Rich Pickings (15 page)

“So, we’ve sorted out your salary, your transport and now your accommodation. What else do we need to cover?” Ashley leans back in her seat, stretching as though uncomfortable.

Tom reaches out his hand to massage the back of her neck. The easy, familiar gesture is delightful, and I’m momentarily envious. Dan’s lovely of course, especially now, over Lucy and Maisie. And he’s been very nice to me. But our relationship is new, fragile. Tenuous. He’ll be going back to Cumbria soon and I’ll be staying here. No one will be around to massage my neck, or my feet.

Tom replies, all business and efficiency, “She’ll need a job description, and a contract. We’ll need bank details, national insurance number, that sort of thing. You’ll have to sort all that out with Nathan as we’ll be away. Agree a start date with him. You can find out when the flat’ll be ready too. The refurbishment is almost complete but the place needs decorating and furnishing. You can stay here until it’s ready if you like, or maybe you could stay at Black Combe. Black Combe’s probably better because Grace’ll feed you.”

“Will there be an office I can use? I’ll need a desk. Or should I work from home?”

Tom smiles at me, it’s obvious he’s been thinking all this through. “Both probably. We’ll make sure you have a laptop and Wi-Fi in your flat, but there’s also a small office here you can use, or the one at Black Combe. Again, I’d suggest Black Combe because it’s bigger and Grace’s lunches are legendary. Nathan only tends to be there on Mondays or Fridays, so you’ll be able to work around each other.

I’m not sure about the prospect of Nathan Darke working around me, but I agree that Grace Richardson’s home cooking is a key consideration, so Black Combe it is probably.

Chapter Nine

The short drive back to Black Combe passes in silence. For myself, I’m contemplating my extreme and unbelievable good fortune. Not only do I have a wonderful job suddenly, and a lovely home to go with it, but I’ve also managed to find a solution to a problem that terrified me so much I wasn’t prepared to even acknowledge it.

My sisters will be safe. We’ll all be safe, here in Yorkshire. I’ve yet to address the issue of permanency rather than occasional visits, as that is clearly my ultimate goal. It has to be. I’m doing this in bite-sized chunks but I’ll get there.

And I’ve also got Dan Riche, for now at least. And Dan has that tawse, and his peppermint oil. We’re in for an interesting time.

“Nathan will want to explain about Lucy, to Rosie. He may have questions for you.”

“Lucy wouldn’t hurt a fly!” I’m immediately on the defensive, though there was nothing even faintly threatening in Dan’s tone or words.

“I know that. Nathan will too. But Rosie may not understand, especially if she’s never met anyone with Down’s before. He’ll want to prepare the ground, make sure Lucy’s made welcome here. Nathan cares about the people close to him, it’s a failing we both have. That includes you now, and will include Lucy and Maisie too. I’m just saying, you’re not on your own.”

We’re pulling up at the rear of Black Combe, and I turn to him in amazement, not for the first time recently. How does he know exactly what it is I need him to say? I suppose since Freya and I became friends I’ve not been on my own exactly, but this is different. Now I have even more friends, a lover, and my independence too. I can stand on my own feet, and support the people I love. I have a safe place to live, I’ll have money of my own rather than sharing Freya’s, and the future’s what I choose to make it.

On impulse I lean across and kiss Dan full on the mouth. If he’s surprised by my sudden demonstration of affection he hides it well. He tangles his fingers in my hair, returning my kiss enthusiastically. I slide my tongue between his lips, tasting the inside of his mouth, teasing and dancing with his tongue. He lets me play, then in a sudden twist he draws my bottom lip into his mouth and sucks on it. I gasp as my pussy moistens. Dan raises his head a fraction to break the kiss.

“So, I’m guessing you’ll sleep with me again tonight?”

“Here?”

“Yes, here.”

“Won’t your brother mind?”

“Not as long as you don’t scream and frighten his girls. Should I gag you?”

“You might have to, especially if you intend to use that leather thing.”

“The tawse? No, I’m saving that. I have something else in mind for you tonight.”

“The peppermint oil?”

“My, aren’t you eager? No. That’s something to be savored when there’s no chance of anyone disturbing us. You’ll have to wait and see. Come on, let’s go and talk to Nathan about your new flat, find out when you can move in.”

