Before He Cheats Read online

  Before He Cheats

  By Shawna Jeanne

  Published by JMS Books LLC

  Visit jms-books.com for more information.

  Copyright 2020 Shawna Jeanne

  ISBN 9781646565641

  Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

  Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

  All rights reserved.

  WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

  No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

  This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States of America.

  * * * *

  Before He Cheats

  By Shawna Jeanne

  Wearing only the sports bra and boyshorts she slept in, Rachel Anderson sat at the foot of the bed, her husband’s phone in her hands as she listened to the sound of water splashing in the shower off the master bedroom. She scrolled through the call history, sure she was right. One number kept popping up over and over again, at odd hours. It was saved in Jason’s contacts with initials only, EC. The last time EC called was last night at three in the morning, when Rachel had been sleeping and naively thought her husband was, too.

  Rachel didn’t know anyone her husband knew with those initials. Before her suspicions had been aroused and she checked his phone for confirmation, she would’ve sworn she knew everyone he knew. But she didn’t know any ECs, and she didn’t recognize the number, either.

  Then there were the text messages. Hundreds of them, maybe thousands. Many more texts than Jason ever sent her. Whenever he did respond to one of her texts, it was always monosyllabic, ok or right or got it. He never included any terms of endearment, no honey or lover or babe. Hell, she’d even take a dear now and then, or wifey. If she mentioned it to him, though, he always said, “Rach, you know I don’t text.”

  Except he obviously did, at least with EC. There were early morning texts that started with I dreamed of you last night, afternoon texts sharing what they ate for lunch, end of the workday have a safe drive home texts, and flurries of sexy texts Jason had to have been writing when he sat beside Rachel on the couch after dinner. She’d seen him on the phone, fingers flying over the virtual keyboard, the hint of a smile on his lips.

  “Who is it?” she asked numerous times.

  Without fail, Jason simply shook his head and told her, “Someone at work. Let me take this in the other room.” And he’d disappear down the hallway, heading for the bedroom so he wouldn’t disturb her. How considerate.

  At least, that’s what she’d thought he was doing. But from the look of things, the sexting had turned into Snapchats and Facetimes. There were more dick pics and videos on Jason’s phone than she’d ever managed to find online for free.

  He didn’t know that she knew. But he sure as hell was about to find out.

  From the bathroom, she could barely hear her husband grunting over the rush of water in the shower. Jerking off, she knew it—she recognized the little uh uh uh noise he made when he was close to climax. Who are you thinking of in there? she wondered. Me, like you’re supposed to? Or this EC character?

  She squeezed his phone in both hands, resisting the urge to throw it at the partially shut bathroom door.

  He didn’t take much longer—a gasp, “Yeah yeah,” and a final, “God.” Then the shower turned off, and she could hear him breathing heavily as he toweled off his face. Water trickled away down the drain, terry cloth rubbed over wet skin, the mirror above the sink squeaked when he rubbed a spot clean.

  Then the door opened and he stepped out, bare ass naked and dripping wet, his cock still at half mast. He was toweling off his hair and didn’t notice her at first. When he did, he grinned. “Hey. What’s up?”

  What’s up. As if they were roommates, nothing more. Well, she’d tell him what was up. “Who’s EC?”

  Confusion clouded his face, but not before she saw a spark of fear in his eyes. Still, he tried to play it cool. “Who?”

  So she was right! His momentary hesitation before speaking said it all.

  Holding up his phone, she said, “EC. You two spend a lot of time on the phone together.”

  His Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped audibly. “Just someone from work,” he lied, unable to look her in the eyes. He played it off by toweling off his chest, but his dick had wilted and he looked almost ashamed.

  “Someone from work,” she repeated.

  He nodded as he tied the towel around his waist. “Yeah, why?”

  “You’re always texting them.” Rachel fought to keep from smirking. She had to admit she was enjoying the way he was trying to squirm out of trouble. “What is it you two talk about all the time?”

  “Oh, just this project at work.” He was beginning to sound a bit confident now, probably sure she was buying his lies.

  Rachel nipped that in the bud. “One that involves pictures of your dick?” A dull burn rose in his cheeks and he turned away, but she saw it anyway. “You putting that in a PowerPoint or something.”

  “It’s not like that…”

  It’s exactly like that, Rachel thought, but no, let him try to talk his way out of it. When he didn’t say anything else, she prompted, “So what’s it like then?”

  Jason ran both hands through his tousled wet hair, his gaze resting on the phone in her hands. For a long moment, neither spoke; each watched the other, waiting to see who’d cave first. Newsflash, Rachel thought smugly, I can sit here all day, and the next time EC calls or texts, I’ll be the one answering.

  Softly, Jason asked, “How’d you unlock my phone?”

  Rachel laughed. “You thought you were being slick changing the password, didn’t you?”

  “How’d you guess it?” he pressed.

  “From my birthday to your mother’s,” Rachel said. “Really? Like I’m not the one who mails her a card from us every year.”

