The Boleyn Effect (The Boorman Ending) (8 page)

He nods at me, but I can
see he's nervous and that gives me the upper hand.

'When was the last time
you made love to your wife?'

He pales at my question as
he starts to look away from me. I see that the question has stumped
him. I don't think he expected me to ask that one.

'You really want the
truth?' he asks.

'Yes.'

'It was the night of the
event,' he admits.

So he had sex with her the
same night we both met. That was near on three weeks ago. I'd put
any money down that they still have sex regularly, purely because
Katherine seems intent on keeping him interested otherwise she
wouldn't be planning the pictures she is. A wife doesn't do that if
their sex life is dead.

'Then why do you screw
around? I just don't get it. She’s stunning?'

He lowers himself onto a
chair and places the roses on the desk. I maybe shouldn't play this
card too soon, but part of me, the woman part of me wants to
understand why his raven haired beauty is not enough.

'You really know how to
punch a man when he's down,' he sighs. 'I don't know the answers.
You're right, she is everything anyone could want, but we just
don't really connect anymore. It's always about work and money. We
just don't talk about the little things. I miss that spark and
that's what I chase after. The thrill of having sex with something
new and fresh.'

'Is that what I am?
Something new to have sex with?' I ask.

'No you're something else
entirely.'

I am something else
entirely? I have no idea what that even means, but the way my body
reacts to that sentence tells me that I affect him in a good way.
Looking down at him, he looks so vulnerable and boyish and it just
makes me warm everywhere. I take the flowers from the desk and kiss
him lightly on the cheek.

'That's all I
wanted.'

'So are we friends?' he
asks.

'Yes, but that's all we
can be. I'm not prepared to be just a piece of arse and I don't
like sharing,' I smirk.

Harry gets to his feet and
the confident smile tells me he's back. I make him nervous in a
good way. I can tell.

'I would never expect you
to be and I don't like sharing either.'

The glint in his eyes
makes me shiver and it causes me to look away and go towards my
diary, just for something to do. It's already there, lingering
between us. Electric and dangerous. Both challenging the other, but
not one willing to take the bait. Not yet anyway.

'What's with the white
rose in the centre?' I ask.

He looks down at the
bouquet and smiles.

'It's a little cheesy and
I doubt you'll appreciate the sentiment.'

'Try me,' I
smile.

'You know that you are not
the first, but out them all you stand out like a pure white
rose.'

I can't help it but my
heart does a double flip. Really? I ask myself. You react to that?
I think I need to have a word.

'Yeah you're right it is,
but I do,' I say.

He laughs as he starts to
move away from me as he eyes up the prints I have on my wall and I
allow myself to start breathing. He really does know how to turn on
the charm. I wonder if he was born with the ability or it's a
practiced thing.

'Are these yours?' he
asks.

'Yes, what do you
think?'

'I like them. I'm not
usually a big fan of scenes, but these are good.'

Standing beside him, I
can't help but warm at the praise. At his side we are barely
touching. His hand so close to mine that all I need is move my
fingers and there would be contact. He must feel it also, because
he's breathing has changed.

'Maybe I could sell you
one?' I manage to say.

He turns towards me and
moves into my space. I already know I'm going to have to pull every
resource I have to keep him at a distance. The sexual pull he's got
is so damn strong, no wonder they all fall at his feet, but I am
stronger than that and I must resist. That way, he'll want me more
if I decide to commit to this game. The door slamming shut makes us
jump apart and Clair's voice echoes through the room.

'Sorry I'm late. You could
have woke me when you were leaving. I've brought us some
Costas.'

She steps into the room
and raises her eyebrows at the both of us looking a little
flustered.

'A new client?' she
asks.

'Maybe,' Harry smiles. 'I
was just admiring the...work. Maybe I could call you and talk some
more about what I want? Maybe seal the deal?' he asks
me.

Of course I've caught the
double entendre in that sentence and I can't help the smirk that
forms on my lips. He knows it too as he raises his eyebrows at me
expectedly.

'Yeah, that sounds good.
I'll walk you out,' I answer.

I lead Harry out the door
catching Clair mouthing 'cute.' As we pass and it makes me giggle.
There it is again. The giggle. What's going on? When we get to the
door he looks down at me. Again a little too close, but I don't
move away.

'I meant what I said. I
want us to be friends. Let me take you out for lunch later. No
expectations, just two people enjoying the others
company.'

'I'd like that. My last
appointment is at five,' I answer.

'Good, I'll pick you
up.'

I'm still smiling as I
turn away back to the studio and Clair stands waiting for
me.

'So, who's that?' she
asks.

'Don't kick off,' I
start.

'Why would I kick
off...wait...that's not who I think it is? Jesus Leigh, don't tell
me you and George are still doing this bet?'

'No,' I lie. 'Look in the
book he and his wife are customers.'

Clair gives me a look that
tells me she doesn't know whether to believe me, but it's ok. She's
best not knowing and she'll only talk me out of it, which she
should, but I fear that I am beyond reason at the
moment.

CHAPTER
TWELVE

The car Harry drives is of
course a BMW with the cream leather seats. I shouldn't really
expect anything less. It's flashy and also indicates a man who
refuses to grow old. This, I know I can use as an advantage. A man
who refuses to grow old is a desperate man who needs to cling onto
any piece of youth and that's what I intended to be. That piece of
youth.

