Secrets, Lies, and Online Dating: Three Generations Learn to Love Again (Women's Fiction)

by Sylvia McDaniel

  She could barely breathe. “Excuse me, I think I’m done.”

  The man looked at her in shock. “But I’m not finished. You said you wanted a happy ending?”

  “What is a happy ending?”

  He smiled. “An orgasm.”

  “Oh no. I’ve had enough. Thank you.”

  She’d had no idea what she’d requested! Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment.

  She grabbed the sheet and hopped off the table. Under the hands of a masseuse, she’d all but had an orgasm right there on the table. Oh my God!

  Chapter 5

  “Wasn’t the massage heavenly?” Paige asked as they sat at the bar drinking martinis, waiting on their dates.

  Marianne closed her eyes and didn’t know how to respond. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. She’d come so close to experiencing one of the best orgasms of her life with a stranger. On the upside, her skin and muscles had never felt better.

  “Hmmm…it was nice,” she finally muttered, not willing to discuss her embarrassment, hoping that Paige would let the subject drop.

  “Well since this is sort of your kick-off into singledom, I wanted to give you this.”

  Paige reached into her tote bag and pulled out a small gift.

  “From me to you,” she said, handing Marianne the sack.

  Marianne took the bag, unease creeping down her spine. She loved Paige, but the phrase kick-off into singledom set off tremors of alarms.

  “Paige, I’ve been divorced for almost three months. There’s no need for a gift.”

  “Well, this is your official Colorado sexy and single kickoff.” She smiled. “Open it. It won’t bite.”

  Marianne laughed and peeked into the bag. A box of condoms, a little black book and…. “Oh my God.”

  She shut the bag quickly, a rush of warmth spreading across her cheeks. “That wasn’t necessary.”

  Paige laughed. “Every woman needs one. It’s called Mr. Big.”

  “I don’t name imitation body parts.”

  “Relax. As long as the batteries are working, you won’t care what you call it.”

  Marianne took a deep breath and knew even if she tried to give the gift back, Paige would refuse. It would also hurt her feelings. The less attention she gave this gift the better.

  “Just promise me that if I die, you will come to my apartment and remove this thing before my daughter finds this monster in my drawer.”

  “Maybe I should have bought one for Katie, too.”

  “Don’t you dare. I’d like to remain in parental fantasyland that my daughter is still a virgin and doesn’t even know these exist.”

  One thing for certain, Paige always managed to expand her sensibilities even when she didn’t want to know.

  Paige shrugged. “I’m glad that I didn’t have children. Too much responsibility.”

  “But so much joy and love.” Marianne smiled, thinking of her daughter. “Promise me.”

  Maybe she shouldn’t have asked Paige to promise her. She should just throw the thing in the trash when she got home. That way she wouldn’t hurt Paige’s feelings and yet she would also not have that thing laying around for someone to find.

  “Whatever. I promise.”

  Paige raised her brows and glanced across the room, searching for their dates.

  Marianne quickly put the bag of goodies in her gym bag. “Thanks, Paige. I’m sure I must sound ungrateful, but you’ve been very good to me during this whole experience. I appreciate our friendship.”

  Her friend had been good to her, it’s just they were on different paths in life right now. Paige was out expanding her horizons and living it up, while Marianne was studying biology and cramming for math tests.

  “Oh girl, it’s nothing. I’ve enjoyed helping out. And tonight, we’re going to have some real fun. Here come the boys, now.”

  Marianne’s stomach tightened as nervous butterflies skittered across her body at the sight of two much younger men walking toward them.

  “Them?” she asked as two handsome, hunky men made their way through the crowd.

  “That’s our boys.”

  “You really meant it when you use the word boys. Why they can’t be—“

  “Brad is thirty-two and John is thirty-six and he’s mine.”

  Marianne groaned and just wanted to go home. Why did she continue to torture herself by going out with Paige? They were different and she just needed to accept that she would never be like her friend.

  “Great! My first date and it’s with a man almost ten years my junior.”

  “That’s not that much difference in age.”

  “It seems young. He’s probably going to call me ‘mother’.”

  Paige laughed. “Who cares, as long as it’s not when you’re climaxing.”

  Oh, that wasn’t happening. Not tonight. Not on the first date. Sure, it was okay for anyone who wanted to, but she felt like a newborn toddler learning its way around the world.

  “Please!! I haven’t even met the guy and you’re talking sex.”

  “Well…it does happen. People do sleep together on the first date.”

  Marianne gazed at her friend. “It’s my first date in almost twenty years. It’s not going to happen.”

  “Suit yourself. You know, they say when you fall off a horse, the best thing to do is jump back on and go for a ride.”

  Marianne took a long, deep, steadying breath. Maybe for other people, but she didn’t know what kind of saddle she wanted.

  “Well my horse has been out to pasture for a while. I’d like to walk her around the yard to make sure she likes the feel of the saddle on her back and the bit in her mouth is not too tight.”

  “You do that, but I’m going to jump on and ride this stallion.”

  The two men reached the bar where they were seated. She tried to relax and smile, knowing that this was just her first time out of the chute and there was no hurry. Tonight was about having fun.

