LOVE'S SWEET REVENGE

2013.

“Dad,” Shayna called out to her father, “are we ready to leave yet?”

“Not yet, sweetheart.” Randy Rogers replied as he made his way through the grounds meeting and greeting patrons of their small town –– River Valley.

The town’s annual picnic was a festive bring and share that had been the tradition ever since Shayna could remember, and her dad, he loved to socialize. It was hot, and Shayna was clammy. Her long chiffon dress was beginning to cling to her skin and her long dark hair, which she had left to hang down her back, was now sticking to her back. She needed to get out of here.

“Hey there,” a familiar voice greeted.

Shayna turned around to find Dayton Radisson standing behind her. He was surprisingly cool considering the humidity as the day wore on. She took him in, standing six feet tall, his chocolate brown eyes glinting in the sunlight. His dark hair had been slicked back and he looked like his body had been poured into his snug-fitting shirt and denim jeans.

“Couldn’t help but overhear you. You want to get out of here?” His deep voice broke into her reverie.

“Sounds like a plan,” Shayna replied turning to her dad once again. “Dad, I’m going to catch a ride with Dayton if that’s okay by you?”

“Sure thing sweetheart. I’ll catch you at home.” Randy said giving her a peck on the cheek before resuming his rounds.

Shayna followed Dayton to the parking area, winding their way through all the vehicles until they reached his van. Being the gentleman that he was, he walked around to open the door for her. After settling her in, he got in and steered away from the town picnic. They drove a while in silence before Shayna realized that they were headed into town instead of back to the ranch.

“Hey, where are you headed?” she questioned curiously.

“I have a room in town. Air-conditioned. You can cool off until the weather cools down to travel. The trip back to the ranch is long and the heat is unbearable.”

“Yeah, I cannot imagine how people are still at that picnic in this heat!”

A short while later, Dayton pulled into a parking bay outside the only so-called hotel in River Valley. Shayna didn’t even hesitate as she followed him up the stairs to his room. She had known Dayton all her life and trusted him. He had always been her best friend and she was just the nerdy girl from next door always hanging out with him, but never good enough to date him.

The blast of cool air hit them the instant Dayton opened the door and Shayna pushed past him eager to cool off. She plonked herself down on the bed, her pink sundress falling open at the thigh, where there was a slit in the fabric, and kicked off her shoes.

Her scent, flowery and light, had been driving Dayton crazy all through the drive. And now, she was in front of him, her shapely thighs exposed. Shayna had always been the ‘girl next door’. But, boy-oh-boy, she had grown into a fine young woman. He took in the sight in front of him and something fluttered in his stomach as his eyes roamed over her curves. Her long dark tresses hung down her back and her cheeks were flushed.

Dayton walked over to the small fridge and got her an ice cold bottle of water. His fingers touched hers as he handed over the bottle and he swore there was some sort of chemistry between them. Or maybe, it was just his hormones talking and the heat getting to his head. But, he couldn’t help but wonder if Shayna had felt it too ….

Shayna reached for the bottle of water and felt the chemistry between them when her fingers grazed his. She also knew that she wasn’t his type. Dayton was fond of blondes, the type that gushed over him and seemed to have an empty head. The only thing they were good for —was looking good in the tabloids. And Dayton had his fair share of those women hovering around him at any given time.

Dayton watched Shayna open the bottle. She tilted her head back and he was transfixed as the water passed between her lips and down her throat. He longed to press his lips along the length of her neck … He had no idea of what was going through Shayna’s mind and he didn’t want to ruin the friendship they shared. He stood there watching Shayna take off her shoes and get comfortable.

“I want to kiss you, Shayna.” Dayton’s voice broke through the silence in the room.

Shayna had wanted this for as long as she could imagine. So, for a moment, she thought she was hearing things. She looked up at him and saw an unmistakable fire burning in his brown eyes. Her lips were incapable of forming words so she simply nodded her head. And, before she knew it, Dayton was closing the distance that separated them.

