Whetted Appetites (18 page)

     Dalton squeezed her knee.  “Let’s just eat first and then we can figure out what to do next.”

     They ate in silence.

     As Dalton was drying the last plate, he was hit with a sudden thought. 

     “Victoria?  What does your mom do for a living?  She’s not just your dad’s arm candy, is she?”

     Victoria frowned.  “Well, she hosts charitable events, helps dad schedule plans for parties and flights to other states when the need calls for it.  Why?”

     Dalton grabbed her hands and led her to the couch.  “It sounds to me like, even with all that money, she’s bored and lonely.   She’s kind of lost her identity and has become Mr. Bradley’s wife.  That’s how she sees herself.  A wife with no name or independence.”

     Victoria considered this and a smile grew on her face.  “I can believe that.  So, this is her way of getting attention.  Granted, she’s going about it the wrong way.”

     “Maybe that’s the only way she knows how.”  Dalton’s voice held a note of sympathy.  “Perhaps your dad has forgotten that he has a wife that needs him.  Maybe it’s time for him to stop seeing her as his secretary and see her with new eyes.  I think she feels like he takes her for granted.”  He held up his hands.  “Now, I don’t know your mother but this is how I see it.  I’ve lived in all kinds of situations.  I’ve met people from extremely rich to pitifully poor.  Your mother is rich but on a content level, she’s as poor as they get.”

     “Believe me; I know money doesn’t buy happiness.  It may help pay the bills but what good is it when you come home to an empty house?”

     Dalton snuggled Victoria in his arms.  “You know, I didn’t have much growing up but we loved each other.  That was more important to me than being able to get a new toy or a bicycle.  I have money today but I will never want to trade my past for my entire bank account now.  I see what being born with a silver spoon in your mouth does.  Most turn into spoiled brats that you can hardly be around.”  He kissed the top of Victoria’s head.  “Present company excluded, of course.”

     “I never wanted what my parents had.  My very best friend, Melissa, grew up middle class but she was perfectly content in her life.  She was happy to be where she was.  She never complained and never envied people who were well off.  We went to school together.  And honestly, I loved staying over at her parents’ home.  They didn’t throw lavish parties or use the finest china and silver.  We watched movies and ate popcorn from a big plastic bowl.  We had hot dogs and chips in the backyard.  That hot dog was much better with friends than eating Kobé steaks and
foie gras
with up-tight snobs.  Being around Melissa and her family was a stress free experience.  There was no pressure to be perfect.  They didn’t have BMW’s and three story homes but they were so blissful just to be together. 

     “That’s when I realized that I wanted to make it on my own.  I did let my dad pay for college.  Most parents do that but my catering business was built from mine and Melissa’s blood, sweat and tears.  I didn’t accept one penny from my parents to acquire the bakery.  I figured they would hold it over my head and try to tell me how to run my business.  Especially if they had funded it.  I would never hear the end of it, I’m positive of that.  I didn’t want to put up with that kind of stress.”

     Dalton kissed the tip of her nose.  “Well, you know, I have the
perfect
remedy for any kind of stress you might be feeling.”

     Victoria chuckled.  “Oh, really?  Care to let me in on your cure, Doctor?”

     Dalton’s lips curled mischievously.  “Hmmm.  I can recommend a couple of things.  There’s a full body massage.  No clothes allowed, of course.  Or you can soak in a luxurious bubble bath.  No clothes there, either.”

     Victoria snickered at that last statement.  “Oh?  Is that all it takes?” she asked coyly.

     “Well, there might be two more options.”

     “Let’s hear them.”

     “All right.  You can lie in bed and let me have my way with you for as long as you think you can handle it.  Clothing is also not an option.  Lastly, you can have more that one or all three options.”

     Victoria kissed him on the cheek.  “I think you just want me naked.”  She laughed.

     “Yes.  That’s my way of relieving stress.  Seeing you completely naked.”

