Page 43 of Separate Lives

“No, you won’t,” she rebuked, wrestling out of his grasp, holding her slacks, turning around to face him. Quickly, she readjusted her clothes. “I won’t allow you to insult and ill-treat me just because what I said at the restaurant is the truth, but you cannot take it,” she coldly told Reece as she stood rigidly in front of him, determined to stand her ground. For some alien reason she loved this complex man, but she wasn’t prepared to put up with his degrading manners any longer.

“Earlier, you accused me of not knowing my mind, but it’s clearyoudon’t know what you want. I know perfectly well where I stand, and I’m fed up with your slanderous allegations and obscene physical assaults every time jealousy, your wounded ego, the mood, or lust strikes you. I’m no more guilty of seducing you, than you are of seducing me. If you cannot live with the fact that you’re unable to control your baser instincts when I’m around, then tough. But I won’t tolerate your attitude any more. Your accusations hurt me, not only because they are false, but also because if you knew me this much,” she held up her thumb and forefinger half of an inch apart, “you wouldn’t dare to conjure up such fibs, much less voice them.”

Reece clapped his hands. A condescending smile curved his lips.

Jess saw red.

Instinctively, she launched herself at him, aiming to wipe that spiteful, haughty expression off his face with her nails. Unfortunately, Reece was quicker, and given his imposing body, effortlessly imprisoned her hands in his fist.

“Let go of me immediately or I will start screaming.”

Her aquamarine eyes spit fire. Reece shoved her away from him and buttoned up his jeans.

“So the game goes on. You’ll never stop Jess until you see me on my knees.”

At that assertion, Jess grabbed the first object near her and threw it at Reece, hitting his thigh. He winced.

“You bastard! How dare you laugh and belittle me. Don’t you ever try it again. And if I hear another single word about me playing some stupid power game with you, I swear on my life, I’ll have you locked up in a soiled, godforsaken jail on charges of indecent assault and attempted rape. Some time together with your fellow criminals will certainly help you put the world back into perspective.”

She was furious. During her tirade, the flying saucer that had hit Reece on his thigh was followed closely by a pillow, a pair of muddy boots, three fat books, and a portable torch. Reece had never seen Jess in such a state before. It was still fresh in his mind how angry she’d been when she’d found out about their wedding, but her distress then was nothing compared to what she was showing now. He sensed she was deadly serious, and for that, extremely unpredictable.

“And now get the hell out of my sight, until you’re ready to come back with a wholehearted apology, and the promise that you’ll never,ever,profess such libelous slander on my account as long as you have breath in your body.”

Her voice was raw from yelling all of her contempt at him. The small space inside the cabin was in shambles. Their elaborated breaths were the only noises that could be heard.

Jess, feeling suddenly depleted, collapsed, sitting on the still open futon. Bending forward at the waist, supporting her weight with her arms, she closed the eyes trying to regain control of her temper.

Reece remained standing behind the table, where he’d sought refuge while dodging the many objects she’d thrown at him. They didn’t move for a very long, tension charged time.

“Where are the spare keys?” he asked woodenly.

“The keys?” Jess dumbly repeated, massaging her temples to prevent a serious headache from working its way up from her shoulders.

“I’m going out. I don’t know for how long. So if you tell me where the spare keys for the front door are, I’ll get them and leave you alone.”

“They are in one of the kitchen drawers,” Jess told him with her eyes still closed.Let him find which one, she thought.

It took Reece but five seconds flat to find the keys. Damn his luck. Then he was gone, leaving it up to Jess to tidy up the mess she’d made.

ChapterSixteen

When Jess woke up that Saturday morning, she instinctively knew Reece had not availed himself of the keys to enter the cabin. For good measure she checked around looking from the kitchen sink to the easy chair near the fireplace, and saw the sheets and pillow were still neatly folded on its seat where he’d left them the previous morning. Wondering where he might be, but unconcerned about what he was doing –and actually glad he wasn’t there because after all that had happened yesterday, she wouldn’t have known what to say to him, Jess ate some breakfast and performed her daily chores, straightening the cabin. Later, she showered, changed, and sat on the closed futon, enjoying the company of the best seller book she was currently reading.

When she next rose her eyes from the engrossing novel to check on the time, it was almost noon. Of Reece, there still was no trace.Maybe, with some luck, a bear had made him its breakfast, she thought amused.

Leaving the cozy seat of the futon and the book aside, Jess went to the closet, found her sports bag, filled it with a fluffy towel, a swimsuit, the necessary toiletries and some pineapple juice, and off she went to the local fitness center. When she closed the cabin door, Jess made sure her keys were safely tucked inside a pocket of her down jacket.

* * *

Jess swam non-stopfor two hours, working the anger and anxiety she’d accumulated during the past few days thanks to Reece out of her system. When she left the water, a relaxed smile was stamped on her lips. She had not felt that good with herself since…in a very long time. She felt ready to conquer any foe, and had reached a decision concerning The Edge.

Back in the locker room, right before washing the chlorine off her body, Jess ran into a neighbor who recognized her and started a conversation. They got on so well, and were so at ease in each other’s company that after showering, drying their hair, and changing back into their everyday clothes, they decided to stop at the fitness center bar to enjoy a cup of herbal tea together.

Janet, was a mature student enrolled at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks who shared lodging with her cousin George, an English teacher on the campus. Janet had a bubbly, easygoing personality, and by the time they felt ready to leave the fitness center, Jess had managed to almost forget about Reece and his despicable behavior the previous evening. It was with regret that the two women parted company.

When Jess stepped back inside the cabin, it was well past five p.m., and everything was exactly as she’d left it. Reece had yet to come back. Maybe something serious –an accident, or worse, had occurred to him. Yeah, like he’d locked horns with a wandering moose more stubborn than him. This time, he’d simply exceeded every limit. Jess didn’t feel inclined to easily forgive or forget his obnoxious behavior. When she thought back at the way he’d almost raped her in the heat of his rage, she still cringed, wishing to punch his nose.

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she had not touched food since breakfast. Pushing further thoughts of Reece aside, Jess changed from her jeans into more classy clothes. Today had started on a positive note, and she was determined to keep it that way as much as she could. That is why she decided to treat herself to a sinfully fattening, opulent dinner out, leaving the grim atmosphere of the cabin and the distressing memories it contained behind. Walking to the closet, Jess wondered if, from now on, she’d yet be able to think of the cabin as the welcoming, quiet retreat it had been before Reece tarnished it for her.Enough of that, she mentally chided herself,and on with your plans to pamper yourself.

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