The Truth About Hugh.

Mara spent most of the taxi ride home staring at her phone. Hugh had sent several messages since their argument, none of which she'd bothered to read. Now, with Richard's words still fresh in her mind, she was beginning to wonder whether she'd been rather too hasty.

She'd certainly been furious when Hugh arrived home late, smelling of another woman's perfume and behaving suspiciously with his phone. But Richard had been right about one thing: she hadn't actually given Hugh much opportunity to explain himself.

Not that she particularly wanted an explanation. She wanted to be right.

And, rather inconveniently, she also wanted Richard Arnett.

The memory of their afternoon together brought a smile to her face. She could still remember the warmth of his embrace and the unexpected pleasure of discovering that the distinguished Mr Arnett was capable of being considerably less reserved than she'd imagined.

Then there was his insistence that she speak to Hugh before anything else happened between them. Bloody gentleman, she thought affectionately.

The taxi turned into her street, and Mara felt her stomach tighten. Whatever happened next, this wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

Hugh was sitting at the kitchen table when she arrived.

He looked tired. There was a half-finished cup of coffee beside him, and his laptop was open in front of him. When Mara walked through the door, he stood immediately.

"Mara."

"Hello, Hugh."

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Hugh stepped towards her. "Thank God. I've been worried sick. Where have you been?"

"Staying at a hotel."

"A hotel? For two nights?"

"With a friend," she replied quickly. "Well, not with a friend. A friend arranged it."

Hugh frowned but didn't pursue the distinction. "I've been calling you."

"I know."

"And messaging."

"I know that too."

He sighed. "Mara, will you please just listen to me?"

She folded her arms. "I'm listening."

Hugh pulled out a chair. "Sit down. There's something I need to show you."

The explanation was considerably less dramatic than Mara had expected. Hugh opened his phone and brought up the message that had started their argument. Then he handed it to her. It wasn't from Elaine. It was from his brother. The message concerned a family holiday they'd been planning for several months. Hugh's brother had found a possible booking and wanted to confirm dates before paying the deposit.

Mara read the conversation twice. Her name appeared several times. Hugh had been discussing which dates would suit her, whether she'd prefer a beachside apartment or a resort, and how they might arrange time off work.

"You were planning a holiday?" she asked.

"Yes."

"With your family?"

"With my brother and his family. And you, obviously."

Mara stared at the screen. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we were trying to organise it as a surprise. I wanted to do something nice for you."

She looked down again. The messages were exactly what Hugh said they were. There was nothing suspicious about them.

"But Elaine..."

Hugh sighed. "Elaine stayed late helping me finish a report. That's all. We were in the office together, and she gave me a lift to the station afterwards."

"And the perfume?"

"She hugged me when we finished the project. I didn't think anything of it."

Mara remained silent.

Hugh sat opposite her.

"I know you don't like Elaine. You've made that perfectly clear. But nothing has ever happened between us, Mara. Nothing."

She studied his face. For the first time since their argument, she allowed herself to consider that he might be telling the truth.

Then Hugh said something she hadn't expected. "I've put in for a transfer."

Mara looked up sharply. "What?"

"A transfer to another team. I've spoken to my manager about it."

"Because of Elaine?"

"Because this has become ridiculous. I love my job, but I don't want you worrying every time I work late or somebody from the office messages me."

Mara stared at him. "You'd really do that?"

"I've already submitted the request. It hasn't been approved yet, but my manager thinks it should be possible." He reached across the table. "Mara, I love you. I don't want to lose you over something that never happened."

For once, she had absolutely nothing to say. Mara had spent the previous two days imagining Hugh as a liar and a cheat. She'd been so certain of his guilt that she'd scarcely considered any other possibility.

Now, sitting opposite him, she felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. "Oh, Hugh." Her voice cracked.

He moved closer. "Come here."

Mara stood and threw her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she whispered against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

Hugh held her tightly. "I know."

"I was horrible to you."

"You were pretty angry."

"I said some dreadful things."

"You did."

She pulled back, looking miserable. "And I blocked you."

