by JD Nixon
We pulled up at the hotel and a cute valet rushed forward to service us. It was a nice feeling to be waited on like that. I gave him an extra special smile, thrusting a twenty into his hands, moving Dixie on when she started to chat him up. I didn’t care how much I spent this weekend. It still wouldn’t make me feel better about Patricia. Or Heller, whispered an annoying little part of my brain. Get lost! I whispered back to it.
I strode to reception and booked us in. I took the swipe card and Dixie and I smiled at each other. It had been a long time since we’d let our hair down together and I certainly intended to make the most of every second. We decorously raced each other to the lift. Once inside, she tried to grab the swipe card off me, but my dexterity and strength had improved manifold since I’d joined the Heller’s team and she had no chance – that and the fact that I was much taller than her. Maintaining control of the card meant that I entered the room first, the coveted position, and according to our own rules that meant I chose which bed I wanted before her.
We spent the next half hour oohing and aahing over every luxury – bouncing on the beds, testing out the bidet, smelling the bath products, liberally tasting the free champagne and chocolates, wearing the bath robes over our clothes and checking out every channel on the TV, even the adult ones. Dixie flung herself back on her bed. I did the same.
“I am truly in heaven,” she pronounced.
“Me too.”
Springing up, she threw herself onto me, straddling me, bouncing up and down in excitement.
“You’re killing me!” I protested. “Get off!” She stopped suddenly and felt my waist.
“Wow! Tilly, you are really cut now. I can feel muscles in your waist. So hot! I’m going to use you to pick up guys tonight. You want to score tonight, right?”
I sat up and pushed her off me. “No! I have a boyfriend, remember. I don’t need anyone else.”
“You say you have a boyfriend, but I’ve never met him. What’s the matter with him? Is he really ugly?”
“Of course not!”
“Well, when am I going to meet him?”
“One day,” I replied vaguely, not wanting to remind myself how little of our lives Will and I had shared with each other. We hadn’t even met each other’s parents yet. And I couldn’t explain the reluctance I had to introduce him to my friends and family, but I knew it wasn’t helping our relationship grow any stronger.
“How’s it going with Heller?”
“Screw Heller.”
She sat up suddenly. “Yes, please!”
I laughed. “Settle petal. No men tonight, please. It’s just you and me.”
“I’ll try,” she promised. “But what if I meet someone really hot and want to do him? You could just kind of turn your back and block your ears while we got busy here in the room.”
“No! Gross. If you want to do him, you can do him in the nightclub bathroom.”
She shrugged. “S’pose. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Let’s go to the spa,” I suggested, knowing that would take her mind off her endless carnal desires. We raced down to the spa where we spent the next couple of hours being pummelled and pampered. It was wonderful; it was bliss. Afterwards I felt as though I’d had twenty orgasms without any effort on my behalf. And that felt really good!
We browsed in the shops, wondering who on earth could afford the overpriced trinkets on offer. We stopped at the hotel cafe for fancy coffees, before returning to our room to lounge around, drinking champagne, until it was dinnertime. We dressed up for dinner, stacking on the makeup and bling. Dixie wore a red mini dress that hugged her generous curves flatteringly and some long black boots. She was still sporting a cute black pixie hairdo. I wore a beautiful wispy halter neck dress that floated around my legs caressingly, leaving my back bare, and a pair of high-heeled silver sandals. I would tower over nearly everybody, but I didn’t care because I wasn’t out to pick anyone up so it didn’t matter. I piled my hair up on top of my head, leaving some tendrils free, making me even taller.
We admired ourselves in the mirror and smiled at each other. We looked good enough to eat.
Our meal at the restaurant was delicious, and we attracted a lot of attention with our gales of laughter. I think the staff were relieved when we finished and left, deciding to head off to the nightclub for the rest of the evening. We’d just exited the restaurant and were walking across the foyer to catch the lift to the second floor club, when I stopped suddenly in dismay and clutched Dixie’s arm.
“I’m going to need some help getting through this, babe,” I begged her, and then she noticed what I had. Walking towards us was Heller, accompanied by an arrestingly beautiful woman, her hands clinging to his arm tighter than a barnacle on a rock.
“Ooh,” murmured Dixie.
“That bastard,” I fumed softly. I could not believe this was a coincidence. Heller knew I was staying at this hotel with Dixie. I’d told him yesterday. He was going to ruin my weekend.
He pretended to notice us, acted taken aback, and made a beeline over. His companion’s unenthusiastic expression was probably matched by my own. She looked us up and down in what struck me as a very disdainful manner.
“Matilda, what a surprise,” Heller untruthfully exclaimed, smiling.
“Isn’t it just?” I responded sarcastically. “You remember Dixie, of course?”
“Of course. How are you, Dixie?”
“Fine thanks, Heller,” Dixie simpered. I shot her a sour look. She’d always been a big Heller fan.
“I don’t believe you’ve met Vanessa before?”
“I don’t believe I have,” I agreed politely, shaking the hand she reluctantly loosened from her death grip on Heller and offered me limply. It felt like touching a dead jellyfish. My eyes blasted flames of rage at him. He conveniently avoided any eye contact.
