27. Giselle
Chapter 27
Giselle
“ S o, how’s it going between you and Millen?” Rosie asks, brushing her fingertips against a satin corset hanging from the rack.
I trail behind her, gulping down a mouthful of hot coffee.
“Good. It’s really good. Better than I could have imagined, actually.”
Rosie’s eyes peer back at me from over the top of a ruby red themed shelf, displaying an array of edible underwear and a glass bowl containing limited edition cherry flavoured tubes of lube. “I knew it. Have you—”
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
Although, not for lack of trying.
It’s been two weeks since I blew Hudson in his kitchen and then grinded myself on his lap until I came, and we’ve hardly spent a minute apart. I’ve slept over at his more times than I’ve been in my own flat since his place is much warmer than mine and he can cook actual food from scratch.
The daily orgasms I’m getting every day aren’t that bad, either.
Nor is the fact he gave me two large drawers in his wardrobe for my sports bras, gym leggings and trainers so I don’t have to keep trailing back and forth.
I tell Rosie as such, who hums. “That’s sweet of him. So, are you staying at his while he’s away?”
“Not sure yet,” I answer truthfully, swallowing down the last dregs of my much too sweet caramel latte. Every gulp of sugar syrup sitting in the bottom of the paper takeaway cup makes the back of my teeth ache. “He’s only going to be gone five days, so I’ll probably just go back to mine while he’s up in Manchester.”
“He’s doing the dreaded training course, isn’t he?”
“Yup.”
God, even just the thought of it is enough to give me the shivers.
In order to keep working at the gym, each member of staff must be up to date in their health and safety training. It’s vital in case there is an emergency – choking, fainting, cardiac arrest – plus a whole heap of other issues that can arise when people’s heart rates are suddenly elevated.
Our workplace pays for each member of staff to take a five day long training course as and when needed to ensure we’re all prepared should the worst happen.
It didn’t sound too bad to me when I first started working at the gym. But that was before I realised I wasn’t going to get paid for those days I was missing teaching.
Not only that, but the course wasn’t a walk in the park like I na?vely thought it would be. It was fucking tough. And don’t even get me started on the skill sheets we had to fill in after our practical; I felt like I was taking a test back at school.
“Poor Hudson,” Rosie coos sympathetically. “I wonder if it’s still the same instructor we had.”
“Probably,” I say with a grimace.
Disappearing behind a display of lingerie, Rosie returns with a mesh red coloured set, twin hearts stitched across the bra cups, holding it between us as she winks. “He’s going to need something to look forward too when he gets back, then.”
I bat at her with my hand, playfully rolling my eyes, before snatching the lingerie set off her.
It’s actually really pretty.
“You look happy, Gee,” Rosie continues, moving further into the store. I’m not a prude by any means of the word, but I thought the display of lube at the front of the shop was enough… now I’m standing by a whole wall of leather padded paddles and a… flogger? “Like really happy.”
“Thank you.” I smile at her, feeling my grin grow. “I feel happy.”
Rosie nods, all matter of fact. “Multiple orgasms will do that to a girl.”
I laugh into the rim of my coffee cup.
“I don’t hear you denying it, Gee.”
I pop my shoulders. “Why would I deny something that’s true?”
A cackling giggle escapes my best friend, drawing a couple of looks from the other women milling about the lingerie shop.
Only when my cheeks ache from grinning so wide and my stomach is beginning to cramp with laughter pains, does Rosie clap her hands together. Her own smile is stretched as wide as my own, her lower lash mascara slightly smudged from tears.
“We’ve got to be serious now.” She blows out a breath, dislodging the wispy strands of her fringe. “My date with Tom is tomorrow. I need to find something new to wear to blow his mind and make myself feel good while I’m wearing it too.”
“Now, that’s what I like to hear,” a husky voice sounds behind me. “We can’t let it all be about the men without having a little fun of our own.”
I turn to find a pretty, brunette smiling at Rosie and I. It’s obvious, even at first glance, that she works in the lingerie shop. Dressed in a white cable knit dress, hair scraped back into a fashionable low bun with a pair of small gold hoop earrings, it’s the lanyard draped from her neck and the nametag pinned to her chest, which separates her from staff rather than just a regular shopper.
“I’m Aurelia,” she continues. “Would you like any help shopping today?”
“Oh my god, yes please,” Rosie gushes, introducing the two of us.
“Brilliant! I’ll set up a changing room for you both, pick a few bits out, and we can go from there. Does that sound okay?”
I’ve got to hand it to Aurelia; she’s good at her job. Too fucking good.