He sat on the bed next to her, his hand reaching tenderly for her face. He tilted her face at just the right angle before his lips met hers. His kiss was soft, at first … Shayna leaned into him and he pulled her closer deepening the kiss. A soft moan escaped Shayna’s lips and she laced her arms around his neck to pull him closer. She took the lead as she held his head in place with one hand and used the other to hold his jaw in place while she kissed him back, sliding her tongue between his teeth.

She felt him smile against her lips. Emboldened by this, she moved off the bed, hiking her dress up to straddle his hips in one swift move. Dayton was taken aback for a moment, then he kissed her harder, pulling her closer. His lips ravaged hers as his hands made quick work of the buttons on the front of her dress. Then, he was pushing her dress down her shoulders … She felt his hands cup her breasts, and they became heavy —heavy with desire.

When his lips left hers, she felt empty. But then, she felt the heat as his lips closed around one nipple. Shayna wanted more although she had no idea what more was. She ran her fingers through Dayton’s hair, holding his head in place, not wanting him to stop. She trembled, ever so slightly, as he ran his fingers down her spine. His hands cupped her buttocks now and he lifted her up, then down, and she felt his erection. Dayton put one arm around her, and without losing contact, swiftly moved so that Shayna was lying on the bed with him atop her.

“I want you, Shayna.” Dayton stated pulling away from her momentarily.

Shayna wrapped her arms around him tighter and pulled him into a passionate kiss. She wanted him too. She wanted him to touch her, there …. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. And, more than anything else, she wanted to feel him inside her. Shayna had no idea where that was coming from, but in that moment, it was all she could think of.

Dayton ran his one hand up her thigh, leaving goose-bumps along the way. He slid one muscular thigh between her legs as his hand traveled higher still. His lips left hers and went to her breasts again. He nipped at her nipple the same time that his fingers found her center. A moan escaped Shayna’s lips and she arched into him as his fingers found their way beneath her lace panties.

His lips continued their onslaught of her breasts as his fingers ignited the folds of her center. Just when she thought that it couldn’t get any better, one finger entered her. He stroked her there and her whole body felt like it was on fire. Shayna needed to feel him, so she reached for his shirt and undid the first few buttons before pulling the shirt up and over his head.

Dayton let her have her way, for now….

Shayna splayed her palms against his chest and she could feel the erratic beat of his heart. It felt so good, so right. When he moved away from her, she thought she had done something wrong. But Dayton was moving her dress out of the way and pulling her panties down her legs. His lips left a trail up her thighs, kissing here and biting there …She felt his breath at her center before she felt his lips.

“Oh God!” Shayna gasped in ecstasy.

Dayton slipped a finger in again and started rhythmically stroking her, and her hips began moving to match his rhythm. Just when she thought she could take no more, he slipped another finger in and used his tongue to tantalize her clitoris.

“Please... Don’t stop ...” Shayna begged as she held Dayton’s head in position.

She wanted something more. So when he raised himself up to kiss her, she reached for his pants and undid the zipper, yanking down his pants and boxers, freeing his erection. She held it and heard his sharp intake of breath. Shayna began stroking him. She had never done this with anyone, but she knew that she was safe with Dayton.

“Shay, if you continue doing that, I won’t be able to control myself,” Dayton told her. “Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes.”

That was all the confirmation that Dayton needed. He left her to take off his pants completely before joining her again. He kissed her tenderly and used his thigh to part her legs. His fingers worked their magic making her whimper, and then she felt him at her entrance. He slowly began to enter her, then he stopped. Shayna saw his eyes darken and before he could change his mind, she lifted her legs and intertwined her ankles around his hips, drawing him in.

She felt a bit of pain. And then it was pure pleasure. As Dayton moved in rhythm with her hips, thrusting into her, and all Shayna wanted — was for him to never stop. She wound her arms around his neck, in an effort to get him closer still, but it wasn’t enough.

“Dayton, faster please …” she whimpered.