     Victoria stood up.  “I like your prescription, Doctor.”  Victoria took off her shirt and bra.  “I’m feeling better already.”  She then took off her jeans and panties and stood before Dalton in the buff.

     Dalton stood up and shed all his clothing and picked Victoria up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

     “I like all the options but I’m not feeling very patient.  I want option three.  I need you inside me.”

     Dalton chuckled and placed her gently on the bed.  “Oh, I can arrange that.”

     Dalton made love to Victoria as many times as she could take it and as many times as he wanted to slip inside her warm and willing body.  He loved hearing her soft screams and feeling her body tremble beneath his.  He didn’t think he would ever get enough of Victoria Bradley.

Chapter Twelve

     Mr. Elson knocked on Mrs. Bradley’s door early in the morning.  Of course she was up and dressed already.  She wouldn’t be caught dead without her make up on, expensive clothes on and her hair done.

     “You’re here rather early, Mr. Elson.  It must be important.”

     Mr. Elson nodded.  “I stayed up all night scoping out Victoria’s house.  Dalton was visiting.”

     “And?”

     “He hasn’t left yet.  He was still there when I left a while ago.”

     Mrs. Bradley looked like she was on the verge of fainting so Mr. Elson grabbed her gently and helped her to her chair. 

     Mrs. Bradley clenched her jaw.  “He stayed the night?  I can’t believe it!!  Victoria must not care about her reputation.  Or our family name for that matter.”  She put a worried hand to her cheek.  “Oh, dear.  I hope no one figures out what she’s doing.  I don’t need the scandal.”

     Mr. Elson didn’t see a problem with a perfectly grown woman entertaining a male companion in the privacy of her own home.  But, he wasn’t paid to give his opinion.  He was paid to watch and report.  Nothing more.  He just hoped this job would be over soon.  He didn’t see the big deal in the whole mess.

     He cleared his throat.  “Well, Mrs. Bradley, if you don’t need any more of my services, I’ll be going.  I don’t think there’s much more I can get beyond what I’ve already told you.”

     “Yes, of course.”  She got up and pulled out her wallet and handed him the rest of his payment.  “Thank you, Mr. Elson.  I’m sure everything is in the report you’ve left for me.”

     He saw himself out and left Mrs. Bradley to her own devices.  Whatever they may be.

     Mrs. Bradley paced her living room floor.

     Victoria needed to start acting like a Bradley.  The sooner she did that, the sooner their family could hold their heads up high.  Maybe she should tell Travis Duncan to try to ask her out again.  Once Victoria sees that she is better off with Travis, the quicker she could get rid of Dalton Hughes. 

     She walked over to the phone and called Travis to see if she could persuade him to give Victoria another try.  When Travis confirmed that he would go along with Mrs. Bradley’s suggestion, she hung up and felt relief settle her previously fluttering stomach. 

     Victoria would see the light as soon as she was out of Dalton’s shadow.  Mrs. Bradley was sure of it. 

     Travis was financially set for the rest of his life.  Dalton’s bank account was shaky as far as she was concerned. 

     Just to be on the safe side, Mrs. Bradley decided to visit Victoria a few minutes after Travis got there.  It would be perfect.  Then Dalton could go back to his maid of a mother and leave her family out of his impoverished past.

     Dalton kissed Victoria before leaving for work on Monday morning.  Victoria didn’t have to go in to work for another couple of hours.  That was fine with her.  She wanted to bask in the glow of Dalton’s expert love making for just a while longer.

     Victoria snuggled in her robe and went to put on some coffee while her homemade cinnamon rolls were baking in the oven.  She took her maple flavored icing out of the refrigerator and gave it a stir and left it beside the stove to loosen while her rolls finished baking.

    
What the heck,
she thought with a smile.

     She threw a couple of slices of bacon in an iron skillet.  After their weekend, she needed some protein and carbs. 

     Soon, the scents of coffee, bacon and cinnamon were permeating her kitchen.  She inhaled deeply and her stomach rumbled.

