Chapter 10: With a Reaction like that

Evan glanced at Brad, "How rude of me, my name is Evan Blade, I am a colleague of Mrs. Porter from work, how do you do?" Evan said shaking Brad's hand in a firm handshake… "Ah, I see… thank you… yes she is a hard worker…she has told me much about you" Brad said glaring into Evan's eyes, as he sensed competition from this man. Keeping his glare gaze in Brad's eyes, "You are a lucky man, Mr. Porter…" Evan said professionally keeping his firm grip handshake with Brad, never swerving his gaze from him. Rayla looked at them both, "Oh look, our dinner has arrived, honey, shall we? Mr. Blade, thank you for coming over to say hello, yes this is my husband, Brad Porter and our daughter, Rachel…" Rayla said kindly introducing her family to Evan.

"Beautiful family. It was an honour to meet you, Mr. Porter. See you at work in the morning, Mrs. Porter." Evan grinned and winked at her and turned his back on her. "Why you…..." Rayla grunted within herself with anxiety. "He… seems nice…." Brad said in a low mellow casual husky tone of voice, watching Brad walk away with his friends, not to make it oblivious to Rayla that this somewhat bothered him, as he prepared Rachel's meal to eat as their food arrived.

Rayla took a deep breath preparing to eat, "Yes, he is good at work…I mean his work is extraordinary…" Rayla shaking her head to change her words, as that almost came out wrong, said eating a slice of pizza. "Oh, how so?" Brad asked with intrigue. "Well, for an example, he set up our IT department's computer systems so that even the government cannot hack it. At work the other day, he managed to set a record of becoming the company's first IT specialist to outrun hackers in the world. I must say I respect his work." Rayla said looking down as she relaxed her chin on her hands leaning on the table to eat. Brad looked at her for a moment, "you never talk about your work very often…" Brad smiled at her softly. "Oh?" Rayla questioned. "Well, that's because the last time I did, we argued for a week and nearly divorced because of it!!!" Rayla grunted within herself, recalling an argument they had once, when she started her career in her current role, and when she came home, she would tell him about it and they ended up arguing. Since then, she completely closed up herself to telling him about her day. She kept these thoughts to herself though not to bother the family atmosphere too much about it.

"Sounds like you are really into this guy…" Brad said in a mellow husky voice as he teased her in tongue and cheek with hidden jealousy in his voice. "Are you crazy?? He is just a colleague, nothing more…." Rayla said eating her food, not to make it obvious nothing happened. "Did… something happen?" Brad said as he glanced at her from his side of the table.

His instincts almost never failed when he had a feeling about something. Rayla almost choked at such a comment, drinking water anxiously washing it down. "Like what??" Rayla questioned in self-defence. Brad grinned, "Well, for starters…." Suddenly, Brad is interrupted by the waitress, "Sir, compliments of Mr. Evan Blade, he said to pass this on to you…" the waiter said professionally, handing him a bottle of wine and a card, which stated, "Apologies if I caused a misunderstanding between you and your wife, she is simply a colleague whom I respect and aspire to be. Good evening…" the card read by Evan, as he left shortly before he did this for them. Brad looked at the card, "He… must have overheard our nearly heated discussion…." Brad said in a husky tone of voice. Brad said as he raised his eye brow. "Do you… want me to quit my job, if you feel uncomfortable me being there…?" Rayla questioned as she looked away with a saddened expression on her face. Brad looked at her, "…after you worked so hard to be there, I wouldn't take that away from you…" Brad said as he poured some wine for him and her. "Maybe if I get her drunk, she will tell me what happened? But we got Rachel home tonight…" Brad said within himself, being suspicious of Evan with his wife, being so friendly and so casual.

Suddenly, Brad looked down and smiled softly, "It's nice to see you succeeding at work, I am proud of you…." Brad smiled, then feeding his daughter. Tears almost swelled up in her eyes at such a gesture, as it had been so long since he had been affectionate with her like that. However deep down, she was beginning to feel guilt and if she should tell her husband what happened at the conference, or keep it deep down, hidden in her heart for the rest of her life. This would be a secret which would cause her problems later…. "I am sorry…" She said wearingly within herself. "Thank you…Brad" Rayla said as she ate their dinner together.

