Sebastian - Dark Bonds (6 page)

“Of course I understand, she’s just a messed up old lady.  What I don’t understand though, is why Scarlett posted a photograph of me to her and a newspaper cutting about Joe and Alan’s accident.”

“Did she? Hmm well I shall be asking her to clarify her intentions in that regard.  I’m aware she’s maintained contact with Christina.  She was always fond of the old troll.”  A giggle escapes my lips at the plethora of insulting names he has for the poor old lady.

“I fail to see the funny side of this conversation Elizabeth,” he admonishes.

“You.  You just make me laugh Sebastian.  Am I to assume that you didn’t enjoy a close and loving relationship with Libby’s mother?” I ask sardonically.

“I think that’s a fair assumption.  How very astute of you,” his reply is sarcastic.  I take the cue to change the subject.

“Bella’s so excited you know.  It’ll be so therapeutic for us both to have time away with you at Penmorrow.  She misses you, Sebastian.”

“And I she,” he replies in a softer tone, his anger abating.

“Oh, and I bought you a present!” I exclaim excitedly trying to further lighten Sebastian’s mood.  “I will gift wrap myself in the sexy new lingerie purchased explicitly for your enjoyment Lord De Montfort.” I purr.

“Mmm, thank you darling.  What color is it?” His sexy gravelly voice is back and butterflies dance the Nutcracker Suite in my belly.

“You’ll have to wait and see, but I assure you the panties are very sexy and very small.  In fact there’s barely anything to them… just a strip of satin.” I tease.

“Do you know how hard you have just made me?” he growls.  “Where are you?”

“I’m sat on the toilet at my office, in the ladies cloakroom, believe it or not!” I whisper, conscious suddenly of my surroundings.

“Perfect.  What are you wearing?” He sounds confident and seductive and I’m aroused.  Sebastian has a natural gift of diverting my attention to more carnal matters.

“I have on a blue shift dress and navy heels.  I thought I’d dress up a bit as I was coming to the office.”  I reply.

“Take your panties off.”  Oh wow. 

His instruction makes me blush and I lean forward and unlock the door to the cubicle, checking through the small gap that I am alone in the ladies cloakroom.  All’s silent and I lock the door once more. 

Standing, I use my free hand to slide my panties down my legs and carefully step out of them, placing my discarded underwear in my handbag on the floor. 

“Ok.  Panties off.” I hear him suck in his breath and then I hear a zipper being pulled. 

“Are you touching your cock?” I whisper.  I hear him groan and I close my eyes, imagining his long manly fingers stroking his hardness.  My sex is tingling and wet.

“Good girl.  Yes I am stroking my hard throbbing cock Elizabeth and you are going to make me come by pleasuring yourself.  Do you understand?” 

“Yes.  Oh yes I understand.” I breathe.  Oh gosh.  This is a first for me and I feel dirty and seedy and deliciously indulgent as I guide my fingers to the apex of my thighs.

“Good.  Now do as I say baby.  Hold the phone in your left hand.  Take the middle finger of your right hand and run it down from the top of your clitoris, all the way down.  Now slide it into your wet pussy.  Are you doing it?” 

I gasp as I do as he bids.  My finger seeks and finds my hot, wet void and I can hear Sebastian’s breathing quicken as his pleasure mounts.  “That. Feels. So. Good,” I pant, my sex now on fire as my finger slides upwards to once again tease my sweet spot.  I am moaning now as I wait for my lover to guide me.

“Baby, yes, you are so wet.  Taste it Elizabeth.  Put your finger to your lips and taste your juices with the tip of your tongue.” 

I do as I’m told, and the sweet taste lingers on my tongue as my fingers travel south once more.

“Tastes good, hmm? My dirty slut.  Now circle your clit until you come, baby.  I want to hear you.”  I can hear his rasping breath and his deep guttural moan as he builds to climax.  And I’m climbing, my sex throbbing as my hastening fingers bring me to the most intense orgasm, leaning back against the cubicle wall, one leg raised on the toilet seat, my hips thrust forward.  The delicious warm tide washes over me and I’m vaguely aware of Sebastian crying out, as he too explodes in harmony with me.

