Elephants and Ever-Afters [Dark Desires 5] (Siren Publishing Sensations)

by Suzy Shearer

  Finally, they reached the cableway and rode it back up to the top of the escarpment. Laura’s eyes were shining brightly, her delight at everything so obvious. Tobias was very glad he suggested the outing. They drove back to her home, and each time he glanced her way she was smiling to herself. It made him realise just how much she’d enjoyed their day. When he drove into her driveway and stopped the car she turned to him.

  “I honestly can’t tell you just how much fun I had today, Toby.”

  “I’m very glad, I enjoyed it, too. I don’t suppose you’d like to see me tomorrow?”

  “Oh, I think I could be tempted,” she conceded with a hint of laughter in her voice.

  “Command me and I’ll obey.”

  He knew he was pushing his luck, but he had to know what she really liked. He was in danger of falling in love—that was if he wasn’t already there. It was going to hurt badly if she told him she wasn’t interested in the other side of his life, the kink side. Tobias realised for her he’d try and ignore his desires, he felt she was worth it.

  “In that case, you can pick me up around eleven and I’ll think of something.”

  He gave her a bow.

  “I’m your servant always.”

  She gave him a piercing look then allowed him to kiss her goodbye. It was hard pulling apart from her, but he knew if he kept kissing her, he wouldn’t be able to stop his hands, or his dick, from exploring her. Trying to remain the gentleman he pulled away, kissed her cheek, and quickly left.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Laura cocked her head then said, “Can you take me to that pie shop my taxi driver tells me is amazing—Pie in the Sky.”

  He laughed.

  “Of course I can. I told you, you’re in command.”

  She bit her lip and Tobias wondered if they were both sending the same message, or if it was just coincidence that their conversation often seemed to be about her controlling him or giving him orders. He knew he kept dropping hints and just hoped she was doing the same.

  He’d arrived at her home right on time and had to admit she looked more beautiful each time he saw her. Today she wore black jeans with a long light blue coloured top. It had buttons all the way down the front as well as a high Chinese collar. She’d braided her hair and it lay down her back. She allowed him to kiss her hello, then he asked her where she’d like to go.

  The drive up to the pie shop only took ten minutes and soon they were standing in front of the counter trying to decide what to have.

  “Hell, look at them all!” She studied the menu then asked him, “Can I have a lamb one, please?”

  “Sure.”

  Tobias ordered pies for them both, and coffee. He stepped back from the counter and found Laura staring at the fudge counter. He stood alongside her and she grabbed his arm.

  “Fudge. I love fudge.”

  “Then I shall have to buy you some. What flavours?”

  “Damn, there’s too many. Um.”

  He loved watching her decide. He was so glad she was a woman who enjoyed food and didn’t pretend. Finally, she looked up then pointed to the display.

  “The Lemon Meringue and the Salted Caramel.”

  “Is that all? No chocolate?”

  “Don’t actually like chocolate fudge, but love most of the others.”

  The sales woman asked for their order and Tobias bought the two flavours Laura had asked for, as well as Cherry Ripe, Heavenly Triple and Caramel Macadamia. By the time he’d paid for them, their pies and coffee were ready, so they carried them to a table outside and sat down.

  “Do you like fudge, too?” Laura asked.

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever tasted it.”

  “You haven’t?” she sounded surprised. “Oh, you will love it, I promise.”

  “I hope so. I think we have similar tastes. Jules told me you love bread as much as I do.”

  “Oh yeah, fresh from the oven. Yum.”

  They ate their pies with Laura declaring it was the best she’d ever tasted, and Tobias had to agree. It was well-filled and the pastry perfect. Once they finished, Laura sat back in her seat and looked over at him.

  “Thank you, Toby”

  She looked so relaxed and Tobias felt a rush of possession.

  “Laura?”

  “Mm?”

  “Laura, I want…I want to see if we can have a proper relationship. I really like you, a lot.”

  “Oh.”

  “I know it’s probably a dumb thing to say but there’s something about you that I can’t resist. We’ve only been going out together a few weeks. but…”

  “I really like you, too. Toby.”

  “So willing to give me a try?”

  A strange look came over her face and Tobias had a sudden fear. What if she said no?

  “I honestly don’t know. I…” She turned away and watched the cars driving past. Tobias held his breath and mentally crossed his fingers. Finally, she looked back at him and said, “I guess we can just see what happens.”

  Relief surged through him as he reached over the table and took her hand.

  “I’m glad. You won’t be sorry. I promise to do whatever you want.”

  She gave him another strange look. “I keep warning you about saying that.”

  He winked and said softly, “Maybe it’s what I want to do.”

  Laura looked about to say something when an older couple passed by the table. The elderly woman tripped and spilled her milkshake, some of it landing on Laura’s back. She leaped to her feet the same time as Tobias. With a painful cry the woman had fallen onto her knees and they both helped her into a chair, her husband too distraught to do anything but panic.

  He cried, “Is she okay?”

  They could hear the fear in his voice as he hovered over his wife.

  “I’m fine, Howard, this lovely lady isn’t though. I’m so sorry.”

