Hat Trick

by Morris Fenris

  “Better?”

  Her head seemed much clearer now and she could take in the person sitting beside her bed. It was a woman dressed in white, probably in her late forties judging by the wrinkles around her chubby face. She was smiling at Seraphina in a kindly manner but her eyes seemed like they were in pain.

  Seraphina nodded and then tentatively opened her mouth to ask, “Who are you?”

  She wanted to ask where she was but she was afraid that asking the question would disrupt whatever was going on. She found the place she was in peaceful and she was in no hurry to leave even though curiosity was eating at her.

  “I’m Mary. I work here.” As if the woman could sense her fear, she added, “don’t be afraid, child. Everything will be fine now.”

  Would it? Seraphina thought of the books she had read in secret and of the happy endings and safe places where nothing hurt, where there was something called love and for a fleeting second she felt like she could achieve it. Then a door banged shut, startling her and causing the bile to rise in her throat. The dream had ended. He was coming.

  They took her away on her twelfth birthday. She spent three months surrounded by children of all ages and sizes and then she was given the news. A family had chosen her as a foster child. It was a trial round before the people decided if they wanted to adopt her or not, or so she thought. Unlike other kids, Seraphina was not excited. Worry ate at her but she did not protest the transition.

  Her foster parents were nice people. They served better food than the orphanage and she did not have to share her room or bed with anyone. They even gave her toys to play with but she did not show much interest in them. What interested her were the books. The Stanleys had converted one of their extra rooms into a library that had lots and lots of books.

  She used to walk around the room in wonder, just touching the spines of the books. Slowly she started to take down books with interesting titles and synopses and sneak them into her room. One day when Mrs. Stanley came to see why she was not responding to the dinner call, she saw a book in her hand. Startled, Seraphina flung the book away as though it was a dangerous object and sat quivering on the bed, waiting for the blow.

  For a long time, nothing happened and then the bed dipped. Mrs. Stanley sat down and started to talk. She talked about something that had happened in school that day (she was a teacher at the local school) and then talked some more. After a while, Seraphina stopped shivering and her breathing resumed to normal. The blow never came.

  “Would you like to join us for dinner, Seraphina?” Mrs. Stanley asked in a low kind voice.

  Things started to change from that day. Often when she returned from her showers she would find new books sitting on her desk. She began to wonder if she had taken them while sleepwalking. The Stanleys did not speak of it and she was afraid to ask. Then one day, after agreeing to go grocery shopping with Mrs. Stanley, she found a newer addition to her room. A huge bookcase sat against the empty wall adjacent to her bed.

  “Do you like it?” Mr. Stanley asked, a hint of smile on his weathered face.

  Seraphina was stunned. For the first time, something stirred inside her for her foster parents and she flung her arms around the shocked but immensely pleased Stanleys. The dark cloud from her life was starting to clear. The woman in white had been right. Everything was going to be fine now.

  ♥●●♥

  * * *

  Chapter 6

  It was a familiar sight for Cole: the glitz and glamor of the rich society as they mingled business with pleasure. He had grown bored of the routine long ago but this evening it was different. He had different company. He lounged against the bar as he watched his date of the evening make the most pompous ass in the room laugh with just a few words. A feeling akin to jealousy stirred within his hardened self and he found himself thinking about planting his fist in the man’s laughing face.

  Taken aback, he shook himself to clear his head and suddenly found the man in question standing in front of him.

  “You’ve a very charming date, Cole,” Mr. Mathews, the pompous ass, commented. He had a suggestive grin on his face.

  Cole straightened up, his eyes flitting from him to Seraphina. There seemed to be some high-strung tension in the air. He pulled her closer, letting his fingers trail to the small of her back and settling his hand there in a comforting manner. A small smile tugged at her lips and she leaned back into his hand.

  “Mr. Mathews here was telling me about a business venture but I thought you would make a better audience for that than me,” Seraphina said, smiling politely.

  “Is that so? Let’s hear it then,” Cole said. His tone however indicated that he would rather not hear it.

  Mr. Mathews probably sensed it and hastily departed with, ”lovely making your acquaintance”. Seraphina let out a sigh and turned towards Cole, her face inches away from his.

  “Thanks for the rescue. The man was getting on my nerves.”

  Cole frowned. “You weren’t intentionally making him laugh?”

  “Him? No way! That ass took my subtle insult as a compliment,” she said in disgust.

  He could not help but grin. “What insult?” When she told him, he laughed so loud that the nearby people turned to look at them.

  “You’re not mad?”

  “Why would I be?” he asked, curious.

  “I just insulted a business associate. I didn’t know whether he was a friend or not…”

  “He’s not my business associate. He’s an ass like you said, and I don’t do business with people like him. Moreover, he tried to come on to my date. Luckily for him, I didn’t start a brawl like I wanted to.”

  “Like you wanted to?”

  “Well, I did tell you some blood might get spilled tonight,” he said, grinning down at her. Even in her heels, she did not reach his full height.

  She moved closer, so now he could smell her sweet, citrusy scent. Cole took a step back and gestured towards the bar. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Water is fine for me.”

