by Elaine May
Marriage?
To him, that man? I have no choice, but I can make it fun.
At least I know I have one other option than to do what I am asked.
Marry Charlton Williams.
Make the world think I am in love with him and want to marry him. I know the world we live in well enough to know that anything other than perfection is not allowed to be seen by the outside world. My mother liked to live in a perfect world, she liked to show the world that that was what we lived in but it was never a lie because we did. Our life had been perfect. Or so I thought, Daddy inherited a business that was failing but the outside world would never have known. Everything else in our world was perfect until my mother got sick and died. I want to have a life like my parents had, I never want to live a lie, but it appears that is what I am going to have to do and Charlton can pay the price.
I can never be happy with Charlton.
I can never love him again but to everyone else that’s what I will be. I will play my part for my parents. I can’t let the world know what is really happening and so with my heart heavy in my stomach I ask Charlton to go out with me again.
“You’re not going to try and destroy my phone again, are you?” He asks as if it is normal behaviour on my part.
“Will Ihave your undivided attention this time?”
“For you, anything, little princess.”Again with the little princess name, I loved it when he called me that years ago but no more. Now it just feels like he is taking the piss out of me. I let out a groan, no more little princess.
“I’ll pick you up at the back of the building at seven thirty.”
I say I’ll be there waiting and he just laughs at me.We’ll see who’s laughing when this ends.
****
I get ready with a heavy heart, I may have been thinking I could pull this off but I still have to do it.I see a sexy little black car pull around the corner to the back of the building and then it just stops by the side of me. A long lean leg steps out of the door covered in black fabric and pointed black shoes. Another greets it and then the fine specimen of my future husband steps out of the car.
My future husband.
Oh God. He walks around to the other side of the car and opens the door, looking at me with sin.
“You’re looking lovely.”
“Thank you.” I say as I walk around and as I slide in I gently graze his hand that has a hold of my door. I settle myself in my seat and put my seatbelt on as Charlton climbs in.
“Just so you know I contacted some newspapers. Might as well get this thing started.”
“How are you feeling about all this?” Now that I have him on his own he might tell me what he really thinks.
“I can’t say that I was happy to be told when to get married but...”
He quickly looks over at me from the road ahead.
“I’m more than happy about my future bride though.” He gives me a wink.
“Really? Because I’m not happy about you.” I only feel a little sorry after the words leave my lips, the bastard needs to know the effect he’s had on me and I don’t care if I hurt him in the process. No, I don’t.
“Really? Because secretly I think you love the idea.” I laugh, I laugh so hard I think I feel my tummy vibrate.
“I love the idea of marrying you?”I try to sound as sarcastic as I can.
“Yes you do, princess.”
“Oh good sir, please tell me why?”
“You felt something when I touched your hand the other day. I see the way you look at me.”
“What? You mean with hatred?” He places a hand on his heart and for a moment looks wounded. Poor baby. Get used to it. If I have no choice but to go through with this crazy plan I might as well have some fun with it.
“You can’t hide it, I know what I saw. You want to get into my pants.” I roll my eyes, I don’t think so. I interrupt him before he can say anything else, I just want to get this started and finished as soon as possible so I can get back home again. Every time I’m close to this man he starts to unnerve me,every time I’m too close to him and there is no way I can let that happen, not again. He pulls into a side road where a beautiful looking restaurant greets us surrounded by trees and greenery. You wouldn’t guess you were in London by the look of this place, it’s lovely.
“Are we eating here? This place looks lovely” I say and, with a deep breath to ease myself in, my fingers start to drift towards the inside of his thigh, I think it might be time to start having some real fun with him. I hear his gasp as my fingers touch him and he just looks at me, asking what I’m doing. His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat and I can see the muscles flex as he stretches on a small groan. He allows my fingers to move higher and higher until I can feel his cock resting close to my fingers, he’s big and I instantly pull away. He’s so close right now, my blood bubbles to the surface of my skin as everything that’s happening seems so much. I don’t know if I can do this, but I’m left with no choice but to comply. I take in a few gulps of air to calm myself but he’s still there looking at me. He’s so close I could just touch him and he could be the one to be feeling all out of control, out of his element. I look up into his eyes once again just to check what he’s thinking and all I can see in them is the fire blazing as he releases another little moan as he shifts in his seat.
“If I ask you something can I get an honest answer?”
“Of course.”
“Are you really happy about all this?” I ask and then look down where my fingers are playing with the fabric of my dress.
“Hell yeah, I’m happy about it.” I shake my head in annoyance and roll my eyes at him. The same old Charlton, I shouldn’t feel bad about what will happen when he’s like this.
“An honest answer, Charlton.”
“I...I am.” He whispers as he watches my finger still playing with the fabric.
“I really am.”He says again and then he looks over at the restaurant.
I let go of him and then rest my hands on my knees. “I guess we should get this date started and be seen.”
“W...What?”
“You heard me.” I look down.
