Betrayal Bend

by Andrea M. Long

Becca and I spoke about her friends and school, then we got the bill and walked home slowly. With every step I took closer to home, I felt ill. So guilty because I’d let another man’s hands bring me to climax and yet all I could think about was riding his cock.

  My gorgeous husband greeted us at the door with a beaming smile across his features and beckoned us inside, making us sit on the couch.

  “Now I know I should have probably discussed this, but…” he placed a box down at Becca’s feet. “I thought it might be nice for this date to reflect on a good anniversary as well as a not so good one.”

  Becca opened the box and squealed. “Oh my god, you got me a puppy. You got me a puppy.” Out came a tiny golden retriever which sat straight in her arms, loving her comfort and warmth. Happy tears flew down her face. “Oh my god, Cam,” she checked the dog underneath. “She’s beautiful. Does she have a name?”

  “Not until you give her one,” Cam replied.

  “Okay, I’ll have a think about it. Oh my, she’s just so small and cute. Thank you.” She stood up and rose to give Cam a kiss on the cheek. “Can she stay in my room?”

  “For tonight. Then we’ll need to think of a proper routine for her. One where we all take a turn with her walks once she’s grown a little more and had her vaccinations.” He stroked the puppy’s head. “Shay, do you want a quick cuddle before Becca disappears with her?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m sure I’ll spend plenty of time with her in the future.”

  When the novelty has worn off, or you’re too busy and Becca is doing her exams. When I’ll be left with the dog to walk, and feed, and clean.

  Becca left and I went into the kitchen. Cam followed me in. “How did tonight go?”

  “Fine. She wanted to talk about things as usual and then she had ice cream and brownies, and we came home and there was a puppy. Why didn’t you talk to me about this? This affects us all.” Annoyance was clear in my tone.

  “I thought you’d like the company of a dog when you go for a run. I see other runners on the island with theirs.”

  “My runs are just for me, Cam. It’s where I do my thinking. If I take a dog, my thoughts will be consumed by what’s happening with her. She’ll dictate my pace. You can’t keep deciding things for us both, Cam. This is a marriage, a partnership.” I was emptying the dishwasher and putting the plates in the cabinet with more force than was necessary.

  “I’ll return the dog. I’m sorry.”

  I scrubbed a hand through my hair. “It’s too late. Becca is already attached. How on earth can we take the dog away now? Just please, anything else that’s huge, talk to me about it. I need to be involved.”

  “Oh, well, I did do something else…” He looked at the floor and then back to me, triumph in his eyes. But… I think I’ll be in a lot less trouble for this one.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. I opened it up.

  Cam had booked us a cabin retreat. For in Wisconsin.

  He’d misinterpreted what I’d asked for, but while disappointment sunk low in my stomach, being a new neighbor to the guilt already there, the fact remained that he’d immediately given me what I’d asked for.

  He always provided what I needed, and I knew deep down that he’d done it with the puppy too. Becca needed a good thing to help her get over the bad.

  “I’m sorry. You did the right thing, with the dog. It just blindsided me for a moment, and with it having been a tense evening with Becca, I overreacted.”

  I wrapped my arms around him, and he kissed me. It was so different to Miller’s. Cam’s was full of love and warmth. There was ardor but it was softer, needier.

  “Close the door,” I told him, unbuttoning my jeans. “I want you to fuck me over the kitchen table.”

  Hunger colored Cam’s eyes. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  “Why can’t we do it here?” I pleaded.

  He trailed a hand down my cheek. “I wouldn’t be able to concentrate. I’d think Becca was going to run in telling us the dog peed on her bed.”

  Shaking my head, I laughed. Then I let him take me upstairs.

  But even though I came, I was still left with my darker side praying for her wishes to be answered.

  Her desires staining my soul a deep dark-red.

  Eight

  Shay

  The novelty of a puppy in the bedroom wore off at around half three in the morning. I heard a soft tap on the door and then feet padded into our room.