As my body comes down from the crescendo, and I become aware of my senses once more I hear the flushing of a toilet. 

Oh my God.  Someone is in one of the cubicles. 

Wracked with embarrassment, I quickly cut the call and place my phone in my bag.  Sitting back down on the toilet I wait silently until the woman has washed her hands, and then use the noise of the hand dryer to mask the sound as I tidy myself and put my panties on.  I listen for the sound of the cloakroom door closing, before venturing out of my cubicle of sin.  As I rinse my hands at the basin I regard myself in the mirror above.  My cheeks are flushed and, when I’ve dried my hands, I retrieve my powder compact from my handbag and dab a copious application of ivory powder onto my hot skin.  A little lip-gloss and spritz of Chanel Number Five perfume completes my transformation from harlot to business woman once more.

Clutching the bag of donuts in my hand, I make my entrance in to our offices.  It is good to see my colleagues once more, and their eyes light up greedily when they spy their sugary treats. 

Ruth swivels around on her chair and claps her hands together happily when she sees me.

“Beth! Oh my goodness girl, why didn’t you tell me you were calling in?  I’d have saved some work for you ha ha!”

It’s so good to see her again, and we hug before walking together to the kitchen to make coffee. 

“I have some gossip for you!” she exclaims.  “Apparently there was a couple, in the ladies toilet shagging! Can you believe it?”

My embarrassment is excruciating and my cheeks blush a deep hot red.

“Wow.  I turn my back on this place for five minutes and all sorts of shenanigans go on!” I laugh.  “Do we know who it was?”

“No.  Absolutely no idea.  Apparently Laura heard them at it.  She made a hasty retreat so we are none the wiser as to who the naughty devils are.  Lucky sods,” she muses.  “So, how are you?  You’ve lost weight, girl.”

“Oh you know, good days and bad days.  I’m starting to eat more, and at least I can face getting up in the mornings now.  Bella seems to be coming out of her shell more, thanks to Sebastian – he’s been a rock to that girl.  To both of us.” 

The sharp reminder of my loss makes me feel melancholy.  Sometimes, just for a short while, I have a brief respite from my grief but then it hits me with such a force it physically winds me, and I feel guilty for living my life.  For living.  My weekly pilgrimage to the cemetery always renews my heartache, and it will be so painful to neglect the graves whilst we are in Cornwall but my mother has promised to tend the flowers and weed the soil in my absence.

“It’ll take time love.  Time is, as they say, a great healer.  It’ll be so good for you both to just get away.  That house holds so many memories Beth.”

“I know Ruth.  I haven’t been able to go into Joe’s room since January.  Mum says I should start to sort through his and Alan’s things but… you know, I can’t because that’s like facing the fact they won’t be coming home.  I’ve convinced myself that I hear Joe playing his Gamebox through his bedroom door.  God do you think I’m going mad?”  Hot tears fall down my cheeks and Ruth gives me a tight hug.

“No madder than you’ve always been, love.” Ruth holds me and we laugh and cry together.

It’s been another emotional day and I’m pleased to kick my shoes off and take my freshly poured glass of chilled Pinot Grigio to the lounge, where I slump onto the sofa and curl my legs up, sipping the cool delicious wine.  I reach for the television remote control and, as I do so, my mobile phone pings with a text message.

Am I to take it you didn’t enjoy our phone sex or did you accidentally fall down the toilet pan and get flushed away? S

Oh crap!  I completely forgot to call Sebastian back after I so abruptly cut his call.  I blush as I remember how close I came to being exposed as a shameless hussy.  He must think me terribly rude – and not in a good way! 

My thoughts turn to our conversation prior to the phone sex.  He was so dark and almost intimidating in his response to my news of meeting Christina.  Beth you would be furious if someone accused you of murder, I think reproachfully.  I tap a reply to him, emboldened by the wine.

So sorry darling.  Nearly caught in the act by Laura at work! It would have been my reputation down the toilet pan!  It was very naughty but very hot. You are a bad influence on me ;-) xxx

His reply arrives almost instantaneously.

