Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Elizabeth
The function room is crammed and busy, people are standing around as they chat, circular tables are set with the finest silverware and flowers sit proudly in the centers. Thomas smiles as he looks around. “This way.” He pulls me by the hand to the bar. “What would you like to drink?” he asks.
“Do you think it’s a good idea if you drink?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“I’m not sure….”
“What are you afraid of…that I’ll fuck you on Graham’s table?”
A stupid grin covers my face at the thought.
“Oh…it’s only okay if we’re making dickhead jealous, I’ll note that down.” He fakes a smile and goes to the bar.
I roll my lips to hide my smile, he’s kind of cute when he’s grumpy like this.
He returns momentarily with two glasses of wine and passes me mine; I take a sip and wince.
“No good?” He frowns.
I subtly shake my head.
“I’m almost scared to try it.” He takes a tentative sip and crosses his eyes. “Good god.” He licks his lips as he tries to deal with the flavor. “We’re in Paris for fuck’s sake, isn’t the champagne supposed to be good here?”
“Not all things are good in Paris.”
“So it seems.” He fakes a shiver and I giggle.
“We should mingle.” I look around.
He exhales heavily. “Fine.”
“You know, you were a lot cuter when you did what you were told,” I murmur under my breath.
“Ha.” He rolls his eyes and takes another sip as he winces.
“What does ha mean?”
“It means you’re one to talk.”
“Meaning what?”
“You were a lot cuter when you were all kissy and cuddly last night but do you see me complaining?”
“You’re sulking, that’s the same thing.”
He pretends to laugh and then drops his face deadpan. “You can stop talking now, Elizabeth…you’re grating on my nerves.”
“Ha. You’re grating on my nerves.” I take a sip and wince. “This is so fucking bad.”
“Atrocious,” he mutters as he takes another sip.
“If you hate it so much why are you still drinking it?” I whisper.
“Because there’s nothing else to do here…nothing that I want to do anyway.”
“What does that mean, what do you want to do?”
“We could go upstairs and take a bath or something,” he says casually. “Wash your mind a little.”
“My mind is not dirty.” I look around the room, “Unlike yours.”
“My mind is focused on good clean fun and dirty has nothing to do with it.” He holds his glass up to a silent toast, “So…let’s read the room,” he says.
“Okay,” I whisper. “The man and woman in the yellow dress in the corner are the Baxter’s. Brilliant at their job but mad swingers and at last year’s conference got rolling drunk and invited everyone back to their room for an orgy.”
“Nice.” He nods as his eyes linger on them, “Did anyone go?”
“Just me,” I lie.
He smirks and taps his glass on mine. “That’s our backup plan sorted for the night then.”
“There is the Vesper team, they bring like ten staff with them every year.” I point in their direction. “Weird nerdy men who do absolutely no work while here but all volunteer to come because they want a trip away.”
“Smart.”
“We have the iMac girls.” I gesture to the group of girls in the center. Every one of them is young and gorgeous. “They are the kind of girls I imagine you like on the outside.”
He looks them up and down. “Bit young aren’t they?”
“Oh please,” I scoff.
“I don’t want to sleep with a little girl. I like women over thirty. Actually, thirty-five is my sweet spot.”
“How old are you?” I frown.
“Thirty-six. How old are you?”
“Older than that.”
“Cougar hey?” He raises a suggestive eyebrow.
“Not in the least.” I spot the target. “That’s Mrs. Reynolds, she’s the one who holds this conference and the one we need to win the account from.”
“Tell me more about her?”
“Widow, French. Billionaire.”
His eyes linger on our subject. “Billionaire hey?”
“Yes.” I sip my drink. “She’s the kind of woman you should go for.”
“Eww.” He screws up his face. “My dick would not be in agreement with that plan.”
I giggle, glad that our easy banter has returned. “Anyway, good thing because you are supposed to be my boyfriend, anyway.”
“Fiancé,” he mouths. “Get it right.”
“Right.”
“Where are we getting married again?” he asks.
“Hawaii.” I sip my wine. “Apparently.”
“Are you wearing a white dress?” He looks around the room as he talks. “Because I think you should seeing you’re a born-again virgin.”
“Of course, because I didn’t have sex with you obviously means I’m a born-again virgin?” I mutter as I drain my glass. “I’m not sure if you know this…but you aren’t irresistible.”
“Ha,” he scoffs. “I don’t know if you know this…but you aren’t fooling me.”
“What does that mean?” I whisper.
“I know.”
“Know what?”
“Hello,” Graham’s voice says from behind, we both turn to see him standing with Melody.
“Hello.” Thomas smiles. “How was your morning?”
“Good thanks.” Melody smiles. “I’m literally like starving.”
