Having a Ball (25 page)

Tom's phone rang. "What?" he said into it. "What floorshow?" He grinned
at Stevie. "Apparently, there's a fat man dancing with his shirt off..."

"Yeah. I know."

Tom raised one eyebrow and returned to the phone. "Actually Og, how're
you getting home tonight?" He listened. "I might call you back."

He put his phone back in his pocket. "Og's going back to London. She
could watch them."

"We can't ask her to do that. She's a guest."

Tom shrugged. "I doubt there's anything that those three can come up
with to faze her."

"Maybe."

"I'll ask." He pulled out his phone again.

Stevie returned to the girls and put her hand on Alice's shoulder. Alice
was sobbing in earnest now. Stevie knelt beside her. "Hey," she said gently. "It's
okay."

"It's not," said Alice. "Gran's going to murder me."

Stevie looked at her with pity. Alice was only fourteen and right now she
looked even younger. "Well, hopefully we can sort something out." She became
aware of Veronica watching her with interest. Searching for a chink in her armour,
no doubt. "We'll talk about it later." She patted Alice's shoulder.

"So," said Veronica. "Decided what you're going to do with us yet?"

"Technically, you're not my responsibility. You've told me you're over
eighteen. I just need to get you off the premises."

"Isn't
he
going to take us home?" Veronica looked at Tom and
grinned. "He can take me anywhere he likes. Any way he likes."

Tom gave Stevie a horrified look that said he was not going to be left
alone with these girls. Ever.

Stevie sighed again.

* * * *

Stevie and Tom took everyone out of the side entrance and bundled them
into a taxi, with Olivia sitting in front and the girls in the back. Once inside again,
Stevie leaned against the side door while Tom locked it.

"I hope we did the right thing," she said.

"You did," he said. "You couldn't let them stay here and risk Evelyn or
Lady Beryl finding out."

"I know." Stevie closed her eyes. "What's the time?"

"Just gone 1:30 a.m." He leaned against the door next to her. "Long night
huh?"

"Tell me about it. I just hope nothing else goes wrong. I don't think I could
handle any more."

"You dealt with those girls really well," he said.

She looked sideways at him to see if he was joking. He turned his head
and smiled at her. "I mean it. In fact, you're quite scary when you're being grown
up."

She stared, unsure how to take that. Was he trying to tell her that he no
longer saw her as a child? How much of that was to do with how she handled the
girls and how much was to do with the kiss?

He met her gaze, his eyes twinkling. Stevie felt her heart speed up.
Footsteps approached and they both turned their heads to see who it was.

"Hello you two," said Evelyn. She looked tired. "What are you
doing?"

"Just discussing how the ball went," said Tom.

"It's not over yet," Evelyn said. "I think we might have to wind up the
disco. Mr. Farrier is getting a little less funny."

Stevie nodded and peeled herself away from where she was leaning.

"Was Alice okay?" Evelyn asked Tom. Alice had been sent to her room to
sleep off the alcohol.

"Oh yes,. You know how it is. I think it was the excitement of seeing Pete
in the flesh more than anything else. She wouldn't shut up about it."

"I'm sure I'll hear all about it tomorrow," said Evelyn. "By the way, Stevie,
Lady Beryl and Lord Grayingham left a few minutes ago. Important things to do
tomorrow apparently."

Meaning "We won't come and help with the clean-up." On the other hand,
things were a lot easier without Lady Beryl around. "I'll go have a word with Dilan,"
she said, and trudged wearily towards the disco.

Dilan, was already winding down. A slow ballad was playing and a few
couples, the Farriers included, were swaying in time to the music. Mr. Farrier had,
thankfully, recovered his shirt and jacket.

Dilan removed his headset. "I thought Mr. Disco over there was getting a
little too manic, so I thought I'd take it down and finish. I know it's earlier than
planned," he said apologetically.

"No, that's fine. I was actually coming to ask you to do just that," Stevie
said.

When she cast an eye over the dance floor, Stevie couldn't help noticing
at least one couple were lost to the rest of the world and engrossed in a kiss. She
thought of her own kiss with Tom and allowed herself a moment of reflection
before dragging herself back to the present.

