A Forbidden Storm Read online

  Table of Contents

  Ch1

  Ch2

  Ch3

  Ch4

  Ch5

  Ch6

  Ch7

  Ch8

  Ch9

  Ch10

  Epilog

  A Forbidden Storm

  Copyright © 2013 J. Larsen

  All Rights Reserved

  Ch1

  Jessica Loftin’s father had promised to help her move into her new house as had Jess’s two brothers, but each found a flimsy excuse. Jessica's sister claimed that her dog had gotten very sick and could not be left alone. A dog? Jess’s sister had never owned a dog.

  Her brothers were younger, 19 and 17. Dean was likely nursing a hangover, if Jessica had to guess, and Raymond had probably spent the entire night gaming online. She held out hope that they would show up later in the day, but the boys were anything but early risers. Jessica suspected that they might stop by just long enough to mooch some pizza in the late afternoon. She should have known that the promise of pizza and soda wouldn't have been enough to get them out of bed at a reasonable hour.

  Thanks to Joel's new computer job, he and Jessica were moving into a place of their own. Jessica's freshly-minted husband (of six weeks) was considerate and caring and would be a fantastic husband by any measure. Joel wasn't, however, the first guy one would think about if one needed furniture moved. The bookish man was anything but athletic. Today was not his moment to shine and he looked exhausted and beaten-down by the physical labor.

  Jessica counted the steps to the second floor. It was a mental tic of hers; always counting. Jess was comforted by numbers, it eased her stress. Today she counted twenty-four steps. Twenty-four steep and narrow calf-burning steps. Jess regretted not buying that single-floor ranch house instead. Just how many times would she have to climb these infernal things today?

  As she hauled box after never ending box, the blonde grumped to herself and occasionally to Joel. Between the two of them they lugged the pieces of their bedroom set up the stairs to the master bedroom, all the while hoping that one of Jess’s brothers would decide to show up to help. That didn't seem likely. Jessica's body was aching and her mood turned more and more sour.

  Joel tried to keep his new wife's mood from descending into full bitch mode. Normally Jessica was a jovial person, but even her hubby's corny jokes weren’t going to make this job any less unpleasant. She felt stinky and sweaty and tired and annoyed. The young blonde was pretty and shapely, but today she felt chubby and dumpy. Joel loved her large breasts and wide hips, but rubenesque is not the right body-type for a furniture mover. Jessica scolded herself for not getting in better shape. She had lost a lot of weight since high school, but she often still though of herself as the fat girl. Jess knew she could stand to lose more weight. Maybe moving furniture wouldn't be a torture sent straight from the depth of hell if she were more fit.

  Two hours into the task Joel and Jess sat on the kitchen floor sharing a warm bottle of Gatorade. Jessica mentally calculated the percentage of the job that they had completed. She had counted every piece of furniture and box, of course. They had made thirty nine trips and there were fifty two remaining with the heaviest pieces still to come. The daunting task would be followed by hours of arranging and setting up furniture. Jessica was tired already.

  The pretty two-story home was couple's first place together and Jessica had been excited about moving day for months. She thought it would be romantic to have a place to share with her husband and she imagined christening their first night in house with an amorous encounter. It seemed more likely that she was destined to be sore and achy for the foreseeable future. Sex would have to wait until she could walk again. Next year perhaps?

  The front door opened suddenly, and Jessica looked up with a start. "Hey neighbors, where do you want it?" A woman Jessica had never seen before hefted one side of the Loftin's washing machine while a tall broad-shouldered man gripped the opposite side. After backing into the foyer, the woman smiled at the exhausted couple sitting cross-legged on the tile floor. "The laundry room, right? Is it that way?"

  The woman raised her eyebrows waiting for Jessica to reply. The look on her face seemed to say "Hey, this thing isn’t getting any lighter." Jess struggled to her feet. She was still surprised by the unexpected interruption, but managed to point the way to the laundry room where the couple deposited the large appliance. Wow, thought Jessica, these two know how to make an entrance.

