B00BR2BOUU EBOK (20 page)

He raised his head and the look on his face betrayed his
ability to keep his burden eating secret any longer. “Come with me.” He took my
hand and led me to his office, then punched a code into both doors.

“What are you doing? Locking us in?”

“Yes.”

I felt the colour drain from my face. I needed to sit and
sit quickly. Whatever he was about to reveal to me, was serious enough for him
to think it would make me want to flee.

***

Nervous and repentant those were the words I would use to
describe how he looked when he handed me a manila folder.

“Before you open it, you need to remember I promised you I
would make the impossible possible, and I never go back on my promises. Ever.”
I remembered him telling me that the night I promised I would give him a week,
but at that time I couldn’t see how on earth it would ever happen. I opened the
folder with my trembling hands.
What the fuck is this?
The contents had
my heart feeling strangled, like my outer shell was slowly caving in and engulfing
everything that was within it. The images before me showed Claire in suggestive
underwear standing in front of Rick. In one photo, her arms were around his
neck, and his hands were on her hips. In another, they were kissing and his hands
were this time on her face. But it was the final photo that triggered the
raging volcano inside to finally erupt. She was looking directly into the lens
of the camera wearing an expression of complete and utter satisfaction. I
dropped the folder and its contents on the floor.

“Where did you get these?” I could barely breathe let alone
clearly voice the words.

“From Claire.” He could only manage a whisper also.

“Claire? How?”

“She works in the city at a mortgage broking firm.”
What
the fuck is she doing in Melbourne, and how the fuck does he know about Claire?
I looked up, shocked and confused.

“How do you know about Claire?”

He was sitting with his arse on the edge of his desk and his
arms crossed in front of him. “Creepy Research.”
Creepy fucking research, I
might’ve guessed.

“That is no longer an answer Bryce, I want to know how?”

He sighed. “I’ve told you before. Lucy.”

“What do you mean Lucy? How could she have possibly known
who Claire was and how to track her down?” He clenched his fist and looked
pained at the idea of answering me. “Bryce, I want a straight answer.”

“Okay, okay. Lucy is capable of hacking computer systems. I
guess you could call her a genius. She has an extremely high IQ. I told her to
dig into Rick’s life and find anything she possibly could.”

“You what?” I couldn’t believe it. That was not normal.

“Look, I don’t want to go into detail in relation to Lucy’s talents.
I will one day, I promise you, but not now, not until I have spoken to her
about it. Okay?” He looked torn, torn between confiding in me and sharing a
secret that was not necessarily his to share.

“Fine, but that’s not the end of it. I want to know exactly
what Lucy has dug up about me and the people in my life.”

“That’s not all Alexis.”
Oh shit, what else?
My head
started to spin and I felt dizzy. He knelt down in front of me.

“When you were away with your friends, I...I...”

“You what?”

“I went to see Rick.” He looked up, and I had never seen
such terror on a person in my life. I could see now why he locked the doors,
because this had to be the point he thought I would flee.

“You did what?” Again, I couldn’t believe it.

“I went to your house and told him I loved you. I told him
you had feelings for me too and that I wanted to spend a week with you, one
where you could feel guilt free and make whatever choices you wanted. He said
no.”

“Of course he fucking said no Bryce. What were you thinking?
You had no right to approach Rick, no right at all.” I put my head in my hands.

“I promised you my love, I promised I would make it happen
and this was me making it happen.” He removed my hands from my head and held
onto to both of them. “When he said no, I threatened to tell you about Claire.”

“Oh God.” I started to cry.

“Alexis, it doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t change the
fact he cheated on you. Claire said herself that he initiated their whole
relationship.” I stood up.

“Enough, I don’t want to hear another word.” I walked over
to the apartment door and turned the handle, it didn’t unlock. “Open this
fucking door. Now!”

“Where are you going? Are you leaving me?” He was beyond
miserable.

“I’m not going anywhere, Bryce, I just need air and a moment
to myself.”

He slowly walked over to the door and unlocked it. I entered
the apartment and headed straight to the balcony.

