Page 16 of Infidelity Rules

Zack has found my weak spot. I wasn’t expecting it, but the man knows food.

He’s as looney tunes about food, flavors and ingredients as he is about wine.

And I find that terribly attractive. If Marcus wasn’t buzzing around in my head, I would have been keen to take Zack home last night. Yup, that’s how good our dinner was.

Zack took me to a restaurant called Little Serow.

I must admit, I found the whole bit a little jackassy at first, but the food more than made up for the pomp and circumstance.

Once inside the Tiffany-blue restaurant, I knew I was in for a food thrill. The aromas — both exotic and familiar — were heady and intoxicating, much like Marcus’s masculine scent. Or his lips brushing my neck. Or his hands on my hips. Or my ass.

But I digress. Bring it back Quinn, bring it back.

The warm scent of spices mingling with the fresh scent of citrus and herbs promised the delicate flavor balance that makes Thai and Vietnamese cuisine so appealing — spicy, salty, sour and sweet.

We were not disappointed.

Zack and I munched our way through house-made fried pork rinds that we dabbed in a deep red, flamingly hot spice paste made of catfish, tamarind and fresh chilies.

We fought over our bowl of rich coconut soup.

We used bits of sticky rice to scoop up every last chunk of meat, pool of sauce or lone herb from the parade of dishes that followed the pork rinds and soup.

“This is my favorite dish,” Zack would say, while I nodded in agreement, our mouths full of that heavenly spicy/salty/sour/sweet combo.

But then the next dish would appear.

“No, THIS one is my favorite.”

“No, it’s THIS one.” And so it went.

We enjoyed snakehead fish with kaffir lime, chicken livers with hot peppers, sour pork with peanuts and crispy rice balls and beautifully charred ribs doused with Mekong whiskey.

The dishes on their own were utterly delicious.

Delicious as in, yes, I would wait in line all over again.

But what elevated every bite and truly made the meal spectacular were the piles of fresh herbs and vegetables that arrived at the table, along with friendly recommendations from staff as to when and how to eat them.

Grab a leaf of Thai basil or mint to cut through the rich, unctuous liver-based dish.

Crunch a sliver of Thai eggplant or radish to temper a spice or enhance a flavor.

Try a fresh cucumber slice to quell the peppery flames.

The combinations of flavors and textures were endless.

So endless, I wound up unbuttoning my jeans by the end of the meal.

The date was most definitely a win. We laughed, we canoodled, we fed one another spoonfuls of coconut pudding and we avoided all talk of his wife.

It was easy. It was comfortable. And certainly a distraction. For both of us, I think.

I still don’t know yet how far Zack wants to take this affair, but I’m good with that. It’s effortless and uncomplicated, which is exactly what I need.

.....

After a long make-out session in Zack’s car (so retro, I know) and a promise to call soon, we parted ways. I’m now back home in full stretchy clothes mode — barefoot, ponytail and face scrubbed clean of makeup.

It was a relief that Zack didn’t bring up sex tonight.

I’m content with our teenager-like foreplay for now and Zack is clearly still just dipping his toes into the waters of adultery.

It’s not a surprise. New cheaters are often hesitant to seal the deal, so to speak.

If they haven’t yet crossed the threshold into full-on sex, they still think of themselves as faithful to their vows.

Ah, the power of denial. But who the hell am I to judge?

I’m not quite ready for bed yet, so I text Alex.

Me: You around?

Alex: I am. What’s up?

Me: Just got home from a date.

Alex: Oh yeah? Which one was this?

Me: Zack. The one I like, but not totally bonkers over.

Alex: Married or not married?

Me: As it turns out, they are both married.

Alex: I’m shaking my head right now. How do you find these men?

Me: Don’t know. It’s a gift. :-)

Alex: So, what’s the problem here?

Me: None really. Dating both for now.

Alex: Why both?

Me: I need the one to keep me sane about the other.

Alex: Sounds like you’re afraid of falling for this guy.

Me: Yup.

Alex: Why not find somebody single you can fall for?

Me: Sigh. You know why little brother. At least with him, there’s a clear boundary. He’s married. And he’s not going to leave his wife.

Alex: What if he does?

Me: What? No. That never happens.

Alex: Just saying.

Me: Ack. I can’t think about that. Okay. Enough. What are you up to?

Alex: Working on a story.

Me: Big shock. About?

Alex: Philandering husbands and the women who date them.

Me: Ha ha. Very funny.

Alex: What? I could be.

Me: You make me laugh, little brother.

Alex: You make me crazy. Don’t get in over your head.

Me: It’s sweet that you worry. I’ll be okay. When are you coming to D.C.?

Alex: Soon. Night sis, gotta put this story to bed.