“That’s awful, Meadow.”
“I felt numb, Sandra. In a sudden fit of rage, I threw the bottle of wine against a dumpster and screamed. I got back in my car and burst into tears. I drove around the block, out of sight, and that’s where I sat for hours, crying.”
“Well now I completely understand your aversion to wine.”
“That wasn’t even the final straw.”
“It gets worse?”
“Eventually, there was a weekend that Matt actually spent at home with me. In the morning he rolled over and pulled me close to him. I melted into his arms. It had been forever since he’d held me like that, and despite everything, it felt nice. He reached his head over, close to mine, and gave me a kiss on the cheek before saying ‘Good morning my beautiful, Lacey’.”
“No. No, no, no,” Sandra cried, in a state of gut-wrenching horror.
“That’s the moment things got ugly. I’ve never been the type to yell, but I yelled. I yelled and I screamed at him. I told him I knew all about Lacey and that I was done letting her ruin our home and marriage. I also told him I knew about the other women too.”
“What did he have to say for himself?” Sandra said, still in shock.
“At first, he tried the usual tactics of buying me off with gifts, but it didn’t work this time. I told him I’d followed him. I told him I’d read his emails. I told him I’d been face to face with her. I could tell he felt awful. He apologized and begged me not to leave him, but it wasn’t enough. I needed him to prove to me that it was over and he was ending it with her.”
“What did he say to that?”
“He said he would talk to her and call it off, but I didn’t trust him. I made him sit next to me while he called. I needed to hear him say the words, to her that it was over. She didn’t answer, but he left a voicemail calling it off and telling her they wouldn’t be seeing each other again.”
“I would have done the same thing. How could you ever trust him after what he’d put you through? So was that it?”
“Well, the affair ended, and things got a bit better, but it didn’t last. I should have known we’d never be able to recover from the betrayal. As time went on, Matt made it clear he didn’t want to lose me. The expensive gifts kept coming. Deep down, I knew he was just worried about his reputation. A failed marriage wasn’t an option for him.”
“Jerk,” Sandra said.
“With each expensive, meaningless gift, I felt myself pulling further away. I couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. I felt such rage and resentment toward him. He felt like a stranger to me. He took my love and devotion for granted. I’m not sure I’ll ever trust another man.”
“I get it,” Sandra said holding up my mug of wine to me. “Girl, you need a drink.”
I tanked the mug. It tasted delicious.
We both laughed hysterically. The combination of exhaustion and empty stomachs was enough to make us both tipsy very quickly.
Sandra was the only person I’d ever told the whole story to. Talking about it felt therapeutic.
I poured myself another mug of wine and we clinked our cups as a solid friendship began to take form. For the first time in a long time, I was feeling good. It really felt amazing to talk about what had happened with someone I could trust and who didn’t judge me.
No more secrets.
No more shame.
“Let’s clean this place up and head to the brewery to grab some dinner and more alcohol,” Sandra said as she turned up the music and we both got to work.
CHAPTER 20
KANE
Paul and I were able to get the boat finished so early we even finished two other jobs after it. It was a productive day at the shop and it felt good. Finally putting closure on the Steph thing really helped me focus.
We decided to reward ourselves by cracking open a couple beers. That’s not to say we don’t have the same reward on our unproductive days.
There were only two beers left in the shop fridge, which we made short work of. After, we were both starving, so Paul suggested we head down to the brewery to eat.
“Very funny,” I said. “You banned me last night.”
“I’m in a forgiving mood,” he said.
I hit him on the shoulder and we made our way. It wouldn’t take long for our friends to show up there too. Life really was predictable in old Pismo Beach. I liked it. I liked my world quiet and predictable.
“So, have you heard anything back from Steph?” Paul asked as we waited for our pints at the bar.
“No. Nothing. Which is strange for her. I think she knows it’s really over. Which is a relief.”
“You think she really left for her sister’s?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know, but it would be nice not to run into her for a few days, that’s for sure.”
Suddenly we were distracted by the howling laughter of women. We looked behind us at the entrance and watched Sandra walk in, almost in tears from laughing so hard. She had clearly had a few drinks already and was having a great time.
Right behind her, an equally drunk and equally happy Meadow walked in. They made their way to the end of the bar, laughing and making enough noise that the entire place had their attention.
“I’d like a glass of your finest white wine,” Meadow blurted out to the bartender. “Today is a new day and me and white wine are friends again.”
The bartender shrugged and went to get the drinks.
Meadow and Sandra burst out laughing and everyone around just looked confused. They were clearly finding themselves very amusing.
“That’s the woman from last night,” Paul said under his breath.
“I know who it is. I already saw her today,” I said to him, trying to avoid getting her attention.
“You did? You didn’t tell me that. When?”
“With all the Steph stuff, I didn’t think of it.”
“What happened? Where did you see her?”
“We ran into each other at the café. I went over to apologize.”
“Good,” Paul said, cutting me off mid-sentence. “I was beginning to worry about you.”
“Worry I was turning into a complete asshole?”
