The One That Got Away (17 page)

I pull my hand away and the lift luckily
stops. I go to leave but he pulls me back and presses the lift
again. The doors close and once again we are stuck together. “For
goodness sake Nathan, we are at work and I have to be somewhere.”
He looks at me with a hard expression. “I don’t care, nothing is as
important to me as you and I will not stop until we are back
together.”

I feel exasperated. “But you have Melissa to
worry about now; and have a lot more than just me to deal with.” He
pushes his fingers through his hair and his face tenses up.
“Melissa won’t see me anyway. I told her that it was you I wanted
and she hasn’t spoken to me since.” I look at him angrily. “It’s
not just her though is it?” The lift stops again and I quickly move
away from him through the open doors. As I leave I say, “For
goodness sake just leave me alone. Get your priorities in order and
sort things out with her instead.”

I storm off trying to get as much distance
between us as I can. I reach my office and find that I am shaking.
April looks at me with concern and I snap at her, “You may as well
know. Nathan and I are finished and now he won’t leave me alone.”
She looks at me in shock and I sink down into my chair. I put my
head in my hands and April comes over and puts her arm around me.
“I’m so sorry Bella. Is there any likelihood that you can sort it
out?” Shaking my head I say, “No, I’m afraid not. I just wish that
he would accept it and move on. It is difficult enough without him
constantly badgering me.” She looks sympathetic. “I’ll do my best
to help you. If anyone asks is it ok to tell them?” I nod and say
gratefully, “Yes please. The sooner people know the better. I think
he is in denial and is hoping that we can resolve it. Maybe if
everyone knows it will make him come to terms with it.”

I smile weakly at her and then return to my
work, glad of the distraction. The next few days are much along the
same lines. Nathan constantly e mails and calls me. There are
endless texts and several bunches of flowers. He leaves me
handwritten cards and even sends me photographs of us together.
Wherever I seem to go in the store he appears and I am quickly
losing patience with him. Through it all I can’t tell Ben. I know
that he would make life difficult for Nathan and I don’t want him
to be moved or to lose his job entirely. I am not even safe at home
and he constantly phones me there or comes around knocking on the
door. I am glad that I am going to a trade show in Paris tomorrow
for a week. Thank goodness I will be able just to relax and do my
job without Nathan appearing or phoning me. I do feel bad for him
but he only has himself to blame after all.

I am going to Paris with a few of the other
buyers from Kinghams. We normally have a great time despite the
workload. Ben and I have managed to see each other a few times but
as work is so hectic we haven’t spent as much time together as
either of us would have liked.

As we wait at check in I see Karen’s face
fall as she looks behind me. I look around and am surprised to see
Ben heading towards us. “Oh no,” she says in a low voice. “Great,
now we can’t relax.” I giggle to myself inside, if only she knew.
He reaches us and smiles saying, “Ladies, I am sorry to inflict
this on you but I am joining you on this trip. I hope it won’t be
too painful for you.” We smile and then Karen is called forward to
check in.

Standing next to me he says quietly, “Well?”
I smile, here we go. “Well what?” “Are you pleased?” “Of course I
am.” I see his smile of satisfaction, he is such a freak. I get
called forward and soon have my boarding pass. I wait with Karen
for him and the others to check in and then we go through passport
control. We all split up to look around the shops and as I am
looking through the magazines he stands beside me. “Have you ever
been to Paris Bella?” he says still flicking through the magazines.
Not looking at him I say, “Actually no, I haven’t.”

“
Then I will
enjoy showing you around.” I move along and pick up another
magazine, still not looking at him. “I may not have the time. I am
on a business trip and my boss is a slave driver.” He moves along
and also picks up a different magazine. He flicks through it
casually and says, “Oh you will have the time, don’t worry about
that.” I put the magazine down and walk around to the other side.
He follows closely behind, still not looking at me. “I may not want
to.” I say, wishing that I could see his expression. “You will want
to Bella that I can promise you.” He moves away and I carry on
standing reading the same magazine. When I can be sure he has gone
I take the magazine to the till laughing to myself. I enjoy playing
him at his own game and think with excitement of the coming
week.

