The conversation didn’t go well. He tried to explain about Helen but Christopher was raging with temper and wasn’t prepared to listen to his side of the story. Angela had told Christopher that there wouldn’t be money to keep him at university in Durham. Richard reassured him this wouldn’t happen and he would always support his studies no matter how long it took. This, however, didn’t appease his son and with an angry and final ‘never ring or try to speak to me again’, Christopher hung up.
Christ, he thought, now he knew how Helen had felt last weekend. Knowing your family didn’t like you was not easy. But at least Helen’s family all loved her, whereas all his family could see was how his absence would affect their own lives. Storming upstairs, he decided he couldn’t stay another minute longer and began packing his clothes into a large suitcase. Angela stood on the landing, ranting and hurling further abuse at him while he finished packing. He pushed past her and nearly ran down the staircase to get away from her. Even as he climbed, shivering with revulsion, into his car and looked up at the thatched roof she was still screaming insults as he sped off down the lane.
Chapter Fifteen
Helen was waiting for him at the flat. He lugged his suitcase and bags into the living room and immediately she could tell by his face how awful it had been. She went to him, put both her arms round his neck and hugged him with all her might.
‘Just lie with me,’ he mumbled into her neck, and led her to the settee.
She lay on the settee in her T-shirt and jeans propped up with cushions and he lay down wearily with his face in her chest as she wrapped her long legs round him. He told her about the upset and how dreadful and foul Angela had been while she ran her hand through his hair.
‘I couldn’t believe all the horrid things she was screaming at me,’ he said, snuggling his face into the warmth of her cleavage that peeked through her V-neck shirt. Her sweet, clean smell filled his nostrils and he smiled, feeling her fingers in his hair stroking away all his tension. His body tingled, not with passion, he thought; that would come later. But for the moment his limbs relaxed and flopped with exhaustion, his breathing slowed and he closed his eyes feeling safe and loved in her cocoon. It was, he decided, the first time in his life he actually felt linked to another human being.
‘And what about Emily and Christopher?’ she asked apprehensively.
He told her about the conversation with Emily. She smiled at the mention of her bringing her friends to stay but then gasped with shock at Christopher’s reaction. They talked through the possibility that Christopher would keep his word and be forever lost to him, but Richard was confident that when everything settled down he’d accept the situation.
She knew their upset would have hurt him much more than Angela’s antics, because in her past, Rachel’s feelings had always rode paramount over Rob’s. Thinking of her daughter, she said, ‘I rang Rachel on Friday night to tell her what was happening. She didn’t get upset or anything but just seemed quiet and distant towards me.’
‘Hmm, it’ll take a while for it to settle with them all. But don’t worry – it will work out, Helen. I just know it,’ he muttered.
She squeezed her legs further around his thighs reassuringly. ‘That’s more or less what Karen said when she called for coffee this morning. I can tell she’s still unhappy with me but doesn’t want another argument. She smoothed it over with comforting words although I know deep down she’s still at odds with my behaviour. And when I called into Dad’s to apologise he was the same.’
Suddenly his stomach grumbled loudly and she giggled rubbing her hand over his belly. ‘Is someone hungry?’ she asked. ‘Do you fancy a curry?’
He lifted his head from her chest and smiled. ‘Sounds like a plan but let’s order in. I can’t be bothered to go out again.’
They spread the takeaway cartons on the coffee table and ate hungrily while he told her that he’d been approached by a head-hunter for a job on the other side of London. He crunched into a poppadum. ‘I’ve been asked for an interview on Wednesday.’
She swallowed hard and raised an eyebrow. ‘But I thought you were enjoying the Sushi work?’
‘I am. But even after we get through the next few rocky weeks I don’t think it’ll be a good idea for us both to work together in the same department,’ he said.
She could feel her stomach knot with tension and swallowing the mouthful of rice became an effort. She laid her fork down carefully and looked at him. ‘But that’s not fair on you.’
