Why did I write Bella's Choice? New contemporary romance by Lynelle Clark

Why I wrote Bella's Choice.

I have read a few books on ménage, and swinging; finding it interesting and fascinating at times. It definitely has its place on the genre shelves. Many couples live this lifestyle as an everyday occurrence. If this is your choice and you are happy with it, I say enjoy. But, I am also curious and often ask questions like:

What about the children?

Do they know?

What effect does this have on them?

Bella’s Choice was born from these questions and originally written as an erotic story. However, I thought it best to change it and look at it from a different perspective. In South Africa, there are a great number of people who follow this lifestyle, although hidden in the folds of society. The reason it is hidden is because it’s not acceptable to the normal way of life, and is condemned by the average person. I spent some time on one of the sites available and learned that the people who have chosen this way of life are normal, everyday people with a love for the outdoors and their children, and would do nothing to harm them. Unlike the parents in this book. This is the extreme and has been entirely concocted in my mind. They went overboard, became addicted to the lifestyle, and almost destroyed their children in the process.

Everyone I’ve met within the swinging community are caring parents, always careful about whom they meet with and where, never allowing their children to come to any harm. I have met beautiful couples with a love for the adventurous side of lovemaking when they want more than just the average married life. I must admit that I was surprised to see the huge number of followers in my country, even in my region. Not long ago, this lifestyle made headlines claiming this fact.

Trust is a major point within this group; you have to be comfortable with each other in order to connect with the right couple or couples; meeting on common ground to test the waters, before plunging in and indulging in sex. If this mutual connection does not exist, it will not happen―ever.

It’s a long, sifting process where courting is very important. Not the old fashioned way, of course, but rather by talking and discovering who these people are. Sharing photographs also helps in the connection part of such relationships. Both husband and wife must be comfortable with the idea of sharing, or it will not advance to the next step.

These are groups of people who like to explore all possibilities but not lose themselves in the process, or cause those around them any harm.

In my story, trust is also a major issue for Anabella―the main character―who suffers from images she’s witnessed at home, which inevitably try to pull her into this lifestyle. She finds herself in situations where she has to defend not only herself, but the choices she makes. It is an individual choice, one that should never be forced on anyone, as is the case with Anabella and her parents.

No matter how carefree and wonderful it all sounds, the consequences can be devastating to those around us. We are not alone in this world; our actions do have reactions that can create much pain and suffering to a certain individual.

This is also a story of forgiveness and moving forward, where the choice is to step away and choose something different, something Anabella would be comfortable with.

Please read with an open mind. If you are easily offended, please do not purchase a copy.