  Laura had knelt down, rearranged the woman’s dress and was looking at the lady’s knees and said with a smile, “It’s okay, just as long as you’re alright.”

  Tobias could see blood on the woman’s knees. Her husband caught sight of it and held a hand over his mouth, inhaling loudly. He looked at Tobias then at Laura.

  “Oh my, what has she done?”

  “Nothing too serious,” Laura reassured the man. She looked up at the lady’s face. “You’ve grazed both knees.” Laura glanced at Tobias and said, “Do you have a first aid kit in your car?”

  He nodded and quickly grabbed his first aid kit, returning and handing it to Laura. She opened it then cleaned the woman’s knees, and put a large sticky plaster on each one. One of the female staff had also come outside and asked about the woman. Her husband explained what had happened. The woman left but came back quickly with a glass of water and two paracetamols. The elderly lady nodded her thanks as she took them.

  “Will you be okay?” Laura asked her, her voice filled with concern.

  “Yes. It shook me up at first but I feel better now. Thank you so much for looking after me, especially when I spilt my drink on you.”

  “Don’t worry. It will wash off.”

  Laura passed up the kit to Tobias then stood. They said goodbye to the couple and Tobias picked up their bag of fudge as they made their way to his car. Laura was trying to look behind herself to see the damage.

  “It isn’t much, your hair took most. Looks like I have a job washing it again.”

  She laughed loudly, then said, “Are you sure you didn’t pay them to do that just so you could?”

  “Couldn’t have planned it better if I tried.”

  He opened the door of the car for Laura but she hesitated.

  Frantically Laura said, “I can’t get this mess on your seats. Julian told me how much this car cost. Heavens, Toby, it was almost four hundred thousand dollars! That’s almost twice what I paid for my unit in Canberra.”

  “Ha, it’s only a car, Laura. Don’t worry about it. I can get it cleaned.”

  “Oh, my God, no!”
>
  Tobias could see it really worried Laura to ruin the leather seats, so he went to the rear and took out an old blanket then spread it over the seat.

  “Better?”

  “Much,” she replied with obvious relief.

  He had to give her a quick kiss before settling behind the wheel.

  “Laura, you needn’t panic. Like I said it’s just a car when all’s said and done.”

  “I know that, but I can’t get over how much it cost. Hell, the most I ever paid for a car was twenty grand.”

  “I never really considered it, Laura. I wanted a reliable, safe car, and I had the money and I liked this, so I bought it. Anyway, Jules should speak, he spent over a million on his Roller.”

  Laura shivered.

  “I couldn’t believe it when he told me. It’s an obscene amount of money to spend on a car.”

  “Laura, you have to understand we’re both very rich men. Neither of us have too many commitments, so why not buy nice things?”

  He could see her still trying to come to terms with the cost. It made him realise that although she owned a house worth a few million she wasn’t used to money. He wondered if she’d struggled with cash before inheriting, he also wondered if she was financially secure now, or would she have to sell her beautiful house. She’d never actually said if she inherited money as well as property. He did recall she said something about selling a unit in the city so maybe she was safe. Then again, that money may have paid mortgages on the two properties and the place she’d lived in in Canberra. It’s possible there wasn’t very much left at all.

  “Have you always had money, Toby?”

  “Me? Ha! I grew up in one of the poorest suburbs in Sydney. A government housing estate rife with crime, drugs, and sadly a lot of idiots. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of wonderful hard-working people, trying to make ends meet like my dad, but there were also the dole bludgers, the welfare cheats, the crims.”

  “So how did you end up having enough money to waste on luxury cars?”

  “Dad. I learnt from a young age that you had to work for what you wanted, and he was the perfect role model. After my mother left, he had to raise me and he worked hard. Gave me the love of building things and I did an apprenticeship with the company he worked for, then studied building and construction at uni at the same time as Julian was studying. Guess I was in the right place at the right time, branched out on my own, and somehow managed to secure all the right contracts. Bought out a couple of other building companies and the rest is history. Dad worked with me and we never looked back.”

  “What about Jules? How did he fit in?”

  “Came from the same place, we were best friends. He studied law and I used him whenever I needed anything legal done. It just seemed natural that he would become the legal brains as my company grew. I offered him a partnership when Dad retired, we’ve both been blessed with good business sense which helps, too. Anyway, we’re both sitting on the top of the pile and loving it.”

  “Do you think about ever retiring?”

  “We’ve both cut down our workload. He’s been grooming a couple of people to take over his side, and I’ve been doing the same. We’ve reached a point where we can direct from afar. The new office seems to be working well, and both of us thought we’d give it another twelve to twenty-four months then sit back completely. I’m fifty-seven and I want to enjoy the things I have. I don’t want to work until I’m ready to drop, doesn’t make sense.”

  “That’s true. If you can sit back, why not?”

  They drove back to Laura’s house, and entered with Tobias carrying the fudge again. He dropped it on one of the kitchen benches alongside Laura’s bag. They stood looking at each other.

  “Let me do your hair now.” His voice was soft and hopeful.

  “What about my shirt?”

  Her reply was equally soft as she stared into his eyes.

