by C S COURT
His phone rings again, and I flop to the bed in disappointment as he jumps up to answer it.
“Yes,” He answers harshly, offering me apologetic smile.
The expression on his face is one of anger and frustration, and I truly do feel for the person on the other end of the phone.
“Okay fine, but there had better be a damn good explanation for this mess when I get there. Heads will roll if this is just some sort of cock up. Do you hear me Thompson?”
He cuts the call off abruptly and stalks towards me, untying my wrists and placing a kiss on each one.
“I’m sorry baby, there has been a problem with some of the finances at one of my gyms and I need to get down there asap to sort it out. I’ll see you later though, right?”
I feel incredibly disappointed, not just my body on edge and frustrated over not receiving another climax at his hands, well his cock, but at the thought if him leaving all together.
Crap, I have it bad.
“That’s fine. I can sort some of my things out at Lottie’s and spend the day with her.” I’m pretty sure I grumble the words, even whilst trying to sound unaffected. By the look that passes across his face, it’s pretty obvious I have failed.
He leans down and kisses me, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. How does dinner sound?”
I light up on the inside, happy to have plans with this man so soon again. “Sounds perfect.” I kiss him back
“Okay, well get this sexy arse covered before I’m tempted to stay behind and fuck it.”
He wants to fuck my arse, holy crap. There is no way his manhood would fit there, that would be agony.
Spotting my eyes drift to his cock in horror, he laughs. “Don’t worry, we will go slow. I know you are not ready for that yet, but I will get to take you there. I will have every part of you.”
Goosebumps raise across my skin from the serious tone he takes. I wouldn’t attempt to stop him, even if I could. “Rememeber you are mine Connie, and I am yours.”
We say our goodbyes, me pouting and sulking and him laughing at my overly dramatic reaction. He promises to collect me from Lottie’s at eight, and I am already buzzing at the prospect of being with him again.
I dress quickly, feeling strange about being without my thong, noticing absently that it is nowhere to be seen and head for the front door.
An empty hollow feeling sits heavily in my chest as I leave his apartment. I don’t want to leave, I want to stay with this amazing man up here and never come out.
I shake my head, mentally berating myself for being far too stupid and optimistic.
It’s early on and anything could happen to force us apart.
The pain from that thought cuts me deep, nearly forcing a cry from my mouth that I bite back at the last moment.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Lottie is standing beside her open door with the biggest shit eating grin on her face.
She knows, and boy is she going to question the hell out of me.
“Lady, you need to shower, you smell of hot sex.” I raise my eyebrows at her, really, that’s the best she’s got? “I’m not done. Then you need to dress in something comfortable, call your Mum and be ready to go in half an hour.” I stare at her in astonishment, be ready to go where?
“Care to explain why I need to be ready to go anywhere? Hunter is taking me for dinner tonight.”
I wait for her to moan about ruining her plans, but the cow just smirks and pipes up again.
“Oh, I know. He called up and told me to have you ready to go for ten AM, he has a surprise for you and that also includes moi. And no, before you ask, I am not telling you what it is. Get that cute butt in the shower and call your Mum so we can get going."
She squeals and pushes me towards her bathroom, thrusting her phone at me as she forces me inside.
I am so shell shocked by this turn of events that I just allow her to take control, unable to muster an ounce of protest.
The man left me less than ten minutes ago, and in that time he has managed to sort a surprise for me and my best friend and inform her.
He makes me giddy with happiness, a happiness I never in my wildest dreams imagined I could feel.
I push the door closed in a dreamy state, thinking back on how he dominated my body.
Lottie takes off back down the hall calling out before I manage to close the door fully.
“Oh and Connie,” I pause, “don’t think you have got off lightly, I want to hear all about what happened, especially how good he is at using that fine body in the bedroom.” I flush as I hear her giggling, not so much from her discussing Hunter in that way, but from having to speak aloud at how I behaved!
I rush through my shower, not allowing myself the time to think of anything else but being ready to leave when Lottie says.
My happiness goes through the roof when I speak to my children and hear how much they love being with Grandma on holiday, and although they have missed me, they were enjoying themselves so far.
My poor Mum, has been up since Five this morning with the pair of them. I’ll give her her due, she did not moan once, and if anything, sounded just as elated at having my gorgeous monsters with her.
I miss them, I really, really do. It sucks big time! But I needed this break just as much as they did. I needed to find myself again, I needed to learn to be me.
Lottie and I are both dressed in matching lycra dance trousers, converse trainers and vest tops. We both laugh lightly at how alike we are in some ways and how completely different we are in others.
“Care to explain where we are going?” I ask, as we make our way through the lobby to the awaiting chauffeured car that is idling beside the kerb.
She doesn’t speak, smirking instead. Ah, she is so insufferable at times.
“He really did think of everything didn’t he?” I whisper, more to myself than to my friend. She nods knowingly and scoots in first.
“SOOO, come on, spill!” She demands, the second my bum touches the seat.
“Grr,” I growl aloud at her abruptness, stifling a giggle when I catch sight of her shocked expression.