Once she’s taken both Rosie’s and I’s dress sizes, she ushers us both into side-by-side changing rooms and promises she won’t be long. I sip my complimentary glass of champagne while I wait, the bubbles flying up my nose, listening to the rustle of Rosie next door as she strips to her underwear.
Kicking off my own shoes, I sit on the velvet stool in the corner of the changing stall – although, stall doesn’t quite cut it seeing as it’s practically the same size as my bathroom back at my flat – and check my phone.
Hudson: these skill sheets are driving me mad :/
Hudson: what are you doing? Xx
I huff a laugh to myself, picturing him hunched over filling out those damned skill sheets. Rather him than me.
Me: I’m just out shopping with Ro x
A red heart appears beneath my message, followed by a notification from my online banking app.
Mr H Millen has deposited ￡120 into your account.
Note: Treat yourself to something nice – Hudson x
Jamming the pad of my thumb into my call log, I press my phone to my ear, only having to wait for two rings before he picks up.
“Did you get the money?”
I squeeze my legs together instinctively at the gravelly sound of Hudson’s voice. It’s become as familiar to me as the voices of my parents, friends and dance clients. A thought which never fails to make me feel giddy, the butterflies in my stomach causing a riot.
“Hudson,” I sigh. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know I didn’t, I wanted too.” I close my eyes and picture him shrugging those broad muscular shoulders of his; the ones I like to rest my feet on when he’s going down on me. “There’s a difference, Gee.”
I sink my teeth into my lower lip. “But—”
“Can’t I treat my girl while I’m away? Hm?”
Is it possible to be turned on by the way someone talks? The sound of their voice?
“Giselle? You still there?”
I hum, desperately trying to ignore the empty way my core pulses.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You sound—”
“I’m fine, really. Thank you for the money, Hudson.”
“You’re welcome, darlin’.”
Christ.
I press my lips together to make sure I’m not drooling.
“Send me pictures of what you buy. I need something to get me through these bloody skill sheets, they’re driving me round the bend.”
I can’t stop a smile from curling at the edges of my lips at Hudson’s choice of words. If only he knew those exact same words had spilled from Rosie’s mouth earlier when she shoved the red lingerie set at me.
The same set which stares back at me; reflected in the shiny full-length mirror hidden away in the changing room.
I can’t suppose it would hurt to at least try it on.
Trying to hide my smirk in my tone, so Hudson won’t suspect a thing, I agree to sending him a few snaps of whatever I pick up with the generous amount of money he deposited into my account.
Fair is fair, after all.
If he wants to treat me, then it only feels right that I treat him too.
Wishing Hudson good luck with the rest of his skill sheets, I press a kiss to the speaker of my mobile phone before I end the call, throwing my phone back into the depths of my handbag.
Peeling my clothes from my body – first my coat, followed by my cream jumper, my long-sleeved white t-shirt, my leggings, thermal socks and my underwear – I yank the red lingerie set from it’s hanger. I shimmy the mesh knickers up my thighs and loop the bra around my body, clasping it just beneath my chest so I can easily see the hook and eye latch, before spinning it around to sit correctly.
Skimming my hands past my hips, I glance at myself in the full-length mirror, quickly plucking at one of the twisted bra straps to righten it.
Sinking my upper teeth into my bottom lip, I can’t stop but grin to myself.
I look fucking hot.
There’s a rapt three second knock on my changing room door – not really enough time for me to either accept or decline the person on the other side – and then Aurelia is walking in, her hands full of slippery silk, delicate lace and fluffy tulle.
She hardly looks my way as she lines the sets up on the rail, unbothered by my potential nakedness and instead focuses her attention on smoothing out a crease embedded into a rose gold coloured silk nightdress.
“Something like this does crease easily”— she runs her hands over the silk, allowing it to fall through her fingers like water flowing through a stream —“so, it might need steaming or ironing before you wear it. A bit of a pain, I know, but the results are worth it. I remember when I was younger, I used to just steal my older sister’s straightener and—Holy shit.”
I watch Aurelia’s mouth drop as she finally glances over at me.
“You look amazing!” she gushes. “How do you feel?”
I smile at her question; something so simple yet so important.
Dusting my fingertips across the goosebumps rippling across my chest, I peer past Aurelia’s shoulder to look at myself. “I feel really fucking good.”
“That’s what I like to hear! The red looks gorgeous on you against your hair.” She twirls a strand of my pin straight, dark hair around her finger like we’ve known each other for years. “Is it natural?”
“Uh… yeah.”
“God, I would kill for mine to look like this when I wake up, instead, it resembles a bloody bird’s nest! I tried one of those popular heatless curler sets the other night, have you seen them? The ones you wrap sections of your hair around?”
“Oh, yeah.” I wrinkle my nose. “Those never work for me.”
