Lucky Seven

by Elle M Thomas

  She willingly obliged and backed against him. He draped both arms around her neck and rested a hand on each of her breasts. She smiled to herself and felt very happy with this man. She really did like him. He was funny, sexy, and very knowledgeable about lots of things; the industry, literature, music, wine and sex. If he was younger, would she consider being number seven? Did his age matter? She could be happy with him she decided, but maybe not forever. He was a little too controlling. He would want to control her, she didn’t doubt that, in everything. What she wore, her work, what she ate, what method of birth control she chose, and obviously sex together, although she had found that most exciting and satisfying.

  He clicked his fingers in front of her face. “Are you ignoring me?”

  “Sorry, I was thinking. I was miles away.”

  “Who with?”

  “What?” She was confused by the question. Why ask who and not where?

  “Who with? You were miles away, but who with?” he asked again, sounding annoyed or upset, maybe both. “I don’t play second fiddle or share, and I don’t like to think of you thinking about someone else when we’re together.” His hands on her breasts began to caress her.

  “You.”

  With his hands kneading, pinching and pulling his voice softened slightly. “Good.”

  Her head rested against his chest while she breathed deeply and despite her previous protests decided maybe she could be with him again, regardless of how sore she felt since the warm water and healing properties of lavender had soothed her a little.

  “Come,” he whispered in her ear.

  She smiled and allowed her legs to spread draping them over his.

  Jim laughed deeply. “Oh, so welcoming so soon, honey. But, I meant for you to come with me, to leave the bath, not come like you want.”

  She was flushing furiously and was glad he couldn’t see her face at that moment in time. She was embarrassed that he might consider her sluttish or wanton for assuming he meant sex? She said nothing and hoped he would let this pass without further comment. He didn’t.

  He laughed again and spoke in a hushed whisper. “Turn around, baby.”

  Tasha knelt up in the water, facing him and knew her face would be glowing scarlet still.

  “I do wish you would reconsider being lucky seven. There would be no number eight, ever. This would be so much easier if you were poor, dumb or willing to do anything in exchange for a helping hand with your career, or all three. We would be on our way to Vegas, honey,” he said far too seriously, making Tasha a little nervous.

  She swallowed hard, nodded, but said nothing, although her mind was awash with thoughts of this man who had a serious history of jumping in with both feet. She was more concerned that he had clearly regretted his previous rash marriage decisions hence him having six former wives.

  “Although I like that you’re not dumb or willing to do anything for my help. I think I’ll need to work for this and that appeals greatly.

  Tasha swallowed again, harder, but still said nothing.

  “Come…I mean, sit.” He smiled, obviously enjoying her embarrassment and discomfort as he gestured to his lap.

  Tasha climbed onto him and allowed him to pull her closer and hold her tightly.

  “I like being married.” His tone was serious, as was his expression and Tasha wondered if he was attempting to explain his suggestion for her being number seven.

  “I got that.” She smiled, six former wives confirmed his desire to be married.

  “I don’t really do casual, it’s not me. I’m a traditionalist really.”

  She nodded. She truly believed that. If he didn’t, there probably wouldn’t be six former Mrs Mayburys, except for number one.

  “This is just sex, James. Good sex, better than good. Great sex, but just sex.”

  He toyed with her hair. “Is that a bad thing, great sex?”

  “No. I like sex, a great deal.”

  “I got that,” he said with amusement, repeating her comment to him. “I could get used to having you around.” He smiled a little more broadly.

  She smiled back. “That would not be a good idea long term.”

  He cocked his head to one side, deliberating his next move. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because whilst we both like sex, great sex, you are a traditionalist and I am not.” She ran her fingers through his damp hair. “Did you cheat on your wives?” she asked curiously, hoping to strengthen her position against him being a suitable husband.

  “Yes, technically, except for my first wife.”

  His response oozed total honesty and Tasha was impressed by it. It would have been easy for him to lie. To tell her what she might have wanted to hear but he hadn’t done that. He’d told her the truth, potentially risking her annoyance, displeasure or disapproval.

  “Right.” She was clueless what to say beyond that. What was there to say? He had only remained faithful to one of his six wives, the mother of his children.

  “Does that shock you?”

  Tasha considered his question. Did it shock her? Should it shock her? He’d told her about his marriages and she believed he’d given accurate accounts of their demise. Clearly, he was a man who liked his own way and when things didn’t work out that way he moved on quickly, with apparent ease so the idea of him cheating once his marriage was in trouble in no way shocked her, even if it probably should.

  “Not that you cheated on five of them. I’m probably more shocked that there was one you were faithful to.”

  Jim watched her, but said nothing. The truth was he had no idea what to say. He’d told her the truth about who and what he was and had no intention of apologising for it. Not because he wasn’t sorry about some of the choices he’d made, he was, but because he’d only ever been honest with Tasha. What was it about her that forced him to not only open up, but to do it freely and without question? This young and beautiful woman could really get under his skin without even trying.

