Chapter 4
Four
S teph stifled yet another yawn at her desk, Dave’s desk, but persisted with the figures from Richards until Rosie appeared carrying a huge arrangement of flowers.
“For you,” she stated whilst grinning at Steph. “He could deliver them himself now he’s this close,” laughed Rosie. “But I assume a good weekend?”
“I am rather glad he hasn’t thought of that.” Steph removed the card and opened it whilst smiling at the arrangement of peach blooms. “But yes a good weekend, fabulous in fact. Maybe even better than that,” she admitted and then blushed at her own enthusiasm for possibly the best weekend of her life.
Thank you for a wonderful and
memorable weekend. We should do it
again very soon. Peach blooms for
your peachy arse. Sonia was right,
but I find that a bit weird.
Jon x
Steph smiled to herself as she threw the card into her bag and pulled out her phone.
Thank you for the unnecessary flowers. I had a wonderful and most memorable weekend too. Nothing weird about Sonia noticing my peachy arse. I don’t find it weird when your staff look at your arse as you enter and leave rooms or lifts. Steph x
Most memorable means that flowers were totally necessary darling. Everything weird about Sonia noticing your arse! Have you met her current partner? Which of my staff look at my arse? Maybe they are due a rise! Jon x
Not met Sonia’s partner, why is it weird?? Not telling you who looks at your arse! I hope you were suggesting a financial rise from you and nothing more personal!!! I am knackered and may need a few days away to recover. Steph x
I will introduce you to Sonia’s current significant other. You know that I have ways of extracting information from you don’t you? You are the only one that has been getting or will continue to get any other, ‘personal’ rises from me. I too am knackered, but don’t think a few days away will help either of us, do you? Jon x
Sonia’s partner works here? You extract information from me better than anyone know! Pleased to hear that your rises are exclusively mine. I was thinking a few days away, alone to recharge batteries. Steph x
Steph re-read their last two messages; ‘you are the only one that has been getting or will continue to get any other, ‘personal’ rises from me’. That’s what he’d said and she believed him, as she believed him that he and Lucy didn’t have sex and yet that confused her. Her own comment acknowledging his rises as exclusively hers confused her too because at some point that had to change, didn’t it? Jon’s next text arrived as she was wondering how she could be so desperate to know and understand the premise of Jon and Lucy’s relationship and be paralysed with fear at hearing it too. She made a decision with herself to not think about Lucy for now. She would face it, she knew she’d have to, but not yet, but soon, maybe. She would take some time to think about it and give herself, give them both a time frame.
Yes her partner works here. You are going nowhere alone, ever again. I am quite serious about that Stephanie. Will I see you tonight? Jon x
Why do you think I will allow you to dictate where I go and who with? I am quite serious too Jonathan! Tonight is not one of our nights. Steph x
She felt slightly irritated by his inferred tone, his tone and his marital status she conceded. She could go where she wanted and with whoever she chose and he had no right to try and impose restrictions on her any more than she could impose them on him. Her phone bleeped and signalled his response causing her to look down at the handset cautiously.
I don’t want to argue with you Steph. Come to mine after work, please, flexibility. I just want to see you. Jon x
She hadn’t expected that reaction but would go with reasonable Jon given the choice.
Okay but I need to sleep tonight! Well maybe not all night. See I can do flexible. Steph x
I remember how flexible you were all weekend. Sleep is overrated really. Was that a yes then? Jon x
I am not sure my joints are as appreciative of my flexibility all weekend! Sleep is a physical need I have, a basic human right. Yes that was a yes. Now get on with some work and let me get on with mine or I will end up bringing work home and my laptop. Steph x
Do not bring work home or there will be consequences! How tempted are you to bring work home now? Jon x
Tempted enough that I have put some files in my bag. Bring it on! Steph x
You are like a dream come true darling. I need to leave early today so I will see you later at my place. Jon x
Steph was about halfway to Jon’s from work when she found herself at a standstill due to some accident involving a bus and a car about three miles down the road. She sighed loudly before hitting Jon’s number on loudspeaker.
“Hi darling, where are you?”
“Stuck in a huge tailback about halfway home, so I could be some time yet,” she replied.
“That’s a bit shitty. I was hoping you would be back before me so that you could cook dinner and have my pipe and slippers waiting for me.” He laughed.