  His face fell, his shoulders hunched forward, and he seemed to…well, deflate somehow. Rachel resisted the urge to go to him—yes, she loved him, fiercely. But she wasn’t about to let him get away with this.

  Whatever this turned out to be.

  Jason stayed silent, but she could see uncertainty flickering across his face. She could almost hear his thoughts. Should I tell her the truth? Will she believe me? Will she get mad?

  She wanted to laugh at that last one. Hell, she was already mad, who was she trying to kid? But if he were truthful, if he trusted her, she might surprise him with how forgiving she could be.

  “EC,” she said. “What’s that stand for?”

  Jason gnawed on his lower lip, watching her hand as she tapped the screen of his phone. Unsure if he should say something, unsure of what to say.

  Rachel flipped through the pictures on his phone, barely glancing at them as she searched for the one she wanted. “Don’t lie to me. I know you too well.”

  Still nothing.

  She found the photo, one Jason had saved to a folder conveniently titled EC, and held up
the phone so he could see it. “This isn’t your dick,” she told him.

  He flinched as if she’d thrown the phone at him. Now the words came tumbling out. “Rachel, baby, I can explain.”

  And there was the baby, too. He could still get lovey-dovey when it suited him, she noticed. Turning the phone back around, she looked at the photo with a critical eye. In it, a large cock curved away from a bed of blond hair. Funny thing was, Jason was brunet, from top to bottom. The sunny curls alone told her this wasn’t him, as did the strong upward swoop and the thick sterling steel barbell piercing the shroomy glans. Idly she wondered what that would taste like, how it’d feel in her mouth, her pussy.

  But she was getting ahead of herself.

  “This him?” she asked her shocked husband. “EC? What’s his first name?”

  “Elliot,” Jason choked out.

  “Elliot.” Okay, so that explained the E. “Elliot what?”

  Jason covered his eyes with one hand, then dragged it down, pulling a long face. “Collins,” he muttered. “Elliot Collins. There, you happy?”

  Not quite. Rachel kept her voice light and airy as she asked, “Where’d you meet?”

  Clearing his throat, Jason admitted, “Online. We haven’t done anything, I swear. I’ve never met him in real life. For all I know, that isn’t even his dick.”

  But it was—Jason might claim he couldn’t tell, but Rachel had studied all the photos on the phone and knew which ones were her husband’s and which came from someone else. All of those she now knew were Elliot’s all showed the same schlong, the barbell piercing evident in all of them. Either they were all his or he’d managed to find more than two dozen porn pics of the same cock.

  “Where online?” Rachel wanted to know.

  Jason shrugged. “I don’t know, Craigslist?”

  “So he’s local?” That was pleasantly surprising.

  Jason shrugged again. “I don’t know. We…we haven’t really talked about…you know, day to day stuff.”

  “Just sex,” Rachel clarified, and he nodded. She wasn’t so sure about that, but she let it slide. Shifting gears, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Her husband let out a bark of bitter laughter. “What was I supposed to say?”

  Keeping her voice casual, Rachel said, “How about hey baby, you know I love you—”

  “I do,” Jason promised.

  “And you know I’d never do anything to ruin our marriage—”

  “I wouldn’t,” he swore. “Ever.”

  Rachel smirked and finished with, “But I’d really love to get fucked in the ass by some hot stud.”

  For a long moment Jason stared at her with a deer in headlights look. Then he saw her grin and realized she wasn’t exactly mad at him…she saw a flicker of hope in his eyes, and with a sheepish smile, he admitted, “Yeah.”

  She patted the bed beside her and he trudged over like a recalcitrant little boy. As he sat down, she could smell his clean, shower fresh scent, and the towel was damp where his thigh pressed against hers. Taking his hand, she held it in both of hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. A we’ll get through this together squeeze, the good wife. Softly, as if speaking to a spooked animal, Rachel said, “Hey.”

  Jason’s chin trembled and he covered her hands with his. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

  “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Rachel pressed. “Not just about Elliot, but about…how you feel? What you want? You know you can tell me anything. I’m your wife, remember?”

  Head down, chin to his chest, Jason mumbled, “I didn’t want you to think…”

  Rachel raised her eyebrows, waiting. When he didn’t finish, she prompted, “Think what?”

  “I didn’t want you to think I was gay.”

  The words escaped in a rush but the moment they were free, Jason’s shoulders straightened, his silent secret no longer a burden. But he winced when he glanced at her, afraid of what she was going to say.

  “You’re not gay,” Rachel told him. “You’re bi.”

  Jason caught his breath. “I’m—”

  “Just because you want to fuck him doesn’t mean you don’t still love me,” she pointed out.

  His brows furrowed as her words sunk in. Then he let out a sigh of relief. “You’re right.”

  Of course I am, Rachel thought, amused.

  Suddenly he slapped his forehead, hard. “God, I’m so stupid!” he growled, digging into his wet hair and tugging it. “I should’ve told you first. Now I’ve gone and fucked things up…I don’t even really know this guy.”