  “Hi, I’m Brad,” he said putting his palm in her hand.

  “Marianne,” she said, noting his blue eyes were checking her out. Would he realize their age difference? Would he care?

  “I’m John,” the older man said, shaking her hand. “Have you been here before?”

  “No,” Marianne said.

  “Good, you’re in for a treat! They serve food until nine and then they turn down the lights and a jazz band plays.”

  “Do you dance, Marianne?” Brad asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Italian food and dancing. Tonight is going to be fun,” Brad said smiling at her like she was dessert.

  While they waited for dinner, they talked and laughed, the men telling of a deep-sea fishing trip they’d just returned from. Marianne found herself relaxing and enjoying Brad’s companionship.

  Besides her fellow classmates, her only male interaction had been with Luke, her landlord. There was something about Luke that warned her she’d be playing with fire if she got too close.

  She needed to test her engines. After twenty years of sitting in dry dock, she wasn’t sure she knew how to play the dating game any longer.

  At nine o’clock, the lights dimmed and the soft sweet sounds of a jazz quartet begin to play.

  “Would you like to dance, Marianne?” Brad asked.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  They walked to the dance floor and he pulled her into his arms. They danced slowly to the swish of a drum and the moan of the saxophone.

  “So do you miss Texas?” Brad said, next to her ear.

  Marianne leaned back in his arms and gazed into his face.

  “Not really. In Texas, the changing of the seasons is hot one day and cold the next. Here the mornings are crisp and the leaves are such brilliant burst of colors. It’s beautiful.” It felt good to be on the dance floor in the arms of a man, and that surprised her. “So what do you do for a living, Brad?”

  He smiled. “Paige didn’t tell you?”

  “No.”

 
“I work for an escort service.”

  Marianne’s jaw dropped. She turned and glared at Paige who was busy talking to John, their heads bent together. That would be the absolute last straw if Paige hired them men of the evening. She wasn’t that desperate.

  “What kind of escort service? Please tell me it’s not the kind that women call and get…Paige didn’t hire you, did she?”

  Brad threw back his head, laughing, and missed a step, treading on Marianne’s toes. “No, Paige didn’t hire me, and it’s not that kind of escort service. But I have to tell you, your reaction is the best one I’ve had to that line.”

  He went on, “I work for a company that escorts security risks. My job is to make sure that the person or the cargo gets to its destination without any incidents.”

  Marianne breathed a big sigh of relief. “Sorry, for a minute there, I thought Paige had hired me a date.”

  How embarrassing for someone to think they had to hire her a man. She would have just died if Paige had contacted an escort service.

  “Would that have been bad?”

  “Well, yes. I’m not desperate.”

  He grinned and she relaxed in his arms. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve never accepted money to date someone. And with your looks, I don’t think you have to worry about lack of dates.”

  “Thanks. It’s amazing what a day at the spa will do for you.” She was tempted to question him why he thought she didn’t have to worry about dates, but wanted to just enjoy the feelings his words evoked for a little longer. “So do you travel with this escort business?”

  “Yes, I’m gone quite a bit. What do you do?” he asked.

  “I’m a full-time college student and I work part-time in the library. I’ve returned to school for the first time in eighteen years. Oops,” she said. “That kind of lets you know how old I am, and I didn’t intend to tell you that.

  He laughed. “Why not?”

  “Well, because obviously, I’m older than you.”

  “Age doesn’t matter as long as there’s chemistry. And I don’t know about you, but I felt a sizzle as soon as I walked in the door.”

  Oh God! She tried to smile, but somehow she felt like her cheeks were burning. Did men really say these kinds of things on first dates with perfect strangers? Didn’t chemistry come after you got to know the person?

  “I think you’re just hearing the sound of the band,” she said, trying to deflect his obvious attempt at seduction.

  The song ended and they returned to the table, where Brad pulled his chair up against hers. He reached over and took her hand, caressing her palm with his fingers. Should she tell him she felt no sizzle? That somehow, he hadn’t lit her Bunsen burner and his chemistry experiment had failed?

  She glanced over at Paige. She and John were sipping from the same wine glass, and she was all but in his lap. The phrase ‘get a room’ came to mind, but Marianne feared being left alone with Brad, the sizzle man. He was young and attractive, but…

  She felt his mouth on her hand and then his tongue on the inside of her palm. A shudder of revulsion shimmied along her spine, and she wanted to yank back her hand. She had to resist the childish notion of cooties.

  “John and Paige seemed to be getting along very well,” Brad said.

  “Yeah, maybe a little too well.”

  The band started another song and this time, Paige and John took the floor. Their sensuous tango left little doubt they would finish their dance in the bedroom.

  When they returned to the table, John took Paige in his arms and kissed her deep and long. Marianne looked away, embarrassed at her friend’s display.

  “I think it’s time to take this party to the next level,” Brad whispered in her ear, his eyes on John and Paige. “We should retire to my apartment where I can show you photos of some of my ‘escort services’.”

  Marianne all but laughed right in his face. She reached for her bag and purse. She stood and Brad jumped up, eager to follow her. Maybe this would be better handled outside.