I don’t recall you needed much encouragement Elizabeth.  You haven’t experienced ‘naughty’ yet.  Trust me. S

Wow.  I have no idea how he has such a stimulating effect on me but I find his hid
den innuendoes highly erotic.  A smile plays on my lips as I reply.

Am I to assume then, that you have far naughtier things lined up for me? You are B.A.D.  By the way did you talk with Scarlett? Xxx

I just bet you didn’t…

Scarlett apologised.  Yes.

And?

What does that mean? That she was sorry that she sent information about me to Christina or that she was found out? X
I ask petulantly. 

Sebastian’s reply is curt.

Drop it Elizabeth. 

Drop it?  Are you kidding me?  But, I sense this is now a taboo topic – at least for this evening.  I make a mental note to raise this with him again when I’m at Penmorrow.  I can’t resist one last quip back at him.  He really does bring out the child in me.

Consider it ‘dropped’.  For now X
He doesn’t reply and I switch my phone to silent for the remainder of the evening.

11

It may be my imagination, but Sebastian is still a little prickly toward me.  Two more, long weeks have past since my encounter with crazy Christina and my first glimpse of a sterner side to Sebastian, and it still plays on my mind.

I haven’t seen Sebastian for nearly a month and although I miss him dreadfully, I’m apprehensive as Bella and I load our bags into the trunk of our car.  There’s no discernable difference in the way Sebastian is with me, except that his calls and text messages are more infrequent and it surprises me that he hasn’t been to see Bella and I.  Whoever said ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder hasn’t met Sebastian I scoff.

My mother’s embrace is a tight, lingering body-hug and our tearful farewell brings with it a crushing wave of guilt in the pit of my stomach.   She looks older, frailer today - a slight figure in a floral skirt, which hangs from her hips and pink cardigan, her usually tidy hair hanging limp. 

As we part I place a small envelope in her hand.  She looks perplexed as she gently peels it open.  She removes the pretty card and smiles at the picture of the chocolate box cottage. 

“Looks just like Grandma’s cottage, where I grew up, dear,” she reflects.

Opening the card she silently reads.

Darling Mum, thank you for all you’ve done for Bella and I over the past few terrible weeks.  Without your strength and love I simply couldn’t have survived.  Please don’t think that Bella and I are leaving you.  We are simply a heartbeat away.  Please come and visit us.  We will be home by Christmas.  I love you so much Mum.

Your Bethy xxxxx

“Oh Beth.” She’s crying again.  “I love you too.  Just make sure that man is good to you both, or he’ll have an angry old lady to deal with.” 

“He’ll be good to us, Mum.  You’ll come really soon, won’t you?”

“Just you try and keep me away, dear,” she wags an arthritic finger at me.

Bella and I kiss and hug my mother once more, and get into the car.  As we pull away from the curb and join the traffic my mother wave.

As we near Penmorrow, I feel a dark sense of foreboding. 

What am I doing?  But it’s too late to turn back …

I kiss Sebastian as I step from the car and I can tell he’s missed me too even if he doesn’t say it.

“Oh my God.  I’ve missed you so much,” I tell him. 

Bella jumps from the car and throws herself into his arms.  He embraces my daughter tightly.             

“Hey young lady.  You’ve got taller!” He exclaims.

“I’ve got heels on.”  Bella shows Sebastian her unfeasibly high, hot pink platform shoes and he cocks his eyebrow.

“Tall and grown up I see,” he observes, stroking his chin as he studies Bella from head to toe.

“I am grown up.  I’m nearly eighteen.  Jeez.”  My daughter the ‘adult’ makes us snigger and our amusement is enhanced by the sight of Bella trying to run but only managing a teeter, as she spies Scarlett waiting for us on the steps to Penmorrow.  Our new home, albeit temporary.

“Scarlett.  How lovely to see you again.” I kiss her cheek lightly.  “I hope you don’t mind a couple of house guests.”

“On the contrary.  I’ve been really looking forward to you coming.  It will be lovely to have some female company at last!”  She looks happy to see Bella and I, but I detect a hint of apprehension in her voice as though her words belie her true feelings.  She’s annoyed because she no longer has Sebastian to herself, I think, perhaps harshly.