"So, it was a good night, then?"

Dilan chuckled. "More for some than others."

Stevie thought Tom again. "Yes," she agreed. "Definitely"

If the disco was closing down, she should really see if she could hint to
the other guests that the evening was coming to an end. "I'll be back in about ten
minutes."

"Cool. Should have this lot sorted and the lights turned on by then." Dilan
put his headset back on. "Two more songs ladies and gentlemen," he said into the
sound system. "Let's make them good ones."

* * * *

Stevie ended up by the door, handing out coats and accepting comments
on how well things had gone. A few people asked for her card, which she gladly
gave out.

"That were a cracking good laugh," hollered Mr. Farrier, as he staggered
slightly. He was shouting, presumably because his ears were still ringing from the
disco. His shirt was buttoned up but still untucked. "I haven't had that much fun in
years."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Stevie.

"And Cherry got to meet her pop star, so it's good all round."

"That's fantastic."

"Tell you what though," he said, dropping his voice from bellow to merely
loud. "I thought it were a right rip off at the time, but I'm glad I paid up for it
now."

Stevie smiled and refrained from mentioning that they weren't going to
see much of his two hundred fifty pounds. That would go to the eBayer who sold
the tickets on.

"And it's a bloody good cause, don't you think love?" he said to his wife.
"You got my chequebook handy?"

Cherry smiled and fished it out of her bag.

"You call us a taxi," he said to Stevie. "I'll make a little donation to your
charity box."

"Of course." Stevie moved a discrete distance away and called a taxi. She
could hear Cherry whispering to her husband.

"How much?" he said.

Whisper, whisper, whisper.

"For you my love, anything." He wrote the cheque, folded it into four and
dropped it in the collection box.

"The taxi should be here in about five minutes," Stevie said.

The Farriers stood side by side, arms around each other's waist.

"So what do you do, Mr. Farrier?" Stevie said, with what she hoped
sounded like polite curiosity.

"Self made man, me," he said. "Own a string of golf shops. Give the girl
one of our cards, Cherry."

Cherry produced a card from her bag and handed it over. Stevie gave one
of her own ones back.

"If you ever need any golfing equipment, I'm your man."

"I shall pass your card on to someone I know. I think he'll be very
interested."

"That's the idea. Word of mouth, that's what sells. Better than any of your
posh adverts." He grinned. "We gave a bunch of cards to that fancy lawyer bird. I
bet she's got golfing friends."

Assuming he was talking about Vienna, Stevie nodded. "I'm sure she
has."

After a few more minutes' chitchat, the taxi arrived and the Farriers left.
As they went out the door, Mr. Farrier's hand was not too subtly fondling his wife's
bottom.

Stevie shook her head and turned to say goodbye to another guest.

* * * *

With everyone dispatched to their homes and the lights being turned off,
Stevie took her shoes into one hand and headed up to her room. She finally allowed
herself to think about her kiss with Tom. He had been so reluctant to kiss her
before, yet once their lips had met, it was as though a dam of longing had been
breached. Perhaps it was loyalty to Vienna that had prevented him from kissing her
before. After Vienna headed off with Pete, there was nothing to stop him from being
with Stevie. Unless of course he still thought her too young. Or too needy.

As she entered an unfamiliar corridor, she realised she'd taken a wrong
turn somewhere. This wasn't where her room was. It looked like a corridor of guest
rooms. Stevie muttered a curse under her breath. She should have paid attention to
where she was going, rather than daydreaming about Tom.

As if in response to her thoughts, a side door opened and Tom appeared.
His hair was tousled. His bow tie and the top button of his shirt were undone. He
looked unutterably gorgeous. Stevie felt like her blood had caught fire. He stopped
and stared at her. "What are you doing here?"

Stevie was so overcome with lust that it took a moment for her to squeak,
"I'm lost." She realised it was true in more ways than one.

Tom's gaze moved from her face down to her bare feet and then back up
again. His eyes met hers, smoky with wanting. Without thinking Stevie moved
towards him. She stopped in front of him, a mere heartbeat away.

