Chapter 9:
There was no doubt in my mind that what Zuko and I could have ever had was done. It was a few days away from conference and Aang had been exceptionally absent with me and the kids, which gave me no time to go into work and have a moment with Zuko.
When I was home I was busy getting the kids ready for school and when I was at work I was independently working on the presentation while Zuko spent time preparing the hotel, talking to brokers, and securing that the conference goes off without issues. I used all the things I had to do to distract myself from how pissed I was. Besides, I had a date with Aang tonight per Dr. June's request. How could I stay angry when something so rare was going to happen just that night?
The truth was despite my excitement for the date with my husband, I couldn't get the fact that Zuko had a fiancée and knew he had a fiancée while he had his mouth between my legs.
He called me into his office and after days this would be the first time I would be alone with him. I followed him into his office and shut the door behind him.
"Are you almost done the presentation? We only have a couple days before the conference and I'd love to look over it." His stupid smirk was pissing me off. How could he talk candidly about business like he wasn't a two-timing bastard.
"Yes." I said curtly. I didn't even want to be seated across from each other. I just wanted to slap him hard across his beautiful face.
"Thanks. I appreciate it. Can you have it sent to my email by tomorrow night?"
Screw him. Asking me of things like he did nothing wrong.
"Yes." I said again dryly.
"Great. Thanks. You can get back to work now Katara."
So he was DISMISSING me?! How dare he dismiss me when two days ago he tongue was working between my legs? He was just going to act like everything was okay? I clenched my jaw and was shaking in the chair.
Zuko was noticeably confused. "Um, is everything alright Katara? You seem tense?"
"Tense!" I yelled. I balled my fist up tight and gritted my teeth. "Oh, I seem tense?"
"Well, yea. You do or at the very least you seem ticked. Something happened at home with your husband or anything like that?"
I slammed my hand down on the desk. "Don't you dare talk about my family! Who do you think you are?"
"Okay, okay I was just asking. Look whatever it is that's bothering you, you leave it at home."
I snapped. So he really was going to act like Mr. Poised Boss right now? Fuck him. Fuck him and his lies. "I don't think you're the best person to tell me how to keep my personal life a secret."
"Okay, I guess this is one of those woman things where you want me to ask what's wrong. What's going on with you Katara?"
"You lied to me. You're disgusting."
"I don't appreciate being accused of things, especially if I know you have no grounds for such accusations. I never lied to you about anything."
"Your sister called me Zuko. She told me you have a fiancée!"
He was comfortably smug. He didn't even flinch. "Okay? I told you this before. I also told you my sister is crazy, which doesn't make her account of things as accurate."
"You never told me you were getting married, ever."
"I TOLD you I have an ex-fiancee. We are not together. We are not getting married. Even if I was still engaged it shouldn't matter to you. You have an entire husband and an entire family. How could you possibly be mad at me for even thinking about having someone else?"
"Because at least I was honest. Are you still sleeping with her if you aren't still engaged? Because your sister made it very clear that you have someone at home that satisfies you just fine."
"I don't know Katara, are you still sleeping with your husband?" I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say because we both knew the answer. "Exactly, you're a fucking hypocrite. I'm not the one with a ring on my finger. I'm not the one with two kids. We aren't even together. For the record, I never lied to you about anything but we are both free to do what we please."
"I am not a hypocrite!"
"Then go tell your husband how many times you've cum in my mouth Katara. Go tell your husband how I make your toes curl and how you beg me to fuck you. Tell him all of it."
"You know I can't do that."
"Then don't judge me and jump to conclusions based on information you don't know is true. No judgement ever again Katara."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Zuko. She just sounded so convincing and she's your sister. I just thought what she was saying was true."
"You don't know Azula. First rule: Azula always lies. She and Mai are friends. Mai has been trying to get me back for years."
"Why didn't you marry her?"
"We got too comfortable with each other instead of loving each other. We had hurt each other far too much and just stayed together because we didn't know anything else. We were high school sweethearts. We just grew a part. I realized we didn't love each other anymore and we together because of habit so I called the engagement off. "
''Me and Aang were college sweethearts so I completely get it."
"So why are you still with him? I'm curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"Like you and Mai, I guess I'm comfortable. I've never been with any other man. I haven't dated really. He courted me and we've been together ever since. It's not just me being comfortable, it's my kids too. They're comfortable with having both parents around. I don't want to disappoint them. I don't want them have to grow up with divorced parents. I know how it feels to not have both parents growing up and it leaves a hole in your heart."
