A Scandalous Affair

“Well, well, a woman for the millennium,” he chuckled. “Sounds great.”

“What if I pick you up about eight. That will give me enough time to finish up at the office and go home and change.”

“You don’t have to pick me up. I can meet you.”

“My treat, remember? That means transportation is included.”

“I was never one to turn down a good deal.”

Samantha looked at him from beneath her lashes, stuck the fork in her salad and slowly slipped a mouthful between her lips.

“You’ve changed, Samantha,” he said as if seeing her for the first time.

“I know,” she said softly.

Simone stared at the typed words in the book she was reading. All the lines seemed to merge together, not making any sense. Gibberish. She tossed it aside and gazed up at the bedroom ceiling. Her house was spotless. Her laundry was finished. She didn’t have to return to work until Monday and she didn’t have a damned thing to do in the meantime.

She crossed her legs at the ankle, then folded her hands across her stomach. She was edgy, too full of energy. Her mind was racing. Driving usually helped when she felt this way. The concentration it took to maneuver the roads, the relaxation that came from seeing the landscape spread out in front of her worked to knock the kinks out.

She popped up from the bed, put on her sneakers, grabbed her car keys and headed out.

After driving for a good hour, she took stock of her surroundings and was surprised to find herself on the road to the bed and breakfast that she’d shared with Chad. She kept going. That was then. This is now. A memory. A good time. That’s all it was. So why couldn’t she just file it away and forget it?

If only it was that easy.

Taking the next exit, she headed back. She needed to talk, get her feelings out, the ones she’d tried to pretend didn’t exist for the past four years. And the one person who understood her feelings, her fears and struggles was her sister, Samantha. Her eyes momentarily filled. She’d been so determined not to get caught up in that love trap thing that she’d probably ruined whatever chance there might have been. It had been a matter of priorities. Her career had been more important. She’d been a modern woman of the nineties. No strings. No commitments. So she’d never admitted to anyone, not even herself, how much that one night had meant to her.

And now, she’d gotten what she wished for—a relationship free of commitments and strings. And he was free as well. Free to be with her sister.

“Thanks for hanging with me this afternoon. It was great,” Samantha said as they stood together outside of Cisco’s. Her voice dropped a note. “I’m looking forward to Wednesday.”

“So am I.”

Samantha pulled in a breath. “Well, I guess I’ll see you.”

“Absolutely.”

“How long are you going to be staying at Mom and Dad’s?”

“I have to start apartment hunting as soon as possible. They keep insisting that I can stay as long as I want, but I can’t do that. I need to have my own space. Where I can work and think.”

“I know what you mean. As much as I love them, I love being on my own.”

Chad slid his hands into his pockets. “Are you really on your own?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you seeing anyone, living with someone, planning to?”

She smiled nervously. “No to all of the above.”

“By choice or circumstance?”

“A combination of both. I haven’t come across anyone that I want to be with—like that.”

“Hmm.”

“What about you? Is there a lady in waiting?”

“Not that I know of.”

Silence momentarily hung between them like a sheer veil until Chad brushed it aside. “Maybe if you have some time you can help me apartment hunt.”

Her heart raced. “Sure. Let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’ll do that.” Suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, not a big-brother kiss, but a man kissing a woman kind of kiss. A kiss promising intimacy to come. A kiss which set her entire body to tingling. He eased back. “Good seeing you, Sam. Get home safely.” He turned and headed for his rented car.

For several moments, Samantha stood there as if she’d been glued to the concrete, watching him move languidly down the street.

“It was good seeing you, too,” she whispered and opened the door to her car. She couldn’t wait to get home and call Simone.

Chapter 7

Simone tossed her keys and purse on the hall table and aimlessly headed for the kitchen. The drive had done little to unfurl the tight coils of her tense insides. Rather, it aggravated her condition.

She opened the fridge, searched through its contents and took out a glass bottle of fruit juice. What she really wanted was a cigarette. A quick, relaxing smoke. But she’d given them up about a year earlier after a severe bout of bronchitis.

Sitting at the kitchen table, she twisted the smooth glass bottle around in her hands, staring blankly into space, and finally her gaze landed on the flashing red light of her answering machine. Slowly, she got up and pressed Play.

“Hi, sis, it’s me. I have so much to tell you. Call me when you get in,” she said, and Simone could hear the high pitch of excitement in her sister’s voice.

Simone pressed Erase. She stared at the phone, debating. A part of her wanted to hear the details and share her sister’s excitement. Another part of her dreaded what Samantha might say. Did he kiss her, touch her in that gentle way of his? Did he laugh at her corny jokes and did his eyes crinkle at the edges when he did?

She tugged in a breath. The truth was, she didn’t want to know, but she had to.

Simone defiantly snatched up the phone and dialed Samantha’s number.

“Hello…”

The voice sounded breathless. Simone flinched. Was Chad there? Were they…?

“Hey, sis, sounds like you were running.”

“Whew, sorry about that. I was outside when I heard the phone. I was hoping it was you.”

“This is your lucky day.”

Samantha chuckled, missing the sarcasm. She pranced into the kitchen and skulked around in the fridge for her container of vanilla soy milk. “Guess what?” she asked, following a long swallow of the creamy liquid.