Summertime Sins
Chapter 2: Reality Bites
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 3.5 | Chapter 4-1 | Chapter 4-2 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6
Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers
Wrapped in your arms
You've been hiding them in hollowed out pianos
Left in the dark
Apocalypse, Cigarettes After Sex
It was a ten minute walk from the bar - The Sands - to the Bayport fishing wharf. Jake Riley spent the whole time replaying Ben Wilson’s cavalier words over and over again in his head. That’s Sarah Silk…one of the most famous porn stars in the world…you had sex with…I know how she likes it. Jake soon found himself staring out over the glittering surface of the water, having absentmindedly threaded his way through the amateur fishermen and tourists crowding the pier. One of the town’s trademark salubrious breezes blew in off the river - offsetting the sweltering summer humidity, and stirring leaves on the many majestic live oaks that skirted the shoreline.
Jake felt the light touch of a delicate hand upon his shoulder. He let out a dispirited sigh.
“It hasn’t been an hour.”
Kate Bennett leaned next to him on the railing. The breeze ruffled her waist wrap, and Jake got a glimpse of her exquisitely long and shapely legs underneath.
“I know,” she acknowledged, “but I saw you leave The Sands in a hurry. I take it that ogling mouth breather told you?”
Jake nodded lethargically. “How long has this been going on?”
“A few years.”
“So…you were involved in porn” -the word stuck in Jake’s throat and he had to choke it out- “last summer…when we dated?”
Kate gave a perfunctory nod of her head, and Jake shook his in disbelief. His skull ached as his mind was overwhelmed with graphic, lurid scenarios.
“Is that what you were down here for? To seduce unsuspecting locals? Were you secretly filming me when we…?”
Kate threw her arms around Jake’s shoulders in a tender embrace. “Oh, it wasn’t like that at all! I came here because I was on the verge of having a breakdown. I needed to get away from my life. You have no idea how much our time together meant to me…how much you meant to me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“At first, I thought you knew, because - you know - you’re a guy, and you were doing it for bragging rights. When it became clear you had no idea who I was…what I was…I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth. You genuinely liked me…the real me…not the fake Sarah.”
“And your controlling boyfriend that you needed to get away from? Is he real, or just a sob story you made up to get sympathy?”
“He’s real - he’s here in town with me,” Kate whispered in a voice that was barely audible. Jake felt as if she’d kicked him squarely in the balls.
“Your boyfriend’s here?!” he hissed. “What if he sees us together?!”
“Doesn’t matter: He already knows about you.”
Jake cursed vehemently. “This just keeps getting better and better! Last summer, you were desperate to get away from him! Now, this summer, not only are you back together, but you’ve brought him with you! He knows you screwed another guy while you were here before, and he knows that other guy is me?!”
“He doesn’t care about that,” Kate laughed bitterly. “He watches me have sex with other men all the time. That doesn’t faze him, I promise you. What he does care about is that I obviously have strong feelings for you. If…when…you meet him, you can’t let him get to you. You-”
“There you are!” an annoyed voice interjected. “I’ve been all over this backwater slum looking for you.”
Kate abruptly withdrew her arms from around Jake, and they both turned towards the interloper. The man was almost a full head taller than Jake, with wavy auburn hair ruffled by the unceasing breeze. A goofy, easygoing smile was splayed across his face, but there was also a noticeable tension in the off-putting gaze. Without skipping a beat he extended a hand towards Jake.
“I’m Ethan Bailey. You must be the hospitable bartender I’ve heard so much about.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s me.” Jake reluctantly accepted the gesture. Ethan crushed his hand with passive aggressive animosity and gave him a hard stare. Jake stared back, calm and unflinching. The newcomer released his grip and slithered his hand around Kate’s waist - forcing her close to him.
“Well, I can’t thank you enough for taking such good care of my little lady. You must’ve made her feel right at home in such a strange place: After all, she just could not stop singing your praises!” Ethan laughed unctuously. Kate squirmed uncomfortably in his possessive grasp.
“It was my pleasure.” Jake winced internally as the words tumbled out. He had no idea what he was supposed to say in such an unorthodox situation. Ethan barked out a caustic chuckle.
“I’m sure it was. You must know as well as anyone that she likes to be shown a good time.” Kate continued to fidget in her boyfriend’s tightening grip. “Anyhow, I’m afraid I’m going to need her back for the time being. She did promise to show me the sights, after all.”
Ethan offered a terse nod, then led Kate away as she reluctantly acquiesced to his dominance. Before they disappeared into the crowd the overbearing escort looked over his shoulder and winked at Jake - a venomous smirk on his smug face.
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“Releasing his grip, the newcomer slithered his hand around Kate's waist and forced her close to him.”
That’s a great line, Josh. Perfectly summing up this newcomer and what he’s all about
Plus, the not being able to come up with a killer line when put in an awkward situation like that is something that’s happened to me many times and only afterwards you think of what you should have said. I’m sure Jake will get a chance to sort out this tool, Ethan in later chapters. Looking forward to seeing what comes next 👍🏼
The affable bartender shows considerably more restraint than I would. I would like to think that I'd send that gasbag flying into the lake.
I do feel sorry for Sarah/Kate. It's obvious that she wants out, but can't escape.