Naked Lies Read Online Free Page A

questions. But it was obvious that something
was badly amiss. My face burning, my hands trembling, I was far
from my usual jovial self. Twinkling in the light, the glass
shrapnel winked at me from the sink as I filled the kettle.
    "I've not been
feeling too well," I finally offered in way of an explanation.
    "I thought you
looked off colour. Have you got a temperature?"
    "Just a tummy
bug, I think. So, how are things with you?"
    "Fine. John's
up for promotion again, which is good."
    "Do you reckon
he'll get it?"
    "Yes, I think
he..."
    "Have you ever
been unfaithful?" I thought aloud, wishing I hadn't.
    "Unfaithful?
Why do you ask?"
    "I... I heard
something on the radio about infidelity," I lied. "It was quite
interesting."
    "No, I
haven't. There was a friend of John's who fancied me, but that was
a long time ago. Nothing happened, of course. Have you?"
    "Have I
what?"
    "Been
unfaithful."
    "Er... No, no
of course I haven't!"
    Had I?
Intercourse was the criterion I'd always held to define
unfaithfulness, infidelity. Since marrying Mat, I'd not had
intercourse with another man. I'd never allowed another man to
touch me. Den had looked - but not touched. I hadn't been
unfaithful - had I?
    Passing Carole
a cup of coffee, I scrutinized her. In her early twenties, with
long, black glossy hair, she was extremely attractive. Would she
have stripped before her lewd neighbour? I wondered, eyeing her
firm breasts swelling her tight blouse. In the same situation,
would she have complied with her blackmailer's demands? Probably
not. Definitely not!
    "Have you ever
done anything you regret?" I pursued, turning the radio off and
sitting opposite her.
    She frowned,
cocking her head to one side. "How do you mean?"
    "Well,
anything you'd rather John didn't know about."
    "No, I don't
think so. What are you getting at?"
    "Oh, I don't
know. I've been thinking, that's all."
    "What's
happened, Jane? There's something wrong, I can tell."
    "A tummy bug,
that's all."
    "No, it's not
that."
    "I was just
thinking back to my... I suppose we've all done things we'd rather
not remember."
    "There was
this lad..." She hesitated, letting out a giggle as she obviously
recalled something wicked. "Well, as you said, we've all done
things we'd rather not remember."
    "It's funny,
isn't it? I mean, the things life throws at you out of the
blue..."
    "Are you OK
with Mat?"
    "Yes, never
better."
    OK with Mat?
Yes, I decided, I was OK with my husband. What had happened earlier
that morning would never happen again, I promised myself for the
umpteenth time. No matter what Den threatened or did, never would I
demean myself like that again. Never would I display my naked body
to another man, no matter what the consequences.
    Carole didn't
stay as long as usual. Making some feeble excuse, she finished her
coffee and stood up. She was suspicious, I knew - but suspicious
about what? Again, I told myself that no one could possibly know
what I'd done, and no one would ever discover my sordid secret.
    "I'd better
dash," Carole smiled, moving towards the kitchen door. "I have a
lot to do today."
    "Yes, all
right. I'll see you tomorrow."
    "I'll ring
you."
    When she'd
gone, I flopped onto the sofa in the lounge, contemplating my day.
I'd go into town, buy something to cheer myself up. Some new
clothes, I decided, recalling a burgundy velvet dress I'd seen in
Boyd's window. I'd wear it for Mat that evening - appease my guilt
by dressing nicely for my man.
    But the vivid
images of Den wouldn't leave my mind. However much I tried to push
all thoughts of him away, he was still there, scrutinizing my
curvaceous body, his dark eyes devouring my feminine intimacy.
Lifting my skirt, I parted my thighs, examining my vaginal crack,
my pink, petalled flora.
    As if a
reflection, in the soft, glistening folds, I saw Den. He'd seen me
there, fed his hungry, lustful eyes on my intimacy, my most secret
place. Pulling my sex lips wide apart I gazed at my clitoris,
imagining Mat licking me there,