On A Thread

Chapter 11

LINDA STEWART, PhD.
Joshua rubbed the back of his neck when he read the gold table plak. He suspected it and it turned out to be so. He looked around the modern office thankful that at least it was an actual office, a very well designed one at that and not some hippie pot smoking shrine.
The kind lady at the entrance had ushered him into the vast office, well lit and reeking of cinnamon. The huge heart on the office door made it apparent that he was really doing this therapy thing, fixing his heart and his love.
Whoever suggested the place to Brie must not know her dislike for the stench of cinnamon. Josh winced at the smell of it. He didn't have a problem with cinnamon but many years with Brie was enough to influence him.
His only ick was the pink. The office looked like barbie threw up on it. The loud ticking of the peculiar Cupid's heart clock was his least favorite item in the office, the clock didn't care less sitting there on the table, something about the ticking of the clock made his heart beat faster with anticipation and desperation.
Who the hell had a pink office unless it's a baby store or some dating agency.
As he took one last look of observation, his eyes met Brie's as she walked in dressed in a pair of jeans and plaid T-shirt. Josh had to give himself a mental slap on the head to close his mouth. Casual, chic, formal, whatever it was, His wife always rocked it. If she wore garbage bags he knew she'd slay it, he'll adore her anyway. The jeans hugged her body deliciously, it had been a while since he'd seen her in jeans, for work, her dress code had always been formal.
A painful shard tore through his heart when her smile slipped a fraction, it must've been hard to notice had it been someone else but for Josh, he'd imagined her with a brighter smile when she greeted the receptionist.
She swung the door shut, taking leisure steps to sit beside him.
"You're here early." She said as she gingerly sat down.
Her scent filtered and invaded his nose, he didn't know when he mindlessly moved a fraction closer to her.
Josh grinned. "Wouldn't miss it for the world "
Brie scrunched her nose, searching her bag for nothing really. The smell of cinnamon could make her throw up but she and Linda have come a long way so tolerance came to play. Her attention shifted from her bag to Josh when he snickered.
"What?" She chuckled.
He spluttered. "Can you even breathe."
Brie laughed, Josh stared as she did, his smile, soft and dreamy, earlier he thought he had seen a peeved expression on her face but it wasn't at him, it was at the stench and probably the color, anyone would be peeved. He didn't overthink the possibility that Brie chose the place purposely to scare him off, even if that was the case he was ready to go with her to a cult.
Josh rubbed his pant suits with his palm, an attempt to soothe the tingle.
He glanced around and nodded suggestively. "You really didn't want me to come."
That wasn't entirely true, Brie needed him to come and somewhere a tiny flicker hoped he wouldn't show up ans it made her feel guilty. She looked up at her husband for a moment, her eyes dropped to his lips. She was unable to make her mind stop thinking about his lips and that hot kiss that wrecked her walls.
"But here you are." Her smile didn't reach the other side of her lips.
Josh scrunched his eyebrows like he had just remembered something, he bolted up from his relaxed stance, almost sitting at the edge of his seat. "How did you come all the way?"
She was done searching her bag for nothing important and just fished out a lip gloss. She lathered another coat of glossy liquid on her lips and Josh's eyes couldn't help but follow.
"Keith was heading to town so I just tagged along."
Josh's ears rang, he pushed out from his chair abruptly, his knee bumping against hers.
She cast a glance at him. "Josh, he was coming to town." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Figured it will be faster than a bus so I just took the help."
Josh rubbed her thighs, exhaling short gasps. Sitting there like a man who stands to lose everything. One would think he had everything.
Brie looked at her husband, trailing from his hand in her thigh to his tired face. His hair wasn't the perfect style, would've been disheveled safe for the wax but she still found him hot. He wasn't happy, his eyes looked tired and sleepy.
His hand on her thigh sent tingles from the warmth to her arms. It was hard holding a serious conversation if he was touching her like that. He's always been obsessed with physical touch and would always reach out to touch her even if she left him just for a minute, but it's been days since they'd been in proximate space.
"Honey, I trust you." He looked into her eyes, searching and searching, "it's Keith I don't trust. I've seen the way he looks at you Brie." Josh mustered up courage and moved his hand from her jean clad thigh to her face, his thumb pad rubbing on her cheek. "He looks at you the way a man in love looks at a woman. The way I look at you."
