Forbidden Fruit

[kitty_baby777]

Type of story: Long Fic

Rating: A

Main Characters: Peter/Belle plus Drew and Amanda (the last 2 are not romantically involved!)

Genre: A mixture

Warnings: some sexual content and possible violence and coarse language

Is Story being proof read: No

Summary: It is 2010 and Peter has returned to Summer Bay after the break up of his and Amanda's marriage and finds himself falling for Belle who is engaged to Drew. She also seems attracted to him. Will they act on their feelings and if they do what will be the consequences?

Peter Baker was feeling pretty depressed as he drove into Summer Bay. This place was so full of memories for him most of them tinged with a bittersweet flavour. He remembered the day he had left this town with Amanda. They had both been full of hope for the future despite the sadness of leaving their families and friends. Peter sighed

"Where did it all go wrong?".

Actually he already knew the answer to that question and it was that he and Amanda had been a mistake from the beginning. They had first met when she was still married to his brother Dan and they had embarked on a brief but passionate affair that had ended in the break up of her and Dan's marriage. Even now Peter still harboured guilt feelings despite the fact that his brother was now happily married to Leah. In the end the guilt had destroyed his and Amanda's relationship and they had ended up hating each other. Nevertheless a time of neediness on both their parts had stirred up old feelings that would have been best left buried and despite the initial oppositon of his family and most of the Bay residents (or maybe because of it) they had ended up married after which they had left Summer Bay together for the city. Almost immediately cracks had appeared in the marriage in part due to Peter's ambition and workaholic tendencies which had seen him working long hours in his job as a detective. This had left Amanda lonely and she had started drinking heavily and ended up having an affair with a handsome young neighbour. When Peter had found them together he had thrown them both out of the house and in a matter of months he and Amanda were divorced. Peter wondered sadly why every relationship he'd ever had had ended in disaster. Was he destined to be lonely and unloved for the rest of his life?

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Belle Taylor was driving home from college in the car her mother Amanda had given her for her last birthday after Belle had passed her driving test. She knew she should be happy as she was going to meet up with Drew again but her mood was ambivalent. Part of her was looking forward to meeting him and discussing their forthcoming wedding which was to take place upon Belle's graduation in 2 years time. However she found herself wondering more and more if marrying Drew was the right thing to do as so much of their time was spent arguing. Not surprisingly most of their rows centred around their respective parents. Drew, naturally, was siding with his father Peter and insisted on blaming Amanda's drinking and adultery for the break up of the marriage. Belle in turn had told Drew that if his father had not been married to his job maybe her mother would not have felt the need to seek solace in a bottle and the arms of another man. The last time had been the worst. Belle had been home from college for Christmas, a few weeks after Peter and Amanda had split and the subject of the split had come up. Drew had called Amanda a "wh*re" and a "lush" with the result that Belle had slapped him hard across the face and told him they were finished for good. She had then spent the next 2 days hardly eating or sleeping but crying most of the time until they had both swallowed their pride and made it up. Belle hoped nothing like this would happen over the summer break. She also hoped people would not be gossiping about how "that Amanda Vale" had messed up again but Belle knew that was a vain hope. Like most people in a small town the residents of Summer Bay liked nothing better than to gossip about other people's misfortunes and mistakes and she also knew most of them still hated her mother though few would admit to it.

"Like none of those hypocrites have ever made a mistake themselves!"

Belle was deep in thought when suddenly her car started making strange noises. Swearing lightly under her breath she got out to investigate and sure enough there was smoke coming out of the back of the vehicle. What's more it was a deserted country road and there was no one in sight to help her. She picked up her mobile phone and found she could not get a signal from it to ring for help.

"This is just b****y great!" Belle thought to herself as she prepared herself for a long wait for another motorist to come along and help her.

"All I need is for the next person to be a pervert!" Belle thought "and my day will be just about perfect!"

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After a while Peter noticed a young woman standing near her car which looked like it had broken down. As he got closer he thought she looked familiar but could not quite place where he had seen her before.

