Freeing Alex (24 page)

I make my way upstairs and to my room. I use the bathroom
and then sit on the edge of my bed doing my bedtime hand cream routine.

James appears and sits beside me. “You are okay?” he asks,
as he puts his arm around my waist.

“I’m fine – I think I’ll miss Anna when she goes with Katie
tomorrow, and then they’re going off on holiday for a couple of weeks,” I
mutter, vocalising my thoughts.

“Are they? I didn’t know.” He sounds surprised.

“No, we only arranged it today. They’re going to the house
in California.” I tell him what we’ve arranged.

“They’ll love it. Maggie used to talk about it, although the
last time she mentioned it was a couple of years ago,” he tells me.

“Umm, I think they will, as long as they’re sensible.
They’ll be seeing the place before me, how about that?” I laugh.

“Well, maybe we can go once Anna’s at university and
settled. Yes?” he suggests, with that broad sexy smile.

“I think that sounds like an amazing idea. I can’t wait to
see you in your tiny Speedos on the beach. Look out, here comes the Bossman,” I
say in a comical deep voice.

He laughs and pushes me back onto the bed, looming over me,
his unruly curls misbehaving, falling forward on his beautiful face. “Come
here, blossom.” He smiles. “And for information, I don’t wear Speedos, I wear
board shorts – or nothing!”

“Ooh… I like the sound of nothing,” I purr.

I have no desire to fight him off, I’m too done in, he can
take me whichever way he wants. I raise my arms and loop my hands around his
neck, pulling him towards me, our foreheads touch.

“I missed having you around today,” he whispers.

“Did you?”

“Yeah, I did. Stuck at my desk, working for that
slave-driver of a boss I have, I just kept thinking of how many ways I can fuck
her,” he growls.

“Did you? So what did you decide upon?”

“This.” He grabs my waist and flicks me onto my stomach. He
straddles my legs with his own and I am aware that he’s stretching up. As I
glance around I see him stripped, those washboard abs displayed in all of their
glory. “Don’t look at me, turn around.” His voice is raspy.

I bury my head in the duvet and he works my back with his
fingers, so light yet firm across my shoulders and down my back. Oh, that touch
is exquisite and I feel my arousal growing. He leans forward and whispers at my
neck, “Do you like that, Alex, do you?”

“Yes,” I say softly.

He works his way down my body, leaning into me, his fingers
working their magic across my hips, over my bum and down my thighs. He caresses
the back of my knees, a sensitive zone, and I gasp. His trail then works up the
inside of my thighs. “Move your legs apart.” His fingers continue on their
journey to my most sensitive parts, I’m wet, sopping and waiting for him, but
he pulls away and stands. I wait a few moments. His touch doesn’t return to me,
I roll over and he’s just standing there, staring at my body. “What?”

“I’m just looking,” he says, “nothing to worry about!”

I smile. “Tease,” I grump at him as I roll onto my back.

He reaches for the buttons on his jeans and pulls them down
over his hips. He’s commando again, and as he stands upright his cock points
directly at me.

“It’s coming to get me!” I squeak, comically.

“Oh yes!” He smiles. “Turn over, onto your stomach.” The
demand is issued, and of course, I comply.

He leans forward towards me and reaches around my stomach.
He pulls my middle up so that I am on my hands and knees. “Oh,” I gasp.

“You liked it like this,” he reminds me.

“Umm,” I mutter.

He kisses my back softly. “What’s that mean?”

“It means yes!” I gasp.

“Was it something… something you hadn’t done before?” he
questions, sounding a little surprised.

“It was – you know I’m, well I’m… I still have no idea how
we managed to make Anna!”

He grasps my waist with both hands and gently works his way
down towards my hips. He pulls me close and I feel his erection pressing
against my backside. “Ready?” he asks. “Hard and fast!”

“Umm…” I don’t know what to think. Before we had Anna,
Lewis’s and my sex life was very
missionary
, never venturing to anything
more adventurous, and after Anna was born, well, it stopped!

I feel the hard nub end of his length press against my
entrance, he follows with a deep thrust. I’ve not braced myself and my whole
body is pushed forward. “Hold on!” he says as he pulls out and thrusts forward
again. He feels so deep within me, I feel his balls slapping against me and he
moves his fingers to rub against my tender clitoris. He continues to pound into
me. I feel myself building towards release, crying out loud.