He looked down at her and seemed to be fighting to find his voice.
"Stevie," he began. "I don't do commitment..."

She didn't care about commitment. She didn't care about anything at that
moment, except the need to touch him. If she didn't feel his lips on hers again soon
she was going to explode. She recognised that tonight they were both giddy from
the ball and that the chance to be with him would be gone by the morning. If one
night was all she could have with him, then so be it.

"Did I mention commitment?" She reached up and slipped her hand
against the side of his neck, just below his open collar.

Tom drew a deep breath, his eyes never leaving hers. He shook his
head.

"Well shut up and kiss me then," she said.

He gave a sound that was part sigh, part groan and kissed her. They stood
there, lips and bodies pressed together. His arms wrapped around her. She still had
her shoes in one hand. Her free hand caressed his neck.

As their kiss intensified, Stevie felt herself almost boiling with the need
for him. Tom's embrace tightened for a moment, then loosened. He stepped back,
still kissing her. Then, after placing a final kiss on her lips, as though sealing a pact,
he took her hand and led her to his room.

Once the door was shut behind him, Tom gathered her against him and
kissed her again. Stevie let her shoes tumble to the floor.

Reaching behind her, Tom gently unzipped her dress. His finger trailed a
burning line down the length of her spine. Stevie moaned and arched her back. Her
dress whispered down to a puddle of blue silk at her feet. Still kissing her, Tom
picked her out of her clothes and carried her to his bed.

Stevie woke with Tom's arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his body
curled around hers. She stared into the room and let memories of the night before
wash over her. A smile, entirely unbidden, stretched across her face. If she'd known
what he was capable of, she would have jumped on him a long time ago, one night
stand or no.

The curtains to the room were drawn, but light shone through the join. It
was probably quite late. Her watch was still on her wrist. It was one of the few
things she hadn't shed. She tried to angle her arm so that she could see time
without waking him up. The movement disturbed him. He opened his eyes and
looked at her muzzily.

"Morning," she said, smiling.

It took a moment for him to surface from sleep. In that few seconds Stevie
had a mad moment of doubt. Had he forgotten who she was? Or was he regretting
last night already?

"Morning." He smiled back and Stevie's insides melted. He was just so
gorgeous.

Tom rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

Confused that Tom didn't seem to see anything unusual about her being
in his bed, Stevie pulled the covers up to her chin, before checking her watch. "Holy
shit. It's nearly midday." She sat straight up. Realising that her breasts were
exposed, she grabbed at the duvet.

Tom's hand darted out and closed over hers.

She tensed.

Tom moved his hand up her arm and shoulder and cupped her cheek. He
was frowning slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She pulled the duvet up. "I'm just a bit..."

"Surprised? Confused? Regretting what happened?"

"No. Not that." She looked at him. "Not the last one."

He grinned. "That's good to hear."

She smiled back, a little uncertain. "So... What happens now?"

"Well..." His thumb stroked her cheek. "We could get up and go help with
the clearing up..." He traced a line along her collarbone, making her whole body
thrum with pleasure. "Or I could distract you from your duties for a little
longer."

"That sounds like a lovely idea."

He reached for her and her body responded immediately to his
touch.

"Only for a little while, though," she murmured as his lips followed where
his fingers had just been.

"Absolutely."

* * * *

"I hope Evelyn didn't go looking for me." Stevie pulled on her dress.

Tom was sitting naked in bed, watching her. "I'm sure you're allowed to
sleep in after all your hard work last night."

"She might wonder why I wasn't in my room." Stevie paused, suddenly
realising she didn't actually know how to get to her room. "Um... Tom? Where is my
room relative to here?" She reached behind her back and tried to do up her
zip.

"Here, let me do that." He slipped out of bed and stood behind her to do
her zip up. Stevie felt a ripple of pleasure at his being so close.

"You are beautiful." Tom kissed her shoulder. He picked up her hair grip,
gently gathered her hair and pinned it up, finishing off with a kiss to the back of her
neck. Stevie closed her eyes and wondered how it was possible to be this turned on
by someone putting clothes onto her rather than taking them off.