Unknown - Sally_s Secret Lover

«Look, Miz Denham – may I call you Sally?» She nodded breathlessly. «I want to help you, Sally. I sure-to-God do!» his husky southern voice oozed sincerity, «and maybe there just might be something I can do. But don't go gettin' your hopes up too high. We all of us business people in this town would like to see Ray running the store. After all, he's a Tennessean … practically a local boy. But these aren't the best of times, I guess you know that, and there's certain rules any bank has to be guided by in making loans. If you start bending those rules too much out of shape then the bank's in trouble.»

«Perhaps,» she said timidly, «if you feel there's no chance of our getting the loan, you'll reconsider selling and go back to the partnership plan?»

He smiled sadly. «I'm afraid my doctor would have something to say about that, and Lauralee wouldn't be too happy either. Now if you and I were going to be the partners, that might be different.»

Sally was at first annoyed that he would joke about a matter which was so very serious to her. She looked at him rather severely and he stared back at her with a direct, disturbing gaze. Good heavens, he couldn't be … he wasn't suggesting … no, she could only treat it as a pleasantry, an inept one. So she smiled at him innocently.

She had never really had the opportunity to study John Blodgett before at close range. He certainly did not look to be in poor health, nor old enough to retire. Although streaked with gray, his hair was as thick as Ray's and worn modish sideburns. He was a large man and undeniably a handsome one and his oddly compelling gaze was raking her from head to toe! Sally felt the first prickle of discomfort, and feared that he had misunderstood her intentions in coming here. She had hoped of course to take advantage of her feminine position, but not … not by demeaning herself!

«Is there anything you can do for us? Have you any advice?» she asked, growing more uneasy every second that his now frankly lecherous eyes devoured her body. He smiled in answer, slowly and confidently.

«There might be, Sally,» he paused to let his words sink in. «There just might be. Tell me – what ever made a northern gal like you marry a no-account like Ray Denham?»

«What do you mean, no-account?» she blazed, getting angrily to her feet, I love Ray!» The dog, Duke, stirred and lifted his head again. «Why, there's not another man in this stupid little town who's got one- tenth of Ray's brains and ambition!»

«Oh, I know all that,» he answered mildly, «but he hasn't got any money, any family, any backing. You should have married a man with some position in the world.»

«Don't underestimate us, Mr. Blodgett,» she said icily, «Ray will have position some day, and I'll fight to help him get it.»

«Uh-huh. And just how far are you willing to go, honey, to help your husband?»

«Wh-what do you mean?» her pretty face wrinkled into a frown as she tried to fathom the depths of his mind.

«Simple. I've got something you need – influence. And you've got something I could use. Yes sir, something I could make very good use of,» his even white teeth flashed at her. «You're a regular little spitfire, but I admire a woman with guts – specially when she comes all tied up in a pretty package like you do.»

«I'm afraid I don't understand you,» Sally said coldly, beginning to move around the desk with her eye on the door. But her heart was plummeting. God, had she ruined everything?

«Let me make it crystal clear, then,» Blodgett stood up, too. He turned around and closed the door, than faced the trembling young wife. «I like you. And after we got to know each other better, I think you'd like me. As for that husband of yours, I didn't like the way he shot his mouth off the other day and if I do anything to help him get the store it will only be because of his pretty little wife and how nice she is to me.»

Sally had reached the door but found her path blocked by Blodgett's sturdy figure. Her heart was pounding wildly and her beautiful face was flushed with embarrassment and anger. «Let me pass,» she snapped, «I can see I've only wasted my time in coming here!»

He reached out and seized her, drawing the full length of her body tightly against his and holding her there, immovable. Gasping with shock, she beat ineffectually at his chest with her little fists, meanwhile feeling his belt buckle digging into her flesh just under her breasts and further down, something hard that poked into her stomach and could only be … oh, God! She was enveloped in the pleasant spicy smell of his shaving lotion as he forced her face upward to meet his. His open mouth enclosed her small lips and his powerful tongue inserted itself between her clenched teeth … pushing … pushing into her throat. With a muffled, strangling cry and with all her strength Sally succeeded in twisting away, ducking her head out of the reach of his lewdly thrusting tongue. At the same time she freed her right hand and slapped him just as hard as she could, so that her palm smarted from the impact.

«Ow!» he exclaimed. «Why, you little hellcat!» Instead of being angry, however, he was smiling … laughing down at her as though it was a huge joke. «You'll pay me for that, in spades,» he promised, rubbing his reddened cheek. Behind Sally the dog, Duke, suddenly let out a sharp bark and she started with fright and surprise.

«Down, boy – stay,» John Blodgett commanded calmly, grinning wryly at the terrorized girl. «You're damn lucky Duke didn't take a nip at your ass … he didn't know if we were playing or it was for real. I surely would hate to see anything happen to that cute little tail of yours!» He was still holding her loosely and they were both breathing heavily. «I want to see you … very soon … your place?»

«You're crazy!» she sputtered. «I never want to see you again … after this outrageous … this …» she couldn't find words to express her contempt for his behavior, «you just wait 'til I tell my husband about this!»

«If you want me to help you, those are the terms. Just call me when you're ready, Sally. Your place, or we can go to a motel … personally, I think your apartment is safer, but that's up to you.»

«You … are … insane,» she hissed, «I have no intention of meeting you anywhere. What you are suggesting is unthinkable – you're married

– I'm married. And even if I weren't, the very idea would disgust me!»

«Oh, but you wouldn't find the experience disgusting, honey. I can promise you that you'll love it.» His big hands began to move and before she had realized it Sally felt her right breast cupped by his widespread fingers, and reacted as though she had received an electric shock. She struck his arms down and reached for the doorknob, her eyes blinded by hot tears of rage. He caught her around the waist as she jerked the door open and passed his offending hand gently over the rounded swell of her buttocks, whispering hoarsely, «And remember this, Sally, if I don't hear from you, then you can be sure Ray won't get the loan!»

She fled at a dangerous speed down the old staircase, stopping in the hallway below only long enough to compose herself sufficiently to step out onto the sidewalk. The sunlight was blinding, the air oppressively still and hot as she made her way back across the square, defeated. John Blodgett! She still could not believe it … John Blodgett, one of the most important men in town … he and his wife right at the head of the Quiggville social circuit … respected, admired. Ha! And he had dared to kiss her, in the most repulsive way, a suggestive tongue kiss … touched her breast … asked her to meet him! It was the greatest shock of her young life. The old lecher, yes, twice her age … oh, he hadn't come right out and said it in so many words, what he wanted … hadn't put a name to it. God help her, what had she done? And all she'd wanted was to help her adored Ray!