“Did you just growl at me?” She doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “Oh fuck me, I love this man, he’s finally brought about your feisty side.”
Huh, I suppose she’s right, the Connie a few days ago would have allowed herself to become railroaded and not aired her frustrations.
The car pulls away, and we head off to our unknown location, well, my unknown location, Lottie is still keeping quiet on that front.
“I slept with him.” I blurt.
I throw my hands up to my mouth, as if I can somehow suck the words back in and not speak them aloud, cursing myself in my mind.
Lottie cackles, “Well come on, tell me something I don’t know.”
I sit in contemplation for a few seconds, wondering what I can tell her comfortably.
I hum in the back of my throat, looking out of the window at the passing scenery, sky scrapers and posh restaurants passing us by.
“Erm, I really like him. As in like him, like him. He makes me feel things,” I turn to look at her, her eyebrows raised and a dirty expression on her face, “Not in that way you filthy cow... Okay, totally in that way, but more, in my heart and head. Things I never felt for Dan. I feel like I am drowning in him, he consumes every part of me, I don’t want to be apart from him and the idea of him walking away from me cuts me so deep already. It tears me apart. It makes me doubt that I ever really loved Dan in the first place. I am so fearfull, that now Hunter has come along and made me fall for him, he is going to walk away and take my heart with him.” I’m ashamed by admitting that. In ten years I never once felt like this for Dan, and in the space of a few short days I am head over heels for another.
Lottie is silent for a few seconds, causing panic to well within my chest.
“Connie I don’t think you could get that man to walk away from you, even if you chased him out the door. From what Harry told me last nig
ht, he has had a hard time of it and has struggled with trust in the past. He had completely closed himself off to the possibility of ever meeting someone who wants him simply for him, but that all changed the second he laid on eyes on you. Harry can’t believe how he has taken to you, from the first night he saw he hasn’t stopped talking about you and some crazy connection he feels with you. He wants you, but is also scared he is going to scare you away. Just go with it babe, enjoy this time and see where it leads you.” She scratches her head in thought for a few seconds, “As for Dan, well that’s easy. He swept you up so quickly, with false pretences and false love, and then when he really had you, away from your family and at his mercy, he showed his true colours and took all of those promises back. He wanted to own you, you were a trophy to him. He was utterly jealous of the upbringing you had, and in his eyes didn’t see you deserving of what you did have if he couldn’t have it. I think you stayed with him so long because you clung to him in fear of what was out there, and of being alone. He took you when you had everything, pushed everything from your life and made you dependant on him. He became your be all and end all, but it was never love. It was habit and fear. You can’t ever feel bad for experiencing something amazing with someone else, you and Dan were never meant to be, if you had met Hunter first you wouldn’t have blinked twice at Dan.” She’s right, of course she is.
I clung to him in fear, although I wanted to break free so badly, I was scared. I honestly thought I was in love with him at points. I can see it all so clearly now that I am on the outside looking in. I just wish I had seen it earlier.
I can’t wish to have never met Dan, because without him, I wouldn’t have had the two most beautiful babies I was blessed with. I just wish it was all done differently.
To have Hunter as their father, a man who would love and support them in the best ways.
I pull Lottie in for a hug, so thankful to have such an amazing friend. She is truly supportive, she has never once gone against my wishes and always been there for me.
“Thank you, I really do like him Lot’s, I just worry it’s too soon.”
I look to her, desperate for her advice.
“Connie you can’t ever say it’s too soon. That man has taken the shriveled up you and turned her in to a blossoming flower in such a short amount of time. His every thought and action has had you in mind. Just go with it, don’t pull away from something so great, because you don’t want him to think the worst and shut you out. He doesn’t deserve it and neither do you.” She taps her long, painted red false nails against the window, cutting off the heaviness and drawing my attention to the outside. “We’re here.”
She beams at me, seeing the happiness spread across my face. “How did he know?” I ask her.
She taps the side of her nose, and that’s all it takes for me to know it was Lottie who gave him the idea.
I have always wanted to visit a spa, to be in receipt of a full body massage and the instant relaxation it offers. I can’t help but wonder what treatments we have had booked.
We walk through the entrance, greeted by a bubbly, pretty redhead dressed in a cerise pink tunic and black trousers. She offers us a glass of champagne and I have to bite back a squeal of excitement. Lottie doesn’t miss a beat and glances at me knowingly, failing to hide her amusement at my reaction.
“Okay Ladies, Mr Jacobson has requested you have any and every treatment should you wish it. He has also requested our hair and make up stylist to see to you at the end of the day should you also wish.” I melt on the inside, my heart swelling with love - love, did I really just think that? It doesn’t matter what I tell myself, I do love him, I have fallen so hard for him already.
We spend the day having as many treatments as we an fit in.
Lottie is so used to this treatment, but I am completely bewildered by everything,that I make the easy decision to follow her lead.
The hair and make up stylists come to see us as we are coming to the end of an Indian head massage.
I feel utterly sated, like I am floating. I sigh in pleasure.
Lottie chooses to have some red tints added to her dark hair, opting to have her make up done by herself.