"May I help you Miss?"

"Peter! Fancy meeting you here!" the girl said and as soon as he heard her voice Peter realised it was Belle. He had not seen her since he left the Bay with her mother 3 years previously. Back then she had just been a cute teenager but now she was a beautiful young woman. Her figure had filled out and become curvaceous and there was an air of sophistication and sexiness about her that had not been there previously. Or at least he hadn't noticed it back then.

"Get a grip Pete" he mentally scolded himself "she is your son's fiancee not to mention your former stepdaughter!"

"G'day Belle" he said "what seems to be the problem?"

"My car has broken down and I need to get to Summer Bay. And if that wasn't enough I can't get a signal on my mobile to ring anyone!"

"Well why not borrow mine. It's probably a better quality one!"

The words came out more abruptly than he had intended.

"Some things never change" thought Belle "he is still as arrogant as ever. Whatever did Mum see in him?"

"OK whatever" said Belle as she took the phone off Peter without even thanking him. Sure enough there was a signal on it and she started to dial.

"She's still a proper little madam!" Peter in turn thought to himself as Belle talked on the phone. After a while she hung up.

"They should be here to take away the car in about 10 to 15 minutes" she said to Peter. Not for the first time she noticed what a beautiful man Peter was. In fact the first time she had seen him she had found him attractive but as he was old enough to be her father she had dismissed those feelings straight away. Of course not long afterwards she had met and fallen for his son Drew and then Peter had rekindled his romance with her mother and married her so Belle had started to think of him just as a father figure and a friend. Why was she suddenly finding herself attracted to him especially now she was going to marry his son? Besides hadn't Peter Baker shown his true colours by breaking her own mother's heart?

"We'd better wait till they arrive" said Peter and then I'll give you a lift as I'm going in the same direction".

"No problem" said Belle. She was beginning to feel like a silly little schoolgirl. It was so unlike her as she was not usually awkward around guys. In fact Belle Taylor was a fiesty young lady who usually gave as good as she got! Why was she feeling this way now with this guy of all people?

[kitty_baby777]

"So how is life treating you these days?" Peter asked Belle "are you enjoying uni?"

"I certainly am" said Belle with a smile "there is a lot more going to do in the city than in a boring hick town like Summer Bay!"

"Well boring hick towns have their advantages as not everything that goes on in a big city is good! Besides I seem to remember a lot used to happen back in the Bay!"

"Yeah like fire bugs, stalkers, terrorists not to mention my psycho aunt Kelli! After all that city life seems kind of quiet at times!"

Both of them laughed at this. It was a long time since Peter had really laughed with anyone. There had not been much to laugh at in his life lately.

"Actually it was Kelli who inspired me to study psychology at uni. I really need to know what makes people like her tick. Are they actually born evil or do they choose to be that way".

"I think we all have to make choices in which direction to go and people like Kelli make the wrong ones. In fact I come across people like that in my job every day as well as their innocent victims".

Peter sighed as he remembered some of the faces that haunted him. The children were always the worst. Again his thoughts turned to the little girl who had been horribly abused and murdered by her mother and stepfather. He guessed such cases had also contributed to the break up of his marriage as he had increasingly started bringing them home with him. Amanda had tried to be supportive but in the end she had just given up. Eventually, feeling the need to be back with friends and family Peter had asked for a transfer back to the Bay in the hopes of healing his soul.

Belle noticed Peter looking troubled. She had hardly ever noticed this sensitive side of him in the past. He had always seemed to be this tough, efficient cop who had it all together. The only problem was it was increasing her attraction to him even more. She wanted to reach out and touch - and kiss - him.

To her great relief the car repair people came a couple of minutes later. They told Belle that her car would be off the road for at least a week. She thanked them and they towed the car away.