“Wait for me!” he demands. I moan in reply as he continues
to drive into me. My hair falls forward in a tumbling mess as I am rocked
forward over and over again.

“Ready, Alex?” His voice is husky.

I whimper in response.

“I’m coming, baby.”

We release together. I feel him thrust hard into me and
judder, I cry out. He holds onto me, resting his head against my back, we’re
still as one as we both pant and gasp.

He pulls out of me and I move to lie on my side. He moves
next to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulls me close. Neither of us
utters a word.

We must lie for some time, just wrapped together. “I’m
thirsty,” I say, my voice hoarse. “Do you want a drink?”

“Yeah.” He moves to lie on his back, his naked body on
display, continuing to tease me. He reaches for the remote and flicks on the
TV, one arm behind his head, pulling the duvet up and wrapping it around the
lower half of his body.

Standing, I pull on my robe as I head to the kitchen in
search of orange juice.

I pad downstairs and as I reach the hall I hear a key
tapping against the lock of the door. Looking through the spy hole, I see Anna
and Katie and open the door. They stand there giggling, not drunk, maybe a
little tipsy. “Evening, girls, was it a good one?” I ask.

“Umm, it was good for you, Mum?” Anna bursts out laughing.

I frown at her. “Anna!” I hiss. “I’m just getting some
orange juice, and less of the cheek.”

The girls both laugh as they remove their heels and wander
through to the kitchen, their differences from earlier well and truly behind
them.

I leave them in the kitchen with a reminder that they have a
train to catch tomorrow.

I wake before James and look towards
the slightly open drapes; it’s still dusk. I glance at the clock, it’s 4.30
a.m. I lie for a little while, looking at him sleeping next to me. He’s on his
side, facing me. His unruly hair is messed up big time, his day-old stubble
looking sexy. Lewis would never go anywhere without shaving, but I’ve always
found a well-groomed beard quite sexy. I watch him gently breathing, he looks
so relaxed, his dark eyelashes fanning across his cheeks.

I ask myself again
,
as I have done several times:
Why
me?
Why did you find me?
Questions that I suppose will probably
never be answered.

I doze, drifting in and out of sleep, and when I look at the
clock again it’s still only 5.15. I don’t feel as if I can go back to sleep
now, so I quietly get out of bed, use my bathroom and go downstairs and make
myself a cup of tea. It’s a beautiful morning and I take my drink onto the
patio. Pulling out a chair, I sit, thinking about what I have to do today – meet
the potential drivers and housekeepers, see that the girls get to the train
station on time… I’m also hoping for a little time for me once the girls have
gone and James has left for the day. I think I’d like to spend just a couple of
hours at home before I need to go to Reid’s to meet the driving candidates,
then I need to come home and meet the housekeeping ladies. Tonight, I want to
go out dancing. I haven’t danced properly in years!

Time presses on quickly and it isn’t long before I’m aware
that someone is watching me through the window. I glance up and see the
Bossman. I go back into the kitchen. He’s standing there in jeans and white
t-shirt, he’s barefoot, I wish he wouldn’t do that – stubble
and
barefoot, ooh!

“Tea?” I ask.

“Coffee, please.” He rubs his hand through his curls and as
I stand at the kitchen unit he comes up behind me, pulling me into a hug
against his stomach. He squeezes me tight. “God, you feel so good,” he says as
he kisses my neck.

“Umm, so do you. This is so nice,” I whisper.

“Really?” He sounds surprised. “All I’ve done is cuddled
you.”

I turn in his arms, looking up at him. “But nobody’s ever
done this to me before, ever. Only you, James.”

He holds me closer and nuzzles my neck, soft little kisses.

“We’d better put that right then, hadn’t we?” He looks
directly into my eyes, those dark eyes that draw me in and don’t let go. “Why,
Alex? Why did he not adore you, worship you? Why?”

I shrug. “Perhaps I wasn’t worthy? Maybe a mistake? Maybe he
just… I don’t know.”

 I still feel a little insecure. My heart’s telling me that
this is good, that I am worthy of James, but my head… well, I just keep hearing
that I’m useless and this won’t last. I smile weakly at him, I think he knows
how I feel.

“But you’re beautiful, not just on the outside but inside
too.” He presses feather-light kisses across my cheek and down my neck.

“No more talk of Lewis, please. I can’t wait for my divorce
to finalise and then I can put that part of my life behind me, only I think
it’s going to take a little longer now that he’s laid up.” My heart feels
heavy, I want this to be over – over for good.

