“Tomorrow.”
Without another word, he wrapped the towel around his waist, stalked into the bedroom and began gathering up his things.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting rid of the evidence,” he answered without looking at me. “Don’t want your daughters to think that you’re a grown woman with wants and needs and feelings.”
“Brent, you don’t understand.”
“Oh, I do understand. You want to continue to live a lie like you have for the past twenty years.”
His statement nearly took my breath away. “That’s not true,” I argued even though, deep down inside, I knew it was.
“Oh, yes it is. And I won’t be a part of it,” he snapped, a different kind of fire flashing in his eyes now.
“Brent,” I said, reaching out to him one last time. But it was hopeless.
Fully dressed, he stormed out of the house carrying the few belongings he’d brought with him the first night he spent with me. “I’ll see you around,” he said without looking back.
The slamming door didn’t give me the chance to reply or explain further. I fought back tears as I watched him drive away.
I curled up in a tiny ball on the bed, inhaled his scent, the aroma of our sex. And I experienced the same sick, empty feeling I felt when I was eighteen and realized he was seeing someone else. Of course, he was right. The past few days should have proven that to me. They had only fanned the flames of a passionate desire for each other that had not faded even after twenty years. Our physical relationship was so intense, his blatant need for me so obvious, it frightened me. But this was more than physical, much more, and I was terrified of getting hurt, terrified of revealing a dark secret I’d managed to keep for all those years. Then I’d said something that I’d come to regret. I could already feel the tears and I would not let him see me cry.
Somehow I had lost him again; made a terrible, terrible mistake…one that I wasn’t sure I would ever get the chance to correct.
CHAPTER SIX
It took me a couple of hours to get myself together and then I remembered that my twin daughters would be here soon. I was determined to make their short visit comfortable and show them how happy I was.
Upstairs in their freshly painted rooms, I opened the windows and let the cool ocean breeze flow through the house while I dusted and cleaned and made the beds with fresh, new linens. The bathroom they would share practically sparkled, with big fluffy towels and sweet smelling soap at their fingertips. I paused for a moment and looked around. Smiling, I was proud of this space, light, fresh and airy. Perfect for my daughters!
During that short pause, thoughts of Brent threatened to overtake me and I dived back into my chores.
Down in my office, where I planned menus for the few days they would be here. Then I wrote a shopping list for the next day, making sure to get all of their favorite foods. I planned to do my shopping early. The girls wouldn’t arrive until mid-afternoon.
And when I looked up, daring to even let myself think about Brent again, it was dark outside. I pictured him at work, running the small police department like a military, fine-tuned operation. No one who worked there would ever guess the intensity of the feelings he had exposed to me during the past few days. God, I was going to miss him; missed him already, longed for his scorching kisses, his rough/gentle touch. A touch I was afraid that I might never experience again.
Shaking off my depression, I headed for my bathroom and a quick shower before bed. I wanted to get up early and try to get some cards sketched out before my guests arrived. Even though he had taken his things with him, his scent was still on the towels, the sheets, his presence like a ghost in my bedroom.
One of the toys we’d played with was wedged behind some bottles on the counter. I washed it carefully, allowing my hands to slide up and down the slick surface, my fingers curling around the thick, bumpy shaft, remembering just how we had used it. I shuddered as the delicious memories swept over me. I could still feel his hot hands, taste those delicious kisses and hear his guttural sounds of pleasure as he took me in every position we could imagine.
On impulse, I flicked the switch on the bottom and the big toy hummed to life. Sighing, I rubbed it over my nipples and watched them grow hard in the mirror. Then I slid it down my belly and ran it through the neatly trimmed hair covering my mound. I quivered with desire. Being with Brent again had awakened the passionate woman that I thought had disappeared long ago. No, the woman that I’d buried long ago when I married Michael. Brent filled this new woman’s needs beyond measure just like he always had. God, how I wanted him!
By this time, I’d spread my legs just enough to work the big toy between them and parted my lips with the fingers of my other hand. I nudged my sensitive clit with the buzzing tip. It jerked to a hard bud and I gasped. Sliding it lower, I pushed it up inside of me, listening to the buzzing sound change as my body hugged it tightly. That gasp turned into a low moan and I whispered Brent’s name. I worked it in and out a few times, just barely scratching the itch deep inside of me. Then I brought it to my clit again, hot and wet with my natural oils, and worked it in a little circle.
“Oh, Brent,” I whimpered and within seconds, my orgasm hit, literally taking my breath away.
When I caught my breath, I cleaned the toy again and opened the drawer to tuck it away with the rest of my small collection. I stared at them for a long time and then laughed when I remembered the look on Brent’s face when he’d discovered them. He had been surprised and then eager to use each and every one that night….or made me to show him how I used them.
“Well, Brent is gone so you guys are going to get some use from now on,” I said aloud and then closed the drawer.
Just as I turned away from the sink, I caught a glimpse of movement just outside the window. I froze, wondering who would come way out here just to peep in my bathroom window. Could it be Brent trying to scare me? Spying on me? That didn’t sound like something he’d do but…
Grabbing my robe, I tied it in place and hurried to my room. The French doors were open which startled me because I couldn’t remember opening them. I paused and looked around the room, feeling just a little niggle of fear. Nothing seemed out of place. Quietly, I stepped out onto my little private deck that ran past my bathroom window. It was empty but I heard rustling sounds and thought I saw movement in the nearby bushes.
