TouchStone for giving (The Story of Us Trilogy) (34 page)

fine one to talk.” His words nail me to the spot.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sensing my indignation, he eases off on his insinuation. “Nothing. All I’m saying is that you and

Ayd are an item and I know, from past experience, that he can be quite
demanding,
if you get my

drift?” He winks at me and I’m so incensed that I’m actually considering slapping him.

“This conversation is over Jake. Move out of the way.” I push against his chest. He doesn’t budge.

“What do you think he sees in you?” he asks, making me feel very self-conscious all of a sudden.

“I really couldn’t say.” I won’t stand for his badgering a moment longer. “Get out of my way Jake.”

He throws back the remnants of his drink and looks down at me. “You have no fucking idea, do

you?”

He’s right, I don’t. With a ferocious stare I face him off. “Maybe you should tell me Jake. You

seem to know Ayden better than anyone. What do you think he sees in me?”

He nods his head from left to right and gazes up to the heaven, seeming to question the rights and

wrongs of what he’s about to say. He finds my eyes. “He sees a ghost Beth.”

His answer shocks me. I have no smart riposte and can’t even muster an indignant look. Having

dropped his bombshell, he moves to one side and allows me to pass.

Not bothering to acknowledge a soul, I head for Charlie’s en-suite bathroom. At least I’ll be able to

have a private moment to myself, away from lecherous eyes and wrathful friends of my future

husband.

I turn and catch sight of myself in the full length mirror. Who is this person? The outfit, the hair,

the make-up … This may be fancy dress but it’s too fancy for me. It’s only 10.00pm and I’m ready to

leave. I’ve done what I intended to do: worn the outfit, wished Charlie happy birthday and now my

presence is no longer required. Besides, I don’t think I can endure the tedium of being hit on again by

another super hero.

Can I go now?

I take my phone out of my bag and press Speed-dial 1. After the third ring, Ayden picks up.

“Hi Ayden, what are you up to?”

“I’m working Beth. Is everything alright?” He seems a little put out.

“Yes, everything’s fine. I’m tired and don’t want to be here. Can you come and get me?”

“Has something happened?”

He picks up on the sadness in my voice. “No. I would rather be where you are, that’s all.”

“I understand.” The softness returns. “I’ll get the address off Lester and be there in 20 minutes, and

Beth ..?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t leave the building. I’ll come up and collect you from Charlie’s apartment.”

“Thank you.” I sigh with relief.

“Anything else you want to tell me?”

“No. Oh, yes. Jake’s here dressed as Maverick.”

A chuckle leaves his lips. “He likes to play the high flier.”

“Well, he’s flying …” Already he has me smiling.

“Go tell him from me he’s meeting me for a session at 7.00am. He’ll crash and burn when he knows

that.”

“I wouldn’t dare. He’s on a natural high, surrounded by adoring females. There’s no stopping him

now.”

There’s soft laughter at the other end of the line. “Then I’ll whip his arse in the morning.”

“Now that I’d pay to see.” After his antics tonight he’s due a whipping.

“I’ll finish up here and come get you.”

“Okay. Bye.”

Feeling uplifted by the prospect of making an early departure, I fix my make-up and do what I can

with my outfit. Ayden will burst a blood vessel when he sees me looking like this; I’m even wearing

shorts! I wash my hands and dry them off but, before I can gather my things, I hear someone entering

the bedroom. It’s Jake.

I take a step backward and hide behind the door, maybe he doesn’t know I’m here? I listen closely.

He’s not alone. Through the crack in the door I catch sight of a red cape. It’s Charlie, she’s come in

here with him for some private time. Shit!

My breathing quickens. How am I going to get out of here with him and Charlie doing the

horizontal tango a couple of feet away? Ayden will arrive in less than twenty minutes and I’m here,

hiding in the en-suite bathroom.