     Twenty minutes later, Victoria was seated at her table with a huge cinnamon roll oozing with icing, crispy bacon and a steaming mug of strong coffee. 

     She licked the remaining icing off her fingers and finished her coffee.  She decided to wrap up the rolls, saving some for Dalton and taking some into work to share with Melissa, Robert and Tiffany who were extremely grateful.

     Victoria was pulling into her driveway, thinking of what a great day it had been and what Dalton had planned for them tonight.

     Unfortunately, Victoria’s happy thoughts crashed when she saw her mother’s car.

     “Why me?” she said as she finally got out of the car.  She so dreaded this confrontation with her mother.

     “Mother.”

     “Hello, Victoria.”  Her mother waited for Victoria to open the front door before stepping in first.

     Mrs. Bradley sat down without waiting for an invitation.

     “Would you like something to drink?”  Victoria tried to be civil as much as she could.  That was a hard task when her mother was involved.

     “No, dear.  I would like to talk to you.”

     Victoria sighed and sat down.  “If this is still about Dalton, forget it.  He explained everything.  His mom is out of the country because he
paid
for her vacation since she has never been on one.”

     Her mother seemed unconcerned with the explanation.  “I just want what is best for you, Victoria.”

     Victoria pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.  “Mother, I think you want what’s best for
you
.”  She scooted up to the edge of the couch.  “Since you already had your little creep spy on me, you know about Dalton and I.  Look, I’m an adult.  I’ll date whatever man I see fit.  Dalton works for me.  We have a connection.  He works hard.  He’s secure and he doesn’t turn his nose up at people with smaller incomes.”  Her mother was about to speak but she cut her off.  “No, Mother.  Let me finish.  I have a life.  It’s about time you found one, too.”

     Mrs. Bradley turned ashen and Victoria knew she hit a sensitive nerve.

     Victoria softened her voice.  “Mom, Dalton and I agree that Dad hasn’t been very attentive for a while.  You feel more like his secretary than his wife.  Don’t deny it.  You’re missing that romance you two once had.  I remember you telling me that you and Dad use to go on picnics at dusk.  If he had to leave for work early in the morning, he would place a red rose and a single chocolate kiss on his pillow so you would wake up with it beside you.  You would go on long walks, enjoy the sunset or sunrise together.  Mom, you know, deep down, that these things didn’t cost much but they were of more value than that new diamond ring on your finger or that new Audi in your driveway.”

     Victoria’s mom was silent for so long, she wondered if she heard her at all.  Watching her jaw clench and unclench was sign enough to Victoria that she was considering her words.

     Finally, after what seemed like hours, Eleanor spoke up.  “Maybe you have a point, Victoria.”  She stood up and for a second, Victoria thought she was going to bolt out the front door.  “May I use your restroom?”

     “Sure.”

     She heard her mother close the door when her front door bell rang.  She got up and answered it. 

    
Oh, great
, she sighed.

     “Victoria.”  Once again, Travis let himself in.

     Victoria shut the door behind him.  “What do
you
want, now, Travis?  I’m in no mood to deal with your infantile behavior.”

     Travis sat down on the sofa that Mrs. Bradley recently vacated.  “Your mother convinced me to give you a try one last time.”

     Victoria gritted her teeth.  “I hope this is the last time because my answer is still no.”

     Travis stood up quickly and grabbed her arm none too gently.  “I’m tired of these games, Victoria.  Come on.  I’m rich, you’re rich.  It’s the proper thing to do.”

     Victoria pulled her arm away from Travis.  “Just because we travel in the same circles does not mean we belong together.  I don’t connect with the pompous crowd.”

     “
Pompous
? 
Pompous
?  Who do you think you are, you little tease?  You can’t talk to me that way.”  He closed in on her.

     Victoria refused to back down.  “You think you are God’s gift to women.  From what I’ve seen, the women you try to pick up are all repelled by you.  They can smell your fake charm a mile away.  Just like I do.”

     Travis sneered and his lips twitched.  “At least I know better than to date a former pauper,” he said with a condescending tone.