“You don’t smoke or wear slippers and cooking is not where my true talents lie, it’s like you don’t even know me,” she told him quite seriously.
“I know exactly where your talents lie and it was never your culinary skills that attracted me, but we will need to eat, so what do you want?” he asked her now.
“I don’t know, surprise me, not seafood though.”
“Okay. Call me when you are almost back,” he said and she could feel him smiling down the phone as she disconnected the call.
She looked at the huge expanse of stationary cars in front of her and thought back to the weekend.
She had arrived home early and had just begun throwing some clothes into a bag when Jon had arrived.
“Come on darling, let’s go,” he commanded.
“I’m going as quick as I can,” Steph insisted.
“Let’s just go. We can buy anything we don’t have!” he said excitedly.
“Ten minutes, that’s all I need,” pleaded Steph.
“Okay, but any more than ten minutes and I am dragging you out of here.” He lay on the bed and began watching her moving around the room.
“What do I need to pack? Where are we going?”
“Pack whatever you want, it’s a surprise.” He grinned at her, looking smug that he had a secret.
“Give me a clue,” she squealed excitedly.
“You won’t need to bother with pjs and bed socks,” he told her quite seriously making her laugh.
“Thanks, you are such a great help,” she told him with mock sincerity.
“I aim to please.” He smiled up at her.
“And you do.” She held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity until he leapt up.
“I will wait in the kitchen or somewhere away from you or we will be going nowhere,” he said as he left her to pack.
She threw in several sets of underwear and a couple of sheer, sexy and rather flimsy nighties. She added jeans, t-shirts, a couple of dresses, trainers, a hoodie and shoes to the bag before throwing in her toiletries.
She took the bag through to where Jon was sitting in front of the TV. “I just need to jump in the shower and get changed...”
“No. You’ll be fine. Shower when we get there, I’ll even scrub your back,” he said salaciously. “And keep that suit on, I like it, especially the skirt.”
She shrugged, happy with his suggestions. “Then I am ready.”
He leapt up and with one hand picking up her bag, the other slipped around her waist, pulling her towards him where he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently before releasing his grip on her and simply took her hand in his.
“Where are we going?” asked Steph impatiently.
“It’s a surprise,” he told her again. “I can promise you that your patience will be rewarded though if you stop asking me where we are going.” He did nothing to fight a broad and natural smile at her obvious excitement and impatience. A smile that made him look younger somehow, perhaps more carefree.
They had been driving for a couple of hours when Jon turned off the motorway and headed into the countryside of Oxfordshire and she smiled as she saw a ‘Welcome to The Cotswolds’ sign.
“Are we going to The Cotswolds?” Her excitement made her sound almost childlike.
“Oh you’ve spoilt it now.” His overexaggerated pout only served to make her laugh.
“Have you made plans for dinner?” she suddenly asked making him turn and view her curiously.
“I bring you away for the weekend and all you are interested in is dinner? Am I understanding this correctly?” His outraged tone was in contrast to his smile.
“Yes. I am bloody starving after someone plotted to poison me at lunch,” she teased him.
“I didn’t know you had weird seafood allergies,” he retorted.
“Not weird allergies, just allergies.”
“It’s a good job I haven’t booked us in at a seafood restaurant for dinner,” he said as he turned off the country lane and through a large set of ornate gates and headed along the winding drive.
As the building came into view Steph gasped, “Oh wow, this is nice, seriously nice.”
Jon laughed at her observation. “How very articulate Stephanie.”
She laughed in response as she stared at the huge country hotel, possibly a stately home she thought as the car came to a standstill.
“This looks very posh. I hope I don’t embarrass you,” said Steph half seriously.
“Never. And if you use the wrong fork at dinner I just won’t let you out of our room again,” he teased.
“Is this one of your hotels?” she asked as they got out of the car and Jon pulled their bags from the boot.
“No, this is a very exclusive, independent place. It’s a listed building with a very chequered past,” he told her raising his eyebrows making her laugh again as she reached across and attempted to take her bag from him.
“I think I can manage both bags, darling.” He tightened his grip on their bags in one hand, grabbed her hand with his free hand and led her towards the stone steps to the entrance of Stone House Manor and as he dropped back slightly as she ascended the steps she turned and laughed.
“Are you looking at my bottom, Mr Brooker?”