And Dayton heeded her command. He went faster, and harder. Her legs were tired now and dropped down from her waist. Dayton picked her one leg up and placed it over his shoulder all the while moving inside her. The pleasure was at another level now and a delicious ache was growing within her. She matched his rhythm now and they clung together as they climaxed together.

Dayton was panting as he lay atop her, spent. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Shayna asked innocently.

“You know what I’m talking about, Shayna.” Dayton responded.

“I was saving myself for a special occasion. And I found it. Don’t ruin it Dayton. I wanted it and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.” Shayna told him as she kissed his neck tenderly.

They were still joined and Shayna could feel him begin to grow inside her. She kissed him and touched him until he started kissing her back. Within minutes he was hard again and began to move inside her. This time, there was no pain, only pleasure.

Shayna Rogers glared at the delicately wrapped package lying on her office table. It was a square box, wrapped in red with satin ribbon. She had first laid eyes on the package through the glass walls of her office when she arrived at work that morning. She was not the type of person to receive random gifts so finding a package waiting on her table was a bit of a surprise. She worked in a secure office building and security was tight so no outsiders had access to the building. She was sure it was just one of the office staff’s lame attempts at getting everyone to share the love for Valentine’s Day. But was it just that?

She sipped her cup of morning coffee while staring suspiciously at the wrapped box. There was no other way of finding out other than opening the carefully wrapped package. Shayna reached for the card that was tied to the red satin ribbon. She couldn’t help the slight tremble in her fingers as she opened the small envelope … She went still as she read the card.

'Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life, Shayna. All my love, Erik.'

The blood drained from her face and a new fear took over her mind. It had been just over a year since the last unknown telephone call on her mobile phone and she had a sense of inner peace since her move to the city. Her apartment was relatively secure and her new offices had very tight security, for both clients and office personnel. She had thought that the nightmare was over and that part of her life was now in the past. Erik had finally come to his senses and realized that she wasn’t in love with him.

Shayna could now see how wrong she was. Valentine’s Day was just over a week away and Erik had obviously put in a great deal of work to find her again. It was clear that Erik was planning on using this lover’s day to get back together with her. She looked over at the wrapped package with disgust.

Just then, her phone started buzzing. Shayna stared at it for a moment hoping that it was Jane, her ever faithful assistant. She had left early yesterday to meet with a client and Jane had been looking into a new acquisition for her. Maybe she needed some sort of help. And then she saw it, “unknown number”. Preparing for the worst, Shayna answered the call.

“Hello,” she said grimly.

“Hello, my love. Did you receive my surprise?”

His voice was enough to send shivers of terror along her spine and she disconnected the call before throwing her phone to the floor. Shayna started to head out of her office but the phone began to buzz again. She tried her best to ignore the buzzing and to push the identity of the caller far from her mind. He couldn’t even possibly be close to her.

Shayna glanced around the office. ‘There are multiple staff members busy at workstations around the office. There is security. He cannot get to you.’ she told herself trying to stay calm. But Shayna was unable to shake the feeling that Erik was going to find her. He was a prominent businessman with political ties and had many ties on the NYPD. No one believed her. No one believed that Erik was a violent abusive man that was not accustomed to taking NO for an answer. He had to have what he wanted.

The phone finally stopped buzzing. But, by then, Shayna was furious. She was tired of moving around, constantly on the run and changing numbers. New York was a big city, but he had always somehow managed to find her. It was the place where she had thought that her dreams would come true, but in reality, only her nightmares had come to life.

Just as Shayna was about to delve into the intricacies of a particularly complex merger agreement, her concentration was shattered by the insistent ringing of her office phone. With a sigh, she reached for the receiver, her brow furrowing in annoyance as she answered.

"Shayna Rogers speaking."

"Ms. Rogers, I apologize for the interruption," came the voice of her diligent personal assistant, Emily. "But there's an urgent call for you. It's Mr. Thompson from Thompson Enterprises."

Thompson Enterprises was a formidable client, and their latest acquisition deal was crucial for her firm's success. However, dealing with Mr. Thompson was always a challenge, his brusque demeanor and demanding nature testing Shayna's patience at every turn.

