I spent the afternoon like I usually did, which was to change into one of my bikinis and swim out to the dock to do some sun worshipping. The heat shimmered over the lake, the blue sky broken by small tufts of white.

Cindy seemed animated and eager to discuss her outing with Ryder who had taken her out to dinner and a movie while I'd given Brock a rain check telling him I wasn't feeling well.

He seemed disappointed but didn't push the issue asking me if I was available the following night. I didn't know what to say, but that I'd get back to him on that.

Truth was I was exhausted after spending the afternoon with Jack. My muscles ached and I had limped back to the cabin after our hike.

We'd trekked for over an hour crossing the stream and walking through undergrowth shielded from the sun by a canopy of trees until we reached a clearing where there were a cluster of small log cabins.

"They're for hunters during the season," he said, "they're not much but they'll have everything we need."

I licked my lips.

"For what?"

He grinned,

"You'll see.

I sighed as I opened my eyes and saw Cindy applying more sunscreen to her bronzed body. She shook her head at me.

"You look totally wasted. That hike you took must have been tough. You said you were out until almost sundown."

I bit my lip, forcing back an image that had popped into my mind of Jack pushing me over an old sofa, before tugging my panties off and fucking me from behind, the couch rocking each time he slammed his cock deeper inside of me.

It hadn't ended there. For three hours, he fucked me on top of or against every surface in the cabin, until I was thoroughly spent. Jack was insatiable in ways I was only beginning to understand.

When the cabin began to dim, we finally got dressed and hiked back to the cabin where his wife had dinner waiting. We split up about a half mile from the cabin and took separate paths back.

I had been too worn out to go out for a night on the town. Cindy teased me over that when I called her and told her that Brock and I wouldn't be meeting her and Ryder for dinner.

Now I chose my words carefully.

"I was just…tired. I feel better today. Brock and I will be hooking up later if you want to join us."

Cindy frowned.

"How much do you know about him anyway?"

I smirked.

"All I need to know that he's good looking and hot and I'm having a lot of fun with him."

"You're not worried about him?"

I leaned up on my elbow to look over at her.

"Why would I be? He seems like a nice enough guy and he makes me feel better than my ex ever did."

The lies were coming easily enough, they weren't exactly lies. I just could never tell my friend the complete truth.

Beginning with what I'd been doing with Ryder that night. I sat up and reached for some more sunscreen to smooth over my arms.

"What do you know about Brock anyway?"

Cindy paused.

"I've heard…stuff."

"What do you mean stuff?"

She sighed, looking almost uncomfortable.

"Ryder and I ran into someone we knew who turned out to be an ex of Brock and she said, he's…"

"He's what?"

Cindy hesitated. I arched my brows to urge her to continue with whatever news she had to deliver on the man who was pretending to be my lover.

"He's been…around and he's into some pretty kinky stuff according to her…and not just that, he's been know to um,"

Her face flushed and that just annoyed me. Really, if there were anything important I needed to know about Brock she should just tell me. It's not like Brock and I were getting hot and heavy together anyway. It was all for show so that no one would know the truth.

"What aren't you trying to say Cindy?"

She grimaced.

"He's into sharing his women…with other men. I don't know who with...she wouldn't say. She wouldn't say much actually just that she heard he had that rep."

I chuckled.

"Seriously…how do you know it's the truth? I mean…I haven't seen any signs like that when I've been with him and…he…I…we've been seeing each other."

My mind worked furiously to make myself sound convincing to my friend. God, if Brock had put me in this position without knowing it…and if I had to go back to explain it to Jack. That could get messy in a hurry.

Cindy didn't seem so sure.

"You okay with that if it's the truth? I mean you and Brock…he hasn't brought anything like that with you already has he?"

I shook my head.

"No, it's just been the two of us and we've been having…a good time. He's quite a man but no, I haven't seen that side of him…"

I haven't seen any side of him really. But I had to sell our relationship as I'd promised Jack I would so no one would find out the truth about us.

Least of all Cindy…I licked my lips thinking quickly.

"Look, I know you're just trying to look out for me but I…I haven't seen that side of Brock. He's never even mentioned wanting to bring someone else inside the bedroom."

Cindy shrugged.

