James"Charlotte… Charlotte!"This time it is Michael shaking her awake. She sits up in the half-light of the lamp we left switched on by the bed.Jeez.... How are we going to deal with this…?She's going through hell every time she sleeps....Michael's holding her, murmuring quietly to her. I fetch the flask of hot chocolate I had pre-prepared........ Just in case....As I pour three cups, I'm glad I thought to do it.She doesn't say much, simply sips half her drink and drops off to sleep again. I spoon around her, holding her as she sleeps.*****I wake."What are you looking at?" It's Charlotte's voice. She's still in my embrace, but it's not me she's speaking to.Michael's voice, "You, asleep. I'm enjoying having you near."Michael is already dressed, sitting in an armchair next to the bed with a pot of what looks like strong black coffee. He smiles at her, reaching out to take her hand, stroking the fingers."I've got to go back this morning you know,"
JamesA moment later and the sound of the front door, then Ross' voice. "I'll put the car away, Mr Haswell. Mrs Haswell is in the lounge with Mr Alexanders.""James is here?""Yes, Mr Haswell. He arrived about twenty minutes ago. Mrs Haswell has asked me to set an extra place for dinner.""Excellent." He sounds cheerful........ Good to know I'm welcome....Richard enters, tossing his briefcase onto the settee. Beth navigates him into the chair opposite mine by the fire, where he flops down with a sigh. A minute later and she is pressing a brandy glass into his hand and topping up mine.Better not have too much........ Still got to drive....Beth stays close by, taking a seat set back a little from the two of us. She has a way of fading into the background when she wants to...."Good evening." He swirls the brandy in its glass, sipping at it, then letting it hang loosely in his hand by the heat of the flames. "I'm glad you're here, James," he says. "How's Charlotte
JamesRoss is apologetic. "I'm sorry, Mr Alexanders. With the short notice, I didn't have the time to make a better meal.""Ross, it hardly matters. If you served me a cheese sandwich, I'd be a happy man."We sit to steak, perfectly pink inside, steamed vegetables, a chowder starter and fresh fruit salad for dessert.What would he have served with more time?"Listen, James." says Richard, "My apologies if I was out of order earlier, but the fact is that with events last summer, and… other things...." He glances across at Beth, so like my fire-haired beauty. ".... I have an interest in Charlotte and I'd like to help if I can."He's right....They're too alike........ In appearance anyway....It can't be a coincidence.…I drop my eyes in tacit acknowledgement of his apology. "I'm not sure how you can help, Richard. I understand your reasons for putting this forward and I do appreciate your intervention. There's no good way to bring the subject up with her, but doing
JamesCharlotte's here. Michael messaged me to say she'd arrived, so, despite dismal weather and a hairy drive up the mountain on icy roads, I'm smiling. I keep finding myself laughing for no reason........ No reason at all....As I pull in, she's there, waiting....Outside? In this weather?.... and I steer the car to one side so as not to splash her with the liquid mud that is taking over the site.As I step out, she's here and close to me. I embrace her, kissing her lightly, but am conscious of many pairs of eyes watching us: builders, plumbers, men operating the earth-movers and mini-diggers.... or trying to....And my nose tells me a lot of what I want to know....Michael's already had her........ He's a fast worker...."Welcome home," I say quietly to her. "Um, not too private here, are we?" She glances around with an expression that clearly says they can all go jump....I take her hand, noticing her icy fingers....How long was she waiting outside?
James.... and now she does move. As I penetrate her, she rises on the soles of her feet, her spine curving up and over against her restrained wrists. And the sound she makes.... somewhere between a gasp and a wail….... It's a good sound....Michael's voice, "That's a nice smile," he says. "We must be doing something right, eh?"I look up from my pleasant spot by her pussy. She's reaching to kiss him, and he drops down to her, open-mouthed, fingering at her tautly crinkled nipples. She moans again through their joined lips and I help things along by turning my attention to her clit. Small, red and nubbed, it slides under my tongue. So small a thing, so tiny a part of a woman's body, but she reacts, wailing out, her thighs spreading as she offers herself to me.She's quaking. A palm against each of her thighs, her muscle tension transmits through........ She's close........ but she's not coming yet....I meet eyes with Michael and we both break away, to leave her l
It's late. In the road, there is the raucous sound of drunks leaving or being thrown from the bars.One by one, lights wink out from the windows of takeaways and restaurants, and bit by bit, late-night diners and revellers vanish from the street.To the rear of the restaurants and cafes, there is clanging and clattering from the kitchens, which gradually dies down. Eventually, this turns to the rattle of closing shutters and the snap of bolts being drawn into place.As all falls dark and silent, a figure emerges. Standing silently, looking right and left before moving far from the shadows, she makes her way to the rear of one of the restaurants.Showing every sign of knowing where she is, familiar with the route and the lack of gates or bars, she lifts the lid from one trash can after another, glancing over the contents with a practised eye, before reaching in to pull out a waxed carton. She opens it, briefly inspects the contents, sniffs, then closes the lid and vanishes once
JamesCharlotte smiles, but the smile is a bit wan, made more so by her nose which is bright red in the cold, close to matching her hair.How do I explain to my emerald-eyed wild-child that Beth, for all her beauty, her polished manners and her elegant ways, holds not a fraction of the attraction for me that she does?Beth's a true sub....You're a sub when it suits you to be........ and only for me....My flame-haired mermaid has already proved she is a survivor. Could Beth have done the same?I wrap an arm around her shoulder. "If I wanted someone like Beth, I would be with someone like Beth.""But she's so beautiful," she protests. She looks close to tears.Can it really bother her so much?"You're beautiful too. And not just on the outside. The things I want from you, Charlotte, all come from the inside. And no amount of expensive clothes or nail polish can replace that."She looks doubtful but sucks her lower lip and nods."And don't suck your lips. They'l
JamesMichael, who was turning to the house, swivels back, frowning a little.Charlotte, her throat working, says, "Um.… Beth was working as a maid in the hotel, cleaning the rooms...."Beth was a hotel cleaner?".... I think it was the one where you had the apartment. It was hot one day, and she used the shower in the Penthouse, where Richard was staying. He'd gone out, but he came back early and caught her in his shower, um, naked...."Oh, God.... I can see where this is going....Michael's face is beginning to crack....Charlotte continues, "Then.... er.... he tied her to the shower and um…"I'm gaping. Michael has his forehead in one hand, his shoulders shaking.He didn't....I double up. "I get it. No wonder he was so relaxed about you and me."You did the right thing, Jade.... Keeping that quiet for him........ But it's still fuckin' hilarious....She nods, but continues, "There's a bit more to it than that."More?"Really?"She pauses, I think ch