“You are a gentleman, Adrian, you don’t have to try.”
“I’d like to tell anyone who asks that we’re friends, but with my reputation as a ladies’ man, they won’t believe it. I’m going to tell them we’re friends anyway, and they’ll say what they will so try not to be offended.”
“How come you decided to be my friend?”
“I like you,” Adrian shrugged.
“I like you too,” Verity said, standing in front of him, “I like you a lot.”
Adrian took a deep breath and let it out. “Are you and Brandon really just friends?”
“Yes, we’ve never been intimate and he only kisses me on the cheek. Well, we did have a pash a couple of times and then he went to pleasure himself afterwards.”
Adrian smiled, “Did you really do all those things with him? Have coffees, and play chess, and talk on the phone?”
Verity nodded, “That’s friend stuff. Don’t you have anyone like that?”
“Not of the opposite sex. There’s a woman I’ve seen a few times over the years like that, I guess. She’s pious and very married but nice to spend time with. I have never entertained the thought of sleeping with her, and I never will. That’s different to you.”
“Yes, we’ve had sex three times now. Three times in about a year. Sounds like friends with benefits. Brandon told me that he and Jen are fuck-buddies. I think that’s different.”
Adrian did the zip up on the side of Verity’s dress. “I know you’re with someone already, someone who isn’t with you. So I know I’m safe from you getting any ideas about us. I guess I can be your friend until he shows up.”
“I want you to be my friend forever, Adrian. You’re not a place-filler.”
“We’ll see. You might be a pain in the arse. You’re on probation as my friend, so don’t mess it up. Let’s go do this reception thing.”
They made sure they had the room key and left the hotel room to go to the reception room. Guests were beginning to arrive so they joined in with them.
“There you two are,” Brandon said, “I thought you gave up and went home when I didn’t see you outside the church. Are you sure you don’t want to swap back or anything? Are you okay?”
“Did you hear that sneezing in the church?” Adrian asked, “That was me and the damn lilies they had at the end of the pew. I stayed as long as I could and Verity was kind enough to escort me to the pharmacy for some hay fever medication.”
“That was you?” Brandon asked, “Are you okay now?”
“Much better,” Adrian said, “We got some looks in the chemist though.”
“Because you look so good in a tux, mate. Ver looks beautiful too, doesn’t she? She thinks you’re hot, Adrian, watch out for her,” Brandon said.
Verity laughed, “Shut up, Brandon.”
“She does. I know she does. But she’s already in love with someone so don’t get any ideas,” Brandon said, “A butt grab and a drunken nuzzle is as far as it goes, Senior Sergeant.”
“It’ll go wherever I say it goes actually, Constable Roberts,” Verity replied, “But your concern is endearing.”
Brandon smiled, “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when your ankles are around his neck. He can charm the pants off any woman.”
“Duly noted,” Verity replied, “Good thing I’m not wearing pants.”
Adrian and Brandon laughed.
“Are you wearing underpants?” Brandon asked.
“That’s a very personal question,” Verity replied, “But while we’re sharing, yes I am. Are you?”
“No, I’m going commando. If I’m drunk I don’t want to fumble and pee on my undies.”
Verity laughed loudly and it echoed through the foyer. She put her hand over her mouth, but she was still laughing. She looked around at the dark marble and the chandeliers, and was still laughing. “Oh god, I can’t stop.” She looked at people heading towards them to go into the wedding reception and tried to blow out some air. She started wondering if they were wearing underwear too. She managed to calm down enough to say ‘sorry’.
“Do you need to go home and feed your fish?” Adrian asked.
Verity lost it again, and Brandon and Adrian were pulled into the laughing fit again and also couldn’t stop laughing. People began gathering around them to enter the room and the laughter spread. Verity was making incomprehensible noises as she tried to explain why she was laughing. Brandon said she sounded like Beaker from the Muppets, and they all laughed harder.
Verity held her side and wiped her face. “Okay, okay, I’m okay now.”
“You’re crazy, Verity,” Adrian said, wiping his eyes, “Let’s get you some champagne.”
“Christ, don’t give her champagne,” Brandon said, “I might pee in my suit and regret not wearing undies.”
The three of them laughed again.
“What did I miss?” Jen asked.
“Nothing yet, Jenny,” Brandon said, “Let’s get some champagne and see what happens. My suit has to be dry-cleaned anyway.”
Adrian held Verity back as the others walked away. “I like being your friend. But I want to be really clear that I don’t want to feel owned, okay?”
“You don’t own me,” she replied, “I’m not just one of your many toys.”
Adrian smiled, “I know that song. Yes, if we can keep it like that, I think we’ll both be happy.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, and don’t tell me what to say and please –”
“Stop right there, I have every intention of putting you on display this evening. You’re a beautiful woman, who’s a lot of fun to be around, and tonight you’re all mine.”
“Yes, Sir, so much for not feeling owned,” Verity replied, “Even though I’m not beautiful, I will be for you.”
Adrian slid his hand down to Verity’s bottom, up over her bare back and around her waist. “You have no idea what beautiful is,” he whispered, “You’re beautiful inside and out.”