“Me neither! I ended up ripping the thing out halfway through the night because there was no way in hell, I was going to be able to get my beauty sleep with the damned thing in my way.”
I huff out a laugh. Aurelia is funny and warm and somebody I could totally see myself becoming friends with.
“Gee!” Rosie’s voice sounds from the other side of the changing cubicle. “Open up!”
With a flick of Aurelia’s wrist, the door to my changing room opens for a second time, revealing my still fully clothed best friend. She stares at me for a heartbeat, before clapping her hands together loudly.
“Oh my fucking god, Gee! You look like a knockout! Hudson is going to lose his mind, oh my—”
“And Hudson is…”
“My—” I pause. Hudson and I haven’t really gotten around to talking about labels quite yet, but I’m not sleeping with anyone else – ha – and neither is he.
“Her boyfriend,” Ro replies for me, sweeping her eyesight down my body. “And he is going to freak the fuck out when he sees you, Gee. I’ll be surprised if you can even walk straight.”
Rosie and Aurelia dissolve into a fit of giggles whilst I roll my eyes playfully.
I’m hoping they’re not wrong, but I’m happy keeping that little titbit of information to myself.
Grabbing another lingerie set from the rail, an electric green coloured one this time, I usher them both away, still able to hear them laughing like schoolgirls from the other side of the door.
Setting the red underwear set aside as a definite yes, I shimmy my way into the lime bra, grimacing as the underwire digs into my sternum.
It’s pretty – the colour complimenting my pale skin and dark hair – but the material digs into my flesh. If I wear this for any more than a couple of minutes, I know for a fact it’s going to leave red indent marks across my hips and beneath my breasts.
Stripping, I gather the lime green bra and knickers into a definite ‘nope’ pile, reaching for the third item Aurelia has picked out for me.
Time rushes by in large dollops while I play dress up, sipping champagne and giggling with the girls. Confidence dances through me as I find pieces that fit my body like a glove, highlighting the dip of my toned waist and the slight flare of my hips.
Hanging the last article of clothing – a luxurious silk robe Aurelia chose for me – in my ‘maybe’ pile, I slip back into my regular day clothes with an extra bounce to my step. It feels good to treat myself.
“Happy with your choices?” Aurelia asks, taking my three definite ‘yes’ items from my arms and into her own.
I nod. “Very.”
“Good.” She smiles toothily, peering down at the expensive laced goods in her hands. “You’re not buying the lilac set?”
Pressing my lips together, I reach back into the changing cubicle, plucking the lilac underwear set from where it had been hanging from the rail, almost subject to being left behind, and place it in Aurelia’s outstretched palm.
“You’re a bad influence, you know that?”
She smirks at me, all big doe eyes round with faux innocence. “Oh, I know.”
Aurelia flounces off to the tills, leaving me to knock on the door of Rosie’s cubicle. “You okay, Ro? I—”
“Pink or red?” she calls.
“Um… pink?”
“Pink it is,” she singsongs. “I won’t be too much longer! I’ll come find you once I’m finished.”
Leaving Ro to her own devices, I wander away from the front of the store towards a section at the back. A glance over my shoulder tells me Aurelia is busy with another shopper, so I take the chance to look around by myself.
Quietly singing along to the words of a pop song playing from the overhead speakers, I run my fingers along the smooth boxes standing proudly on the shelf.
Plucking one at random, I turn it around so I can read the details embossed onto the back.
Hm.
Five different settings. Guaranteed long battery life. Waterproof for underwater… fun .
My interest is piqued. But then I make the mistake of glancing at the price, and I set the sleek looking box containing the vibrator back down.
Never mind. I’ve spent enough money today, god knows what my total is going to be once Aurelia has rung me up. Plus, I have a perfectly good, still in working condition, bullet vibrator at home.
Even if it is a couple of years old and does randomly stop working on me, mid buzz. It’s fine. It usually starts up again once I give it a bit of a shake.
It’s the bright yellow half price sticker which catches my attention before I can walk away from enticing selection of sex toys before I break into my overdraft. I know Hudson sent me money, but I haven’t quite decided if I’m going to use it yet. It’s been so long since a guy bought anything for me, that I feel the slightest bit of unease.
Maybe unease if the wrong word.
I just…
It’s just something I’m not used too, that’s all.
Rubbing my thumb along the yellow sticker, I peer down at the marked original cost, an unmissable slash scored through it, and replaced with a much easier on the eyes – and the bank account – price.
Pressing the tip of my tongue into the sharp edge of my incisor, I grab the sealed box from the shelf, eyes skimming along the taglines etched below a photo of the toy.
Long lasting battery life. Discreet vibration. Dual action.
