Unfaithful (2 page)

"I love you, now and forever," he'd written, "I wish I was with you. xxx"

She sighed, suddenly filled with a deep, aching longing for him. She loved how commanding he was in bed. He could be rough with her, at times and then other times he would be achingly soft and gentle. When they were together he made her feel like she was the only woman in the world; the way he looked into her eyes, stroked her body and devoured her. She loved how much he wanted her, how good she knew her body made him feel. He made her skin tingle and her heart soar, like no other man had ever done before.

She loved it when he pushed her down on the bed and roughly pulled her clothes off, often ripping her panties in his desperation to push himself deep inside her. He was always so rock-hard for her. Sometimes he hurt her at first when he penetrated her, but she enjoyed the pain, relished it even. His hardness filled her completely. He rode her powerfully, pushing her legs wide open and holding them apart as he shoved his cock all the way up inside her. Then he would start gyrating his hips and she would grab his tight buttocks.

He loved how quickly she came for him, drenching his cock in her hot, wet juices. Her orgasms were so intense with him, they would build and build until she could hold back no longer and wave after wave of pleasure would wash over her, making her buck and shudder beneath him.  They would often stay awake all night, making love. She loved to wake up with him on top of her, already inside her. When they made love, she felt like they truly were one. She loved the all-consuming feeling of losing herself in him.

Shona had never felt this way about any man. She felt like she belonged with him but lately she was beginning to wonder if he felt the same way about her. She hated doubting him, but she couldn't understand why he hadn't made any attempt to tell his wife about what was going on between them.

He needs time
, she tried to reassure herself
. A few more weeks apart doesn’t matter when we have the rest of our lives to spend together.

Chapter 2

Shona decided to treat herself to a Chinese takeaway and a bottle of red wine.
If nobody else will cheer me up, then I'll have to cheer myself up,
she decided as she parked her car outside the restaurant. She pulled her hood up to protect herself from the sudden downpour of rain and ran inside to the warmth and shelter of the restaurant.

Suki, the restaurant manager, greeted her with a big, friendly smile and told her that her order would be a few minutes. Shona sat down to wait for her food. The tantalising aromas made her stomach growl. The restaurant was fairly quiet; it was Sunday night and most people were probably getting ready for work the next day. She glanced idly around the restaurant and couldn't believe when she saw Mark, her Mark, sitting at a table with another woman! The blood drained from her face.

Why was Mark sitting in a Chinese restaurant on Sunday evening, when he'd told her only that very morning that he had to spend time with his wife and son at home?
There was no sign of a son anywhere and the woman looked nothing like his wife. Shona had seen photos of Rebecca on Mark's phone. She was a pleasantly attractive woman but this woman made Rebecca seem positively plain.

The woman sitting with Mark, her Mark, looked like a model, a very striking model. She had waist-length, thick dark hair that flowed around her shoulders. She had a delicate profile and was dressed in a very short, tight red dress. Her impossibly long, lean legs were encased in knee-high boots and her tanned, toned thighs were exposed under the table. Shona found herself wondering vaguely what brand of fake tan she used.

Mark and his companion were lost in conversation. They didn't even notice Shona staring at them. She observed them in shocked silence for a few more minutes, trying to hide her face behind a menu. It all looked very romantic; a table for two, in a corner by the window, a candle lit in the middle, both of them smiling into each other’s faces. They looked completely absorbed in each other.

Suddenly, the woman leaned across the table and kissed Mark full on the lips. He did nothing to stop her and in fact, he seemed to be kissing her back! Shona couldn't look away. She stared in horror at the romantic little scene that was unfolding in front of her.

"Chicken curry with fried rice," Suki reappeared, holding a brown bag which contained Shona's pathetic looking dinner for one.

"Sorry?" Shona glanced at Suki distractedly. She'd completely forgotten why she was sitting in the restaurant.

"Your order, miss," Suki repeated kindly. “Is everything ok?" She looked concerned.

Shona rearranged her face and smiled back at Suki. "Oh, yes, of course," she managed to smile stiffly. “Everything's fine, thank you. I'm just lost in my own thoughts." She stood up quickly and took her dinner from the restaurant manager.

"Have a good evening," Suki smiled as Shona stumbled back outside in the rain.

Shona made her way back to her car as if in a trance. She fumbled for her keys and put them, robot-like, into the ignition. Then she drove mechanically to her flat. Her mind was racing, but she felt oddly disconnected from the whole incident. It was like she was watching a film of someone else's life or that she was having some sort of a peculiar out of body experience.

What just happened?
She asked herself incredulously, as she carefully spooned the chicken curry and rice on to her plate, back in her flat. She poured herself a large glass of red wine and sat at the kitchen table eating her dinner and drinking her wine robotically. When she had finished eating she rinsed the dishes and placed them carefully in the dishwasher, which had been a present from Mark.

She heard a loud wailing sound and it took her some minutes to realise that the noise was actually coming from her. She sank to the floor, feeling as if someone had suddenly punched her full force in the stomach. It was becoming difficult to breathe and her heart was pounding loudly in her chest.

How could he do this to me?
She wailed aloud
. He promised me we'd be together soon. He told me he loved me and that he wanted to marry me and have babies with me. He said we'd be together forever and that he's never met anyone like me.  I was the love of his life. He lied. It was all lies
.

