“You're spoiling me.” He took a bite. “Hmmm, I love burnt toast.”
“It's not burnt. It's well done.”
“It certainly is.” He examined the charcoaled bread. “Remind me never to let you grill my steak.”
“You can make your own breakfast next time.”
“Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm only kidding. What are your plans for today?”
“I'll call by the flat to get a change of clothes, then I'll go to see mum. Thanks for letting me stay last night.”
“No problem. I still think you should have let me scrub your back in the shower.”
She screwed up her nose.
“And your front.” His gaze drifted down to her breasts. “Especially your front. Then, if you had asked me nicely, I would have let you wash something of mine.”
“Like your mouth. That needs washing out with a bar of soap.”
“I can tell your resistance is crumbling.”
“Dream on. This time next year, I'll be treating myself to a whole new wardrobe thanks to my bonus.”
“You don't really believe that do you?”
“It's a nailed on certainty.
“I'd certainly like to nail you.”
“Raw!”
“Sorry. But if you will insist on leaving the bathroom door open on purpose—”
“I didn't leave it open on purpose.”
He grinned.
“I didn't. It was an accident.”
Was it, she wondered, or had she subconsciously intended to do it?
“I'd better get off then,” Lacey shouted.
“Why don't I take you?” He appeared from the bedroom.
“It's okay. There's no need.”
“It's no trouble. I want to check on Todd anyway. Why don't we take my car? I'll see what he's up to while you get changed, and then I'll run you to the hospital.”
**********
“Please don't let them be in bed,” Lacey said, as she opened the door to her flat.
“Why are my ears burning?” Suzy was on the sofa reading a celebrity magazine. “How's your mum?”
“She's okay. They say she can come out in a couple of days.”
“That's great. And this must be the infamous Raw.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said. “Lacey has told me all about you.”
“I just bet she has. If it's bad, it's probably true.”
“Where's Todd,” he said.
“I don't know.” Suzy could feel their gazes burning into her. “What?”
“You were meant to be looking after him,” Lacey said.
“Don't be daft. He's a big boy.” Suzy grinned. “If you know what I mean.”
“Suzy!”
“Sorry. I mean he's an adult. I can't tell him what to do.”
“When did he leave?”
“He'd gone before I got up this morning.”
“Did he leave a note or anything?” Raw asked.
“Nothing. Just up and left.”
“Sorry,” Lacey said to Raw.
“It's not your fault. Either of you. Todd does whatever Todd wants, and screw everyone else.”
“I'll get changed,” Lacey said, and disappeared into her bedroom.
“Did Todd say anything which might give us a clue where he's gone?” Raw asked Suzy.
“He doesn't talk all that much. Nothing meaningful anyway.” Suzy walked over to the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“No thanks. We're not stopping.”
“He loves you though,” Suzy said.
“What?”
“Todd. He loves you. And Carol. I can tell by the way he talks about you.”
**********
“Mum?” Lacey peered into the room from where the drips and monitors had been removed. Her mum was sitting up in bed—the colour had returned to her cheeks. She smiled when she spotted Lacey.
“Come in. Come and sit next to me.”
“You're looking a lot better.”
“I feel it. I just want to get out of this place. I hate hospitals. Doctor says I can't go home for three days. I don't think he knows what he's doing. He only looks about sixteen.”
“You have to wait until they say you can go home.”
“I know.”
“And you have to improve your diet.”
“Don't you start nagging as well. I get enough of that from Tom.”
“Where is he?”
“He should be here any minute. I asked him to call by the library to pick up a book for me to read. I'm a bit worried what he might come back with.”
Lacey picked at a hangnail. “I've been a bit of a cow recently. I'm sorry.”
“Don't be daft.”
“I have. I know I have.”
“You've had a hard time since university. I know you didn't like the job at the pizza place. You've got a new job now though haven't you?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you like it?”
“It's okay.” Lacey stared at the floor. “I was being a cow to you because I thought Tom was trying to take Dad's place.”
“You daft lump. No one could take your dad's place.”
“I know.”
“Tom's a good man, and he loves me.”
“I know that now, but I've treated him like crap.”
“Don't worry about it. He's got a thick skin.”
“I'd like us to see more of each other. Like we used to.”
“I'd like that too.” She pulled Lacey closer to the bed and gave her a kiss. “Don't you start crying or you'll get me at it too.”
“Hello you two,” Tom said. “I hope this is all right for you.” He passed the book to Lacey's mum.
Lacey and her mum exchanged a look.
“What's wrong?” Tom glanced back and forth between the two women.
“Fifty Shades?” Lacey said.
The woman in the library said it was very popular.”
Chapter 18
“How is she?” Raw was waiting in reception again.
