Stanton Adore (16 page)

Chapter 14

J
ust pull over
up here Bridget points to the curb. It’s 10.30pm and Abbie and I are dropping her at Jeremy’s after our Italian Dinner date. I’m exhausted, I yawn. The car is stopped and she has the car door open talking to Abbie about making fresh pasta or something equally boring. I rub my eyes.

“Can you two, hurry the hell up? I frown as I lean my head onto the steering wheel, I’m frigging delirious. They finally finish up and we head down the street. Rhianna’s diamonds blares from my handbag.

“Shit, get that Abbs.” I snap.

After rummaging through my bag, she answers. “Hi………No this is Abbie………… umm yeah, hang on a sec………… who’s speaking please?” She puts her hand over the phone.

“It’s Adrian.”

“Who,” I frown. She hunches her shoulders.

“Adrian.”

“Oh shit. Josh’s Adrian,” I quickly pull over the car. I snatch the phone

“Hi this is Natasha,” damn, I sound like a school teacher

“Hi Natasha, sorry to bother you. Its Adrian, are you busy?” I frown that’s a strange question. “It’s just……I was wondering if you could help me out?”

“Sure Adrian, is everything ok?”

“Not really it’s Josh.”

My heart jumps in my chest.

“What’s wrong,” I snap.

“No it’s ok, we have just had a really long lunch and we are in a bar in the Rocks,” I smile as I imagine Josh drunk in a sleazy bar. “Anyway that guy that Josh had that fight with the other night……umm the friend of yours”

“Todd,” I snap.

“Yes, he turned up about forty minutes ago.”

“Right,” I wince.

“They are just glaring at each other at this stage.”

“Who is Josh with?”

“His two exec friends from IBM.” My mind is going a million miles per minute. Surely this can’t be good “Umm, anyway Josh just ordered all of the bodyguards out of the pub and asked me to go home.”

My eyes bulge. “Is that abnormal.”

“Well he’s never done anything like this before.” Holy fuck, they’re going to kill each other.

“I know this sounds lame but can you come and get him, if he gets into another fight it will affect his Visa, this idiot already put him up on an assault charge.”

“Ok. I’m on my way, where are you.”

“Thanks, we are at the Observer in the Rocks.” Oh shit. I hang up and start driving like a maniac. “What’s going on,” Abbie frowns.

“Todd the fuckwit has turned up at the place where Josh is drinking.”

“Oh shit, that can’t be good.”

“I know, anyway he has ordered his bodyguards out of the Observer hotel. They are going to get into a fight.”

“Oh fuck,” Abbie winces.

“I know,” I snap. “Ok come up with a plan.”

“Plan,” she frowns “I’m hopeless at plans.”

“Just fucking think of one.” As I speed up taxi pulls out in front of me and I swerve to miss it.

“I want to get there alive you know.”

My tongue is hanging out as I concentrate. I hold up my hand. “Ok I’ve got it. You’re going to take one for the team.”

“Huh,” she frowns.

“You need to get Todd out of there so so………… take one for the team.” She bursts out laughing.

“You want me to sleep with Todd to save him.”

I smile at her as I drive. “Please don’t grow morals now I need you.”

“Jeez chill out will you, I’ve already slept with Todd and I don’t really want to do it again.”

I slam my foot on the brake and we both jump forward.

“Eeww, you tried to set me up with your sloppy seconds?” I’m beyond mortified.

“Well how else would I know he wasn’t a serial killer?”

“I have no words for you now, actually yes I do. You’re repulsive.”

She smiles her sneaky slut smile to me and I shiver in repulsion, thank god Josh saved me I shudder to think what could have happened. I would have been scarred for life. We get to the bar and park the car. With linked arms we gingerly approach the bar. Adrian sees us.

“Oh thank god you’re here,” he smiles. It is then I see the three burly bodyguards out the front. “Who are they?” I point to the three men with my chin.

“This is Thomas, Josh’s bodyguard.”

I frown. “Where’s Ben?”

“He went home to America for a funeral,” I smile and shake his hand. “And the other two are Josh’s friend’s bodyguards”

“What do Josh’s friends do?”

“They are executives at IBM.” Abbie rolls her eyes at me as if to signify more ridiculous wealth, I smile and nod, totally understanding her meaning. I look through the window and see Josh walk over to Todd, holy fuck. It is actually laughable to think that a man with as much power as Joshua Stanton who is probably wearing a fifteen thousand dollar suite is in a bar ready pub brawl like a pig farmer. With apprehension I walk into the bar and straight over to the two men. I walk up behind Josh and hear him snap out the words.

