by Jessie M
Touch of Eden
Jessie M.
Copyright Notice
Copyright © Jessie M. 2013.
Hot & Dreamy Books
Barleycorn Media LLC
All Rights Reserved.
This book is sold subject to conditions that it cannot by way of trade be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the author’s prior consent, in any form or cover, other than which it is published.
This novel is a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it, while at times based on real figures, are purely the work of the author’s imagination.
Her face, Her smile,
Her eyes, Her voice,
Her scent, Her touch,
Her kiss, Her love.
She takes me to a place
no one else can.
- ONE -
I'm stacking the free weights back on the stand, after yet another lazy moron has left them lying on the floor, just begging to be tripped over. How many times do I do this in a day for fuck's sake? Not that often really, I'm just griping over nothing. I'm bored with my job, that's all. I should have kept it as a hobby, a lifestyle. But oh no, would I listen to my wise old father? Not for a fucking minute.
I pull myself out of my thoughts for a moment and watch as Jodie slides her peach of a cute ass on the exercise bike. I love looking at Jodie's ass, but looking is as far as it's likely to go. She works here at the health club and so do I, so she's out of bounds. She does nails and I do bodies. Train them, that is, being a fitness instructor. I used to think it was a cool job. Appealing to women type of cool. But lately it's losing it's coolness for a number of reasons. Money being the main one. It doesn't pay at all well. Secondly it's not challenging enough for me. I'm trying not to listen, but I can still hear my father's wise words ringing in my ears...
My other career option is in the oven, but that'll be a few years down the road yet. Maybe more than a few years at the shit slow rate I'm going with my Open University Law degree. Still, I'll get there in the end. Qualify as a solicitor, that is. I'll sit sharp suited and legal eyed alongside my older brother Luke and dearest barrister father in his Grays Inn law practice, deep in the heart of London. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Until then I'm Joshua Courtauld, personal trainer, at your service Sir, or more preferably, Miss.
I'm becoming hypnotised by Jodie's cycling butt, the tiny black shorts are doing it for me. The rest of Jodie is doing it too. I am suddenly overtaken by an irresistible urge to approach her. I don't think... I'm driven by an inner need... something is stirring. I make a beeline in her direction, but half way across the floor I am intercepted by Eden, the gym supervisor.
“I'm watching your eyes honey, saving you from making a big bad mistake.”
“Eden, what would I do without you guarding my mental and physical well being?” I love this woman with all my heart. But sometimes I fucking hate her.
“No touching the staff babe. Forgotten that, have you?” She gives me a seriously dirty look.
“I was just going to adjust her saddle, it looks a little too low.”
She snatches a quick look. “It looks fine to me, now move your horny self back to weight stacking Josh, give 'em all a polish when you're done.”
“Thanks a bunch. Stick a fucking broom up my ass and I'll sweep up too.”
“Don't give me ideas...” She blows me a kiss as she wanders off, back to her side of the gym. I really hate her right now.
I don't try to hit on every fit looking girl who walks in my gym, I can and do act professionally and detached with scantily dressed females. It's my job to do so. But I need to concentrate my male attention somewhere, and Jodie is my chosen object of gym lust. I so look forward to her lunchtime workouts, they brighten up my bored days no end.
Thank God it's Thursday. My favourite night on the town. Friday is one of my days off so I get a good lie in after my overindulgences. Thursday nights in Colchester town are buzzing off the scale. It's a Mecca of entertainment, full of young people determined to hook up. The streets and bars are heaving, awash with beautiful women in extremely immodest outfits. As usual I'll be there, claiming my spot in Envy, that's after I've had a few warm up drinks in Yates or Silks...
Yep... Callum, Nate and myself looking our normal irresistible hot selves, out for a session of serious hooking. Woman fishing with our little rods. I love the thrill of the chase, and reeling them in. But I always put them back in the water after I've landed them though. I don't ever keep my fish. I'm not a keeper kind of guy. Callum and I are on the same page. But Nate's a keeper. He likes to keep some of his fish far too long in my opinion. He gets all fishy whipped and useless. Will he ever learn, hmmm?