"Patch him through, Emily," Shayna replied, steeling herself for the upcoming conversation.

Emily connected the call from Mr. Thompson and Shayna's breath caught in her throat, the mention of the property's proximity to her childhood home sending a shiver down her spine.

"Ms. Rogers," Mr. Thompson's voice crackled through the line, his tone carrying a hint of excitement. "I've got news that might interest you. There's a property in Texas that I am interested in acquiring."

"Tell me more," Shayna managed to say, her voice betraying none of the emotions churning inside her.

Mr. Thompson described the property with a fervor that mirrored Shayna's own memories. He spoke of the rolling hills and lush pastures, where cattle grazed lazily in the warm Texas sun, and the charming farmhouse that had been a sanctuary in her turbulent teenage years.

Shayna listened, her mind drifting back to the halcyon days of her youth, where the scent of wildflowers hung heavy in the air, and the echoes of laughter danced on the breeze. She recalled carefree summers spent exploring every corner of her father's sprawling land, each adventure bringing her closer to the boy who had captured her heart so many years ago.

Lost in her memories, Shayna's reverie was abruptly interrupted by Mr. Thompson's voice on the other end of the line.

Mr. Thompson continued. "The property I'm referring to is none other than the Radisson Ranch."

Shayna's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the name, though she kept her composure. Radisson Ranch—a place deeply etched in her memory, but one she hadn't anticipated crossing paths with in her professional life.

"But there's more," Mr. Thompson pressed on. "It seems there's considerable interest in the property from other buyers. And Dayton Radisson, the current owner, has expressed a desire to personally meet with potential buyers. He wants to ensure that whoever acquires the ranch aligns with his vision for its future."

Shayna's mind raced as she processed the information. She hadn't anticipated the added complexity of dealing with Dayton directly, nor the competitive landscape surrounding the acquisition.

"Understood, Mr. Thompson," Shayna replied. "I'll move swiftly to ensure Thompson Enterprises is well-positioned in negotiations."

Mr. Thompson's next words caught Shayna off guard. "Excellent, Shayna. I've arranged for you to travel to Texas next week to meet with Dayton Radisson personally. You'll be representing Thompson Enterprises in this matter."

Shayna's heart raced at the prospect of returning to Texas, to the place where memories of her past still lingered. But she quickly composed herself, pushing aside the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

"Thank you, Mr. Thompson," Shayna said. "I'll make the necessary preparations and ensure we present the best possible case for acquiring the Radisson Ranch."

Shayna's steps were purposeful as she entered her apartment, the familiar scent of home enveloping her like a warm embrace. With a sigh, she kicked off her heels and loosened her hair, feeling the tension of the day slowly ebb away with each step she took.

Making her way to her bedroom, Shayna's gaze fell upon the sleek dresser tucked against the wall. Without hesitation, she crossed the room and pulled open the top drawer, revealing an array of neatly organized belongings. Her hand brushed over the contents, searching until it found what it sought—a sleek, black mobile phone tucked away in the corner.

As Shayna retrieved the phone, a pang of nostalgia washed over her. It had been years since she last used it, relegated to the confines of the drawer as a relic of the past. But despite the passage of time, she had never been able to bring herself to part with it. It was a tangible reminder of a love lost, a connection severed but never forgotten.

With trembling fingers, Shayna powered on the phone, the screen illuminating with a soft glow. Memories flooded her mind as she scrolled through the contacts, each name a reminder of a chapter in her life now closed.

And then, there it was—Dayton's name, etched in digital letters as if frozen in time. Shayna's heart skipped a beat as she hovered over the contact, her thumb poised over the call button. It was a moment she had replayed in her mind countless times, a fantasy of what could have been.

But as she stared at the screen, a wave of clarity washed over her. She had spent too long dwelling on the past, allowing the ghost of Dayton Radisson to hold sway over her life. It was time to let go, to move forward without looking back. With a resolute nod, Shayna placed the phone back in its rightful place. She felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she closed the drawer.