“Too right I am, darling,” he replied with a huge grin.
There was a rather traditional looking doorman holding the door open as they reached the top of the stairs.
“Sir, madam,” he said as a younger man appeared to relieve Jon of their bags.
Steph was surprised at how intimate the reception area was and how modern, with light woods and white walls. Jon took her hand again and led her towards the concierge at the reception desk.
“Can I help you?” asked the tall, pleasant man of about forty-five with a definite middle aged spread forcing against the pinstriped waistcoat he wore.
“We have a reservation for the weekend,” explained Jon.
“Certainly, sir, and the name?” asked the concierge that Steph now noticed was called Claude according to his name badge.
“Brooker,” replied Jon.
“Ah, yes, sir, here we are. I will get your key and then Rafe will show you up to your room,” smiled Claude as he handed over the keycard to Rafe who was still holding their bags.
Claude passed a tastefully decorated floral wallet over towards Steph.
“All of the information about the hotel, the spa and the surrounding area is in there. Once you have settled in I can arrange for someone to show you the hotel and facilities if you would like, or you may prefer to explore it for yourself, Mrs Brooker.” Claude obviously had no clue of the faux pas he’d made, but before Steph had the compulsion to correct him and embarrass everyone, Jon intervened.
“Thank you. Come on then Mrs Brooker. Rafe looks ready to collapse under the weight of your weekend bag.” With a grin and a wink, he squeezed her hand and led her towards the lift that was discreetly hidden behind wooden panelled doors.
The short journey to the second floor, the top floor in the lift was virtually silent as Steph kept going over the Mrs Brooker comment from Claude; she didn’t doubt that it was totally innocent, and if she had been Jon’s proper girlfriend then she would probably have been as amused by it as he was, but she wasn’t and there was a Mrs Brooker, and it wasn’t her.
Jon looked across at Steph knowing that the mood had changed between them. He had been amused, mainly by the expression on Steph’s face when Claude had called her Mrs Brooker, but now he knew that she was uncomfortable and obviously upset by it. He also knew that she was aware that he was looking at her still, but she was avoiding returning his gaze as she thought about the fact that she was not Mrs Brooker and never would be while someone else held that title; he considered that this relationship was new, but it didn’t feel it. It felt serious and whilst he wouldn’t be planning on getting down on one knee, even without a wife, he couldn’t actually imagine his life without Steph right now. He made a loose decision in his head to discuss his situation with Steph, but maybe not immediately, or this weekend, but soon.
The lift stopped and as Rafe led them out and down the corridor towards their room, Jon reached across and took Steph’s hand again making her glance up at him as he raised her hand to his lips where he kissed her fingers gently making her smile before returning her gaze to the door that Rafe was opening now.
Rafe held open the door for Jon and Steph to walk through and immediately followed them into what he had referred to as ‘the best in the house’ on their way up in the lift. He placed their bags down on the floor at the side of a four-poster bed, but a modern one, huge with white drapes tied back against the white ash posts at each corner and a white canopy draped over the top of the bed frame. Steph noticed that the room was decorated tastefully in mainly whites and splashes of colour, green in this room, provided by framed prints on the walls and a rug across the neutral coloured carpet, towels and finally a runner across the bottom of the bed in the same shade of green as the prints and rug over a very comfortable looking white duvet and plumped pillows.
“The bathroom is through there,” Rafe told them as he pointed towards a door to the far side of the bed and appeared to be heading towards it to show them that too.
“I am sure we will find our way around,” said Jon as he put an arm across Rafe’s shoulders and led him towards the door.
Steph watched the young man’s face as he realised that he was essentially being asked to leave and he looked most uncomfortable as he hadn’t talked them through where the phone and complimentary bar was or explained that the champagne in the bucket was on ice, next to another arrangement of red roses. Steph smiled as she noticed Jon handing over a rather large denomination of money as a tip.
Jon closed the door behind Rafe and breathed loudly. “I thought he was included with the room when he seemed so reluctant to leave.”
Steph smiled. “That’s a bit kinky, even for you and he really wasn’t my type.”
“I am very pleased to hear that ,Miss Pryor.” Standing in front of her he snaked an arm around her waist to pull her close enough that she could feel his breath on her face as he looked down at her.
“Miss Pryor, not Mrs Brooker?” she asked unsure how she felt or what emotion she should try to convey as she said it.
