My heart pounds as Taylor kisses my neck, his lips making their way from my earlobe down to the dip in my throat. He glances into my eyes with a wicked look before swooping down and capturing one of my nipples in his mouth. I find myself starting to writhe under his touch as he first laves my sensitive nib with his tongue, the swirling motion causing me to moan as arousal spikes through me.
A hand reaches between my thighs. My breath catches as I feel first one and then two fingers slipping through my bush and exploring my folds until they find my sweet, sweet spot. Slowly Taylor starts mirroring the motion of his tongue with his finger, and it is all I can do to grip on to his shoulders as he hovers above me. The warmth in my pelvis spreads and becomes more intense by the minute as both his tongue and fingers continue their relentless assault on my senses.
"Please, Taylor," I beg, "I need you in me."
"In a moment, my sweet," he reassures. Before I have a chance to respond, his mouth finds my nipple and his teeth suddenly bite down hard. I yelp at the unexpected pain, but the corresponding jolt I feel between my thighs leaves me panting for more.
"Hmm, you like this?" he queries, taking my other breast in his hand. He tweaks my nipple hard, and I find myself gasping again, my arousal ramping up again as the pain sparks a riot of pleasure. I groan loudly, not sure I can take much more.
"Urgh," I moan. "Please…I can't take any more."
"Yes, yes, you can," Taylor assures me, simultaneously biting down on my lower lip and plunging his fingers into my wet depths. I come undone, the pressure inside of me from Taylor's fingers tipping me over the edge into a sublime climax.
~*~
I wake from my dream with my hand between my thighs, gasping for breath. Confused, it takes me a few moments to realise what has just happened. I have just had a wet dream. Seriously, I thought this kind of thing only happened to prepubescent boys! And here I am, having masturbated for the first time in my life, and it was in my sleep. I take a few deep breaths to steady myself and realise my alarm is ringing shrilly in my ear. With a sense of irritation of having been interrupted, I slam my hand on the snooze button and make an effort to stand on my shaky legs.
I heave myself into the shower, all the while giving myself a stern lecture to get myself together. The warm water finally calms the tension radiating through my body, and it is with great reluctance that I finally climb out when my alarm goes off again. I dress quickly in my favourite dark-navy jeans and an emerald-green chunky knit cardigan that I found in a charity shop in Brighton during one of my visits with Nonna. She always says that the colour suits me, bringing out the jade in my eyes, and I have to admit that my dream has definitely brought some colour to my cheeks, giving me a glow that I don’t normally have. The weather looks decidedly grey outside, so I add a scarf and hat to my 'Paddington Bear' duffel coat before making my way down the road to catch the bus to the office.
I find myself remembering my dream in glorious Technicolor several times, squirming in my seat as arousal sparks through me once again. I find that I have to berate myself and eventually I plug myself into my music player in an effort to drown out my disturbing thoughts.
As I round the corner with my bagel and latte in hand, I find my heart beating a rapid crescendo as I near the office. Please don't let him be in. Please don't let him be in. My desperate mantra accompanies me through security, up the lift and across to my desk. Despite the relief at not running into Taylor, I can't help but acknowledge the stab of disappointment that has seared through me.
The morning passes in a blur of data, and by the time my stomach starts to signal that it is time for lunch, I feel that I have made good headway with Eddy's report. A couple of more hours is all I need and then I can head on home. I make my way to the kitchen to grab a drink and heat up the soup I have brought with me. I am just pulling back from the fridge when I suddenly become aware of a presence behind me. I gasp and whirl around with fright.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," Taylor says with a lazy smile.
"Bloody hell! You shouldn't sneak up on people," I retort, my blood pumping through my veins.
"Um, I didn't know anyone was in. I was out of milk upstairs and popped down to grab some. If anything, you shouldn't hide in the fridge and jump out at unsuspecting people."
"Oh, hardy ha. You nearly gave me a heart attack." My indignation starts to melt as his unique scent catches me. Without warning the images from my dream come flooding back, and I feel the heat rise up my neck and my cheeks flush pink.