Maybe that there lies the
chink in Katherine's armour. She reminds him of his true age and
how old he's getting, whereas with me, he can be twenty-seven
again. During a lull in my diary that day I had rung George to tell
him of Harry's visit and of course he'd been a little pissed it had
not been orchestrated.

'So, are we to assume that
the challenge is still on?' he asked.

'I thought it was a case
study?' I answered.

'It is, but like I said if
you can do it I'll give you the deposit for your own
studio.'

'And if I
lose?'

'Then you allow me to put
a ring on your finger.'

'You would still want me
to marry you even if I don't love you?' I asked.

'Then call it an extra
incentive, because as my friend you wouldn't want me to marry
someone who didn't love me. Look Leigh all you got to do is get him
to fall in love with you.'

I'm not too sure that I
really have that power. It's a big ask. Any woman who has had an
affair with a married man knows full well that the man is happy to
have two beds kept warm. The spice and excitement given by the
mistress and the security and love given by the wife. It takes
something truly special for a mistress to tear him away from that
security. So I have to ask whether I am that special. But George is
right. I don't want to be Mrs. Gaskill. I need to win this if we
are to start playing and if Katherine is unhappy then what is the
harm.

In the car with Harry, I
realise I am going to have to play this game as though my life
depends on it. I am going to make sure he wants me so much that the
thought of not getting me is going to be painful. I will pull all
the seduction tricks in the book if I have to. He will be
mine.

'How was your day?' Harry
asks, as he drives.

'Busy,' I answer. 'I have
a few commissions that I have to follow up on and I always have the
regular family portrait stuff.'

He smiles at me and I note
that his left hand is resting on the arm rest between us. I know
full well what those hands feel like after he'd plunged his fingers
inside me. They are soft, warm and inviting. I know my hand would
fit perfectly inside them, but I keep my own clasped on my
lap.

I note that the ring
finger is empty, but there is the white line where it should be. I
feel a little annoyed at him for taking it off. For me it seems
almost cowardly and I don't wish to ruin the illusion of an
attractive man for myself.

Instead I focus on how it
would feel to hold it. It would be so easy just to rest mine on
his. So damn easy, but I'm playing this cool. At the moment we are
just friends, who are in lust with one another. But lust is not
enough. Lust doesn't always break up families.

After a short drive he
pulls into a car park and stops the car. We sit for a moment in
silence stuck in this secluded small space where in a moment I
could be in his lap with his hands all over my body. I shake the
thought from my mind. I need to be cool.

'Are you hungry?' he
asks.

Oh, how loaded is that
question, but I manage a nod without an answer and reach for the
door. We walk across the road towards one of those Italian
franchise restaurants. With his hand on my back he pushes me across
the road and then rushes to open the door for me. A gentleman as
well. I'd love to see how long this lasts.

The waiter takes us to a
quiet area and shows us to our seats. I wonder if Harry has a
routine when it comes to his mistresses and if this place is one
where he's a regular. The waiter doesn't seem to know him, but that
means nothing. The thought makes me frown and causes him to ask
what's bothering me.

'It's nothing,' I say as
the waiter took our drinks order.

'No, please tell me,' he
pushes.

'Are you sure you want me
to ask?'

'You want to know if I
take all my conquest here?' he smiles

My shrug gives him my
answer.

'Well I just
thought...maybe with other mistresses...'

His laughter catches me
off guard as I wonder what I've just said that is funny.

'Mistresses? Are we in the
18th Century? I've never had a mistress or mistresses for that
matter. I didn't realise that word existed outside soap operas.
I've had lovers, but nothing long term. Mainly one night stands. I
don't even think I've ever taken them out.'

'Oh,' I say.

This changes things. If
the others are just meaningless fucks then I am going to have to
work much harder. I've to become important enough to be his
mistress and then make the step up from there. I'm worth more than
a quick fuck. I just have to make him believe that.

'Does that bother you?' he
asks.

'Not really. We are just
friends. Just like me and George and he's gone through his fair
share. But can I ask you to do one thing?'

'Go on.'

'Could you please put your
wedding ring back on? I already know about your wife and since we
are just friends it seems pointless.'

He visibly relaxes as he
pulls out the gold band and places it back where it belongs. The
waiter arrives and we both start to order our food. The waiter
smiling at us both takes the order and leaves us alone once
more.

'Tell me about you and
George.'

I'm not prepared for
questions about me and my best friend, but I suppose in his eyes,
George is the closest male to me and could be a threat.

'He's my best friend.
We've known each other for about eight years and you already know
his family and I don't really see eye to eye.'

'Ah, the gold digger tag,'
he chuckles. 'And you and he...?'

'God no,' I laugh. 'He's
not my type.'

'And what is?'

Here we go. There's the
question. The probe to find out if he has a shot, where George
hasn't.

'I need security. A man
who can make me feel safe and secure within a relationship. I must
be the be all and end all, and like I said before I don't like to
share. George can never give me that, because he's far too insecure
in himself.'

'So not a lot to ask
then,' he smirk.

'A girl should never
compromise when it comes to love,' I answer.

'And when it comes to
sex?'

'Even more so.'

The talk continues in a
relaxed flirtatious manner. I ask about his work and he asks about
mine. It's like chess each of us making a move before the other and
all the time avoiding being taken off the board.