  “It’s an open bar.”

  “I prefer to remain sober in public,” she explained.

  So did he. However, there were a few instances where alcohol was the primary liquid of the night and he ended up doing outrageous things that would surprise and shock those who knew him professionally. The only person to know his true wild nature was Ethan and he preferred it that way.

  The rest of the evening involved Seraphina being given a tour of the resort while the business elite met together to discuss matters. There she wowed the women and a few men with her ability to spot things that were usually neglected by others.

  “Congratulations,” she said enthusiastically to one woman. “Have you set a date?”

  The woman look startled and then surprised. “We haven’t yet. It’s a battle between both sides of the family to see who can come up with the biggest wedding party, so until that resolves itself, we won’t know… How did you know?”

  “Oh, I’m just observant like that,” Seraphina shrugged modestly.

  She thanked the universe for her good eye because when it came to actual business talk, she did not know much. However, she could work with any other conversation, things that were happy topics with the crowd around her. In the forty-five minutes that she spent with them, she made some new friends.

  “She’s something, isn’t she?” she heard one woman tell another in the ladies’ room.

  “Yeah! In this entire party, she seems like the only genuine person. But she does seem like a hippie. Wonder who she came with?”

  Seraphina stopped eavesdropping and stepped outside her stall, startling the women who had the grace to look abashed. She smiled nicely at them, washed her hands and then left. She had been called a hippie many times before. It did not bother her. One was what one believed oneself to be. And it should not matter what others thought. She had learned this early on.

  The business group broke up, just as their tour came to an end. Scanning
the stream of people leaving the conference room, her eyes alighted on Cole. He stood out from the crowd. There was a force about him that others seemed to lack. She smiled broadly at him when his eyes rested on her.

  “Did you have a good time?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did,” she said, her brown eyes twinkling. “Did you?”

  He leaned down and his mouth brushed against her ear as he whispered, “I’m going to tell something that must never get out – that was the most boring conference ever.” He smiled as he felt her shiver and purposely dragged his lips around the sensitive shell of the ear. “But you’re making it interesting, Seraphina.”

  The man’s simple touches here and there were invoking a need in her that was increasing in frequency each time. She did not know how much control she had before she broke and threw herself at him.

  “Let’s get through dinner, shall we?” she whispered back.

  The control was maintained during dinner even though he stole small caresses whenever the opportunity presented. Dinner was followed by dancing which Seraphina was sure she would not survive.

  Cole reminded himself almost painfully where they were each time he felt Seraphina’s heat against him. They only danced to one slow song before the urge to get out of there hit them. Glancing at Seraphina, he realized that she was feeling it too so he made the call.

  Soon they were peeling out of the parking lot, all thoughts of control left behind. In the darkened interior of the limo, it sizzled and crackled between the two of them. Cole had his eyes fixated on the pink, plump lips. As a hungry lion will go after his prey, Cole descended on Seraphina’s mouth, devouring her lips and going deeper. She trembled against him and locked her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. The speed gradually decreased as the kiss turned into a slow, sensual one.

  They had forgotten where they were until Ethan’s voice, which was like a cold bucket of water, jerked them out of it. They had reached Cole’s building.

  “Would you like to come up and share a nightcap?” he asked in a voice deeper than usual.

  “I would love to.”

  Cole almost slumped back against the seat, relieved to hear her reply. He was so fired up that he was not ready to let her go just yet. Seraphina herself could not believe what had happened. It was even bigger than what she imagined. Bigger, better and hotter. Cole had only kissed her but in doing so, he had ignited a fire that did not seem extinguishable. She did not mind that much.

  Back in his condo, she did not spare the décor a second look. She had eyes only for the sexy man in front of her. Cole loosened his tie and flung it on the couch, not taking his eyes off hers. Eye to eye, they kept walking until Cole almost hit a table.

  “Look out!”

  A sharp pain flared in his rear as the edge made contact. Cursing, he rubbed his cheek, the heat of the moment gone for now.

  “Are you okay?” Seraphina asked, trying not to giggle at the comical image of Cole rubbing his own butt cheek.

  “Yes, just a pinch.” He then noticed her failing straight face and asked suspiciously, “Why are you laughing?”

  “I am not…,” she said, turning red with the effort to hold it in. “Laughing.”

  “Seraphina…” he growled.

  She lost it. The red hue spread across her skin as she laughed and held her sides. Between gasps of laughter, she pointed at him and then at the table. Perhaps it was childish of her but once she got started, it was difficult for her to stop. She shrieked as she found herself being picked completely off the ground and flung onto the couch.

  “Oh my God… Don’t!”

  Cole gave a devilish laugh as his fingers found her sensitive sides and tickled her mercilessly.

  “Cole…!” she stretched out his name as she begged him to stop between laughs.

  “You thought me rubbing my butt was funny, didn’t you?”

  “No!”

  “Liar… Yes, you did.” The tickling continued.

  Her stomach started to ache and she finally conceded, “yes, I did! I did!”

