She didn’t have the world’s best body.  She certainly wasn’t secure in her body image like he was, but she was going out on a limb to surprise her husband on their anniversary.  Their marriage had been on rocky ground for a while and she wanted to spice things up and bring them closer again. 

With one last grimace in the full-length mirror in their bedroom, she surveyed the short and very tight piece of sexy lingerie then adjusted a strap on one of the garters. 

Well, there was nothing else she could do about it now; he would be home any minute.  On her way out of the bedroom, she stepped into the extremely high heels and wobbled as she started down the stairs.  Deciding to take them off rather than fall down the stairs and break her neck, she gathered both shoes in one hand and continued down the stairs with one hand on the railing. 

She reached the bottom of the stairs just as headlights crossed the front windows, throwing deep shadows over the room.  Hurrying now, she hopped on one foot at a time, putting on the shoes, heading into the living room that she had set up earlier. 

It was the perfect romantic scene – a roaring fire, a soft blanket on the floor in front of the fire, stacks of pillows around, a comfortable chair for him to sit in front of the coffee table, and light music pumping softly in through the speakers situated around the room. 

She heard his key in the door as she scrambled up on the table; arms wind milling as she tried to regain her balance in the high heels.  Feeling slightly steadier now, she widened her stance and tried to find a sexy pose as his footsteps grew closer.  Throwing a semi confident smile on her face, she watched as he appeared in the doorway, drawn by the light of the fire and the music playing. 

He took in the whole scene before him slowly as he raised one eyebrow.  “What are you doing?”

“Why don’t you have a seat?”  She used her sexiest, low voice as she gestured to the chair in front of her. 

With a loud sigh, he entered the room and made his way to the chair.  Sitting down, his brows raised impatiently.  She chose to ignore the smirk on his face as she lifted the remote and increased the volume of the music before tossing the remote onto the couch behind her. 

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves – this was her husband after all, he had seen her in far fewer clothes than this, okay she was usually lying down and there were fewer lights on but there was no reason to be nervous with her husband. 

She slowly skimmed her hands over her body, lifting them to her hair as she tossed her long hair playfully over her shoulder as her hips moved to the music.  She twisted around so her back was to him.  She bent over wiggling her hips as she pretended not to hear his chuckle, almost pitching forward as she lost her balance, catching herself on the edge of the couch cushion. 

She paused there for a moment in embarrassment as his low chuckle had turned into a loud laugh.  “Don’t quit your day job – oh wait you don’t have a day or any other job.  Honestly, what were you thinking…you don’t have the body for that!” 

Her head dropped in hurt…embarrassment…and fury.  Quickly wiping a tear from her cheek, she fell all the way onto the couch as she twisted to remove the ridiculous shoes. 

“I can’t do this any more,” she said softly to herself before she looked up at him.  He was still laughing at her, holding his stomach as she sat up straight.  Gaining her feet, she stood up as tall as her frame would allow, now looking down at him.  “I don’t know what I ever saw in you.”

His laugh calmed as he tried to regain his breath.  His laugh disappeared completely when she drew her arm back and threw a shoe at him with all her might.  He was shocked when it hit him in the middle of the chest; somehow, he was able to deflect the second shoe when it followed the first. 

He sat in stunned disbelief as she rushed out of the room.  Nothing stopped her run through the house as she grabbed a long trench coat; his keys off the counter, then slipped into a pair of flip-flops on the way out the door. 

After starting the car, she backed down the driveway, stopping at the road to allow a car to pass as she took a quick glance in the rearview mirror to wipe away her tears.  But the man in the doorway headed down the steps toward her, caught her eye as he yelled something. 

Shaking her head, she managed to get the car on the road…somehow. 

Unable to stop herself, she looked into the rear view mirror one last time before turning.  The man who had run into the middle of the street…the man who was waving his arms and shouting…the man whom she had called her husband for so long…was a stranger.