by Jen Silver
Later, having finished the last of the meal, licking the remnants of sauce off each other’s fingers, Camila said, “Dani, I have to ask you something.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It’s just a bit embarrassing.”
“I don’t think you could embarrass me.”
“It’s me who is embarrassed. I mean, I’m nearly forty years old and I feel like an inexperienced virgin in this regard.”
“So are you going to tell me before you get much older?”
Camila looked down at the table and started tidying the cartons.
Dani stopped her, grasping her hands. “Come on, it’s me. You can ask me anything.”
“Promise not to laugh?”
“I’ll try. Not promising though, as I don’t know what it is.”
Camila blushed. “Um, the thing is, I wondered, do you have a dildo?”
Dani bit her lip, trying not to burst out laughing. She looked at the ceiling to get herself under control before she could speak. “Yes, actually, one or two. Why?” she asked with feigned innocence.
“I just thought I might like to try it, if you’re willing to, of course.”
Dani took a deep breath. “I think I could force myself.”
Camila studied her face. “Are you laughing at me?”
“Not at all. Come on, let’s do it.” She stood and pulled Camila up with her.
“What about the dishes?”
“Oh, we’ll leave those for the maid.”
†
Much later, lying in bed with Dani’s arms wrapped around her, Camila sighed, a deeply contented sigh. It had been worth the trial of asking the question. She had never experienced such a high in lovemaking. But Dani had a skillful touch with the dildo; she had stimulated her, teased her, and when she was crying out with frustration, had penetrated her and used the implement to maximum effect, bringing her to orgasm again and again. She had heard of multiple orgasms but had never really believed they happened in real life.
They slept for a few hours. When Camila woke, the memory of the ecstasy of the night before flooded back and she started to feel aroused. Reaching for Dani, she realised she was still wearing the dildo, and this only excited her further. With her acute awareness of what Camila wanted, Dani started to rub against her clitoris. Soon, Camilla was lost in a state of all-consuming passion once more.
Getting up in the morning, preparing for work, was one of the hardest things she had ever done. Dani came into the kitchen while she was drinking a cup of coffee, waiting for her taxi to arrive. Only when Dani pressed herself against her did Camila know that her carefully constructed equilibrium was short-lived. Dani was wearing only a pair of black tight-fitting briefs and the dildo. Camila moaned softly, “Dani, I can’t.”
“You can. I know you can.” With one swift motion, Dani had lifted her skirt and pulled her knickers aside. Resisting was useless; Dani had her pinned against the counter and it was all she could do not to cry out with her mounting desire. She pressed her nails into Dani’s buttocks and was rewarded with extra movement inside her. Dani explored the inside of her left ear with her tongue. When Camila came in quick, shuddering gasps, she was aware that Dani had come as well.
“You are in so much trouble,” she breathed into Dani’s ear.
“Good.” The blast of a horn brought them both to their senses. “He’ll wait.”
“He better; it’s on the company’s account. Now let me go. I’ll deal with you later.”
†
Climbing into the taxi, Camila was aware of the wetness of her underwear and hoped the taxi driver wasn’t overwhelmed by the eau de sex that now permeated the backseat of his otherwise immaculate cab. Taking the risk, she leaned forward to ask him to reroute to her apartment. She couldn’t arrive at the office in this condition.
After a quick shower and change, she felt ready to pull on her finance director persona and terrorise the first hapless member of staff she encountered. The flashing light on her answerphone caught her eye as she stopped by the mirror in the hallway to check her hair. She was tempted to ignore it. If it was a message from Dani, she would need another shower and she didn’t have time for that.
Still, it might be Eric, so she pushed the button to retrieve her messages. The first one was indeed from ER, reminding her that he needed her figures for the board meeting later. The next message was a long ramble from Chris ending with the suggestion that they meet for a drink. This she could ignore. The final one was more disturbing—her father’s voice coming through loud and clear, informing her that they were landing at Heathrow at four o’clock and would be at her flat by five at the latest. Dinner was booked for eight at The Savoy and he had managed to get a riverside-view table.
Camila leant against the wall for support. An unexpected visit from her parents. Just what she didn’t want right now. She wondered how long they were planning to stay. So much for her plans to give Dani what she so plainly desired that evening, or any time during the weekend.
†
Dani grinned to herself. The journey to work passed in a blur with the feel and scent of Camila all over her. She had fucked any number of women using a dildo, but the night with Camila, giving her so much pleasure, had been the ultimate turn-on. And what had Camila meant when she said she would deal with her later? It seemed Dani didn’t know her at all.
She was still grinning as she walked through Reception and was only vaguely aware that Amanda had called her name. The receptionist called it again, louder this time.
Dani stopped and looked at her. “What? I’m not inappropriately dressed, am I?” Her jeans, although clean, did have a few rips in them, but she didn’t think the Eagles Hotel California T-shirt could offend anyone.
“Message from Ms Callaghan. She asked if you could call her as soon as you get in.”