‘I think between us it’s best if I go. You’ve been there for years and you love your job and the security it gives you. The last thing you need now is to be worried about losing your monthly salary when you’re taking on the new apartment…’
She sighed with gratitude for this lovely, thoughtful man and instantly felt her stomach settle down. She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him full on the lips. ‘Oh my, that Madras is strong,’ she said, licking her own lips and giggling. ‘But seriously, Richard, thank you for your forethought. I wouldn’t want to do anything that would jeopardise my position with the company. And, of course, it’ll be the first time in my life I won’t have the reassurance of a husband’s salary to fall back on if anything did go wrong. After my divorce comes through I’ll be doing this on my own.’
‘You are not, or never will be, on your own, darling,’ he said, wanting to soothe away all her worries. ‘We’re in this together – never forget that…’
She grinned at him then carried on with her curry while he continued, ‘The job is a much higher management position with a considerably better salary, and if Angela is going to bleed me dry I want to have enough money behind me. Firstly, to pay into our apartment and secondly, to pay for Christopher at Durham. And just in case Emily wants to go to university too.’
Playfully, and wanting to relax the atmosphere between them, he scooped a dollop of her curry onto the fork and motioned at her to open her mouth. She opened her luscious lips and took the fork into her mouth while he marvelled at their perfect shape and dreamt happily of them kissing him later.
*
By Thursday morning she had the keys for the apartment and had a day’s holiday planned for the following day to move in. Her new furniture was being delivered in the morning and for the first time in months she actually looked forward to the weekend because Richard wouldn’t be leaving her.
From the afternoon in her garden when he’d told her he was leaving his family to be with her, the niggles of guilt she’d managed to push out of her mind had grown into full-blown concerns. Upsetting his children was bad enough but taking another woman’s man chewed at her insides – much as she bucked against what Karen had stated, she knew it wasn’t how a decent woman should behave. But, she thought, trying to salve her conscience, when he’d told her all the foul words Angela had screamed at him – surely she couldn’t still be in love with him? And why was this woman surprised that other women found Richard attractive? It was his steady personality with passionate hidden depths that was the greatest attraction in her eyes. Therefore, if she hated him and didn’t want him, was it really breaking the female code to take him?
At six o’clock, as they drove away from work towards Uxbridge Road, he offered to stay in his rented flat as he’d paid for a six-month lease in April. ‘You might want to have Rachel for the weekend?’ he asked.
‘No, I want you to move in with me,’ she stated adamantly, knowing the extent of the sacrifices he’d already made for her. Now it was her turn to show her commitment, and more than anything else she wanted him with her. She grinned at him happily. ‘It’s our place, Richard. It makes sense that we move in together tomorrow. But I just want to look around for an hour tonight – I’m so excited!’
There’d been no further word from Angela or his children, and where she worried that silence wasn’t a good omen Richard was more optimistic that they’d accepted the situation.
She put the key into the door of the apartment. ‘Here we go,’ s
he uttered opening the door, and then felt his arm round her shoulders and another under her legs as he swept her up into his arms and carried her giggling into the lounge.
With her arms around his neck she nipped the lobe of his ear with her teeth making him wriggle as he gently placed her back onto her feet. ‘I wouldn’t start that,’ – he stared into her shining eyes – ‘Or I won’t be held responsible for my actions.’
They walked arm in arm together from room to room planning where things would be placed when they arrived the following day. ‘I think the bed will be best over by the window opposite the glass-fronted wardrobes and then I can watch when I’m making love to you,’ he mused, grabbing her by the waist as they stood in the bedroom. ‘In fact, starting tomorrow, I think I’ll make love to you in every room this weekend before we have any visitors.’
She pulled away from him and ran towards the kitchen. ‘You’ll have to catch me first,’ she shouted as he chased after her. Panting, she stood against the bench with her arms folded across her chest and stared brazenly at him, wanting him so much it made her feel quite giddy and reckless. There was never an occasion when she didn’t want him inside her – it simply made her feel a complete.