Once we are on the plane I see that he is
sitting next to Tony, the buyer for Menswear. I am sitting next to
Karen. She is such good company and keeps me in stitches. I also
have a good laugh at her obvious distress that Ben is also on the
trip. She pulls a face and says, “God, what bad luck that he has
come with us. I won’t relax now and even though he is drop dead
gorgeous he really puts me on edge.” I grin. “I know what you mean.
I wouldn’t worry though I am sure that he will be busy and leave us
to our own devices.” She raises her eyes. “I hope so, I have been
looking forward to this trip for ages. It’s a great excuse to have
some- me time- away from the kids.” I smile and nod in agreement, I
am also looking for the respite from Nathan‘s constant
pestering.

Luckily the flight is a short one and once we
have cleared customs we find ourselves in a couple of taxis on the
way to the hotel. Ben goes in the other one so I don’t have to keep
up the pretence which I am pleased about. This week is going to be
exhausting enough as it is without the added complication of a
secret boyfriend.

The hotel is lovely and we check in and soon
have our room keys. The idea is to dump our things and then go to
the town to look around some of the major stores for ideas and
inspirations. The show starts tomorrow so we are due to meet up
afterwards for a meal.

We get into the lift and one by one everyone
gets out at their relevant floors. Ben and I get out at the 3rd
floor and I raise my eyes at him. “So, our rooms are on the same
floor, what a coincidence.” He smiles wickedly at me. “Oh much
better than that Bella.” I see him look at me like the complete
predator that he is and hide my smile. Our rooms are side by side
and he opens his door. Before I can follow suit he pulls me into
his room after him. Grabbing hold of me he pushes me against the
wall and holds me there looking intently at me, his eyes inches
from my face. I stare at him and as usual completely buckle under
his gaze.

My feelings of longing are so great and he
obviously knows it judging by the expression on his face. He smiles
seductively at me and whispers, “Our rooms have a connecting door
so we can meet up without worrying about who may see us. Do you
like that idea?” I nod, excitement blazing in my eyes. He steps
away and releases me. “Then you had better get unpacked, you can
unlock the door from your side and I will do the same here. I feel
disappointment flood through me. I want him so much; the thought of
waiting is intolerable. He looks at me sensing my frustration and
smiles seductively at me. He holds my gaze again and his eyes draw
me in once again. Slowly he says, “I am going to look forward to
this week with you Bella.” He draws closer to me until he is inches
away from my face and traces his fingers down the side of it. “They
say that Paris is for lovers. Do you agree?” I swallow, the desire
very evident in my eyes. I can see that he knows the affect he is
having on me as his eyes darken and he looks at me a triumphant
expression on his face. I can’t speak and just nod and then
abruptly he moves away.

“
Come on we
have to go, the others will be waiting.” I race out of the door as
though I have been released from his spell. Once I am inside my
room my eyes are drawn to the connecting door. Suddenly I feel a
thrill run through me. He always has to have control; he knows that
I am powerless to resist him. The devil grabs hold of my mind and I
think why make it so easy for him? Two can play at this game and
for starters I have no intention of making it easy for him. For now
the door can remain locked. Let’s see what he thinks about that. I
giggle to myself and quickly get ready to meet the others. He is
already waiting with the rest when I get downstairs. Karen pulls me
aside and says, “Let’s try to escape from the others and have some
fun on our own.” I nod, this could be fun. I laugh inside. Ben
thinks that he holds all the cards; well let’s just see shall
we?

Chapter
23

We all hit the pavement and head for the
nearest Department store. It is quite cold and I shiver, grateful
that I brought my padded coat with me. However the cold is soon
forgotten when we come to the store. It is fantastic and we all
split up to find the departments that interest us most. Karen is in
heaven looking at the French fashions and I am equally excited to
see the home wares. I wander around on my own taking it all in. I
don’t see Ben which is a good thing as I don’t want any
distractions as I absorb everything around me. After an hour or so
I come across Karen and she says, “Great Bella, lets take our
chance now and move on to the next store. We can tell Sue on our
way out. The others can catch us up later.” We see Sue in the
perfumery and let her know what we are doing and head off to the
next store.