I'm absent mindedly polishing weights and still glued to my favourite view. I'm thinking to myself, if I hooked up with Jodie outside of work one night, I might even keep her for a very short while, she'd be worth a repeat performance at least. She finishes her cycling and slips erotically off the saddle pulling her little shorts down from where they've wedged themselves up her peachy ass. I watch mesmerised as she turns and heads towards me making for the changing rooms. The bobbed blond hair, tight white crop top hugging her luscious breasts and the low rise shorts are too much for my obsessed male brain to ignore any longer. I take a look across the gym and see Eden is preoccupied with a bunch of old ladies having a tour around. We do seem to be getting a lot of 'senior' members these days. What perfect timing. Right-i-o, I'm off... I move fast, ready for a quick fish, positioning my well built form in her path. She stops and smiles at me, giving me far more than a quick once over. I know she likes what she sees, they always do. Mm mmm, nice white teeth, small and even, very tasty looking mouth in fact, extremely kissable, lickable and very, very fuckable. I give her a blaster of a white smile back. My teeth are my pride and joy. Nothing is more dazzling than my smile and she's getting the full benefit of it right now. I can see her fixating on my mouth. Mmmm, what a fast starter this chick is...
“Hi Jodie, how goes it in beauty land?” I use my sexiest chat up tone... raking my eyes up and down her thoroughly. Her face is very attractive. I've never really noticed before, being far more interested in her other parts.
“The same as yesterday and the day before...” Tasty little voice too... I'm now staring unblinkingly into her glazed hazel eyes. The Josh effect never takes long. The lip lick and subtle change in her breathing don't go unnoticed. It seems she's getting hot for me. I'm very experienced in picking up signals. I'm in there...
“I know the feeling. Still, never mind, it's Thursday, isn't it?”
“Meaning what?” Her head is so far inside my pants she can't even think in a straight line, poor love.
“It's the best night to go out on the town.” I'm leading the way... The line is cast, complete with hook. Fuck, I love fishing.
“Oh yeah, that's true.”
“D'you ever go to Envy?” My line is baited with a little suggestion...
“Sometimes, but my friends aren't really into the clubs, more into bars, we usually hang out at Raquels.”
“Now there's a coincidence, I was thinking about that place the other day. Haven't been for a while. Maybe I'll catch you in there tonight, or at Envy some time. That'd be cool.” I treat her to another flash of my smile to keep up the momentum. I'll have to find out where this Raquels place is. I've never even heard of it. I'm a creature of habit.... Silks or Yates then Envy....
“I'll be there from nine, I'll look out for you then Josh. Best go, I'm running late.” She says breathily. She reluctantly drags her eyes away from mine and sighs as she turns to slink sexily away. She's completely hooked, I've just got to reel her in.
“See you then, perhaps...” I say in reply,
smiling to myself. I'll keep her waiting in a frenzy, turn up at tenish...
I watch her hips swaying off into the female changing rooms. Jesus, she's a hot little nail technician. I can already imagine her scraping those long pink talons up and down my back and that firm little ass in my hands, those toned thighs wrapped around my waist. And God am I grateful for my tight Calvin Klein’s keeping me tied down right now, because I'm as hard as a rock. I'm brought out of my rock hard trance by Eden pinching my butt very roughly... Fuck, that really hurt!
“I saw all that Josh. Knock it off. And go have a cold shower, I'm sure everyone in here can see what's going on in your pants.”
“I was simply passing the time of day with Miss Smith, talking about our tedious lives. Nothing wrong with that, is there?”
“Josh, this is me you're talking to. Your inner conscience; your one and only real female friend who knows you better than you know yourself. I can see exactly what's going on in your head, baby. Every filthy thing. Now fuck off and get a cold shower, I don't want the old dears over there to have a mass coronary. I'll see you in the restaurant for lunch in ten.”
