Chapter 13
Thirteen
H eading back towards Jon’s, he asked, “You and Charlie, you dated I assume?”
“Mmm. We met at work and we went out for a while and we had a laugh, but with hindsight it was never going anywhere really, not long term. Then one night we went out with friends, he met Lindsay, and they got on like a house on fire. The next day he told me how great she was and I suggested that maybe we should stay friends and that he should ask Linds out and he did,” she replied honestly.
“He told me that an ex had introduced him to Lindsay. But it wasn’t serious, you and him?”
“No, not really, not in a buy a house and get married way,” she assured him. “But we were close and remained friends and Charlie has always looked out for me and hated Simon.”
“To the point that he hit him according to Lauren.” It was the first time Jon had referenced the comment Lauren had made on speaker phone the day before.
“Yes. Last year for my birthday, Charlie and Lindsay arranged a bit of a surprise gathering and Simon picked an argument before we went out and then when Charlie and Lindsay came to meet up he refused to come with us. Charlie got really pissed off about it, but Simon still refused to go with us, so Charlie insisted we went without him. Anyway, he turned up at the club where we were and was very drunk and abusive to everyone and after he stood in the middle of the dance floor screaming abuse at me until I was standing there crying, Charlie put him on his arse and had him thrown out,” explained Steph. As something of an oversight she added, “However, it turns out he was already seeing the school secretary and went to shag her before my birthday bash.”
“What the fuck? He sounds like a great guy. Why did you put up with that?” Jon really was bemused that anyone would tolerate that treatment but especially Steph, someone as sweet, beautiful, funny and bright as her.
“He wasn’t always like that, but he was never a real-life Prince Charming and I put up with it because I didn’t realise how shitty things were. It was a gradual thing. And I did begin to wonder if that’s what I deserved. It actually wasn’t until after we split up that I realised how bad things had become.” As she reflected on things, Steph grasped that she was still only just seeing how bad things had gotten between her and Simon.
The car was now entering the underground car park of Jon’s flat. “Let’s go for a drink and the cinema or something. We can walk to the multiplex from here if you fancy it?”
“Yeah, okay, but I don’t do scary films.”
Jon laughed at her fear of the genre, laughter she joined in with for a single, short laugh and then stopped quite sharply as she realised that Simon had only ever chosen horror films despite her objections. There was more to it than that though; she knew that on the face of it, her affair with Jon, would be viewed as wrong and yet she had no doubt that he would respect her words about the film and wouldn’t force her to sit through the best part of two hours feeling scared stiff in the dark. She had faith in him that he would never do anything against her will or to deliberately hurt her. More faith in him in a few weeks than she’d ever had in Simon.
They were sitting in an Italian style grill and bar at the multiplex after watching some action movie about a gang land killer from the future coming back to the present. They’d also spent an hour or so in the bowling alley, which she now knew was something Jon was very good at. She was relieved that she hadn’t entered into anymore wagers with him over the bowling as she had only managed to win one game and suspected he may have let her have that one, unlike their previous bowling challenge.
“How do you see this working?” Jon pointed between the two of them after the waitress left them alone with their dinner.
“I don’t know because I didn’t anticipate quite so many dates and being seen out in public,” she admitted honestly.
“You thought it would be a relationship conducted purely behind closed doors?”
“Yes, I think I probably did and the bedroom door at that.”
“Is that what you want? Because I like to take you out and to function beyond closed doors. This is not a casual fling for me,” he told her, staring across the table.
She swallowed hard. “I have never had an affair or been the other woman and I know that I may have somehow brokered this deal by stipulating what I wouldn’t be to you, but it doesn’t feel like a casual fling to me either. I am confused by the premise of it all and I do like the idea of dating you and not just being hidden away, but I don’t want to compromise you or be viewed as the ambitious woman who will screw her way up the career ladder.”