* * * *

Two weeks, it seems. The electrical work is almost done, fire alarms, light fittings and such like, and the decorators are booked for next week.

“Since you’ll be living there you can choose the furniture if you want. We usually buy stuff from Ikea. Grace normally deals with all that side of things, curtains, carpets, cushion covers. If you don’t want to be bothered with it I’m sure she’d be happy to do it all, but we just thought…” Eva’s voice trails away as she pours tea for the four of us in the comfortable living room at Black Combe.

It’s a scene of relaxed domesticity. Nathan is lounging in an easy chair, Eva kneeling on the floor at his feet as she busies herself with teacups and the sugar bowl. Dan and I occupy the sofa opposite them.

Grace is upstairs supervising Rosie’s bath. Baby Isabella is also upstairs, asleep in her cot. Nathan has the baby alarm at his elbow. He leans forward to take his cup from Eva, his eyes on me. “So, Summer, when do you want to start work?”

“Can I start in two days? I promised to take Freya’s car over to Leeds. I know she’ll be needing it so I was planning on doing that tomorrow. And yes, I would like to choose some of the furniture, if you’re sure that’s alright.”

Eva nods thoughtfully. “That could work out well. What about, you drive the posh car over to Leeds and I follow you in my Mini? We can say hello to Freya, find out how the horse if doing, and, well, everything else. Then we can hit the furniture showrooms. Grace could come too if she wants. And Freya if she’s up for it. It would be a girls’ day out.”

Eva doesn’t actually say so, but I know we’re all dying to know how things are between her and Nick, if they’ve managed to settle their differences yet, and at what cost to Freya’s backside?

Eva continues her planning, “The master bedroom in the garage flat is huge. I know Grace had been thinking of a four-poster bed there. Tourists like that sort of thing, but as it’s going to be your home, well, maybe you prefer something else?”

I glance up, open my mouth to suggest maybe something a little less showy, but Dan is there ahead of me, “A four-poster sounds excellent. We’ll stick with that.”

I turn to him, puzzled, in time to catch the wicked glint in his eye.

Nathan takes a sip of his tea before offering any comment. “Yes, definitely a better choice. Four-posters are good for tying subs to. I’m thinking we should get one, sweetheart.” He winks at Eva.

“I like the bed we’ve got. It’s very comfortable.” She’s making an admirable effort at maintaining her composure. And her dignity.

“I don’t think comfort’s what we’re going for exactly. That settles it. Get two four-posters.” Nathan places his cup on the low table in front of him, then settles back. He exchanges a look with his brother, who immediately picks up the theme.

“Definitely. And we’ll need silk rope too. Less chafing. Would you prefer that in red or black, Summer?”

It was Eva’s misfortune to choose just that moment to take a sip of her own tea, which she manages to spray pretty much everywhere. There follows a fit of furious coughing, and Nathan leans forward to pat her between the shoulder blades, his expression solicitous. He casts a baleful look Dan’s way.

“Now look what you’ve done with your dirty talk. You’ve brought on my sub’s asthma.” He reaches into his jeans pocket and retrieves a blue inhaler which he shakes before offering it to Eva.

She takes a couple of puffs and matters seem to settle down quickly. Wonder drug or what? Despite his casual air, I’d say Nathan looks concerned, but as Eva’s breathing returns to normal he switches his attention back to Dan and I.

“So, the day after tomorrow then? To start work?”

I gape at him, my head still reeling from the previous exchange, my pussy moistening treacherously as I reflect on the prospect of being tied to Dan’s bed with silk rope. Or more accurately it seems, my own bed. Inspired by Eva’s valiant if ill-fated efforts I manage to rally. “Red please. For the rope. And yes, the day after tomorrow. If that’s okay with you. And I’d love to check out furniture tomorrow.”

“Right. When Grace comes down we’ll find out if she’s able to go too. She’ll be handy to have with you, she has all the dimensions and so on.” Nathan picks up his cup again, at the same time gesturing to Eva to take another puff of her inhaler, for good measure. “I’ll make sure I’m here, at least for your first morning in the job, to show you where everything is and help you get settled. Will you be using the office here?”

“I was hoping to, but I don’t want to be in your way.”

“Plenty of space.” He flaps a hand at me airily. “So, we know you’re good on the admin and organizing side. Have you had any accountancy training?”