Jake’s clearing the coats off the bed and holding onto a scarf; he’s tying it around Charlie’s eyes

like a blindfold. I can’t stop watching, I’m riveted to the spot. I imagine myself in that position with

Ayden and it’s that recollection that had my inside tingling with sexual fervour.

I hear him giving instructions. His voice is no more than a whisper but I’m close enough to catch it.

“
Now lie back. Good. Fold your arms and hold onto the pillow and don’t let go. Good. Are you

ready?”

“Yes.”

My God, I’ve never seen Charlie so passive. He’s bewitched her. I know how that feels, Ayden has

me
spellbound with a glance.

Sensing my time has come, gingerly I open the door and tiptoe towards the exit like a toddler

hiding behind their hands: I’m invisible I tell myself. Surely Jake is too absorbed in this amorous

activity to notice me?

I’m wrong. As I pass the bed, he reaches out and grabs my wrist and tugs me towards him. I can see

the two of them on the bed; Charlie is flat on her back, blindfolded, arms bent, hands gripping the

pillow and Jake is fully dressed, straddling her. I try to free my hand. He tightens his grip. Says

nothing.

With his other hand, he begins to undress Wonder Woman, undoing one button at a time on her top,

still keeping his eyes locked on mine. I don’t even try to pull away, it’s impossible. He has me exactly

where he wants me and I’m beginning to feel so aroused that my cheeks are burning and radiating

heat. He’s played this game before, he can read the signs.

My eyes flicker to Charlie, her breasts are heaving, my breasts are heaving. I look back at him and

mime.
“Let me go.”

He shakes his head from left to right.

“Please.”

He pulls me closer, low enough to whisper in my ear. I catch his virile scent; it’s the same as

Ayden’s. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, swept away. I feel his breath on my face, steaming hot

and hear his words. “Does this look familiar?”

What!

I am frozen to the spot. I shake my head.

“Are you sure?” he asks, caressing my ear with his lips as he speaks.

I nod, yes.

“It will,” he states, releasing his hold on my wrist but leaving his right arm outstretched like a

spear. A waste of energy, he needs no weapon; his words are lethal and he drew first blood with that

single declaration.
“It will.”

He’s right. It does!

I hear my phone vibrating in my bag and shuffle through the contents to switch it off. I close the

door quietly behind me, releasing the stale air from my lungs. What I see causes me to gasp. Ayden is

talking to an attractive brunette who looks as pure as the driven snow in a Princess Leia outfit; she

even has the funny hairstyle. He’s appeared like my knight in shining armour. I’m not fooled by those

dark jeans and navy sweater; beneath that soft fabric is chainmail.

He senses my presence and turns fully in my direction, folding his arms and tipping his head. I

approach him, unfurl his arms and melt into his firm embrace, feeling his soft lips on my hair.

“Hey, there you are. I was about to call Interpol. Are you okay?”

I nod into his chest. “Take me home.” I reach for his hand.

As we prepare to leave, Ayden stops in his tracks. Something or someone has caught his attention

behind me. I turn to see. Coming out of Charlie’s bedroom, the room I just exited, is Jake. He’s

tucking his shirt into his trousers and sliding his hand over his hair.

Shit!
This looks bad …

When I look back at Ayden his eyes are alerted to the slightest movement; he’s watching Jake make

his way across the room, putting two and two together and coming up with five.

I give his hand a tug but he releases it and calls Jake over. My heart is in my mouth. “Jake!” The ‘k’

sound leaves his mouth like the jagged edge of a knife. “Like the outfit.”

Jake approaches us. “Yeah. Iconic. A real crowd pleaser.” Jake smiles, seeming very sure of

himself and Ayden plays along.

Me: I’m quietly hyperventilating.

“I wouldn’t know,” is Ayden’s cryptic reply.

The air is stagnating around us, the way it does when a storm is brewing and dark clouds are

forming. I have to intervene before the lightening starts and a crash of thunder breaks the silence.

“Ayden, can we go?”