"Okay just so as long as you know. Don't say I didn't tell you just in case you show up for a date with him and he has a friend with him…"

My blood rushed at the image of Brock doing just that, bringing another man into the bedroom with us…then I had to remind myself that he and I weren't doing anything like that together. My days and nights were spent having Jack fucking me when or wherever he chose like the hours we'd spent at that cabin in the woods.

That of course had to be our secret. My time spent with Brock would continue to provide the perfect cover for the truth. But what Cindy told me did unsettle me. Brock and I had kissed, flirted with each other when in the company of others to sell our relationship but alone…there hadn't been any of that. Sometimes I did wonder if he were really attracted to me…but no it was all about protecting his friend.

I tried to be tactful.

"Cindy there's been no sign from Brock that he's interested in a threesome. None at all and he hasn't even mentioned any other guy. Except of course his tight friendship with Jack.

I didn't think Cindy was even aware of that.

"So you want to have dinner with Ryder and me? You can take off on your own after that…just like we'll be doing."

I tried to act nonchalant.

"Sure…we might go to his place afterwards…"

Cindy looked pleased and I wasn't sure why. Then I remembered that I'd had my lips wrapped around Ryder that night and had been so thirsty for him…until I realized what was really out there. I glanced away from her, as she resumed talking about this restaurant with the greatest burgers and sweet potato fries.

I showered and got dressed for my date with Brock. He'd pick me up and we'd meet up with Ryder and Cindy at the restaurant. Not much to it, we'd put on our act in front of the others, pretending we were hot and heavy into each other. Further deflection from the truth and that awaited me after I left the bedroom to head into the kitchen for a snack.

Jack was working on a pasta dish for dinner that night while his wife was out at one of her book club things.

I walked into the kitchen and he glanced at me while he was chopping up onions. I smiled at him, passing him to go to the cupboard to grab some pistachios

He grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. I arched my brows, in indignation. He didn't seem to notice.

"Rosie, I'll be waiting when you come back tonight."

I snorted as I opened up a can of pistachios, reaching for a handful. .

"I might not be coming back. Brock wanted me to stay the night at his place."

His body tensed.

"That's not going to be happening. You will be coming back to me tonight."

I tilted my face looking at him.

"Oh so we can fuck under the moonlight in the house where your wife and daughter sleep? I don't think so…"

Jack's eyes narrowed.

"There's the tent in the woods."

I sighed.

"I don't think so. If Brock wants me to stay with him tonight, I don't know if I can walk away."

I knew the foolishness of what I was doing. Brock didn't want me, this was all a charade…but I didn't like Jack's assumption that I was at his beck and call either. He looked at me now, clearly unhappy.

"Brock won't try anything. He knows the rules. He knows where you belong."

I bristled.

"I don't belong to anyone. Not you, not him or anyone else…"

He grabbed me and pulled me closer to him. My body quivered in response as it collided with his hardened one.

"Don't use Brock to hide from me. There's things about him…you don't know. If you did…"

I leaned closer.

"If I knew what about him? What's going on between you and me…well let's just say you don't own me."

He hissed.

"Be careful…with him tonight and I'll be waiting when you return…"

Suddenly I didn't like the sound of that, the certainty that flavored his words…as if he knew me and what I'd do better than myself.

"I'll come back when I'm ready to come back. Look you're the one who stuck me with him as the perfect alibi for what was really going on…."

He sighed.

"I know…but you need to be careful around him…."

Jack seemed so sure and I didn't know why. After all, he had picked Brock to be my faux lover as a cover for the two of us. So why was he warning me about his friend now?

"Why do I need to be careful?"

He pursed his lips.

"You need to be. You do what you need to do to convince my daughter that you and he are…a couple but nothing beyond that…"

I tried to blow him off.

"So you say but I plan to have fun tonight…"

His eyes hardened.

"You don't know what you're saying…You have your date with him tonight and then you come back to me…"

He reached out and grabbed my jaw with one of his hands holding me still, his eyes appraising me.

"Because I'm the one you belong to…and I'll be waiting to prove that to you when you return."

My skin tingled at the promise in his voice .I nodded slowly.

"Okay I'll try my best but if he wants more….I don't know…"

He scowled and I just walked away from him. Heady in the power I felt I had over him. He wanted me and he knew that his friend might want me too.

I was ready for my date with Brock and what it might bring. I had no idea at that moment how wrong I was about what either Jack or Brock wanted…