by Alexia Praks
She glanced over the table at Jay who was sitting beside Britney.
Beside Britney was Granny Beth who seemed to be egging them on or something. What a nosy woman she was. Then Britney moved herself closer to Jayden, kind of shoving her generous boobs toward him by arching her back.
Yuck! What a stupid woman. Thank God Jay didn’t seem to be paying her any attention. At least the type of attention that a man was paying to a woman.
“Tell me about life in New Zealand,” Tom said, picking up his wine glass.
“Oh, not much to tell to be honest,” Alex replied, shrugging her small shoulders. “I love going to the Farmer’s Market though. I assume you have it here too? It’s really fun. Just out and about, buying fresh veges from the farmers themselves. Rather entertaining, too.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve never been to one. Always been too busy,” Tom replied.
“I find the simplest things I do most enjoyable. I also love to observe people. Like right now,” she said, eyeing Jayden and Britney.
Tom glanced in that direction.
“Have they known each other long?” she asked.
“Who?” he replied, pretending ignorant.
“Them,” Alex said, nodding her head toward Jayden and Britney across the end of the table. At first she couldn’t understand why Granny Beth had dragged Jay away from her before they sat for dinner. But now she understood. Beth wanted Jay and Britney to sit next to each other and that she, Alex, sit as far away from them as possible. Hence she ended up near the head of the table where Tom was sitting.
“They met when they were young,” Tom replied. “Don’t worry. Jay is not that stupid.”
Alex turned to look at him, her eyes questioning. “He isn’t?”
“Of course not. Britney is wasting her time,” he said, eyeing his son. He saw Jay studying them, smiling, and not listening to Britney’s continuous yapping.
“Yeah, she is,” Alex agreed. Jay will never be turned on by that type of woman – or any other women for that matter. Then she wondered who Jayden boyfriend’s was.
Jayden’s boyfriend? The moment the idea entered her mind she shuddered in disgust. Then she wondered if Tom knew his son was gay and that was why he had said Britney was wasting her time.
Finally for what seemed like an eternity for Alex, dinner was over and the guests slowly thanked Mr. and Mrs. McCartney for the lovely dinner and then left. And, yes, Alex had never felt so much joy when she saw the door to her bedroom.
She rushed in, kicked of the stilletos, and threw herself on the large, soft bed. She sighed and simply gazed up at the golden chandelier, marvelling at the bright lights. It felt so good to just lay there and do nothing. Her pleasure died a quick death when she felt the sting in her eyes starting to play up gain, and she knew she had to take the lenses out.
She rolled off the bed and her knees landed elegantly on the floor, her upper body still on the bed. She gave out another loud, weary sigh.
Jay entered the room at that moment. After closing the door quietly so that he wouldn’t disturb her, he leaned his strong body against it, his hands in the pocket of his trousers. He crocked his head to one side as he studied her. She looked as though she had fallen asleep in her sitting position with her head resting on the bed.
“I see that you like my dad,” he said.
“Huh?” Alex popped her head up and looked around the room in confusion. When she saw him she simply shrugged. “He’s very nice, much like you.”
“Yeah,” he replied. “What are you doing?”
“Huh?” And then. “Oh. Um trying to make myself get up I guess.”
“Sorry.”
“About what?”
“All this. You’ve just arrived and then you have to meet all those people. You need your rest. Promise tomorrow will be a relaxing day for you.”
“That sounds real good, thank you,” she replied, closing her eyes, her head sinking deeper into the cosy duvet. “Do I get to go sightseeing, by the way?” she murmured so that he could hardly hear.
Jay thought she looked like a toddler falling asleep before dinner, with her little bottom up in the air like that. He knew she was about to fall sleep if he didn’t do something fast. He straightened, and in two long strides, he was beside her and scooping her up in his arms.
Alex flashed her eyes open. “Uh? What are you doing?”
“You need to take that lovely dress off and shower before you sleep, Madam,” he replied and strode to the bathroom.