  Silence hung between them until Tasha explained her view point. “I’ve never properly known a married couple where the husband didn’t cheat, and sometimes the wife too, except my grandparents.”

  “Is that why you’re so reluctant to marry? Even the man you admit to having loved?”

  “Partly. I don’t associate marriage with happily ever after. I’d like to have my mind changed on that, but that’s not an invitation.” In spite of her smile, she spoke with a deadly seriousness.

  “Shame.” His lips curled into a mischievous smirk while his mind began to ponder Tasha’s response to his question about her reluctance to marry the man she’d loved based on her experience of married couples. Partly. That’s what she’d said. So, if what she’d seen was part of the reason, what else was there?

  “Did any of your wives cheat on you?” She reclaimed his attention.

  “Not that I’m aware of, not like you mean. I told you, I don’t share. I wouldn’t tolerate that, ever.”

  “So you’re jealous then?”

  “Of course. If a woman is with me, I consider her wholly mine, heart, soul, mind and body, like you are right now.”

  “Am I indeed?”

  “Until you and I are done, you’re all mine.”

  Tasha frowned at his response. What did that mean, until you and I are done?

  “When is your period due?”

  The sudden switch in topic shocked her and caused her to blush again, embarrassed by his question.

  “Well?” he asked impatiently.

  She thought he was probably unused to waiting for people to respond to his questions, demands.

  “Not for another week.” Disbelief filled her mind that they were having this conversation after less than a day of knowing one another. His question confirmed her earlier thoughts about him being someone who’d want to know and influence every aspect of her life if she was to embark on a long-term relationship with him.

  “Are you regular?” He seemed over focused on this.

 
; She nodded shyly.

  “How regular?”

  This was now verging on the obsessional as far as Tasha was concerned. Why did he want or need to discuss this?

  “Tasha, how regular?” he repeated, impatient again.

  “Every twenty-eight days, regular as clock work, since I was fourteen-years-old.” She felt she was sharing far too much now.

  “What day are you on now? Twenty, twenty-one?” He was staring at her and waiting for an answer.

  “Twenty. Why?” Curiosity now got the better of her rather than the annoyance she thought she should be aiming at him for such an invasion of her privacy.

  “Because I would really like to go bare back with you and if you’re on day twenty with a regular twenty-eight day cycle, you won’t get pregnant. I know you’d enjoy it as much as me. What do you say? I have regular health checks and I’m clean.”

  She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t doubt she’d like it, but she wanted to be safe. She’d allowed Liam to break her rules and look how that had ended, although she was fooling herself if she really believed she’d ever had the control to allow anything with him. She suddenly felt unsure of herself. Maybe she shouldn’t be here. Should never have allowed herself to come here with James Maybury. A predator.

  “Have I said something to offend you? You look odd.” Jim sounded concerned as he took in her complexion that had suddenly paled and her eyes that looked somewhere between anxious and fearful, as if she was a trapped animal battling with its fight or flight instinct.

  “Not really. You remember my psycho boyfriend? He was unpleasant, crazy though, and he used to sometimes insist on no condoms and although every ounce of me told me to refuse, it was always easier not to argue. I really didn’t have much choice. Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that you were the same as him by asking to do it without a condom—”

  Jim put his index and middle finger on her lips to signal that she should stop speaking.

  “He was crazy though, Tasha. Look, forget about it. If you want to go without a latex barrier great, but that’s your choice, honey. I won’t push you.” He smiled.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here, it’s getting cold and rubbers in the bath probably are an awkward combination.”

  ****

  “Do you want to go to the theatre this evening?” Jim asked as they sat eating a large, late lunch.

  “I can’t be seen with you on a date.”

  “Why the hell not?” He wore a strange expression. Something between amusement and annoyance spreading across his face.

  “Because this, us, could be viewed by others as me sleeping my way to a role. We have agreed that you will not be making me a big star, but nobody else would believe that. ”

  “Integrity. I do like that. It makes you hotter and it makes me hard.”

  “Is there anything that doesn’t make you hard, James?” She laughed.

  “Not where you’re concerned and if you call me James again I will lay you right here, across the table.” He wore a very serious expression.

  She smiled and considered repeating his name, but didn’t. She’d already succumb to his seduction again when they’d left the bath and was sure she really couldn’t do it again today, well, not yet anyway, maybe tonight.

  “Okay, a movie, whatever you want. You could go and get your stuff from your hotel. Check out and bring it back here until we leave,” he suggested.

  “Why would I check out of my hotel?” Tasha wondered where this was going because as far as she was concerned she needed her hotel room, even if she wasn’t currently using it.

  “I told you, until you and I are done, you are mine. When are you due to fly home?”

  “Friday.”

  “Really? You’re not hooking up with someone while you’re out here.”

  “No!” She protested, feeling slightly offended by the question she’d heard him ask, although unsure why that was, beyond the possible inference that what she’d done with him was something she did regularly. She didn’t.

  “That was not a fucking question! You will not be hooking up with anyone else while you’re out here. So, why the extended stay?” Anger invaded his voice which only added another layer of confusion to Tasha’s clouded thinking.