We enjoy chatting about the last store and
swap ideas. Then the conversation turns to more personal matters
and Karen says, “I was sorry to hear about you and Nathan. I like
him and you made a lovely couple.” I smile at her warmly. “Thanks.
It’s fine though, hopefully we can still be friends.” She hesitates
and then decides to spit out whatever it is that is bothering her.
“You can tell me to mind my own business if you like but is it true
that he ran off with Ben’s girlfriend?” I am startled and say
quickly, “Who told you that?” Blushing and looking embarrassed she
says, “Its general news around the store. I am not sure how it
started but if it is true then Nathan is playing a dangerous game.
I mean he could lose his job over this.”

I think about what I should say. I don’t want
to add to the gossip and certainly don’t want anyone finding out
the true picture just yet. With a sigh I say, “Ben and Melissa
finished before Christmas as I understand it. Nathan and I on New
Years Eve. If he is seeing her now then good luck to them both. It
wasn’t right between us but I wish him well and want him to be
happy. If he is seeing Melissa then that is between him and Ben. It
would be crazy to think that he would lose his job over it though.”
She nods and then we reach the store and split up again.

After a few hours we have moved around the
city and visited all of the stores on our list. The idea was to all
meet up in the last store in the coffee shop and then move on to a
restaurant for dinner. We meet up and over coffee discuss all that
we have found. Ben isn’t here yet and Karen and I sit chatting
happily in the corner. After about half an hour Ben arrives with
Tony and after they have finished their coffee we all leave for the
restaurant.

I have decided to keep my distance from Ben.
Mainly to avoid the gossip but also as part of my plan to play him
at his own game. On purpose I avoid looking at him. If I feel his
eyes on me I make sure that I look somewhere else and totally blank
him. At the restaurant I see where he goes to sit and grab Karen to
sit with me at the other end of the table, on the same side as him
so that he can’t even see me. I laugh inwardly, pleased with
myself. We all have a lovely meal and walk back to the hotel. Once
again I keep away and walk with Karen, deep in conversation. I can
tell that it has bothered him. I can feel his gaze burning through
me, but I don’t react. If I look at him I know that I will be lost.
The only way that I can win this battle is to avoid him at all
costs.

We reach the hotel and Tony suggests that we
all have a drink at the bar. Once again I keep my distance and chat
to everybody but him. Every time he comes near me I move away.
After about an hour I see him at the bar ordering another drink. I
quickly excuse myself telling Karen that I am off to bed and sprint
out before he turns around. I race for the lift and congratulate
myself on a clean getaway. Once I am safely in my room I relax for
the first time. Round one to me. I run a deep bath and relax
letting the water warm me up and I feel my muscles relax and
unwind.

I change into my nightie, enjoying the feel
of the satin on my tingling body. After I clean my teeth I jump
into bed and giggle thinking of how annoyed Ben must be feeling
right now. As much as I want him I am enjoying playing this game
and feel like I have beaten him.

I see my
phone light up with a text from Ben. It just says
- unlock the door
. A thrill runs through me and I ignore it. A minute later
it lights up again -
Now
! Again I ignore it, but the
excitement is almost too much and all I really want to do is unlock
it and make mad passionate love to him all night. Then it lights up
again.

If you don’t then I will set the fire alarm off and you
will have to come out
.

I grin knowing that it is not an empty
threat. I go to the door and unlock it. I open it and there he is,
standing with a towel wrapped around his waist, the water from the
shower still glistening on his body. Holding his gaze I say
defiantly, “Do you want something Ben?” His eyes darken as he looks
at me. “You know I do.” he says softly. I look up at him and smile
seductively. “Well maybe it can wait until tomorrow. It’s just that
I am exhausted and really need to go to bed now.”