Closing In

by Sue Fortin

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘The dress.’

  ‘What dress?’

  ‘Wait a minute. Stop,’ said Donovan. ‘Calm down. Let’s go back upstairs.’

  Ellen held onto his hand as they went up to the top floor. Donovan stopped in front of the box and letting go of Ellen’s hand, he bent down and picked it up. Entering in to the room, Donovan placed the object of Ellen’s distress on the bed. ‘It’s a present from me to you. Go on, open it.’

  ‘Oh,’ Ellen managed to say. She felt stupid now for overreacting. She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Unfolding the tissue paper, she held up the most beautiful of dresses. A midnight-blue, shift dress. Simple but beautiful. ‘It’s gorgeous.’ She held it up to herself.

  ‘I’m glad you like it and I hope you’re not offended,’ said Donovan in a soft voice. He picked up the card that was in the box and passed it to Ellen. ‘See you in five minutes. I’ll wait downstairs for you.’

  Ellen read the card.

  Saw this and thought of you … Hope you like it. D.x

  Ellen knew she should feel more comfortable with this gesture than she did. It unsettled her for the right and wrong reasons. How lovely of Donovan to think of her but it also jarred with her feeling of not being in control. This was the sort of thing Toby would have done.

  She folded the dress and went to put it back in the box when she noticed another card. She picked it up and read it.

  I know you are debating as to whether this is a good idea or not. I promise you, it’s nothing more than a gesture of gratitude. No strings attached. No ulterior motive and no control. Just a beautiful dress for a beautiful lady. If it makes you feel better, we can call it uniform and put it through the expenses. D.x

  Ellen gave a small laugh. Uniform. She took another look at the dress. Oh, what the heck. It was too nice not to and compared to what her alternative was, well, there was no competition.

  Donovan let out a low whistle. ‘You look fantastic, Ellen.’ He met her at the bottom of the staircase and kissed her on the cheek.

  ‘Don’t sound so surprised.’ Ellen gave a small laugh. She felt good and was glad she had evoked that sort of reaction from Donovan.

  ‘Hmmmm, gorgeous,’ said Donovan, openly admiring her. ‘Come on, Cinderellen, we’d better go. I need some fresh cool air. Haven’t got time for a cold shower.’

  The restaurant was situated north of Chichester city walls, an understated yet sophisticated place. Ellen gave a silent prayer of thanks that Donovan had bought her this dress; her original outfit would have been so out of place.

  Ellen thoroughly enjoyed the meal, sitting eating with Donovan was something she had done so many times at his house that this evening wasn’t a trial at all. Sometimes food and first dates could be disastrous. She thought back to one of her first meals out with Toby and the fish dish she had ordered, which had come complete with head and tail. She shuddered, not so much at the memory but at Toby’s reaction. He had caused quite a fuss in the restaurant, demanding it was returned and then later, fuelled by alcohol, when they arrived at Toby’s apartment, he had proceeded to tease Ellen, calling her an uneducated peasant. It had gone on for quite a while, in some sort of half-joking, half-serious manner, until she had got quite cross about it. Toby, at that point, had claimed it was just banter and her reaction exaggerated. Of course, he had been sorry and in his customary charming manner had managed to dispel her concerns. In fact, as early as those first dates, he had been able to convince her she was overreacting and she had even apologised. The irrational part of her still blamed herself for not reading the warning signs correctly at the first. The rational side of her knew she could never have foreseen how things would turn out and, despite what she had once thought, it wasn’t her fault. She was not responsible for his actions.

  ‘Everything okay?’ asked Donovan. ‘You looked miles away then.’

  ‘Sorry, I was thinking back to a time when I ordered fish and it came with its head and tail still on,’ she explained, deciding to leave out how Toby had dealt with the situation. Bringing his name up would only ruin the atmosphere of the evening. She didn’t want that. She wanted tonight to be special. She moved the subject on to a lighter, safer topic, which Donovan seemed happy to participate in. Maybe he too wanted to stay away from difficult issues.

  Sitting in the back of the taxi, snuggled up to Donovan, Ellen was trying to work out why her stomach had decided to launch itself into a frenzy not dissimilar to that of a whirlpool. The evening had been wonderful; she had felt totally at ease in Donovan’s company. She smoothed the blue fabric of the dress across her knee.