“I don’t think I want to.”
“Well you have no choice. Neither of us do.” He says,his voice tight with amusement. The bastard is enjoying this, well he doesn’t have to be the only one.Charlton steps out of the car in his designer suit that reeks of all his money and clings to his body like a second skin and from what I can tell he works out lots and I’m sure if he wasto turn around I would be able to see a hint of a six-pack through his shirt, I’m sure of it. He opens my car door and takes my hand, electricity shoots up my arm going straight to my heart. I had that feeling before, when I was too young to understand what my body was trying to tell me. I loved him then, but I don’t any longer. I can’t. I won’t. I just want to make him pay. I shake my head, trying to calm what’s going on inside my chest. He pulls me up out of the car and then leads me to the front doors of the restaurant. Someone is there to greet us as we walk in and they take us to a little table in the centre of the room. I see a flash go off to my right and now that his family have released a statement to say we are together our fake romance is all go. Once it hits the newspapers I’ll have no chance. Charlton pulls out my chair like the good gentleman he’s pretending to be and I take it just as another flash goes off. Oh God, what am I doing? I try to swallow as a lump forms in the back of my throat, cutting off all my air. My pulse races as I watch him take his seat, what else can I do to him now the cameras are watching us? I can’t control my eyes as they stay on him.
Oh wow, he is just the perfect specimen and he really knows it, but itdoesn’t stop me from wanting him. Wanting him? I have to get that thought out of my head. I really hate myself for it but at the moment I don’t care.His gaze is on me as if he can read me, he knows what I’m thinking and I can’t seem to control theheat that invades my cheeks. I can feel the flames of desire that scorch my skin at the hungry look he
currently has in his eyes and my pulsekickstartsagain, that is something I have never felt before. Why is this happening to me? It’s not enough that I’m being forced to marry him but now my own body wants to betray me. I cross my legs in the hope that I can calm down the heat that’s started to build between them.
“I’m thinking we should have a couple of dates like this.” He says to me as he looks over to the man with the camera by the window. His finger starts doodling on the table and I become hypnotised by the shapes he’s doing, remembering the effect his hand had on me when he touched me. I really don’t need to be side-tracked by a pair of handsome eyes, not with all this going on at the moment. The bastard notices what holds my stare and his finger slips into his mouth giving it a little suck and then using his tongue to give the digit a little flick.
Oh God, I feel it straight at my clit and I wish he was using his tongue elsewhere. I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all as he removes his finger and then moves his hands to below the table and I can suddenly breathe again, think again. I need to change the game he thinks he can play. I can’t let him do this to me, he thinks this is all funny. This whole thing definitely isn’t funny and I wouldn’t even doubt that this was all his idea. He starts to move his chair so he’s now sitting next to me and I try to calm my racing heart as it gears up a notch.
“I guess that would be a good idea.” I say with a smile.
“It is a good idea and in two months or so you’ll move in with me.”
“What?” I turn in my chair to really look at him and he just laughs at me as he tries to take my hand.
“Even you had to know that we would have to move in together.” I interrupt him before he can say anything else.
“Even you?” I question him. I just want to get this finished as soon as possible so he can take me home. I hate that I have to wait on him to tell me when I can even go home. I’m used to running my own life, not having someone telling me when and where.
“You have to admit you’ve always been naive.”
My blood starts boiling as it travels through my veins, how dare he?
This man is starting to unnerve me every time I’m too close to him and there is no way this will work if feelings are involved. I take a deep breath, I have to change the game here, he’s not the only one who can make someone feel something.I can be just as good as he is and I will.
“Fair point.” I shrug my shoulders as my fingers start to drift towards the inside of his thigh, I think it’s time I start things rolling in my corner. I hear the gasp as my fingers touch him and he just looks at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, I can see the muscles flex as he stretches on a small groan. He allows my fingers to move higher and higher until I can feel his large cock resting close to my fingers. It’s so close, he’s so close. I could just take a grab and have him really groaning in my hand, but I don’t, oh no. I look up into his eyes once again just to check what he’s thinking and all I can see in them is the fire blazing as he releases another moan just as my fingers start a slower path up and down the length of him through his trousers.
“I think I could be happy about this.... If I let myself” I look up at him through my lashes, trying to seem as innocent as can be as my fingers continue to play with him.
“Because it feels like you might be too”
“I...I am.” He whispers around another groan as I work my fingers harder through the material, feeling him grow beneath my fingers.
“I really am. Especially if you do things like this.” I let go of him and then rest my hands on the table raising my shoulders as I look back at him and say.
“That’s good to know. Husband to be.”
“W...What?” I have to fight the need to laugh at the sudden desperation in his voice.
“You heard me.” I look down.
“Big boy.”
“You can’t just.” He says,his voice tight with anger now, looking around at everyone else.
“Can’t just what?” I say with expectant eyes. Mocking him in the process. Come on baby play the game.