"I noticed."

Despite herself, Mara laughed.

Hugh smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I don't want us fighting like that again."

"Neither do I."

"Then promise me something."

"What?"

"Next time you're worried about something, talk to me before deciding I'm the worst person in the world."

Mara nodded. "I promise."

Hugh leaned down and kissed her. It was a familiar kiss, affectionate and reassuring, and Mara returned it without hesitation. For the first time in two days, she felt the relief of knowing that the relationship she'd believed was falling apart might actually be all right. And yet, beneath that relief, there was another feeling she wasn't quite prepared to examine. Richard.

Hugh kissed her again, and Mara slipped her arms around his neck. She'd missed him. Whatever she'd told herself during their argument, she couldn't deny the comfort of being back in his arms. But she was also carrying the excitement of her afternoon with Richard, an excitement that hadn't entirely faded during the journey home.

When Hugh drew her closer, she responded with an enthusiasm that surprised him, driving herself against him.

"Well," he murmured with a smile, "somebody's pleased to see me."

Mara laughed softly. "Don't sound so surprised."

"I was beginning to think you never wanted to see me again."

"Don't be silly." She kissed him once more, longer this time.

Hugh's arms tightened around her, and for several moments they forgot about the messages, Elaine and the argument that had kept them apart. Mara knew perfectly well that some of her heightened excitement had begun elsewhere, with a silver-haired gentleman in a hotel suite. The thought ought to have made her uncomfortable. Instead, she pushed it aside and concentrated on Hugh.

When he suggested they go to the bedroom, she took his hand and led the way.

Inside the bedroom, Hugh returned to kissing Mara as her hands went quickly to the belt around his pants. There was no resistance from Hugh as Mara undid the fastening and dropped his trousers to the floor. She led Hugh towards the bed where she sat down and then reached into Hugh’s trunks and drew his cock out. She wasted no time wrapping her lips around Hugh’s cock and sucking it with a determination that shocked him. He was left gasping on his feet, one hand on the back of Mara’s head as she worked as much of Hugh’s shaft down her throat as she could.

For a pair of quick minutes, Mara slobbered on Hugh’s knob before she took her face away. She told him to get undressed and then started discarding the fine resort wear Richard Arnett’s credit card had bought for her. If Hugh noticed the nice new, never seen before swimsuit Mara took off, he didn’t mention it as he was focused entirely on Mara’s naked body before him. Hugh had been about to put his head down between Mara’s legs to return the favour when she pulled him toward her and in between her legs.

Something Hugh did notice and just put it down to Mara’s eagerness for make-up sex was just how wet her pussy was when his cock drove inside. She’d normally taken a deal longer to get warmed up for penetration by him; this time she was greased heavier than he could remember before.

As Hugh plunged inside her that first time, Mara’s toes curled, and her body shuddered at the relief of finally getting a dick inside her. Her body had been crying out for it for two days now, and she moaned hard at finally getting some relief. Her nails dug into the soft flesh of Hugh arse cheeks as she quickly encouraged him to give her the sort of hard fucking she wanted. Hugh responded to Mara’s demands as best as he could, ploughing down on top of her. The fact she came three times had a lot more to do with the silver-headed gentleman that was occupying the edges of Mara’s thoughts as she was getting stuffed over and over. Her uncontrollable need to be fucked was only just tamed enough that Mara remembered at the very last second to push Hugh back out of her as he started to cum. Kneeling, Hugh caught the majority of his spunk in his hands as Mara had told him on many occasions that she didn’t like getting his seed shot onto her.

They spent the next part of the afternoon together in their bedroom, rediscovering the closeness they'd been missing. Mara was unusually affectionate and eager, and Hugh seemed delighted by the change. For a little while, their quarrel felt like something that had happened to somebody else.

Afterwards, they lay together beneath the sheets, Hugh's arm resting comfortably around her.

"I've missed this," he said.

Mara smiled. "Me too."

He kissed her forehead. "Stay home tonight?"

The question brought her pleasant afternoon to an abrupt halt.