She really does know me inside and out. I'm sure she's a bloody mind reader. Eden and I go back a long way. She got me the job in fact. I used to come here as a paying member and she trained me from the age of sweet eighteen. She's nearly three years older than my twenty five and I really do love her. Not in a sexual sense. She's my best friend, a male pal in a woman's body. We're quite clear on our relationship. I wander off into the shower thinking about Jodie but trying hard not to. It defeats the object of having a cool shower if I'm working myself up underneath it. I finally emerge ten minutes later, refreshed and much calmer, into the restaurant. Eden is sitting at a window table, gazing out as I make my way over.
“Everything's back in order now.” I give her my winning smile.
“Burger and salad okay? 'Cos that's what you're getting. Like it or lump it.” She doesn't look or sound happy and my smile has failed to win. Eden is the one woman I know who's immune to me.
“Suits me. I don't care what I eat. Thursday's are my bad days.”
“Are we talking diet or other things?”
“Oh come on, get off my back.”
“Sorry, I'm feeling really ratty today. Mum's been driving me mad.”
“Really, what's she been up to?” Eden's mum has premature senile dementia at just sixty three years of age. She gets up to all kinds of things. Eden lives with her and looks after her. I really feel for her sometimes. It must be difficult to have so much responsibility. Eden can't go out anymore, except to work and even that's getting to be nigh on impossible lately. But I do go over to hers, to keep her company and get her a little drunk now and then. I hope it eases the pressure.
“Somehow she found some money in the house and went out shopping on her own yesterday. She only bought the same bloody book she's reading at home, if you can call it reading, she's started it about ten times... She also bought a dozen cans of dog food and as you well know, we haven't even got a fucking dog and never have had. A few days ago she put the casserole I'd thrown together in the airing cupboard instead of cooking it in the oven like I asked her to. I accused her of eating it all until I found it the next evening. You wouldn't believe the smell, as the weather was so hot, it had gone off. You know I still can't get rid of the stench of raw onions on my towels and pillowcases despite drenching them with Febreeze.
Anyway, lately she's been wandering off, roaming the streets, mostly during the night. I have to sleep with one eye open. God's honest truth Josh, I spend hours driving around looking for her. Heaven knows where she'd get to if she got her hands on my car keys, I have to hide them. I don't know what to do about her anymore, apart from locking her in all the time, or tying her up.”
She rubs her face with her hands. Eden is very pretty in a natural kind of way, a little Demi Mooreish. She's into no maintenance whatsoever, wears her long straight dark hair tied back every day and is always au naturel.
I look into her worried blue eyes with concern. She's actually tearful. I give her hand a friendly little squeeze. “Look hon, I know you already told me you won't ever consider a care home, but perhaps you really do need to think about a full time carer at least? She could get herself in trouble Eden, and you don't want that, do you?”
“I know. But I really can't afford a dedicated carer, they're incredibly expensive and a care home feels like a betrayal. Wouldn't it to you?”
“I can't say. I'm not in your shoes. Possibly. But what's best for her, really, putting emotion aside?”
“Hmm, maybe I should at least look into all the options properly, perhaps there's other choices, a day care centre or a part time sitter or something. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to find out, would it? Thanks Josh, you're a real help you know.” She brightened a little at the prospect of actually doing something. I feel good helping her out, being a sounding board. Even in a small way.
Our chicken burger salads arrive and we tuck in like the pigs we are.
“You and Jodie... ” She says pointing her fork at me accusingly, and giving me a disapproving look, “D'you want to date her? All in theory of course.”
“Fuck that, you know I don't do couples, it's far too much effort and not enough reward.”
“Oh Josh, you're such a slut.” She laughs out loud. Well at least I've cheered her up.