“Much better. She wants to go home, but the doctor says she has to wait a while. She shouldn't be bored though because Tom brought her something to read.” Lacey laughed.
“What's funny?”
“Nothing. It doesn't matter.”
“Come on then. Shall I drop you at your flat or do you want to go back to the Commodore to collect your car?”
“Wait,” she said. “Come down here.”
“What for?”
“Don't ask questions. Just bend down.”
“Okay, but you're making me nervous.”
She kissed him on the lips.
“That was nice,” he said. “What have you done wrong this time?”
“I haven't done anything wrong. What do you mean?”
“I assumed that was another apology.”
“No, that was a thank you.”
“A thank-you? Not a kiss then?”
“It was a thank-you kiss.”
“What did I do to deserve it?”
“It's for everything. For giving me the job. For bringing me back from France when Mum was ill. For coming with me to the hospital.”
“That's an awful lot of things. Do I only get the one thank-you?”
She kissed him again—this time for a few seconds longer. “How's that?”
“You give good thanks.” He touched his lips.
“There's something else,” she said.
“More thank-yous?”
“No. You've had all the thank-yous you're going to get.” She hesitated.
“What?”
“How many times have you asked me out on a date?”
“Feels like a thousand. Same number of times as you've said 'no'.”
“I was just thinking. One thousand and one might be your lucky number. I might say 'yes'.”
“Might be?”
She nodded.
“Only might be? Not definitely will be. Only might be?”
“That's the risk you run.”
“It's a big risk. I'm not sure I could take another disappointment. Maybe, it's better I don't gamble.”
“Just ask me!” she yelled.
“You're so hot when you get aggressive.”
“Are you going to ask me or not?”
“Lacey, would you come on a date with me?”
She looked up at the ceiling as though considering her response, and after several seconds said, “Yes”
“You mean it?”
“There's one thing you should know though.”
“What's that?”
“It will be a pity-date.”
“A pity-date?” He grinned.
“Yes. To be honest, I feel a bit sorry for you.”
“You do?”
“I know you've not had much joy with the ladies recently.”
“That's true.”
“So, I'm prepared to take pity on you.”
“That's very magnanimous of you. I'm soooo very grateful.”
“Don't mention it. I like to do my bit.”
“When will this pity-date be?”
Lacey glanced at her watch. It was almost midday. “How about right now? Unless you have something else planned?”
“Now is fine,” Raw said. “And thank you so much for this act of charity. Is there anything in particular you'd like to do on our first ever date?”
Lacey thought about it for a moment, and then a smile lit up her face. “I know just the thing.”
“Fishing?” Raw said once they were in the Jag. “Is this a joke? If it is, I don't get it.”
“It's not a joke. My granddad took me fishing when I was a little kid. I used to love it.”
“Fishing?”
“Why do you keep saying it?”
“We could go to a nice restaurant. Or to the theatre.”
“I want to go fishing.”
“Or to the movies. There are some great—”
“Fishing.”
“What about a picnic? It's a beautiful day for a picnic.”
**********
“I have to tell you, Lacey.” Raw sighed. “This isn't my idea of a romantic date.”
“Shut up, and pass me the bait,” she said.
He picked up the Tupperware container as though it was toxic waste. Lacey was struggling not to laugh.
“What do we do if we actually catch one?” he asked.
“Throw it back of course.”
“What's the point of all this then?”
“It's a challenge.”
“Challenge?”
“Be quiet!” A man on the next pitch hushed them.
“You're scaring the fish,” Lacey whispered to Raw.
“I could have been in the south of France,” Raw said. “I could have been basking in the sun. Sipping a cocktail.”
“Stop moaning. Last one to catch a fish buys dinner.”
“If I agree to buy dinner, can we leave now?”
“No. Sit down and start fishing.”
“I must say, you do look sexy in that gear.” He smirked.
“Are you high?”
They'd hired waterproofs, wellingtons, and fishing tackle, and had booked to spend four hours on the private lake.
“You in those waterproofs and wellies. Oh yes, it definitely does it for me,” Raw said.
“Do you have some kind of fetish you haven't told me about?”
“I didn't, but looking at you right now, I could easily develop one.”
One hour later, neither of them had caught a fish.
“Do people actually do this for fun?” Raw looked at the other fishermen around the lake.
“My granddad did. He said it helped him de-stress.”
“I can think of a much better way.” Raw grinned.
“That's because you have a one track mind. Hey! Look!” She pointed to Raw's float which had almost disappeared below the surface of the water. “You've got a bite.”
“What do I do?”
“Reel it in.”
“How?”
“You're hopeless. There! Turn that!”
Raw began to reel the fish in. “I've got one!” He yelled much to the annoyance of their neighbours.
“See,” Lacey said. “Now you're excited.”
“Looks like you're buying dinner,” He said.
