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"Maureen, if you don't drop it I swear I'll leave and never come back!" Benny's angry voice filled the loft.

"If it's nothing, then why won't you tell me where it came from?" asked Maureen.

"Because you overreact to everything," came the reply.

"I do not! Just tell me how the lipstick got on your shirt and I'll let it go."

"Goddamn it, Maureen! You do not give up, do you?" Benny grabbed his jacket from the bed. "I'm going to be late for work and lose my promotion if I don't leave now. We'll discuss it later."

He slammed the door behind him, making Maureen jump. She slumped down on the bed and gripped the edge of the mattress. This was rapidly becoming her morning routine. Ever since Benny was promoted to sales supervisor he'd been acting strange. He worked late hours and when he finally came home, he was very distant. He barely paid any attention to her. They hadn't had sex in two weeks and Maureen was beginning to get pissed.

At first, she linked his changed attitude to stress caused by his new position. After discovering the lipstick inside the collar of his work shirt, she realized it was more serious than that. What hurt the most was Benny's denial and refusal to explain how it got there. The first tears started to slide out of her eyes and she angrily wiped them away. She refused to cry over him.

"You ok, Mo?"

Maureen turned toward the doorway to find Mark standing there. Sweet, gentle Mark who would never hurt her the was Benny was. "If I said 'yes' would you believe me?"

Mark gave her a sad smile. "No."

"I didn't think so."

Maureen hung her head before Mark could see the fresh tears. He went to her and put his arm around her shoulders. Maureen turned into his embrace.

"God, he smells good," she thought. She breathed in deeply. His scent was a mixture of good, clean soap and mint. He smelled squeaky clean. Maureen giggled at the thought. It would be just like him.

"What's so funny?" Mark asked her. Maureen sniffled and told him what she had been thinking. Mark blushed furiously. "Thanks, I guess."

He looked so endearing in that moment that Maureen had a sudden urge to kiss him. She slowly traced his bottom lip with the barest touch of her finger. Mark went very still under that touch. The look on Maureen's face was one of pure desire. He had always seen that look used on Benny and Roger. Now that it was his turn he was strangely fearful. Why should he be? Hadn't he always dreamed of this moment?

Maureen leaned forward and closed the small distance between them. His lips were incredibly soft. She gently sank her teeth into his bottom lip and he made a small noise. She continued to kiss him lightly. She didn't want to scare him away. When Mark didn't respond, she tilted her head and deepened the kiss.

Mark's hands fluttered at her sides. Maureen urged him on with her lips and tongue. She slid her hands through his short, silky hair and felt him shudder under her touch. He placed his hands firmly on her hips. He began to return her kiss with a passion she hadn't known he possessed. She rewarded him with a small moan.

His hands found her tight, round ass and gave it a squeeze. Maureen gasped into his mouth. She gently pushed him onto the mattress and straddled his waist. She leaned down to continue the kiss when Mark stopped her.

"I can't."

Maureen ignored him and started to remove his glasses. "No," he said more firmly.

"Don't you want to play with me anymore, Marky?" she pouted.

She looked her sexiest when she did that. Mark uttered a strangled sound, like he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You know I do."

"Then what's the problem?" she purred.

Mark's pants were now painfully tight. "I won't help you cheat on Benny, even though he deserves it." Maureen's face fell. "Don't be upset, Mo. We both know you'd regret it later."

She sighed in defeat. She didn't want to argue with Mark, despite the fact he was only partially right. She was tired of fighting.

She got off of Mark and lay on her side next to him. He took her in his arms and kissed her head. The chaste contact wasn't what she wanted at the moment, but it was better than what she'd been getting lately. Maureen decided, then and there, if Benny didn't come clean tonight it was over between them. If he was cheating on her, then he wasn't worth her time. She deserved better than that. She snuggled closer to Mark and prayed for the strength to leave Benny.