Alex wiggled herself in his arms. “Please put me down, Jay. I’m not so sleepy anymore. I’ll go and get this dress off and shower now.”
“You sure you don’t want help?”
Alex nodded, wondering if he meant carrying her into the bathroom or helping her undress and then shower. Whoa! The very idea brought on a delicious shiver down her spine. Good God! Such thoughts in her mind?
“All right,” Jay reluctantly put her down.
Alex’s feet landed quietly on the soft carpet. She blushed as she gazed up at him through her thick lashes and seeing him grinning down at her. Then she rushed into the walk-in-wardrobe to find her things, at the same time telling her heart to stop beating so fast.
“What are you doing?” his voice vibrated from the door.
“Finding my stuff,” she said, trying to think what this stuff was that she was looking for. Then she remembered that it was her PJ’s. Yup, she told herself, her brain was completely dead tonight.
She found what she wanted and rushed back to the bedroom. She collided against Jay’s hard body who was inconveniently standing at the door way. She looked up at him, telling him to please move his body so that she could pass. He didn’t get her drift and just stood there, gazing down at her, his arms folding across his chest.
“Have to go and shower,” she said.
“Of course,” he replied.
Alex shook her head and simply squeezed herself between him and the door and rushed toward the bathroom. “Gosh, what a long day this is,” she muttered.
“Yeah, totally agree,” he said loudly so that she could hear him.
“Absolutely,” she shouted back. She was just about to close the door when she poked her head back out and said, “Night,” with a lovely smile.
Jay grinned. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction when she realised that they were sharing a room and a bed.
A moment later he heard the shower going and knew she must be having a good time. He wondered why she didn’t make a bath for herself instead. It was kind of therapeutic after all. That was what Britney had told him at dinner anyway.
Oh yeah she had definitely emphasised that point very clearly to him – that she really loved to take long, warm bath, especially with romantic music and soft candlelight. And she loved to drink champagne while she relaxed in the bath.
He wondered if he should mention to Alex that taking warm bath was therapeutic – especially when she was tired.
As he went about retrieving his pyjamas, he whistled to himself. Back in the bedroom, he poured himself a glass of red wine and proceeded to drink slowly, enjoying the sweet, aromatic flavour.
Then he saw her coming back out, her dark hair wet down her back, her face fresh and clean and her eyes sparkling. He knew she didn’t have her contact lenses on because she was squinting her eyes as she went about the room, trying to get her vision to focus. Not to mention that the only thing she had on to cover herself was a thin towel.
Shit!
Jay swallowed the wine in his mouth loudly.
“Oh, you’re still here?” she said, her face going quite red.
Jay didn’t know how to reply to that. This was his bedroom after all and was he supposed to sleep in the kitchen when bed time came?
He swallowed his now empty mouth, still staring at her.
“I forgot my night cream,” she said and then rushed into the wardrobe, her face flaming red.
Jay watched her little bottom as she ran, his mind reeling with ungodly t
houghts.
Shit!
The next second she rushed back out, her lips clamping and her eyes downcast as she raced into the bathroom.
Jay took another mouthful of his wine and then placed the glasses down on the table. He waited. Then a full ten minutes later she reappeared, fully dressed in her very decent PJ’s. It was light pink with little pictures of tweedy bird everywhere. He thought she looked really cute.
“So, umm, aren’t you going to go to your own room?” she asked stupidly. “Oh, right. You want to make sure I feel comfortable first. Ok then. I’m comfortable, and my head doesn’t ache at all despite the fact that my eyes are really, really sore. Happy?”
“Yeah, I supposed. Just make yourself at home,” he said and strolled into the bathroom.
Alex cocked her head to one side, wondering why he had just entered her bathroom. Maybe he was busting and thought he couldn’t get to the toilet at the corridor or the one in his own room in time. She shrugged her shoulders and jumped on the bed. She giggled and made herself comfortable.