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

My eyes were tear soaked, making the view over the city of
Melbourne from the balustrade quite blurry and distorted. I found myself trying
to dissect how the hell my average, ordinary everyday life had turned to full,
disorganised, and outrageously crazy chaos. I wasn’t angry at Bryce. Okay I was
a little, because of his creepy research and his notion that he had a
prerogative to do and say whatever he wanted. I guess I was more shocked that
he would go to such lengths to ensure we could be together. It really shouldn’t
have surprised me though, especially after the week we had just shared and
seeing first hand all the amazing things he had done for me, time and time
again.

The salty menaces began to escape the confines of my eyes
and stream down my face again. I leaned over the rail, no longer afraid of the
fact I was forty-something stories above ground. Perilous as it was, it was
nothing compared to seeing photographic proof of my supposedly loving husband
in the arms of another woman. Rick and I had not just been husband and wife, we
had been lovers and best friends. And five years ago, during one of the
toughest times in my life, he had chosen to give in to his curiosity of
experiencing someone else sexually, betraying all these things we shared, and
that cut very deep.

I heard slow and steady footsteps approaching me from
behind. Bryce hesitantly stepped up to where I was standing and handed me a
tissue. He was also holding a cup of tea in his hands.

“Alexis, I thought you might like these.” He passed over the
cup of tea and touched my finger gently. “I’m sorry. I never should have gone
behind your back.” I met his regretful and now insecure gaze.

“No, you shouldn’t have.”

“Alexis, I regret hurting you, but I don’t regret forcing Rick
to be honest. If I hadn’t I would not have been able to experience the best
week of my life, and I would not have experienced sharing every wonderful
moment with you. I couldn’t possibly regret any of that.” I turned to him.

“If you and I have any chance whatsoever of a future
together, you cannot keep secrets from me. I deserve better than that. I’m not
angry with you, because your intentions were in our best interest, but you need
to stay out of my relationship with Rick. It is none of your business, not at
this stage anyway.”

A very delicate smile appeared on his face. “At this stage?
Does that mean we will experience more stages then?”

I moved my line of vision to the Yarra River and away from
his. “Yes, Bryce, I hope to have many more.” He gently moved behind me and
enclosed me with his warm, safe, and secure arms.

“There is nothing else I want my love, just you and your
happiness.” I stood there in his arms until the tears ran dry. I realised that
by him revealing the pictures and confessing his secret, that I was now ready
to face Rick. Strangely enough, the shock and hurt of Bryce’s disclosure had
been exactly what I needed.

***

Bryce had tip-toed around me for most of the afternoon and
it was starting to piss me off. This was our last night together for who knew
how long, and I didn’t want to spend it playing silent games with him. Dinner
time was fast approaching and he had been preparing something in the kitchen. I
think he was also hiding from me out of guilt.

“Can I help with anything?” The smell was glorious, and his
graceful kitchen elegance had returned. He really did look so comfortable and
at ease, like he was conducting an orchestra of simmering pots and chopping
knives.

“No, Hunny, I’m nearly finished. Are you hungry?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Good.”

“What are we having?” I could see the deep-fryer bubbling
away.

“It’s Saturday night, I always have fish ‘n’ chips on
Saturday night.”
Oh how cute, I often do Schnitzel Sundays at home!
“Lucy
and Nic normally join me, but I rescheduled them for next week.”

“You didn’t have to do that Bryce, I feel bad now.”

“Don’t, Hunny. Anyway, I want to spend tonight alone with
you and you only.” He dished up a big plate of lightly fried tempura calamari,
scallops, prawns, and snapper, surrounding them with chunky wedges of potatoes
and a homemade tartare sauce.
Looks like the best fish ‘n’ chips ever!

“What would you like to drink?” I asked.

“There’s a bottle of Crown Ambassador Lager in the bar
fridge. Grab that and a couple of glasses.”
I love how he just assumes what
I like and don’t like. Assumption or not, he normally gets it right.
I
found the lager he was referring to as he set up the plate of seafood and chips
on the coffee table. I smiled at his laid back—sit on the floor—approach to
fish ‘n’ chips.

