Later as they got ready for bed, Victoria asked, "Dear, have you seen my Dior bracelet? I can’t seem to find it anywhere?" Looking into draws and under items.

"No. Where did you last have it?"

"I can’t remember," she sighed heavily. "That was the one you gave me for our anniversary last year."

"Well, I am sure it’s not far, Victoria. It’s probably just under somewhere you haven’t looked yet," Gabriel determined. Heading towards the bathroom, he closed the door.

Ten minutes later, he emerges out with his robe on. Drying his hair, he saw Victoria on the phone and heard her whisper.

"Yes. No that’s good, it’s..."

"Honey, who’s that on the phone?" Gabriel blurted out, startling the woman.

"Oh Gabe, you’re out of the shower already?" She gasped at her husband’s sudden appearance. Laughing at her reaction.

Turning back to her phone conversation she continued, "Yes, yes, Susan. So I’ll see you tomorrow then, bye." Ending the call.

"Oh, so that was Mrs. Nedermyer?" A warm smile appeared on his face. "How is she?" he asked, as he came around to where his wife sat on the bed, placing the towel over the foot of the bed.

"Oh, she’s good. She just wanted to remind me to bring something she asked me to get for her earlier."

Walking around to sit at her vanity, she started to prepare for bed.

After she had finished, she walked towards the bed and got under the covers, turning onto her side, and away from her husband.

Almost immediately, Gabriel came closer to his wife. As he stroked his hand along her side, he kissed her on the neck and ran his fingers through her long auburn tresses.

"Honey, I’m tired. I’ve been up all day running errands," Victoria complained, as she tried to wiggle away from Gabriel.

"Honey I’m tired too. I won’t be long, I promise, just a few minutes," Gabriel pleaded, staring at the back of her.

"Gabriel!!!" she emphasized loudly. "Not tonight! Maybe tomorrow!" Swatting at his hand still holding to her waist, in irritation. Turning onto her side again and pulling the sheets over her head this time.

After a minute of pouting Gabriel finally admonished, "Seriously Victoria, you’ve been saying that for a week now," he relayed, trying not to get upset at his wife’s refusal of him. Gabriel wasn’t a forceful man and very patient but after a week it was finally getting to him.

Sighing he turned on his side, his back to her, and plopped down on the bed. Hoping that he can get to sleep with the hard-on he now has sporting beneath his boxers, as he thinks about the fact that lately, Victoria has been acting cold towards him. Coming up with excuses as to why she can’t have sex with him.

After fifteen minutes, his sexual urges began to dampened and he found himself drifting off to sleep. Thinking that at least one thing was going well since he was invited to one of his boss’s soirees. He will now be able to rub shoulders with the most elite and is on track in their three-year plan for success. A smile formed on his lips as thoughts of the new office he would occupy conjured up in his mind, when he would finally get that promotion. Drifting him off to sleep, finally.

••~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~••

"So, I’ll see you later then Gabe," stated Mr. Nedermyer as Gabriel approached to stand at the elevator doors beside him, as they made to leave the office for the day.

Smiling at him, the thought crossed his mind that Mr. Nedermyer wasn’t all that much older than his twenty-four years. He had married into the family and taken over his wife’s father’s business and made it a success over the years.

He wasn’t bad looking either, with thick black hair, clear gray eyes under marginally thick eyebrows, that didn’t look bad on him. A long straight nose with thin lips and a firm enough body that showed that he worked out at the gym.

Overall an attractive gentleman. He can see why he has ladies falling over themselves to gain his attention, even at the office and it didn’t seem to matter that he was married.

"Yes, Mr. Nedermyer. I wouldn’t miss it, Sir," he finally replied as the elevator arrived and they both stepped on, pressing the button to take them to the garage.

As they got off, they bade goodbye and both headed to their respective vehicles getting in and driving out behind each other. Blowing their car horns as they finally made their way out and off into their different directions.

Next Chapter: Chapter Three