Meanwhile, Evan is back at his apartment, overlooking the city lights, drinking some wine. "So, this woman you are into, is she single?" Said Evan's female childhood friend. "No, she's married." Evan smirked. "What is it with you going after women who are already taken hm?" She smirked kissing him on the cheek. "this one…. Is different…" Evan said as he looked down into his drink and drank, looking at the city lights. His eyes and face reflecting softly into the window reflection. "Just be careful now, a husband's jealousy is nothing to tamper with…Sounds to me you really have fallen for this one, hm?" his friend said and walked out. "Hmm…." Evan said as he put his hand on the window, overlooking the city and leaning forward his head against the window, "Let's see…." He said out loud.

That night, Brad is driving home with his wife and daughter, as both Rachael and Rayla were asleep in the car. Brad looks at them both sleeping, listening to their cute snores together. Brad smiles at them and shakes his head, "So cute…" he thinks to himself. "Honey… we are home…" Brad gently waked up his wife, "Oh… I'll get Rachel…" Rayla responded in a tired husky voice, as she took Rachel to bed and tucked her in.

Brad goes for a shower and goes to bed, whilst Rayla just plopped on the bed, "Baby, I am sorry I know I smell, but I will shower in the morning, I am just so exhausted…." Rayla said as she lay in bed and fell asleep almost instantly. "Alright…" Brad said as he glanced her falling asleep. Suddenly, Brad felt an urge to make love to her, so he embraced her sleeping face and touched her as he gently kissed her face, when suddenly, being subconsciously asleep yet somewhat awake, as she was still dreaming, flinched "No! I love my husband…." She babbled and grunted in her sleep and slapped his face unknowing to her subconsciously as she was having nightmares and dreams of what happened between her and Evan at the conference.

Brad's face turned to the side as she slapped him in her sleep. Suddenly, Brad tried to take hold of her hands as she fought him in her sleep, "No… my husband…." Rayla said as she dozed off to sleep. Brad's eyes went wide open as he blinked sharply in shock. "What… just happened….?" He said in shock within himself. Brad, smiling as he put her to sleep properly and covered her with the blanket, "With a reaction like that, who would be unfaithful?." Brad thought within himself, knowing his wife was faithful to him.

The next morning, "Morning honey, how was your sleep?" Rayla asked her husband as they are all at the dinner table, "Yeah, great." Brad responded as he normally would, touching his face where Rayla slapped him the night before, "You alright, you seem quiet?" Rayla asked as she fed Rachael. "No, nothing, just woke up with a headache." Brad said as he took some paracetamol tablets. "Oh? Maybe you slept the wrong way? We should get your blood pressure checked, you are due for your yearly check-up." Rayla said as she put Rachael down from the table seat, so she can get ready for school. "No, I am not going! I am fine; besides, I am a nurse remember?" Brad smirked. "even nurses need to be looked after once in a while." Rayla smiled at him softly. "Yeah…" Brad simply responded. As they both get up from the table to go to work, suddenly, Brad pulls Rayla close to him and kissed her passionately. "Mmmm… what was…?" Rayla questioned in confusion. "What? Can't I kiss my own wife?" Brad said as he raised an eye brow and winked at her. Rayla felt like she had been kissed for the first time, "Uhh, well, you see ummm… Crap!" She said as she nearly tripped backwards over a toy, Brad grasped but his instincts kicked in and grabbed his wife with his arm behind her back from falling, when he grabbed her suddenly. "Ummm… thank you…." Rayla blushed, as Brad kissed her again. "Rachel will see us…." Rayla whispered as Brad kissed her, when, Rachel walks in the kitchen and seeing them kiss. "Ewww!! Mommy, daddy…." Suddenly, Brad pulled away and picked up his daughter, "Well who told you to look huh?" Brad said cheeringly to his daughter. "I'll take her to school Rayla, See you tonight after work… I love you…" He said and left. "I love you…" Rayla said tenderly to her husband. "That… was unusual…. Not that I am complaining but he rarely does that…." Rayla said as she touched her lips, still feeling his touch and kiss on her. "Get a hold of yourself woman, you need to get to work!" Rayla grunted within herself.