I see James swallow. I know that he knows how and why Lewis
is in hospital. I don’t know what he did and who this Benito is, but deep down
I know that he’s the reason behind the broken legs, it’s just too coincidental.
Inwardly I sigh, keeping my thoughts to myself, I know the bastard deserves
everything he gets but two broken legs, would I have wished that on him. I
would certainly like to see him punished, hurt but I don’t know that I’m that
malicious, that sadistic. Anyway, what’s done it done now.

I pull away. “What time are you going in this morning?” I
ask as I finish making our tea and coffee.

He takes a drink of his coffee, looking so casual, leaning
against the counter. “I’d like to be there for just after nine if I can,
straight after taking the girls to the station. A quick handover with Robbie
and then we’ve a staff meeting this afternoon, do you want to come along?”

“Could do, I’d like to see everyone together. Depends on the
time – don’t forget I’m meeting potential drivers today at the hotel and then I
need to be back here for the housekeeper.”

“No, I hadn’t forgotten. What time are they coming in?” he
asks.

“First one’s at eleven, last one’s at one at the hotel. I
need to be back here for three. What time’s the staff meeting?” I explain my
schedule for today.

He pours himself another coffee. “It’s not until after lunch
– I changed the time because of taking Anna and Katie to the station first
thing.”

“I can join you before I have to come home then. Okay?” I
suggest.

“That’s great. It’d be good for you to see some faces and
for them to meet you,” he agrees.

I start to make some breakfast for us both. “Cereal?” I ask
as he stands there, leaning against my kitchen island, barefoot. I glance at
the sexy feet, they really do it for me, I have no idea why. I really must be
odd, most people hate feet, don’t they? Lifting my gaze to him, he shrugs his shoulders.

“What?”

“Your feet,” I say very quietly.

He looks concerned. Looking at his feet, he wriggles his
toes. “What’s wrong with my feet?” 

“Nothing, they’re very, very sexy!” My voice is husky. I
cough, I don’t think I’ve ever made a sound like that before.

He just looks at me intently.

“Sorry. Feet not your thing?” I ask.

“No, just didn’t expect you to be turned on by feet!” He
smiles as his dark eyes bore into me.

“I’m not!” I say defensively.

He flashes that grin at me again. “Then why are you
blushing?” 

Shite.
“Am I?” I throw my hand to my neck in an
effort to cover the flush that I know will grow from my lower neck and
eventually travel upwards.

“It’s a dead giveaway, Alex, I
always
know when
you’re aroused, or embarrassed!” He laughs.

I turn my back on him, reaching for the cupboard where I
keep my cereal.

“Weetabix?” I ask him.

“Do you have strawberries in?” What is it with him and
strawberries?

“Yes, there’s a couple of punnets in the fridge. I made sure
we got more, just for you!”

I put two Weetabix in each of two bowls and pour milk onto
them both. He takes a handful of the berries and washes them under running
water before hulling all but two. He divides most of them between the two bowls
before telling me to sit down, which I do.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers, and I do. I feel something
brush my lips. It’s not James, it doesn’t feel like his lips. Of course, I know
that it’s one of the largest strawberries he saved. “Open,” he says. I feel the
fruit resting on my bottom lip. “Bite.” It’s so juicy – really, really juicy,
the sweetness running down my chin. He places his fingers under my chin and
lifts my face, I assume towards him. “Keep your eyes closed,” he sighs. Now I
feel his lips kissing the juice from my chin, from my lips. The way his mouth
brushes mine so gently, he pulls back and runs what I think is his thumb across
the corner of my mouth, wiping away any stray strawberry juice. I will never
tire of the attention he pays me.

“There, all clean,” he states. “You can open your eyes now.”

“You’re a big tease, James Aconi!” I smile at him, giggling.

 He laughs at me, throwing his head back, the corners of his
eyes screwing up as he laughs at me. I really, really like My James, the
Bossman.

“You know what I want to do?” I ask him seriously.

His mouth turns up slightly, one side. “No, what? Tell me!”

“I want to go dancing, clubbing. Will you take me, tonight.
Please?” I plead.

He looks at me, cocking an eyebrow. “Clubbing! Tonight?” 

“Yes, I feel like being impulsive!” God, I’ve never been
impulsive in my whole life, where’s this coming from?

“Robbie isn’t in until late, I suppose I could ask someone
to cover for an hour or two,” he says.