  “Shay. Betty won’t stop crying.”

  I swung my legs out of bed and stood up, waiting while my eyes got used to the dark room. I could just make out that Becca had the puppy held in her arms. “Maybe she’s hungry.”

  “Can you take her because I need my sleep ready for school?” Becca pleaded.

  I sighed, realizing I couldn’t get back into my nice, warm bed.

  “Sure.” Becca passed me the dog. Its, tiny warm body snuggled into my chest. I looked over my shoulder. What a surprise that the man who’d brought this animal into our lives was fast asleep.

  Becca thanked me and headed back to bed. I pushed my feet into my slippers and quietly walked down the stairs.

  I had no idea of how often to feed Betty, so I grabbed a packet of food from the box Cam had shown me and read the instructions. I’d pop to Animal Haus at some point and get the lowdown on how to care for her, because while Becca might fuss this dog, it looked like it was mine already.

  I kept hold of Betty while I emptied the food in a bowl. She made the cutest little mewling noises. Putting her next to her bowl she ate her food greedily, tiny snuffling sounds accompanying her actions. I opened the back door so that she could do her business on the back yard and grabbed myself a glass of water while she did so.

  Eventually, I strolled with Betty into the living room and I laid down on the couch with her tucked into my robe, and then I dozed while Betty stayed there, soft, warm, and already owning my heart despite the early wake up call.

  “I’m not sure which of you looks the cutest, but I guess I’d better say you.” Cameron kissed my forehead as I looked at him through one opened eye. Betty was still tucked into my robe, snuggled against my chest. “Doggy, that’s my head rest,” Cam chuckled as I eye-rolled him.

  “So, what’s the plan for Betty? We can hardly take her to work with us. She can’t be wandering around the food area, can she?”

  “Betty? Did you pick that or Becca, and I’m guessing she handed over care during the night?”

  “Yup. Named her but got bored when she couldn’t sleep.”

  “Well, Betty will be being picked up at any minute. I’ve arranged doggy day care. You should know by now that this island has everything. I asked at Animal Haus and they gave me a number.”

  “Seriously?”

  Cam nodded. “Don’t even have to supply anything. They’ll take her and bring her back later.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing,” I replied, feeling it was anything but. I should have been pleased he’d arranged this, that my day could go ahead as normal, but I wanted to punch Cam’s chest repeatedly with my fists and ask him to please stop controlling everything.

  I usually enjoyed being at the coffee shop, but today I felt dead inside. Thoughts of finding my mom’s body kept flittering through my mind. I felt angry with her for not leaving a note. If she’d done that, maybe we could have gained more closure. Known her mindset as she’d decided to die and to leave us behind.

  Then during the morning break Miller walked in. As he waited in the queue, I could feel his stare, could feel him trying to get me to look at him. I met his gaze a couple of times to find him staring with that soul searching gaze. But rather than make my heart flip fast with excitement he was making my skin prickle with unease, because he’d already written me messages passed via my husband and I felt he was crossing a line. Miller should stay at the beach and his cabin. Not be here, making his way to the front of the queue.

  “Good morning. What can I get you?” I aske
d him.

  “A latte please and,” he looked over the breakfast selections and the cakes. “A slice of the salted caramel cake.”

  I turned away from him to fix his drink at the machine.

  “Are you okay?” Cam asked me as he stood at my side dealing with another customer’s order.

  “I’m just tired. What with the anniversary and then the dog meaning I was up early.”

  “Well, if you need to go…”

  I shook my head. “I’m fine. But if I fall asleep at the counter, prod me.” We shared a laugh. As I turned back around and handed Miller his coffee, his jaw was tense. Ignoring him, I plated up a slice of cake and added it to the tray.

  “Is that everything?” I asked him, with the fake sincerity you gave a customer who was a pain in the ass.