Brie's breath hitched, her jaw quivered.
True . There was a time when Josh looked at her like a trophy, like the most beautiful woman in the world, Josh used to look at her in that way and god, she could melt into a puddle like snow when she held his gaze from across the room but that has all faded into the background.
She looked away from him and his hand dropped from her face. Her cheek tingled with crave for warmth, for the hand that soothed her in her best and worst moments.
"Josh you stopped looking at me that way you know." Her eyes shimmered under the lights. Glossed with hot tears. "We literally became roommates." She smiled up at him.
Looking at that much pain in her eyes drove a lance through his chest, if someone else caused her that much pain he'd have easily made her feel better but it waa him, his own doing.
Hugging Brie was all he wanted to do but he'd be crossing the line if he did. After the night at the cellar, he wasn't sure if she hated him more for his brazenness, he didn't even know whether or not he was right to have even attended the event with the shameless intention of urging her back home, it was selfishness, the sweetest kind and he didn't regret it. Still, he didn't want to push it.
How could he ever stop looking at Brielle? He could never look away from her. Well, except when working.
Work! He had to work hard, that was the way they could afford their house. He had to leave early and come home late after attending dinners with the higher ups and having a drink or two which drifted far into the night, he'd be too full to eat the dinner his wife left for him in the microwave. He had thought that after he hit the home run, he'd make up for all the missed dinners but the more success he attained, the more greedy he became.
He'd look at how peaceful and seraphic she slept right before he slipped out from bed to get dressed for work.
He would drive down to her workstation during his break to watch her carry on with her work, he always left before it's her break time.
Brie wanted more than that.
All of it was the doing of time that failed to conform.
Hearing her say that he stopped looking at her wasn't false. But it wasn't entirely true.
Brie flicked away tears before it rolled down her cheek. She glanced at her husband, his win eyes had developed a sheen in them. "the last time I remember that you looked at me like the love of your life was at the vineyard."
"Brie... I—"
Right on cue, the office door swung open, a click-clack sound following.
Josh gritted his teeth.
He glanced back at the woman. She was petite, blonde and  noisy.
"Welcome, welcome," Linda dropped her bag and files then propped her hands on her hips, smiling broadly. Josh noticed the subtle pinks in her nails and hair.
Brie smiled back tightly but Josh was borderline irritated. Oddly, It amused Brie how unnerved Linda made Josh.
Linda cut her eyes away from Josh to kill off the awkward scowl. "Alright, shall we begin with intros."
"Good morning Lynn." Brie said in a wishy washy tone, glancing away from Linda.
Josh shared a glance between the Linda and his wife. His wife had abbreviated this woman's name so easily which meant they were familiar.
Linda ignored the sarcasm and tapped on the plaque on her desk. "Linda Stewart." She shared a glance between Brie and Josh.
Josh relapsed into his seat "Obviously." He bit out.
Lynn flashed him a smile.
Amused at their quick dislike for each other, Brie smiled.
"I'm familiar with Brielle but not you Mr. Husband." She opened up a document. "Tell me who you are"
Josh was still scowling at Linda when Brie nudged him discreetly, smiling sticky at the awkwardness. Josh mouthed "what"
"Answer the question." Brie said through her teeth, her voice inaudible and her smile in place.
Linda watched them closely as they conversed inaudibly.
"Josh Anderson." He grumbled.
Brie offered an apologetic smile to Linda for their rudeness.
"I'm afraid I didn't catch that."
Josh looked up at the lady, his scowl grew deeper. "JOSH ANDERSON, I hope that's clear enough."
"Very." She smiled at him but Josh looked away. All he wanted was some alone time with his wife, not all this unnecessary talk of introduction.
The lady glanced around the office before standing and rounding the table, the click clack sound from the contact of heels on tiles once again ticked him off.
"This place is too dark for love to bloom don't you think?" She said with a bubble of laughter in her voice. Brie merely nodded but Josh still had his scowl going strong.
Linda drew the curtains apart letting in streaks of trapped golden sun, she moved to the next. "Tell me about when you first met." She looked over her shoulders with a mild smile, "when did your love story begin?"
Brie and Josh exchanged a glance and for the first time since Linda walked in, Josh's frown dissipated and his mouth held the most wistful of all smiles.