Summer Temptations:Dual Flames of Desire

Rachel was consumed by desire, her senses overwhelmed by the sweet, coppery scent in the air and the soft, tantalizing breaths that filled the room. Leslie’s damp hair clung to his forehead as his bright, clear eyes locked onto hers with a defiant intensity. “Rachel,” he whispered, his voice low and teasing. “Tell me—am I making you feel better than my brother?” Leslie cupped her face in his hands, his soft lips pressing against hers. She saw the challenge flicker in his eyes, a daring smile tugging at his lips. Following his suggestive gaze, she glanced to the side and froze—Conner, his brother, was standing in the doorway, watching them. ‘Oh my God! How has this happened?!’ Heat rushed to Rachel’s face, her cheeks burning to the roots of her hair. She tried to push away from Leslie, but he held her tightly in his embrace, not allowing her to escape. “Rachel,” Conner’s voice came from behind her, husky and dark, his breath hot against her ear. “Are you sure my little brother’s got you feeling better than I do?” Rachel felt Conner’s large hands settle on her waist—hands that definitely didn’t belong to Leslie. They had her trapped between them, her heart pounding in her chest, her body aching for them to stop. But the more she begged, the more their hunger seemed to intensify. ‘How have things gotten this way?’ Rachel struggled to find a breath, her mind drowning in the flood of memories and sensations that surged like a tidal wave. ***** Rachel could have had the perfect anniversary of love That day—if she hadn't caught her boyfriend, Trevor, in the act with her best friend, Emma. Not long ago, a fashion brand had taken a liking to Rachel's design and had signed a cooperation contract with her. She couldn't wait to share the joy with Trevor. Upon hearing the news, he hugged and kissed her, saying, "You're the best, babe! To celebrate, I'm going to give you a big surprise." When the day came, he did surprise her—by pinning my BFF against the sink and screwing her obliviously. "Ohhhhhh Trevor, that's so deep ......" ***** Rachel hid outside the bathroom, her entire body frozen, covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Was this what Trevor called a surprise? "Compared to you, Rachel is like a paralyzed old maid! I've been tired of her for a long time!" he shouted as he pushed and pulled. "Come on, Rachel is still waiting for us to celebrate your anniversary!" Emma laughed derisively. Her raucous laugh made Rachel sick to her stomach. She couldn't help but run to the trash can and dry heave. In the three years with Trevor, Rachel had done everything she could to fulfill all of his demands. She strictly limited her diet to keep her weight at a precise number—not a pound more, not a pound less. No matter how busy she was at work, she was always at his beck and call. Even today, to avoid disappointing him, she had gotten up before five to do her makeup and starved herself all day just to fit into that ridiculously tight evening gown. But what did she get in return! Trevor would always complain about her: she wasn't considerate enough, gentle enough, successful enough in her career, or worthy of being in public with him ... And now, he was even complaining that she was lousy in bed. Rachel felt her bile rising in her throat, the bitter taste filling her mouth. The loud commotion startled the two people cheating in the bathroom. Rachel didn't wait for them to get tidy before angrily pushing the door open. "What the hell?" Emma let out a shrill cry, and Trevor's eyes widened. They still haven't finished! Startled, Emma pushed Trevor away and rushed to find her clothes. Rachel expected Trevor to explain something, but he quickly composed himself and put on his suit jacket as if nothing had happened. "This is just for fun, Rachel, don't take it too seriously." Rachel felt her head crack with pain, "Just for fun? You were yelling so excitedly. Why don't you ever do that with me?" Trevor held up his hands with an innocent look, "It was all her! She came on to me, Rachel, I swear. I'm innocent." He leaned closer to Rachel, trying to kiss her. Seeing that mouth pressing up against hers, Rachel slapped him in anger, "You jerk! Did Emma hold a gun to your head to make you kiss her?" 'If I knew he was into that tramp, I would have stepped aside ages ago.' Rachel thought. Trevor, not expecting her to be so mad, called out to her from behind, but Rachel left without looking back. She couldn't stop crying, her heart almost breaking, her stomach twisting in pain. Three years, they'd been together for three years. She thought Trevor was going to marry her, and tonight, she believed he was going to propose... Shuddering, she pulled out her cell phone, only to find that Emma had actually kicked her out of the studio group chat! "What the hell do you want?" Rachel questioned Emma in anger. She hadn't even gotten to Emma yet, but Emma was rampantly provocative: "Firing you, of course. As of today, the shareholders have unanimously decided to let you leave IRIS! This is also what Trevor wants!" Rachel's eyes almost went black. From college to starting her own business, she had poured her heart out to Emma, even expressing sympathy for her family struggles and voluntarily covering her apartment rent. And this was how she was repaid? "You can't do this!" Rachel hissed in accusation, but Emma laughed arrogantly. "Go to hell, you stupid, incompetent woman! That's what you get for fighting over Trevor with me." As it turned out, Emma had been jealous of Rachel for a long time and had orchestrated all of this, which was why she had called—all to ensure Rachel would walk in on Trevor with her! ***** Pain, anger, and a whirlwind of complex emotions clouded Rachel's vision with tears, leaving her unable to see the road ahead. "f**k!" Just as her thoughts were swirling, a man suddenly appeared at the corner, forcing her to slam on the brakes and nearly topple a nearby trash can. The man was furious. "Freaking road hazard! How can you drive like that? I could reverse at five years old, and you can't even drive in a straight line!" Rachel, already on the verge of a breakdown, snapped back, "Who the hell takes a turn without looking?" At that moment, she didn't care whose fault it was; all that mattered was that this guy had provoked her! Rachel angrily rolled down the window, but then paused. He was gorgeous! Though he couldn't have been older than eighteen or nineteen, he was tall, with a healthy, sun-kissed tan that glistened with a light sheen of sweat. His clothes clung to him, outlining a strong chest and a pert backside. And that small tent down there, wow... it was impressive. To her surprise, he seemed taken aback as well. “Rachel?” 'How does he know my name?' Faced with his handsome face, Rachel felt her heart racing. The man seemed awkward too about their earlier exchange, stammering, "D-Don't you remember? I'm Leslie. I lived next door to you." The son of the Murphys? Rachel jumped up in excitement. How could it be! Sean Murphy worked at the bank, and his wife, Alison Murphy, was an ER nurse. They were always busy, with little time for their twin sons. Rachel's mom, with her hospitality and boundless energy, often stepped in to look after them. The twins thus spent a lot of time at Rachel's family home. She clearly remembered that when she had left Seabreeze Bay after high school, Leslie had been just a little kid. In her mind, he was still the boy who would wail when his twin brother snatched his toy cars. Leslie looked utterly apologetic. "Sorry, I apologize for earlier. Rachel, what brought you back to Seabreeze Bay?" Rachel's eyes began to sting again, as if they were being pricked by sour juice. "Nothing special, I just wanted to come home and take a look." She was so out of it that she hadn't even realized she had driven back to her hometown, Seabreeze Bay. Regardless, escaping from Trevor and Emma—the disgusting couple—was a relief. As she listened to Leslie chatter on, guiding her and mentioning that he was now a student athlete at Northbrook University, Rachel felt her mood brighten a bit. He had actually gotten into her alma mater! The memories of their youthful sweetness flooded back, filling her with warmth.