Distractions by Natasha Walker Read Free Book Online

in his questioning, he’d only nudge her softly. For, though a temptation, the truth was not wholly welcome.
    He brooded now over the possibility that she might have a few lovers. Not just one, but three. That was balanced, too. Four satellites orbiting around a celestial beauty. His house might have a revolving door and his wife might be fucking half the neighbourhood behind his back. He ran through his friends, business associates … A week of this kind of thinking can send a man mad.

    The moment David entered the beach house Sally greeted him warmly and informed him that Emma was upstairs taking a shower. He glanced at the room, not yet registering his surroundings as he was still partly lost to the mechanics of the drive, and the thoughts he had been turning over in his head. Sally spoke of the light traffic, as Mark had had a good run, so David informed her of his frustrating crawl north.
    He felt tired now and registered the dead weight of his overnight bag on his shoulder. Sally had been quick to assess his mood by the way he dumped the bag by the stairs, and sighed, and she had immediately stepped to the fridge. He looked up the dark stairway, shrugged his shoulders and decided to stay where he was. When he turned back to Sally he took the beer she was offering him and noticed how beautiful she seemed in such a simple dress. He also noticed that her feet were bare, clean and tanned. They represented the week his wife had been enjoying.
    ‘Have either of you gone swimming in the ocean?’ he asked, his attention having been turned inside-out by her feet. Sally described her swim and the temperature, neglecting to tell him it had been a skinny dip, and assured him that they’d allgo swimming together tomorrow while drawing him over to the dining table.
    She had put out cheese, dips and crackers and had arranged the room the best she could in the limited time she had, having lingered so long at the mall. She had turned on a few of the lamps and switched off the overhead lights. The dining table was aglow with candles.
    David looked around the room, answering Sally’s gentle questions and, warming to the interest she was paying him, told her of the sort of week he’d had. He complimented Sally on the house and she led him out onto the balcony.
    The night sky seemed to have dropped upon their heads. A change in the direction of the wind had cleared the air of the salty mist that often obscured the bright brilliance of the stars in a deep black sky. If they had dared they might have reached out their hands and tickled one. The sound of the surf and the invigorating scent of ocean, coupled with Sally’s warm and interested presence, relaxed David. He had been anxious about seeing Emma, but Sally’s easy manner was an uncomplicated assurance that all was well. He felt certain now that Emma would welcome him, that she had missed him as much as he hadmissed her. He suddenly felt the urge to pay Sally a compliment, and he told her frankly just how lovely she looked and that he hadn’t ever seen her so relaxed and happy.
    ‘You’re a remarkably beautiful woman,’ he added, spontaneously. He looked directly at her and felt better for having done so.
    She nodded an acknowledgment.
    For both parties this declaration was totally unexpected. His words certainly took Sally by surprise, for although she was often complimented she rarely felt a compliment to be sincere, more likely one applied generally to blondes. David was sincere and she was delighted. His words too, she was quick to note, were blissfully free of ulterior motives. The outcome being, none of her natural alarm bells rang. She could see that he had only just realised she was beautiful. He had seen her for the first time, as it were, which she felt was both awful and lovely at the same time.
    The silence which followed his words and her acknowledgement of them quickly turned to embarrassment. They both hurried back inside as each had suddenly decided to run