“Why in the fuck did you say it then?”

“To piss you off, and it worked didn’t it?”

“Don’t push your fucking luck, or you will be coughing up a kidney.” My heart warms at the sound of my knight in shining armour defending my honour.

I put my hand on his back. “Hi baby,” he turns and frowns shocked at seeing me.

“Tash what are you doing here,” he slurs. Oh my, he is drunk. I smile.

“I came to take you home baby,” I whisper in his ear. He smiles and leans into me. Simultaneously Abbie grabs Todd’s hand and drags him to the dance floor, I give her a wink as she passes me. Todd looks like he is the cat that got the cream and is quite happy to be side-tracked by my beautiful friend. Surely it’s not going to be that easy is it? Josh smiles and pulls me into an embrace and starts to immediately suck on my neck, I step back.

“Down boy,” I whisper. It is then I notice the two men in very expensive suites across the room. Josh drags me over to his friends.

“This is Natasha,” he pronounces as he kisses the back of my hand, his eyes linger on my face with a look I have not seen before. Oh, I like drunk Josh, he’s quite charming.

“Showstopper it’s nice to meet you,” one of the men puts his hand out to shake mine. I frown and Josh and the other man burst into laughter.

“Showstopper, I’m sorry you have me at a loss,” I frown.

“We,” he gestures to him and his friend, “have renamed you showstopper.” I frown as Josh once again kisses the back of my hand without one bit of embarrassment, hhmm I definitely do like this cuddly version of my man.

“You are a showstopper because we weren’t allowed to go to any strip shows tonight because,” he puts his two fingers up to accentuate the quote. “Natasha wouldn’t like it,” he pokes me in the chest as he smiles at me. Really. This is news. My face turns red as I smile at Josh and he pulls me into an embrace and kisses my forehead. I smile a little embarrassed and unsure what to say and he’s dead on target, I would have gone postal if he went to a strip club tonight. The two men giggle and Josh leans in and grabs my face.

“I fucking adore you.” He then grabs me and starts to full on tongue kiss me in front of his two friends. Ok not so sure about the cuddly PDA now, way too far. I pull back and do wide eyes at him to signify for him to stop it. He giggles and starts to kiss my hand again, jeez he’s so touchy and over the top affectionate. The two men laugh and one slaps a fifty dollar bill into the others hand.

“I told you, I give it six months and he’ll be fucking married.” Thankfully Josh didn’t hear that, he’s too busy trying to sex me up in public, with my fingers in his mouth. Oh boy, I need to get him home or he will try go for it on the pool table. I pull him over to the door and out into the cool air and he trips down the stairs.

“How much have you drunk baby?” I giggle, he stumbles.

“Too fucking much.”

“Were going home,” he announces to the bodyguards and they in turn smile at me as if to say job well done.

“Can you give my keys to my friend please?” Big burly guy smiles and nods and disappears into the pub. Abbie takes the keys and smiles and gives me the thumbs up. She probably will get with Todd tonight. Yuk, so not going there. Josh and I stumble towards his Limo with his arm draped around my shoulder.

“ I’m going to take you home and fuck you three ways,” he slurs into my ear as he stumbles sideways, we both side step down the footpath.

“Josh sshh, keep your voice down,” I whisper as I look around to see if anyone can hear him. Jeez three ways, what the hell? My eyes widen, Oohh shit I know what he means…………surely not. Not when he’s in this state, maybe I should have gotten drunk tonight too. We get to the Limo and I open the door and signify for him to get in before me, instead he pushes me up against the car with the door open behind me. He slowly swipes his tongue through my open lips as his hands hold onto either side of my face, I feel faint as my heart rate picks up. How in the hell can this man bring me to my knees even in this inebriated state. He slowly and gently commands my arousal as he kisses me deeply, his tongue demanding me to give myself over to him, he tastes like Cointreau. His now hard throbbing length is digging into my hip, my body softening against his hardness. He pulls back and stares into my eyes.

“Do you love me?” My heart jumps and my world stops spinning on its axis. Never in a million years did I imagine he was going to ask that question.

“Yes,” I answer without hesitation, relieved that he asked and I didn’t have to spit it out on my own. He smiles the most beautiful smile I have ever seen and I fall just little bit harder. How did I get here, so in love with a man that I can’t even see straight?