The tension becomes palpable in the small area, and once again I feel the electricity surging through my veins as I look into Taylor's deep-brown eyes.
"Look, sorry about the way I left you last night." Taylor's apology comes out of left field, the kiss having been eclipsed by my dream. I can feel the blush deepen across my cheeks, and I curse my colouring for always making it so easy to read my emotions. My breath hitches as Taylor takes a step towards me so that our hips are almost touching and I am forced to look up to read his expression.
With agonising slowness, Taylor reaches up to caress my face. "I don't know what it is about you, Abby, but I can't seem to think clearly when I am round you. All my control just…just disappears." With that, his grip tightens on the back of my head, bringing my lips up to his. As the kiss deepens and his tongue begins to explore my mouth with passion, I find myself being pushed against the counter.
Taylor's body melds to mine, and I can feel his erection digging into my hip. Letting go, I wind my hands up over his shoulders and into Taylor's silky hair. Arousal courses through my body, and unconsciously I find myself grinding my hips against him. With a moan, Taylor lifts me onto the countertop, pulling my legs up and wrapping them around his waist. Slipping a hand into my cardigan, he starts to massage first one breast and then the other.
"Perfect," whispers Taylor, almost in reverence. My body aches and my nipples peak into hard nubs begging for attention. As Taylor tweaks one through my bra, I gasp as sensation floods my pelvis. Panting, I gasp, "More!"
"Ah, fuck!" Taylor exclaims, pushing himself away, the sudden movement catching me unawares.
"Sorry, Abby, I shouldn't be doing this." Taylor's voice is unexpectedly harsh, and I feel like I have been slapped in the face.
"Um, okay," I whisper, unable to meet his eyes.
"Aw shit, Abby. Don't look at me like I just shot Bambi. I am your boss. This is completely inappropriate." Taylor shifts his weight back on his heels and pushes his hands through his hair in agitation.
I don't know how to respond, so feeling utterly rejected, I walk away back to my desk. I have barely walked a couple of metres when Taylor grabs my arm and pulls me into his chest in a firm embrace.
"It's not you. It's me, Abby. It's…complicated," he murmurs.
"Ah, that old chestnut," I reply. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, knowing that I am on the brink of tears. With an unexpected gentleness, Taylor moves back, placing a kiss on my forehead. Slowly I turn and walk away. When I glance around a few moments later, Taylor has disappeared.
With a curse, I feel the tears start to make their way down my face. I try to wipe them away with angry swipes, but still, they continue to fall. Frustrated and hurt, I throw myself back into my work, mindless that I still haven’t eaten, in an effort to push aside my misery.
At last, I am able to hit Send on the report to Eddy. Despite everything that has gone on with Taylor, I feel a sense of accomplishment at the work that I have done. As I pack away my computer and tidy my desk, I realise that I am hungry. Vowing to treat myself on the way home to something hideously calorific, I head out the door.