Shona sat on the cold, tiled kitchen floor, replaying the romantic scene she'd witnessed in the Chinese restaurant earlier
. Maybe she's a client or a relation or just an overtly familiar acquaintance,
she mused, desperately trying to reason away what she had seen.
I have to calm down
and
t
ext him and ask him to meet. Then I can ask him to explain what he was doing with that woman. I'm probably reading too much into it. Everything will be fine
. She struggled to her feet and went in search of her mobile phone.

Shona rang Mark's mobile, not caring that she was breaking his number one rule to text him before calling, just in case Rebecca was around. There was no answer. His phone went straight to voicemail and she managed to stutter a brief message before hanging up. Then she decided to text him anyway. She made herself a cup of tea, counting every minute, hoping he would either text or call her soon. Minutes turned into an hour and there was still no response from Mark.

I think I’ll have a bath
, she eventually decided, bored of waiting and drained from her emotional turmoil. She poured the luxuriously expensive bath oil that her sister had given her for her birthday under the tap. The scent of lavender helped to calm her rattled nerves and aching bones. The warm water eased the tension in her body and slowly began to soothe her addled mind. She sipped another glass of her red wine and reassured herself that what she had seen in the restaurant earlier was a simple misunderstanding.
Mark loves me, I know he does
, she convinced herself.

The sudden ringing of her front doorbell made her jump from her doze.
Who's that calling so late?
She wondered
. I'm not expecting anyone at this hour
. She decided to ignore the bell, but whoever was outside persisted.
Oh for heavens' sake
! She hauled herself out of the comforting bath and wrapped herself in her towelling bathrobe.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" she shouted irritably.

She squinted through the peep-hole and was amazed to see Mark standing outside her door. Her heart started to pound in her chest. She briefly contemplated not opening the door, but the bell-ringing was incessant.

"Shona, baby, let me in, I know you're in there."

She slowly and not a little reluctantly opened the door.

"Hi, gorgeous.” He closed the door behind him, pulling Shona to him. "You smell divine."

He slipped his hand inside her bathrobe and grabbed her buttocks. He started kissing her neck, both hands inside her bathrobe now, fondling her breasts, caressing her warm skin. His mouth was on hers, kissing her lips urgently.

"Mark, please stop!" she pushed him away, tightening her bathrobe around her waist and disentangling herself from his embrace.

"Darling, I want you.” He took her hand in his.

"No, Mark, stop it," Shona insisted, pulling her hand away sharply.

"What is it, baby?" he asked, looking concerned.

"Nothing, I just don't feel very well," she lied, making her way into the kitchen.

He followed her and stood behind her while she kept her back to him, trying to compose her face. He wrapped his strong arms around her as she filled the kettle with water. She let herself sink into his chest for a moment. The heat from his body so close to hers was intoxicating and she could smell the strong musky scent of the aftershave he always wore. He buried his face in her tangle of damp curls and inhaled the sweet lavender of her bath oil. Then he slowly slipped his hands inside her bathrobe and cupped her breasts.

She moaned in spite of herself. Her nipples hardened under his expert touch. He knew she wanted him. She wanted him too, but she was desperate to resist him. She turned to face him and he bent to kiss her, all the while his hands moving further down her body, between her legs. She was soaking wet for him. He could feel himself growing harder. He pressed against her and continued playing with her and teasing her. She could feel the pleasure building inside her, in spite of herself. It was all she could do to restrain herself from devouring him.

Suddenly, she pulled away. There were tears running down her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, in shock.

"I saw you in the restaurant tonight Mark," Shona accused him, her eyes red. "Who is she?"

Mark hesitated for a moment before replying. "Her name is Penelope. She’s a model I've been photographing for her portfolio. She insisted on taking me out to dinner as a thank you for all my work."

Not strictly true,
Mark thought, looking into Shona's eyes, hoping she believed him. He really wasn't in the mood for female melodramatics tonight. He'd only come to see Shona for a quick shag, not this jealous hysteria.

"Why did you kiss her?" she asked, her tears beginning to subside.

He rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache starting. "If you were spying correctly, Shona, you would have seen that it was she who kissed me."

"Don't speak to me in that condescending tone of voice!" Shona snapped.

"Darling, I love you, nobody else," Mark lied, his voice softening. He held out his hand to her. "Please, can we go to bed?"

"No, Mark, I think you should go home to your wife," Shona snapped, brushing past him down the hall and opening the front door wide. He looked at her in stunned silence for a few seconds. Then he sighed and stormed off, slamming the front door behind him.

Chapter 3

Penelope Garrett surveyed her almost flawless complexion in the hand-held mirror which was her constant companion and smiled smugly at her beautiful reflection.

"Perfection," she sighed.

"Almost perfect," Brianna Moynihan muttered.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" Penelope asked incredulously, her voice reaching a dangerously high pitch.

"Almost perfect," Brianna repeated, deliberately enunciating every syllable.

"I hope you're not referring to me," Penelope looked at her best friend contemptuously. "Actually, I am referring to you.”  Brianna continued to flick nonchalantly through her magazine, much to Penelope's extreme irritation.

"What exactly are you referring to?" Penelope asked.

"Oh, just forget it, Pen," Brianna groaned.

"No, I won't forget it, you’d better tell me what you mean by that remark, and tell me quickly." "Fine," Brianna threw her magazine on to the coffee table and turned to look at her friend.

"You are obviously absolutely stunning, with your perfect figure and endless legs, but sometimes you look hollow, like there's not much going on inside your head or your heart."

"I'm a model," Penelope huffed in exasperation, "that's how we are supposed to look."