  “Jason,” she started, then grabbed his hand when he tore at his hair again. “Honey, stop. Listen to me.”

  “You must hate me,” he muttered angrily. “I hate me.”

  “Well, I don’t.”

  He frowned at her. “Why not?”

  “The way I see it,” she reasoned, “we’ve hit a little bump in the road and we have to get past it.”

  Jason nodded. “I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry.”

  Rachel nodded. “Thank you. I accept your apology. There are a few different ways we can handle this.”

  “I’ll change my number,” he assured her. “I won’t talk to him again. Or any guy. I promise.”

  “That’s one option. A bit drastic, though.”

  Jason’s frown returned. “What do you mean?”

  “Hear me out.” Rachel’s pulse quickened as she thought of that barbell piercing Elliot’s cockhead. Between her lips, or—sweet Lord, she just might faint—disappearing into her husband’s buttocks.

  Cautiously, she said, “You like him—don’t shake your head, I know you do. And, I have to admit, the thought of you with a man is…well, honestly? It turns me on.”

  Jason stared at her, agog. When he spoke, his voice was nothing but a breathy whisper. “What? Really?”

  With a shrug and a nod, Rachel said, “Yeah, really. So you can change your number, and I can buy a strap-on if you think that’ll satisfy you. Or…maybe we can invite him over.”

  Jason’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  “For a threeway,” she said, studiously nonchalant. “A threesome. Menage? What’s the right term?”

  His whole face seemed to bug out.

  To make sure he knew exactly what she meant, she clarified, “You, me, and him. Here, in bed, the three of us at once. What do you think?”

  At first she thought he’d pass out. He didn’t seem to be breathing, just stared at her with a strangled look of hope, as if he didn’t dare move or speak or think in case she was teasing him.

  Finally his lips moved and his throat croaked as he tried to respond, but he had to clear his throat before he found his voice. “Are you sure?” He gulped in a deep breath. “I mean, isn’t that…”

  “Cheating?” Leaning in, Rachel pressed her mouth to his. Against his lips, she whispered, “Not if we do it together.”

  * * * *

  First Jason had to ask Elliot if he wanted to meet up in real life. But despite how often they had chatted and texted and who knew what else over the phone, he was scared to suggest putting technology aside to hook up face to face. “What if he says no?”

  He sat on the stool in the kitchen, now dressed in a T-shirt and pair of lightweight lounge pants. his phone in both hands as he frowned at the screen. On the other side of the kitchen island, Rachel poured two glasses of iced tea.

  “Are you backing out on me?” she teased, pushing his glass across the countertop. She still wore her bra and boyshorts, but she had on one of his old flannel shirts, as well, unbuttoned and half falling off one shoulder. “Or do you just not want to share?”

  That earned her a laugh. “What if you end up liking him more than you like me?”

  “Honey, I love you.” Opening the fridge, she put the pitcher of tea inside and bumped the door shut with her hip. Then she rounded the island to stand in front of him. She plucked the phone away and eased his knees apart, stepping in between them. “You’re my husban
d,” she purred. “You know that. This is just…”

  “My fault,” Jason admitted.

  “A little bit of fun,” Rachel corrected. She leaned into him and propped her chin on his chest to look up at him. “Nothing serious, unless you want it to be.”

  Jason bent to rest his forehead against hers. “He might say no,” he whispered.

  “He has a penis piercing,” Rachel whispered back. “He won’t say no.”

  “Ugh.” Jason slouched back with a heavy sigh. “I don’t even know how to ask him. I mean, what do I say?”

  Curling her toes onto the stool’s lowest rung, Rachel stepped up and placed her hands on Jason’s arms for balance. “Help me up,” she said, jumping a little to show him what she meant.

  When she did it again, he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up and over, sitting her down on the countertop. She scooted back, bringing her bare feet up to rest them on Jason’s thigh. Then she reached behind her for a glass of tea. As she sipped it, she tapped the screen of his phone with her thumb, thinking.

  Jason rubbed a hand up the back of her leg. “Can you ask him?”

  Rachel smirked. “You were waiting for that, weren’t you?”

  “Please?” Jason drew the word out, eeeeeeease, like a wheedling child. When she didn’t answer, he set his chin on her knee and batted his lashes at her. “Pretty please?”

  “Hush up,” she told him affectionately. Setting her glass aside, she opened the messaging app on his phone. “How should I start it? What would you say?”

  “Hey sexy.” When she glanced at him, Jason laughed. “What? He is sexy. Didn’t you look through my pics?”

  “I stopped on the one of his dick,” she admitted.

  Jason nodded. “See? Sexy.”

  “Okay.” Rachel sat up straighter and cleared her throat, getting serious. As she typed, she read aloud what she wrote. “Hey sexy. Comma after hey?”

  Jason shook his head.

  “Alright. Hey sexy, you up?”

  Rubbing her leg, Jason pointed out, “It’s almost eleven. I’m sure he’s up.”

  “You don’t know that.” With a flourish, she tapped the send icon. “Sent.”