“Brent?” I said softly as the darkness crowded in around me. Stepping to the railing, I put both hands on the cool wood. “Brent, if you’re trying to scare me…”
Silence.
Suddenly, it dawned on me just how isolated this place was and just how alone I was way out here. There were no street lights. There was very little traffic. There was nothing but the ocean crashing against the rocks below me and a blanket of stars in a black velvet sky above me. I’d never thought of it before, actually relished the solitude but Brent’s sudden reappearance in my life had changed all that.
Finally, deciding that what I’d seen was a mixture of my imagination and birds or some other wild animal, I returned to my room. I made sure my door was closed and locked securely and then I returned to the bathroom and my shower. A long, sleepless night with too many steamy memories swirling around in my head lay ahead
CHAPTER SEVEN
Grocery shopping took longer than I expected, especially since I stopped and bought fresh flowers for my guests’ rooms. I didn’t have even half the groceries put away when I heard a car in the driveway. Peeking out the door, I saw an unfamiliar vehicle and then two very familiar faces, my twin daughters.
Now that they had finally arrived, I was less nervous than before. Again, I hoped that they would see how happy I was here and not continue to be so critical of my decision. Still, I stayed inside and watched as they climbed out of the car, stretched and looked around. It was impossible to tell what their first impression was of my little place.
The twins, dressed for the beach in shorts and flip flops, looked
nothing alike and, as far as I could tell, nothing like me. Both were tall and slender with long, tanned arms and legs. Lilly’s blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail that bounced as she pointed at the ocean, almost jumping up and down in excitement.
Ivy was the eldest twin by five minutes although she appeared to be much older than her sister. She had the same blonde hair but wore it in a short bob that framed her face. She was studious and quiet and had big plans to take on the financial world right after she graduated from college.
The sight of their fresh young faces reminded me of my decision to keep them away from Brent just in case he noticed their beautiful blue eyes. The loss of Michael had been a blow that only time could heal for all of us. If my secret was revealed, their world would be rocked yet again and I had to protect them from that at all costs. And that reassured me that asking Brent to stay away was the right thing to do…even if it meant losing him again.
“Mom,” they squealed at the same time when I opened the door and stepped out on the porch.
My nerves calmed even further when I saw them smiling and I dashed down the steps toward them. We hugged, giggling and laughing while I helped them get their things out of the car. I’d only been away from them a few months but it seemed like forever since I’d packed them off their dorm rooms at school.
“You look wonderful,” Ivy said with a smile.
“All this fresh air and sunshine,” I explained.
“You didn’t tell us you had a private beach,” Lilly put in, squeezing my hands tightly.
“It’s not really private,” I explained. “Hardly anyone ever comes out here so I’ve pretty much got everything to myself. The same goes for my guests.”
“I can’t wait to go swimming,” Lilly said, following us into the house.
“My daughters, the fish,” I teased. “I’ve got a picnic lunch already packed. I thought you’d want to hit the water as soon as you arrived. We can spend the afternoon down there, if you like.”
“Perfect,” Ivy said, hugging me tightly.
I showed them to their rooms and explained that they would be sharing a bathroom. Both girls were thrilled and very complimentary of my decorating scheme. Then they wanted a tour of the house, which I was happy to provide.
“I want this room,” Lilly said, bouncing on the edge of my big bed.
Ivy looked around my big, very feminine bedroom. She opened the French doors and walked out onto my private deck which overlooked the ocean. After standing out there a few minutes in the sunshine, she returned.
“Beautiful,” she said. “I’m really impressed.”
I let out the breath I didn’t even know I was holding. It seemed that little by little I was winning their approval. Yet, again, I found myself blushing as if she somehow knew what Brent and I had shared in this room, on the bed where her sister was sitting.
“Change into your swimsuits and let’s head down to the beach,” I said, again doing whatever I could to change the subject and take their attention away from me.
The two young ladies showed up in the kitchen within minutes wearing skimpy two piece suits that I could never have pulled off at their age or now. I opted for my usual shorts and t-shirt and we laughed and talked as we made the short trip down the sandy pathway that led past my potting shed to the beach.
“What’s that building?” Lilly asked, pointing at the weathered wooden structure.
“It’s supposed to be a potting shed. Right now it’s nothing,” I explained as we headed toward the sound of the ocean.
“Maybe you could turn it into an artist’s studio. Maybe attract some artsy type clientele,” Ivy suggested.
“It’s an idea,” I said, impressed with my daughter’s business insight. “I’ll certainly think about it.”
By this time we had reached the gleaming white sand. I sat in the shadow of one of the huge boulders that dominated the beach and watched them run into the waves, squinting as the late afternoon sun glittered on the water. They laughed and played and swam around like children for about an hour and then returned to where I was waiting, happy for the cold tea I’d brought along.