He strode across to her, matching her eye contact, and swiftly lifted her up onto the bench pulling her skirt up to her waist. He ran his hands up the insides of her thighs feeling her warm flesh quivering. ‘I love you, Helen Walker,’ he said.
She giggled. ‘And I love you too. I’m also loving this shiny, red bench. My knickers are sliding around on it,’ she said, running her tongue up the side of his neck and breathing heavily in his ear. ‘Maybe you should take them off?’
His heart was racing and he needed to be inside her so badly his knees were trembling. ‘Anything to please the lady,’ he drawled, and dragged the black lace knickers down to her ankles.
‘Oh, Richard, the bench is lovely and cool on my bottom,’ she muttered sucking his neck.
She was driving him to distraction and he wished with everything he possessed that the bed had been delivered – it would have to be the floor, he thought wildly, there was no stopping her now as she opened his fly and pushed her hand into his shorts. He groaned, loving her warm fingers on him, and when she sunk her lips onto his mouth and pushed her tongue into it he was lost. He groaned her name in ragged breaths as she pushed his trousers down and he knew he couldn’t wait any longer to be inside her.
Firmly, he put his hands under the taut cheeks of her bottom. ‘I see what you mean. Your bottom is cool – let’s see if we can warm it up a little,’ he said, and pulled her firmly away from the bench and onto him.
She was wet and hot as he thrust into her while she wrapped her legs around his waist. ‘Oh, that’s hot!’ she cried. ‘Jesus Christ, but that’s hot…’
He thought he would explode but desperately wanted her to climax first. He wedged her against the bench, pulled her jumper up and lifted a breast out of the bra sucking hard and biting her nipple. She ran a hand into his hair and scrunched a handful crying with ecstasy and begging him not to stop.
Knowing her weight would be too much for him she gripped the edge of the bench behind her, steadied her back against it and ground onto him pounding up and down. She couldn’t get enough of him and cried out for more as he penetrated deeper into her and she felt the start of her sweet release. Only when he heard her howl did he clench his buttocks, push hard into her and erupt.
*
The following morning, surrounded by plastic wrapping, Helen arranged the new furniture in the lounge while Richard was at work talking to the MD. He’d taken an early morning telephone call from the head-hunter, who told him he’d done so well at the interview that they were offering him the position. She felt a wave of sadness when she remembered how well they’d worked together and knew the department wouldn’t be the same without him. But she also knew this would secure her position.
He arrived back at the apartment within two hours with his case and bags from the rented flat and told her that the MD had accepted his resignation and asked him to take garden leave, which was a normal occurrence. They spent the day happily settling in and then shopping for more interior design pieces, which they both loved – it amazed her how alike their taste was.
The next morning she decided to celebrate their weekend together by making his favourite breakfast of soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers. Unfortunately, because he’d bent her over the kitchen table to make love to her – the eggs were a disaster and hard as golf balls. They’d both laughed till their sides ached, but the happiness was soon interrupted by a call on his mobile. He mouthed Angela’s name to her and then held the mobile away from his ear. Helen could hear the torrent of abuse she was shouting at him as he shook his head slowly in dismay.
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can,’ he said, clicking the phone shut.
Helen stared at him. ‘What? What’s going on?’
‘She’s here, in London, at my rented flat and sounds hysterical. I’ll have to go and talk to her.’ He sighed heavily.
Her heart began to thump with fear just at the thought of confrontation with this woman, but she knew she had to stand by him, no matter what happened. ‘Do you want me to come? I mean, as you keep saying, we are in this together…’
*
The two women stood facing each other in the lounge at the flat. Helen looked at the settee and for some strange reason remembered the first night she’d made love to Richard after they’d been to Sushi Samba. Her chaotic mind was whirling with thoughts as she looked at Angela, but the main observation she made was how tiny she looked in her jeans and flat loafers. As she towered above her, Helen felt gangly and awkward – she self-consciously she rounded her shoulders into a slumped position then fidgeted with the zip on her leather jacket.