“Shh, I’m trying to concentrate.”
“On what?” Adrian asked, as they walked through the doors.
“On being your friend who doesn’t own you that you own for the evening, trying to be beautiful in a dress that could reveal my butt crack any minute, while you’re touching me in a very sensual way which is making my nipples hard, and I’m not sure if I put my underpants on backwards. Whose wedding is this?”
Adrian laughed loudly and put his hand over his face. “You’re killing me, babe. I haven’t belly-laughed in so long.”
Verity leant closer to him, “That’s because you don’t have a belly.”
Adrian shook his head and held her hand, “Behave yourself or I’ll take my number back.”
“Unfortunately for you, I have excellent number recall. But I suppose I can also do as I’m told. If you don’t want me to use it, I won’t.”
“You can use it. I’m going to need updates on how your fish are going.”
Verity snort-laughed and Adrian smiled. “We’re going to have so much fun,” Verity said, squeezing his hand. She looked around the room at the linen tablecloths and fine-dining ware. This was supposed to be the life her parents wanted her to have. She thought it was more like a novelty than a lifestyle. The love of her life was a very simple man who had no interest in that kind of life, but he also wanted a highflying job in the city. She wondered where he was right now and what he was doing. She sighed as she sat down at the table. She really needed to just focus on the here and now. Until he was part of her life again she had to do what Adrian had told her to do and live well. She could have died and if she lived like she was dead then what was the point of being alive?
“That’s the groom there. He’s one of my good friends, Rick Williams,” Adrian said, “His new wife’s name is –”
“Adelaide,” Verity said, “Adelaide Vine.”
“According to the invitation, yes,” Adrian said.
“I recognise her. We went to the same high school. She was two years ahead of me. H
er parents own a chain of hair salons,” Verity said.
“Really? How weird.”
“It was set up to provide the exact same experience wherever the snooty people happened to be across the country so they could get the exact same service, price and products,” Verity replied, “I used to have my hair done at Vine’s when I was fifteen.”
“Was she nice at school?” Adrian asked, sipping champagne.
“No one was nice at that school. That was the whole point of that school. The whole point was to breed pretentious snobs, who would go onto to breed more pretentious snobs, and to keep the school in the business of pretentious snobbery. When I told the Principal I was going to Victoria to do a commerce degree, she told me it would make more sense to get surgery rather than book smarts if I wanted to marry right.”
Adrian laughed, “That’s pathetic.”
“Agreed, that’s why I went and got my commerce degree. I guess Adelaide didn’t comply with the standards either. Police Officers were on the list of no-no occupations for potential husbands, and she looks extremely happy right now.”
“Rick said she’s a school teacher,” Adrian said, “I’m glad some of you were able to develop a mind of your own. Would you marry a Police Officer?”
“In a heartbeat,” Verity replied with a wink.
“Okay, let’s go get married,” Adrian said, taking her hand and standing up. Verity allowed him to lead her out of the reception room, and he stopped near the fountain and looked around. “What are you doing out here?”
Verity laughed, “I’m following you, and you have my hand.”
Adrian looked down at their hands and held them up, “What are you doing to me, Verity Sharpe?”
“I’m just being your friend.”
“A friendship is a relationship and I don’t want to be in a relationship.”
“Then let’s not label it. I won’t have any expectations about you or your time or anything, Adrian, I promise.”
“That’s good, but you should also know that I don’t not want to be with you, or to potentially be without you for any amount of time that would constitute a prolonged period.”
“So you want to be with me?”
“No, I just don’t not want to be with you. Don’t make it complicated,” Adrian said.
Verity smiled, “Okay, that’s clear. I guess we should go back in otherwise people will think we’re out here smooching it up or something.”
“We wouldn’t want that,” Adrian said, kissing her on the lips.
“No, we wouldn’t,” she replied, kissing him back.
“Are we really going to spend the night together?”
“I’ve never spent the night with anyone before, but I’d love to spend the night with you.”
“It’ll be my first time too,” Adrian replied, “I’m glad it’s with you.”
Verity admired his face. He was the most extraordinary person she’d ever met. He was confident and clever and charming, but he wasn’t hers and she had to remember that.
Chapter 24
Verity looked inside the box and back at Jake. She put the lid back on the box and sighed. It was a bracelet worth tens of thousands of dollars, and as beautiful as it was, she couldn’t accept it. She pushed it back across his desk and shook her head.
“Why won’t you let me spoil you, Verity? I can afford to do it and I want to do it.”
“Because I pretty much hold you in contempt, Jake. Yes, you’re rich and you’re attractive and you’re smart, but you’re also under the belief that you can always just have what you want and you can’t. I should be allowed to say ‘no’ to you and not have my job threatened.”
“I would like to be in a relationship with you. You are attractive, I don’t like your nose, but you are attractive and noses can be fixed. The challenge for me is that I have a large penis and I can’t have sex with you in a normal way. That’s why we have sex like we do instead of a normal way.”
“Thank you for sharing. Thankfully, I don’t want to have normal sex with you. Or any sex for that matter. You give lovely oral pleasure, Jake, but I’m not interested in having sex with you and I’d prefer not to have you lick me just to get through a report.”
