Ex with Benefits (Sequel to Roommates with Benefits) [NEW VERSION]

6. Sex makes you hungry

TARA

Thanks to Jeremy's help, I was able to get off work a lot earlier than expected. I'd thought I'd have to stay at least until midnight, instead I was able to go home by 10 pm. Although, I also wanted to go, because after my outburst, things were bound to get awkward between us. Hell, I didn't even want to think about it. Part of me felt dirty.

The kiss with Aaron felt like nothing compared. Because that kiss meant nothing at all but crying in the arms of another man felt like cheating. Why did I worry about cheating when I'd finally decided to get a divorce, I had no idea.

No, that wasn't true. I did know why. I just didn't want to acknowledge it. I couldn't afford to. My marriage was over, I had to come to terms with it. And I had to prepare for the storm that was coming, because between the process of divorce itself, and the judgment from everyone else, I would be in all over my head.

I had Sean, I could rely on my best friend and on his husband for comfort. I could rely on my sister even—despite her tendency to 'comfort' me by pointing out every single thing I did wrong. I had Janelle and Leo, even.

Yet I felt lonely as ever. All of them were part of a life I'd shared with Lukas, going to them in these uncertain times felt like depriving him of the right to support from his circle of friends.

It was an absurd thought. Not only because Lukas himself had estranged Leo, but because both Sean and Janelle were primarily my friends, not his. He'd have Dion if he hadn't acted like an idiot. He'd have a full support system if he hadn't ruined every friendship with his own hands.

And yet I felt stupidly guilty because, other than Corinne, Lukas had no one left. The whole drive home I'd thought about how my soon-to-be ex-husband would cope with the divorce. He didn't give a single shit about my feelings, yet I worried about his. Just one more proof of how stupid I was.

Our entire marriage had been me putting Lukas first. I delayed my master's degree because he needed to focus on his pre-med studies, and someone needed to stay with Nicky.

Then Gloria came, and Zach, and my career was flushed down the drain together with my every professional dream. The only reason I had a job was because my ex had taken pity on me.

My entire resumé was a catastrophe of gap years, with little to no experience. I loved my kids to no end, and I'd repeat the same choices for them, but putting their father first had doomed me. And yet, here I still was, worrying about his feelings instead of focusing on planning my post-marriage life.

When our driveway came into view, I was surprised to find an unfamiliar car. The one parked in the driveway was beat-up and old, and I was fairly certain it belonged to a family that lived in our old neighborhood. I just couldn't quite remember which. However, the brand-new red sportive car parked near our driveway didn't look like anything I'd seen before.

I gritted my teeth without even realizing as my grip on the steering wheel tightened. I didn't know much about cars, but I could tell the on in my driveway was way too bright red and had too little room to belong to anyone other than some 29-year-old French hoe.

So, Lukas had started bringing his side piece home. Probably taking advantage of my absence and of the fact that the kids weren't there.

Resisting the urge to rearend it, I parked right behind the red car, and brace myself for what was to come. I was afraid I would find them in compromising positions and the sole thought made my stomach churn, but I had no choice.

I couldn't go find a hotel just because my husband was a jackass. For a moment, I wondered whether I should call Jeremy, instead. But it'd be cruel to use him like this.