As I push my way into Alfredo's at nine-thirty on the dot, I mentally prepare myself for the Spanish Inquisition. For once Michelle is already there ahead of me, waiting with two steaming lattes and the biggest cinnamon bun I have ever seen."Oh my god," she sighs with a mouthful of crumbs. "You so have to try this.""Mmm, looks scrumptious." I eye the bun with delight, feeling ready to get everything off my chest. I settle down in my seat, breaking off a piece of the bun, and take a sip of my coffee."Come on, then. Spill the beans, Abby. I can't believe you have made me wait this long!""Um, well, okay …" I stammer, suddenly feeling rather shy about everything that has gone on over the last couple of days. I start off describing the event in the kitchen and work my way through until our encounter last night, omitting my dream as I don't think I am ready to share that with anyone!"Bloody hell, Abs, you are a dark horse." Michelle gives me the once-over, scrutinising me over her desi
Muted light streams onto my face as I slowly become conscious. Images from last night start to flit through my head, and I start to sort through them one at a time, piecing together my journey from work to the pub to…shit. I slowly open one eye and then the other, knowing by the citrus scent around me that I am not at home in my own bed. Gingerly I move my head, waiting for the full impact of my hangover to hit. My head aches, but my stomach feels okay, so I prop myself up onto my elbows, taking in my surroundings. The exposed brick walls and the skylights confirm my worst fears…I am in Taylor's bed. I look around for him, straining my ears for the smallest sound, but there is nothing. I suddenly realise that while I am still in my top and pants, my jeans are missing. I push back the squishy duvet and swing my legs over the side of the bed, my feet sinking into the plush cream carpet. My stomach rolls, but I maintain control of the motion. It is only then that I notice my jeans hangi
I wake with a start, sweat dripping and tears rolling down my face. I struggle to catch my breath as I try to dispel the overwhelming urge to bury my head back into my pillow and sob my heart out. I didn't think I had this much water in me, but it would appear the faucets have been opened and nothing will stop the tears from leaking out. Sleep did not come easy. Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could see was Nonna lying there dead. I am unsure as to what time I eventually fell asleep, but my dreams meant that I spent a restless night tossing and turning. A glance at the clock tells me that, despite the darkness, morning is here and it is time to get up. I shower and dress, my choice of clothing reflecting my dark mood and matching the dark circles under my eyes. I try to choke down a slice of toast, but my appetite has deserted me. I fill my travel mug with coffee and head out to the bus stop, knowing that I am still too early for work but not wanting to stay in my tiny, claustropho
Work just about gets me through the waking hours, though I know I am starting to behave like a zombie through lack of sleep. My parents phone each evening to check if I am okay, and I try to force a cheerfulness into my demeanour that is clearly not natural. I decided not to go down to Brighton until the day of the funeral as I am still struggling to write my eulogy. Tonight I have to finish it, so I resist the urge to lose myself once again in the kitchen and force myself to sit down in front of my laptop.Strangely enough, once I start, this time I can't seem to stop. I fill page after page with funny, inconsequential stories about both her life and our life together. When I finally read the final draft and hit Print, I know I have produced something Nonna would like.It is after midnight, and I know I have to be up early, so I decide to take a shower but am interrupted by a ringing on the intercom. Startled, as I never have visitors, let alone ones at this time of night, I lift the
The shrill of the alarm pierces my consciousness. The lack of Taylor's presence in my bed when I wake feels like déjà vu. As the reality of the day that lies ahead hits, my heart sinks. With leaden limbs I get myself into the shower, trying to blot out the image of Nonna dead on her kitchen floor that keeps resurfacing from my subconscious. It's not long before I am wrapped up in my heavy winter coat and scarf to ward off the autumn chill and pulling my case loaded up with a week's worth of my baking out the door and onto the main road to call a taxi to the station. I am just not in the mood for the bus today. I spend the journey attempting to analyse the situation with Taylor. I can't figure out why he keeps turning up when he has categorically stated that being with me can't happen. I can't help the attraction I feel, and I get the feeling that neither can he, but there is this big issue of him being my boss. Which of course on a rational level I completely understand. However, the
