Free Secret Souls by Roberta Latow Page A

lived and loved and emotionally died in many and strange ways but always in a cocoon. It was at the table that he realised this odyssey she was on was probably the first time in her life she had struck out on her own. He loved her the more for it, too much to make her feel insecure by telling her he did believe she was naive about people and life. What he said was, ‘Everybody at that table today takeseach other at face value. No one really cares what their friends are or are not. In Livakia things are what they are, people will be what they will be. When that ceases to be then Livakia will lose its magic. This is a very egocentric place.’
    Chadwick listened to his words, she more than listened, she really heard what Manoussos was saying and believed him. If only she had found out sooner that people could and did live like that; that hypocritical morality and guilt was no way to live.
    She ran a few steps in front of Manoussos and turned to face him. She walking backwards, they advanced down the lane, their footsteps the only sound in the quiet of the early evening. She asked him, ‘How much further to your house? I listened to Mark and was enthralled by his oratory and boyish good looks, flattered by his attention, but I wanted sex with you.’ She opened her jacket and slowly, seductively, removed it and tossed it to Manoussos.
    A crescent moon appeared overhead and shone white beams down the narrow lane. It lit Chadwick’s face and reflected off the white-washed walls surrounding the houses and enclosing the cobblestone path. They continued walking and Chadwick told him, ‘Elefherakis was charming. His manners, intelligence, the erotic aura around him, the way he looked at me as if he wanted to devour me in his lust … but I could only think of the thrill of those hours of sex with you.’
    Somewhere in the distance they heard a dog bark. The darkness of night descended further and suddenly the sky was peppered with millions of stars. Chadwick unwound the white silk scarf from around her neck and tossed that too to Manoussos who was mesmerised by her beauty in the moonlight, her seductive strip tease. She continued, ‘I watched Rachel flirt and cock tease the crew, and became hot with lust to think that she would have them all, one at a time or altogether, but it was you I wanted to come with, not them.’
    They were nearly at the end of the lane when Manoussos stopped before an ancient wooden door studded with antique bronze nails. Chadwick continued to walk backwards for several steps and then stopped. They were gazing at each other across thedistance separating them. They had arrived at his house. Her heart filled with joy. She stripped off her jumper and now, naked to the waist, walked forward very slowly, continuing to speak. ‘All through lunch, I saw Jane Plum watching us. I knew that you had had her by the look of envy in her eyes, and it didn’t matter to me because you would never have her again. You will only love me in the way she wanted you to love her.’
    Up close to him now, she unbuttoned her jeans. Anxious with desire, she pulled them open. He slipped his hand inside them and caressed her mound and her belly, her hips and her bottom, working his caresses up to her breasts. He was rough when he pulled her tight up against him and, lowering his head, sucked on her erect nipples. She sighed, whimpered from the sheer sense of ecstasy overwhelming her as she came in a short and intense orgasm.
    He opened the gate and swept her into his arms, carrying her through the courtyard and up several steps. His hands too busy, she managed the front-door latch and he kicked the door open. Up several more steps and into the sitting room where the moonlight was streaming through the windows. Not once since he had walked her through the courtyard had she stopped seducing him with lewd, base, hardcore sex-talk. Low, raunchy come-ons. No whore could have done better to excite lust, trigger depraved desires, and