Chapter 1-Family Man

“Rhys, come on buddy, pick up your toys,” Kara said to the three year old toddler.

“Pwease Kayra, five more minutes,” Rhys begged playing with his Transformers action figure.

“Daddy and mommy are on their way home and I told daddy I’d be getting you ready for bed,” Kara replied, “I still have to give you a bath, Francesca’s already sleeping.”

“But I no tired yet,” Rhys replied, “I be good today.”

“You’ve been very good, but daddy doesn’t like it when you stay up pass your bed time.”

“Ok, I put my toys away,” Rhys said sighing in defeat as he began placing toys into the toy chest before he picked up his coloring papers and handed them to Kara who put them on the refrigerator before she put all of the extra paper in the drawer.

“Come on, Reese cup,” Kara said picking the toddler up swinging him around.

Rhys laughed and Kara smiled, the little boy brightened her day with his cuteness and she missed him terribly in the summers when the family would go on vacation sometimes without her.

“I lubs you, Kayra,” Rhys suddenly said wrapping his arms around Kara’s neck.

“I love you too, sweetie,” she replied smiling before placing a kiss on his cheek as they headed down the hall to his bedroom.

The room amazed her; the small boy was three years old and loved hockey. He worshipped the ground that his father walked on and he knew all of his father’s teammates’ names and nicknames. Kara smiled thinking about the small boy said “Fleury,” his father’s teammate and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender’s name.

“Batman or Spiderman pjs,” Kara asked.

“Spidey,” Rhys said smiling removing his own shirt while Kara rummaged through his dresser drawers for pajamas and underpants.

“Look at you getting undressed with no help like a big boy,” Kara joked causing Rhys to laugh.

“I am a big boy,” he replied sticking his tongue out.

“You’re a stinky boy too,” she joked making a face and Rhys frowned crossing his arms.

“Am not!”

“Whatever you say, stinky,” she laughed picking him up from the bed tickling his sides and blowing a raspberry on his stomach causing him to giggle.

Kara placed him in the tub of hot water; she was careful enough to check it to make sure it wasn’t too hot and would burn him. She washed his curly blonde hair first telling him to close his eyes so she could wash the shampoo out.

“I smell like a girl,” Rhys frowned.

“Hey kiddo, your dad uses this stuff too, are you calling your dad a girl,” Kara joked.

“Never,” Rhys laughed splashing Kara.

“Hey, that wasn’t nice,” she joked ruffling his wet hair.

“I’s sorry,” he said smiling and Kara melted to pieces when he did.

Kara finished giving Rhys his bath; she dried his hair with a blow-dryer so he didn’t get sick and pulled his Spiderman pajamas over his head. Rhys curled up next to her as she read him a book and soon she heard soft snores coming out of the three year old.

She shut the book, placing it back on the bookshelf before she leaned down and gave the boy a kiss on the cheek while tucking the blankets around his neck just how he liked them.

“Kara,” she heard Anne’s voice call from the hall, “We’re home!”

“Hey, how was the gala,” she asked.

“Hell,” Craig said coming up the steps smiling, “I hate these things but they’re for a good cause so I guess I should stop complaining.”

Kara and Anne laughed at Craig’s whining, “How were the kids,” Anne asked.

“Francesca fell asleep about an hour ago and I just got done giving Rhys a bath, he’s sound asleep.”

“Were they good,” Craig asked with a raised eyebrow.

“They were perfect little angels, we played and colored, I ordered pizza for them, and then we watched movies until Francesca fell asleep but Rhys was all wound up for some reason.”

“He loves trying to stay up until we come home but it never works,” Anne laughed.

“He was bound and determined to do that but I told him he had to go to sleep because you said so and sure enough, he’s cleaning up his toys and on his way to sleep.”

“She may have to move in with us, so she can do that every night,” Craig joked.

Kara looked at her watch and sighed, “It’s getting late, and I should get home.”

“I forgot I’m taking you home tonight, just give me ten minutes to change out of this suit and I’ll drive you home.”

“Thanks Craig,” Kara said smiling as he walked into the bedroom leaving her and Anne in the hall.

“Your check is on the dining room table,” Anne said smiling and giving her a hug, “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon; I’m falling asleep standing up.”

“I’ll see you in the morning actually, Craig asked me to come help get Rhys and Francesca ready to go to practice while you go to the WAGs meeting for Pens and Pins.”

“Oh okay, perfect, see you then,” Anne smiled walking into bedroom.

Kara organized her stuff and finished cleaning the dining room as Craig changed his clothes, “Are you ready to go,” he asked stepping into the kitchen where Kara was doing dishes.

“Yeah, just let me load these into the dishwasher and we’ll be good to go.”

After loading the entire dishwasher and writing Anne a note to take them out in the morning, Kara grabbed her coat from one of the dining room chairs. It was early winter in Pittsburgh and the weather was slowly getting colder.

Following Craig to the car, Kara climbed in the passenger seat and replied to a text message she had from her brother in Florida.

“My brother is an asshole,” Kara said as Craig backed out of the driveway.

“Why,” Craig asked smiling over at Kara as he put the car in park and turned down the road to the main highway.