“I think we are both thinking the same way, darling. So, we continue as we are, with a degree of discretion in order to protect ourselves and each other, but without you becoming my dirty secret, well the secret bit anyway.” He grinned.
“Agreed.” She resisted the temptation to ask, ‘what if we are seen?’ or ‘what if your wife finds out about us?’ She really didn’t think she was ready for the reality of that.
“So, when do we see each other? Do you want to play it by ear or have set nights where we definitely see each other or what?” He refilled their wine glasses.
“Maybe a bit of both; I like the idea of set nights because it allows each of us to still have our own lives and interests, our own friends, but the flexibility to change plans appeals to me too. I do understand that flexibility may not be as easy for you though.” She was rather pleased with herself, thinking she might have managed to say because of your wife without actually uttering the words.
“Okay, which nights?” he asked and immediately began to answer. “I would like to see you on Wednesdays because I can’t imagine seeing you in the day but knowing that I won’t see and touch you after work. Fridays work for the same reason and then we could see each other over the weekend.” He sounded as though he had this schedule planned all along.
“Wednesdays and Fridays are good for me too, but we can’t spend all weekend every weekend together, can we?”
“Flexibility.” He grinned before saying, “And that goes for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday too.”
“Sounds like we have a deal then,” she agreed as her phone rang. Pulling it from her bag, she sighed. “Simon.”
Jon stared at her as he pieced together the other side of the conversation.
“No, I didn’t tell my dad to un-invite you to lunch and I didn’t agree to meet you last night. You’re at my flat now? I’m not. That’s none of your business and neither is that. Just leave me alone, we are over.” She sounded and felt exasperated but was still shocked when Jon reached over and grabbed her phone and disconnected the call.
“He really is beginning to be a pain in the arse!”
“Sorry.” Her apology seemed to add to Jon’s annoyance judging by the frown he wore.
“Now that we have a deal that includes some flexibility we can meet tomorrow night at mine. There’s something I want to run past you,” he said with an air of mystery.
Steph opened her mouth to object, but the look on Jon’s face was enough to indicate that this would be futile, so she closed her mouth and said nothing at all, just nodded.
Steph was compiling a report for the senior accountants on Monday afternoon when Jack Baker appeared at her door.
“Steph, could I have a word? If you’re free?” He closed the door behind him.
“Of course.” She couldn’t exactly say no, could she? “Take a seat. Tea, coffee?”
“No, I’m fine.” He took a seat opposite her.
“What can I do for you?” she asked nervously, wondering why he was even there. After all, since the day in Jon’s building when he’d been happy to throw her under the bus, she had barely seen him.
“I have heard rumours that your role over at Brookers is working very well and that Mr Brooker may be about to make you a very attractive offer to lure you away from us.”
Steph resisted the temptation to point out that the only offer he’d made her was to become his mistress meaning they were in bed together on a purely personal basis but was slightly taken aback at what he was saying. Jon had offered to hire her when Jack had said he was sacking her and he’d suggested, albeit tongue in cheek, that he needed her to work for him full time but there had been no serious offers, had there?
“That’s news to me, Jack, but I am very happy here and you have allowed me to build my knowledge and rewarded me very generously,” she said sincerely.
“If he made you an offer you would give us the opportunity to offer a comparable deal I hope.” Jack smiled, although it looked slightly unnatural. “Your input really did secure the Brooker deal.”
Steph nodded. “Of course. I would come and speak to you if an offer was made to me from any other company, not just Brookers, but Mr Brooker has made no indication of any offer. I am just liaising between them and us and I am based in their legal department rather than their accounting department.”
“Good. We really do value you, Steph, and you could go far here, especially if you keep bringing in clients like Brooker. Has he indicated how long he’d like to keep you over there, Mr Brooker?”
“Not really, but ongoing which is why it’s stipulated in the contract.” She had a horrible feeling that made her feel uncomfortable that somehow she was going to be stuck between her employer, her boss at least and her boyfriend and she was unsure who she was more concerned about getting on the wrong side of.