“That would be good, why don’t you?” I would love to have
James to myself, just for a few hours this evening. There’s no reason why
someone else can’t take the helm at the hotel, it’s not like they’re not
capable.

“Okay, I will do. Where are we going?” he asks as he pulls
me closer, so close that I can feel his hard length pressing against me.

“I don’t know, in fact, I haven’t got a clue. I don’t know
what to wear or where to go, but I fancy dancing. I haven’t danced in, it’s got
to be what… over twenty-two years! Apart from the odd wedding that I got
dragged along to, Lewis’s cousin I think was the last one, and wedding dancing,
well, it’s not the same as going out dancing, is it? All a bit too
restrained.
I feel the need to just let myself go.” And I do, I have the strangest urge
to just become totally irresponsible, which is not in my character ,but hell,
after years of being a
good little wife
or, in my case, one that is not
very good, I just want to let it all out.

We finish our breakfast. Time presses on at a clip and
before I have a chance to breathe, we’re both showered and dressed, all four of
us have had breakfast and Anna and Katie are ready to head to the station.

I stand by the front door with my daughter and her friend. I
pull Anna into such a big hug. “Look after yourself and ring me as soon as you
get those results, okay? I’ll be thinking of you, both of you.”

I place my hand on Katie’s cheek. “I hope you both get what
you’re hoping for, I’m just so sorry I can’t be there with you. Please, make
sure you call. What time are you going to school?”

“We can go down any time after eight thirty,”  Katie says.

“And what time are you going?” I ask with my firm motherly
look about my face.

“Eight thirty!” they answer in unison. James stands behind
me, laughing at their choral answer. They may be eighteen but at times they
behave as though they were both still in primary school.

“We have to be there early, Mum, to get the results so that
we can ring early to accept our places at uni. Someone last year missed out
because they messed around,” Anna tells me.

“Umm, I heard that too. Now, I’ve transferred enough cash
into your account for you and Katie to book yourselves a flight to wherever you
choose to go. Let me know when and where you’re going and I can let people in
Italy or in California know, they can get some groceries in, I think they can
do that anyway. And please be careful, don’t do anything stupid?” I issue my
Mumsy warning.

“We won’t, Mum, I’ll be back next week to pack for our
holiday.” Anna gives me that
do you think I’m stupid
look that all teenagers
seem to possess.

“Are you going to pop in and see your dad?” I have to ask
because it seems like the polite thing to do, although really and truly I don’t
care, he can rot in hell.

“No,” she answers flatly, “never again.” Her face says it
all, she will never have any dealings with her father, ever again.

There’s silence at that point, the atmosphere could be
sliced through. “Come on then, girls.” James breaks the awkward moment.
“Roger’s here with the car.”

“Oh wow!” Katie jumps up and flaps her hands around. “My
granddad used to have a Mercedes, but a really old one and a dreadful colour, a
sort of sick colour and not as big as this.”

“Urgh!” I say, wincing. “I’m sure Mercedes didn’t call the
colour
sick.
”

They laugh and with one last hug they walk out of the house
and down the steps, James behind, carrying their holdalls.

I follow them down the steps and can’t help feeling that
this time I’m saying
goodbye
to the one good thing in my life, until I
met James, of course, although I don’t believe that James is anything more than
a fling. My daughter’s going, off to her friend’s and then on holiday and then
to university. I know we’ll always be close but is this the start of her going
away for good, forever?

I walk them to the car and see them in, saying “hello” and
“thank you” to Roger and giving one last hug, then they’re away. I slowly walk
back into my home, push the door to with my back and crumble. I slide down the
door, my back up against it and my knees pulled to my chest. I never expected
it to feel like this, she’s gone and although I know she’ll be back, and back
soon, it will be for fleeting visits. From now on until she finishes university
I’ll have her at home for a few weeks at time, and that’s it, gone! I love her
so much.

I sit with my back against the door, sobbing. Eventually I
haul myself up and check my puffy, red face in the mirror. The mascara I put on
only an hour ago is running down my face, it’ll have to be done again. I tidy
the kitchen first, then go upstairs and wash my face, reapply my makeup and set
off for Reid’s. I really don’t feel like driving today, although James has left
the Audi here. I feel sad and don’t want to make myself feel any worse by
getting wound up by the stupid London traffic, so I choose to walk a little way
until I find a cab for the rest of the journey.