Sitting cross-legged and with the huge LCD TV on, she began to stroke her long, wet hair. When five minutes later he still hadn’t come out she wondered if he was all right in there. She was about to go and knock when she heard the shower going.
“Huh?” She scratched her head and began to doubt that it was only peeing that he needed. Why would he want to shower in her bathroom anyway? But of course she couldn’t very well go and knock on the door and tell him to get out since this was, after all, his house and not hers.
She continued to stroke the strands of her hair and watch TV when finally ten minutes later he came back out, dressed in nothing but a small white towel wrapped about his waist.
Holy Mother of God!
Alex nearly flipped and her mouth nearly dropped down to her lap – if that was possible. God help her, why did Jay have to present himself to her in such a way? She couldn’t help herself and so she just stared at the handsome man. She loved his toned muscles and not to mention the droplets of water on his tan, smooth skin. He looked like some really hot model in an advertising poster, maybe for a perfume or something, half naked. She was pretty sure all the women would be drooling if they saw him right now.
Alex suddenly wanted to purr like a cat and leap on him. Holy Smoke! She wanted to leap on him and kiss him silly. Well, until she was silly. No wait! She was silly right now for thinking of such things. Her inside shuddered with a longing excitement. ‘Ah! Stop it, Alex! Stop it!’
Jay winked at her and then stroked his fingers through his short hair.
Alex’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. ‘Calm down, Alex. Just calm down, you stupid girl!’ She cleared her throat and said, “Why did you shower in there?”
“Because I was stuffy and needed a good shower. I feel much better now, thank you.” He ended his reply with a smile and then strolled into the walk-in wardrobe. At the door he paused and said, “Forgot.” He returned to the bed, picked up his PJ, and then began to pull on the T-shirt.
Alex just stared at him, wondering if he had just gone mad. “Why are you getting dress in here?”
Jay popped his head out of the shirt and said, “Because I brought my clothes here.”
“Right.”
When he put his hands to his waist and was about to pull the towel, Alex screamed. “Don’t! Please don’t.”
Jay laughed. “Sorry.” After grabbing for his trousers, he went into bathroom.
Alex placed her palm on the left side of her chest. She could feel her heart pumping hard and fast. “It’s okay now, Alex, calm down. He’s going to go to his room when he’s out,” she whispered to herself. “He’s just being a very nice host,” she murmured. “Too nice for my liking.”
She laid down and stared up at the chandelier, taking in deep, slow breaths. “When he’s gone I’ll be able to sleep until morning in this wonderful bed. Hehe.” With that wonderful thought in mind, she began to roll about like a puppy in a mud puddle, smiling.
“I see you’re real comfortable there.”
Her rolling came to a complete stop. She saw that he was fully dressed now –very decently too. She smirked at him and said, “I love the bed.”
Jay came around and sat on the side of the bed. “I do, too.” Then he got in between the sheets.
Alex shoved herself back – shock. “What are you still doing here?” She couldn’t help herself. She knew it was rude to ask him that.
Jay raised his brows. Then he laughed, loud and clear.
“Hey, what’s so funny?”
Once he had managed to stop his laughter, he said, “This is my bedroom. Where do you suppose I go to sleep? The dining room? The long dining table as my bed? It’s a bit hard, but I suppose...”
Alex gasped. “Your bedroom?”
He nodded.
“But I thought—”
“You thought what?”
“That it’s my bedroom.”
“Actually, yes this is your bedroom, too.”
“No, what I mean is...”
“What do you mean?” He looked at her curiously, folding his arms across his chest.
Alex hesitantly said, “I thought we have separate rooms.”
Jay shook his head in the negative. He reached out his hand for her. “Come here, missy.”
“Why?”
“Come here,” he said, signalling with his hand.
Alex reluctantly came to sit beside him on the bed. Jay wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “We are supposed to be a couple. We are in a very serious relationship. A relationship so serious that we are in actual fact telling everyone here that we are going to get engaged and then married and then have children together very soon.”