“Okay. Just between us, I am wondering whether I can substitute you with another accountant from your team, maybe Martin,” mused Jack now.
“I don’t know that Brookers would be too happy with another new face, but you’d need to check the contract and discuss it with Brookers, I suppose,” she acknowledged with what she hoped was a flat, even tone.
“Leave it with me, but this is just between us.” He tapped the side of his nose, confirming this was a secret.
“Of course,” she agreed and meant it because if Baker, Ross and Riley withdrew her support from Brookers and replaced her with Martin then that was between the two companies, not her and Jon. Although she suspected Jon would be less than happy and she had been named in the contract as Brookers liaison.
She had just left the tube station and was walking towards Jon’s flat when she received a message from Simon.
Where are you? I am outside your flat again and you are not here, again. I am fed up of running around after you and you know what happens when you mess me around and annoy me. We need to talk
What the hell was his problem and why couldn’t he just piss off and leave her alone like he had before? She made her way into the building and was relieved to find the lift doors shutting with her inside when a hand appeared making her jump. The door opened to reveal Ade, the blonde guy from the tenth floor.
“Sorry,” he said, then grinned as he realised it was her. “No boyfriend tonight?”
“No,” said Steph unsure whether she should correct his ‘boyfriend’ reference but didn’t. What should she correct it to anyway? “He should already be home.”
“I see. Do you live here with him?”
“No, just a visitor.” She smiled.
“I don’t think he liked us reminiscing the other night.” Ade laughed.
“No, he was fine about it really,” she insisted as the lift stopped at the tenth floor for him.
“This is me, apartment sixty if you ever fancy a cup of tea.” He grinned as he left her alone again while Steph shook her head, relieved when the doors shut.
Knocking on Jon’s door, Steph stood for a few seconds before it was opened.
“Hi, darling, how was your day?” he asked as he kissed her on the lips and hugged her tightly.
Following him inside she saw that his laptop was open on the table. With her hand safely wrapped inside his, he led her to the laptop.
“You didn’t answer my question, how was your day?” he repeated.
“Odd; Jack was in a weird mood and I have just had another text off Simon.” She threw her phone across the table to him.
He looked down at it and shook his head. “What a prat, but not for much longer. Now take a look at these,” he said as he clicked the mouse on his laptop.
“They’re flats,” she said.
“Luxury apartments actually,” he corrected.
“Ooh, sorry. Are you moving?” She was surprised that he hadn’t mentioned moving, especially as he seemed very settled in his current home.
“No, I’m not looking for me.”
“Oh.” The cryptic responses were beginning to confuse her. “Who are you looking for then?”
“You.” He stared at her, his expression as perplexed as she felt as he wondered who else he would be looking for.
“Me? I don’t need a flat. I have one and I can’t afford luxury dockside developments.” She shook her head at him.
“You have a flat that your ex-boyfriend seems to be a permanent fixture outside of. So, you need a flat, the location of which he doesn’t know,” said Jon seriously.
“You can’t just find me a new flat though. What if I have a mortgage on my place?” Slight annoyance at his interference was beginning to rise. In contrast, she also felt that he might have a point as Simon’s last message had unnerved her slightly, not that she was ready to admit that, yet.
“You don’t have a mortgage and I have found a selection of properties for you to view and choose from.” He spoke with an air of nonchalance that annoyed her.
“How do you know I don’t have a bloody mortgage?” she asked, outraged by him now.
“I checked the land registry and you don’t appear on the details for your flat, now look at these,” he almost ordered her now.
“You are mad. I am not a commodity, Jon. You can’t take possession of me and just relocate me when it suits. This is fucking crazy.” She slammed the laptop shut.
“I am not mad and I know you’re not a commodity, but I am very concerned about your crazy ex. What does he mean in his message, you know what happens when you mess me around and annoy me ?” he asked calmly, his calmness suddenly rubbing off on her.
