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Beyond the Western
The Ten Cent Lover
Scott A. Gese
Image Source: Alfonso Scarpa / Unsplash
She wanted romance. He wanted sex.
Beyond the Western
“Rebecca Slate, I love you.”
The words stung her ears, like the astringent taste of cheap red wine.
“I love you.” He repeated, only this time with a bit more urgency. He kissed her passionately on the lips, then down along the side of her neck.
She knew what he wanted and she allowed herself the pleasure of his passion, but only to a point.
When he nimbly began to unbutton her blouse, she knew it was time to rein him in.
She firmly grabbed him by the ears and pulled him back.
“Jake, stop! We’re not going there. We’ve been through this before and nothing has changed.”
Jake took a deep breath through his nose and forcefully let it out his mouth. He grabbed her arms and pinned them against the sofa. Leaning in close, he coldly stated, “If you really cared for me, you wouldn’t stop me.”
Rebecca didn’t like where this was going and she didn’t like being held down. With one swift move she turned him aside, jumped off the couch and stood over him.
She got in his face. “How dare you try to guilt me like that! I’m not playing this game. In fact, I’ve had about all I’m going to take from you. Get the hell out of my house, now! Get out!”
Jake back peddled. “Oh come on, Babe. I didn’t mean it like that, honestly. I was only kidding.”
“Well I’m not,” she replied. “We’re done here. Now get out.”
Jake got up. “OK, OK. I’m going. Call me tomorrow?”
“If you’re lucky, I might call you tomorrow.”
“Lucky,” he replied sarcastically. “If it’s anything like my luck tonight I won’t be holding my breath.” Jake snatched up his jacket and stomped out, slamming the door behind him.
Rebecca sat on the edge of the sofa. She picked up an unlit cigarette and rolled it between her fingers. She was trying to quit, but at times like this, she was having a difficult time of it.
Jake was a loser and she knew it. She could read him like a ten cent novel. The problem was, she had been enjoying the story and wasn’t quite ready to put it down. She knew what she wanted in a relationship. She wanted romance. All Jake wanted was conquest. He was shallow and manipulative. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it was time to get out of the relationship and move on.
She dropped the unlit cigarette back onto the table and went to bed.
The following morning Rebecca woke up late. She had heard her phone ring. Someone had left a message. She took a shower before she checked her phone. She cringed when she realized It was Jake. “Probably calling to apologize,” she thought. But the message was far from it.
“Hey, Becky, this is Jake, where the hell are you. I thought you were going to call me today. I’m waitiiiinngg.”
“Loser,” thought Rebecca as she deleted the message. “I’ll let him wait.”
Later that afternoon she called him back. The conversation was short and to the point. “Jake, get a life. One that doesn’t include me. Find yourself a woman who doesn’t mind being used and manipulated. I’m not it.”
“What?” Was all Jake could get out before she hung up the phone on him.
Jake sat down on his couch, shocked. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. He wasn’t used to being dumped.
Rebecca smiled, rolled the unlit cigarette between her fingers. Broke it in half and dropped it back onto the table. She poured herself a glass of red wine, from her best bottle.
© Copyright 2020 by Scott A. Gese All Rights Reserved.