I opened the fancy looking bottle. I would normally sink a stubby
when consuming beer, but this particular ale looked very swanky, and was
probably meant to be consumed from a glass. I poured us both a glass, tilting
it as I poured. I remembered seeing this technique on TV. Apparently it reduces
the froth on the surface. We sat down on the floor on either side of the coffee
table, thoroughly enjoying our fish and chip picnic. He dipped his prawn in the
sauce and consumed the entire thing.

“You just ate the tail!” I screwed up my face at him and he
laughed.

“Yes, you are supposed to.”

“Really?”

“Here, try it.” He picked up another prawn, gently dipped it
in the sauce and moved it to my mouth. I bit down on it and consumed the first
half; he smirked as if to say that was pathetic.

“What? I have a small mouth.” I defensively chomped the
second piece from his fingers.
Yum, the tail is actually really crunchy.
He smiled and licked them.

“You have a magnificent mouth, Ms. Summers.”

“As do you, Mr. Clark.”

“I want your mouth now, Ms. Summers.”

“You are going to have to wait, Mr. Clark. It is currently
occupied.”

“Then un-occupy it.”

My body began to react to his intense and wanting stare. “No,
I’m hungry.”

“So am I. I’m hungry for you.”

“I’m enjoying your seafood and sauce.” I selected a piece of
calamari and dipped, then licked off the sauce and dipped it again, teasing him
with my seductive display.

“You just double dipped.” He crossed his arms.
Oh you are
one of those are you?

“Yes, I know, I can’t help it. I like sauce.”

“Do you like my sauce?” His cheeky game face momentarily
appeared before he pulled it back in again. I took hold of the small dish
containing the tartare and poked my finger in it. I swirled it around then put
it in my mouth and very slowly pulled it back out again, licking my lips when I
was done.

“I do like your sauce.”

“I make another really good sauce you know?”
I bet you
do.
He smirked, forked a piece of snapper and downed it with a long swig of
beer. I followed his choices.

“Really? What do you dip in that sauce?” I loved his ability
to be able to play this game with me.

“It’s not for dipping my love.”
Not for dipping, ay?
We
both selected a couple more chips.

“How do you eat it then?” I popped a chip into my mouth and
raised my curious eyebrow at him.

“You savour it.”
Savour it? I’ll savour you in a minute.

“And how do you make your sauce, Mr. Clark?” My mouth was
beginning to parch at the very thought of his sauce making abilities.

“I make it with love, with passion, and I only make it for one
person.”

I was biting the inside of my bottom lip, anticipating the
consumption of him and his sauce. “Will you make it for me?” I ask with a
demure smile.

He lifted his finger and signalled for me to go to him.
“Only you.” I snatched my glass and drank the last of the beer, in the hope it
would douse the fiery burn that had formed in my mouth and throat. Then, I
dropped down on all fours and crawled around the table to his side, climbing into
his lap.

“I want you to make the best sauce you have ever made.”

“Anything for you, my love.” He seized my mouth, confirming
that it was only his lips that could extinguish the fire within me, and as his
tongue explored every inch, the burning I felt for him subsided and was
replaced with a pure delightful lull. I laced my hands through his hair,
shifting a few strands away from his forehead. His cut was healing over nicely,
so I kissed it, and trailed a few more kisses down the side of his face. As I
got closer to his mouth, my kisses became more impatient and needy. I
desperately fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, eagerly removing it and
exposing his delectably smooth chest.
Holy Fuck, this sight floors me every
time.
Already my pussy was responding by lusciously pulsing and moistening
in preparation for him to enter me. My breasts were also reacting with a
sensational firmness as he pulled my lemon coloured cotton blouse over my head,
exposing them within my bra. I went to assist him with my bra’s removal, but he
firmly moved my hands away and took control of its undoing himself, unleashing
my breasts for him to devour with his mouth.
Oh, Mr. Clark, you and your
truly mind-blowing mouth.
I whimpered as he tongued my nipples, one at a
time, and I moaned unashamedly when he grasped my shoulders and leaned me back,
allowing him to trail his tongue from my neck to my navel.