I, on the other hand, choose to have a trim, but am soon talked in to having something daring by Lottie. She suggests a pink streak down one side, framing my face, and I can’t help but feel tempted. Pink is my favorite colour, and the streak is rebellious and so not me, that I have to do it.
This is a new Connie, a carefree, fun loving Connie. If I hate it, well it’s easy enough to remove.
The hair stylist shows me the finishing product, and I can’t help but think that it really does stand out amongst my natural blonde hair, if I’m honest, I’d say it really suits me. It helps accentuate my green eyes.
I ask for my make up to be kept simple, but soon change my mind when I realise I am sick of being boring, simple and not standing out. I want to wow Hunter, so I choose to have my eyes dark, and individual semi permanent lashes added.
I love the effect, I feel like the old Connie, the Connie who wanted to stand out in a crowd and not sink in.
“Wow bitch, you look hot!” I look at my best friend, and can’t help but say the same back. The red in her hair looks amazing, I feel slightly envious seeing how natural it is for her to look beautiful.
It’s taken me a new hair style and a load of make up to feel this way.
“I think you need a new outfit if you are to dine with Hunter tonight, don’t you?” She says, raising her eyebrow at me and making it clear that although she phrased her comment as a question, it was more of a demand.
“Lot’s I can’t afford a new outfit, I have what little is in my bank, plus my weekly allowances, which is certainly not enough to spunk on clothes when I have two children to provide for.”
I can’t even look at her as I say it, ashamed to admit how little money I have, when she is loaded up to the eye balls.
“Oh shut up, you know I didn’t always have this money, so don’t look at me like that. And after everything your family did for me growing up, I think I can buy you a few outfits. How many times do I have to tell you, call this my way of giving back what you gave to me all those years ago.”
I don’t see how she can say that, yes, she had a fucking hard time growing up, and my Mum and Dad allowed her for months on end to live with us, but I don’t see how her buying me clothes and allowing me to live with her rent free is fair. “Don’t! just say thank you. If you wanna piss me off then go ahead and turn it down. You will upset me more by saying no, then you will by letting me dress you up.”
I grumble, knowing it is pointless to argue with her, she will end up getting her own way, no matter what.
I just don’t want to be dressed up like a bloody doll. Lottie plus shopping equals blisters, exhaustion and cramp from carrying so many heavy bags.
The next few hours pass by in a blur of posh boutiques, each one we step in to is more expensive than the last.
I chose to keep my mouth shut early on, when Lottie exacted revenge, by picking up the most expensive things for me and made it quite clear, the more I moaned, the more she would buy.
So I am well and truly shopped out, but to be fair, I do have some gorgeous bits.
From underwear to shoes, the girl went completely overboard, and a very small part of me loved it, to be spoilt this way is totally foreign to me.
We rush home pretty quickly, the realisation I only have an hour and a half to get ready sends me in to a panic. I burst through her front door, dumping several bags on the floor and running to the bathroom to start a bath. I can’t shower as my hair has been styled to perfection, and the semi permanent lashes haven’t been on long enough to get wet.
I pour some pink glittery bath gel in to the hot water, laughing inwardly at how girly my best friend can be.
This is the sort of thing I would buy for my three year old, although to be fair, it does smell amazing, the strawberry scent is enticing and lush.
I strip myself of my clothes, and slide in to the rapidly filling bath tub. This feels perfect.
“I’ll go through your bags and find you something to wear tonight, the rest of your stuff has already been put away, along with Alex and Lily’s clothes.” Lottie exclaims from outside the door.
Really? I wonder when she got the time to do all of that.
“Thank you.” Is about all I can imagine to say. I place my hair over the side of the bath, so as to keep it dry.
My eyes become heavy from the heat, relaxing strawberry aroma and exhaustion from the amount of shopping we did, and I start to drift off.
CHAPTER TWENTY
BANG BANG BANG ..
What on earth is that noise?
BANG BANG BANG..
Oh fuck off!!!
I slowly peel my eyes open, wincing at the water that has cooled around my body. Er, I must have drifted off, I wonder how long I was out for?
“Connie get out of the bath. I’m coming in if you don’t answer me! You have thirty minutes until Hunter gets here.. GET OUT!”
Shit!! How did I end up drifting off for that long?
There is no way I will be ready in half an hour. It’s going to take that to give myself a pep talk on proper date etiquette and remaining calm.
The door opens, and Lottie stands in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest and her right eyebrow touching her hair line in obvious frustration. “Were we getting out at any point today? Or do you plan on having dinner with Hunter in a cold bath?”
I can’t help but laugh, even if I am panicking about being ready in time.
“Piss off you sarcy cow! I fell asleep, and it takes you the whole of an hour to wake me up. Now shoo, I need to get out and dry off.” She shakes her head at me, amusement clear on her face, and walks in to the bathroom. “Erm, I said out, not come in!” I tell her, baffled by her actions.
Lottie ignores my comment and walks over to the towel rail, plucking a cerise pink bath towel from the rack and placing it beside the bath. She turns and stalks out of the room, closing the door quietly as she goes.