“You just. You can’t just do that and stop.” The volume of his voice tries to go up a level before he remembers where we are. People start to look at us, including the man with his camera. Oops, hope he doesn’t take a shot now. That won’t portray the fairytale our parents are trying to con everyone with.
“I think I can because I just did Charlton.”I wink as I fight another laugh that wants to creep up at his lost expression. Oh bless him I think I may have already gotten to him.
“What the fuck?” He grumbles as he tries to calm himself. I give the inside of his thigh a little tap and he groans again. I reach my other hand to my lips and start stroking a finger along them, every now and then slipping it into my mouth and releasing it again with a pop. I can already picture how perfect he willbe under that fine suit of his. Wow, he really is a sight and right now I could eat him for my breakfast. He tries to come off as very devil-may-care as my fingers keep up their torture and it just turns me on more. I want him. I really want him between my legs and I want him there now.
Oh God, just stop it, Noelle and let yourself play the game with him. His face suddenly changes right in front of me and then he places his hand on top of mine before removing both from his leg.
“You know what?” I raise my eyebrows and just look at him, aware that the man with the camera takes more photos of us.
“Obviously we’ll get married within the year and I assume you’re on birth control.”
“W...W.What the fu....ck?” He places a finger over my lips,silencing my little outburst.
“You’re a lady, my lady doesn’t talk like that and yes I did ask about your birth control. I really think that once you move in we might as well just go for it.” My whole future flushes down the drain at what he’s saying. It’s not bad enough that they all want to marry us off but now they want to do this to me too.
A baby?
Already?
“We don’t know how long it could take. We could be lucky and it will happen quick. If that happens we’ll just be getting married sooner.”
He’s so casual about this. How can he just be so casual? I don’t get it and the more I try to wrap my head around it I still don’t get an answer. He’s completely thrown my good work tonight out the window and now he’s the one in control again. I need to think of something to make him feel how I am right now.
“How would I even know you’re safe?”
“Oh I’m safe princess, never done it without a condom. You’ll be my first.” I can see the wink the bastard gives me. My hatred for this man is mounting by the second.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I am really lucky and I know it.
I have a great Mummy and Daddy who love me.
I have a best girlfriend.
And I have a best boyfriend.
Me and Charlton are going to be best friends forever.
A marriage. A baby. I can see my life flashing before my eyes as Charlton drives me home. He whistles a happy tune, his eyes focussed on the road, but every now and then I can see him looking over at me with that look again. He thinks he has me exactly where he wants me. He is insane. It is a fact that everyone around me is insane, no one is thinking clearly except for me. I feel like I am being treated as less than a human being, just an extra to my family’s empire. I am more than that, I deserve more than that. None of this is me and I will not go down without a fight, I will make him pay for this, I just don’t know how to do that except fighting him at every corner.
When he pulls up outside the back of the building I don’t even look at him when I reach to open the door, but it is locked. I let out a frustrated sigh and turn to look at him as he smiles down at me.
“It was a nice evening Noelle.” I roll my eyes for him. I’d rather have watched a horror film thank you very much.
“I’d like to go home please.”
“It. Was. A. Nice. Evening Noelle.” He makes an effort to sa
y each word loud and clear as if I hadn’t heard him the first time. I know what he wants me to say but to give in to his silent demands would be like giving in to this whole charade and there is no way I am going to do that.
“Say the words Noelle and I’ll open the door.” He says as he leans over me and takes a hold of the hand that is still grasped around the handle like a vice. I hadn’t even realised I was still holding it, he makes me that mad. I just look at him, he looks right back at me and I have no idea how long we both stay silent looking into each other’s eyes, trying to make the other crack. He isn’t going to give in and I can tell from the look in his eyes that he isn’t going to give up either. He has his claws out as much as I have mine, but I want to get inside the confines of my own flat where nobody can get to me.
I need to think.
I need my boy. I swallow down the bile that wants to rear its ugly head, perhaps my dinner will repeat itself all over Charlton’s pristine suit if I stay here.
That would serve him right.
“T..Th....Thank you for a nice evening Charlton.” I say, wanting to slap his over-confident face right off him. His look says it all, he thinks he has me where he wants me, but he is so wrong it hurts. He has no idea what lies ahead of him. I just have to figure that out myself, I need a game plan for everyday I am forced to play this role with him.
“Now was that so difficult?” I try to give him the sweetest smile I can.
“No it wasn’t, Charlton. You were right.” The words sound so bitter on my tongue but if I want out I have to play his game. He leans forward even more his chest is against my side and I can feel each hair on my neck as his breath tickles my skin.
“Good girl.” He whispers in my ear before I feel the hot dampness of his tongue lick up my cheek and to behind my ear before his teeth nibble at my lobe. Electricity wants to shoot right down to my clit as he does it, making my body’s want for him apparent. I can hear the click of the lock and then my body is engulfed in the colder outside air. I can’t seem to move as he undoes my seatbelt and practically pushes me out of the car.