  ‘Have you had a nice time?’ Donovan asked.

  Ellen raised her head so she could meet his eyes. ‘I’ve had a wonderful evening. Thank you.’ She tipped her face towards him and luxuriated in a deep, welcoming kiss. His hand reached across and pulled her closer to him, before sliding down her side and running the length of her thigh. The whirlpool continued to churn inside her. Her body was way ahead of her mind. The evening was far from over.

  The seat belt was doing a marvellous job of preventing Ellen getting any closer to Donovan. She sat back, a warming smile plastered on her face. That kiss was by far the best. Donovan looked across at her and winked.

  ‘Should be home soon,’ he said.

  ‘The sooner the better.’

  The taxi ride passed in a blur, Ellen not only felt heady from the wine she had consumed but from a burning desire for Donovan. It surprised her but she purposefully made herself relax so she could enjoy this. At the back of her mind she felt apprehension. She was going to sleep with a man for the first time since she had left Toby. She wanted it to be special. She didn’t want the past to taint her future. Sex with Toby as opposed to making love with Donovan. There was no competition and she certainly wasn’t going to let the two overlap. Donovan deserved her total and complete attention. She deserved it too.

  His breath was warm on her neck, his mouth making no contact with her skin, it was almost like a whisper. Ellen let Donovan take her jacket from her, not caring that he allowed it to slip from his fingers on to the floor. His hands slid around her waist and he pulled her into him, his groin tight against her. The reassuring feeling that he wanted her was evident.

  Ellen let out an involuntarily whimper. God, she wanted him, just his touch over her clothes was sending star bursts right through her. He kissed her neck, his hands roaming up and down her midriff, running over her breasts, finding their way to the tops of her legs.

  She turned round to face him, hungry for his kisses, hungry for his touch. Without ceremony she pulled his jacket from his shoulders and as he wriggled his arms out, Ellen tugged at his tie, their mouths in contact the whole time. Lips and tongues performed an elegant dance that they both knew the routine for without putting a step wrong.

  ‘Let’s go upstairs.’ Donovan’s voice was husky, laced with desire. His hands roamed through her hair as he worked his kisses from her face to her neck and back again. ‘Damn it, I can’t wait.’

  He walked her backwards to the chaise-longue that was in the hallway, gently pushing her back onto it. He began to unbutton his shirt, Ellen looked up at him. She wanted this to last.

  Taking hold of his belt she undid the buckle and found the button on his trousers, opening the zipper. His trousers slid down easily. Donovan had already kicked his shoes off and was now stepping out of his clothing. He bent down to kiss her.

  Ellen looked up and gently shook her head, holding her hand against him, her palm cushioned by the dark hair on his chest. Not once breaking eye contact, she edged herself to the end of the chaise and her fingertips began exploring his torso. He kept himself in shape, that was certain, his body was lean but solid, no sign of over-indulgence. Splaying her fingers she fanned her hands across his stomach to his sides and down to his hips. His hands clamped over hers and, with the gaze still unbroken, he raised his eyebrows in question. Ellen couldn’t help a small mischievou
s smile breaking free. She was enjoying being in the driving seat. She was setting the pace and the tone. Donovan wasn’t trying to rush or dominate her. It was a liberating feeling; one she hadn’t experienced before.

  ‘So, what now?’ Donovan’s voice was a rasp. Ellen watched him wet his lips and swallow hard. His breathing was heavy and the desire in his eyes clear.

  ‘How about this?’ Ellen slipped his boxer shorts down and Donovan let out a low moan of anticipation.

  ‘Jesus, Ellen,’ he groaned, his hands clasping her head.

  Ellen knew he had reached the point of no return. It didn’t matter, she wanted to do this for him. She loved making him feel this way. She loved the way it made her feel. God, she wanted him so much. She took everything he offered.

  Afterwards, he stood there and for a moment she thought his legs might give way. ‘Oh, Ellen.’ He moved himself away but Ellen held his hands and drew herself down to him, cradling his head in her lap.