  The tickling stopped abruptly. As she slowly regained her breath, Seraphina realized that Cole was lying over her on the couch. His weight felt comfortable over her as their chests nearly touched. Her breasts rose up higher as her breathing started to get out of control again – this time for a different reason. His strong legs were pinning her down, making her feel helpless in a delicious way.

  “Cole…” she whispered, staring into his slowly darkening grey eyes.

  “Seraphina…”

  Then they were at it again, hungrily devouring each other. Hands moved to find new spots to excite and tongues battled for dominance. Cole pulled them into a sitting position with her legs wrapped around his waist and stood up, not breaking the kiss. Taking the stairs as fast as he could with her in his arms, he reached the bedroom.

  Had someone walked in at that moment, they would have first seen the trail of clothes that started on the couch and ended at the corner of Cole’s king-sized bed that was currently being enjoyed by the passionate lovers. Control was no longer a word in their dictionary as they explored each other and reached new heights of passion over and over throughout the night.

  ♥●●♥

  * * *

  Chapter 7

  Delicious smells assailed his nose as his eyes opened to the bright light. Maybe Glenda had prepared his favorite dish. He could use a favorite meal today… Confusion hit him and he sat up abruptly. He had given Glenda a few days off. Who was cooking in his kitchen?

  Last night’s memories flooded his mind, causing his semi-hard organ to harden as a grin formed on his face. Seraphina. She was a tiger in bed. Yet there had been an innocence to everything she had done. At first she had been shy and he had seen the flicker of insecurity in her eyes. He had eased that away and brought the tiger in her out to play. Struggling to regain control, he cursed as he stubbed his toe getting out of bed. He had to be careful. Thoughts of her seemed to be accompanied by pain.

  Tossing his pants on, he walked bare-chested downstairs and found a delicious rear facing him. Seraphina looked too sexy wearing just his shirt and shuffling around the kitchen, checking on the breakfast. She seemed at ease in the space.

  “You’re awake!” she said with a broad grin as she turned around and saw him standing there. Her eyes took in his half-naked figure and she sighed. “It’s not fair that you look so sexy early in the morning.”

  The woman wanted to talk about being fair? Did she know the effect she was having on him with her sexy hair and her body covered by his shirt? And he told her so only to get a mystified response in return. As if she were uncomfortable with his compliments, she quickly steered the subject around.

  “I was going to serve you breakfast in bed,” she pouted.

  Cole’s grey eyes followed her every move, taking in how comfortable she was standing in his kitchen, wearing next to nothing as if this was an everyday occurrence. He surveyed the breakfast spread and suddenly panicked. He had slept with lots of women before but none of them had stuck around later. By the time morning rolled by, either he was gone or they were. A ringing sound filled his ears and he gripped the back of the chair for support.

  Seraphina noticed something was amiss and hurried over. “Cole… Are you okay?”

  He nodded and tried to hold up a hand to ward off her touch but she was gripping his shoulders and forcing him to sit down. A plate piled with delicious food slid in front of him followed by a tall glass of orange juice.

  “Drink that first,” she said, pushing it towards him. “Your blood sugar level could be low, especially after the hours we kept last night.”

  Seraphina stared in worry at Cole as he mumbled something under his breath and chugged the glass of juice down. Once she was satisfied that he was not going to crash onto the table, she sat across from him and reached for her own plate.

  Last night had been the best night of her life. She had literally been blown away. Cole had been so caring,
yet so fierce and had taken her to new heights she never knew existed. This morning she’d woken up with the silliest smile on her face. They were moving forward and Cole seemed to be right there with her. That was all she needed. Initiating sex was a major step for her. She saw this as an acceptance of matters more than anything.

  She was in the middle of telling him something that happened at the event last night when she noticed the time. “Darn!” she shot up from the chair, almost overturning it. “I’ve a photoshoot in half an hour. I should really get going.” Suddenly she remembered that she did not have any proper clothes. “Oh, do you mind if I raid your closet for something?”

  Cole shook his head and watched in a daze as she moved around the place with familiarity. Just before she left, she gave him a deep kiss and then promised to call. As the door shut behind her, Cole found himself thinking that something had to be done about this and quickly.

  Carli stared at Seraphina hoping she was not mistaking the look of utter bliss on her face. That look only meant one thing – trouble. Lots of trouble.

  “What’s wrong?” Seraphina asked, putting down her fork. They had decided to meet for lunch. Their work schedule was all over the place and they did not see much of each other even though they shared the same living space.

  “Nothing,” Carli said, quickly rearranging her worried expression into a carefree one.

  “Carli…” When it came to her best friend, Seraphina rarely let things go by as Carli had a habit of burying matters deep down. Only when she was at her limit did it all come out – in a very explosive manner.

  “Nothing! Okay… I was thinking about James,” Carli lied, knowing she would not get an easy pass otherwise.

  Seraphina’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “Why do you put yourself through the pain, Car?”

  “I’m what one would call a ‘masochist’,” Carli said nonchalantly.

  “Honey, I don’t know what he did,” Seraphina said, her tone implying because you won’t tell me much. “But if someone puts you through so much emotional pain that you start getting sick around the clock, it’s not considered healthy to think about them with a wistful sigh.”