“He texted me and asked me if I could get tickets for the game in Florida in March. I’m going down there for a week and he wants to see a game.”

“I could get you guys tickets if you’d like, that’s no problem.”

“Craig, I can’t ask you to get me tickets. You and Anne pay me enough.”

“You didn’t say that when I got you tickets to the Stanley Cup finals,” Craig laughed.

“I was just graduated from school and I wanted a fun summer.”

Craig laughed, “Whatever you say, Kara. By the way, where the hell did you move to?”

“South Side works! I live above the stores.”

“Don’t tell Max that, he’ll be stalking you every chance he gets since he lives around there,” Craig joked.

“Maybe I want him to stalk me,” Kara replied half serious, half joking.

“You better be joking, I wouldn’t allow him to date you.”

“Oh really,” Kara asked eyebrows rose, “Since when am I Rhys or Francesca?”

Craig laughed as they pulled into the small shopping center, “Which one’s yours?”

“The one above American Eagle, you get in through the entrance on 25th Street.”

Craig pulled into the parking space in front of the apartment building, “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, “Be at the house around nine, practice is at Southpointe and it starts at eleven.”

“Okay, see you in the morning, goodnight Craig.”

“Goodnight Kara,” he smiled as she shut the door behind her and he watched her to make sure she got into the building safely. She gave him a small wave as she shut the door behind her and he honked the horn once and sped off into the cold Pittsburgh evening.

Kara had just finished getting undressed when she heard the buzzer to her apartment going off. Thinking it was her roommate, Amanda that had a habit of losing her key, she remained in her bra and underwear as she opened the door.

“You left your phone on the seat,” Craig said turning around smiling and Kara gasped as they both realized her lack of clothing.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry,” Kara said grabbing her coat off the rack next to the door to cover her body.

Craig stood there staring and Kara felt self-conscious, quickly fumbling with the tie on the long trench coat, Kara looked up when she saw Craig reach out to stop her.

“I’m not sorry,” Craig said as he connected his eyes with hers and immediately pinned her against the wall kissing her.

“Craig, stop,” Kara replied not really sure if she meant it or not. Of course she was attracted to Craig, who wouldn’t be but he was married and had two children.

“No,” Craig said moving his lips to Kara’s neck and she tried to suppress the moan that was in her throat.

“Cr-Craig,” she moaned as he slid the coat off her shoulders.

“I want you, Kara,” he whispered, “Do you know how hard it is listening to my teammates talk about what it would be like to have sex with you without wanting to kill them.”

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Kara said as Craig slid his jacket over his shoulders, “You’re married, God I’m going straight to hell,” she said as Craig pulled his shirt over his head and she attached her lips to his.

They moved to Kara’s bedroom and Kara cursed herself in her head the entire time. Craig entered Kara slowly and she let out a scream.

Kara threw her head back as Craig took the time sucking her breasts, “Faster,” she breathed.

“Shit Kara,” Craig moaned.

“Oh fuck,” she moaned as Craig reached between her legs and ran his fingers over her nub.

“Cum for me Kara,” he whispered and she screamed as she collapsed under him.

“CRAIG,” she screamed, “OH MY GOD!”

Craig rolled off of her and laid next to her, “I’m sorry,” he said.

“This never happened,” Kara said as she climbed out of bed and got dressed.

“See you in the morning,” Craig said as he got dressed.

Giving Kara a kiss on the cheek, he shut the door behind him. Kara quickly undressed again and took a shower. She felt dirty and she felt like a slut. She slept with a married man and she hated herself for it.

The next morning came around too quickly; Anne had called her and told her that she needed to come over early since she had to meet Brent Johnson’s wife, Erica for breakfast before heading to the meeting.

Pulling her hoodie over her head before grabbing her purse, Kara left her apartment and headed to the one place she was dreading to go to.

She pulled into the driveway and used her key to the house to open the door. Craig was sitting at the dining room table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

“Good morning,” Kara said entering the kitchen.

“Hey,” Craig smiled, “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” she replied.

“I’ll go wake the kids up and we’ll get something to eat on the way to practice.”

“It’s okay, I’ll cook.”

“Rhys likes McDonald’ pancakes, we’ll stop there on the way.”

“I’ll go get the kids,” Kara said walking out of the room. Kara felt Craig grab her from behind and push her against the wall.

“Kara, I don’t regret last night. I mean I should but, it’s just, I can’t explain how I feel about you,” Craig said cradling her cheek in his hand.

“Craig, what happened last night was a onetime thing. I refuse to let it happen again,” Kara said, “I love this job and I love your family but I can’t continue to sleep with you. It’s one and done.”

Craig sighed before nodding his head in agreement. Kara was about to walk away when Craig grabbed her and kissed her again. The kiss was getting deep but Rhys let out a scream calling for Craig and they pulled apart.

Kara sighed to herself before wiping away the tears that were coming down her face, she shouldn’t feel the way she did about a married man. She shouldn’t have slept with him in the first place; he was the family man that everyone loved. There would be hell to pay if anyone ever found out and she needed to put an end to it before something bad happened.