Taste of Kiwi

This week we’re posting scenes that portray emotion: anger, joy, sadness etc. I’ve picked a scene from my Ellora’s Cave Quickie Fringe Benefits where the heroine Marie learns that one of her flatmates is leaving and this will split up their newly formed threesome.

Fringe Benefits by Shelley Munro

“Hey, mate. Do I get a celebratory kiss too?” Kelvin’s voice drew them apart. Marie caught his sharp look, despite the humor in his tone, and flushed, her heart thudding. With shaking limbs she stepped away from Shane. Her hand still trembled when she reached for her glass of champagne.

Kelvin drew Shane into a hug of congratulation. “Give us details, man,” he said after clapping Shane over the back. He observed them both with watchful eyes.

Marie’s blush intensified. Damn, she hadn’t meant to do that, but if she’d erred so had Shane. She snuck a glance in Shane’s direction and caught him watching her. An expression of satisfaction glowed on his face.

“I’ve been promoted to regional manager of the sales team,” he said, still watching her.

Marie broke their gaze and took a hurried sip of her champagne. The bubbles tickled her nose and she sneezed.

“Bless you, sweetheart,” Kelvin said. “Regional manager, huh? Sounds good. Pay rise?”

“Yeah.” Shane grinned. “I have to relocate to Wellington but it will be worth it.”

“Wellington?” Marie felt as if someone had upended a bucket of icy water over her head. A chill swept down her spine. “You’re leaving?” she whispered. Her old fears rose up to swallow her whole. A tremble racked her body and she had to set the glass aside or risk spilling it.

“Yeah, babe,” Shane said. “And I want you to come with me.”

“What?” Anger replaced Kelvin’s normal easy tones.

“Go with you?” Marie asked, shock still kicking her in the gut. That would change everything. She, Kelvin and Shane were a team. Friends. Lovers. And today they’d made love as a threesome. It had given her hope. Shane leaving would change everything.

“Yeah,” Shane said, seemingly oblivious to the swirling undercurrents.

“But I like things the way they are.” Marie couldn’t imagine a life without both Shane and Kelvin. “I’d miss Kelvin.”

“You want Marie to move to Wellington with you?” Kelvin’s face was impassive but his voice sounded dangerous. He straightened from his lazy sprawl against the wall. Visible tension bracketed his mouth.

“It’s a good idea. I love her. She’s not like other women.”

“You didn’t think to discuss this with me first?” Kelvin drawled. Marie noticed his eyes held none of their usual humor.

“None of your business,” Shane said. “It’s between me and Marie.”

Marie sat trembling in her chair. All she could think about was change. She loved Shane and she loved Kelvin as well. No way could she choose one man over the other, which meant she couldn’t have either. Tears stung the back of her eyes. She scrambled to her feet but wasn’t fast enough to prevent the fall of tears. They ran down her face as she fled to the safety of her bedroom. The door slammed behind her and she locked it before throwing herself onto her bed. Alone, she allowed the tears to fall, sobs vibrating the length of her body.

She was vaguely aware of shouting outside, thumps and curses. Marie lifted her head, a fresh spate of tears falling when she identified the sounds as fighting. Kelvin and Shane were brawling, fighting each other when they never fought. Over her. Marie pulled the pillow over her head to block out the crashes and shouting. It was like her childhood over again. Her fault. She should have known it was wrong to feel happy, that it would blow up in her face. One of her foster mothers had told her she was bad luck, right before she’d returned her to foster care as an impossible case. It seemed the woman was right and she was destined to live alone.

Purchase your copy of Fringe Benefit from Ellora’s Cave

To read other Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Eliza Gayle
Moira Rogers
Sasha White
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Jaci Burton
Juliana Stone
TJ Michaels
Lacey Savage
Victoria Janssen
Ashley Ladd
Shelli Stevens
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Beth Kery
Michelle Pillow
Mandy Roth

Tweet This Post

Related posts:

1. Hot & Spicy Threesomes
2. A big boob!
3. Black Moment: Leticia’s Lovers
4. Black Moment
5. Danger Lurks Everywhere