“It’s a tempting offer.” He’s grinning. “On one condition...”
I tighten the belt around my waist. “And that would be?”
“You wear a business suit …”
“OK. I can do that ...”
“… but no underwear.”
I feel my face folding into a frown. “What? Are you serious?”
He’s licking his lips in such a sensual way I know I’ll have to leave soon, before my neck turns the colour of steak tatare.
“Absolutely!”
I’m shaking my head. “Why would you insist on such a thing?” I hold up my hand and beat him to his answer. “Let me guess. Because you can.”
He laughs quietly. “That’s correct.”
“If you don’t mind I would rather not attend a high-powered meeting of media men in suits minus my panties, thank you very much.”
He turns over and pulls up the cover to his chin with an exaggerated sigh.
“So that’s it. You’re going to stay in bed all day because I won’t go and face the world in a state of undress?” I fold my arms in front of me and tap my foot. “Don’t you think that’s a little petty? You’ll be bored senseless.”
“Not at all. I won’t be here,” he mutters.
“Of course you won’t. You’ll be off gallivanting around the globe with your scythe counting the dead and collecting souls, while I’ll be making up some implausible excuse about you having the flu.” I storm out of the bedroom in a huff.
Fifty minutes later I’m stomping in high heels across a marble floor, throwing my phone into my handbag, quietly simmering. When I glance up, Ayden is lounging on the white leather sofa, looking like he’s just stepped out of a photo shoot; his arms are outstretched into a ‘Titanic’ pose across the headrest, with his right leg across his left knee. His signature Armani suit clings to his muscular body like a second skin. Before I can self-edit, I’m thinking, Wow!
He looks across at me, supressing his delight but unable to hold back on a wry smile. “You look sensational too, darling,” he announces. “Are we ready to go?”
I say nothing and simply nod.
As we descend to street level, the closeness of his body and the invisible cloud of expensive cologne works like a charm. “Here, hold this.” I hand him my bag, raise my skirt and wiggle out of my panties. I swap them for my bag. “There. You’ve got what you wanted, haven’t you?”
He’s shaking his head. “Not entirely.”
“What do you mean?”
He peels back my navy jacket, to reveal a sheer white blouse. “Aren’t we forgetting something?”
“This blouse is see-through,” I say, indignation plastered across my face.
“And …”
“And … and I don’t think …”
“You don’t have to think, Beth. That’s what I’m here for.” He’s spinning my panties around the forefinger of his left hand like a gunslinger with a lingerie fetish.
As hard as I try I can’t prevent a giggle from escaping my mouth. “I don’t see what difference it makes whether I’m wearing a bra or not.” I slip off my jacket and fold it over his arm. I unhook my bra, slip out of the straps, and pull it down my left arm until it appears like bunting from a magician’s sleeve.
“Ta da!” With his arms full I wrap the bra around his neck. “Happy now?”
“Ecstatic.”
Before leaving the house I quickly don my jacket and fix my skirt; take my lingerie from Ayden’s hands, and shove it into my bag. The cold air nips at my cheeks and my nipples as we make a dash for the Rolls.
“Morning, Lester.” I give him my sweetest smile.
“Good morning, Mrs. Stone. It’s good to have you back home.”
“Thank you.”
He gives Ayden the customary nod and slams the rear door. Within the minute he is weaving through traffic and we’re on our seven-mile journey from Belgravia to Canary Wharf. There is just enough time to develop an action plan.
I turn to face him, “Does everyone know we’re coming? Will they be assembled?”
“Yes. I contacted Charlotte yesterday and asked her to arrange a formal Board meeting at 9 a.m.”
“How will you know who they are or what to say?” I ask, uncertain about his ability to pull it off.
Charlotte will be putting name plates out, for your benefit, and I’m hoping you will be able to assist me as well.”
“Me? What do I know? I’ll be the one sitting there without underwear. I’ll be more concerned about keeping my legs crossed and my jacket fastened,” I remind him in a sulk.
He begins to chuckle and I catch him smirking.
“I know what you’re doing!” I shake my head and trace the droplets of rain that are now running down the window.
“You do?”
“Yes. You’re sifting through Ayden’s memories again, finding ones that are playful; when he was amused, when we had fun.” I turn to face him. ”That’s what you’re doing isn’t it?” I straighten an already smooth skirt. “The underwear thing; you would never have thought of that. After last night’s assault on my senses, I have a good idea of what you’re like. Your ability to heal my bruises doesn’t detract from the fact you were more animal than human. I would have been screaming if you hadn’t numbed my perception of pain.”
“I have apologised for that.” He takes my hand. “It will not happen again, Beth.”
“How can I be sure?” I wait for a reply but none is forthcoming. “I can’t live in fear of you.” Having said my piece, I look away.
“You won’t have to. I will not touch you unless you want me to. Is that assurance enough for you?”
When I face him, he’s gazing straight ahead. “Ayden?”
He offers me a smile. “Yes, Beth.”
“I can do this. I can show you love but not if you treat me like that. I will begin to despise you and fear you. Neither of us wants that.” I take his right hand. “Now about this meeting. Are you nervous?”