  She turned to Paige and John to say goodnight, but once again they were lip-locked and would soon need life support if they didn’t come up for air.

  Frustration filled Marianne. Was this dating in the twenty-first century? She walked out of the restaurant with Brad eagerly following, obviously assuming they were going to his apartment.

  “What are you driving? You can just follow me.”

  Outside, the cool night air strengthened her resolve. She stopped at her clunker car and took a hold of Brad’s hand.

  “You know, I really enjoyed tonight. You’re a nice man, but tonight was my first date since my divorce. I think we should say goodbye here.”

  He frowned, his shoulders sagging. “Come on, I want you to see my place.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. “I’m not ready for the night to end. I want to spend more time getting to know you.”

  Marianne opened her mouth to reply and his lips came crushing down on hers. He pressed his body against hers, letting her feel his erection, moving his mouth over hers as he kissed her deeply.

  Somehow his seductive moves seemed desperate and Marianne felt nothing except the need to get in her car as quickly as possible.

  Finally, she pushed him away. “Brad, it’s not working for me. You’re a really nice man, but I’m just not capable of having any kind of relationship right now.”

  “Come on baby, I’m not asking for a lifetime. I’ll make it fun for you. I’ll give you the best orgasm of your life.”

  She placed her gym bag in front of her body, reached into her purse for her keys and opened the car door. She got in the car and sank down on the cold leather seat. “No, thanks. Not tonight, Brad.”

  Quickly, she closed the door and he leaned on the car. “You don’t know what you’ll be missing.”

  She put the key in the ignition, praying it would start. With a grinding noise, the engine hummed and she breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled and waved at Brad through the window.

  Brad still leaned on the door and she put the car in reverse before he finally moved.

  “Welcome to the world of dating,” she said to herself, as she pulled out of the parking lot.

  Brenda sat in the hospital waiting room and wondered for the hundredth time what the hell she was doing. She barely knew this man. They had been friends for only a couple of weeks and yet here she sat, waiting to find out if he would survive.

  She’d called his daughter. She’d called and left a message on Sandy’s phone, but so far she sat all alone. Just like when George died. She couldn’t help but remember that awful day. It was the beginning of the loneliness that gripped her now.

  She picked up a magazine and tried to read the pages, her eyes blurring. God, she was tired. She had ridden in the ambulance with James and somehow she had to find a way back to the campground. It was two am and nothing good happened at this time of day. She could be back in her bed, sleeping, but instead she felt obligated to wait. The man was alone and possibly dying. Someone should be here.

  “Mrs. Conner?”

  “No, I’m just a friend. I think Mrs. Conner passed away a year ago.”

  He was just another lonely, single, senior citizen and she didn’t want to leave him alone in the hospital.

  “Oh. We moved him into ICU and he’s on a heart monitor. As long as nothing unexpected happens, he should be okay.”

  “Thank God.”

  “Did you contact his next of kin?’

  “I called and left a message with his daughter,” she paused, suddenly wanting to make sure he was okay. “Can I see him for just a moment?

  The nurse glanced at her watch. “Since he just came out of the ER, I’ll let you have five minutes with him.”

  “Thanks,” Brenda said, and headed towards his room.

  She paused in the doorway and gazed at all the machines hooked up to him, probably monitoring even his farts. She gave an inward shudder. This was no way to die.

  She st
epped to the side of the bed and lifted his limp hand. He opened his eyes and tried to smile at her.

  “Hell of a way to end a party,” Brenda said, grinning at him. “I’ve never had this kind of effect on men before.”

  “Too much excitement,” James said in a ragged whisper.

  “I can only stay a couple of minutes,” Brenda said, knowing she needed to tell him what she’d done. “I’ve contacted your daughter and I left a message for Sandy. Who knows when they may come up for air.”

  He grinned. “I guess this is the price we pay when we’re older.”

  His words made her heart clench with pain. In some ways she felt envious of the dead. They weren’t left behind, alone and unsure where to go from here.

  “Speak for yourself. I’m still sixteen at heart. It’s just the body that matured.”

  He smiled and his eyes drifted closed. She squeezed his hand.

  “I’m leaving. I’ll try to come back and see you in the morning.”

  He nodded, his strength completely gone.

  She released his hand and started toward the door. She glanced back and he waved at her, his hand barely rising before he let it fall onto the bed.

  Sadness overwhelmed her. Another man knocked down to his knees by age and wanting to be young. Walking down the empty halls of the hospital, she remembered again the night George died. Loneliness swept over her.

  As she hurried down the hall, she saw Dick and Sandy whose short, worn out legs were moving as quick as they could toward her.

  “Oh my God!” Sandy said with empathy. “I heard your message about twenty minutes ago. I didn’t know where you’d gone to.” She glanced at Dick and smiled. “We were kind of occupied before that.

  Dick grinned from ear to ear like a clown’s lips on steroids. “How is he?”

  “They’re keeping him in ICU, but they think he will be okay once they get all the Viagra out of his system. He mixed Viagra with alcohol. He could have died.”

  Dick shrugged. “What a way to go.”