‘So you’re the tart who thinks she can waltz into my life and take my husband? Have you no decency?’ she snarled, and Helen could see Richard visibly wince at her coarseness. He stood to the side of them and Helen could tell he was ready to protect her.
Not knowing how to explain, Helen mumbled. ‘I-I wouldn’t put it quite like that…’
Angela began to pace around the room. ‘Oh you wouldn’t? How would you put it then?’ she said. ‘I have to say, you don’t look anything like I thought you would. You look too respectable to be a low-life, marriage wrecker!’
Richard’s face flushed red with temper and he intervened. ‘Now, Angela, calm down – that’s enough. Helen came with me to help talk this through, but I won’t have you insulting her.’
Angela slumped onto the edge of a dining chair and took a handkerchief from her bag. She dabbed delicately at her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Richard. It’s just I can’t believe after spending all our lives together you are leaving me for this other woman.’
Richard began to shuffle his feet and pushed his hands deep into his trouser pockets. He knew the tears were an act because he’d seen them before at a councillor’s funeral. But sadly he could tell by the look of anguish on Helen’s face that she believed in her performance. ‘Angela, we’ve been through all of this last weekend. You won’t suffer moneywise and you are secure in the cottage…’
‘I don’t care about the money and cottage. You’re my husband, and I still love you – please come home with me,’ she begged pathetically, then covered her eyes with the handkerchief and began to sniff quietly.
Richard looked at Helen’s lovely face staring with horror at Angela. He rolled his eyes and slowly shook his head at Helen trying to portray the fact that it was all an act.
Helen felt embarrassed witnessing this woman’s upset and decided she had no part to play in any of this. She turned slowly away from him and headed towards the lounge door saying, ‘I’ll leave you to talk.’
*
Helen was drinking her second glass of wine when he returned and she rounded on him the minute he entered the apartment. ‘You told me she was okay about it. You said she’d never loved you, a-and
that she loved her dogs and cottage more,’ she cried. ‘She’s devastated that you’ve left her and she is in love with you.’
He tried to take her into his arms but she shrugged him away petulantly. ‘No, Richard. You have to tell me the truth.’
‘I have told you the truth – it’s all a bloody act!’ He poured himself a glass of wine. ‘I could tell as soon as she realised she wasn’t getting anywhere by shouting she changed tack to turn the fake tears on.’
Helen dropped down on the settee and looked up at him, puzzled. ‘She looked distressed to me,’ she moaned. ‘I’ve felt guilty enough already about you leaving your family, but thinking she didn’t care two hoots about you helped to ease it for me. But now, well, I don’t know what to think.’
‘Believe me, darling,’ – he sat down next to her and put his arm round her shoulders – ‘If I thought for one minute that any of her upset was genuine I would have approached this in a different manner. But I know it isn’t. The minute you left she wiped her face and threatened to go to our work tomorrow and ruin us both with the slander.’
Helen’s stomach churned. She didn’t know what to believe, but decided, as she loved him so much and knew he wasn’t a liar, that she had to put her faith in his version of events. The thought of Angela storming onto site and defaming her name made her feel physically sick. She whispered, ‘She won’t go to site – will she?’
He hugged her tightly. ‘Nah, I’ve told her I’ve left the company. I could almost see the pound signs spin around in her eyes when I told her about the new job and the extra 30K I’ll be getting,’ he soothed.
Chapter Sixteen
By the end of the next two weeks Helen was in a permanent state of agitation. Angela kept ringing and screaming or crying for him to go home. Then one night, as they sat together watching TV, trying to ignore the ringing of Richard’s mobile, she decided that her life was filled with nothing but unhappiness and arguments.
A Taste of Love Page 13