Summertime Sins
Chapter 6: Doldrums
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 3.5 | Chapter 4-1 | Chapter 4-2 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her Roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt
Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Smiths
Jake sat on the prow of Mira Bella, the sailboat he called home during his summers in Bayport. He fidgeted idly with the inert and listless fishing line he’d cast into the river in a vain attempt to distract himself from his dramatic morning blowout with Kate. Jake had spent most of his life allowing his mouth to get the better of him: by and large, he was almost always too honest for his own good. Still, even he was astonished-not to mention flustered-with himself for his blithe and casual cruelty towards the woman he claimed to love.
Jake heard bare feet treading along Mira Bella’s deck behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. She couldn’t have shown up at a worse time.
“Rough morning?” Emily Whitmer’s sultry, throaty voice drifted into his ears. Jake winced internally, ashamed that all he could think about was how much more he preferred Kate’s airy and melodious tenor.
“You could say that.”
“Anything I can…do to help make it better?” The air hung thick and heavy between them with the implication in the rather pointed question. As much as Jake had enjoyed her affections thus far this summer, he now felt himself recoil involuntarily at the thought of prolonging their frequent rendezvous. Without waiting for Jake to answer, she arrayed herself seductively behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands roving provocatively to his belt.
Vexed at the liberties being taken with his person, Jake set his fishing rod into the holder bolted onto Mira Bella’s bow and firmly grabbed ahold of Emily’s wayward limbs. “Not today, Emily. I’m not in the mood.”
She expelled an incredulous laugh as he swiveled to face her. “Jake Riley not in the mood to get laid? Since when?”
Jake studied the woman sitting across from him as he searched his subconscious for a suitable answer. Emily Whitmer could not have been more different from Kate Bennett.
Her face was rounded, whereas Kate’s was angular and elegant. Emily’s body was curvy and voluptuous in all the right places: Kate was slim and seductively graceful. Emily’s dark hair hung in thick, coppery tresses. Kate had soft and shimmering blonde locks that fell well past her shoulders.
“See anything you like, sailor boy?” Emily quipped flirtatiously, with just a hint of impatience underneath. She leaned forward to emphasize the already ample cleavage spilling out of her low cut top.
“Listen, Emily-”
“I don’t suppose your reluctance to accept my generous offer would have anything to do with the incident at The Sands last night, would it?”
“How do you know about that?” Her question caught Jake off guard.
“I was there, bonehead.”
“You were?! I didn’t see you.”
“That’s because you never seem to pay attention to me until you’re ready to take my clothes off,” Emily chided with mild exasperation. “Besides, you were too busy mooning over what’s her name: Sarah Silk.”
“Damn!” Jake swore in astonishment. “Even you know who she is?”
“Of course I know. She’s kind of famous.”
“Yeah, but she’s a...”
“Porn star? So? You don’t think women can have fantasies too?”
“I’ll tell you one thing: I don’t think I’ve ever known a woman who watches porn.”
“Well, you’ve definitely known at least one for a little while now,” Emily retorted sardonically. “Besides, what does it matter what I know about Sarah Silk? You wanna have sex with her? Big deal, so does every other guy on the planet. Good luck with that.”
Jake cleared his throat apprehensively. “Yeah…about that: I’ve actually known her for about a year. In fact, I had breakfast with her this morning.”
It was her turn to be taken by surprise. “You can’t be serious! You know her?!”
“I mean, I know her by her real name. I had no idea about the rest of it. At least, not until a couple of days ago.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Emily snorted. Jake scowled. His female companion’s smirk morphed into incredulity. “Oh wow, you really didn’t know you were palling around with a well known porn star, did you?”
“Why would I lie?”
She shrugged. “Some guys are ashamed to admit they like that stuff, even in this day and age.”
“Well, I’m no boy scout, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I…indulged.”
“So…how well do you know her?” Emily’s question was tentative, her tenor uncertain; as if she didn’t really want him to answer. The look in Jake’s eyes told her everything. “Ah, I see.”
“Hey, you asked.”
“You’re having an existential crisis simply because I happen to know Sarah Silk exists. Meanwhile, I just found out the guy I’ve been readily jumping into bed with for the better part of a month has actually slept with her!”
“In my defense, it was last summer, and I never expected to see her again,” Jake protested. Emily shot him a withering gaze. In spite of her contemptuous demeanor, Jake couldn’t help but be slightly smitten with Emily’s natural eroticism.
“Glad to know I was just your backup plan. That makes me feel so much better.”
Jake sighed a doleful sigh, and the two of them sat in fraught quietude as Mira Bella rhythmically swayed underneath on the river’s steady current; a salubrious breeze stirring Emily’s chestnut curls. Their fraternizing was supposed to be nothing serious. They were supposed to be two consenting adults just having fun.
Now, Jake realized with increasing melancholy that he’d dashed the ardent hopes of two women in one day.
Afterword: To enhance the impact of this story, listen to the song below after you read.
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You know summer's almost over, Josh. I'm liking this, even if I have to wait.
Well, after that Josh, I don't have much of a choice other than heading back to chapter one to start at the beginning. I'm late to the party as usual. How did I miss this? - Jim