DEVIL IN THE WATERS // 9.002

Josh waited until they were out of the tailor’s business and walking down Yorkville Avenue under the canopy shade of the street-side honey locusts before he let her have it. “Seven thousand dollars, Kimmy? Are you crazy?”

Kimmy was unbothered, amused even, chuckling to herself and not even looking at him. He stopped on the sidewalk and Kimmy slowed then turned around. She cocked her head and studied him through narrowed eyes, her brow squinched quizzically. “What, Josh? Afraid of getting what you paid for?”

The short distance between them, maybe six feet, let him see Kimmy in her full frightening glory. His wife, his best friend, his pal and confidante, was stunning. With the Louboutin heels, Kimmy stood at almost six-feet tall, long legs in narrow suit pants, a fitted suit jacket (Jesus, how much did her suits cost?) showed off her height and leanness. But her face was feminine and striking and sultry and . . . How had she transformed like this? The glossy pulled-back hair, the bright red lipstick, that fucking off the charts gorgeous face; six months ago Kimmy had been a homebody, a practical cat lady without a cat, but making daybeds for other cat ladies who spent too much money on their pets. He’d loved that Kimmy. That was the Kimmy he knew and had always known. But this Kimmy? Goddamit, who the fuck was this Kimmy, and how did a meek little mouse like Josh Waters end up with her? This was the wildest thing: the way they’d stopped and the way they stood, the way they faced each other and the way he raised his voice all pointed to a confrontation. They had onlookers now, no one closing in, but passersby on both sides of the narrow shopping street turning head to regard the commotion. And it felt good. It felt good to be seen with her. Yeah everybody, this is my wife. Look at her. She’s with me.

And she just bought me a seven-thousand dollar suit.

He acquiesced (mostly for his audience) and showed his palms and looked to the sky shaking his head at his crazy wife. He also closed the distance between them and put his arms around her. He was still outraged at the ridiculous expense, but he’d prefer for everyone watching to see how much they cared for each other and that yes, indeed, they were a couple. Shit, maybe he did need that expensive suit.

His hands smoothed her waist and gathered at the narrow of her lower back. He smiled crooked, continuing to shake his head at her in admonishment—wanting to say much more about how angry he was—and letting her know while he was mad, in public like this he would also show her how grateful he was for such an exorbitant gift.

“It’s an insane amount of money to spend, Kimmy,” he whispered.

She smirked haughtily. “I can afford it, Josh.”

“You’re supposed to say I’m worth it. And no, you can’t afford it. You’ve haven’t even been with Devlin for six weeks.”

“Do you really think Devlin is going to fire me?”

“No, but—”

“Then don’t worry about it, Josh. I’ve got it covered.”

“We’re supposed to be saving for a house. That suit is like a couple of mortgage payments.”

“I want my husband to look good,” she said. Friendly enough, but it stung a little and he couldn’t help that.

“I need an expensive suit to look good?”

“You’re going out with Devlin. Tell me you wouldn’t feel self-conscious and tell me you’re not going to feel like a million bucks when you show up in that suit.”

“I’ll feel like seven-grand,” he said.

“Sixty-seven eighty-nine, twelve,” she said, pointing out that it wasn’t quite seven-grand.

“At least you’re aware of the accounting,” he said. His mother had gone on a spending spree once when he was in high school and his father told him in anger his mother didn’t understand anything about money. Kimmy understood money. It still seemed like a terrible expense.

“I know what I’m doing, Josh,” she said and swatted his behind, smiling. He let her go, but they still faced. The amber hue to the late-summer light showed off the little bit of sun she got in Cayman, and again he was struck by how incredible Kimmy looked. They stood on brick pavers at the mouth of Old York Lane, foot traffic coming onto Yorkville from Cumberland, other men giving his wife a second look and liking what they saw. Above them on a second floor terrace the tinkling of cutlery and glass and light chatter drifted down from behind a short row of yew shrubs.

“I’m trusting you,” he said.

Kimmy took his hand and began to walk with him. “You’re going to need shoes, too,” she said.