Seconds turn into minutes, and before I know it several hours have passed and I am shattered, my face aching from the forced smile I have attached to my face. Every now and again, I would catch sight of Taylor, but as soon as I would go to intercept him, another of Nonna's friends would grab my arm and would want to start reminiscing. Eventually, I manage to extricate myself and slip out the back door into the small courtyard garden. The light of the afternoon is fading, and the shadows offer a good place to hide for a few minutes."Thirsty?" Taylor's voice startles me. I spin around to find him standing right next to me, holding up a glass of juice. I take it gratefully as I am feeling parched from all the talking. The juice is delicious and cool, soothing my vocal cords. "Thanks, Taylor." I smile up at him, feeling shy but curious. "Um, why are you here?" I suddenly feel like I have to get to the bottom of what is going on. "Why did you come today? Why did you come to my flat last
Taylor moves around the kitchen with the ease of a practised chef. It is a pleasure watching his hands; his long fingers move swiftly, and I muse at what it would be like to feel them running along my skin. As if he knows what I am thinking, Taylor glances up and winks at me. I flush, a state that I feel like I am permanently in when I am around him. I take a large gulp of my cocktail, hoping to still my nerves, but it is not long before I feel the alcohol going to my head and I start to feel a bit glassy-eyed. Fortunately, it is not long before Taylor is sliding a steaming plate in front of me. The aroma has whetted my appetite, and I suddenly feel ravenous.Taylor rounds the island and comes to sit beside me. We eat in companionable silence for several minutes until the rumbling of my stomach starts to subside. "This is delicious. Thank you," I comment."You are very welcome." Taylor smiles at me, and I feel my cheeks going red again. We start chatting about inconsequential things,
The smell of bacon filters through my senses. I lie with my eyes shut as the memories of last night filter through. My body is aching from using muscles I didn't know I even had, but for the first time in my life, I feel whole. I try to think of what I felt like before I met Taylor, but it is as if that girl no longer exists. The reality is that I wasn't a virgin, but last night it truly felt like I had given Taylor my virginity—or even more than that, a piece of my soul. I find myself smiling, and I put out a hand, expecting to find Taylor lying beside me. I come up empty, and realising that I am alone, my eyes pop open. For the first time, I can properly take in the room I am in. The whitewashed walls, the floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall with views across to a small lake, the overlarge bed with sumptuous pillows. There seems to be very few personal touches until I spot a montage of pictures of Taylor with a girl. Suddenly suspicious, I creep out of the b
The lobby seems dark in contrast to the bright sunlight outside so it takes a couple of moments for my eyes to adjust and seek out Nicola. “There she is,” I say, tugging Taylor’s hand towards the corner of the room where I see her standing with Genevieve. I am startled by the look of absolute desolation in Genevieve’s eyes. Even when we visited her a couple of days ago, she looked tired, like she had aged ten years, but she still seemed like she was holding it together. Today, though, she appears like she is coming undone. Genevieve’s eyes are rimmed with red and her typically regal posture is stooped as if she is carrying the weight of her grief on her shoulders. Stix doesn’t look much better; in fact, her usual willowy frame seems to be progressing towards gaunt as opposed to merely thin.Muted words are exchanged as Taylor and I envelop them both in hugs. I try to convey my love and sympathy for them both in that small gestu
“Though she be but little, she is fierce!”William Shakespeare,A Midsummer Night's DreamTHE FIRSTOut of the corner of my eye, I watch Taylor as he pulls on the sombre dark grey suit bought especially for the occasion. His expression is pinched and I know today is going to take everything he has to keep it together. Checking my own reflection in the mirror, I smooth the dark fabric over my protruding belly, satisfied that I look presentable before turning to Taylor and holding out his tie.Taking it with a grunt of thanks, he pulls the smooth fabric around his neck. But as he attempts to tie it, he becomes more and more frustrated with his inability to make his hands do what he wants them to do until eventually he pulls it off aggressively and dumps it on the floor in a f
We almost didn’t make it to the courtroom in time, sliding in at the last minute just as the judge was taking the bench. A series of delays which started with flat tires on both our cars, something that raised numerous suspicions that it was somehow engineered, but in the end was solved when Henry’s guys found smashed glass all over the car park from some drunken idiots who had used it as a cut-through. The next stop had been the train station but engineering works from the weekend had overrun and in the end we ended up getting a ride up to London in the surveillance van that normally is in charge of keeping us safe. The irony was not lost on me that if it all goes right today and Hannah is convicted and Richard goes to jail then we will no longer need this van or the team of people dogging our every move.I sit rigidly next to Taylor as we wait with anticipation as the lead juror stands up to deliver the verdict. I can’t help but look across at Hannah,
