Delusion by Avery North

Chapter 3

“Where is she?” Jake asked urgently when Susan opened the door of the cabin.

“Shhh. She’s still sleeping on the couch,” Susan said, smiling. “Did you bring the pictures?”

Jake nodded and handed her the manila envelope he had in his hand. "Take a look, and you tell me what you think.”

Susan looked at the pictures and gave a low whistle. “I don’t know, Jake. This doesn’t look good. If I didn’t know you, I’d swear this guy was you.”

“I know, but you have to believe me. It isn’t,” Jake said, shaking his head. “Anyways, I’ll wait until Amber wakes up, and hopefully, she will listen to reason.”

“Okay, I’m going to go and let you guys work this out. I don’t know what happened, and I don’t know if I want to know, but I just hope you can make up. I love you both dearly and hate seeing you both so unhappy.”

Jake walked into the living room and saw Amber sleeping peacefully on the couch.

Sitting down in the chair across from her, he watched her sleep. They had been so happy. How could this happen? He hadn’t been unfaithful to her, so where did those pictures come from?

Amber stirred on the couch, slowly opening her eyes. Turning, she saw Jake and quickly sat up.

“What are you doing here?” she said angrily. “Where’s Susan?”

“Shhh, Susan called me Amber,” Jake said calmly. “I know you are upset, but can we at least talk about this?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s over, and I don’t ever want to see or speak with you again.” Amber said, sitting up quickly and putting her hand to her head.

“Yeah, Susan said you had a lot of wine,” Jake said. “Please. I need you to understand I’ve never been unfaithful to you. I’m not like that.”

“Well, then where did those pictures come from?” Amber growled. “And don’t tell me someone is trying to frame you! That was you, Jake, in the pictures.”

“Amber, I don’t know. I mean, that is me. At least it looks like me, but I don't know-how," Jake said, tears suddenly rolling down his cheeks. “I wish I could prove to you that it’s not me, but I don’t know how.”

Amber looked at him as he lowered his head into his hands and sobbed. This man, who always appeared so strong, who always had a solution for everything, who worked his way up to the top, now sat crying in front of her, and she didn’t feel like comforting him. She didn’t know how to feel.

“We have Adam to think about,” Jake said, looking up at her. “We were going to adopt him. He can’t be disappointed.”

“Yes, and I’ll raise Adam on my own if I have to,” Amber said, looking at him. “I’ve already thought this out.”

“Amber, please. Don’t think like that. Adam thinks he is getting a loving family. We owe him that,” Jake answered.

“Seriously? We owe him that? You should have thought about that before you went screwing other people,” Amber shouted, standing up. “I don’t understand how you could seek the comfort of not one other woman but three. Am I not enough for you?”

“Amber, how can you even think I would do that? I’ve been set up some way. I don’t know how, but I’m going to find out. Amber, please, you have to believe me.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is it’s over. I never want to see you again. Go and get your kicks with your whores,” Amber growled, glaring at him.

Jake looked at Amber and slowly stood up. “Okay. It seems you have made up your mind, and I'm too confused to even think about this. I have no more fight left in me. If you have already made up your mind that I am such a vile person, I’ll go. I don’t want to upset you anymore,” Jake said, taking his car keys off the table. “Whatever you decide to do, I won’t fight you on it. Maybe over time, the truth will come out, but right now, I have no explanation, and it's obvious you have already decided I am guilty.”

Amber watched him walk towards the door and get in his car. Memories came rushing back in her mind as she stood there, heartbroken. Could she let him walk out of her life? This man, who she fell so madly in love with. Could she let him walk away? Did he really do it? Why? She did, deep down, love him. Was she strong enough to face life without him and raise Adam on her own? Could she?

“JAKE, WAIT!” Amber suddenly yelled, running out the door, down the steps as Jake’s car begin driving up the road, “JAKE! PLEASE! I’M SORRY!”

Jake stopped the car and got out as Amber came running towards him.

"Let's talk," she said. "Please come back, and let's talk."

“Oh, Amber,” Jake said, holding out his arms to embrace her.

“No,” Amber said, stepping back and holding out her hands. “We need to talk about this before we can get to that point. I haven't forgiven you, Jake. We need answers.”

“That’s fine, Amber. I’ll do whatever you want,” Jake said. “Thank you for giving me a chance to explain, not that I know what I’m explaining.”

Walking back into the cabin, Amber turned to close the door and bumped into Jake. Putting her hands on his chest to steady herself, she looked up at him. "Sorry," she said softly, just as his lips came crashing down on hers.

“Oh, Amber,” Jake breathed as he held her in his arms, feeling her warmth. “I love you so much.”

The touch of Jake’s hands on her body ignited a spark though she tried desperately to ignore it. She couldn’t make love to Jake now. Not after everything that happened. She just couldn’t, yet she wanted him. She wanted to feel his hands on her naked body, to feel his lips on hers, his tongue, everything. She wanted to feel everything.

“Jake, please. We shouldn’t,” Amber said, protesting while returning Jake’s kisses. “Please stop.” Her mind was in turmoil, part of her was saying no, but her body was saying yes as she felt herself respond to his advances.

“Amber, do you really want to stop?” Jake murmured as he reached down and began unbuttoning her top.

“We shouldn’t,” Amber said softly before finally giving in to her desires. Reaching down, she quickly unbuckled Jake’s belt.

“I know we shouldn’t, but we both want this,” Jake said, kissing Amber’s neck before searching for her lips again. Picking her up, he carried her over to the couch, laying her down. “I want you, Amber Paige, and I know you want it too.”

They undressed quickly until they were both naked, lying side by side on the couch, enjoying each other's bodies, before they joined their bodies, moving together with a hunger, a need, an urgency, as they climbed higher and higher together until they reached the peak together.

Lying next to each other afterward, they drifted off to sleep briefly before Amber woke up with a start.

Looking around, she quickly got up and began dressing.

“What are you doing?” Jake asked, opening his eyes and watching her.

“I’m getting dressed. That shouldn’t have happened,” Amber said, looking at Jake seriously. “We can’t think we can solve our problems with sex.”

“I didn’t think we were solving anything. I think we both needed that,” Jake said, getting up and grabbing his jeans.

“Jake, we still have a lot of talking to do, and what just happened here can't happen again until we figure this thing out," Amber said, putting her hands on her hips. “I’m serious.”

Jake stood up and zipped up his jeans. “I know, Amber. We need to solve this mystery, and I need to prove to you that that man in the photos is not me."

“Are you hungry?” she said quickly, turning away from him and walking towards the kitchen. “I don’t feel like eating, but it won’t do us any good if we don’t eat. We can at least discuss this like two rational human beings.”

“That would be nice,” Jake said, following her into the kitchen.

“Ham sandwiches okay with you?” Amber asked, looking in the fridge.

Jake nodded. “That sounds perfect,” he said calmly as they walked into the kitchen.

Amber took out the bread, handing it to Jake. “There are some chips in the pantry too.”

“Great,” Jake said, taking out four slices of bread. “So honestly, Amber, I have no idea where those pictures came from. I’m saying that in one hundred percent honesty.”

“Could it be photoshop?” Amber asked. “Corrine brought them to me. Could she be involved?”

“I have no doubt that she is involved somehow,” Jake said. “I don’t trust that woman. I know she raised you and everything, but I just don’t like her.”

“I never thought she would stoop so low,” Amber said. “She has to be behind this, but why?”

“How could she be involved, though? She could have hired a private investigator to follow me, but I have never ever been in that situation. Never in my life,” Jake said, suddenly looking up at Amber. “Though there was one night that I never told you about.”

Amber glared at him. “Go on.”