"I lost my mom when I was young. It is painful but kids are resilient. I turned out fine without my mom or a barely reasonable father. I know it'll hurt but don't stay with him if you aren't happy. You'll be wasting your life away."
"We went to therapy. We're working on it. I just don't know. We have so much history-"
"History is what Mai and I had too, and it didn't save us. I want you happy. You're too fine of a woman to be trapped in an unhappy marriage."
"I'm scared. I don't know what else is out there. Who else is going to want me with these stretch marks?" At this point I could feel my eyes welling with tears when I lifted up my shirt and revealed my tiger stripes.
He stepped forward, coming around the desk, and cupped my face in hands. He kneeled down in front of me. His hands skirted under my shirt and rubbed my stomach.
"I want you Katara, tiger stripes and all. You're beautiful. You're strong." He lifts up my shirt and kisses each stretch mark one by one. "You're smart." He moves on to the next one. "You have a good heart." My stomach does butterflies as he continues his ministrations. "You're sexy." He rubs my inner thighs. "I will want you for as long as you'll have me." He stands up and fixes his pants.
"I want you so much Zuko." I jumped out of my chair and into his arms. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I enjoyed the weight of his hands on my hips. I shifted my weight and caused him to fall back against the desk. I grinded my hips against his noticeably growing bulge. "Please, let me have you."
"Kat-"
A place my lips on his. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips was softer than I could have imagined. I let out a low moan on his lips as he bucks against me. He spins me around and suddenly I had my back against the top of his desk with him on top of me.
His forehead met forehead and eyes met eyes. His breathing was heavy. His heart was beating hard against my breasts. I felt his hardened length against my inner thigh. It was blatant confirmation that I was driving him just as crazy as he was driving me.
"We can't do it here. I promise you, I will fuck you until you can't take it anymore but I want to wait."
My hand squeezes his hand erection through his pants. "You don't feel like you want to wait."
He groans, "Katara, I don't want to do this and have you thinking about your husband. I want you to want me for sure like I want you."
"I want you now. I'm not thinking about him when your cock is pressed against my leg."
He buries his head in my shoulder and lets out a heavy sigh, "You're killing me. I want to take you from him so bad."
"You already have Zuko."
"No, if I took you from him, if I slept with you right now then he wouldn't even have a chance. That isn't fair to you or to him. I want you to make your own decision and if you want me you're free to come to my hotel room at the conference. I'll have you then but if you don't come to my room I'll understand."
"My husband is coming with me Zuko."
"You act like your husband is such a large issue when I'm on top of you right now." Zuko smirked then rolled off of me. He quickly adjusted his pants and brushed the wrinkles from his shirt. "I don't want me or sex to cloud your judgement. If you want to leave your husband that's your decision but I don't want you leaving him for me. Think about it. My offer stands."
He clears his throat and goes back to the other side of the desk to finish his work. Part of me want to be naughty but part of me wants to be responsible and think about his offer.
"I can't leave you with blue balls Zuko. You're rock hard." My eyes glance at my prey, his hard dick.
He blushes and says, "I'll be fine. I can handle it myself."
He was back to being the controlled boss Zuko. That just wouldn't do for me. I creeped off of the desk and find myself comfortable in the space between the underside of his desk and his chair.
"Katara, work. We have work to do." He tries to command me but it doesn't work. I begin to rub his package through his pants. "Katara, you don't have to do that."
"I want to." I unzip his pants slowly. "I want to make you feel good."
He's already throwing his head back in ecstasy, "We both have work to do."
"You can still do your work…" I unbuckle his belt and drop his pants to the ground. "And I'll do work of my own."
I could see the outline of his member through his boxers. He was already hard and ready to go.
"Let me make you feel good Zuko." I place my warm mouth against his shaft. His body goes rigid and he tenses up as soon as I remove his boxers. I'm was met with the beautiful sight of Zuko's penis. It was shaped like a smooth banana, nine inches and perfectly thick and tan. There was a vein running along his shaft that was pulsing. Just looking at it made my mouth water. "How do you want it?"
I rubbed my hands slowly up and down the shaft, waiting for his replied. "Suck it. Make me lose control."
I could tell he didn't want to be teased. He didn't want to wait for it. He wanted release now. I was going to put Zuko's dick in my mouth. I was going to make him feel amazing.