  "Welcome to the neighborhood." The middle-aged man grinned at the young couple in the kitchen. "What's next?" The stranger looked straight at Jessica as he smiled; presumably amused by her bewildered look, but he didn't wait for an answer. Instead he followed his wife as she headed back outside.

  Jessica was at a loss for words. That was one good-looking man! He wore a dark t-shirt which clung to his v-shaped torso in all the right places. Jessica guessed that the brown-haired hunk was perhaps ten years older than she was -probably in his early thirties. His hair was cut short and his face was clean shaven but rugged. The man's dark brown eyes were striking and he grinned knowingly when he caught Jessica staring. He had thick forearms and a broad chest and Jessica had little doubt that he spent many hours sweating at the gym. He has a movie star smile, thought Jessica, and her spine tingled as she watched his behind under the beat-up denim when he turned and exited the house. Jessica cooed to herself in admiration.

  "Are you okay, Hun?" It was Joel. She had forgotten he was sitting three feet away.

  "Oh yeah, Babe. Um, just surprised, that's all. Surprised and a little-bit exhausted." She smiled at her husband reassuringly.

  Jessica tried to keep from staring as the couple re-entered the house with the dishwasher between them. The woman was an attractive brunette was about 30-years old. She was slim and athletic looking in her tank-top and shorts. The new neighbor was the type of woman that Jessica had always admired and always found a little intimidating. She had a slim body without an ounce of fat. Although the dark-haired beauty was dressed casually, Jess got the impression of a housewife who drove a luxury car to and from the exclusive country club where a personal trainer helped keep her toned. Jessica knew she was positively dumpy in her size 16 shorts and baggy shirt compared to this woman.

  The as yet unnamed neighbors were a striking pair and Jess couldn't help but be impressed by the easy way they handled the heavy appliance. She felt silly for having spent the last hour making such a stink about the chore of moving. Jess glanced at Joel and they shared a look of amusement and incredulity. The shadowy cloud had been lifted as they headed out to the truck to join their charitable new neighbors. The arrival of the two capable helpers was an unexpected surprise -a good one.

  The four of them made good progress all afternoon. Jessica's aches seemed more manageable now that the atmosphere in the house had changed for the better. She learned that her neighbors were the Timmons and that her initial impression wasn't all that far off. Catherine was a successful real estate agent and Martin owned a busy gym. The well-to-do pair was the type of couple that Jessica rarely rubbed shoulders with, but the Timmons were approachable and gracious and Jess soon was more at ease. She really liked both Catherine and Martin.

  Jess’s brothers arrived just as the last box was removed from the U-haul. Everyone laughed at their sheepish grins when Jessica remarked on their timing. "Really convenient guys. Where were you when I needed you?"

  Dean and Raymond wasted no time in wolfing down the first of many slices of pizza. Jessica was initially embarrassed by her loud and crude teen brothers, but Martin Timmons seemed to think they were hilarious and he teased them about leaving all the heavy lifting to the "old men". Jessica had little doubt that Martin could out lift anyone present as he flexed hi
s biceps while shaming her brothers.

  "You want to feel the guns, boys? Give me six-months and I'll have you two in fighting shape." Martin flexed and looked at Jessica's brothers as if appraising their physiques, "Make that a year. Even I can only do so much."

  Jess laughed at the joke but struggled to look away from Martin Timmons. She could make out the contours of his chest beneath his t-shirt, the steel biceps and the veins in his forearms which moved when he gestured with his hands. Don't stare, Jessica. Be casual, Jessica. Stop drooling, Jessica.