“Oh, right, thanks.”
“I asked her if she wanted to speak to Mr McKenzie, but she insisted it had to be you.”
“That’s fine.” Dani smiled at her. “I’m sure I can deal with whatever she wants.”
Certain that nothing could spoil her good mood, Dani continued through the building to her studio. Declan jumped to his feet as soon as she appeared and shot out the door.
“What’s with him?” Dani looked over at Gary, who was staring intently at his computer screen.
“It’s his mission in life to make sure you have a coffee on arrival. But we didn’t know what time you would be in today.”
“This mission doesn’t have anything to do with the cute redhead in Accounts, by any chance.”
“I wouldn’t know about that,” Gary said primly.
Dani continued through the outer office to her inner sanctum. There were several Post-it notes by her phone. She glanced through them. Nothing that couldn’t wait. She dialled the Redmond number and asked for Camila. No hesitation from the receptionist this time, she put her straight through.
“Missing you already too,” she said as soon as Camila picked up.
“Oh, Dani, I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
“Yes, I do. My parents are arriving today and I’ll be meeting them for dinner. They stay at my flat when they’re here, so I won’t be able to see you tonight.”
“Oh.” Dani felt the morning’s high sliding out of her.
“I don’t know how long they’re staying, but if it’s more than two nights, I will have to invent a business trip.”
Dani bit back the disappointment taking over her mind. “Okay. I’ll just have to be patient, I guess.”
“Dani, believe me, I’m going to find this hard. Last night, this morning, I’m…oh, shit, I have an internal call waiting and I’m pretty sure it’s Eric. I’ll call you when I can.”
Then she was gone and Declan arrived with the coffee to find Dani slumped in her chair, feeling as if all the air had drained from the room.
“Here you go, boss. This should give you a lift. I even scored
a chocolate donut for you.”
Dani gave him a weak smile. “Thanks, Declan. I’m sure that will help.”
He bounced back out. After a few sips of coffee, Dani roused herself and made an attempt to organise her day.
†
Camila’s day had been filled with one meeting after another. Now, on the ride home, she tried to gather her thoughts for the evening ahead with her parents. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to leave the office until after six, she had alerted the concierge to their arrival so he could let them in and they would have time to freshen themselves up after their journey. Her father would no doubt have helped himself to some of her Bushmills whiskey. She didn’t drink the stuff herself, but kept it in stock for these visits.
She had struggled to keep thoughts of Dani from intruding during the day. She would have liked to redirect the taxi to Chiswick and tell her parents she had to make an emergency trip to Amsterdam.
Her father was standing in the hallway when she opened the door to her apartment. He did, indeed, have a glass of whiskey in his hand. But the parcel he was inspecting was what caused her concern. She quelled her panic.
“Hi, Dad. Good trip?”
“Yes, no problem. We were in Paris and thought we would pop over to see you. What is this?”
“Oh, it’s something I ordered for a friend’s birthday. Just leave it there. I’ll deal with it later.” She dropped her briefcase and drew him into a hug. With all the willpower she could muster, she kept her eyes from the long, thin parcel and maneuvered her father into the living room, where her mother sat reading a magazine and sipping at a glass of sherry.
†
Dani couldn’t face being in the house alone. The disappointment of not seeing Camila that evening was still raw. After the middle-of-the-night conversation on Sunday, actually Monday, she had been anticipating her lover’s return with mounting excitement. Was Camila really thinking of playing the part Dani wanted? Or had she dreamt the whole scenario?
She walked into The Black Lion with the thought of drinking enough to dull her senses. Instead, she ate a lacklustre meal of eggs and chips washed down with a pint of beer. The evening was warm enough for sitting outside. She ordered another half when she finished eating and took it out to the patio. All the tables were occupied, so she perched on the wall nearest the river and watched the people passing by.
Couples holding hands, talking, laughing. A summer’s evening and love was definitely in the air, for some anyway.
Dani finished her drink and took the glass back to the bar. Deciding it was a good time for a ride, she walked the short distance to her house to change into her leather gear. She had no messages on her answerphone and had to quell another surge of disappointment.
She retrieved the bike from her storage unit around the corner and headed off into the setting sun, towards Richmond. It was fully dark by the time she reached another pub, also by the river. A different clientele, no one she knew here. The barmaid serving her had a slash of black makeup across her eyes. She looked like the character, Pris, from Blade Runner. Glancing around the bar as she waited for her pint to be pulled, Dani could see she wouldn’t be out of place here.
Accepting the full glass from the girl with a smile, Dani settled down on a bench seat near the door and hoped she could shake thoughts of Camila out of her head for a time. That hope was shattered when the next song to come out of the speakers above her head was “Sweet Dreams”. While Annie Lennox’s powerful voice belted out the words, she had a searing vision of Camila holding a cane, swishing it, testing its strength. By the end of the song, Dani was melting in her seat. She gulped down the rest of her beer and made a hasty exit, walking quickly back to her bike. The throbbing of the engine between her legs on the ride home only enhanced her need for instant relief.
