Love Uncovered (Forbidden Fruit) Read Free Page B

night.
     
    ~~~~~
     
    Julie scooted to the edge of the dock and lowered her toes into the water. The cool water drew out some of the heat of her anger, and she tugged the legs of her jeans up so she could sink her feet in farther. Below the top couple of inches, the water felt even colder. It was early enough in the season; it hadn’t had a chance to warm completely. She flexed her feet and spread her toes, watching their pale shapes under the water.
    Oh God. One minute they’d been talking – really talking – for the first time in forever and the next minute she’d been flying down the path to the lake in a full blown rage. She was so tired of feeling like this. Like simmering under everything was this quiet despair. Her life was good. She loved Max and the kids. Why couldn’t she just be happy with what she had?
    But she wasn’t.
    She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt unabashed joy. Most of the time what she felt was overwhelmed. When she and Max were pulling in the same direction it was okay. They could ride the challenges out together. Lately, she felt so isolated, like she was alone in a boat, waiting for the wave that would finally sink her.
    It wasn’t what she wanted for any of them. She used to love things. Simple things like being outdoors or watching the sunset. She loved to read, to dance to the radio and sing along. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done something she wanted to instead of something she was supposed to do.
    Whose fault was that? No one asked her to martyr herself for them. The kids certainly weren’t happy with her snarling at them and if today was any indication, Max wasn’t any happier than she was.
    Swinging her feet slowly through the water, she looked out over the lake and watched the reflected moonlight dance on the surface. Light from the sliver of a moon kissed the tips of the ripples and the peepers chi rped, punctuated occasionally by the deep chirrup of a bull frog.
    She didn’t like herself anymore . It felt awful. This was her life – the one she got, her gift from God, and she wasn’t living it the way she wanted to. Her eyes drifted closed and she breathed in the still night, praying with each exhale. Please God. Please God. Please God. Unsure of what to ask for but absolutely certain she did not want to feel like this for one minute more.
    She heard a noise behind her and felt the dock move. Opening her eyes and shifting on the rough boards, she could make out Max barely visible as he stepped onto the dock. As she watched, he stripped off his t-shirt. Even his olive skin looked pale in the moonlight as he shucked off his jeans and briefs. By the time he reached her he was completely naked.
    “What are you doing?” H er voice sounded small in the darkness.
    “Come swim with me, Jules. Like we used to.”
    The “no” sat on the tip of her tongue ready to reject him, but in the stillness a small quiet voice inside her said “why not?” Why shouldn’t she? It was so dark. She wouldn’t have to worry about how she looked, and she used to love to swim at night, floating under the stars. She nodded, unable to squeeze a response past the tightness in her throat and stood.
    “Good.” Max grabbed some of the kids’ Styrofoam noodles from the boat house and tossed them into the water. He planted a smacking kiss on top of her head, let out a whoop and dove in after them. He came up spluttering and gasping for air. “Holy Christ, it’s cold!” Laughter bubbled out of her and some of the tension between them dissolved. “Come on in. The water is fine,” he said doing his best Delmar from O Brother Where Art Thou .
    “I can tell.” She laughed. Still grinning, she shimmied out of her jeans and panties. Without giving herself a chance for second thoughts, she stripped off her shirt and unclasped her bra, freeing her full breasts. Her nipples pebbled to tight buds in the cool night air and she shivered both from the cold and the shock of