  Ellen dropped butterfly kisses on his head, smoothing his hair with her hand, then gentle caresses down the back of his neck and across his shoulders. He felt so good. There wasn’t one thing about him she didn’t like.

  He responded to her touch. Lifting his head, he knelt in front of her, his hands travelling up her nylon-encased legs.

  ‘Upstairs.’ His voice gruff but tender. ‘This is pay-back time.’ The glint in his eye and the smile tipping the corners of his mouth sent a flurry of excitement straight through her. This time it was she who was too eager to take the stairs.

  ‘I can’t wait,’ she said as her breathing began to represent that of a marathon runner. She wriggled back up the chaise and pulled her tights down, peeling them off one leg at a time. He reached out and stopped her, his hand resting on her hip. His index finger traced the outline of the pale-blue dragonfly tattoo.

  ‘Beautiful. Graceful. Elegant. It matches its owner,’ said Donovan in a whisper as he kissed the body art. Then he sat up. ‘One second. Don’t move.’ He reached over to where his jacket had been discarded and rummaged around the inside pocket, retrieved a condom and put it on the backrest. Then he climbed on to the chaise, his knees parting her legs and slid a hand between her thighs, pulling her underwear to one side. She adjusted her position and within seconds she let out a gasp. She’d never felt this close to the edge before, never felt this out of control. A hedonistic feeling that she wanted to totally surrender to.

  ‘Oh, God, Donovan. Do it.’ She sounded like she was begging. She realised she probably was. Ellen patted her hand around the backrest of the sofa until she found the foil packet. ‘Please, I want you.’ It was a tormented whisper from her as she tore open the foil and thrust the latex at him.

  Within a few seconds he was pushing himself deep inside her, with no hesitation. No teasing. No reassurances offered or requested. It was heaven. It was what she wanted. She could feel his need for her. It matched her need for him.

  Ellen grasped at his back, her hands finding his shoulders and she pushed him back and dragged him forward, helping build the momentum; she didn’t want to stop. This was raw, no-holds-barred sex. She had never wanted anyone so badly.

  Her body took control and the dizzy, intense and almost unbearable sensation rushed over her as she climaxed – conscious that Donovan had timed his own to perfection. She was aware of a cry, somewhere in the distance, it was her own but she couldn’t focus on anything, only the extreme high that possessed her every cell.

  The come-down was slower; gentle waves lapping over her body, her breathing levelled, her heart rate dropped and the dizziness subsided. Donovan was spent, exhausted and lying half on her and half on the chaise. He kissed her cheek and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

  ‘Much as I love this chaise, it wasn’t built for two,’ he said.

  ‘Where do you suggest instead?’ asked Ellen making sure the kiss she gave left him in no doubt what she had in mind.

  ‘It’s king-sized,’ he said between kisses.

  ‘I know that.’ She grinned. ‘Now, show me what size your bed is.’

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Ellen woke early. Donovan was still sleeping soundly. They had entwined themselves around each other like vines last night and seemingly stayed that way. She didn’t want to move and break the feel of him next to her, the sensation of being held safe in loving arms. It was good. She hadn’t felt like this in a long, long time. She couldn’t deny her feelings for Donovan were shifting. She had been aware of this, somewhere in the recesses of her mind, somewhere she hadn’t wanted to rummage around in too deeply. Now, however, there was no turning her back on her emotions.

  How did that happen in such a short space of time?

  She had promised herself time off from any relationship. After Toby, the last thing she wanted was to get involved with anyone. Her head was telling her this was too soon, yet her heart had other ideas. It was times like this that she really missed Kate. Her friend always had wise words for her, it was just a shame Ellen hadn’t paid attention to them sooner where Toby was concerned. Maybe she should email Kate.

  Reluctant to leave Donovan’s embrace, Ellen resolved to contact Kate later. She hadn’t been in touch with her for a while, which although wasn’t a problem, Ellen didn’t want things to slide. Changing her mind, perhaps now while Donovan was sleeping, she should do it. She’d be busy with Izzy later.

  However, as Ellen began to move, Donovan stirred. His arm tightening around her.

  He rolled over so he was facing her. ‘It wasn’t a dream, then? You really are here.’

  She smiled and kissed him. ‘Oh, yes.’ She could feel him against her. All thoughts of Kate dismissed.

