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BRIDGETTE WAS TOO RESTLESS to sleep and her mind was too preoccupied to work on editing any manuscripts. She thought the fresh air would do her good; a walk may help clear her mind, so she pulled on her tennis shoes and a nylon windbreaker.
Once outside, she turned her head up to the sky; the rain was barely a mist. In all her life, she had never had two men vying for her attention. Marcus made her forget the world around her just by a simple touch. She loved being around him and could not get enough of his touch. Something about him made her feel complete.
Then there was Greg Dawson, who showered her with compliments. A simple touch from him sent shock waves through her body. The way he looked at her made her feel as if she were the only woman on the planet. While she had given herself completely to Marcus, she and Greg had simply kissed. She had never been one to sleep around and she had no plans on starting now. When Marcus kissed her, nothing else mattered. Greg never stayed long enough to pursue a relationship. However, when he was here he did devote all his attention to charming her.
Bridgette had never been truly in love and both men seemed to make her knees go weak. If only she had someone to talk to; she wished her mother was here so she could talk to her. She missed her friends from South Carolina. Maybe she should plan a trip up there to visit with everyone.
She shook her head as the various thoughts ran through her head. She was sleeping with one man, and thinking about another man at the same time. What happened to being a one man woman? She kept telling herself that she and Marcus were not in a monogamous relationship; they were not even really dating. It just happened to be that both times she saw him she fell right into bed with him. Yet, truthfully, she had not given Greg the opportunity.
The rain may not be heavy, but it was making the ground muddy. Her feet sluiced through the mud as she ventured back further into the property, maneuvering around some water puddles. She walked over to the edge of the bayou and shone her flashlight out onto the water. Throwing a rock into the bayou, she watched as it caused tiny ripples along the water. She found the water calming. There was something going on between her and Marcus, but what about Greg? Could she possibly have feelings for him as well? What about Marcus? Did he have feelings for her or was he just toying with her? Why must life be so complicated at times or was she possibly the one making it complicated?
As a breeze blew off of the bayou, the fog rolling in reminded her of her latest dreams. It was actually somewhat creepy. She shook her head; she was just being silly. Nothing out there was going to hurt her.
If she wanted to find the old cabin, she needed to get a move on. For a moment, she thought she heard a noise and stopped to listen. Not hearing anything out of the ordinary, she continued on. Not paying any attention to where she was going, she ran right into Greg Dawson. Greg had checked in this morning before his afternoon meetings. Surprised that he was out here, she asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I was not expecting anyone else to be out in this weather.” He sighed, “I came out to see if I could find any of your ghosts lurking about. I am guessing the weather has driven them away, though.”
She laughed, “I don’t think the weather bothers them, but unless you are familiar with the terrain, I wouldn’t venture out this far without a flashlight.”
“I did not want to scare off the ghosts. Besides, I have excellent night vision. What are you doing out in this weather?”
She replied, “I needed to clear my head and was too restless to sleep. I thought a walk would help.”
He asked, “In this weather?”
She looked up at him, “The weather doesn’t seem to bother you.”
He snickered, “No, I guess not. Would you like me to walk you back to the house?”
She found herself not wanting the night to end just yet. She was not ready to go back, but wanted to spend a little more time talking to Greg so she accepted his offer, “That would be nice.”
From here, you could barely make out the plantation. What was she doing? She really did like Marcus, yet here she was spending time with Greg. It’s not as if she planned this, though. He was already outside and offered to escort her back to the house. Besides, it was nice talking to him.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew right past her. In the distance, lightning flashed across the night sky. Greg pointed in the direction of the lightning, “It looks like a storm is moving in.”
She shook her head, “We should be back in time before it hits. I guess it’s a good thing I did not venture out deeper into the woods.”
True to her word, they made it inside as the rain started coming down. “So much for a walk before bed,” Bridgette told Greg. “I guess this is my cue to get some work done.”
“Goodnight Bridgette. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight, Greg.”
Bridgette waited to see if Greg was going to kiss her goodnight, but instead, he walked up the stairs and to his room.
Sighing, she went to her room as well. As she prepared for bed, Bridgette's phone dinged, and it was a text message from Haley. "Just seeing how the man situation is going.”
Bridgette thought about it for a moment before replying, "When I am with Marcus, the world around me ceases to exist. All I hear is the beat of my heart. But is this love?” Sighing, she texted, “But, I think Gregory just sees me as a friend. I don’t know what to do? Is it even infidelity if you have dinner with one man while you are sleeping with another man?"
Haley texted back, "Live in the moment girl. Enjoy yourself. You've been through a lot, and need this."
"Perhaps you're right. But I feel guilty, seeing two men."
"Nothing to feel guilty about. It's not as if you are cheating on Marcus. You, yourself just said that you and Gregory are basically just friends."
"How is it you always know what to say? Mwah. Love you to pieces."
AS HE WALKED BACK TO the cabin, he made sure to stay deep in the shadows. Why was she walking around at this hour of the night? He was lucky she did not see him with his date. That would not do at all. For a moment, he considered having two women tonight, but that would complicate matters. If Bridgette went missing, questions would be asked. The sheriff’s department would tear the property apart looking for her and they would find his playroom. He doubted they would find the cisterns, but he could not take that chance. He had to convince her to sell it to him; she needed to leave this place.
The intoxicating aroma of Bridgette’s scent still lingered on him just from being close to her. He loved the way she smelled, it was completely intriguing. He could see himself settling down with her, but he knew the monster that lived inside of him would not be satisfied with just her. No, he had an insatiable appetite that must be fed, but what about him, he needed someone to come home to. He needed someone to love him. Bridgette could be that person. Besides, if he made her his and moved out here, he would be able to keep her or anyone else from discovering his secret life.