“Why don’t we all have a drink together in the bar?” he suggested brightly.
I was about to decline with reprehensible rudeness, when Dixie accepted with a sly wink at me. Heller herded us all towards the bar and left us at a small table while he fetched our drinks.
“So, you’re Matilda?” Vanessa drawled in a captivatingly husky voice. The tight smile on her face was contradicted by her unfriendly condescending tone. It set my hackles rising immediately.
“Yes, I’m Matilda,” I answered flatly, and we checked each other out.
She was medium height, slim, with long straight glossy black hair dramatically parted in the middle. Her skin was milky pale, and her carefully applied makeup enhanced her black eyes and full lips. She was wearing an expensive plain shift dress in silky black, highlighted with only a few jet-black accessories. On closer inspection she wasn’t as beautiful as she first appeared, but obviously knew enough tricks to minimise her flaws. It was hard to determine her age, but I would have guessed early thirties. She was elegant, sophisticated and very striking – someone who would instantly capture the attention of men. Someone any man would be proud to have as his companion. Next to her I felt clumsy, ugly and uncouth.
But she wasn’t perfect, I noted with some satisfaction. The pinkie finger on her left hand was bent crooked, as if it had broken and never set properly. A tiny flaw on a flawless woman.
And she was cold. Frosty. Icy. There was no warmth emanating from her at all. I sensed something over-contrived in her appearance. She was stiff and proud, each movement calculated, no spontaneity at all, almost as if she was acting a part and had to remember to stay in character at all times. If she had genuinely smiled or laughed, I think her whole facade would have cracked apart. She clearly didn’t warm to me either, staring at me with an intensity I found disconcerting. She didn’t even spare Dixie a second glance.
Heller soon returned with flutes of champagne for the three of us, and a soda water with lime for himself. He rarely drank, which is why I can always rely on him to pick me up after an evening out. Well, I used to be able to rely on him, I thought sadly.
As soon as h
e sat down, Vanessa had her hands on him again, one hand crooked around his arm, the other possessively resting on his thigh. He slid his arm around her waist and she smiled up, her eyes loaded with a hunger for him that was the first flash of honest emotion on her face I’d seen. He smiled down at her and they shared one of those glances that couples indulge in, excluding all other people. The powerful and painful stab of pure jealousy that jolted through my body shocked me. My face must have betrayed some of that raw emotion because she shot me a nasty little triumphant smile and snuggled further against him.
I had to fight every instinct screaming inside me to stay seated and to not flee the bar as I really, really wanted to do, unable to face any more of this torture. Instead, determined not to show any further weakness, I plastered a glittering smile on my face and talked animatedly about what Dixie and I had done that afternoon and our lovely meal that evening. Dixie butted in constantly, correcting me and finishing my sentences, our usual method of communication with each other. That took us through the glass of champagne and when Heller offered to buy us another, we both hastily declined.
“We wouldn’t dream of holding you up. I’m sure you have an exciting evening planned, and Dixie and I are keen to go dancing,” I said, edging away from the table. Heller frowned at me, not pleased by our overeager departure.
“It was so nice to meet you,” Vanessa said insincerely, glad to see us leave. I gave them a strained smile in response, not even being able to muster the insincerity to say the same back to her.
“Bye Heller,” Dixie trilled, ignoring Vanessa and waving at him coquettishly as we finally escaped, Heller’s eyes following us the entire way. I hurried Dixie to the nightclub before he called us back.
“God, what a bitch she is!” Dixie exclaimed.
“I reckon. What was up her butt? I’ve seen planks of wood that were less stiff than her. And was it my imagination or was she giving me the evil eye the whole time?”
“She definitely was. What a sour face. God only knows what Heller sees in her.”
“Apparently she’s an outstanding fuck,” I said sourly.
“So am I, but I don’t see him chasing after me,” she complained.
“Why did you agree to have a drink with them? I was going to blow them off.”
“I could tell it pissed her off no end. It was worth it just to see the look on her face.” She grinned at me. “And we had a glass of real French champagne for free.”
“Let’s just forget about them. I’m not letting bloody Heller ruin my weekend,” I declared stridently and threw myself into the serious business of enjoying the evening. And after a few more champagnes, I couldn’t have cared less about Heller any more.
Dixie and I worked up a good sweat dancing for hours and hours, sometimes with men, mostly together. We stayed until the nightclub shut in the early morning and the staff good-naturedly ordered us out. We were both quite drunk by then and made wobbly progress to our room. We didn’t bother to undress or change, but fell onto our beds and straight to sleep.
I slept straight through until about ten. I staggered to the bathroom, frightened myself with my reflection and jumped into the shower to make myself more presentable. Then I dragged Dixie out of bed, marched her to the shower and ordered room service breakfast for us both. We dawdled over a huge hangover-curing breakfast, went for a swim in the beautiful pool and then it was time for us to check out. I drove Dixie home and hugged her fiercely before she stepped out of the car.
“That was fun, Tils. Let’s do it again soon,” she said brightly. “As long as you’re paying though.”
“Okay. Sounds fair,” I laughed. “See you soon, Dix. Bye.”