I kissed the tip first, waiting to leave some suspense. He cradled my head as I slid the tip into my mouth. I grabbed his shaft with one hand and slipped my lips from the tip and down the shaft. Saliva was everywhere. He pulsed in my mouth as I took him deeper until he hit the back of my throat. MY gag reflex was a bitch.
"Easy Kat. Go slow." He coaxed me stroked my hair.
I did as instructed and take him in and out slowly. I make sure to suck hard when he goes back in.
"Oh God. You're amazing. Just like that."
His accolades only make me go a little faster. I fondle his balls while I do it. These few minutes felt like an eternity. He shutters as he cums in my mouth. His grip on my hair tightens for a minute. I unsheathed his dick from my mouth and swallow.
Zuko was breathing hard and his eyes were shut tight. "Mmmm Kat, how does your husband not make you do that every day? You're great."
"He's missing out." Feeling accomplished I get up and leave him with his still hard dick out. I enjoyed making him lose himself.
It was happening slow , the destruction of my marriage that was. So slow Aang didn't even realize it. We had dinner. He rented out an entire restaurant for us just to have a candlelit dinner. It was sweet and intimate. The gesture was even more sweeping when I realized he rented the restaurant we had our first date at.
It was flattering and romantic but I couldn't stop thinking about Zuko and thinking about me being in the marriage just out of habit.
"Something wrong Babe?" Aang asked after we order our food. I needed something strong. I ordered a rum and coke with no ice. There was no use of diluting my shame.
"No, why?" I down the drink in about thirty seconds. The burn in the back of my throat felt terrible but I deserved it. I deserved every moment of this uncomfortable feeling.
"You never drink dark liquor. And you drunk that drink in five seconds flat. Is there something you want to talk about Babe?" He grips my hand from across the table.
This was the moment I was going to tell him the truth. This was it. I was going to tell him about my mini affair with Zuko. If there was never a time to be honest this was it
He kisses my hand softly. It was like a mark from the past. That was signature move. He always kissed her hand after dates in college. It invigorated me. It made me feel warm and safe.
Maybe that was the problem. He was safe for me.
"I, I, I um…" Just say it you planned to sleep with someone else at the conference with him a few rooms away. "I'm nervous about conference. I'm nervous about us."
Fuck. At least it wasn't a complete lie.
"You'll be great Babe. You've been working hard on the program and the presentation, even if your boss may be riding you."
I imagine myself on top of Zuko in that moment. "Riding what?"
"Um, okay silly, it's a figure of speech. I would hope there's no riding going on between you and your boss." Aang laughs, fully believing that I was faithful.
I was pitiful. I was a coward and I was terribly ashamed. How could I look him the eyes when I had just did sexual things to another man hours before and enjoyed it?
"What else is on your mind Katara? You seem to be stuck in your head tonight. Dr. June said talking was good for our relationship." He looked so concerned and honest.
"I'm thinking about us Aang. I really want us to work but I'm not sure if we will make it. Everything is falling apart."
"We will make it, I promise you. Katara, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I took off for a few months so we can work on things. Maybe talk about our future."
The idea of the future scared me more than anything. Things were so uncertain.
"That's so great. I'm so happy you'll be spending time with the kids Aang!"
"Well, I'm doing it for you too Katara. I want to reconnect and I want us to consider some things."
"Like?"
"I really want another baby Katara. I know what you said in the session and I know you're still hurt from losing the baby but I'd be honored if you carry another child. I just have a feeling that a child created from our love will only make our marriage stronger. I love you so much. I want to show you."
I felt so guilty. Of course, I knew he wanted another child. Of course I knew he was still madly in love with me. Of course I knew this and still I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. I felt the guilt build in my stomach like a knot.
"I, of course I'll be the mother of your child Aang." He jumps up and hugs me hard. He wanted this bad. He deserved what he wanted. I was cheating on him, the least I could do is make him remotely happy. He was trying. That counted for something. He deserved another baby.
We decided we would try to get pregnant immediately. That night we went through the motions. Normally I would have had to beg him but the idea of putting a baby in me invigorated Aang to the point that he carried me to our bedroom and threw me down on the bed with no prompting.
I missed my husband bringing up new and fun ideas for us to try. I missed him texting me naughty things and coming home to him naked in bed. I WANT my husband back, and if I had to play this silly little game with him, then I will.
He takes my clothes off in a rush as I lay there completely bored. He goes down on me for a few minutes then asks if I'm ready. I nod my head as he removes his boxers. The thought of getting me pregnant turned him on more than sex with me before ever could. He was rock hard.