- TWO -
At six that evening I slip inside my beloved BMW and start the twenty minute drive home through the country lanes, just over the Suffolk border to Bures, the nearest village to my home. My car was a surprise. A real fucker of a surprise in fact. My father is as tight as they come. He even charges me rent for the two bedroom stable conversion I have on his estate. Perhaps the word 'estate' is stretching it somewhat. It's a decent sized house with five acres, a nice driveway meandering prettily through some trees and a gatehouse where my brother Luke and his girlfriend Sarah live. Father doesn't spend much time at home, being in court up in London four days a week. Luke and he share a large flat in St Catherine's Dock, next to Tower Bridge.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that he's not short of a bob or two. In fact he's fucking loaded. To charge his low salaried personal trainer of a son anything at all for rent is below the belt. He says he is conditioning me for life. I beg to differ. I think he likes being a tight ass. Now I'm getting away from the point. My car was a sudden gift. One year ago, there it was, parked outside my stable conversion with the keys posted through the door inside an envelope, accompanied by a short note. 'Be careful with it.' Just those four unemotional words. I think he was embarrassed by my previous form of transport. He didn't want a twelve year old dented rust bucket of a car parked on his estate. Yes, I think that was the deciding factor for replacing it, not love for me or concern for my safety and well being driving the fucking old thing.
Still, no matter, I'm eternally grateful, whatever his reasons were. I even bought the old bastard a fine aged bottle of Scotch to say thanks, in a son to father way.
It's a beauty of a car. My father has good taste in cars. It's a sporty looking model. Black, fast and sexy as hell. If my body fails to hook a fish, my car will certainly land one pretty quickly afterwards. Not that I've had any trouble with the body so far. Being a personal trainer does have distinct advantages. I'm very toned and fit as I get to work out every day, and for free. I love freebies, whatever they are. I'm a freeb-a-holic in fact and will go to great lengths to get one, especially expensive toiletries and bottles of beer. My six foot one is looking pretty chiselled and fine these days. I'm not bulging muscle like Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his heyday, I'm just muscular and big enough to make womens panties wet at the sight of me. And they are, frequently. My mid brown hair is cut in a modern style, two inches on top, okay, maybe a little longer most of the time, and far too untidy, according to Father. But I like the unkempt, sexy and fashionable look. I don't need to be tidy, I'm not a solicitor just yet. Steel blue eyes and
a well spoken fairly deep voice complete yours truly, the one and only Joshua Courtauld, 'come and get me girls', esquire.
I know I'm good looking. It's just pure fact based on the number of female heads that turn and stare in my direction when I walk in a bar. When I look in the mirror I'm grateful and know I'm a fucking lucky bastard. I just need to get a leg up in the career stakes and more cash to go with the looks. Being good looking and broke doesn't really cut it. I realise this leg up is solely up to me and my determination to get there. I really need to buckle down and do some assignments for my law degree. Maybe Sunday. Yep, I'll spend all day long doing it then... maybe.
As I turn up the driveway I'm disappointed to see Father's Jaguar is home already. He's not Dad, he's never been Dad. He's Father and I'm Joshua, never Josh. We're not on friendly terms, my father and I. We get along, but in a strained way. It's not for no good reason that his two sons don't live in the main house with him, despite the fact that it has eight massive bedrooms, all en suite. I don't know how Luke puts up with him in the London flat all week, maybe he's out a lot with clients or something. Anyhow, he lives in the house alone, since Mum left him four years ago. I'm amazed she lasted so long, she's a trooper, that's for sure. They're now divorced and she lives in Canada with her new even richer husband Bill. I get on well with Mum and Bill. I miss her and our friendly little chats in the kitchen. It's a shame Father didn't move to Canada instead.
I swing by the house to say hello, my duty call.
“Hey Father, how's things at Law?” I stop in surprise in the doorway. There's a fortyish year old red headed woman sitting in the living room with him. A rather good looking one too. I give her a quick once over taking in the brown eyes, hot pink lips and lush body dressed in a deep purple trouser suit.