Shelby Hadley is a striking looking woman, the sort of woman who turns every man’s head as soon as she walks into a room. Of medium height, she has a figure to die for, legs that go on forever. Her face is not beautiful in the conventional sense, but it is attractive, accented by expressive green eyes, framed by shoulder long auburn hair and what is more, her face shows character. Here is a woman who knew her worth and was secure in herself.
She lifted the wineglass to her company and smiled.
“What a day it had been” Ben Franklin, her friend and partner in the law firm, returned her smile “but at the end it was worth it. We won the case, our client is firmly off the hook and got a big settlement to boot”.
“Yes, we are a good team, aren’t we?”
Ben gave her a quizzical look and said “you do know of course, how much I would like to extent our partnership permanently into our private life as well”.
“Oh Ben” Shelby sighed “you know how much you mean to me as a friend, but I am married to Jason and even if our relationship is going through a rough patch at the moment I am not looking for anyone else”.
“Has he not hurt you enough” and he added quickly “sorry, I did not mean to say that” when he saw a dark shadow flicker across her face.
“Let’s not spoil the evening, let’s rather end it. We both have another long day ahead tomorrow”.
Ben could have kicked himself for his remark but drove her home in silence. He walked her to the door, still hoping for an invitation to come in, but after unsuccessfully trying for a good-night kiss, he turned away and walked to his car.
Shelby watched him driving off and closed the door.
‘I am not leading Ben on’ she thought ‘am I? He is a nice person and I value his friendship, but no one would ever be able to replace Jason’ and ‘what am I thinking about? I do not want to replace Jason’.
She filled a glass with wine and settled down on the couch with her legs curled beneath her. Closing her eyes she started to remember …..
***
What a weekend it had been. She had just graduate from law school on top of her class and was about to start her first job with a prestigious law firm while studying for the bar exams.
Jason and her had been inseparable since high-school and with him already climbing the corporate ladder at his firm, they had planned a weekend away, for the two of them to celebrate.
They had flown to Mexico and booked into a small hotel directly on a quiet and secluded beach.
It was during this weekend that he had proposed to her and oh, we were so much in love with each other.
The night that followed the proposal was etched into her memory forever.
The feel of his lips on her mouth, the way their tongues interwined and teased each other and later the feeling of his nude body on hers, his hands and mouth teasing her breasts and nipples until she could stand it no longer and begged him to enter her and, oh yes, they have had sex before, but this was different, this was making love, their bodies were tuned to each other like never before, they were in unison, his thrusts deeper and deeper and her hips moving and matching his rhythm faster and faster, his hands all over her body and the final orgasm perfectly timed.
***
Shelby opened her eyes with a sigh. What a wonderful memory, just thinking about it now made her feel a wetness between her legs.
‘Sex was never the problem, at least not for me’ she thought ‘and I do not believe the vile accusations he was throwing at me at our last argument. We never discussed what happened, what went wrong, why he felt the need to look for other women’.
Not only that, but he also took to drinking. It never became very obvious to anyone else, but in the last drunken episode he went overboard, insulting her with words and also ….
Shelby shook her head, she did not want to think about this anymore, the last couple of weeks had been hell for her, maybe for both of them.
Again Jason’s attack on her crowded into her mind, it had been so uncalled for, so vicious and hurtful, so demeaning, it had left her feeling helpless and in tears.
Yes, he tried to make amends, but she had been in no way ready to even look at him. He moved out the next day and Shelby feeling very vulnerable turned to Ben, whom she always considered to be a good friend.
Shelby never crossed the line with Ben, as much as he showed her how ready he was for it.
Ben had never compared to Jason, but no man ever would.
Already for the last few months, even before that final argument, Jason and she had lived separate lives.
‘Now Ben wants more, he has made it abundantly clear. How can I make him understand, that Jason will always be the love of my life, without losing his friendship?’
Shelby pulled herself together ‘it’s about time I stop to live in limbo like this’ she said to herself. ‘All those unresolved issues between Jason and me have to be worked through. Tomorrow I will contact him, meet face to face for an honest talk and we will sort out our relationship and if possible move forward together’.