Paul nodded.
I let out a quiet laugh.
“Well, don’t relax too much. It didn’t go well.”
“Oh come on. Why not?”
I looked at Paul. He was shaking his head, like he was beginning to lose all faith in me.
“I don’t know man. I just lost it again. There’s something about her.”
“You lost it again? What’s wrong with you?”
“I told her I was sorry about what happened here. She was nice about it. We were getting on fine.”
“And then?”
“And then she mentioned that she watched me surfing this morning.”
“At your spot?” Paul said, already knowing where I was going with the story.
“Yeah, and whatever it was, I just couldn’t handle the emotion. I flipped out and told her to go back to wherever she came from.”
“Charming.”
I nodded.
Paul sighed.
“I understand, man. I know you’re touchy about that spot.”
“Touchy?”
“You go there to be alone. You go there to think back on what happened.”
“Yeah. I shouldn’t have lost my cool, though. She must be certain I’m a psycho now.”
“Fair assumption.”
“Shut up,” I said.
I rose my hand to the bartender, ordering us two more beers.
“What was she doing at your spot anyway? You’re usually there at the crack of dawn.”
“I don’t know. Taking in the view, I guess.”
“I know this is a touchy subject,” Paul said, being careful not to upset me, “but you do realize she has absolutely no idea what happened to you down at that spot right? As far as she’s concerned, you were just one more surfer catching a few waves before breakfast.
”
He was right. I knew I’d overreacted at the café.
“Dude, you need to cut her some slack.”
I took a sip from my beer. I looked over the menu, unsure what to order. Truth be told, I wasn’t even reading the words. I was glancing to the side, watching Meadow and Sandra together.
They were laughing and talking like they’d been friends for years. I knew Sandra was a friendly waitress, but she’d clearly gone the extra mile this time. And the way Meadow laughed, it was infectious. It made me want to smile myself, and I was the guy who never smiled.
Paul started talking again, this time about something he’d heard on the news. I looked up like I was listening to whatever he was going on about, but I didn’t hear a word he said. My eyes were looking past him and were locked on Meadow.
There was something so different about her now. Sure, I’d thought she was attractive from the moment I saw her. I’d fantasized about bending her over the bar and teaching her some manners. But there was more to her now. She had confidence. She was glowing.
I was brought back to the present by Paul, hitting me on the arm.
“Hello. Earth to Kane. What are you going to order?”
I hadn’t even noticed the waitress standing there, waiting to take my order.
“I’ll get the bacon mushroom burger with fries.”
The waitress wrote down my order and left.
“Dude. Jason’s in the back today,” Paul said when she left. “He’s experimenting with a new brew. We should go back and see how it’s coming along.”
Paul was a beer enthusiast and loved working at the brewery. We got up to head back to the tanks.
We walked behind Meadow and Sandra. They were in their own world and I was sure they hadn’t noticed us. I was glad. After talking to Paul, I was feeling embarrassed about how I’d overreacted earlier.
I didn’t know what I’d say to her this time. I could apologize again, but now I didn’t trust myself not to say something stupid right after. There’s only so many times you can make an idiot of yourself in front of a girl before she writes you off as a clown.
We made our way through the restaurant to the back where the beer tanks were. Jason wasn’t around when we got there.
“Hey, Paul, you look for him. I’ll be right back.”
CHAPTER 21
MEADOW
“Hold that thought lady. If I don’t go to the bathroom now, I’ll be in big trouble when you make me laugh again.”
I got up, grabbed my purse and made my way to the ladies room. I smiled and laughed to myself as I walked there, replaying our ridiculous conversations in my mind. I was having the greatest time. I shook my head in disbelief when I thought about the complete one-eighty my day had taken.
I looked in the mirror to check my hair and makeup. Something was different. I looked different, and it wasn’t just my new Walmart top. It was my smile. Even my eyes were smiling. I hardly recognized myself. I looked like the old, happy Meadow. Meadow before she was ever cheated on. It was nice to see myself again.
I bent over and messed my hair to give it some volume. I touched up my red lipstick and added a coat of lipgloss to give it a sexy shine. I felt amazing. I felt happy. I unlocked the door and strutted out with confidence. I strutted out with so much confidence that I ran straight into a man passing by.
He was holding a beer and I knocked it out of his hand, spilling it all over his shirt and jeans.
“Oh no. I’m so sorry.”
He laughed. “Looks like the beer’s on me.”
I regained my footing and looked up to apologize again.
“Oh my God. It’s you.”
I froze like a deer in headlights.
Kane said nothing back. Our eyes locked.
He looked so sexy in his work clothes. His tank-top was covered in engine oil and his hair was slicked back with just a few curls falling in front of his face. He was looking at me like a predator about to pounce on its prey. My knees went weak from the look in his eyes.
“I … I thought you were banned from this place,” I said.
He gave me a smile that said he knew everything about me. He knew I was glad to see him. He knew my panties were getting wet just from looking at him.
He put his beer glass on the juke box and grabbed me by the wrists.
