MICHAELMy wife.I've still not become used to saying those words, but I love playing them in my head.My wife...For all the ups and downs of life; my family, with Ben and his attitude, Charlotte's family, trying to find it anyway... between ourselves, everything is fine...More than fine.Whatever it takes, we're there for each other.I look beyond her to where James lies, eyes closed, his face calm.At least he doesn't have that set of problems....... any more...Charlotte lies on her side, facing away but with her back pressed close against my chest. Charlotte is by no means a small woman, but nonetheless, she seems made to fit under the nook of my arm.One arm draped over my treasure, I twine a finger through a stray lock of hair, holding it to my face, inhaling.Is she asleep?Her breathing is soft and steady, a gentle movement of her body. Beyond her, James lies, eyes closed, his chest on a regular rise and fall.Just having her so close is enough; h
JAMESMichael grins, displaying white teeth against his tan. His gaze fixed on her face for a moment, then his eyes drop as he watches himself soft-fucking her.How close is she?Not far off...I press in a little harder, rub a little harder and her head flings back in a wide-mouthed wail. Michael lurches. "Christ, James! Take it easy. You're making her clench..."Is that right?I rub again at the same spot. She sings. He grunts. "Come on, slacken off a bit. I'm trying not to..."I keep rubbing..."Ah, fuck it!" And he pitches forward onto his hands, hips juddering against hers. My shaft quivering as I watch, her wail morphs to a scream and at the same moment, he pulls her to himself, burrowing into her as they climax together.Holy crap...They lie entwined, both red-faced, heaving and sweating. After a good minute, Michael's eyes open, drift mine.He kisses into her neck. "I believe," he says, "that your Master would like your mouth around his cock."A hazy
I want to see her.I *want* to see her...... to touch her...Surprise her maybe?*****I press the buzzer.No response...I press again. This time there's the sound of movement from beyond, the scrape of metal at the peephole, then the door opens."Larry, I wasn't expecting you." She's casually dressed and wears no make-up."I thought I'd surprise you." She doesn't look entirely pleased. "You don't mind, do you?""No, of course not." But her voice wavers. "What are you looking at?""I've never seen you dressed like that before."She glances down at her plain white tee-shirt and cut-off pants. "If you turn up out of the blue, you have to take me as you find me.""Fair enough." I start to laugh, but the laugh is stillbornThat damn necklace...I reach, touching the silver butterfly that dangles by the hollow of her neck.Conners' gift..."I give you emeralds and you're wearing this fairground trinket?"Her hand rises to finger the bauble. "Emeralds ar
JAMESWe head for the house.Charles. Chad... says nothing, but as I gesture him through to the lounge, Michael and Charlotte following, he swirls around, gives an apologetic nod to Michael, then sweeps Charlotte into his arms, bear-hugging her."God, Jenny, you're here. You're safe." He swings her back and forth. "I tried so hard to find you before they did, but you just vanished and yet here you are...." He stands back, holding her hand, his gaze openly admiring. "And look at you... You look fantastic."Charlotte casts apologetic eyes at Michael then her gaze hovers over mine... She's tense, picking at her fingernails.Nervous?Of my reaction?Perhaps...... before she replies. "So do you, Chad. You've, um, filled out rather since I last saw you."Set her mind at rest...I step forward, offering my hand. "I know Michael introduced us before, but it became a bit confused, didn't it. I'm James. It's good to see Charlotte finding her old friends again."Charlotte
JAMESIn the gym, in joggers and vests, the pair circle each other.He's taller than her by several inches, muscular, broad-shouldered and with not an ounce of spare on him...How long since she last saw him?Six or seven years?He would have been almost a boy then...But for all Chad's size, he's light on his feet, graceful.Easy to see what she saw in him...And he strikes, his arm sweeping forward to snatch at her. But she blocks it, then swings with a foot to hook around his ankle. He spins, throwing her, but she rolls and in a single smooth movement is once more on her feet, feinting with her right hand then punching with her left..."She certainly has her own style," I comment, watching Michael side-long. He rumbles. I can't pick out the words, but a blue whale somewhere across the ocean probably heard him.... Chad has her down, his weight bearing on her, but she locks her arms up against his chest then, twisting, gets first one foot, then the other under him
Wounds tended, Chad and Michael take seats on opposite sides of the kitchen table. I sip wine and help myself to a morsel of cheese. Charlotte, Sebastian and Beth have formed some kind of gossip group and appear to be exchanging notes...I don't want to know...Richard presses a cracker to the plate, mopping up crumbs. "Do you have any more of that excellent Brie, James?""No, that's the last of it, but there's a Camembert? Or I have a Stilton in the larder I was thinking of opening up.""Excellent idea. But don't you think that Tempranillo would be overwhelmed by Stilton?""Good point. I'll fetch a bottle of port."After a while, Michael says, "Do you feel as stupid as I do?""I'd say so. Probably, yes." Chad looks around at the audience. "You got it out of your system?"Michael clasps hands on the table. "Yeah...." Then he looks around too. A smile cracks over his face and he winces as his upper lip begins to bleed again. "Maybe if we talk to each other, they'll talk
Michael gazes at the letter, then passes it to Chad. "What did he mean," he asks, "about his own experiences?""He'd left his old country, years before, to come here. Just him and his wife. He never really told me about it. But it was clear that he'd lived through bad times."Chad perches on the table beside her. "Jenny, are you still mad at me?" Sebastian looks over his shoulder, then turns away with an overly obvious show of disinterest.She lays her hand on his. "No, not anymore." She stares into space for a moment then, "I'll admit it wasn't always like that. There were times that if you'd been standing in front of me, I would have punched your face in, but that's long gone."He laughs, but the sound is rueful. "I'm pleased to hear it. I would have felt morally bound to let you land the punch."The doorbell rings.Perfect timing...Lighten the mood..."That will be Beth and Richard," I announce. "Michael, Charlotte, why don't you answer the door. Chad, Sebastian, wh
RICHARDSitting by me at the conference table, James runs a finger along the outline of a plan for D-Site. "So, if we complete the groundworks on sectors three and four here... by next week, we can move the heavy machinery on to sector five here and start laying the infrastructure for..."Outside the office, Francis' phone rings but neither of us takes much notice. James continues speaking... "... the electricity and the water supply..."Francis taps in perfunctory manner on the door then pokes her head round. "James..." She flicks a warning glance to me...Worried?James looks up. "Yes, Francis?""Kirstie is on the line. She says you have a visitor downstairs."Not his ex again..?It upset him enough the first time...James' straightens up in his chair, his chin tilting. "Who is it?""She says she's called Georgie and that you would know who she is."James rises from his seat as though he is on strings. "Tell her I'm on my way down."He looks as close to fluste