"Just what I need! I guess I'll just have to borrow Drew's if he's not using it too much!" she said as she got into Peter's car. They drove in silence for the rest of the journey apart from the occasional small talk. Fortunately the Bay was not too far away and soon they arrived at Drew's place which he was sharing with his friend Jules. She knew Jules would not be there as both of them had an agreement that one would get out of the way when the other's girlfriend was around!

"G'day you two" said Drew rushing out of the house to greet both of them with hugs. He then kissed Belle.

"I've missed you so much" he said

"I've missed you too" said Belle returning the kiss.

Peter felt a sharp pang of jealousy at seeing his son kissing Belle. The feeling was almost like a physical pain in its intensity. He explained how he had met Belle when her car had broken down and had given her a lift home.

"Thanks Dad" said Drew "you're the best. Want to come in for a coffee?"

"Er no thanks Drew. I'm pretty tired. Besides Dan and Leah will be expecting me. Don't worry I'm back in the Bay for the foreseeable future so we'll have plenty of time to meet up".

"Sure Dad. Say hello to Dan and Leah for me".

Peter promised he would and then drove away as fast as he could without seeming suspicious. While he told himself that tiredness was his reason for refusal Drew's invite he knew deep down that was not the case. The real reason was that seeing Drew and Belle together was more than he could bear.

[kitty_baby777]

After Peter had left Drew helped Belle bring her bags into the flat. He dropped them on the living room floor and immediately took her in his arms.

"You know I'm kind of glad Dad didn't come in for that coffee" he said as he covered Belle's face with kisses "as coffee is the last thing I want right now!"

Belle, however, pushed Drew away

"Can't it wait! I've only just got here after a long journey and need to freshen up!"

Her words came out more sharply than she had intended.

"Ok sorry" said Drew feeling rather hurt

"It's ok" said Belle feeling guilty "it's me who should be apologising for biting your head off! I'm just stressed out after my journey I guess. I'm sure I'll feel better after I've taken a shower".

"Ok but just don't take too long!"

"I promise I won't!"

With that Belle unpacked her shower things and her bathrobe and went upstairs for her shower. The warm water felt good as it washed away all the day's tension. She only wished it could wash away her thoughts of Peter. How she wished she could be in his arms tonight not Drew's!

"Belle Taylor stop this right now!" she scolded herself as she dressed and went downstairs to where Drew was waiting. To her shock he had obviously gone all out to please her with soft music and candles along with the smell of her favourite casserole cooking in the oven.

"Aunt Leah taught me how to cook while you were away" he said with a laugh "which is just as well because otherwise I'd have been living totally on takeaways and trips to McDonalds!"

Belle smiled and reached up to kiss him hoping that making love with him would put Peter out of her mind

"Lets forget about that for now" she said.

****************************

Afterwards Belle lay in Drew's arms feeling even more guilty. While she and Drew had been together she had been imagining it was Peter!

"I love you so much Belle" said Drew "I don't know what I'd do if you left me".

"Don't worry that's not going to happen" said Belle partly as reassurance to Drew and partly to convince herself. After all there could never be anything between her and Peter could there?

[kitty_baby777]

By the time he had arrived at Dan and Leah's Peter's head was all over the place. He had a history of falling for unsuitable women but even he did not expect to find himself attracted to his own son's fiancee, especially as she was his former stepdaughter.

"Just forget her Pete. It's not as if you can ever be together and besides she probably wouldn't look twice at you anyway!" he scolded himself over and over again. However he could not deny that there had seemed to be a spark between them that there had never been before. At last he arrived at his brother's.

"G'day bro" said Dan as he hugged Peter "Leah and I were about to send a search party out looking for you!"

"Well actually I bumped into my future daughter in law who'd had a spot of trouble" said Peter with a laugh. It was so good to be in Dan's company again.

He told Dan and Leah all about the meeting with Belle, all that was apart from the unwanted feelings the chance meeting had stirred in him.

"Well thank goodness you bumped into her as Heaven knows what would have happened otherwise!"

Peter nodded in agreement.

Soon Leah had made them all something to eat and they sat down together talking about old times.