  Ellen opened the email sitting in the draft folder.

  Hello lovely

  Thanks for your email. I’m quickly sending you a reply now, as I’m about to head off to work. In answer to your question about Toby – no, he hasn’t been in contact since that time he brought the present round. As I said, at the time, he seemed worried about you, like he was actually missing you.

  What made you ask about him anyway?

  xx

  Ellen deleted the email from the draft folder and composed a new one.

  Hiya!

  Hope work was okay.

  Re Toby – I was just checking, that’s all. Nothing to worry about.

  I’ll be in touch soon – we need to sort out a date for meeting up. Somewhere different, not London or here. Maybe Brighton – that’s easy for us both to get to.

  Have a think.

  Xx

  Okay, that wasn’t strictly true about Toby, but Ellen had wanted to see if he’d been in touch again. She wasn’t sure if his silence was a good thing or not.

  Shutting down the laptop, Ellen checked her watch. It would soon be time to get Izzy from school. Enough time for a cup of tea first. She also needed to remind Donovan about Izzy’s music concert later in the week.

  Ellen trotted lightly down the stairs and met Mrs Holloway coming out of the kitchen with a tray laden with a coffee pot, cream and sugar.

  ‘Do me a favour, Ellen,’ she said, the frown lifting slightly from her pink face. ‘Take this into the living room. Donovan’s got an unexpected visitor and I’ve got to get off early today. Getting me bunions looked at. My feet are so sore, these shoes are killing me.’ She thrust the tray into Ellen’s hand and disappeared back into the kitchen.

  Ellen gave a small laugh to herself. Mrs Holloway was such a character. Smiling she headed back down the hall to the living room. The door was slightly ajar.

  ‘Knock, knock,’ she called out, whilst backing in through the doorway, giving the door a small kick with her heel.

  ‘Come in. Oh, Ellen, I was expecting Mrs Holloway,’ said Donovan, a note of concern in his voice.

  Ellen turned, concentrating on not spilling the coffee pot, she glanced up. ‘Mrs Holloway was …’ the words died on her lips as she looked at Donovan and then at his guest. She felt herself sway as the ice-
cold spikes of fear ravaged their way down her spine.

  Donovan closed the distance between himself and Ellen in a few strides and deftly took the tray from her, placing it on the coffee table. Ellen’s eyes remained fixed upon his guest. Unable to form any words, she was aware of Donovan back at her side, his hand on her elbow. ‘Come and sit down.’ Although his touch was gentle, she found herself shrinking back, resisting his nudge of encouragement.

  The guest spoke. ‘Hello, Helen.’

  She shook her head slightly and closed her eyes. This was not happening.

  She opened them. Wrong. It was happening. Toby was sitting in Donovan’s living room.

  ‘Are you okay, Ellen?’ said Donovan. His voice held no emotion. No trace of what he was thinking or feeling. She searched his face for any clue. There was none. Impassive. Observing. Steely.

  ‘How are you?’ said Toby, standing up. ‘I’ve been worried about you. I was just telling Donovan here, how concerned I’ve been.’

  Ellen forced herself to answer. It was on the second attempt she managed a semblance of a sentence. ‘I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?’

  ‘Are you feeling better now?’ asked Toby.

  ‘What? Better?’ Her voice was stronger this time.

  ‘You know, Helen…’ he paused. ‘Erm, I wonder, Donovan, would you give us a minute alone?’

  ‘No!’ She hadn’t meant to shout. She gripped Donovan’s arm. ‘Please stay. I don’t want you to go.’

  She watched while Donovan took a long hard look at both her and Toby. Pursing his lips, he nodded. ‘Okay, I’ll stay. Come and sit with me on the sofa.’ He took her hand in his. ‘Toby, why don’t you sit yourself back down in the chair. Come on, Ellen.’ This time she didn’t resist and her feet took her to the three-seater.

  Donovan placed himself on the side of the sofa nearest to Toby, Ellen was grateful for the subtle protection. Toby sat in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands together.

  ‘Don’t look so frightened, sweetheart,’ said Toby. ‘Like I keep saying, I wanted to make sure you were okay, that’s all.’