  “I think so. Let me just try this frosting though to see if it’s to my liking or if I’d prefer another flavor.” He dipped his fingertip through the buttercream and brought it to his mouth where he sucked it off his fingers. He moaned in satisfaction. “The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Yes, I have everything I need, for now, thank you.”

  He paid me by cash, and I felt my hand tremble as he touched my skin while placing the bill there. As soon as he’d moved away, I felt my body sag with relief.

  Cam raised a brow at me and for a moment I thought he knew.

  “Some of these tourists are so damn picky.”

  I nodded.

  “He’ll be gone any day now, then he can go annoy another coffee shop.”

  I looked over to where I could just see his legs and feet. Yes, he would be, and I didn’t know how I felt about that.

  When Miller got up to leave, he brought his tray back and a folded piece of paper laid under his plate. I thanked him and looked away, only breathing again properly when he walked out of the door, the tinkling bell letting me know he’d gone. I put the note in my pocket and waited until I could take a bathroom break to read it.

  Brew Love. Thank you for the delicious flavors left on my tongue and the gorgeous aromas on my fingertips. If I don’t see you again, best, Miller.

  He was telling me he understood. That he wouldn’t make an effort to see me again.

  Any future move was mine.

  I ripped his note up in the bathroom and flushed it away, making sure it had gone.

  Then I kept myself busy all afternoon, my mind buried deep inside myself as I didn’t want to think, didn’t want to feel. I just wanted life to give me the answers, so I could live it free from pain. But I was scared if I sought them too hard it might want me to answer like my mother had.

  I looked forward to seeing Betty when I got home, but she’d been returned to Becca and Becca was in her room. I knocked and opened the door.

  “Hi. Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, thanks. Just chatting to Shelby and showing her Betty.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, if you need me, I’ll be downstairs.”

  “Cool.”

  That was me dismissed.

  Our mail was on the table and in there was the box I’d had designed for the Brew Love box. I’d had it sent home because I tended to get the mail here first, and I didn’t want Cam opening it and making decisions.

  I assembled the box and grabbing one of the books, placed it inside. When I opened the rest of the mail, the spoon had also arrived, so I added it, along with an unopened Brew Love box of filter coffee. Staring at the box, I imagined it sitting on a bed of shredded brown recycled paper with a little Brew Love card inside that thanked them for their order. It was going to be perfect.

  When Cam arrived home and saw it, his own reaction had me buzzing even more. “This is incredible. We’re going to be able to expand these boxes into a global range, I just know it. He started on with a list of ideas for what they could hold including potentially linking up with other businesses on the island.

  “You’re doing it again,” I warned him.

  “I’m sorry. I get too enthusiastic. You know what I’m like.”

  “I do, but it doesn’t mean you can’t change. This is my project, Cam. I know we’re a partnership, but I want to run with this idea myself. Show you that you can trust me to do it.”

  He nodded.

  We ate our meal but there was a tension in the air. Becca didn’t notice, distracted by Betty. Everything came to a head when I came down dressed in my running kit to find Cam with his car keys in one hand and Betty in the other.

  “Where’s Becca?” I asked.

  “Gone out to meet Shelby. Sounded like Jake was in the burger shack and they were off to stalk him.”

  “Right, so where are you taking Betty?”

  “Oh, I’m not. I was just about to come up to tell you I was popping to the country club for a game of golf with Nate.”

  “I’m going for a run. You know that. I go for a run at this time most evenings.”

  “I know, but I asked Nate to call me if he had any spare time because I needed someone who knew their stuff to help me improve my handicap. This is a rare opportunity I have now. You can run any time, can’t you?” He passed me Betty and with a wave walked out of the door, leaving me in silence with the puppy.

  If she hadn’t been in my hands, I would have torn the house down. Instead, I sat on the floor of the living room, playing with Betty, cuddling her to my chest when she got tired, and I waited for one of them to come back home.