"Has anything changed in the Bay since I left?" asked Peter.

"Nothing really except young Belle going off to uni and Drew and Jules getting their own place but you already knew that".

After they had all spent a couple of hours catching up on old times Peter decided to go to bed. However as soon as he lay down his head was filled with thoughts of Belle. What was she doing now? Were her and Drew making love? The last thought filled Peter with torment as he imagined Belle in Drew's arms. Eventually he managed to fall asleep only to have his sleep disturbed by dreams of himself and Belle together kissing, caressing and making love. He woke up in a cold sweat filled with guilt but also excitement. It was still early and no one was up yet but Peter knew he would probably never get back to sleep again. Besides he did not want his sleep to be haunted by dreams of a girl he knew he could never be with. As he got up and made his way downstairs he decided the only thing for it was to avoid Belle Taylor as much as he could. That way his feelings would go away in time, wouldn't they?

[kitty_baby777]

For the next few weeks Peter and Belle did their best to avoid each other but still managed to bump into each other occasionally. Peter went back to his job and worked long hours in the hope that it would get his mind off the girl he could not have but without any success. Dan also noticed that his brother seemed to be on edge a lot and asked him if there was anything troubling him.

"Oh nothing really" Peter said "it's just the divorce hit me harder than I thought it would plus work is pretty busy these days".

"Well believe me you are better off without Amanda. I just wish Drew wasn't so determined to marry her daughter as I don't trust that Belle Taylor. I have a feeling it is all going to end in tears as she is too much her mother's daughter for my liking!"

Peter nodded. How he wished he could tell Dan that he was actually in love with the girl but he knew his brother would never understand. Dan had always been the sensible one of the Baker brothers and their parents favourite for this reason.

"Anyway, Peter, are you sure you don't want to come on this fishing trip with me and Drew. I know he'd love you to come and it might help you relax. You seem to have been constantly stressed out since you got back from the city"

"Maybe some other time, Dan. I'm tired right now and wouldn't be good company anyway"

"Ok suit yourself" said Dan as he left to meet Drew

**************************************

Drew also noticed his fiancee was not her usual self.

"What's wrong with you these days Belle?" he asked one day "you always seem miles away and you seem to have lost interest in me completely. Plus you never want to make love these days?"

"It's nothing really Drew. I'm just worried about Mom. She seems to have taken the divorce really badly"

This much was true as Amanda had become very depressed in the wake of the break up of her and Peter's marriage. What worried Belle was the fact that she had gone back to drinking heavily like she always did when she was depressed. She knew her mother still loved Peter and this made her feel even more guilty about wanting him for herself!

"Well she should have thought of that before she jumped into bed with that guy!" snapped Drew angrily "as far as I'm concerned she deserves all she gets!"

"I might have expected that from you Drew Curtis!" snapped Belle "I sometimes wonder if I am doing the right thing in marrying you at all. You can be so insensitive at times!"

"Well if that's the way you feel perhaps we should end it right here, right now!" shouted Drew as he gathered his things to go on the fishing trip with Dan.

"Good idea!" screamed Belle as she watched Drew storm out of the door. A few minutes after he had gone Belle burst into tears partly because of the argument but mainly because she now realised she was in love with Peter not Drew. She decided to get up and go for a walk on the beach in the hope of getting her head together.

************************

After Dan had gone Peter also decided to go for a jog on the beach for exactly the same reason. He was running along when he noticed a girl sitting on the rocks sobbing her heart out. As he got closer he realised it was Belle.

"Belle, whatever is the matter? Have you and Drew had an argument?" he asked gently as he approached her resisting the temptation to take her in his arms and hold her close.

"Ye- yes"Belle replied, startled at Peter's voice. She had been crying so hard she had not noticed his arrival until he actually spoke. Wiping the tears from her eyes she looked up at him, her longing to be held in his arms almost overwhelming her.

Peter decided to throw caution to the wind

"How about you come back to my place for a cup of tea and a chat?"