Excerpt from the book

Sandra Anthony sat in the hotel room after the conference she and her husband, Jason, had attended over the weekend. She switched on the big screen TV to watch some news while she waited for Jason, who was in the bathroom. They would be attending a charity ball that night for street children. Normally, they didn’t attend these kinds of events, but it would help to promote their business. As she flicked through the stations, she stopped at eNews sport. Her daughter had just appeared on the big TV screen, on the starting block for her swimming event; backstroke over two hundred meters.
Her emerald eyes roamed over her eighteen-year-old daughter’s young body, a spitting image of herself, except her daughter’s body was in very good shape, filled with energy and vibrancy. Her innocence was as clear as daylight. Sandra couldn’t help but smirk. She thought it was ridiculous that her only daughter wasn’t willing to share their lifestyle; to explore her body’s urges. With that body, she could introduce her to many willing customers, bringing in more business. Their lifestyle had opened up a very profitable business, one with various benefits which made life exciting.
It had all started when she was only sixteen years old and met her father’s friend, Robert. Robert had been in his early thirties and a beautifully built man with broad shoulders and a heavy chest, narrow waist and firm butt. He was extremely handsome. At sixteen, she’d been very innocent but very curious about sexual intercourse. She and her friends had read all they could on this topic, and secretly experimented with each other. It had thrilled her.
From the moment she met Robert, she knew that he would be her first. One Friday night, her parents had gone out to some function or other, and they stayed at home and watched TV. He was lying on the couch, his well-defined abs clearly visible through his white shirt. She could not help herself; she stared at his broad shoulders and chest unabashedly, and then lower where she could see the bulge in his pants, wondering how it would look.
He caught her staring and grinned, saying, “Do you want to touch?”
Her face has shown her eagerness, so he’d pulled his t-shirt over his head showing off his well-toned, tanned muscular chest.
She licked her lips as her eyes explored him, stopping at the zipper.
Again he spoke, his eyes not missing her actions at all. “How old are you?” he asked in a rough, low voice.
“Sixteen.”
“A bit young, but you will not mind if we play, will you?” He leaned closer to her with a devilish smile, her insides twirling with excitement.
She shook her head, not sure what to say, or even what he meant. Her body quivered. Her eyes were still fixed on him, watching as he stood, unbuttoned, and unzipped his jeans slowly, his eyes watching her every move. When her tongue ran over her dry lips, he started stripping in front of her.
“Sweet Jesus…” was the only thing that came out of her mouth. She had never seen anything like it. A thick, long erect member with a glossy tip jutted out and greeted her.
He chuckled. “Come here. Touch me,” he demanded, and she crawled to him without a second thought, lifted a trembling finger and touched the length of his shaft; it felt like velvet. She grinned wickedly. With greater eagerness, she wrapped her hand around him and told him how beautiful he was. He thanked her. That night, he coaxed her into touching him as he liked it, and she loved it. Going down on him, he moaned, and when she saw the reaction on his face, she’d felt powerful, grinning at him.
He held her head and told her what to do with her hand and her mouth. She was a typical teenager; curious, eager and full of energy. His taste had been exquisite on her lips, better than any fine wine.
He had just dressed when her parents walked into the house; they drank coffee and went to bed. Sandra kept thinking of the feel of him in her mouth and it was exhilarating. She wished she could have had more as sleep evaded her.
When the house was quiet and her parents in bed for the night, she heard her door open and Robert walked in, whispering, “Are you awake?” She replied with keenness, “Yes.” Her heart skipped a few beats.
“Good, now it is my turn.”
He only had his boxers on, his body highlighted in the moonlight as she watched him amble closer to her.
He pulled the covers off, removed her panties, and opened her legs. Her eyes never left him. He grinned as he pulled her closer to the edge of the bed and knelt down. She felt exposed, but in a good way, and the next instant, he went down on her.
“I have never had a virgin before,” he said softly, just before he drove his mouth deep into her innermost private parts.
She thought she’d died and gone to heaven at that moment. From that night on for the next week, he would come into her room, teaching her, and coaxing her into oral sex. She learned his body and he learned hers; she simply couldn’t get enough. After that, he visited often, always introducing her to more pleasure. He always stuck to oral sex until she turned eighteen.
That night, after a party that Robert attended, he brought a friend along to meet her. They had a threesome, a threesome so intoxicating that to this day, she could not forget or ever get enough of. That friend became her husband, Jason Anthony. Robert introduced them to more people, people who opened doors for them, and because of this, they were now extremely wealthy.
Sandra and Robert’s relationship continued for many years, until he passed away five years ago. To this day, she missed him because she’d learned to care for him over the years. He had been more than a friend, one who had changed her life profoundly.
She and her husband had continued with this lifestyle―it was the only thing she knew. She had no idea what ordinary couples were doing, or how they managed to stay together. But she knew that it would never appeal to her.
Even their sons had joined in their business, and she would get such a thrill watching them as their young bodies experimented. They were learning to become experts in the field of sex. Only her daughter refused to have anything to do with it. Sandra smirked again. The little twit doesn’t know what she is missing, she thought.
She watched her daughter gliding through the water as she touched the edge of the pool first, a smile adorning her youthful face.
“Honey?” her husband called out
“Yes?” she queried as she switched the TV off.
“What were you watching?”
“Nothing interesting, are you ready?”
“Yes, let’s go,” he said, kissing her in the nape of her neck while cupping her firm breast in his hand and teasing her earlobe with his teeth.
She gently pushed him away. “Not now dear, I have special plans for you… later.” She smiled seductively.
He moved the piece of material covering her breast with his mouth and said, “I can hardly wait.” Biting her, sending shivers running down her body.
Sandra cupped his face, lifted him to her height and kissed him. A kiss filled with such promise, he sighed. “You are the best.” She smiled, rearranged the silk shirt and kissed him again before they walked out the door.

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