“I didn’t book us in as Mr and Mrs . . .” he started nervously. “We need to talk about Mrs Brooker at some point, darling, it really isn’t as it seems.”
“I know, not now, please, but soon,” she said almost begging him not to continue. “This is a very beautiful room and I don’t want anything to spoil it, so please say that talking can wait.”
“Okay, let’s check out the bathroom,” he agreed taking her hand as he walked across the room before pausing at the door and appeared to be about to speak as he looked down at her, but stopped and opened the door instead.
“Wow!” she exclaimed loudly as she stepped into a vast bathroom with a bathtub for two and twin basins, his and hers she thought smiling.
She noticed that the window was unusually clear glass for a bathroom, but as she looked out she could see why. The window revealed a view over the lakes, gardens and the countryside beyond.
“This is very luxurious,” she stated unnecessarily.
“You like?”
“Yes, very much so.” What wasn’t to like?
“You get the plug end of the bath.” He grinned.
“That would be rather difficult as it’s in the middle of the tub.” She pointed at the central location.
“Good point, darling. Shall we investigate the private terrace and the bar?”
“Private terrace? You are spoiling me.”
“I know and no staff discount,” he replied earning himself a smack across the arm. “I didn’t realise you planned on dishing out the spanking as well as taking it,” he laughed leading her back into the bedroom.
They stopped when they reached the side of the bed and as Steph looked up at Jon he viewed her seriously before pushing her back onto the bed.
“What about the terrace and the bar?” asked Steph as Jon lowered himself over her.
“They can wait. I think I should relieve you of your status as a vestal virgin.” he told her before devouring her mouth with his.
Steph became aware of a siren behind her and pulled over as far as she could to allow the ambulance to squeeze through the traffic.
Knowing she wasn’t going to be getting home any time soon, she called Jon.
“Hello darling, are you almost home?”
“No such luck. I have moved about fifty yards and an ambulance has just squeezed past so I could be here some time.” She thought that if she had gone into work on the tube she would have been home by now.
“If I hadn’t finished extra early you could have come home with me and probably missed it.”
“I was just thinking I may stick to public transport in the future, but I will not be travelling home with you and some of us work til the close of business every night,” she said seriously.
“You worry too much about other people’s thoughts and opinions,” he told her. “But use public transport if it makes you happy and for the record, I put more than the required hours in and you didn’t work til the close of business last Friday,” he chided. “In fact that really could be a disciplinary offence.”
“I do worry about what people think, but not too much, I don’t think,” she corrected him. “And as for my hours, I too put more than the required hours in, although my crazy boyfriend now forbids me to bring work home,” she said.
“I stand corrected. We both work very hard and your crazy boyfriend does indeed forbid you from bringing work home, but I still think you must be in breach of some disciplinary offence,” he said more darkly now.
“I’m sure I am.” The sudden urge to get home to him even sooner washed over her as her whole body seemed to come alive with sensation and anticipation at what may lie in store for her.
Another police car appeared in her rear view mirror with lights flashing and siren blaring causing her to refocus.
“That’s another police car so it must be major and I think I could be here a while, but I will be there as soon as I can. Have dinner without me if you’re hungry,” she suggested.
“I’ll wait for you, darling,” he replied making her smile.
“Okay, I will see you later.” Ending the call her thoughts returned once more to the wonderful weekend they’d shared.
It was actually Saturday morning before they got as far as the private terrace, although with the champagne on ice the previous night they hadn’t needed the bar.
As Steph looked across from the terrace she couldn’t believe just how far the grounds stretched, gardens, lakes, woods, meadows and even a 13 th century church. Jon had ordered breakfast to be served on the private terrace. They sat opposite each other wearing the very fluffy complementary robes and as Steph poured a second or third cup of tea she remembered the tastefully decorated floral wallet that Claude had given her the previous evening. She almost skipped into the bedroom and returned seconds later and retaking her seat, she pulled out the details within it and began reading the information out loud.
“Stone House Manor is a contemporary country house hotel nestled within the scenic Cotswold countryside surrounded by sixty-five acres of parkland, woods and meadows. The gardens feature several natural springs and a series of lakes,” she said to Jon’s amusement, but she ignored this and continued anyway.