Heat crawls over my skin as an idea dances to the front of my mind. Hudson did say he wanted to see a picture of whatever I bought with his hard-earned cash…
Unable to bite back a smirk, I all but run to the till, the dual action sex toy in hand, placing it down on the marble counter beside my pile of underwear.
Aurelia glances down at my last-minute purchase and then grins at me wolfishly. “I can assure you this is worth every penny,” she says. “Trust me.”
Snorting out a laugh, I wait as she rings up my items, carefully wrapping each set in a piece of pretty pink scented tissue paper and placing them inside a branded bag. She ties the top closed with a black silk ribbon and pushes it towards me while reading me my total.
My bank account takes a small hit, although it’s not as high of a price as I originally thought. It’s worth it for the confidence boost it’s given me and the mental image of Hudson’s reaction.
I’m still grinning to myself as Rosie joins me at the till, paying for her goods with a single tap of her debit card. We bid Aurelia goodbye, each with her phone number in our mobile phones, before heading back to the bustling streets of London with slightly lighter bank accounts, heavier bags, and a bounce in our steps.
It was still bright outside when Rosie and I ventured into the store, but now it’s as dark as night, the golden streetlamps and the glow from other stores attempting to lure you in out of the icy cold, the only sources of light.
Taking the concrete steps down to the nearest draughty underground station, we chatter aimlessly whilst trying to stay as warm as possible in the near freezing temperatures.
“Catch you on Monday!” Rosie squeezes me tightly as the tube grinds to a halt at her stop.
Placing a kiss to her powdered cheek, I nod. “Enjoy your dirty weekend with Tom.”
“Oh, I will.” She giggles. “Love you!”
“Love you!”
I only have to wait three more stops before we clatter along to my stop in Clapham, the dusty doors of the tube jolting open to let a stream of people out and even more people in.
Glad to be out of the overflowing carriages, musty with different smells, I hightail it out onto the street, my chin tucked into my scarf, walking quickly to stay warm and keep the blood moving around my body.
When I get to a set of traffic lights, I usually swing a left, but I make a split second decision to turn right instead.
The tall apartment block, alight with glowing windows showcasing the humans living inside, towers above me as I key in the five digit code Hudson gave me with numb fingertips.
I shove the heavy door open with my hip once I hear the buzzer sound, wiping the grey slushy ice from the bottom of my shoes on the welcome mat and making a beeline for the lift.
Once I reach the fourth floor, I walk quickly to apartment number eleven, reaching a hand upward, above the doorway, to pinch the single spare key he leaves behind on the frame. I wouldn’t dare do so in my block, but Hudson lives in a much nicer area than me.
Plus, the doorbell camera he has attached just off to the side of the wall, monitors anybody walking by or entering his flat.
Which is why, I’m not surprised to hear my phone buzz with a text message from inside my handbag before I’ve even had a chance to cross the threshold and lock the front door behind myself.
Hudson: You’re the prettiest thief I’ve ever seen ;)
I snort a laugh at his use of an old school smiley face.
Me: pretend you didn’t see me!
Me: Video chat tonight??
Hudson’s reply is immediate.
Hudson: 8pm?
Hudson: I can’t wait to see you in my bed x
Me: I might not stay the night…
Hudson: yes, you are, Giselle x
Christ, he’s even attractive over text.
My pulse pounds slightly between my legs, reminding me of the things Hudson’s dirty tongue can say, the orders he’s capable of giving out, and the filthy acts he’s laid on my skin.
I can’t help but want more, more, more of it.
More of him.
Smiling to myself like a fool, I pad through Hudson’s flat to his bedroom, dumping my shopping bags at the end of his bed.
Even though he’s been gone for a couple of days, the place still smells strongly of him – the scent of the deodorant he uses and his citrusy aftershave – embedded into his sheets.
Wandering back out into the living area, I toe off my shoes, hang my cream coat up and power on the TV for a little bit of background noise. His place is masculine, but cosy. Not my Himalayan salt lamp and twinkling fairy lights cosy, but still… His navy blue walls are broken up with photo frames of his favourite memories, the deliciously comfortable black leather sofa and glass coffee table in the middle of the room, marked with a few coffee cup rings because I don’t think it’s ever entered Hudson’s mind to purchase some coasters, scream bachelor pad, but the vase of snowdrop flowers he bought me before he left on his trip are new.
As is my smaller set of shoes sitting beside his at the door, the handbag thrown onto the kitchen counter, the fluffy robe flung across the back of the sofa from where somebody had ripped it from my body in a promise of keeping me warm with his lips.
God, how I wish Hudson was here right now so I could kiss him. So, I could tell him how much both him and his flat are beginning to feel like home.