“No, I’m sorry, I haven’t. Will that be a problem?”
Please, no. Not when everything is working out so well.

“I think it’d be helpful if you did. Would you be up for that?” His dark gaze is serious now, his business demeanor completely overshadowing the playful, teasing Dom who emerged a few moments ago.

I respond in similar vein, “Yes. Certainly. I’ve never considered accountancy before, but I can see it would be an ideal fit with my existing skills. A good career development move.”

“Right. I’m glad you see it that way. Perhaps you could research what’s available locally and let us know how you want to incorporate some additional training then. And flag up any other training needs too. Job related, naturally.” The Dom had not entirely disappeared it would seem. “Now, I’m assuming you’ll be staying here with us until the flat’s ready? In Dan’s room?”

I open my mouth to reply, though with no concrete notion of what I’m about to say. Dan’s interruption is not unwelcome, at least it gives me more time to think.

“Oh,
my
room is it now?” Dan’s grinning widely, the mercurial exchange not lost on him it would seem. “I seem to remember you telling me I make the place look untidy, and not to make myself too much at home.”

“You do, and you tread muck in. You
and
Tom. But you never take any notice of what I say, and I’ve got used to it now. The place is overrun with women and kids most of the time and I need a bit of male company, even if it’s only you. I suppose you’ll never be away from the place now that Summer’s going to be living here?”

My head snaps up. I’m glad Nathan asked, I think. I never would have dared. At the same time I’m dreading Dan’s response. We haven’t discussed anything beyond the next day or so, although I suppose he did casually suggest I could move into Freya’s apartment with him, if he manages to talk her into letting him have it. Grounds for optimism, surely.

He turns to me, appears to be considering carefully, though his lecherous grin is unmistakable. “Well, a four-poster bed, red silk rope and a beautiful submissive. It’d be rude not to.”

Not exactly the reply I was hoping for, but shows promise.

“And yes, Summer will be in my room. Is that alright with you?”

Nathan just nods briefly. “Your choice. Both of you. You know my rules about keeping it away from the children, though. And Grace too if possible, although she does tend to have a knack of always knowing what’s going on. Talking of children, I gather we’ll be having young visitors across in the flat.”

Another shift in the conversation—I do find these men difficult to keep up with. Eva’s clearly had more practice. I get my brain back in gear fast.

“Yes. My sisters.” I remember Dan’s comments about Lucy. I suppose now’s as good a time as any… “I should say, or rather, I ought to tell you, one of my sisters, Lucy—she’s fourteen—has Down’s syndrome.”

I just blurt it out and leave it hanging. By now I really should have learnt to handle this better. Both Eva and Nathan regard me quietly for a few moments. Nathan responds first, “I see. And does Lucy have any particular health issues then? Anything else we should know about? Look out for?” His tone is serious now, no teasing here.

I appreciate it, this is a sensitive area for me, as it probably is for all families like ours.

“No, not especially. A lot of Down’s children have heart defects, but so far Lucy’s been fine. She does tend to be rather…affectionate though. She’s big on hugging, is Lucy.”

Nathan grins. “I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of that, at times. She sounds lovely. Make sure you bring them both over to the house to say hello to us all, first time they visit here. Rosie will love to have other girls nearby.”

“What girls? Who’s going to be nearby?” Rosie comes bounding into the room, Barney and Grace in her wake. She’s wrapped in a huge towel, her hair still dripping from her bath. She hands a comb to Nathan and clambers onto his knee.

Wordlessly he starts teasing the tangles from her hair. I get the impression this is their regular ritual after her bath.

Nathan deals with her questions. “Summer has two younger sisters. When she moves into the flat over the garage, they’ll be coming to visit her sometimes. How old did you say they were, Summer?”

“Eleven and fourteen.”

“I’m ten. Well, almost ten. Do they like Barbies?” Straight to the important stuff, young Rosie.

“I expect they will. Doesn’t everyone?” Eva hands Grace a cup of tea as she joins in the conversation, her coughing fit now completely subdued once more. “We’ll invite them to tea. Would you like that, Rosie?”

“Yes. But there’ll have to be cake. And chocolate crispies.”

“I’ll make the cake, you’re in charge of crispies. Right. That’s settled then. You’re all coming to tea.” This from Grace as she helps herself to sugar, her smile warm and welcoming.