He bends me over the kitchen worktop, my bare ass sticking up into the air as he spanks it as many times as he likes. It never gets old. The exciting tingle follows me around all day, putting a stride in my step at work. It’s temporary, so the rush of adrenaline soon fizzles out. But that doesn’t matter. All I have to do is wait until nighttime rolls around, and I’m filled with another shot of dopamine.
Now, reaching the end of the week, I’m starting to crave the Rourke drug more than once a day. I work, serve coffee, and do the usual day-to-day stuff I normally do. But Caleb is always there in spirit.
Regulars at Bean There ask me how I’m doing with everything. As soon as someone mentions Caleb, I go beet red. They speculate about us being an item, and I deny every accusation with an embarrassing stutter that’s definitely not convincinganybody. The busted lip isn’t helping my case either, and only adds to the evidence these people are compiling about me and him being something.
But I have no control over my body when his name is brought up in conversation. My heart always jumps, my pulse thickening. All I want to do is talk about him, but my throat closes up every time someone asks me a question.
I sweep the coffee shop floor before closing, low on the adrenaline that only Caleb can give me. He’s not at work today and has chosen to spend the day with the kids.
The bell rings, signaling movement at the door. I glance up and see perfect Grace waltzing in, wearing a matching activewear set that makes her body even more snatched than normal.
“How are things with you?” she asks while I serve her at the counter. “I heard some rather strange…noises coming through my window a couple nights ago. Don’t tell me you’re on a mission to steal my man?” She winks.
“Caleb isn’t my man,” I feel the need to say.
“I didn’t think so. But you’re having sex with him, right?”
Other employees, Jess included, spin around to eavesdrop.
“Yes,” I stutter. “But mindless sex is all it is.”
“Mindless sex is always best until feelings get in the way.” She grimaces. “Did you know that in the five years I’ve been back out on playing the field, I haven’t gone home empty-handed once? Caleb moved into town and rejected me. He’s the only one who has. I thought that maybe he just likes to keep to himself. But then you enter the scene…”
I debate telling Grace about my history with Caleb, but that would just open a can of worms, and I don’t have the energy to explain.
I serve her coffee and return to sweeping the floor, letting my mind wander as I think about the position Caleb and I will end up in tonight.
“You seen that car before?” Jess approaches me, staring hard through the window.
I already know she’s referring to the Chevy, without me even needing to check. The two of us have been distant this week after I told her the truth about the fire.
“Yeah. It’s just my loss assessor going above and beyond, trying to find proof of what I did.”
“Typical,” huffs Jess. She takes the broom from my hands and looks down at my ankle. “I take it you’re not in the position to do much with that thing?”
“Apart from hobble around the coffee shop and drop the kids off at school, not much.”
Jess nods, and then takes off outside toward the Chevy.
I dart after her. “What are you doing?”
“This is above his pay grade,” Jess shouts. “The fucker has no right to be following you around like this.”
“Leave it!”
But Jess is already flying through the door, heading outside to face James Taylor or his mystery associate head-on.
“I’ll call the cops!” I plead through the opened door. “Jess?”
Ignored—of course.
But before she can get to the car, the engine starts. The driver, whoever the crazy son of a bitch is, backs up in the parking lot and takes a screeching turn out onto the road. I watch the car speed away, and plumes of smoke fill the street in its wake.
Jess turns back to me, sticking up her hands in defeat.
The man should be more careful. Speeding three times the limit in a built-up area is a serious offence that the cops will definitely be hearing about.
“Does Caleb know about this?” Jess asks me.