“He has always had a bit of a temper and when I was less than compliant with his wishes he would accuse me of messing him around and annoying him and then it would all become a big drama. If I’m honest I am not too thrilled about him hanging around outside my flat,” she admitted and for the first time realised how nervous the prospect of meeting him one night at her home made her.
“Then don’t be stubborn and admit that moving is a solution to that.” Jon’s tone matched his serious expression as he opened the laptop again.
“I admit it. But I really can’t afford Docklands and if you even suggest paying I may scream.”
“Surely if you are my mistress it’s in the remit for me to set you up in a place,” he said half-smiling.
Steph stared at him for several long seconds wondering just how to proceed with this conversation. She figured that in the traditional set up of a rich man keeping a mistress he probably would provide her with a home of his choosing in a location that suited him, but this wasn’t traditional. She wasn’t traditional. This affair they were having was a mutually flexible arrangement, they’d decided that, but she was independent still and part of that was her living arrangements. She had her own place and she liked that, not being reliant on another person for her home, but this, his suggestion of setting her up in a place would surely symbolise the complete opposite of independence.
“Stephanie, you need somewhere to live, somewhere safe.” His words interrupted her thoughts, startling her slightly.
“But I don’t need to live in a Docklands apartment, do I? I can find a new flat myself, one I can afford if that’s what I decide I want. If I decide that’s what’s best.”
“But that is going to take time and during that time, Simon will know where you live and be able to hassle you,” Jon countered. “How long is this going to go on before he moves forward with his plan to get you back, you and your good job and salary? How long before he starts chipping away at your self-esteem again? You know I’m making sense.”
“Maybe, but what if we fall out? I’d be out on my ear,” she pointed out. “And I don’t want you to keep me.”
“Right. How about a compromise? Utilise some of our flexibility?”
“Go on.” She was genuinely interested now as she imagined a home that was safe from a drunken Simon. A Simon who was apparently intent on winning her back, if only for his own ends.
“All of these properties technically belong to me, through one of my property holdings. You decide which ones you want to look at and then which one you’d like to move into, the lease will be in your name, and you will pay the rent at the same rate as your current flat. That way you have a legally binding lease that protects you. They are all vacant so you can move in immediately. Will you at least look at them, please?”
His triumphant smile as she considered his offer suggested this was a deal they were in agreement on.
Steph was still skimming through the properties while Jon made coffee.
“What do you want to do for dinner?”
“I was planning on eating at home,” she replied.
“But you’re here now. What about steak? I have steak,” he declared, making her laugh.
“Okay, arguing with you seems futile.”
“You’re getting it now, but you’ll still miss me when I’m not here,” he said mysteriously.
“Not here when? Why?” Her stomach lurched at the notion that he was going away or about to say he was going home, to the home he shared with his wife. She tried to tell herself that her sudden nausea was down to Simon or even hunger but she knew the real reason was the thought of Jon going home to his wife. The thought of what that actually involved.
“I have to go to Geneva tomorrow until the weekend on business.”
“Oh,” she said, quietly disappointed that he would be away all week but relieved that his absence was down to business.
“You can stay here if you want to,” he offered.
“No, I’ll be fine. There are three flats here that look nice. Who do I contact to arrange viewings?”
“Me.” He winked, holding up a handful of keys. “But dinner first, then we’ll go and look. They’re all on this development or the neighbouring ones.” Meaning if she took the lease on one of them Jon would be her neighbour as well as her lover.
As they took the lift to look at the first property Jon asked, “Will you stop at my place tonight as I won’t see you until the weekend?”
“I haven’t brought anything with me,” she told him, but knew that if pushed the tiniest amount she’d cave in and stay regardless.
“What if I stay at yours then? I can go to the airport from there.”
His suggestion made her smile. He wanted to spend his time with her and was being flexible in their arrangement and compromising rather than just demanding.
