Unfaithful: An Unlocked Novella Read Online Free Page A

could be—should be—something fun. And not just for boys.
    *
    I bit into one of the muffins. It was moist and chewy and tasted delicious—Michelle’s the best baker I know. She should have her own show on reality TV, like, Cake Boss or something (yeah, I know, it’s kinda lame that I love Cake Boss . But it’s a guilty pleasure).
    All I wanted to do that summer was n othing at all. But then the Moores decided they were going to go to the east coast to visit Michelle’s mother in New Hampshire. She was sick, though I don’t know what she had.
    There was no way I could get time off from one job, let alone two, right as the busiest season was starting. So I was relieved when they said it was family-only. I’d miss Mark, but I figured I’d take the time and just chill with my girlfriends for two weeks.
    And then one afternoon Mrs. Moore and I were in the kitchen, just chatting about stuff while she made some treats. She also makes these awesome sugar-free banana and macadamia butter cookies. She had them in the oven and the savory smell of them baking was filled up the kitchen. My mouth was watering when she sat me down and asked, “Lisa, would you be happy to house-sit for us for two weeks? We know it’s a bit of a responsibility, looking after the dog, so we’d pay you for your trouble.”
    I was licking the dough off the beater when she said it. My eyes must have lit up like a puppy seeing a tennis ball.
    Are you kidding me? I get to live like a princess and get paid for it? Sign me up, Mrs. M!
    They made me promise not to have any crazy parties (as if I wanted anyone messing their place up and putting me in debt for the rest of my life). Then they zipped off to the East Coast. I tried to get Mark to have sex the night before he left but he said he was too tired and stressed about his grandma. So we just sat and watched a movie until I fell asleep.
     

CHAPTER FOUR
    The first day house-sitting was awesome. All I did was sleep by the pool with the summer sun streaming through the trees, and check Facebook, and listen to loud music till the afternoon. Then I went swimming so I could at least pretend I was trying stay in shape while I was goofing off. Dino was running around the pool, yapping at me the whole time. He’s the dumbest, cutest dog you could ever imagine—this scruffy little brown and white terrier who just wants to bark at everything and scarf up anything on the ground he can find. I swear, one time I saw him puke and then eat it up a second afterward before anyone could stop him. But he’s a sweetie, really, he’s just not too bright.
    I figured the next two weeks were going to be totally sweet. After today I’d head down to the beach every day with Darci and Sara and Lucy. We’d get brunch at the Salmon Bar and we’d check out the sexy surfer guys who came up to the coast for the summer.
    Tomorrow , I thought, the girls and I will go to the beach in the Moores’s big red SUV and all the surfer boys will fight over who gets to talk to us .
    The Moores said I could drive their car while I stayed at their place, which was awesome. My car was a crappy old Camry that was starting to make a rattling sound whenever I drove up a hill. I freaked out whenever I had to park on a hill in case the gearbox gave out.
    I just hoped I didn’t bump into any of Mark’s friends down at the shore. They were mostly jerks without girlfriends—who’d never had girlfriends— who liked to hit on any girl they saw, and they had a bad effect on him. He turned into a different person around them; he got cocky and made mean jokes and got jealous any time any other guy even looked at me.
    After my swim I went and grabbed a hot shower in the master bathroom. It’s got a wicked steam shower, and smooth marble tiles, and this big silver mirror on one of the walls. I got out of my shower and looked at myself in the mirror for ages. I’ve got dark blue eyes and long, light blonde hair that goes wavy after I swim (I’m