He laughed and said, “And a haircut and a manicure. Maybe a pedicure, too. Devlin might get a look at my feet and—”

“New shoes, Josh,” she repeated. He chuckled and walked hand in hand with his beautiful wife. Eyes went to Kimmy as people passed. She stood out, and had the allure of a celebrity. Given the location, pedestrians studied her to see if they recognized who she was from their mental rolodex of movies they’d seen.

They walked into the wide cool mouth of the Cumberland parking garage, Kimmy’s heels clicking on the concrete. When he’d arrived in Yorkville he’d been lucky enough to get a parking spot on the ground floor.

“Let me drive you back to Yonge and Sheppard,” he said, using the remote to unlock their Qashqai. Anyone seeing Kimmy get into his sensible vehicle would have their hopes they’d seen a Hong Kong movie star totally dashed.

Kimmy slipped in the passenger side and when he sat down, she said, “Just take me to Bloor. I’ll jump out.”

“That’s crazy, Kimmy. I’ll take you back.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll take the subway, you get on the DVP. I’m out of your way.”

“You’re never out of my way,” he said, turning his head toward her, feeling real genuine warm affection for her now they were in this enclosed space where it was quieter and they had no observers. Kimmy was checking herself out in the mirror on the flipped down sun visor. Satisfied, she flipped it back up and turned to face him as well. She reached over and ruffled his hair.

“You do need a haircut,” she said.

He leaned toward her, tucking his chin down while she continued to muss his hairdo. “And lose my boyish charm?”

She nudged his chin up with a knuckle so he would look at her. “You’re a man, Josh.”

He regarded her drolly. “So I need a man’s haircut?”

She snuffled light laughter through her nostrils and cupped a hand to his cheek, looking into his eyes. “Don’t ever sell yourself short. You’ve got so much going for you.”

“Tony said I could model.”

“You looked incredibly hot in that suit.”

He continued to meet her gaze, wanting to engage with her on the topic, but his mind was only one place now they were alone. “Can we talk about it?”

Kimmy frowned. “Talk about what?”

“What you said to Tony.”

Kimmy chuckled, low and breathy and mean, narrowing her eyes on his. It gave him the chills. Her hand slipped from his cheek to play at the long hair behind his ears. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Yeah, you did,” he said, a little too lightly. He was really mad about it.

“I didn’t lie.”

He clucked his tongue and held her wrist so she would stop tickling his neck with her hair play. “I get why you said it, but it’s embarrassing. What’s that guy going to think now? How can I go back there?”

“Oh Josh,” she chastised him. “I’ll pick up your suit for you on Friday.”

“It’s more than that, Kimmy. What about when Devlin goes there? Tony’s going to think he’s messing around with his lawyer.”

“Who said anything about messing around? All I said is I can tell which side he slings his dick. Anyone can tell if they look.”

“Yeah, but you’re my wife.”

“That’s why it was funny,” she said.

“It’s not funny, it’s humiliating.”

“Not humiliating, Josh. Embarrassing, maybe.”

“So you admit you embarrassed me?”

“Come on,” she said soothingly. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass you, I was playing with you.”

“I know but—”

“Don’t you like it when I tease?” Her dominant expression weakened to one of doubt.

“I do. I do, but . . .”

“I like teasing you. I like turning you on.”

Her expression wasn’t haughty anymore. She was earnest. He had a beautiful wife who he was tickled to death being seen in public with. She made a lot of money. She took him to Cayman. Bought him an expensive suit. Got kinky with him. “I shouldn’t be complaining, is that what you’re saying?”

Now she smiled a little and ruffled his hair again. “It’s just you and me playing our little game, Josh. It’s just me trying to push your buttons. You like it when I do that, don’t you?”

They’d even done it with Devlin in Cayman, played double entendre behind his back. “I just worry it’s too obvious sometimes. Like, Devlin was on to us in Cayman.”

“Do you think Tony’s a horn dog like Devlin?”

“It’s not that he’s got a dirty mind. It’s just the simple implication of what you said could mean.”

