The Desire to Touch

by Taylor, N

  “Watch it you,” he kisses me again and then rolls off me and onto the bed next to me.

  He removes the condom and discards it in the bin next to the bed.

  “Can you pass me my shirt please?” I ask.

  He passes my shirt then my shorts and I dress and clamber under the covers as I’m starting to feel cold from exhaustion. Trey disappears into the bathroom for a few minutes then climbs into bed wearing just his boxers. He has left the bathroom light on but pulled the door too, so it’s a bit lighter in the room. I keep my arm under the duvet and lay there just looking at him, he in turn is looking back at me and we smile at each other. He moves my hair out of my face and kisses my nose, with his beautiful face and brilliant white smile burnt into my mind, I close my eyes.

  “I may be gone when you wake up but I will text you, sleep Baby.” He whispers.

  I smile as the darkness consumes me.

  ###

  The alarm beeps, making me jump. Half asleep, I throw my hand out at the noise to silence it and I hit the button. With my eyes still closed, I turn over to nuzzle up to Trey but find the other side of the bed is empty.

  He was here when I fell asleep, wasn’t he? Yeah he was, I remember his beautiful face and smile, it’s still etched into my mind.

  I open my eyes and they really don’t want to open, they burn as I squint and wipe away the blurriness. Oh how I would love to just snuggle back down and lay here all day, reliving last night. But as the good girl I am, I painfully pull myself from my nice warm bed and head for the shower. Like a puppet on a string, I drag myself around the room doing the arduous task of dressing for work and doing my hair. I pull on a pair of cropped black trousers and a baby blue shirt, to make my bloodshot eyes more blue and less death warmed up. I rough dry my hair so it has a wavy kink to it but I know it’ll all fall out after about an hour – damn my dead straight hair!

  I look at the time and its 8:45am, ‘crap I have to be in work in 15 minutes, my phone where’s my phone?’

  I turn to look at the docking station and it’s gone, I start to panic and pull off the bed clothes searching frantically for it – ‘Shit!’

  Where the hell has it gone? It’s not like I have many friends but it’s been a while since I spoke to Grandad and he’ll probably call today for a catch up. I grab the bedside units and pull them forward, trying to see behind them but it’s still nowhere to be found – panic starts to go up a gear. Then I hear the ping of familiarity making my heart skip a beat through happiness, I hear the ping again and I crouch down trying to pinpoint where the noise is coming from. I crawl on my hands and knees rifling through the pile of bed clothes that now take up all the vacant floor space. I throw sheets, pillows and blankets over my head then I hear the ping again. I lay my face to the ground to see under the bed and there it is in all its glory.

  I grab it and cancel whatever is beeping and hugging my lifeline to my chest I release it to see there are two messages:

  Meagan xxx

  19 Sep 2012 07:37am

  Hope you’re ok, lunch? x

  Aubrey Rossey

  19 Sep 2012 07:44am

  Heads up Valentine coming

  in to office!

  ‘Fuck!’ I look at the clock its 8:49am and I have to be ready and in the office in the next ten minutes. I scramble to my feet and run with my phone and black flats in hand to the front door, grabbing a long sleeved cardigan on the way. I stumble out of the door and run down to the lift and wait for the carriage to arrive.

  I stand patiently at the back of the carriage while all the holidaymakers and traveling business people sort themselves out for the day ahead. The doors open as we reach the lobby and I wait for all the inhabitants to disembark. I curb the urge of panic making me want to bowl them all out of the way and make a break for the office. Finally, my chance arrives and I take it running at full speed past reception into a private door which leads to another corridor full of doors, I run to the end door which is the only one with a glass panel. I run to the door and push to open it but the door is locked.

  Keycard – shit! I search my pockets and my keycard is not there – what the hell?!

  I can hear chatter from the next office which is the staff meeting room, I hear a deep roaring voice speaking- crap Mr. Valentine is in there, I start to panic again.

