearing a full business suit. He looked sharp, handsome, and professional. Tammy smiled as she looked at him through the motel peep hole. He was creating as cold a line as he could between them, even with his clothing. Yet the suit was also a sign of respect, a battle armor Mark wore whether going to fight in a court room or a corporate office.
Tammy opened the door, looking serious yet sad.
“Hello, Mark,” she said, turning around and walking back into the room after propping the door open with a small trash can. Mark had had no intention of entering, she was sure, but since she hadn’t asked, he had no choice but to follow if he wanted to continue their conversation.
“Tammy this has to stop,” he said, entering the motel room. The contrast between Tammy, the classy socialite, and the seedy motel room was palpable.
“I know, Mark,” she said, sitting on the bed. Mark stayed standing. He looked around a moment, searching for a chair. Already put it in the closet, dear. Nowhere to sit but the bed. But first, she needed to get that guard of his down. It would be easy. People who were good had difficulty keeping their guard up.
“Mark, was being with me really that awful?”
Tammy didn’t care about his response, she had asked merely for the reaction she got: she saw his guarded demeanor fade, and he sat next to her - though at a good distance - on the bed.
“Tammy. We were a mess together. We never fully trusted each other. The difference is, after the divorce, you kept being a mess,” he said it with a wry smile, but he was serious. Tammy started crying. In part it was earnest. After all, what he’d just said, though true, was hurtful. Mostly, it was just another ploy reeling Mark in.
Sure enough, Mark scooted closer to her on the bed, leaning her head onto his shoulder with a soft hand. She let an arm rest nonchalantly on his leg.
“ There, there,” he said, chuckling paternally. “Even though I’m moving on romantically, it doesn’t mean I never loved you or don’t care about you now. But Tam, this destructiveness has got to stop.”
Tammy almost felt bad about what she was doing. Almost. Here Mark was, despite all she’d done, being understanding and patient. Oh my dear, naïve, Mark. It’s going to be good to claim you once more. I’ll get it right this time.
It was time for the next stage in her plan. This was the tricky part. She raised her head, putting it on his stomach innocently. As she spoke, she pulled the hand away before he could protest, grazing his crotch.
“The sex was pretty
The next morning, Tammy promptly threw Jeremy out. To his credit, Tammy felt, Jeremy offered no resistance to this. He probably could’ve had her again that morning before he left, but something about his demeanor insinuated that he was confident they would be getting together, again. Tammy smirked. She liked that about Jeremy, though not enough to give up on Mark. And she knew that, after yesterday, Mark would be on his way to see her. There was only one motel in town, after all, and a day left before her week was done. Tammy knew Mark wouldn’t just sit around and run down the clock down, knowing there was a risk for more trouble later. He would want to resolve things directly, and as soon as possible. An old business habit, perhaps. Or, and Tammy felt this was more likely, that was just the way he was.
It was near noon when Mark called, asking where she was. He’d been reluctant to come to the hotel room, but Tammy had said she would be there all day. She’d even gotten pulled a bottle of bourbon from her suitcase - Tammy had been saving it for just this moment.
He arrived wearing a full business suit. He looked sharp, handsome, and professional. Tammy smiled as she looked at him through the motel peep hole. He was creating as cold a line as he could between them, even with his clothing. Yet the suit was also a sign of respect, a battle armor Mark wore whether going to fight in a court room or a corporate office.
Tammy opened the door, looking serious yet sad.
“Hello, Mark,” she said, turning around and walking back into the room after propping the door open with a small trash can. Mark had had no intention of entering, she was sure, but since she hadn’t asked, he had no choice but to follow if he wanted to continue their conversation.
“Tammy this has to stop,” he said, entering the motel room. The contrast between Tammy, the classy socialite, and the seedy motel room was palpable.
“I know, Mark,” she said, sitting on the bed. Mark stayed standing. He looked around a moment, searching for a chair. Already put it in the closet, dear. Nowhere to sit but the bed. But first, she needed to get that guard of his down. It would be easy. People who were good had difficulty keeping their guard up.
“Mark, was being with me really that awful?”
Tammy didn’t care about his response, she had asked merely for the reaction she got: she saw his guarded demeanor fade, and he sat next to her - though at a good distance - on the bed.
“Tammy. We were a mess together. We never fully trusted each other. The difference is, after the divorce, you kept being a mess,” he said it with a wry smile, but he was serious. Tammy started crying. In part it was earnest. After all, what he’d just said, though true, was hurtful. Mostly, it was just another ploy reeling Mark in.
Sure enough, Mark scooted closer to her on the bed, leaning her head onto his shoulder with a soft hand. She let an arm rest nonchalantly on his leg.
“ There, there,” he said, chuckling paternally. “Even though I’m moving on romantically, it doesn’t mean I never loved you or don’t care about you now. But Tam, this destructiveness has got to stop.”
Tammy almost felt bad about what she was doing. Almost. Here Mark was, despite all she’d done, being understanding and patient. Oh my dear, naïve, Mark. It’s going to be good to claim you once more. I’ll get it right this time.
It was time for the next stage in her plan. This was the tricky part. She raised her head, putting it on his stomach innocently. As she spoke, she pulled the hand away before he could protest, grazing his crotch.
“The sex was pretty
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