I have just pulled out a tray of brownies that I have been experimenting with when my phone rings. I consider ignoring it but when I see that it is Taylor calling I quickly put the tray down and pick up my phone. Taylor was in court today for the closing arguments today, but I had decided to give it a miss; I just couldn’t face hearing any more lies about me and having to run the gauntlet with the press whose numbers seemed to have increased exponentially over the last few days.“Abs,” Taylor says before I even have a chance to say hello. “Abs, they have finished up their closing arguments.”“Who?” I ask quickly trying to figure out if I should be worried or not.“Both sides,” Taylor replies sounding slightly exasperated at my confusion.“Wow, that was quick. I thought it would go on for a while. At least until late this evening,” I reply.“We thought
My mum appears at the top of the stairs and looks down at me, “Oh for heaven’s sake, Abby. Stop yelling. This is your surprise,” she says sweeping her hand across to the girl standing quietly in the doorframe. “This is Victoria. She always comes away with us when we do our shoots abroad; she is the only one I trust with my skin and you know how I am about that,” Mum says giving me a look. “Plus she gives the most incredible massages so I told her about you and thought that she could give you a bit of a pampering session today.”I love my mother to bits and her gesture is so incredibly kind, but I rather wish she would have given me a little bit of warning so I could have actually washed my hair or shaved my legs or something so that I don’t feel like the sloth I am currently am. “That sounds lovely, Mum,” I say through slightly gritted teeth before turning to Victoria. “Come on up but please excuse th
“You look like crap, darling,” my mum says, not mincing her words as she surveys my appearance.“Thanks. I love you too,” I mumble back as I let my mum in the front door. She follows me up the stairs and I am conscious that, despite the fact that it is gone ten in the morning, I am still in my pyjamas.“Seriously, darling,” she says as I lead her towards the kitchen, “You have great big bags under your eyes and you look like you have barely slept in days.”“I was asleep by seven yesterday but then after midnight, Bean decided to start doing her acrobatics. I was up every hour to pee so I am knackered, Mum.” I let out a sigh as I pop the kettle on, pulling down some china mugs and getting out the teapot.“Have you been taking your vitamins?” Mum asks looking concerned.“Like clockwork,” I respond. “I just can’t seem to get my mind to w
“So the last time I saw you, Abby, I asked you to think about what makes you happy. I know you have had a lot going on but I wanted to see if you had any thoughts on your task.”I look at David and truthfully I want to smack him. “To be perfectly honest, David, it hasn’t exactly been high on my priority list. Seriously at this point, I would just settle for Richard and Hannah locked up very far away from me. But I know that isn’t the answer you are looking for.”“I know things are tough for you at the moment, Abby. But in a couple of weeks, all of this is going to be over, no matter what the verdict is. And you are going to be asking yourself these questions. You are always so focused on making everyone else happy that you need to start thinking about what you find fulfilling.” David sits there tapping his pen irritatingly on his notepad.I let out a sigh. “I like making people happy. It mak
By the time we slip back into our seats in the courtroom, the jury is just being led back in. Taylor wraps an arm around my shoulders, a comforting gesture that makes me relax a little. I watch as Emelia makes some notes as Hannah is led back into the witness box. For the first time, Hannah looks slightly nervous but when she spots Taylor and me, her gaze turns bitter.Emelia stands up and I find my heart beginning to race, almost as if I am the one getting up to question Hannah myself. “Miss Fisher, would you agree that you have spent the entire morning telling a pack of lies to the courtroom?” Emelia asks, her tone pleasant and light as if she had just asked her whether or not she had enjoyed her lunch.“Absolutely not,” Hannah replies, her tone aggressive. I watch as the tension radiates off her body, her unease written all over her face.Emelia begins by going over Hannah’s testimony that stated that she had no knowl
Today is the day; Hannah is going to be on the witness stand. My stomach churns every time I think of it. Taylor tried to dissuade me from attending, but I put my foot down this time. I need to look Hannah in the eye when she gets up and lies in court.I was so nervous the first time I walked into the courtroom to testify that I hadn’t taken much notice of my surroundings. But as I find my seat behind the large bench of barristers and solicitors for the Prosecution I take a good look around me. A large coat of arms sits above the judge’s chair which along with the dark wooden panelling gives the room an austere feel. We are still waiting for the judge to arrive, but I guess that it won’t be long as I see the far door open and the jurors are led in.It all feels a little surreal, like I am watching an episode of Law & Order: UK, as the judge enters and then finally Hannah is brought to the witness stand. I watch as she stands and makes her