I laid on my back and positioned himself in between my legs. Missionary position. So Aang.
He kissed me softly as he slid inside and started thrusting in and out softly. The look in his eyes as he made love to me made me want to cry. He was looking through me with glassy eyes like he was somewhere else.
He wanted a baby more than me and that was the truth.
He thrusted into me and I let out soft moans. I was hardly interested and hardly enjoying it. He gave me sloppy kisses along my neck.
"I love you so much Katara." He grips both of my hands and begins thrusting faster and more eraticly. He was going to finish soon. "I love you. I love you. I love you." He kept muttering as he came closer and closer to the edge. I however was nowhere near close to pleasure. I needed more roughness, more heat, and more passion. I imagined Zuko on top of me, gripping my legs behind my head, and thrusting in hard. I shut my eyes and got lost in my fantasy of Zuko being the one making love to me, biting me, scratching me, and fitting perfectly inside of me. I make myself excited with my own thoughts and let out louder moans. I make myself get more and more excited, more and more turned on.
Then I feel it. The warmth flooded me inside. He collapsed on top of me, completely out of breath. He was still throbbing in me and started going soft in the wetness. I snap back into reality. Zuko wasn't there at all.
"I hope you're pregnant Babe." Aang pulls out and kisses me again then rolls onto his side of the bed.
What had I done?
The next day was a girls' day. We went out for drinks before Aang and I would leave for conference. I put on my tightest dress I owned and went out to the bar with my girls, Suki and Toph. We got there at 9PM and I didn't plan on leaving until after 2, considering Aang had the kids for the night.
We looked hot. I wore my mini red dress that had a cut out near my cleavage. My boobs were the topic of discussion once I got into the car. Suki wore a green jumpsuit and Toph wore a brown mini skirt and a white tank top. Breasts, legs, and ass were showcased between the three of us.
We took a booth in the corner and got drinks, well I continued to order soda and hoped no one would notice.
I was wrong.
"So you're not going to have a vodka tonic?" Suki asked sipping from her glass.
Toph chimed in, "Yea, you haven't had any alcohol all night. I thought that's why you wanted to come out, to unwind before your weeklong conference."
"No. I'm not in the mood for alcohol tonight." I couldn't tell them yet. Hell, I couldn't even explain WHY I didn't want to tell them.
"Katara, you drink like a damn fish. Have a shot!" Suki forced a shot in my hand. I jumped and threw it on the ground. Both Toph and Suki looked at me completely confused.
"I can't." I mutter.
"You can't drink? Why?!" I could see the realization all over Suki's face. She flashed a large smile. "Oh my God you're pregnant! Kat congrats."
The word pregnant made my stomach turn.
"I'm not. I mean I don't know yet. We're trying."
Toph was ever perceptive, "You don't sound too excited about it Kat."
I had to fake it. If I started talking now I would spill everything. "I'm very excited." I painted on my smile. "I just hope I'm really pregnant this time."
Even if I didn't want the baby, I'd be devastated if I lost another child. Aang deserved this. I couldn't deny God of his desires.
"Uh huh." Toph was in disbelief.
"Oh Kat, I'm so happy. We can buy clothes and bottles and all kinds of stuff for the new baby. Sokka just loves being an uncle and….."
Suki rambled on and everything stopped. My heart was beating fast, my mouth went dry. It was him. It was Zuko. What were the chances?
"Isn't that our boss Katara?" Toph asked almost jokingly.
Shit. He saw me. We had eye contact. He was walking over. Shit. Shit. Shit.
I smelled him before I ever felt him near me. He was handsome as always even in the terrible lighting. The boy wore a loose black silk shirt with leather cuffs and black trousers. However,he got better the more I looked. His rich chocolate hair that had tousled griminess which promised finesse. He had strong arched brows and eyelashes so thick, it could be illegal. And then his eyes- they were deep and catastrophic, a vivid baby blue as a great body of water that softly melted into a milky green .This close, I could see the flecks of silver in his eyes. He had distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw, his pale skin made him look devilishly handsome.
Even in public I was completely enamored in him.
"Hello ladies." God his smirk could have melted my entire body. "I saw my two best employees over here and had to speak."
"Oh Mr. Bossman how flattering." Toph joked.
I was completely freaking out. "Um, uh , um this is Suki."