†
The view along the river, London at night, was a sight she usually enjoyed. But as she sat at the table at The Savoy with her parents, Camila’s eyes saw a different vision. It involved being in bed with Dani.
“Is your fish all right, dear? You haven’t eaten much.”
Camila looked down at her plate. “It’s fine. I’m not very hungry.”
“They work you too hard at that place. I’m sure you’ve lost even more weight since we last saw you. It’s not healthy.”
“It must be the string of secret lovers that keeps our girl so slim.” Her father raised his glass to her.
“Is there someone special?”
Camila couldn’t meet her mother’s intense gaze. She shook her head.
“There must be something wrong with these Englishmen. Come to France and you’ll be married within six months.”
Her mother’s aim in life was to see her blissfully wed with a child or two on the way. At one time she had even entertained the thought that Camila would marry Eric Redmond and give up work entirely. The first time her parents had come to her office, they had met Eric, and her mother hadn’t stopped talking about him for days—“Such a handsome man, darling. You two are made for each other.” Even her father had weighed in—“Can’t go wrong there, love. Rich, good-looking, brains. Your children will be exceptional.”
Now each time they talked on the phone, her mother would ask if Eric was still single.
Camila sighed and pushed the remains of her uneaten fish to one side of her plate. It was going to be a long night and she had the next two days to get through as well.
†
The smell of leftover curry assaulted her nostrils as soon as Dani opened her front door. She quickly cleared away the remains of the takeaway and washed the glasses.
Reminders of the previous night and early morning activities lay in wait for her in the bedroom. The tip of the dildo winked up at her from its nesting place in the black briefs on the bed.
She stripped off her riding gear and took the dildo to rinse off in the shower. As the cleaning fairy made an appearance as often as her non-existent maid, Dani gave in to the sudden urge to tidy the bedroom. After she had sorted out the clothes that needed to be washed or sent to the dry cleaners, she turned her attention to the bed. Much as she would have liked to spend the night breathing in Camila’s scent, it was a torture she could do without. Wrestling with the duvet used most of her remaining energy, and after she dealt with putting the washing machine on, she collapsed into an armchair in the living room and wondered how she was going to get through the next few days.
Chapter Fourteen
After a mostly sleepless night, Dani gave in at four, dosed herself with a strong cup of coffee, and set off for the Tube station. The walk by the river was entrancing at that time of morning. No one else about, the birds twittering, the sun about to raise its head above the horizon.
The MBE building was deserted. With several hours of peace before anyone else arrived for work, Dani approached the monster in the corner of her studio. She had resisted the installation for as long as possible. The boys had a matching creature in their office, which they were both adept at using.
Dani turned the machine on. Good. Step one. The training hadn’t been wasted. She had booked the three-day course for herself, Declan, and Gary six months earlier. After the first day she left them to it. She was the boss; no need to waste her time learning how to use something she wasn’t ever going to need.
But she had noted Camila’s ease with using her laptop. The technology was here to stay, and maybe it was time she stopped burying her head in the sand.
The machine finished the waking-up process and she was presented with a lit screen, a cheeky-looking logo of a partially eaten fruit in the middle of it.
What now? That first day on the course, they had spent an interminable amount of time learning how to use the controller. The mouse. Dani moved the thing across its pad and something moved on the screen. The pointer. It was coming back to her now. The instructor had written the word WIMP on his flip chart, making the boys giggle. After they’d settled down he explained that the letters stood for windows, icons
, mouse, pointer.
When she moved the mouse, she could see the pointer. Place it on an icon and click. Yes! She could do this.
†
When Gary arrived in the office two hours later, she was immersed in the intricacies of finding her way around the drawing program’s toolbox. She made shapes, coloured them in, moved them around.
“Shit. Am I out of a job?” He watched as she expertly manipulated some text onto a circle.
Dani looked at him and grinned. “Not yet. But I’m paying you too much. This is a doddle.”
“Yeah, but you’re just playing. That’s not real work.”
“Okay. I bow to your superiority. But not for long.”
He humphed loudly and went back to his own desk. She could hear him telling Declan loudly, “The boss thinks she’s a computer whizz now.”
Declan came in as she was closing the program down. If he was thinking of making a smart remark, it didn’t come out. He just smiled sweetly and asked if she wanted a coffee.
“Yes, thanks.” She pulled a tenner out of her pocket. “Would you mind getting me a bacon sarnie? And whatever you and Gary want?”
“No problem.”
“And tell Mr Wise Guy next door that he needs to give me an update on where we are with the toy store account.”
He grinned. “Sure thing, boss.”
Dani switched the computer off and returned to her drawing table. She knew that the storyboard for the furniture account needed tweaking. Before she could start, the phone rang.
“Ms Callaghan on line one, Dani.”
“Thanks, Amanda.” She took a deep breath and pressed the button to take the call.