     Victoria took all she was going to take from him.  Before she could think another thought, she reached up and slapped him as hard as she could. 

     Little did they know that Mrs. Bradley had stepped out of the bathroom and was listening.

     Travis’s eyes turned dark.  “How dare you!  You would be lucky if I don’t wrap my hands around your cocky little throat.”

     Mrs. Bradley took this opportunity to step out from the shadows.  “You do that, Travis, and I will see to it you are thrown in jail for assault.  What would your family think of you then?”

     Travis spun around to face her.  He stumbled over his words.  “M-Mrs. Bradley.  I-I wasn’t going to really hurt her.  She just made me angry.  That’s all.”

     Mrs. Bradley crossed her arms.  “But you did make a threat of bodily harm.  What’s stopping me from calling the authorities right this very minute?”

     Travis looked from the mother to Victoria and back again, obviously nervous.  “If you don’t call the police, I will never bother Victoria again.”

     “Is that a promise?”  Mrs. Bradley asked.

     Travis nodded.

     “Well, it is one that I’m going to see you keep.”  Eleanor said firmly.  “This isn’t my home, but I think Victoria would agree that you need to leave.”

     Victoria finally spoke up.  “I have to agree with my mother.  Leave, Travis.”

Chapter Thirteen

     Mrs. Bradley looked at her daughter with concern.  It was a look that shocked Victoria.  Her mother had not looked at her that way in many years.  Maybe hearing Travis threatening her with her own ears made her finally see the truth about him.  Money doesn’t make a person better.  Just richer.

     “Victoria, I don’t know what to say.  This is the first time I’ve seen Travis like that.”

     “This is the first time you have actually seen his true colors.  That’s how he really is when he’s not around you or other people of privilege.  He puts on a good show.  But that’s all it is.  Money has infected his mind.”

     Eleanor looked down at her hands.  “It seems to have infected my mind, as well.  I couldn’t see beyond Travis’s status.  I had no idea how cruel he really was.”

     Victoria knew her mother was trying her best to apologize.  It wasn’t something she did often and it must be uncomfortable trying to get out the words, ‘I’m sorry’.

     “I am sorry, dear.  When I thought about what you said about your dad and I, it did bother me but only because you were right.”

     Victoria smiled genuinely.  “It’s okay, Mom.  I think you really need to sit down with Dad and talk about putting the spark back in your marriage.  Let him hire another secretary to take care of some of those charitable events.  All you should do is approve of the event and the caterer, not every minute detail.  It takes away from the time you two could spend together.”

     Eleanor patted her shoulder.  “I will talk to him.  I am glad we had this talk.”

     “Well, I can’t take all the credit.  Dalton was the one who thought that Dad wasn’t being as devoted to you as he should be.”

     “Your Dalton is pretty special to you?”

     Victoria grinned and blushed slightly.

     “I see that he is,” Mrs. Bradley surmised.  “That blush says it all.”  She chuckled and continued.  “Maybe I have been too hasty about Dalton.  I think a proper meeting should be arranged.  You know, your Dad and I should have him over to get to know him.”

     Victoria hesitated. 

     Mrs. Bradley put her hand up.  “No, I won’t grill him.  I will, however, apologize for my dreadful behavior.”

     “What about all that information you had on him?” Victoria wanted to know.

     Mrs. Bradley considered this.  “I will toss the files into the fireplace.  That way, we can have a fresh start.  I’m not saying I will get it right but I can try.  It’s been a while and I have become so set in my ways.”

     Victoria put her arm on her mother’s shoulder.  “No one’s perfect.  We can take baby steps but I know we’ll get there.”

     Over the course of the year, after Mrs. Bradley put her foot down about Mr. Bradley being too unavailable for his very own wife, her husband changed.  He didn’t take offense.  In fact, he was relieved.  Hiring another secretary was exactly what he had done.  He had finally taken more hours off from work and took his wife to Paris.  It was a much needed vacation for the both of them.