Suddenly, the line went limp.
“What happened?” Raw stared at the lake.
“It got away.”
That was the closest they came to catching anything. When their time was up, they returned the tackle to the shop, and made their way back to the car.
“Well, that was exciting,” Raw said.
“Stop whining. Where are you taking me for dinner? You can choose seeing as you're paying.”
“How come I have to pay? I came closest to catching a fish.”
“You let it go. That counts as a minus fish.”
“You're making this shit up as you go along.”
“So, where are you taking me? Somewhere really expensive I think. I deserve to be spoiled.”
“How about Chipmunk?”
She gave him the look.
“Okay. Expensive it is, but on one condition.”
“What?”
“You promise you'll never take me fishing again.”
The menu didn't include prices. Le Mot restaurant worked on the basis that if you needed to ask, you couldn't afford it. Lacey chose the fish.
“This is the one you let get away.” She pointed at her plate.
“Very amusing. You only chose that so you could take the piss.”
“That's partially true, but I did fancy the fish.”
“Not as much as I fancied you in those waterproofs. I'm surprised you didn't notice just how much I fancied you. It was very hard to miss.”
“Behave.”
“If I bought some for you, would you wear them in the bedroom?”
“Shut up, and eat your meal.”
“I can picture you now.”
She hit him on the back of his hand with her spoon.
“Ouch! Maybe a whip too?”
“Eat your meal!”
“I enjoyed our first date,” Lacey said after they'd finished their meals. “Thank you for taking me fishing. I know you hated it.”
“Hold on a minute,” Raw said. “Rewind. You said our first date.”
“It was our first date.”
“First implies there'll be others.”
“No it doesn't.”
“Of course it does, otherwise you'd have said 'I enjoyed our date'.”
“You're reading way too much into it.”
“I don't think so. Once you've had a date with Raw, you'll always want more.”
“Okay. There's so much wrong with that statement. First: why are you referring to yourself in the third person? Second: why are you speaking in rhyme? And third: no, I won't want more.”
They talked and laughed. Then talked and laughed some more. Lacey couldn't remember when she'd last enjoyed herself more.
“The lady will take care of the bill,” Raw said to the waiter when they were ready to leave.
“No she won't. You had a minus fish remember.”
The waiter's expression never altered, but they were sure he would tell his colleagues about this later:
'That's what she said—a minus fish.'
After Raw had paid with his Platinum Amex, they took the Jag back to the Commodore where Lacey had left the Golf. She rolled her eyes when the security guard turned on the charm for Raw's benefit.
It had been the perfect day. Her mum was on the mend, and had forgiven Lacey for being a horrible cow for the last few years. Lacey had even made her peace with Tom. Her first date with Raw had been great fun. He'd hated every moment of the fishing, but they'd still had a blast. The meal, which was the most expensive she'd ever eaten, was absolutely delicious. She didn't think she'd ever been happier. And the night was still young. The best was yet to come.
When he asked her in for ‘coffee’, s
he would pretend to be unsure. She didn't want to appear too eager, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep up the pretence for long. Lacey couldn't wait to run her hands over his chest. To feel his hands on her body—exploring—everywhere. She wanted to feel his lips on hers—his tongue playing with hers. She wanted...
“Thanks for today.” Raw said. “If you want to visit your mum in the morning, that's fine. Just give me a call to let me know what time you'll be in.”
He gave her a peck on the cheek, and began to walk towards the lift.
Lacey touched a finger to her face where his lips had been. Was that it? A peck on the cheek? Stunned, she climbed into the Golf. What happened? What went wrong? She'd been so sure he'd invite her inside. Was he playing some kind of game?
“Shit!” The knock on the side-window made her jump.
Raw gestured for her to wind it down.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to make you jump.”
Was this his idea of a joke? He was such a torment.
“I wanted to ask you—,” he said.
“Yes.” Trying not to sound too eager.
“Next Saturday.”
“What?”
“It's Raw Trading's annual dinner dance. I hate the damn thing, but it's something of a tradition. I wondered if you'd accompany me.”
“I can't dance.”
“That makes two of us. We don't have to stay long. We can have the meal and then sneak away.”
“Won't the other staff think it kind of strange for you to take your PA?”
“You won't be there as my PA. It will be our second date. What do you say?”
“Sure. Why not?”
**********
“And you say I'm fucked up,” Suzy said. “It's your first date and he takes you fishing?”
“He didn't take me. I took him.”
“Whatever. Still fucked up if you ask me.”
“I didn't ask you.”
“Tell me you at least got to fuck him afterwards. What's he like in bed? Is he into weird shit like his brother?”
“What weird shit?”
“Never mind. Did you?”
“No. It was only our first date.”
The Bonus Page 12