"The Inevitability Of It All..."
EDITED BY:
Miriam Belle
CREATIVE CONSULTANT:
Simply_Cyn
Author's Note:
"When they have you by the balls, they really know how to squeeze..."
***
It was around one in the morning when I opened my eyes. At first, I was a little confused as I slowly focused on the strange room around me. I felt a brief moment of panic as I registered I was not in my own room. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I remembered where I was. Sheila was spooned behind me, her thighs tucked up behind mine as she caressed my shoulder. Her breath was hot and wonderful on the back of my neck. The combination of her exotic perfume and the scent of her hair made me feel so content as I smiled in the dim light of our room at the Freeling Hotel.
"You're cute when you sleep," she said into my ear.
"I thought I was cute all the time?" I said with a mock hurt.
"No," she kissed the back of neck, her body so soft against mine, "You're irresistible all the time."
"Now is no time to suck up," I said, never before having been so genuinely flattered. It was amazing and strange at the same time, being here with a woman who was not only the most attractive I had ever seen, and maybe the end all be all of lovers for me at the age of eighteen, but also the mother of my best friend.
Sheila was quiet for a moment. "It's wrong what we're doing, you know."
"All four times tonight?" I asked, "Should I have done the swirly thing with my tongue when I went down on you that last time?"
"No," she laughed, hugging me close, "I mean this...us... right now I feel like this is like being in bed with Dustin Hoffman."
"Which movie was that?" I smiled to myself, "Uh, 'Rain Man', right?"
"No," she grinned.
"Hook?"
"What?" she laughed again.
"Oh wait, I know this one. It's a classic," I said as I rubbed her thigh, "Marathon Man?"
"You're a geek."
"Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson," I said as I reached over to the nightstand and took a drink of water.
"Can you be serious for a minute?" she kissed my shoulder, "Please?"
"Absolutely," I smiled, although I didn't really want to see where this was going if she was going to start feeling guilty.
"Doug, I feel like I'm fucking you over."
"Well, you sort of are... four times tonight so far..."
She smiled despite herself. "You know what I mean. You're eighteen years old, and I'm old enough to be your mother. I'm forty-five. If anyone ever found out..."
"No one is going to find out," I reassured her, pulling her close to me as I turned to face her. She rested her head on my chest as we settled and got comfortable.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Do you think anyone here recognized us? Do you think anyone here even cares? We're an hour away from everyone and everything we know. I think we're safe."
There was a moment of silence between us.
"I just don't want you to regret any of this," she said softly, her vulnerability thick like a heavy smoke, encircling her.
"Sheila," I said, trying to pick just the right words, "This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. The only thing I regret is that it didn't happen sooner."
Sheila chuckled. "Any sooner, and it would've been considered an expression of pedophilia."
I felt her body shift against me, the heat of her leg draped across mine, the warm wetness of her crotch against my skin and the pressure of her large, perfect breasts. It was a feeling that years later I would look back on as being the first time I ever felt really secure. I felt safe with her, free of doubts or inhibitions about myself. Sheila made me feel confident and sexy, she made me feel like I was someone special and she did it all without even knowing she was doing it. It was like a second nature to her.
"Tom isn't coming back," she said bluntly, and I could feel her physically wince as she said his name, as if the words were razor blades tearing her throat apart as they left her mouth. "He packed up all his things and was gone by Wednesday evening. Elle took it really hard. She hasn't said a word to me since."
I frowned. "She hasn't said anything to me about it, either. You'd think being her best friend would count against keeping secrets."
Sheila looked at me slyly. "Do you tell Elle everything?"
"TouchΓ©."
"I don't know what to do," Sheila sighed, "Everything is falling apart."
"You can't look at it that way," I said as I ran my fingers through her silky, bronze hair, "Tom's a prick, and we all know it. He's been stepping out on you for awhile now, and he's tired of being sneaky about it."
"Sneaky?" she asked, "You know how many times I've found lipstick or perfume that's not mine on his shirts... and his underwear?"
"Shit, he wanted you to know."
"You think?"
"It's so obvious. He wants you to leave him, to get mad and walk out that way he doesn't have to initiate anything. Did he say he wanted a divorce before he left?"
"No."
"Well there you go. Then he can look like a victim..."
Sheila sighed. "I hate him, Doug. I hate him for what he's put me through. And he has the balls to accuse me of being the problem?"
"The guy's a fuck," I laughed as I squeezed her to me.
"A lousy fuck, in more ways than one."
"That's the spirit," I said, deciding to change the subject, "Now, its time for a exercise in self-esteem."
"Excuse me?" she looked at me.