“Since opening in 2002 it has won multiple awards for design and architecture, but with emphasis on comfort, service and relaxation Stone House Manor is the ideal place to unwind and indulge in the heart of the British countryside.”
“Darling are you putting together a sales pitch for this place? If you are I have a real bitch of an accountant you will need to get past first.” He smiled, arching a brow at her.
She scowled in return and continued, “The Garden Room is a popular space with views over the gardens and St Peter’s Church. With a casual seating area, a dining table for up to twenty people. It is a popular space in spring and summer as a wedding venue.”
He looked up from the newspaper he was reading and smiled at her mischievously. “As proposals go Steph that is pretty lame.”
“Hardly,” she said instinctively bristling, but resisted the temptation to point out that he was already married so even if she was proposing he would be unable to marry her.
He stared at her and waited for further comment, but there was none to his surprise; no ‘you already have a wife’, or ‘Mrs Brooker may object to that’.
“Ooh, there’s a terrace too,” she said excitedly as she read from the literature again, “The Terrace runs along the length of the hotel and has extensive views of the gardens and beyond.”
“Are you going to read every detail out loud to me?” Jon smiled as he put his paper down onto the table.
“That depends because there is a spa, with two pools. Or do you have a better idea?” She lowered the booklet she was currently holding.
“I think I can come up with something more interesting than you reading aloud as if you are visiting an invalid relative.” He was only half joking as he stood up and pulled her to her feet before throwing her over his shoulder to take her back inside.
Once back indoors they only got as far as the sofa that Jon lay Steph against. “Do you have any idea just how beautiful you are?” he asked her quite seriously.
Steph frowned, then shrugged for no reason beyond the fact that she had no clue what to say. She had never considered herself to be beautiful. She knew she was attractive, that men found her attractive, but not beautiful. The truth was that until Jon she hadn’t felt remotely attractive, physically, emotionally or intellectually for a long time. As her mind processed those thoughts she knew that was in the main down to Simon and the way he treated her.
“You are the most beautiful person I have ever known,” Jon continued, either not needing her to reply or possibly sensing that she was clueless in terms of an appropriate response. “We should keep these robes. They could be our weekend uniform.” Jon was already leaning in to cover Steph’s body and as her arms and legs opened, inviting him to her, the naked expanse of milky white skin revealed itself to his eyes.
“Or maybe not. Naked is definitely a better option.” He grinned as he closed the space between them, his lips moulding hers until they were the perfect match to his.
One hand was already caressing its way up the outside of her leg until he reached her hip, then her behind that he cupped until he was able to tilt her body so that she was perfectly positioned for him to enter her at the exact second that his tongue bypassed her lips.
A low moan echoed in his mouth when his erection stretched her intimate folds. Absorbing her groans within his own mouth spurred him on to push forward until he was filling her completely. Her response was to grab at his head and hair that she began to tug at as encouragement to continue, not that he needed any, he already knew exactly what she wanted and needed and had a fresh determination to give her exactly that.
Steph became aware of the traffic around her again and sighed loudly as she looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after seven. She was going nowhere anytime soon, well, not in the direction of home. Deciding on a change of plan, she turned the car round and headed back to Brookers where she parked her car in the same space she had vacated over an hour and a half ago and called Jon back.
“Hello, me again,” she told him.
“Where are you now?” He sounded irritated.
“Back at the office,” she replied honestly.
“If you are about to tell me that you have decided to put a couple of hours in at the office then think again Stephanie.”
She bit back a laugh and explained, “I wasn’t, but that sounds like a mighty fine idea.”
“That had better be a really bad joke,” he said with a serious undercurrent.
She laughed loudly now. “No, I am not staying to work, but I have decided to leave my car here overnight and I am now walking towards the tube station so I should be with you in about half an hour, maybe forty minutes.”
“Oh, good. I will meet you at the station and we will go out for dinner so text me when you are a couple of stations away, okay?”
“Whatever you say, boss!” she said and actually saluted despite walking down the road.
“That sounds so disingenuous when you call me ‘boss’ even though I am your boss in every area of your life,” he told her making her smile.
“Yes you are and yes it probably was,” she admitted as she began to jog rather than walk now.
“Are you okay? You sound slightly breathless,” said Jon concerned slightly.
“I am almost at the station and I don’t want to miss the next train so I am running now, but I will see you soon,” she told him before hanging up.