  “Because my agent loves me and she knows I like New York. I’ve had a difficult few months,” she explained, not really wanting to dissect her life for a man she barely knew.

  “Difficult how?” Calmness began to settle over him.

  “Ex-boyfriends, my parents, everything really.” She knew she sounded vague but she felt uncomfortable.

  “Sorry.” Seeming to sense her discomfort at disclosing this, he softened further. “Look, I’m due to fly back to L.A. tomorrow, go and check out and come back here. We can watch a movie, have dinner. Maybe you could call me James some more then come back to L.A. with me and fly home from there. I’ll take you to my vineyard.”

  “Jim, if I won’t go on a date with you, I can’t fly to L.A. with you.” She felt more disappointed and downhearted than she thought she should be at that realisation.

  “We’ll be discreet. You can book your own ticket and we’ll take separate cars. Nobody will know you’re in L.A. and if they do they’ll never know you’re there with me. I promise.”

  She studied him and wondered how he could make such promises, but he did and she believed them. She believed him.

  “I’ll check out and think about L.A.” she assured him, not even considering she’d have no accommodation if she checked out and didn’t go with him. “I should get dressed if I’m going to my hotel.”

  Chapter 4

  It was a couple of hours later when Tasha returned to Jim’s suite. He virtually pounced on her as she walked through the door. “I missed you. I thought I was going to have to come and find you.”

  Tasha smiled. “No. Sorry. I did a little shopping while I was out.”

  Jim was already pressing her against the wall where he began to undo the buttons on the plain white blouse she’d changed into with jeans and trainers. Once he reached the third button he grabbed the open sides of the blouse and pulled, sending buttons flying over the floor.

  “I believe I owe you a shirt too.” As he stepped back he admired the white, half-cup lacy bra that was struggling to contain her heavy and heaving breasts. “Very nice.” His words became muffled as he lowered his mouth to the bra.

  “This is one of the sets that was couriered over this morning, even though you only owed me one.”

  He shrugged. “It’s very beautiful. You’re very beautiful,” he said with a wry smile, but total sincerity in his tone.

  “How did you know my size?”

  “Honey, I’ve been married six times, I know sizes. And I checked your label,” he admitted with a wink.

  “Did you ask for a half-cup?”

  “Kind of. I told them my friend had the most gorgeous tits I’ve ever seen and I didn’t want too much of them covering.”

  “I see,” Tasha replied with an arched brow but was unsure whether he was being serious in his recall of what he’d told the store staff. “So you approve of their choice then?”

  His appreciative stare certainly suggested that. His answer was to undo her jeans, confirming it. “Show me the panties. I want to see your ass.”

  She allowed him to pull off her trainers and tug her jeans down before stepping back to admire the view.

  “Turn,” he commanded.

  She obliged and as she faced him again she smiled. “So, do you approve, James?”

  He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “I did warn you, honey, and the table has been cleared.”

  “You wouldn’t.” She wasn’t convinced of that.

  “I think we both know I will and I’m going to.” His eyes suddenly illuminated with passion and desire. Before she saw him coming at her, she was hanging over his shoulder. He strode towards the dining area where he placed her down onto the table
. “Give me your feet.”

  Tasha frowned at him and considered playing hard to get or even saying no.

  “Honey, we can play this any way you want, but unless you want me to rip those pretty new panties off your ass, give me your feet, and for future reference sneakers are for the gym, not fucking.”

  She was shocked by him again. He wasn’t honest, talkative Jim now, not even playful, teasing Jim. He was controlling, until you and I are done, you are mine James and she was glad he was. Far too glad. All of the Jim’s she’d met so far appealed to her, but James was definitely her favourite. She looked up at him and slowly moved her feet up his body, resting them on his chest.

  He reached down and pulled her hips so her ass hung over the edge slightly. He began to rub both of his hands over her exposed bottom before hooking his thumbs into the waist of her thong to pull it down slowly.

  “Next time I will rip them off, okay?”

  She nodded as the excitement of what was going to happen with controlling James in the driving seat began to course through her body. Thoughts that being number seven wouldn’t be so bad filled her mind. She could certainly understand why there had been six previous wives. Her musing distracted her sufficiently that she hadn’t realised he was already naked and ready for action. The tearing open of the condom in his hand confirmed that. She suddenly winced as she remembered how saddle sore she was, but giggled that she too was using the horse analogies.

  “Do I amuse you?” he asked seriously.

  “No, I was thinking. I’m still quite sore.”

  “Sit up,” he demanded and somehow softened his words by taking her hand to help her into a more upright position.

  Once she was sitting up Jim kept a hold of her hand, ensuring she didn’t fall. He reached around her back and undid her bra. “Take it off, baby. Show yourself to me.”

  Tasha did as she was told and went to lie back down.

  “Not yet.” He handed her the condom in its open packet. “You do it.”

  She was still surprised at the sheer size of this man as she sheathed him and again thought of her soreness.