He turns from me and faces the crowd; people are dancing, drinking, chatting. “Hold on. Maybe we

should stop and have a drink with the birthday girl. It’s only good manners, after all.”

Manners!

“I don’t think she’ll mind if we leave …”

Ayden’s hand finds mine and he leads me over to the dance floor. “Come on. Let’s dance.”

Dance?

“You don’t dance.”

“I do now.”

Thankfully the music has a slow tempo and he pulls me close; I’m grateful for that. At least my

skimpy outfit will not be the topic of conversation for a few minutes longer. How quickly those

minutes pass …

With Jake out of range, he focuses on me, seeming to notice my black wig and make-up for the first

time.

“That’s a new look for you,” he comments, arching a brow.

“Do you like it?”

“No.” A flat smile creases his lips.

“Oh. Well, it’s supposed to be fancy dress. It’s only for tonight. What about the outfit?”

He places his hands on my shoulders and takes a dramatic step back. I feel like I’m being appraised,

being inspected for flaws. He pulls me close. “I had no idea you were intending to wear that. If I had, I

would have employed a bodyguard for you.”

There’s a compliment in there somewhere. A giggle leaves my mouth and I watch him smirk in

response. “I don’t need a bodyguard …”

“No?”

He gives me a stare of such intensity, my heart flutters.

“I beg to differ, Miss Parker.”

I stop moving. “Can we go home now?”

“Sure, why not? There’s nothing for you here.” Why do I think his words are loaded with meaning?

We leave the dance area hand in hand and almost make it to the hallway, so near yet so far from the

safe haven of the lift. He’s at my rear one minute and then he’s not.

“Wait here, I won’t be a minute.” He bounds away, a man on a mission, resting his hand on Jake’s

shoulder as he stands by the laptop station over by the far wall. Jake has his memory stick in his hand.

What’s he doing?

Fuck! I know what’s coming next.

The sound of Beyoncé accompanied by cheering and clapping announces the advent of my worst

nightmare. On the enormous white screen Charlie and myself are dancing; the
Naughty Girl
routine

was videoed and now it’s up there for all to see.

Ayden follows the countless eyes watching it. Looks once. Looks twice, disbelieving his eyes. His

stare widens and remains fixed on the screen, he even turns his body around to view the outrageously

suggestive performance. I swear his lips are parted and he’s holding his breath.

I do no more than stuff my bag under my arm and cover my face with my hands. No!

All around me, women are cheering and guys are whistling, and Jake is clapping along, revelling in

my embarrassment. Ayden is less animated.

I prepare to make my escape and head down the hallway towards the front door. I want to run and

hide. Before the song ends, I hear Ayden’s approach. I don’t bother to turn around; the sound of his

breathing is enough to verify his identity. I open the door onto the corridor and press the descend

button afraid to raise my eyes, fearing what I’ll see. He’s so enraged, he can’t even speak.

Outside, the night air is icy; it grazes my cheeks and legs like a woollen sweater. We sit in the car

cloaked in silence. Ayden …”

“Don’t! Don’t move and don’t speak because if you do, I’ll lose it and wrap this very expensive,

irreplaceable car around a fucking tree.”

I leave him to drive in silence, listening only to the formal voice of the Sat Nav taking us home.

14

The
garage door opens wide like a gaping mouth, dark and menacing; its lip curling up over shiny

aluminium teeth to reveal a single gap, wide enough for a high-spirited Boxster.

Once inside, the light sensor triggers a shower of flickering lights above our heads and the door

lowers itself once more into a tight lipped position, sealing us in, keeping the world out.

Like a shiny eel, I slither out of the bucket seat, silently making my way over to the exit; Ayden is

at my rear, close enough to catch scent of but not close enough to feel and, my God, do I want to feel.

We step into the lift side by side and my heart flutters when I see his finger push B. In my tight

outfit, my chest is heaving, my nipples puckering against the unforgiving rubber. Can he hear me

breathing?

Unlike me, he’s in total control of his emotions, betrayed only by the impressive erection which has