The Penance of Black Betty by Kelli Maine Read Free Book Online

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                  When the plane landed in the familiar airport near Cancun, there was a car waiting for them. They drove the short distance to the ferry and arrived in Cozumel shortly after six PM.
                  Alistair had made sure to rent the same cabana they’d stayed in the time before, hoping to jog a memory in Bethany’s mind. He watched her wander around the place, peering at photographs of bright fish on the walls and running her fingers along the furniture.
                  So far—nothing. He couldn’t help the disappointment that sank into his bones. He knew enough not to expect her to walk in the cabana and have an epiphany, everything flooding back at once, but he hoped there would be a tiny spark. Something.
                  “Let’s put our bathing suits on and go out on the beach,” he suggested. “We can get a swim in and some sun before dinner.”
                  Her wide eyes wandered back to him and she nodded. “Okay.”
                  Hell, she looked so scared. I guessed he couldn’t blame her. She didn’t know him, and was in a foreign country. It was too much. He should’ve taken her home. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This has to be overwhelming. I didn’t think--”
                  “No,” she said. “It’s fine. It’s great.” She smiled and it seemed genuine enough.
                  He leaned on the back of a chair. “Please, tell me if you want to leave. We’ll go. I won’t be upset.”
                  “I don’t want to go. I’ll tell you if I do.”
                  “Promise?”
                  “I promise.”
                  It was so weird practically begging Bethany to tell him what she wanted. Bethany—Black Betty—always made her intentions crystal clear. It was becoming obvious that neither of them knew the other. At least he still had the advantage of remembering who she was.
                  Or was that a disadvantage since he expected her to morph into that woman when she recovered? If she recovered. What if Black Betty was gone for good? Would he love this meek, mild, dainty version of her as much?
                  He couldn’t think of what if’s right now. It was too soon. They just had to get through today, then another day and another. One at a time.
                   
     
                   
     
                   
     
                  ELEVEN
     
                   
                  Waves rushed up Bethany’s calves. Sand and water churned around her feet. The sun beat down on her pale, bruised skin. The last time she remembered being at the ocean was right after her first divorce with her best friend at the time. She was only nineteen, had been married for six months to a guy she’d met in high school who fucked every woman who’d let him fuck her. The friend said she’d just met the man of her dreams. He was older and had a bedroom full of sex toys.
                  Bethany’s friend brought her into the lifestyle and introduced her to Trent.
                  Alistair picked up a shell and rinsed it off in the surf. He was so different from all the guys she remembered being with. Not that there were many, only high school guys before Trent. It seemed like Alistair only wanted to be with her, without motives, without the power struggle—not that she ever struggled much.
                  It was confusing. She didn’t understand normal relationships. What binds you together if nobody has control over the other? If you’re both free to do what you want? Love? Does she… did she love Alistair Ingram? How would she know?
                  When she looked at Alistair there was a warm rush in her chest, sometimes a tingling between her thighs. Her body seemed to