  It turned out that the Timmons lived in a large house on the corner about a block away from Jess and Joel. They promised to let the Loftins treat them to supper one night. The couples exchanged phone numbers and hugs before the older pair said their goodbyes for the evening. It was all Jessica could do to contain herself when Martin held her waist and planted a peck on her cheek. She inhaled the scent of his sweaty body and a warm sensation radiated from where he had placed his hand on her hip. Jessica had a strong urge to embrace Martin and to kiss the traces of sweat on his upper lip. Get it together, Jessica. Her cheek grew hot where his lips touched her and she began to worry that she was blushing. Stop it, Jessica, they're going to notice. HE'S going to notice. Martin nodded at her reassuringly as if to say, "You can handle this". Could he tell what was happening to her? Did he know that her stomach was in knots?

  Martin backed away after the kiss and Jess forced herself to gather her wits. Her fingers absent-mindedly traced a spot just above the waist band of her shorts where Martin's hand had been. Jessica struggled to concentrate on the banal goodbyes and pleasantries. You're a married woman for Christ's sake, Jessica.

  "What a great couple. I'm glad they showed up," Joel said with a smile. He seemed oblivious to the unspoken thing that had passed between Martin and Jessica. There had been something, right?

  "What a fantastic body on Catherine," laughed Dean. "What I wouldn't do to fuck that babe. Damn." The teen made a thrusting motion with his hips.

  "Martin would kick your ass without breaking a sweat, Dean," mocked Raymond. "Please mister Timmons don't hurt me. I'm just a pussy who spends all his time playing video games. I've never been with a woman before. I just wanted to see a girl naked for the first time." Joel and Ray laughed at Dean's expense as the older of the teens acted scandalized and protested that he had been with plenty of women -more than Raymond, at any rate.

  Ch2

  A week later the house was in order and Jessica and Joel were at the airport waiting for their honeymoon flight. The couple had been married for nearly two months by this point but had pushed the honeymoon back to get their house in order and to settle into their new jobs. It had been hectic, but Jessica was excited to relax in Antigua. It would be her first time out of the country.

  Joel reached over the molded armrest that separated the uncomfortable chairs in the noisy terminal. He held his wife's hand and smiled at her lovingly. Outwardly, they were a perfect couple departing for an idyllic vacation, but Jessica's serene smile masked a chaotic conscience. The curvy blonde felt like a hypocrite holding hands and pretending to be a doting wife. She had spent much of the last week thinking about Martin Timmons. Jessica was the wife of a good man and knew she was wrong to fantasize about her attractive neighbor, but she couldn't stop imagining herself kissing Martin. Jess, this is getting out of hand. You need to get your head in the right place. Between a nagging guilt and a budding schoolgirl crush, Jess was very much in need of the Caribbean getaway.

  Just a few days earlier, Jessica had joined Martin's gym. She told herself that she needed to lose 20 more pounds, but the choice of that gym was not by mere chance. The entire visit was an absurd excuse for Jess to see more of her muscular neighbor. Jess lay awake the night after their meeting and decided that joining the gym was the surest way to see Martin again soon. On the surface it was harmless enough, but the act was not unlike cheating. Wasn't she seeking out a married man -one who is not her husband? There was a facility that was much closer to her commute, but Jessica wasn't looking for convenience (or the exercise, for that matter).

  The blonde wife managed to wait three days before joining "Timmons Fitness". She was a silly girl worried about calling a cute boy after a date. How many days does one wait so as not to look too eager? Maybe signing up was just a transparent attempt to meet her gorgeous neighbor again? What if Martin suspected? What if Joel did?

  Jessica felt jittery and unattractive. Everywhere she looked there were muscle-men and athletic women. The athletes scowled as they pushed themselves to the breaking point and Jessica spied herself in one of the many mirrors. She looked pudgy and out of place. Why was she here? You're being ridiculous, Jessica. You don't belong with these people.

  The gym was a huge facility -much larger than she had pictured. A rudimentary tour had taken nearly an hour. Jessica had wasted little time in mentioning Martin to the giggly teenage staff member who was her impromptu tour guide. She couldn't help noticing the girl's athletic figure. How did Jess think that Martin would notice her at all among all these perfect bodies? "Mr. Timmons and his wife are gone for a couple of weeks. They go on a fall vacation every year. Now, let me show you the Stairmaster. It's a lot better than last year's model."