"Sounds good to me" said Belle

"What harm can it do to just talk to him over a cup of tea?"

However as she got up and started walking with Peter back to Dan's she knew she was playing with fire.

[kitty_baby777]

Soon Belle was sitting in the kitchen of the Baker house drinking tea with Peter. As Leah was working at the diner and Ryan stopping over at a friend's they had the place to themselves.

"So what happened with you and Drew, if you don't mind me asking?" Peter asked gently

"No, it's ok" said Belle as she sipped her tea "it's good to have someone to unburden to. It's just well Drew and I - we've not been getting along lately".

She then told Peter about the argument carefully sidestepping the part about Drew insulting her mother.

"I'm really wondering if I'm doing the right thing in marrying him. I mean I want to get along in life and get a good job whereas he is happy to keep on working in that garage in Yabbie Creek. Not that I mind as long as he's happy but I know he's not keen on me being away at uni. Sometimes I get the impression that he'd just like me to stop at home and have a few kids but I'm not ready to do that yet. After all I'm only 20 and there's a great big world out there I'd like to see!"

Peter nodded

"For what it's worth I think you are right. There is plenty of time to have a family when you've lived a bit".

He paused

"If you have real doubts about marrying Drew you'd be best ending it now as I'd hate to see you both go through what your mother and I did. Don't get me wrong your Mum is a great lady but we should never have married as we just weren't right for each other. The warning signs were there long before the wedding but we just ignored them thinking that love would conquer all. Sadly that wasn't the case".

Belle felt her heart go out to Peter. He looked so sad now.

"I understand what you mean and for what it's worth I think my Mum must have been crazy to cheat on a great guy like you".

"I'm not sure she'd see it that way as I must admit I'm not the easiest person to live with. I was supposed to be married to Amanda but really I was married to my work and I guess in the end she got sick of playing second fiddle and who can blame her?"

"Don't talk like that" said Belle suddenly as she put her hand on his arm "I wish Drew was a bit more like you sometimes".

Peter was soothed by her touch

"For what it's worth I think Drew is pretty crazy not to realise what a great girl he has in you".

The chemistry between the two of them was so intense now and it seemed the most natural thing for Belle to lean over and kiss Peter gently on the lips. Peter knew he should have pushed her away but instead he responded to the kiss first with soft gentle kisses and then deep passionate ones. Soon both of them were overcome with passion and the unthinkable, yet inevitable happened.

*****************************

Afterwards they both were filled with guilt

"I'm so sorry" said Peter as he and Belle hurried got dressed "I should not have taken advantage of you like that".

"I wanted it as much as you did" she replied "in fact I've wanted this to happen for a very long time. I realise that now".

"It was fun but it must never happen again. There's too much at stake. I've let my son down too many times in the past and he'd never forgive me if I betrayed him again".

Belle nodded

"Nobody else must know about today - ever!"

"Agreed. Let's just put it behind us and get along with our lives"

Both of them knew this would be easier said than done.

*******************************

Just then they both heard Leah's key turn in the door.

"Quick get out!" Peter whispered and Belle ran out the other door still half undressed just missing Leah by the skin of her teeth.

"Hi Peter how's your day been?" Leah asked cheerfully

"Er fine" Peter replied "young Belle came around for a cup of tea as she and Drew have had yet another argument and she needed someone to talk things over with. I just hope they can sort things out between them".

"Me too" said Leah "as I'd really hate to see Drew get hurt again. He's had so much heartache in his life and another let down would destroy him".

Peter nodded. The guilt was really bad now yet he knew somehow that what had happened today would happen again soon.

[kitty_baby777]

As Leah continued to make small talk Peter could not get his mind off Belle and what they had just done. He had enjoyed the experience immensely and he knew she had too.

"How can something that felt so wonderful be wrong?" a little voice inside him said. Yet he knew what the consequences would be if Drew, and the rest of the Bay for that matter, were to find it. The local gossip Colleen Smart, especially, would relish another bit of juicy scandal to tut tut sanctimoniously about!