He’s a little surprised by my question. “Nervous? About what?”
“Facing all these strangers and faking it.”
“Not at all. I think it was a good idea. I’m feeling rather excited at the prospect of it.”
“Have you done this kind of thing before?”
“Never. But I’m not unfamiliar with the concept of role-play.”
I snatch my hand away. “This is more than just role play. This is someone’s business you’re talking about. You don’t want to appear different or confused.”
His quiet laughter draws my attention. “I can say with total certainty that in all my years I have never appeared confused.”
“I’ll have to take your word for that. But, like you’ve said, you’ve never had to pretend to be a successful man with his finger on the pulse of a billion pound media empire, have you? It’s not like throwing half a dozen souls into a sack and carrying them off to God knows where.”
He’s laughing out loud. “Your description of my other job is closer to the mark than you might think.” His laughter subsides and he places a soft kiss on my left cheek. “Nevertheless, I will do my very best to keep in character Beth, if only to please you.”
“Thank you.”
He checks his watch. “Are you ready for your performance?”
“Why? What do I have to do other than pretend you’re my husband?” I’m shrugging my shoulders feigning disinterest.
“You have to meet the press, darling.” He bolsters his statement with a smile.
“Me!”
“Yes. Your attack and subsequent escape from the jaws of death made the front page. They are gathering outside Stone House to see you, not me.”
I’m suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable. “How long have you known about this?”
“From the moment I arranged it.” He’s so nonchalant I could slap him.
I’m searching around in my bag for my panties. “And you didn’t think I might prefer to meet the press wearing these?” I�
��m waving them in front of him, but only for second until I catch Lester’s startled expression in the rear view mirror.
“I thought you might feel less constrained and more … liberated without them.” He’s laughing, again.
I begin to laugh too. “You’re becoming more like Ayden every day. This is definitely something he would do!”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You do that, but you still have a long way to go.” I tuck the panties safely into my bag, fasten it up and let my mind wander. “Typical! I’m meeting the press and it’s raining.”
He tips his head to look out of my window. “Is it? I hadn’t noticed.”
At that very moment there is a break in the clouds. From out of the blue comes a streak of sunlight so bright and so warm that the droplets of rain evaporate off the glass. When I catch his eye, he says nothing, merely winks.
“Happy now?”
I’m shaking my head. “Euphoric.”
“Anything else I can do for you?” he asks.
I take hold of his hand. “Keep hold of my hand. I don’t want them to eat me alive.”
He leans in and kisses my hair. “I wouldn’t allow anyone to do that, darling. Consider this the preface to our adventure.”
As the Rolls turns the corner we are confronted by at least 20 men and women with flashing cameras, shouting and scrambling to get to us. Lester steps from the car and waits for a signal to open the door.
Ayden draws an invisible line under my mouth with his forefinger, and circles it beneath my chin; it’s sensual and familiar. My first instinct is to say, “Don’t!” But it feels too intimate, too much like Ayden’s touch to show any displeasure. Instead I smile softly.
“Are you ready for your debut, Mrs. Stone?” he asks, squeezing my hand.
“No, but let’s get it over with.”
He taps on the glass and Lester opens the door. “Keep them away from Beth,” Ayden instructs. “I don’t want them to manhandle her.”
“Of course, Mr. Stone.” He nods and holds back, leaving Ayden to face the mob while he protects me, creating a human shield against the pack of ravenous reporters. Hand in hand we mount the first step to the building. My jacket catches in the wind and I pull it tightly, refastening a button that had freed itself in the skirmish. The last thing I want is to be flashing my breasts in public.
One of the reporters stumbles backwards, still holding his camera. Ayden immediately picks me up and places me on the next step up, alert to the possible focus of the lens. For that I’m eternally grateful.
Having taken time to freshen up and compose myself, I march into the boardroom at Ayden’s side. His strides are longer than mine and I have to quicken my steps to keep up. Thankfully, it’s a short sprint to the top of the table. The gathering stands and begins to applaud; I’m not sure why.
Ayden smiles wryly at the ovation. He can’t have experienced many of those in his lifetime. “Please sit down. As Mark Twain once said, ‘The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.’ I am very much alive.”
The applause dies down.
Realising I have no seat he turns to Stephen. “I wonder if you would be so kind as to offer your seat to my wife?”
He was rude to me last time I was in here.
“I’m sure you want to make amends for the rudeness you exhibited the last time you met Beth.”
Taken by surprise, Stephen rises, stuffs his papers under his left arm and pulls back the seat for me. “Mrs. Stone.”
Taking care to hold onto my jacket I sit down, arranging myself into a comfortable position on Ayden’s right. “Thank you, Stephen.”
Along with the other Board members I watch him scuttle along to the far end of the enormous table. In less than a minute Ayden has asserted his authority and no one in the room has the slightest doubt he’s back with a vengeance. All I can do is offer an appreciative smile: so far so good.
He unbuttons his jacket and places his hands down on the polished table, scoping the room. I know why; he’s picking up on thoughts and pairing names to faces. “So, here we are: home sweet home.”
His opening gambit takes me by surprise, so much so I start to giggle. Taken aback, he turns to me, forcing me to conceal another giggle behind a smile.