“I’d like that.” It was the truth. She moved across the lift until she was resting her head against his chest and holding him tightly. He stroked her hair gently making her wonder if this was normal, the ease of things between them and the warm affection she already felt for him.
“Should I be concerned about Simon hanging around when you’re on your own, darling?”
She remained perfectly still but sighed. “I don’t know, but I am becoming more concerned with every text he sends.”
“If you won’t stay at mine will you think about going back to your dad’s until you move out of yours? Please?” he almost pleaded now.
“I’ll think about it,” she agreed as the lift came to a standstill and the doors opened making her laugh.
“What?”
“This is the same floor as that bloke I went to college with, Ade. He lives at number sixty. What number is the one we’re looking at?”
“Fifty-nine, so let’s not bother, but at some point I will want to know how you know what number he lives at.” He held her against him again as he pressed the lift for the ground floor.
They made the short walk across the complex to a block of flats that appeared to be a little smaller than Jon’s. They took the lift to the eighth floor and as Jon opened the door to the flat there was a long dark hallway with various doors off it; a bathroom, two bedrooms (one en-suite), a cloakroom, a cupboard and finally a large open plan lounge/kitchen/diner with French doors leading onto a balcony overlooking a grassed area.
“It’s nice,” Steph said eventually.
“Nice?” asked Jon.
“Hmmm.”
“Meaning you don’t like it.”
“I do,” she protested unconvincingly.
“But?” Jon smiled at her.
“I dunno, it is nice, but no more,” she admitted and thought that one word, nice, probably summed up the place, but she couldn’t really imagine living there.
He was already leading her out. “Let’s look at the next one then. You want better than ‘nice, but no more,’ darling.”
After reporting in at the security desk they rode the lift to the tenth floor at the next block of flats.
“If you don’t like any of them just say, Steph. There are loads more to look through and you’re welcome to stay at mine until you find somewhere you really like,” he said making her smile.
“Thank you.” She leaned up to kiss him, blocking all thoughts of staying at his place from her mind. How was that even possible? What would his wife say about that, or wouldn’t she know because he was offering her a bed in his bachelor shag pad? When she considered the fact that she would know all of his movements if she stayed at his, she dismissed it completely because although she knew he had a wife and refused to believe that there was nothing between them, she didn’t need a ringside seat of his comings and goings with her.
He responded to her kiss immediately and whether he sensed the unwanted and potentially distracting thoughts in her head he had her pressed firmly against the mirrored wall of the lift as he took control of the kiss; exploring her mouth with his tongue while his hands cupped and squeezed her bottom.
“Did I mention I’d missed you today?” He began to slide her grey pencil skirt up her legs.
“No, you didn’t.” She slid her skirt back down.
“Well, I did, spoil sport.” His exaggerated pout made her laugh as the lift arrived at their floor.
The flat was virtually opposite the lift and as they stepped inside she smiled. Its layout was almost identical to Jon’s flat; bright and airy with a huge open plan lounge/kitchen/diner with the bedroom off the main room with a large en-suite bathroom and built in wardrobes. In the small hall were two other doors, one leading to a large storage cupboard and the other revealing a small vanity bathroom. She went from room to room a couple of times before looking out from the French doors onto the balcony and The Thames flowing past beneath her.
“What’s with all the furniture?” She was confused by the fully furnished accommodation, having expected a bare flat to greet her.
“This was a show apartment, so this is all left over from then, but it has never been let and is the last apartment available in this development. The furniture can be left or you can provide your own.” He took a seat on the sofa and once comfortable watched Steph as she surveyed the place.
“It’s very nice,” she admitted with a smile before stepping closer until she stood before him. “Very, very nice, but you are going to lose a shed load on rental revenue if I rent this for the same price as my flat,” she said thoughtfully.
“Is that the accountant in you speaking?”
“Maybe.” Her admission was accompanied by a smile.
“Then the accountant in you should tell the tenant in you to snatch my hand off and get the lease signed ASAP,” he said seriously.