"What's the matter with you Peter?" Leah asked suddenly "you haven't heard a word I've said for the past half hour or so!"

"What - er nothing Leah." Peter was startled out of his reverie by his sister in law's concerned voice "I've just got a lot on my mind what with work and everything else".

"I was saying I'm going out with some of the girls tonight and won't be back till late"

"That's great" said Peter "I hope you'll all have a great time!"

Shortly after that Leah went out leaving Peter alone in the house. Despite his previous good intentions as soon as Leah was safely out of the way he got into the car and drove over to Drew's as fast as he legally could.

********************************

Belle was sitting in the house trying in vain to put the day's events out of her mind. She tried to watch television but could not concentrate so in the end she gave up. Just then there was a knock on the door. She opened it and saw it was Peter.

"What are you doing here?" she said "I thought we both agreed today was a mistake and we had to put it behind us and move on!"

"Is that what you really want, Belle? Because if it is I'll leave right now but I don't think it is. I know it's certainly not what I want!"

It wasn't what Belle wanted either so she let him in.

"D*mn you Peter Baker!" she said as she fell into his arms and responded to his passionate kisses.

*******************

Some time later they lay in each other's arms.

"You do realise that if Drew finds out our lives won't be worth living?" said Peter as he gently stroked Belle's hair

"I know but I can't help how I feel" sighed Belle "I hate myself for what I am doing to Drew - and my own mother - but I - I love you Peter"

"I love you too Belle though I sure as h*ll wish I didn't as I love Drew as well. He is my only son and here I am betraying him in the worst possible way!"

"We both are!"

"I don't think I can bring myself to stop seeing you though"

"No me neither"

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know Peter I just don't know!"

Peter then noticed the clock on the wall and realised how late it was.

"I'll really have to go now as Leah will be back soon and if she finds the house is empty she'll wonder what is up. Plus we both know she is a pretty smart cookie who has a way of figuring things out!"

Peter remembered how Leah was the first person to rumble when he had got back with Amanda despite both their efforts to keep things quiet. He also knew this situation was many times more explosive than that one had been!

"Ok" said Belle "I just wish you didn't have to leave as it makes me feel cheap but then I guess I am. Only a real sl*g would cheat on her fiance with his own father!"

"No you're not Belle" said Peter "you are beautiful and special and I love you. Never forget that"

Belle nodded, kissed Peter goodbye in a chaste fashion and watched him leave. As soon as he was out of the door the tears she had been holding back came in floods and she sobbed for over an hour.

[kitty_baby777]

Peter managed to get back just before Leah did. He was not in the mood for small talk so he made his way to bed where he spent most of the night tossing and turning and pondering the situation over and over in his mind wondering what to do. Sometimes he thought he and Belle should come clean to everyone and take the consequences but the thought of how much he would be hurting Drew stopped him. However he knew they could not carry on as they were forever as inevitably they would be found out. In a small town like Summer Bay nothing stayed secret for long. Eventually he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion and did not wake till around dinner time the next day. He got up, showered and came downstairs just in time to see Drew and Dan come back from the fishing trip. Drew hugged his father.

"You should have come Dad, we had a great time!" he said.

Peter's guilt was almost more than he could bear as he looked at the son that he loved so much and for a moment was tempted to spill everything out to him.

"What's the matter Dad are you ok?" Drew asked noticing his Dad was obviously troubled.

"Er nothing" said Peter "I'm fine".

"Anyway I have to go see Belle now as we have a lot to talk about especially as we had an argument before I left mainly because I was being such a jerk!"

Peter's guilt now turned to jealousy and fear that Belle would spill the beans on what she and Peter had been up to while he was away. He immediately dismissed the fear as he knew she had as much to lose as he did if their affair came out into the open.

"I'm sure she'll be delighted to see you" he said as his son went out the door. It was obvious Drew really loved Belle which made Peter feel even more of a snake then ever.