We ate lunch, catching up on all the family news back in Texas. I felt as if they were skirting around some subjects on purpose but didn’t push the issue. Then Lilly led the way back into the water again. I followed them this time, more at peace with myself than I’d been in a long time. The sand felt good under my bare feet as I let the water splash over my calves to my knees.
“Join us,” Lilly called out.
“Yeah, come on in,” Ivy encouraged. “The water’s warm.
“I don’t have my suit on.”
“Take off your clothes,” Lilly said simply.
I stopped, hands on hips.
“There’s no one around,” Ivy added as they trudged through the water toward me. Then she laughed and said something that surprised me even more. “We’ll take ours off, too.”
“Skinny dipping. I’ve never done it.”
“It’ll be fun,” Lilly said, peeling off her top and shimmying out of her bikini bottom without even a second thought.
Suddenly, I didn’t feel so old after all.
“Why not!” I said boldly and pulled my tank top off over my head. My shorts followed and then my panties. When I looked up both of my dughters were totally naked, their beautiful bodies glowing in the late afternoon sunshine. They had not inherited my heavy breasts or full hips and for that I was glad.
The three of us left our clothes in a pile on the sand and then ran into the warm water. How freeing, how liberating it was to swim and play around naked in the ocean. For a while, we might as well have been the only three people on the earth.
Finally, tiring of the fun and games, we made it back to the beach, dressed and then returned to the house. As the quiet evening descended, we grilled steaks and sat out on the deck and talked into the night. I made sure both of my guests had everything they needed and finally headed for my own room, tired and happy.
We were off to a good start. The next couple of days I was going to do whatever it took to show my daughters I hadn’t made a mistake.
And I hoped that would keep my mind off Brent.
That night, though his wonderful, masculine smell still lingered on my pillows and his virile body filled my dreams.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next day, the girls decided to go into town to do some shopping and I begged off, really needing to get some work done. Besides, if I wasn’t with them and Brent happened to see them, he wouldn’t know who they were. Also, I wasn’t sure if I could hide my raw emotions from them if I happened to run into him.
When they were gone, the house was very, very quiet. I went into my office and settled down to work.
Hours later, I heard the girls returning, giggling happily and calling for me. “Mom, your little town is so pretty,” Lilly said. “And I got new nail polish and some new shorts and…”
“And a new book…” Ivy added, grabbing a paperback out of one of Lilly’s bags.
I gasped and covered my eyes when I recognized the bold red cover. “Not one of those trashy erotic romances…”
“And Ivy got a new outfit for her date tonight,” Lilly teased and then ran out of the kitchen after making a face at her older sister.
“You have a date?” I gasped. “You’ve been in town one day…”
Ivy laughed. “I contacted a guy I went to school with. He lives about 20 minutes away and he wants to come and have dinner with me.”
“My girls are all grown up,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll can fix something special…”
“I think we’re going out to eat somewhere,” she said quickly. “He mentioned a favorite restaurant.”
“Oh.”
“If that’s okay with you,” she added quickly.
“Of course. Sweetie, it’s your vacation. Go and have fun. Lilly has her new book to read and I have work to do so we’ll be fine,” I reassured her.
Just bef
ore dark, Ivy, wearing her new sundress, a pair of my pearl earrings and her new strappy sandals, left to meet her date. Lilly curled up in the living room with her new book and a cold drink. I went into my office but could not settle down to work.
My thoughts kept straying to Brent. I missed him more than I could ever have imagined. Pacing the room, I checked my cell to see if I’d missed a call from him, hoping against hope that he had called just to check on me. Nothing. I was tempted to call him, just to make sure he was okay, but quickly pushed that thought aside.
Better to just let it go.
I gave up on work and went into the living room. Lilly was so engrossed in her new book, she didn’t even look up.
“Good stuff?” I asked.
“Uh-huh. Hot stuff,” she said, giving me a wink and then returned to her reading.
I shook my head and went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of hot tea. Taking it out to my deck, I decided I would sit quietly and make myself calm down. After just a few minutes, I realized that wasn’t going to work. I needed some physical activity. Finally, I decided to go for a walk down to the beach. Lilly declined my invitation to join me so I grabbed a sweater, slipped into sandals and headed toward the sound of the water.
The full moon lit my way so I had no trouble following the narrow path that led to the beach. As usual, I paused at the potting shed, trying to decide how I could use it for something other than that. Ivy’s idea about turning it into a studio intrigued me and I tried to remember how big it was inside and how many windows it had.
Reaching for the metal door knob, I turned it. It turned easily but the door seemed to be stuck. I pushed several times and it gave a little but still refused to open. It felt more like something was blocking it. I pushed on it a few more times, even pressed my shoulder against it and added some body weight to give it a shove. Nothing.
Sighing, I gave up. This was another project altogether and not one to be started in the middle of the night.
Moments later, I was on the beach, the vast, dark ocean spreading out before me. I was already feeling more relaxed as I listened to the waves and started walking slowly along the sand. Memories of the nights I’d spent out here with Brent tried to crowd into my thoughts but I pushed them away and just concentrated on listening to my own heartbeat and the sound of the water lapping at my feet.
Star-Crossed Curves: BBW Erotic Romance Boxed Set Page 24