“You don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m holding out on you. It’s something men say, they say they have a big penis, but in my case it’s true. My penis is too big, too wide. They don’t make condoms to accommodate me and I can’t find a woman I can fit inside. You seem to think this is humiliation for you, but how do you think I feel?”
“A woman’s vagina can expand enough to give birth, and from what I’ve read in hospital pamphlets, it can expand to fit a penis of any size. The issue is not the vagina it’s the pelvis.”
“I haven’t bothered to try for years because of the futility. My penis is too large to fit inside any woman I’ve ever tried. Maybe they weren’t aroused enough, is that what you’re saying? They could really do it if they tried? Are you volunteering to expand for me?”
“No, I’m not volunteering. I don’t want to have sex with you, Jake.”
“Then let me always lick you while I masturbate. I want it to be mutually satisfying.”
Verity sighed, “I don’t know how to put this any other way, but I’m not aroused by you.”
“How can you not be aroused by me?”
“I shouldn’t have to explain this.”
“I need your assistance, Verity. You’re my assistant. The fact is that I think more clearly after I masturbate, you know I do. It often brings me an epiphany. I want you. I’m incredibly aroused by your attitude and your brain and the way you walk. I want to bring you pleasure. I would ask that you pleasure me by hand, but it would require both hands and I don’t think you’d like it. Couldn’t you find something to like about me? I would buy you dresses, and jewels, and whatever you wanted. I would be your slave if you would just take my tongue to your mouth, and my tongue and fingers to your pussy when I needed it. ”
“For a lot of girls this would be an amazing offer, Jake, but it’s not for me.”
“You disappoint me.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I find it sad that you’d be less disappointed with a lie.”
Jake sighed, “I think your no is final and that hurts. I think I love something about you and I don’t know where else I will get that feeling.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr Horton.” She left his office and sent Adrian a text message about her dilemma. She crossed her fingers that it was a sexual issue he would understand. He told her to meet him on the corner of Wilde and Oxford at eight. Verity wondered what he had in mind.
The city was still full of people and it appeared they were taking advantage of shopping and eating opportunities despite the cold wind. Verity walked down to the corner of Wilde and Oxford Street and waited for Adrian. Two hands simultaneously smacked her bottom and she smiled.
“Hello,” Adrian said, “Your gluteus certainly knows how to fill a pair of jeans.”
“That’s why I hide it in skirts.”
“You look incredibly sexy in jeans,” Adrian said, “You must only wear them on special occasions.”
Verity laughed, “Yes, I do. So what am I doing here?”
“You’re going to the best sex accessory shop in town.”
“I’m doing what? Adrian, I can’t go into a sex shop.”
“You are over eighteen, aren’t you?” Adrian teased, taking her hand.
Verity felt herself blushing. She had never even considered going to one of these and now she was being escorted there by a Police Officer. Adrian ignored Verity’s protests and led her through a doorway. He walked behind her, pushing her up the stairs with his hands on her buttocks, which was making her laugh. A doorbell sounded as they came through the door and Verity looked around. The place was huge and there were colourful things everywhere. She was in shock. She had no idea what most of the things in there were. She walked over to a section that seemed entirely devoted to dildos. S
he looked at all of the different ones.
“This is the one he used on me when I was cleaning the floor.”
“He what?”
Verity waved her hand, “Nothing, nothing. Anyway, I told you that he says that he has a massive one that won’t fit anywhere and that’s why he likes to eat women out and masturbate under his desk. It can’t be that big, surely?”
Adrian shrugged and picked up a dildo the width of an aubergine. Verity laughed and shook her head. Adrian walked around the store explaining what the products were used for and making a number of jokes.
“I don’t understand it,” Verity said, “I’d rather have sex with an actual person. I don’t want to waste my passion on a piece of equipment.”
“Now you know why I’ve slept with so many women. It’s funny how they move on to real relationships and say they just want to be friends, but never actually want to be my friend.”
“I’m your friend, Adrian.”
He pugged, “Does that mean we’re not going back to your place for sex after this?”
“I’ll tell you what, I’ll have sex with you tonight if you wear this,” Verity said, holding up an underwear item.
“Done.”
Verity laughed, “I can’t wait to see this in action. Hmm, the elephant or the toucan? The elephant is cuter, I’ll stick with that.”
“And you can wear these,” Adrian said, holding up bright pink underwear in the shape of a butterfly.
“They’re beautiful, okay.”
Adrian smiled and turned them around. Verity put her hand to her face when she saw that they were a crotchless g-string. Adrian laughed at the look on her face and pushed them to her chest. Verity shook her head and continued looking around the shop. She stopped and looked up at the wall and back down again.
“I know exactly what we need,” Adrian said, taking her by the hand and leading her down a different aisle. He stopped and put his arm around her shoulder.
Verity looked at the options available, reading their features and prices and studying the samples. “I think you’re right. This is perfect. It’s pricey, but worth it. Sold. And no, we’re not going to test it.”
Running Rings Page 21