Kimmy’s expression showed she thought he was making too much of it. But he didn’t think he was. She raised her eyebrows high, regarded him coolly, a slight sideways smirk. He looked at the rich application of color on her lips. An blazing red with a hint of fire in it. He didn’t feel like arguing but he did want her to at the very least acknowledge she could see his viewpoint and why it might irk him.

When she only regarded him and said nothing, he said, “Don’t you see my point?”

“What do you think he thought, Josh?”

“He either thought you had checked out your boss’s package or you really suck at witty banter.”

“I don’t suck at witty banter.” She pouted and frowned.

He got it. The truth was she had checked out Devlin’s bulge. And he already knew that.

“Tony doesn’t need to know you checked out Devlin’s package.”

“I thought he might think it was funny.”

“Why would he think it’s funny?”

“He’s fitted Devlin for a suit. I’m sure he’s aware of some of Devlin’s tailoring needs. That big penis is probably a hassle for a good tailor. I half-expected Tony to laugh and say, ‘Tell me about it.’”

Hearing her say something so aggravating roused him again. He could feel a swelling between his legs at his wife’s blunt and terrible words. She was doing it on purpose. “You’re fucking with me now.”

She smiled a hot red smile. “I’m fucking with you all the time.” Her fingers tangled in his hair.

“Why?” he said, chuckling but irritated.

“You know you love it.”

“I do?” His tone was comically incredulous.

“Sure you do. I now it turns you on. Stop fighting it.”

He gave her a point-blank What-the-fuck face? Exasperated with her, but unfortunately, yes, really fucking turned on.

Kimmy knew it, slinking over the console to get closer to him. Her eyes darted out the windshield. He’d nosed in, so their view was out the circular brick-edged opening of the upscale parking lot; the view showed nothing but sunshine falling on leafy green tree canopy. It was like they were alone. His heart began to beat faster with the sudden realization Kimmy might be interested in having sex right now.

Her face was very close to his. She said, “Don’t fight it.”

“I’m not,” he said, looking into her eyes.

“You like to struggle,” she said, her warm palm resting on his thigh. He looked over his shoulder to make sure the coast was clear behind the Qashqai as well. No one was there.

“What are you doing?”

Kimmy smiled and her hand crept up his thigh and cupped between his legs. She explored, finding his cock in the bulge and kneading it between finger and thumb.

She made an appreciative sound, and said, “Just like I thought. You’re half hard.”

“You got your hand on it.”

“You didn’t get hard at the tailor?”

“No,” he lied.

She regarded him skeptically. Now her fingers worked at the bulge in his suit pants and found the zipper tab. He looked out the back window again.

“What are you so worried about? Tell me what Tony thinks of your bad wife?” She used both hands now to undo the zipper and work his fly open. Josh eased back in his seat to give her access, almost frightened by what she might have planned for him.

“Tell me, Josh,” she whispered. “Tell me what you afraid he thinks.”

His jaw muscles trembled as he sought the resolve to play along. He swallowed, eyes darting, settling back on his wife’s beautiful face. She was accepting and inviting, willing to engage in dirty talk and dirty play. She had zinged him with a live-wire blast today right in front of another man.

What would Tony think?

He said, “He thinks you’re fucking Devlin.”

“Does he?” She looked as though she didn’t think Tony thought that.

“Sure he does,” he said. “He knows you’ve checked between his legs and know . . .”

“How big his penis is?” She smiled wide and mischievous.

“Yeah,” he gasped.

“And just because I know Devlin has a really big penis, Tony thinks I’m having an affair?”

He nodded.

Kimmy worked his naked cock out of the fly and his legs kicked as the tip of her finger swiped over the tip. He was slick with pre-come. “I just need a big cock in my life? Is that it? That’s what you think of women, Josh?”

He shook his head no this time.

“So what makes you think that’s what Tony believes about me?”

As he struggled to form an answer, Kimmy leaned forward and her head dipped int his lap. His hand went to her back and rested there. Her mouth slipped over the tend of his cock and began to suck. He grunted up at the car’s roof, the incredible wet pleasure of his wife’s mouth and tongue driving wild whip-cracks into the top of his brain and getting his whole body shuddering.