“Oh my god, like me too.” Thomas widens his eyes all excited-like and I have to bite my lip to hide my smile, he’s such a smart-ass.
“Stop,” I mouth discreetly, he smiles into his glass as he takes a sip of the poison.
“Graham,” he says. “You must really work out, man, you’re in great shape.”
Graham smiles proudly as he looks down at himself. “I do my share.”
I snort my wine up my nose, Graham does not do his share…he has no share in the shape department.
“Looks like you do a lot of people’s share.” Thomas squeezes his bicep. “Impressive.”
Graham chuckles, oh hell…he can charm men too.
Now I’ve officially seen it all.
“When you two have finished feeling each other up we need to take a seat,” I mutter dryly.
“This way.” Thomas leads me by the hand and we sit down, unfortunately Graham and Melody sit at our table. Thomas grabs my hand in his and puts it onto his lap over his crotch and I feel his hard erection as he flexes under my fingers.
What?
I discreetly widen my eyes at him and he gives me a playful wink.
This man is a fucking sex maniac.
The table breaks into chatter but all I can focus on is the heat coming from the hard cock under my hand.
Thomas casually twists the ring on my finger as he talks and I have an out-of-body experience.
It’s nice having him here with me. Well, not necessarily Thomas, it’s nice having someone here with me. I’ve been on my own for so long, I think I was alone even when I was married. It’s ironic that I feel that I can trust a man who I’ve hired to be my date more than I could ever trust my husband.
I watch Graham and Melody and the way he speaks to her and I see a former version of myself. The weaker version.
Maybe my marriage didn’t fall apart, maybe I was never meant to marry him in the first place. Maybe the universe was just rectifying my mistake.
That’s it…isn’t it?
The epiphanies keep coming, blow after blow.
Thomas laughs and chats with everyone at our table, he’s so charismatic and endearing while I sit and eat and think in silence.
I wonder what his personal life must be like, he could have any woman he wants.
Does he date like a regular guy or…is he in love with someone…what’s it like to live in his shoes?
I’ve never met anyone like him.
His fingers circle on the back of my shoulder. “You okay?” he asks softly.
“Yeah, why?”
“You’re very quiet. You’ve hardly said anything the entire two hours.”
“Not much to say.” I force a smile.
I glance at my watch, what…. We’ve been here for two hours?
“That brings a conclusion to our luncheon. The first seminar will be in the Starling Room in five minutes.”
Thomas looks around the table. “See you all tonight, everyone.” We stand and walk a little to the side and he leans in and kisses me, his lips linger over mine. “Tonight.” He smiles against my lips. “I can’t wait.”
My heart skips a beat at his close proximity as he kisses me some more and I giggle and pull out of his grip. “Go.”
I turn around to see an older woman watching us. “Oh to be so in love.” She smiles. “You two are adorable.”
“Thank you.” I cringe, if only she knew. Adorable business associates.
That’s it!
Thomas
I sit at the hotel bar and sip my scotch.
Elizabeth is upstairs getting ready for the cocktail party and I’m waiting down here for her.
I’m a professional, I pride myself on my work ethic and my ability to separate my personal and work life.
In the last six hours since I’ve seen Elizabeth, I’ve been hard for five and a half of them.
My only half-hour reprieve was when I had a wank imagining it was her lips around my cock.
There’s something about this woman, she’s different to my other clients.
I can’t keep my hands off her.
When she kisses me…all bets are off. The thought of her not orgasming for six years has me hardly able to see straight.
I want her.
I want her beneath me, I want her on me, and more than anything I want to hear her moan my name as she comes.
It’s all I can fucking think about.
I sip my scotch, disgusted with myself. This is not in the playbook; I don’t lust over my clients. I never cross that line.
Sure I sleep with a few of them, not many if I’m honest, but I never want any of them like this.
I sip my scotch and look up to the door to see her walking in through it. She’s wearing a gray fitted strapless dress, her blond hair is up. She gives me a beautiful broad smile and every one of my cells stands to attention.
She’s here.
I stand and kiss her cheek. “You look gorgeous.”
Her perfume wafts around me and I feel my cock twinge in appreciation.
She sits down on the stool beside me. “What have you been doing all day?” She smiles as she sips the cocktail I had waiting for her.
“Wanking.”
She gives me a slow sexy smile. “How was I?”
“Sensational.” I sip my scotch as my eyes hold hers. “Although…would prefer something more…” I widen my eyes, “…3D.” I slide my hand up her thigh. “Let’s skip the cocktail party and get straight to the good part.”
“The good part?”
“The me railing you into next week part.”
“You’re such a romantic.” She smiles.
“I try my best.”
“For the record, Thomas, nothing is happening between us.”
“Why not?”