I drove myself home, and spent the rest of the day lounging around on the rooftop with Daniel and Niq, soaking in the hot tub and playing pool. They begged me to barbeque for them for dinner, so I quickly whipped up some salads and threw some chicken breasts and prawns onto the hotplate. We had just started eating when Heller turned up. He sniffed appreciatively.
“Is there enough for me too?”
“Sure,” I shrugged. “But if Sid and Clive turn up, everybody hide.”
We munched our way through dinner and I made Daniel and Niq clean up while I moved my virtuous glass of water over to the sun lounges and settled down on one to enjoy the last rays of sunshine for the day. Heller sat on the sun lounge next to me. I closed my eyes and ignored him, not particularly wanting to talk.
“Did you and Dixie enjoy your weekend together?”
“Yes, thank you.” My voice was cool and unwelcoming.
He didn’t take the hint. “I had a good evening too.”
“That’s nice.”
“Wasn’t that was a coincidence running into you like that?”
“I told you I was staying there.”
“I must have forgotten.”
Bullshit! I thought, opening my eyes and shooting him a sceptical look, before closing them again. Daniel and Niq finished the washing up and dragged me back into the hot tub with them. Heller soon followed, but after only a short time, I decided I’d had enough and wished them all a pleasant evening, waving off their pleas for me to stay longer.
I took a quick shower and called Will. There was no answer, which was strange. He was due back from the conference this evening. I left him a message conveying my extremely urgent desire to see him again. I was growing desperate for some sex.
There was a knock on my door and I groaned out loud, recognising the knocker. No point in not opening the door, he had a master swipe card anyway. Heller walked in and closed the door.
“Didn’t I just say goodnight to you?” I asked impatiently. “Usually that implies that I won’t see you again until the next morning.”
“I think you’re avoiding me, Matilda.”
“What makes you think that?”
“You run away every time I come near you.”
“I’m tired. I had a very late night. It has nothing to do with you. You seem to think that everything I do is related to you.”
“Obviously that would be my preference.” He smiled at me. “Why don’t you want to talk to me any more?”
I sighed. “Because you’ll just ask me stupid questions that I don’t want to answer.”
“What did you think of Vanessa?”
“See what I mean?”
“Well?”
“I didn’t like her, Heller, if you want to know the truth. And I don’t think she liked me much either. She seemed very possessive and I think that will be a problem for you in the future, especially if you start getting itchy feet again. I also felt she was putting on an act of some kind. She didn’t seem genuine to me. I found her very cold, stiff and unnatural, except when she was looking at you.”
“I think you’re completely wrong about her.”
I shrugged uncaringly. “You asked for my opinion and I’m being honest with you. I’m sorry if that upsets you.”
“You didn’t even give her a chance. I’m very disappointed in you, Matilda. This whole situation is really bringing out the worst in you.”
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” I snapped, and held it open.
He glared at me as he stalked out and I slammed the door loudly behind him. All riled up after that little exchange, I wasn’t tired any longer, so decided to hit the gym for a while to burn off all those champagnes I’d had last night. I pummelled myself, working out all my frustration, anger and unhappiness until every muscle was screaming at me to stop, and I was too physically worn out to feel any emotions at all. After a quick shower, I gratefully slid under the sheets and fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.
Chapter 12
I went to the gym again early the next morning, finding it an excellent way of relieving my stress. Maybe I was becoming a gym junkie? I guess it would be healthier for me than the alternative of drinking myself to death. I finished my workout, dressed and headed off to work.
Heller was still angry at me and didn’t e
ven glance in my direction as he walked past my desk to his office. I poked my tongue out at his back, which wasn’t very mature of me I’ll admit, but made me feel infinitely better.
Around midday he yelled out from his office for me to come in. I took my time, which infuriated him even more. I smiled to myself and sat demurely across from him in one of his office chairs. He then ignored me for a while, busily writing something in his elegant left-handed script, a chunky silver ring with the H logo on his left ring finger. I swung back and forth on the chair in boredom while I waited for him to speak, producing a small squeaking noise each time the chair twisted. It broke the silence and entertained me for a few minutes.
He slammed his fist on his desk. “Stop doing that! It’s annoying me.”
I stopped. “Did you ask me in here to watch you write? Because, although I can see that you’re extremely skilled at it, it’s not that exciting to be honest.”
“I’m waiting for Farrell to arrive,” he said through clenched teeth.
“You could have said so.”
I started swinging and squeaking again. He cut me a murderous look so I hastily stopped. Fortunately for both of us Farrell turned up at that moment and sat heavily in the other visitor’s chair. I smiled at him and he grunted in return. Gee, I was popular with the blokes today! I thought ruefully.
“An unusual job has come in and I want you two to do it.” I glanced at Farrell. He ignored me, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Heller. “It’s security for a swingers’ party on Friday night.” My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. I glanced at Farrell again, expecting a similar reaction from him. Nothing. His face was like stone. “It’s a members’ only function for a swingers’ club. They do it once a month or so. It’s being held at a private home and the host has arranged for the security. They specifically asked for one female security officer. That’s where you come in, Matilda.”
“Thanks for noticing I’m female,” I said sarcastically.