“Yeah?”
“So since our relationship is so serious, what do you think people would say if we sleep in separate rooms?”
Alex understood then and she nodded her head. “Oh, you’re right.”
“Are we cool?”
“Yeah.” She nodded her head.
Jay smiled and then laid back. Alex watched as he made himself comfortable.
“Well, aren’t you getting in?” he asked.
“Yeah, sure,” she responded, her heart beating outrageously fast in her chest.
“Come on, let me help you.” That said he pulled the duvet back for her and patting the spot beside him. When she still hesitantly and uncomfortably look at him as though he was an ogre ready to devour her, he shook his head and grabbed her by the arm.
His action was so fast that Alex had no time to respond. She was in his arms and her face merely inches from his. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. She gazed into his blue eyes, lost in their wonderful depth.
He smirked at her and then tucked her in beside him. He even had one arm under her head. “Comfortable?” he whispered into her ear.
Alex managed to nod.
“Good.” Then he proceeded to make himself comfortable again and snuggled even closer to her. “Good night, Alex.”
She nodded, wondering how in the world she came to be here – sleeping in Jay’s arms. Only he was gay so he probably treated her like she was his brother or sister or best friend and didn’t think anything of it.
Of course he felt nothing whatsoever toward her. That was the reason why he was so comfortable with her. But God damn it! She was not comfortable with him. Honest to God, she really did try to make her heart slow its furious beating, but it wouldn’t listen to her. In fact it was doing the exact opposite, speeding up and getting louder like an old, rusty machine. Not that her heart was old and rusty, of course.
Oh man, why did he have to be so warm and cosy and manly and ah... ‘Stop thinking of naughty thoughts, Alex. Stop it!’
“Jay?” she squeaked.
“Hum?”
“I don’t feel comfortable.”
Jayden opened his eyes. “Why not? Am I squishing you?”
“Well, kind of,” she lied.
“Oh, sor
ry.” He moved away from her, just a bit. “Better now?”
“Well, no.”
“A bit more then?” he asked.
“Yes please.”
Jay moved a bit more to the left.
“Maybe a little bit more?” she suggested, indicating with her hand like she was shooing him away.
Jay did her bidding. Then finally he asked her, “Is this good?”
Alex turned her head to one side and then smiled. “Yes, that’s good.”
Jay nodded, a half smile on his face. He turned slightly and glanced behind him. He saw that the floor was not far off. His back was half in the air and half on the bed. He wondered how he would be able to sleep like that all night.
Alex saw his dilemma and sighed. “Sorry, Jay. I’m not used to sharing a bed with a stranger, you know.”
Jay sat up and put his feet on the floor. “So I’m still a stranger to you, eh?” Then he grabbed his pillow.
“Oh no. Now you’re upset with me. Jay, I’m real sorry.”
Jay smiled at her. “Don’t be, Alex. I understand.”
“No you don’t. What I mean is I’ve never shared a bed with anyone before. I’ve always slept alone.”
“I know, Alex. I understand,” he said, walking away from the bed.
“What are you doing?”
He came over to the sofa near the window and laid on it, resting his head on the pillow. “Making myself comfortable on my new bed.”
“Jay, please don’t do that. This is your room, after all. You sleep on the bed, and I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“Don’t be silly. Now go to sleep.”
“But, Jay.”
“Hush, missy. I’m a man. I sleep on the sofa. Do you really want to damage my manhood?” he joked.
Alex couldn’t help but laugh at his comment. She wanted to say to him—‘your manhood has already been damaged, Mr. McCartney, in my eyes anyway.’
Jay raised one brow. “What is so funny?” He was in fact smiling himself.
“Nothing. Are you very sure you are comfortable on that lovely bed of yours?”
“Very sure, Mademoiselle,” he said and then closed his eyes. “Goodnight.”