  Becca was the first through the door. By the smile on her face, she’d had a successful outing. “Aww, Betty,” she pouted while she looked at her curled up asleep on the couch cushion.

  “Your turn. Cam went out and I’m waiting to run.”

  “I was going to have a bath.”

  “I need to run, Becca. Betty is your dog too and no doubt I’ll be up with her in the night.”

  “Okay, okay. How long will you be?”

  “I have no idea. I’ll come home when I’m good and ready.”

  “Wow, what bit your ass?”

  “I’m not here for just everyone else. Not for Cam, not for you, not for sweet little Betty. Not twenty-four seven. All I ask is for one goddamn evening run, and he took that away.”

  Becca’s forehead creased. “Where is Cam?”

  “He had a game of golf that he couldn’t possibly miss. But I have to run, Becca. It lets it all out. It’s my way of dealing with everything. To exhaust myself, to think or not think. I feel like a pressure cooker that’s going to explode.”

  “Go run,” Becca nodded to the door.

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “It’s fine. I get it. Go. Go run, before your brains explode or something.”

  And so I did. I took off out of the door and my feet pounded the sidewalk. But despite increasing my pace and stride, my frustrations stayed within me. The way Cam had prioritized himself, how he’d started taking over talking about my boxes. The run wasn’t going to cut it.

  Tears streamed down my face as I ran around the side of a rental cabin and stood at the back patio door.

  Miller slid it open, standing there waiting.

  “I don’t want to be here. I don’t. But I need to be here. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” was his simple answer and he stood to one side. I walked into the cabin knowing there was no turning back now.

  I’d crossed the line, and the truth was that right there and then in that moment, I didn’t give a damn. The darkness inside me had called out a desperate question, and Miller was providing the answer.

  Nine

  Shay

  “I’m here for you, Shay. Take what you need from me. Tell me what you want,” Miller drawled out huskily.

  I thought about my fantasy. “I want you to take me roughly while I grab the table. I want to be looking at the lake while I come undone. Other than that, I don’t care, but I want to feel your possession while you leave no visible trace.”

  “So right now, you’re mine? To do with as I please?”

  “Yes.”

  He walked me ov
er to the dining table, moving a chair to one side and pushing me so the middle of my thighs touched the edge. Raising my arms, he pulled my tank up over my head and threw it to the floor. His head came down to the curve of my neck and he kissed me there, my arms still up in the air, while his hands cupped my breasts on the outside of my bra. I could feel his hard-on pressing into me. He reached up and brought my arms back down by my sides, trailing the tips of his fingers over my flesh, eliciting goose bumps. Grabbing my right hand, he brought it around my back and pressed my hand against his cock. “Feel what you do to me, Shay.”

  I was about to grasp him through the material, but Miller brought both of my hands to the edge of the table.

  I heard him strip himself out of his clothes. Could see it vaguely in the reflection in the patio doors. He pulled off my sneakers and sport socks, then lowered my jogging pants and my panties, tapping my calves for me to step out of them.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful.” Miller’s hands and mouth trailed over my bare flesh, making me feel so alive. “And so fucking wet.” His fingers swept through my heat. “Hands on the table,” he barked, his thigh coming up to part my own. He grabbed my hips and moved me into a more bent over position. Then he yanked my hair. It caught me by surprise. The brief sting of pain. But then his mouth was on my neck once again. “Tell me how much you want me to fuck you, and tell me why. Why you’re really here. Bare your soul to me as well as your body and I will satisfy your every desire.”

  It was like my own confessional. A place to let out my sin. “I want you to fuck me so I can hardly stand. I want to be a dirty little secret. To be able to scream out my desires and have them met, all of them.”

  “So what do you want first? Do you want me to fuck you first, or last?”

  I bit my bottom lip while I thought. Right now, tonight, I could have anything I wanted, be anything I wanted.

  “I want you to force me to my knees. To fuck my mouth. To talk to me like I’m a dirty slut.”