“Take your hands off me,” I stammered.
I was caught in his grip and I didn’t want to escape. He pushed me backwards, back through the ladies room door. He followed me in, kicked the door shut behind him, and pressed me against the wall.
“How dare you,” I gasped, and with that, he crushed his lips against mine. It was the most intense, most arousing kiss of my life. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him back. An electrical surge pulsed through my entire body.
When his tongue met mine, I thought I would melt. My legs felt weak but he was holding me up, pressing the entire weight of his muscular body against mine. I was pinned between him and the wall, and I can honestly say, there was no where on earth I’d have rather been.
He was an amazing kisser, his lips forcing mine open as his tongue entered my mouth. His kiss went from my mouth, down over my neck, and when he gently bit my ear, I squealed in surprise.
I’d never been so wet in my life. His bulge pressed against my groin and the image of his cock flashed before my eyes. His hands were still holding my wrists, pinning them against the wall, and he slid them down my arms and over my breasts, cupping each breast.
I reached behind him and clenched his perfect, muscular ass, as he toyed with my nipples through my shirt and bra.
“Oh my,” I gasped when he finally let me up for air.
I put his finger in front of my lips, telling me not to say anything.
I watched in silence as he reached for the door handle and locked it. This was it. I was alone with him now. No one could come in and rescue me. Not that I wanted to be rescued!
With his perfect, muscular arms, he lifted me from the ground and pinned me back against the wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms clung tightly around his neck. Our mouths never stopped touching. Our lips pressed together harder, parting as our tongues pushed to graze each other.
I gasped for air as his hand moved around to the back of my neck and pushed my hair to the side. He broke his lips from mine and began to kiss his way down my neck. I felt like I was floating, pinned as I was with my legs wrapped around him.
He kissed every inch of my neck. When his mouth passed by my ear, the feeling of his breath sent tingles down my body. My back arched, pressing my pussy tight against his groin.
I was so his. I was so ready for him.
If he wanted me, I’d let him take me. I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t even think.
I pressed my pelvis into him and leaned my head to the side, exposing more of my neck to him. I didn’t want him to stop.
And he didn’t.
His kisses turned to his tongue running up my neck. He moved to my earlobe, taking it in his mouth, sucking it as he pulled it away from me. The moment his teeth bit down, he reached a hand up under my shirt and grabbed my breast firmly. His grip tightened as he moved his tongue around the folds of my ear.
I let out a cry of pleasure then forced myself to silence as I remembered where we were.
I lifted my shoulder and gently pushed his head back up. I needed his mouth back on mine so his kiss would keep me quiet. Our tongues pressed into each other. He maneuvered both hands under my bra and slowly moved his thumbs against my already hard nipples. I reached to the back of his head and grabbed his messy blonde hair and pulled down.
The harder I pulled, the harder he pressed his dick against me. I could tell he was hard but I wanted to know how hard.
I kept pulling and he kept pressing. Oh, I wanted more.
I wanted to feel his dick in my hands. I unwrapped my legs from his body and placed my feet back on the ground, never breaking our kiss. I reached towards his crotch and just as my
hands grazed the outside of his jeans, he flipped me around so I was facing the wall. He grabbed my wrists with both hands and held them above my head.
Using his knee, he parted my legs and pressed it up hard between them.
I’d never felt so dominated, so under the control of a man.
My back arched and my ass moved back towards him. He let go with one hand and slid it down my arm, along my back and over my ass. He teased me by running his fingers along the upper edge of my pants. He then quickly reached down between my legs, then up around the front and held me firmly by the pussy.
I moaned seductively and he tightened his grip.
He reached around with both hands and undid the button on my pants and pulled them to the ground. While he was down there, he took both my ass cheeks in his hands, spread them apart, then pressed them together.
“I’ve wanted this ass from the moment I laid eyes on it,” he said as he moved his face towards my left cheek and bit down.
I cried out then threw my hand in front of my mouth to stifle the sound.
I was going crazy. Hearing him say that made me want him more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. It was so long since I felt wanted by a man. From the moment I saw Kane, I wanted him. I never dared imagine he wanted me too.
Before I was able to get lost in my mind, his fingers slide along my ass crack, then between the wet folds of my vagina.
I was soaking wet. I was dripping for him. There was no way I could hide it now. He knew I wanted him as badly as he wanted me.
He pulled my underwear aside and slid his wet fingers over every inch of me. He parted my lips and slid his fingers up and down, over and over again, but never went inside.
I was dying to feel him inside me.
His finger hovered at the entrance to my pussy and I pressed my ass down and back, inviting him inside.
He teased me. His finger circled the outside of my pussy lips before moving away. I was going crazy with lust.
“I want you inside me,” I said softly.
He stood up quickly, pressing his body against mine, and put his mouth to my ear.
“Say it again.”
“I want you inside me.”
“With my name.”
“I want you inside me, Kane,” I repeated and reached behind, grabbing for his dick.
Fire & Ice: A Ménage Fantasy Page 31
