Rich Promise (3 page)

“Sorry, Sir.”

“What is it you need, Summer? Tell me.” His voice has softened, and I moan my pleasure and relief as he slowly slips two fingers into my cunt.

He finger-fucks me with long, leisurely strokes as I quiver and murmur my thanks. It’s wonderful, the sensation compelling and achingly tender. I want more, and start to thrust against his hand, using my inner muscles to squeeze around him.

“Fuck me, please. Please fuck me, Sir.”

“Soon. Perhaps. First, I want to taste this sweet, minty cunt.”

Yes, yes, yes!
I actually scream out loud when his tongue connects with my sensitive, pulsating clit. He closes his lips around it, sucking gently. I completely lose it, my orgasm is swift and powerful and all-consuming. My empty pussy is spasming wildly, my muscles now working of their own volition. I’m not sure if I have permission to come or not, but it hardly matters. I have no control at all over what’s happening as the waves of pleasure swirl and flow through me. I feel to be floating, weightless, all my concentration fixed on that sweet spot, my clit held firmly between his soft lips. As my orgasm starts to subside, Dan picks up the pace again, this time by flicking the end of my clit with his tongue. I’m momentarily poised, hovering on the brink of orgasm before I fall headlong into it. I descend into another screaming frenzy as my release seizes me again. Dan increases the suction, mercifully inserting two fingers into my pussy to rub my G-spot. My body is shaking, the intensity of sensation quite, quite indescribable now. I’m well beyond coherent thought, only conscious that I want him inside me. Now.

“Fuck me, please. Please, fuck me, Sir…”

“Since you ask so nicely, sweetheart, it will be my pleasure.”

I’m still humming from my orgasm as he releases my legs from the leather cuffs and dumps the spreader bar onto the carpet. The faint rustle of clothing is followed by the snap of the condom foil. I’m vaguely puzzled, I thought we were past all that, but I don’t have the energy to ask. Later perhaps…

Dan takes my hips between his palms and pushes me onto my back. My hands are still tied behind my back, but it’s not uncomfortable as he pulls a couple of pillows down and stuffs them under my shoulders. He places his palms on the insides of my knees, spreading my legs again, then he pushes them up toward my chest. His cock is positioned at my entrance, and he drives forward.

He’s buried inside me, balls deep, and I’m shivering with raw need. “Hard. Fuck me hard, Sir. Please, please…”

“Happy to oblige, little slut. How’s this?”

Three hard, sharp plunges drive my body right back to the brink of orgasm, where he manages to hold me for the next little while. He slows his thrusts, despite my desperate pleas, expertly keeping me on the point of losing control again.

“I need to come. Please, Sir.”

“You will. When I’m ready.” His thumb is again on my clit, circling and caressing, his touch gentle now.

The minty burn is cooling, the feeling settling into one of warmth, a sensuous tingle still exciting and tantalizing. I groan, lifting my hips for his greater penetration.

“Greedy sub. You want harder now?”

“Yes, harder. Please, Sir.”

Dan continues to stroke my clit with his right hand as he tangles the fingers of his left in my hair. He picks up the pace, his cock sinking into me with long, hard strokes. It’s fast now, demanding, his rhythm relentless. My body spasms again as I pass the point of no return. This time, though, I’m not alone. Dan’s breath hitches as he hurtles toward his own climax. His shout of “fuck, fuck, fuck” just before he plunges deep and holds the position, tells me he’s there. We climax together this time, his cock jerking hard as his semen pumps out to fill the condom.

Dan continues to support his weight on one arm as he uses the other to reach under me. He loosens the rope restraining my wrists and I’m free. I wrap my arms around him and cling on as he rolls onto his back. I don’t want us to separate, I could stay joined like this for ever.

“Could you develop a taste for peppermint, do you think?” His voice is a low, sexy rumble as he murmurs the words into my ear.

“I expect I could, Sir. With practice.”

“I daresay you’ll get plenty of practice, love. Now, that’s sorted out, our most urgent needs, what about food? Do you have anything to eat here?”

“I was going to settle for something simple. Beans on toast maybe…” I’m feeling too lazy, too sated to move. Certainly I don’t feel like cooking. I will stir myself though, if I have to.

