Interlude by Josie Daleiden Read Free Book Online

him being a
cheapskate. He would sell off his life for her! He would mortgage
his very soul to provide her with whatever small thing her heart
desired. He had already made himself look like an ass to his
freelance employer to make the money for this trip, but he got the
sensation that Barry had respected him for it. Had Karen not sprung
for half the room, he would have destroyed two other credit cards
making this happen. It didn't matter though. He reflected on
Karen’s power over him. His normally melancholy ways evaporated
around her. Just their prodigious texting and IM'ing made Cal
stronger and more confident. Being with her in the flesh was like
Popeye eating a can of spinach! He has lunched with a gaggle of
millionaires like it was something he did every week. Karen's hand
entwined in his as they made small talk with the club's other
members. They were the ideal couple to these folks. “If only,” Cal
thought to himself on the deck of their suite...
    “Penny for your thoughts?” Karen said.
Sipping wine at their bistro table, they gazed at each other in the
remaining light.
    “I was thinking about the spell you have over
me. It's like I'm a different person when I'm with you. You make me
do and say things that I never would under normal circumstances.
I....,I feel so complete.” His explanation turning into a sort of
internal dialogue as Karen watched him with her big, green eyes.
Her eyes held a sort of tension that Cal couldn't describe. He was
worried that he was saying too much. His private hell of a marriage
made emotional connection about a rare as water in the desert.
Flushed with this cool shower of human connection, he was now
worried that he was scaring Karen off by being all deep and clingy.
He was relieved when she finally spoke.
    “Wow. I'm glad it wasn't just me who felt
it!” She said, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand
reassuringly.
    “I didn't wanna chase you off by looking like
a totally love sick teen.” Cal said to her, his hand playing with
hers on the glass table top.
    “Cal, how many messages have we exchanged? I
know you better than I know myself! Just because our relationship
started online doesn’t mean it's any less valid.” Her words were a
welcoming reassurance to him as they went inside to get out of the
building wind coming from the coast.
    They both curled up in the plush bed as they
listened to the wind push against the large windows. Their nude
bodies warming one another as their hands playfully explored under
the covers. Karen sat up straight as her phone emitted a quick
beeping tone.
    “Ugh. Are you kidding me?!” she said as she
groped for the phone on the side table.
    “Hi Soren, I hope this is really important.”
She said. The last part a whispered hiss as she got up to look
through her purse. “Yes, I have the code. No, you don't need it for
the transaction, but... NO! Shit, uh, fine I'll take care of it! I
SAID I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT!” she growled, clicking her phone off and
slumping down at the foot of the bed. Cal crawled over to rub her
shoulders as she gave him the bad news.
    “It looks like I have to cut this short.” She
said apologetically.
    Cal was crushed!” Oh babe, that sucks!” He
said. He didn't want this to end so soon!
    “I have a big, uh, contract that my coworker
was supposed to handle. Things got weird and now I have to fly out
tomorrow afternoon to take care of it. UGH!” She said, slamming her
clenched fists down on the bed. The lofty comforter dampened the
blows.
    She paused; Cal could see her regain control
as she turned around to face him, naked on her hands and knees.
Without speaking, she lunged at him like a cat. He was pushed back
and pinned to the bed before he knew what hit him. She had managed
to land on his chest, her inner thighs pressed against his sides as
she held his hands down above his head. He was amazed at how fast
she did this!
    “Where did you learn how to do that?” He
asked, admiring his newly