Read In The Garden Of Snakes (An Erotic Summer Tryst) for Free Online

bad.”
    “Thanks,” he said dryly.
    “No problem, Romeo.”
    I gripped the towel; the bikini top was
hardly sufficient. Stuart’s eyes roamed over me, from the top of my
head to my face, lips, neck and lower. He seemed to be taking a
thorough inventory. His eyes softened, and his mouth turned up in a
hint of a smile. That smoldering, interested look made my tummy
tingle.
    “Don’t be shy.” He scooted closer. “You’re
like a skittish little colt.” He touched my face. “What pretty blue
eyes.” His proximity was alarming. The scent of perspiration with a
hint of cologne teased my nose. It was a decidedly masculine aroma,
heady and unfamiliar. A thumb grazed my lips, the edges dipping
into my mouth slightly, wetting the finger. He zeroed in on my
lips. “Just a baby kiss for a baby girl.”
    Carmen watched us, playing with her hair. She
seemed amused and more than a little eager, waiting for Stuart to
make the next move. Her plans for my seduction had fallen into
place, as evidenced by the smug little glimmer in her eyes. But, I
had yet to give in. I hadn’t moved an inch for fear that I really
would run away. In that moment, as I stared into the mysterious
dark eyes of a stranger, feeling the heat coming off him, something
shifted within me. Another little wall in my armor had fallen
down.
    He leaned in. “Oh, no,” I whispered.
    “Yes.”
    His warm, wet lips covered mine, while his
hands gripped my head, because I had tried to move away from him.
It was an involuntary response. His beard felt rough against my
skin. He was hard and forceful, where Carmen had been soft and
light. A thick tongue entered my mouth. His arm went around me, and
he pulled me to him, the towel falling away. I found myself crushed
to the steel wall of his chest, while he devoured me, practically
eating my tongue. This was entirely different than kissing Carmen.
He scratched my face with his stubble, his tongue all but gagging
me. I suddenly panicked, pushing against him.
    “No!”
    “Jesus, Stuart. What a fucking pig. It’s her
first kiss. You were supposed to be gentle.”
    His face was in my neck, kissing and sucking,
scratching me with his beard. “She’s so sweet.”
    “Get off!” He was all sinew and muscle and
stronger than I was by a mile. “Stop!”
    Carmen smacked him. “Stop it, Stuart!”
    “Shit! Sorry.” He looked aroused and angry.
“You fucking wanted me to kiss her. So I kissed her.”
    “You were supposed to be gentle. Ugh. What a
moron.”
    “I was gentle.”
    “The hell you were.”
    I held the towel around myself. “I’m going
back. It’s been interesting.”
    “Now look what you’ve done. You scared the
shit outta her.”
    “I fucking hate virgins,” he snapped
irritably. “I gotta get back to work. I’ve wasted enough time
already. You bitches amuse yourself some other way.” He got to his
feet and stalked off.
    “I’m sorry, Jess. Are you all right?”
    I nodded. “Yeah.”
    “He’s not usually like that. I don’t know
what the fuck is wrong with him.”
    “It’s okay. No harm done.”
    “He wasn’t like that the first time he kissed
me. He was so sweet and gentle. I thought he’d be like that with
you. I didn’t think he’d try to friggin’ eat you,” she laughed.
“What a disaster.”
    “Let’s go lay out.”
    “Yeah.”
     
     

Chapter Six
     
     
     
    That evening, after dinner, we all gathered
outside around an enormous fire pit to watch a Hollander family
slide show. The slides were decades old. We sat on cushioned seats
with blankets and the sound of crickets serenading us. Abby and
Madison roasted marshmallows on long sticks, and the adults drank
wine, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Uncle Henry
operated the projector; a white screen suddenly sprang to life with
an image of a smiling couple.
    “Omigod!” blurted Roberta. “Isn’t that Rose
and John?”
    “It is,” said Joseph. He sat with his wife,
Constance. Rose was in her wheelchair with a