“But I don’t want to take advantage of you.” Her words carried nothing but sincerity. She didn’t. Nor did she want to be viewed as someone who would do precisely that.
“Darling, I positively encourage you to take advantage of me at every opportunity.” He grinned up at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
She frowned at him in response. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I do, and you’re not. In fact, if I thought you were capable of taking advantage of me neither of us would be here, Stephanie. So, is it a yes or a no?”
“Yes, please, thank you.” She grinned. “And if the offer of taking advantage of you is still an option . . .”
Her hands were already on her skirt that she was sliding back up, slowly.
“Yes, please, thank you!” He repeated her own comment to him before pulling her down towards him.
She straddled his lap as he pushed her jacket off her shoulders and down her arms. Then as he began to undo the buttons on her blouse, revealing the creamy flesh of her neck and chest that he was already leaning in to kiss, he said, “Come to Geneva with me.”
Steph pulled back, cupping his face so that she was gazing down into his very, very serious face. With a single shake of her head she explained, “No. I have to work, Mr Brooker.”
“Then come and work for me.” He removed her blouse completely, smiling as he looked down at her sitting across him with her skirt gathered around her thighs and a black, lace bra that did nothing to conceal her ample breasts nor her hardened nipples.
“If I worked for you I would still have to work and wouldn’t be able to come to Geneva,” she told him and meant it, not that she had any plans to work for him, but if she did she would not be dropping everything in order to disappear with him on business trips.
“But I will miss you and I want you to come to Geneva with me, on me, under me, I just want you to come.” He arched a brow as he removed her bra, lightening the mood with his words and acceptance of her decision.
She laughed at him now. “Flat, yes. Geneva, no. Working for you, big no!”
“What about losing the skirt and the knickers?” He grinned at her obvious desire for him, something that was entirely mutual.
“Now that I can do.”
Standing in front of him to discard her remaining items of clothing she realised he was still fully dressed. “You might want to lose some clothes, Brooker.”
His response was another raise of the eyebrows at her use of his surname before he stood up and quickly removed his own jeans and t-shirt, then sat back down.
Steph stared down at him for a few seconds before preparing to straddle his hips again.
He shook his head. “No, turn around.”
She said nothing, but did as he asked, albeit a little awkwardly. With a steadying hand from him to position her in a kneeling position facing away from him, he pulled her down lower until she could feel the tip of him at her entrance, then with a hand on each hip he pulled her down further. The sudden intrusion of him inside her body caused her to breathe deeply.
“We’ll take this at your pace then, Stephanie,” he told her wrapping both arms around her waist as she grew accustomed to the sensation of the angle and the feel of him.
One of his hands travelled up to find her breasts, the other travelled down until it found her swollen clitoris that he gently flicked making her moan. As she began to ride him, slowly at first, he flicked and rubbed her sensitive nub a little firmer and quicker. Her movements picked up pace driving her forward until she was crying out at the first signs of her climax. Her own movements and those of Jon’s fingers manipulating her nipples and her clitoris soon had her coming more intensely and louder than she could ever remember. When she thought the orgasm that had her hands clawing his legs and her toes curling was going to peter out, he squeezed the tender tissue around her clit, extending her pleasure until she was crying out again as another orgasm tore through her whole body.
Her breathing was just slowing as she leaned back against Jon who was kissing her shoulder. The sensation of his lips caressing her skin caused her internal muscles to clench and tremor which is when he somehow managed to manoeuvre her so that she was suddenly on all fours on the sofa with him behind her and thrusting, chasing his own release.
“God, Steph, you really are very fucking sexy,” he said as he gripped her hips tightly, his breathing becoming more and more ragged with every thrust until he eventually pulled her closer and held her firmly against him as he stilled.
They collapsed together on the sofa and lay there for a while saying nothing until Jon eventually spoke. “I think you’ll have to have this flat now, and the sofa.”
Steph giggled but was in total agreement as he stroked her hair and gently kissed her shoulders.