“Shall we eat out? Or raid Grace’s larder? A takeaway perhaps?” Ordering a takeaway sounds favorite to me.

“Grace invited me to eat with her…”

“What are you doing here then? Not that I’m complaining exactly.” His palm circles my bum possessively as I nestle closer.

“I wanted to settle in, get to know my new flat. I can’t do that if I spend all my time over at your brother’s house.”

“Fair enough. Did Grace mention what she was cooking?”

“Well, no. I didn’t ask.”

“Right, you get on the phone to her now and find out. We’re either joining her or ordering a takeaway. Unless you fancy going out, that is?”

“No, Sir, I’d prefer to stay in, I think.”

“Good.” He lifts me off him and pats my bum to signal I should be on my way. His stomach will not wait.

A quick conversation establishes that Grace has nothing special planned as it was just to be her eating alone tonight. I feel a pang of guilt. I hadn’t realized that when I’d politely declined her offer of a meal. But I pass that information on to Dan, who announces that it’s to be a toss-up between pizza or a curry. He gestures to me to invite Grace to join us. She’s happy to, and we settle on pizza. I leave Dan to sort out the ordering from Pizza Hut as I head back into the bathroom to wash off the residual dregs of peppermint.

“Don’t use water—just stirs it all up again. Try baby lotion. That sometimes works.” Dan’s voice follows me as I leave the room.

Now he tells me.

Chapter Two

I was sorry to wave Dan off this morning, but tomorrow’s Friday and I’m driving up to Keswick to spend the weekend with him. I hug myself. I’m so excited. This feels just so incredible. Dan’s wonderful. I’m absolutely and totally in love.

Yesterday evening we pigged out on pizza in my flat. Grace joined us, and had the presence of mind to bring a tub of ice cream with her to round off the meal. We laughed, we ate, we admired my new home. Grace is almost as pleased with it as I am—she takes enormous pride in the holiday lets which she tends to take charge of whether they’re part of Black Combe or Greystones. It’s an informal arrangement, as so much seems to be in the inner sanctum of Darke Associates, but it works and I make a mental note not to trample in that part of the business.
Ain’t broke, don’t mend it.

Nathan has no objections to me returning on Monday, so Dan and I are planning a long weekend together. Dan has to work, but he’s on call at the animal park so may not be busy. Even if he does need to go there, I’ll go with him. He’s promised to introduce me to his lemurs. As well as attending to the lions, tigers and all the rest, Dan is leading a research project on the breeding habits of different species of lemur. Nathan thinks it’s hilarious, watching rodents bonking the whole time and when you’ve seen one lemur, you’ve seen them all. He made a point of explaining all this to us when we wandered over to Black Combe for breakfast this morning.

Dan pointed out, I suspect not for the first time, that lemurs are primates not rodents, and that each species is distinctive. Nathan just grinned over his coffee mug and turned his attention to Rosie’s morning chatter. Breakfast is a noisy, hectic time here, everyone rushing about, getting ready for the day. Weekends are a little more sedate, but there’s not much in it. At one time I would have hated this. I would have found the whole frantic bustling pandemonium quite unbearable. But I’m at ease, happy to just sit quietly myself and let the mayhem happen around me.

I nibbled my toast, enjoyed my tea and listened to Dan and Nathan sparring with each other, Eva acting as half-hearted referee. I think she finds Nathan’s directness a bit daunting on occasions, but he clearly adores her, so if she appears in the least bit distressed by his antics he stops immediately. Dan really doesn’t need her support. He’s more than capable of taking on Nathan Darke—or Tom, if need be. And I suspect he can manage Nick Hardisty too. He can certainly manage me. So the banter was hurled backwards and forwards across the breakfast table, everyone happy and laughing. Like I always imagined a family should be.

Except, this isn’t a family. Not really. As far as I know, the only person in this noisy group who is actually related to more than one of the others is baby Isabella. Nathan and Dan are step-brothers, Rosie was adopted by Nathan a few years ago. Grace is an employee, despite Rosie’s insistence on calling her ‘nana’. I always used to tell myself that blood is thicker than water, and this sentiment is what dragged me back to my mother’s house in Barrow time and time again. Now, I’m not so sure. Blood is important, but relationships are based on more than that. Friendship, companionship, love—these are earned. They need to be nourished and nurtured, and they grow over time, whatever their roots. The inhabitants of Black Combe would certainly think so. And blood is no guarantee of loyalty or decency or caring. I learned this the hard way, but now I’m even more determined than ever to bring my sisters here to share this haven with me.