  I get my phone out to call Aubrey, who is Mr. Valentine’s PA, but as I press her number she appears from another door and looks at me in shock.

  “What are you doing?” she half whispers and half squeaks.

  “I’m locked out,” I squeal back, “I’ve lost my keycard!”

  Aubrey huffs and comes running towards me with clipboard in hand and she fishes a card out from her pocket then swipes the lock, I push the door open and switch the light on. Thankfully, I never turn my computer off - I just leave it to sleep, I hit the spacebar to wake it and enter my password.

  “He’ll be in here in about eight minutes, so look busy.” She winks then she tosses me a little black bag, “Use a little mascara and whatever else that won’t make you look like you had a heavy night,” She laughs.

  “Not a problem,” I smile at her then open my emails, an endless stream of correspondence comes through as Aubrey turns on her heel and vanishes from the room.

  “Really, not a problem,” I grimace at the screen.

  Opening her little black bag of tricks I find her mirror and put on some mascara, a little eyeliner and the bronzer looks tempting but I don’t have time to faff.

  I push the bag to the side and start sifting through the junk emails and flagging the ones that need doing before lunch.

  The office door opens ten minutes later and Mr. Valentine comes strolling in, with his long over coat trailing behind him as he glides.

  Mr. Valentine is the third generation of Valentines that built and own the hotel, he’s an averagely built man in his early fifties I think, his perfectly set brown hair parts at the side without a single grey hair. He wears a three piece navy suit that matches his overcoat. He strides over and takes a seat at the desk opposite mine, it’s the old security office that was made over to become the events organiser’s office, so it’s quite small and close in here, now is definitely not the time to have personal space issues.

  He is an exceptionally wealthy man and it shows on every part of his well-manicured hands and extraordinarily groomed face. He carries his glasses in his top jacket pocket and he removes them and places them on his head.

  “Good morning Miss Jones,” he smiles at me.

  I can’t help it but he has a hint of ‘silver fox’ about him and he always makes me go shy.

  “Good Morning Mr. Valentine.”

  “How are the preparations for the party coming along?”

  “Very good actually. The invites, as you know, have been sent and both Aubrey and I have arranged the caterers, band, scenery and props, well everything is done or being finalised. Speaking of which, we need to finalise the song choices with the band this week.”

  “Excellent,” he sits back and crosses his legs, raising a hand to his chin, he says, “I have to say I am delighted with the theme you suggested, my grandfather who built this place back then would be very impressed too. The twenties was his favourite era, so a twenties ‘Gangsters and Molls’ party is perfect.”

  I smile at him – oh yes the praise is more than welcome here!

  “You haven’t been here long but I think you’ve handled the task better than I’d hoped. Brendan was right in suggesting you for the job.”

  “Thank you,” I blush, “Let’s just hope it pans out all right on the night.”

  Aubrey enters with papers for Mr. Valentine to sign. He dons his spectacles and signs every page with the utmost trust in Aubrey, as he doesn’t bother to check what he’s signing off.

  “I have decided that Aubrey will be posted here with you to help out with the finalisations and also to help you on the night.”

  I look at Aubrey who has a huge Cheshire cat gri
n across her face. “Thank you so much, Aubrey will be a great help and just to say, Mr. Valentine, thank you for the opportunity. I have enjoyed every minute of it.” It’s true, but I have put the last six months of my life into it.

  “Well, ladies I shall leave you to it. Any issues, Aubrey, I have my phone.” With a parting smile he holds out his hand which I shake and he leaves the room.

  “Wow, that’s a turn up!” I smile at her.

  Aubrey sits on the edge of my desk, “Well, he’s never in HQ, so I hinted that maybe you could do with a hand as you’ve been sorting this thing single handedly.”

  “Definitely it’ll be nice to have you here full time for the next few weeks. Seriously I don’t think you understand how bitchy this office can be!”

  Aubrey unpacks her laptop, “Hang on,” she pauses, “You work in here alone!”

  “I know,” I laugh, “I’m always bitching about myself.”