“Get in the car baby, let’s go home,” I whisper. I don’t need to go anywhere in all honesty, as long as I’m with him I am already home. Even blind drunk he has me totally under his spell, in fact I am the one feeling intoxicated, drunk on his pheromones. He nods and kisses me again.

“Hhmm,” he whispers as his eyes stay closed.

“Josh……… Car,” I smile.

“Hhmm,” he repeats his eyes still closed. I slowly unwrap his arms from around me and turn him away from me to face the car.

“Watch your head.” I put my hand on the top of his head so he doesn’t hit it on the car door frame as he bends to get in. He falls into the limo and I roll my eyes as I hop in after him. To my absolute horror, Adrian is sitting in the limo. He has heard everything we have just said. He must have gotten in when we were still inside the pub. Kill me now.

“Oh hi,” I stammer.

“Hi,” he smiles. I stay silent as Josh slides across the seat and pats his lap. Oh no, I am not sitting on his lap so I can give Adrian a private sex show on the way home, Josh is totally out of control on the affection tonight. I can’t trust him to behave.

“Is it alright if I catch a ride?” Adrian asks me.

“Adrian it’s your ride, I’m the one catching a lift,” I smile.

“Thanks,” he nods. Josh pats his lap again and I shake my head.

“Josh you can drop me off at my house, its ok I will see you tomorrow,” I speak as if I am talking to a child.

“No I am staying with you,” he snaps. “Come over here. I want to cuddle you,” he slurs. I roll my eyes at Adrian who gives me a sympathetic smile.

“Precious, I mean it. Now.” He pats the seat next to him.

“Alright,” I sigh. “Bossy Boots,” I slide over next to him and to my utter amazement he does just cuddle me, he pulls my back to his chest and kisses the top of my head as he sits to the side. The bodyguard comes and gets into the car and we pull away from the curb, an awkward silence falls over us. Adrian doesn’t speak he just watches Josh, who once again is kissing the back of my hand with his eyes closed. I fake a smile and rub Josh’s leg, he puts his head back on the head rest and closes his eyes. After about ten minutes I look up at Adrian and he frowns.

“Is he always like this with you?” I shrug unsure what to say, and slightly embarrassed. What must he have seen in the past, how many girls has he had this conversation with? I push these negative thoughts out of my mind, stop it Natasha. Thankfully we arrive at my apartment shortly after and the burly bodyguard gets out and opens the door for us.

“Josh wake up,” I whisper.

“I think we had better help you get him upstairs.”

“Thanks Adrian, that would be great,” I gently pat his face and he wakes.

“We are home Josh, get out of the car.”

“Hmm,” he stumbles out of the car and wraps his arm around my shoulder. I guide him through the foyer and into the lift with the two men behind me, a horrifying though crosses my mind. Shit, is my apartment a mess, I can’t even remember. I definitely didn’t expect company tonight. We get to the front door and Adrian must be able to read my mind, he turns to the other man.

“We should be good from here, I will meet you in the car,” he nods and disappears back into the lift. I smile.

“Thanks Adrian, I really appreciate it,” he takes over holding Josh up while I find my keys in my bag and unlock my front door. I flick on the light and silently thank the lord my house isn’t as messy as I envisaged.

“Come in,” I gesture to Adrian. He nods as he leads Josh in. I grab Josh’s hand and lead him up the hallway toward my bedroom.

“Get into bed baby, I will be in in a minute.” He nods and starts stripping off in the hallway in front of us. I smile and turn back to Adrian. He raises his eyebrows as he puts his hands in his suite pockets.

“I’ve seen a very different man to the one I know tonight Tash.”

I smile. “It’s funny you say that, because tonight I have seen the first glimpse of the man I do know.” I flop onto the lounge. He sits down next to me and looks around my apartment.

“Nice place.”

I smile. “Thanks I like it, do you want the tour?”

“Sure,” he smiles as he stands.

“This is the living,” I gesture around the room, “kitchen” I wave my hand around, “bathroom” I show him the bathroom.

He frowns. “I am so organizing a bathroom renovation for you tomorrow,” he laughs. Ohh, I’m shocked. How rude, my bathroom might be brown nineteen seventies shit but how dare he insult it. Who in the hell does he think he is, Donatella fucking Versace? He must realize he’s insulted me. “I’m sorry………I just am so used to organizing things………I just assumed that I am your personal assistant too………now that your with Josh, he has the ordacity to look embarrassed.