  “Later,” he whispered.

  He set up the laundry again. He knew Laura was perfectly capable of telling him she’d have a shower, especially after wearing part of a milkshake, but she never mentioned it. She pulled off her shoes and moved to the chair. When she sat down, he adjusted the water and took the band from the end of her braid. Her hair was sticky, but he soon had it clean. When he put the conditioner on her hair, he straddled the chair again so he could really massage her head. She gave a little cough and he glanced down at her.

  “You know you’re in a dangerous position,” she warned.

  Confused, he asked, “I am?”

  He stared down into her face and she raised her eyebrows with a tiny smile and lifted both hands, waving her fingers.

  “I have two hands now.”

  “Do you? What would you like to do with them?”

  “Oh, I’m sure I will think of something,” she teased.

  Tobias tried to stifle his groan. His erection doubled in size at her words and he saw her eyes drop to it, then back to his face. He held his breath as she ran a hand along the outside of his leg. The hand reached his waist then dropped again, she never took her eyes off him.

  “You’re not massaging my hair.”

  “S-sorry,” he managed to stammer, and somehow went back to work.

  Her hand reached his knee, ran across it, then up his leg. He gulped and tried to concentrate on her hair. The hand caressed the inside of his leg, and when it reached his bulging erection, brushed lightly across like a gentle breeze. Once more the hand travelled down the other leg.

  He moaned softly.

  His whole body felt on fire, the places her hand touched were tingling, he couldn’t think straight. She kept doing it and Tobias was afraid he would come in his jeans. His pulse raced, his breath coming in pants. Somehow he managed to wash the conditioner off her head and grabbed the towel thankful he’d finished.

  “All done?”

  “Yes,” he gasped, his voice an octave higher than normal. “What do you want me to do now?”

  Looking down into her face, he wondered at her abrupt frown and thoughtful expression. She seemed to be thinking hard about something as if trying to make up her mind. Suddenly her face cleared and she took a deep breath.

  “Such a good boy. Help me up.”

  He swung his leg over the chair and held out a hand to her. She took it and then stood. Without releasing his hand, she walked from the laundry then up the stairs, through the sitting area, and into the huge master bedroom. Tobias only gave it a cursory glance, his eyes kept on Laura as she led him into the bathroom.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Now he was washing her hair again, and once more that delightful view in front of her beckoned. She resisted unzipping him, but she did run a hand up, down, and across his hard groin. If her quick feel was anything to go by, the man was well-endowed. Laura could feel herself so damp and hot between the legs. When he’d asked her what she wanted him to do, she knew it was finally time to make a decision.

  She could say good-bye.

  She could wait, allow him to be in control, then let him find out later about her kinky side, but risk watching him run away fast in shock.

  Or she could take charge now before they got too deep and see his reaction.

  It was a no-brainer—she desperately wanted him, she knew by letting him take her out a few times these last few weeks she’d passed the point where a breakup would hurt. She shook her head in her mind, she was already in too deep not to be heartbroken, it was better to let him know now and put up with the pain of rejection and loss.

  Making up her mind—today he would either run or just maybe there was a chance he would stay.

  Simple as that.

  Better she found out one way or the other. She just hoped he would stay.

  Leading him upstairs to the bathroom, her clothes sticking to her, she twisted the towel around her head after she dropped his hand. Facing him, she saw a look of uncertainty flash across his face as she took a breath

  This is it.

  “Take off my
blouse,” she commanded.

  Laura could feel his hands shaking as they touched her while unbuttoning the shirt. He slid it open and down her arms, letting it fall to the floor. Laura felt suddenly glad she had sexy cream lace underwear on as his eyes dropped to her covered breasts.

  “Undo my jeans and remove them.”

  She could see how nervous he was as he undid the zip and pulled her jeans down, she stepped from them and turned her back. If only he knew how she was quaking with fear inside. If only he knew how nervous she felt, too—she was no slender model.

  She had curves, lumpy and saggy bits, bits that jiggled when she laughed. She loved them all, but would he be turned off by the sight of her naked body? Well, she’d soon find out.

  “Now my bra,” her voice sounded husky to her ears as once again those trembling fingers unclasped the fastening on her brassiere.

  She let the straps fall down her arms and dropped it to one side.

  “Panties,” Laura almost gasped.

  He removed them, allowing her to put a hand on his shoulder as she lifted one leg then the other.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “Turn on the shower.”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he answered meekly.

  She didn’t turn back to face him but could see him through the mirror as he tested the water, making sure it wasn’t too hot or cold. Then he stepped out of the shower.

  This was the point of no return. He’d see her in all her naked, wobbly glory. She closed her eyes briefly then turned to face him, her arms by her sides. The dilating of his eyes, his definite groan rewarded her, and then he spoke and all her fears about him liking her body fled.

  “Oh, my God, you’re so beautiful, Laura.”

  It was impossible to miss the sincerity in his voice. Laura took a breath and took charge.

  “Strip. You can wash me now.”

  Laura hid a smile at how quickly he shed his clothes. He was about to step into the shower when she shouted. “Wait!”