  She laughs and continues sorting her desk out.

  Aubrey is in her early thirties and she is the executive assistant to Mr. Valentine. She is annoyingly slim and toned with the biggest pair of breasts I have ever seen. She swishes around the office in her Louboutins, trailing her butt length hair behind her. The day goes really quickly, having the extra help, and the conversation is great too, it hits noon and we knock off for lunch.

  I look at Aubrey, “I’m meeting some friends for lunch, do you want to come?”

  “Yeah that sounds great.”

  We leave the office and meet Lucas in reception, Meagan rings and arranges to meet us at the deli. I can tell by her tone she’s eager to find out what went on, once she dropped me off.

  We sit in the deli, all having a laugh at my expense, when Aubrey turns to me and pats me on the back.

  “Oh you’re too cute, I cannot believe you didn’t know who he was.”

  I frown, “I know I’m naïve, what can I say?”

  “That’s not what I’d call you,” Aubrey giggles.

  “Easy!” I laugh.

  Lucas tries to give Aubrey his best ‘come on’ lines but she doesn’t bat one single, extremely long eyelash, at him.

  “Give it up Lucas, she’s engaged and happy with it by all accounts,” Meagan snaps.

  “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he shrugs.

  Aubrey tells us all about her fiancé who is a plastic surgeon to the stars and, on the news, Meagan’s face lights up.

  “Oh go on, do a little name dropping.” She leans across the table, her eyes pleading with Aubrey.

  “No way,” Aubrey laughs, “My life would not be worth living if I did.”

  Lucas turns to me while the girls chat, he leans in and looks concerned,

  “So he just disappeared, no note, no nothing?”

  I shake my head at him and take the last bite of my tuna baguette.

  “And you haven’t called him?”

  “I don’t have his number,” I suddenly realise I have no way of contacting him whatsoever.

  Lucas pulls the ‘oh dear’ face.

  “What? I have some vague recollection of him saying he’d be in touch with me.”

  “Oh Doll, just tread carefully, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “No Lucas, if you have something to say then out with it, don’t try to wrap me up!”

  “Look, you slept with the guy ok and he fucked you around and hurt you once already, then he disappears in the night - not what I’d call trust worthy is he?”

  The duo appear for the first time in nearly a whole day ‘Don’t listen to him’ Devil girl hisses, Angel girl says softly ‘Some of what he says is true’.

  I succumb to the fact that Lucas is right, it really was just a one night thing.

  “I know,” I force a smile, “I guess old Ellie needs to stay locked away.”

  “Er, excuse me! I have enjoyed seeing her back, anyway it’s his loss,” Meagan throws her arms around me.

  “Too right.” Aubrey chimes in.

  We finish up and leave the deli, Lucas and Meagan head one way and Aubrey and I go back to work.

  Chapter Twelve

  We sit at our desks brainstorming the last few details for the hotels 100th birthday party.

  “You do know that Valentine senior is attending the do?”

  “I didn’t see his name on the list,” I start to worry I have missed people off the lists, “Have I forgotten to send them out?”

  “No, no once Anthony, sorry Mr. Valentine, had approved your list to send them out, he put the names under aliases.”

  “Why? Is he checking that I’m doing the work correctly?”

  “No,” she laughs, “Stop being so dramatic. It’s purely that - on the quiet, mind you,” she looks at me to agree that the information will not be shared at any cost.

  I nod at her, “Of course.”

  “Well, a lot of his connected friends are coming and some of them are on the radars of the likes of the FBI and stuff, but my point is that he’s really excited about everything you have suggested.”

  “Well yeah, he said that when he came in earlier.”

  “No,” she wheels her chair closer to me, “Mr. Valentine senior, although Anthony signs everything, it all has to be run past Valentine senior. So the party and everything had to be approved via him. He’s a hard man to please but you seem to have won him over.”

  “No pressure then?” My ego is on cloud nine but now I’m worrying that, if it all goes tits up, I’m going to get whacked or something.