My return to Barrow seems less daunting now, as I at last start to gain some perspective on my mother’s role in my life. I don’t need to allow her to continue to influence and affect me. I can choose something different. I wonder if Dan would come with me to Barrow? It’s conveniently close to his zoo. We
could
go there. I
could
ask him.

But I won’t. There’s no reason for him ever to find out about Barrow. He need never meet my mother, never see that hateful little house. It’s better that way.

* * * *

I leave Black Combe at around four o’clock to drive up to Keswick. Nathan has lent me his Discovery for the trip. Nathan seemed very fierce and quite daunting when I first encountered him, but under the outer shell lurks a very, very soft center. And I’ve been doing a good job. I’ve earned a bit of time off.

My thoughts drift to Freya as I head up the M6 toward Penrith. She’s still holed up on her own in Leeds, though I understand her horse is showing some improvement. I’ve been over to see her a couple of times. She’s desperate for Nick to contact her, but he remains aloof. I wonder if I should perhaps try to see him as well this weekend. Maybe I could talk to him—or Dan could.

I dismiss that notion as quickly as it formed. No good will come of external influence. Freya and Nick need to resolve their differences themselves. Dan is confident they will, and I trust his judgment. In any case, what on earth could I find to say in Freya’s defense? I’m as mystified as anyone else.

The long drag of the motorway passes by in a monotonous gray blur, the sky darkening as I head north. It’s fairly slow going, as the road is crowded with Friday afternoon trippers leaving places like Manchester and heading for the great outdoors. I manage a steady fifty-five miles an hour, frustrated at every minute with Dan lost to the relentless vagaries of rush hour traffic. By the time I pass the Preston turn off, it’s quite dark, a steady drizzle hitting my windscreen.

Keswick is a fair bit farther away than Kendal, so I hope Dan is able to sort out his move soon. I asked him why he lives so far from his work, and he explained that he settled in Keswick as a newly qualified vet because he landed a job in a practice there. It was convenient back then and he bought a house on the outskirts of the town. His house has been on the market for a couple of months, but rather than waiting for the sale, he’s thinking of moving into a rented place and leasing his house out. Freya’s apartment would be ideal for him, but of course any discussion of that is shelved until she and Nick sort out their future.

I leave the motorway at Penrith and head across Cumbria toward Keswick, finally reaching the town a little after six-thirty. I check the satnav, pleased to see that my destination is now less than three miles away. I’ll be there in seven minutes. I follow the directions through the town, and exactly six minutes and twenty-seven seconds later pull up in front of a row of smart, newly built town houses. Dan lives at number seventeen. I scan the doors to pick out his house. I know I’ve found the right place when I spot his motorbike parked in the drive. The curtains are closed downstairs, but there’s no light showing behind. Even so, I have no doubt he’s in. Waiting for me. My stomach is quivering with suppressed excitement as I park the Discovery alongside the bike.

I knock on the door. Maybe I could just walk in—after all, he didn’t knock when he turned up at my flat a couple of days ago. But it seems polite to knock, so I do that and wait patiently on his doorstep. The neighborhood looks smart enough, though it’s not easy to tell really in the dark. There’s no one around, but I notice that most of the other houses have lights on. I wonder if Dan knows his neighbors, if he has friends here. I suppose he does. Will he introduce me to the people he socializes with? Is ours that sort of relationship? Even though I know Dan intimately, I’m still not sure what to expect of him.

Is ours the sort of relationship where I could take him to meet my family? Even if I wanted to? I’d value his support in trying to reason with my mother but what if something is said, what if he works out what my mother is, how she earns her living. It wouldn’t take much then to put two and two together. I’ve managed to put all that behind me. I can’t let it surface now.

I’ve moved on, I’m a new person, my life is different now. No connection remains to any of
that
. Apart from my sisters that is, and I’m desperate to see them. I have to speak to them, reassure myself they’re all right. And when I can, I’ll rescue them, just as I eventually rescued myself.