  Jessica tuned-out the rest of the rambling speech. The skinny teen was going on about firming up her glutes or some equally inane topic. Jess’s mood had soured, however, and she had little patience for the sales-pitch. Her registration fees were already paid but Jess didn't think she was ready to start her fitness regimen just yet. Jessica wanted to indulge in a quart of chocolate ice cream at the moment. Working out would wait.

  Sitting in the airport, Jessica tried to tell herself that joining a gym, of all things, was nothing to feel guilty about. Oh, yeah? Then why haven't you told Joel yet, Jessica?

  The rest of the week had been busy. She had just started her new job and there was a never ending litany of small tasks before the house was finished. There was still time to daydream about Martin, however. Jess had spent a grand total of three hours with the man and had barely spoken to him, but something about the way he had looked at her gave Jessica goose bumps. Martin was gorgeous, there was little doubt about that, but Jessica had been around plenty of attractive men. This feeling was unique. A special chemistry had passed between them but was invisible to everyone else. Jessica was fairly certain that Martin had felt it too. Or was it simply the man's charisma and magnetism? Maybe women often became smitten with Martin Timmons and she was just one of many. The thought made her blush like a schoolgirl with a crush on the popular teacher. The whole thing was ridiculous. She wondered if she should get her money back for the stupid gym. After all, she hadn't even lifted her first weight, yet.

  Sitting in the noisy terminal, Jessica reflected on her marriage with Joel. The pair had dated for 18 months before becoming engaged and getting married a year later. Over three years they built a relationship that she felt was unassailable. Jess rarely fought with Joel and she was sure there was no one who understood her better than her husband. Jessica remembered late night talks that slipped into early mornings. She found the hours spent together comfortable and pleasant. Within a month Joel knew about Jess’s heartbreaks and her dreams, her fears and what she found inspiring. He was a great listener, and Jessica was a legendary rambler. The pair just fit, like comfortable shoes. Jessica dug in her purse for her plane ticket as the first boarding call boomed over a loudspeaker. There's nothing sexy about comfortable shoes, she thought.

  Jessica leaned up against the window. Joel was squished in beside her. Again Jess was reminded that her hips were too wide. Cattle class? Economy seating is for skinny girls, not us cows.

  Jessica tried to make sense of her new and unwelcome obsession. So what if her marriage was a little mundane and passionless? She and Joel communicated well, and wasn't that what the television talk-shows insisted was important? Joel was her best friend -her sounding board. Jessica realized how difficult a problem like
this could be though, when your confidant is the one person you can never confide in. Why did she feel so guilty? She had joined a gym. Big deal. You haven't done anything wrong, Jessica. She wanted to do something, though.

  Jessica convinced herself that Antigua would be the answer. She and Joel could ignite a fiery romance in a luxury suite with an ocean view. Jessica planned to order champagne and strawberries to seduce her husband and awaken the aggressive animal she desperately hoped was somewhere inside him. Joel could be an animal, right? Jessica hoped to be seductive and sexy in her bikini during the day (all those skinny-girls be damned) and to be irresistible in silk after dinner. The honeymoon would be filled with long nights of lovemaking followed by frantic morning escapades. Her boring sex life would be gone for good, and Joel would replace Martin as the object of her lust.

  Somehow, despite being crammed into the narrow seat, Jess managed to fall asleep. The sounds of the other passengers melted away and were replaced by the voices of her college schoolmates. The young students crowded around the bathroom mirror as they prepared their makeup for the end of finals party. This was the night Jess would meet her husband, although she had no way of knowing this yet. In the dream, though, Jessica knew what she was preparing for and it was all she could do to contain her excitement. Her soul-mate would be waiting for her, and she had to look her best.