Read Online My Body-His Marcello by Blakely Bennett - Free Book Online Page B

eats?”
    “ That
is not uncommon in this lifestyle, Jane.”
    “ Maybe
that’s true but I don’t understand it.” I sat up, shaking my head.
“I don’t understand myself. I never sought out this lifestyle. It
just sort of found me. I’m not like Janice.”
    “ I
don’t think you’re so different. It’s a matter of
degrees.”
    “ Sorry, but I have to disagree with that.” I put my head down
again, looking away from him.
    “ Take
Marcello, for instance,” he persisted. “When you talk about him,
your brow furrows. You feel intense anger toward this
man.”
    “ Shouldn’t I? He has some weird control over Luke and he wants
me for his own.”
    “ Look,
it feels to me like you’re ... How do I say this? You’re intrigued
by him or challenged or maybe even attracted.”
    “ Don’t
be ridiculous. The man repulses me, plain and simple.”
    “ Okay,” he said, shrugging.
    Christian’s
comments irked me. The fact remained that Marcello did intrigue me
on some level, but I was too disgusted by the thought to admit it
to myself. In that moment I wanted to run away from Christian, too,
but I had no other place to go.
    “ Can I
crash here for the night?”
    “ Sure,
as long as you need to, but Jane—”
    “ Hmmm,” I said, so relieved not to be out on the
street.
    “ You
will go back to Luke and if I know the kind of man he is, he will
insist you do the very thing that made you leave. Do you get my
meaning?”
    “ Yes I
do.”
    “ There
are things I could do to help you prepare if you’d
like.”
    “ I’m
not going back, Christian. I need to see about getting a job and a
new place to live. Going back and letting Marcello have a chance at
me isn’t an option.”
    “ Okay,
if you say so.”
    Christian left
the room and returned a few minutes later with sheets, a pillow,
blankets and a towel. “That couch is pretty comfortable in a pinch.
I spent many a night on it while I was still married,” he said and
chuckled.
    “ Thank
you so much. You’ve saved my life.”
    “ The
bathroom’s through there,” he said, pointing over his shoulder. The
buzzer sounded on the door. “I need to get out there. I suggest you
shower and get some sleep.” He placed the bedding on the couch and
left the room.
    I realized once
he had departed that my bag still remained outside in the bushes. I
waited until I heard the customer leave and went out into the
shop.
    “ I
need to get my stuff. I left it outside,” I said, traipsing toward
the door.
    “ I’ll
get it for you. Where outside?” he said, blocking my way with his
body.
    “ Oh,
thanks, but I can take care of it.” I tried to side-step
him.
    “ Jane,
you should get in the shower; it will do you some good. I will
bring your stuff to you.”
    “ It’s
behind the bush on the right of the building if you’re facing it.”
I acquiesced because I didn’t have the strength to fight
him.
    He went toward
the front of the store as I headed back into the year 1972. The
bathroom had baby blue tiles interspersed with bright orange
highlight tiles. It looked far from attractive but he kept the
small five-by-eight immaculate. I reached into the tub shower and
started the water.
    I knew Christian
would come into the bathroom with my things but I rationalized that
he had already seen me naked so it wouldn’t be anything new for
him.
    I stripped out of
my clothes and stepped into the hot stream of water. It soothed my
soul as it loosened my tight muscles. I let the warm water cascade
over my head and back, easing the stiffness.
    I could hear
Christian enter the bathroom and place my backpack on the floor. He
pulled aside the curtain and said, “Your stuff ...” He stopped and
started again, “Is that what Janice did to you? It looks mostly
healed.”
    “ Yes.”
I flinched at his proximity. It seems odd in retrospect, given that
I had strolled naked in front of some fifty people at the wedding,
but it was different having just one man viewing me unclothed.