  “So FBI?”

  “Best left unsaid but just be aware they will be coming.” She winks.

  “Ok, so we’ve sorted the waiting staff and their outfits, food, and the press. Selina in HQ will deal with the press. So, the band you’ve sorted right?”

  “Yes, but we need to finalise the play list and the food needs to be checked over by Mr. Valentine.”

  “Yeah, I have all that ready to hand over to you tomorrow.”

  “Great, then it’s just props, table wear, gifts, our outfits and rooms for confirmed guests to finish off,” I frown, “Not much.”

  My face is going to be like a leather handbag when the party comes.

  “Only four weeks until the big day,” she laughs, picking up the phone.

  It’s ten to five and I’m on the phone speaking to the room dressers when my phone pings.

  “Yes red and black draping on the walls…no, red for the tables with black settings…no, it would be easier to discuss this when you come.”

  I pick up my phone and see one new message

  T

  19 Sep 2012 07:37am

  I’ll be waiting outside

  My heart skips a beat and all the butterflies start their tribal dance causing me to start feeling nauseous with excitement. How the hell have I got his number on my phone?

  I hit reply and realise that Miss Bishop is still chatting away on the other end of the line and I have missed everything she has said.

  “Sorry, Helena say that again, it’s a bad line,” I’m getting good at thinking on my feet. “Yep that’s fine, 10am then and we can discuss it all. I look forward to it.” I hang up.

  “Right you, home time,” Aubrey closes my screen down.

  “Oh I’m going to love having you around here!”

  “Me too but I will sleep happy if I know you’ve got your keycard replaced,” she frowns.

  “Bloody hell I completely forgot about that, yeah I’ll see Earl in a second and get it sorted.”

  “Bloody hell,” Aubrey attempts her best British accent to mimic me.

  “You sound Australian,” I laugh, “no actually, you sound so over cockney it offends the true cockneys.”

  “Go home,” she laughs.

  “I am home.”

  We walk out of the office and enter the lobby, she pats me on the back, “See you tomorrow.”

  “Bye.” I smile and walk towards the lift and bump into Earl.

  “Good night was it?” he asks playfully.

  �
��Of sorts.”

  “Well we’re glad to see you getting out a bit more.” He smiles.

  “We?”

  “Well Marianne said something earlier…” he goes quiet and starts to blush.

  “Yeah well, can you tell the bags under my eyes that,” I laugh and turn to walk away then remember the card, “Earl?”

  “Yes?” he eyes me suspiciously.

  “I need a new keycard,” I cringe knowing what his reaction will be.

  “Ellie this is your fourth in as many months, what are you doing, eating them?”

  “No I’m sorry, it’s somewhere in my apartment I think but I can’t for the life of me find it.”

  “Last one Ellie then you have to pay for replacements like the rest of the staff.”

  “I bet you don’t pay,” I smile

  “No I don’t because in the fifteen years we’ve had the card system I’ve never lost my original one!”

  “I need an extending chain like you, I think.” I smile at him all coy.

  He sighs, “I’ll get your new card to your room later, now go before I charge you for it.”

  “Thank you,” I walk away and head for the lift when I hear a whistle, I turn around and see Trey sitting in a chair in the waiting area with Michael by his side. I smile at him, pull my sleeves down and hug my cardigan tightly around me. He stands and strides over to me, I hear some of the people in the room turning and whispering as he moves. He puts one arm out to hug me and places a warm soft kiss on my cheek, a warm heat rises through my body. ‘Oh God, I bet I look an absolute state!’

  “Hi,” I mutter.

  “Hey,” he mutters back.

  Trey looks so casual and hot, wearing beige cargo pants, Timberlands and a white low cut t-shirt that shows every mouthwatering inch of his toned chest.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Did you get my text?”

  I suddenly remember, “Yes I did, how did I get your number and you get mine?”

  “Didn’t you look at your phone this morning?”

  “Yes well I was late and couldn’t find it.”