Zuko made a soft kick to my ankle with his shoe. He could tell I was drowning.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Katara's sister-in-law, Suki. Katara never told me she had such a handsome and young boss."
"Well Katara never told me she had such a beautiful sister." He places a hand on her shoulder and I almost lose it. He's flirting with her in front of me. I was so jealous. "Anyway, I came to see if Katara was prepared for conference. Sorry to interrupt but can I steal Katara for a few minutes."
"Yea, before you guys do work stuff… Katara come with me to the bathroom." Toph roughly grabbed me out of my seat and dragged me to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom she locks the door of the single stalled room.
"What is your problem Toph?"
"I could feel the heat radiating from you! It made me sick Katara! Sick!"
"What-"
"Don't play stupid with me. I saw the way he looked at you and I saw the way you reacted when he flirted with Suki. How could you Katara?"
"How could I what?"
"Fuck around on your husband with OUR boss. God, you could've at least tried to hide your body language. At least Zuko tried to cover it up with flirting."
"I didn't fuck him Toph! I didn't!"
"Yea, well why does he want to steal you away? Jesus, you spend so much time with him during and after work alone all the time. I'm not stupid."
"H-he…"
Toph said indignantly, "DON'T LIE KATARA! I can tell you're lying to me. You slept with him."
"I didn't Toph, I promise you I didn't but, but I want to so bad. I want him so bad, but I didn't sleep with him."
"So you're trying to tell me you play footsies in his office all day? He looked at you like he wanted to screw you right in front of us."
"We did stuff okay. Stuff I'm not proud of and willing to say out loud."
"I can't believe you are having an affair. Even if you didn't fuck you, you might as well have let him. It's obvious there's emotions involved. You wouldn't go this far to hide if it wasn't." Toph sighed. "I'm not judging you. I'm just disappointed. I would've never thought you would be a cheater."
I couldn't even deny it. I was a cheater. I was having an emotional and physical affair. I was a complete piece of shit person. All of that was true.
Toph cuts the silence, "Does Zuko know you and Aang are trying to get pregnant? He should know, if you're going to be screwing him at the same time."
She made it sound so bad when she said it out loud.
"N,no. He doesn't need to know. It will only be one time, tomorrow. That's it."
"He obviously needs to know that you are off your birth control Katara. You need to tell him. I'm not saying not to sleep with him but you need to be careful. And when you do go through with it you need to tell your husband the truth." Toph trailed off. "Oh my God. This is why you're giving him a baby in the first place. You feel guilty. Katara, you cannot get pregnant by either of them right now."
"I don't want Zuko to get me pregnant Toph. We've been careful."
"Yea, well you also don't want Aang to get you pregnant either and you're allowing it."
"I just don't know what to do. I feel so trapped."
"Well right now you should go run off with Zuko and do whatever you're going to do before you go home and tell Aang the truth about the man you'll be spending the week with."
"Aang's coming with us."
"KATARA!"
"I know. I know it's fucked up. I didn't expect it to go this far. I didn't expect to want him so much."
"End it with Zuko or end your marriage but you cannot have both." And with that Toph left the bathroom. I bawled as soon as she left. My chest felt so heavy. Everything was crashing down.
After a few moments of weakness and I went back out to the dancefloor to see Zuko still flirting with Suki. I walked over to the two of them dancing and pulled Zuko away. Once we were out of ear shot I could freely express myself.
I joke, "You have a thing for married woman now?"
"Relax Katara. I saw the ring. I flirted with her to avoid suspicion. You're the only married woman I have ever been interested in." Zuko smirked looking at my body up and down. "I wanted to make sure we had protocol around your husband. I anticipate that you do not want to get caught doing anything with me."
"Yes, no touching. No being alone for long periods of time. No intimate discussion. We have to look like two co-workers. It must be professional."
"Understood. Anything else?"
"Don't look at me like that either."
"Like what?"
"Like you want to fuck me right now!"
"Well, I do Katara. You look incredible." Zuko places a hand on my waist. "I want you to know my offer still stands. If you want me you come to me willingly. It can't be about him or me, only you."
I had to tell him. What if I had gotten pregnant last night? I owed it to him to tell him I was off my birth control.
Before I could Toph marched over and pulled me away from him.
She whispered, "Rule number one of cheating: Don't be seen in public for two long with your lover."
I felt like I was being pulled in two different directions.
One with happiness and freedom. The other with security and predictability.
Author's Note: That's all. What do you think will happen in later chapters?