Do you mind …
I hear his words in my head and they are a sobering reminder that he is not, in fact, Ayden but merely an imposter.
Sorry.
His focus rests upon a thin-faced man of around 35 named, Lawrence Barber, who is shuffling papers. “Lawrence, I believe you have a couple of things to share with us today?”
Lawrence raises his head and clears his throat. “Yes, Ayden, I do. I’ve been keeping a close eye on operations in Seoul. We are having some issues with one of the single chip devices.”
“What kind of issues, specifically?”
“Issues involving the STB functions, required to operate the standard video decoding circuitry.”
“And is it something that can be rectified quickly?”
Lawrence is nodding. “I think so, but we’ve had to hold off on production until it’s resolved.”
“So how long are we talking? A couple of days?”
“I think so …” He smiles nervously.
“Right. Get back to me tomorrow afternoon with an update. I want everything on line by Wednesday at the latest.”
“Right.”
Ayden is getting into his stride.
You’re doing great!
He reads my thoughts and turns to me to offer a cheeky smile. I feel my heart flutter and look away. He has no right smiling at me that way. I pour out a glass of water and sip it quietly, hoping he hasn’t noticed.
If you’re warm, why don’t you remove your jacket?
Still sipping my water I look up to him with wide eyes.
You know why!
He smirks but carries on conversations with everyone in turn, reading their thoughts, tapping into their concerns and latching onto their secrets. He has an unfair advantage but it’s working in our favour.
It occurs to me that there is one person missing.
Where’s Jake?
He turns to Charlotte, sitting on the side line, dutifully taking notes. “Won’t Jake be joining us?”
“He’s on his way, Mr. Stone. “She checks her watch. “The jet landed at Heathrow half an hour ago and he’s en route.”
“Thank you, Charlotte. Let’s hope he arrives before we put the world to rights or he may be out of a job!” Ayden laughs at his own joke and so does his audience, sitting silently in awe of his business acumen and intellect.
There is a single person who has not spoken; a petite Asian lady sits silently, waiting to be selected. Her eyes are darting from left to right, seeming as if a single glance at Ayden will turn her to stone.
He directs a question at her and she is forced to do just that. “So, Miss Liu, what have you to share with us today?”
I watch as she takes a deep breath; Ayden is intimidating the hell out of her. I catch her eye and give her a smile; she smiles back, nervously.
“Mr. Stone, I have been undertaking a review of marketing and distribution strategies in the Pan Pacific Region and it is my belief that we are not focusing on ways to take advantage of growth opportunities. We need to leverage our brand and use data more effectively. The enabling technology is there but we are not building it into our business model.”
The more she speaks the greater her confidence; she’s young, smart and ambitious. Ayden would do well to let her continue with her proposal, but he’s growing impatient.
Let her finish, Ayden.
He turns to me and smiles softly.
“Please continue, Miss Lui.”
Feeling the heat rising in the room, he removes his jacket and makes a point of arranging it on the back of his chair. I hear her but I can’t take my eyes off him. What is it about a fitted white shirt and a tie…
Are you assessing me, Beth?
; Caught, I avert my eyes.
Or are you enjoying?
I find his words unsettling. It’s getting so hot in here, even the men are wiggling their ties and undoing the top button on their shirts. I look across to Charlotte and she’s fanning herself with her pad. I shake my head.
What have you done with the heating?
I get no reply. Instead, Ayden begins to walk around the table; he’s nodding at Miss Lui’s comments, taking it all in, refusing to look at me as I dissolve into a puddle of perspiration. He knows I cannot remove my jacket!
Bastard!
He conceals his amusement with his hand, leaving me to liquefy as, one after the other, the gentlemen remove their jackets.
As she brings her proposal to a close, he positions himself behind me. All eyes are on him, on me.
“So what do you think of that, Beth?” he asks, putting me the spot. What can I say? I was barely even listening. “I think Miss. Lui has given this a great deal of thought, and you should at least have a look at her proposal.”
He kisses my head. “Quite right. I’ll do just that.”
Leaving me to stew, he heads over to the enormous plate glass window overlooking the Thames; it winds its way through London as far as the eye can see, cutting through the metropolis like a black anaconda.
He’s positively regal in his stance; hands in his pockets, head held high; a perfect profile set against the clear blue sky. As hard as I try not to think of him with a craving that causes me to squirm in my seat, I can’t help myself. My thoughts betray me as they form and leave me weak at the knees like a schoolgirl. I try to think of anything except him but I’m so overheated all I can do is lick my lips and content myself with another glass of water. Even my breathing is laboured and my panties are sticky with a combination of perspiration and arousal.
The door swings open and Jake enters carrying a Starbucks coffee and a leather documents case. Thankfully he brings a cool gust of air in with him. He places down the coffee and the case on the table. “What the hell! It’s like a sauna in here. Is there something wrong with the heating or are we hatching chicks?” Immediately he loosens his tie and removes his jacket. It lands on a chair as he bounds over in Ayden’s direction. His smile lights up the already sweltering room.
TouchStone for ever (The Story of Us Trilogy) Page 13