Chapter 28
Twenty-Eight
“ A re you sure this dress is okay?” asked Steph as she got out of the car at Stringers.
“It is perfect, darling, a bit like you,” he said pressing her body between him and the car.
“I think we both know that I am far from perfect and that this is a Sunday morning spent in bed together talking.” She grinned thinking that at that precise moment life felt as close to perfect as she had ever known.
“And a pretty sublime morning it was too. I can think of no better way to spend a morning, Sunday or otherwise. I think we should eat lunch and go back home to bed for the rest of the day.” He pushed an erection into her hip.
“You have a one track mind, Mr Brooker, and some seriously impressive stamina.” She laughed as she skipped out from beneath him.
“Only with you, Miss Pryor.”
She looked back at him slightly startled at his words and their meaning. She didn’t believe he was in the habit of feeding her lines and yet, when he said things like that she was always forced to question the sincerity of them.
“Don’t, Steph,” he told her and as he was about to add more words she turned away and continued walking towards the restaurant.
Entering the restaurant they found that they were one of the last to arrive and were followed in by the last of their party, Jason and a short brunette with a pretty face and huge boobs.
“Sis!” he cried, picking Steph up to spin her around excitedly. “You are looking very sexy in your posh frock,” he told her as he set her back down and took in her appearance.
“Thank you, high praise indeed from you, Jay.” With a smile for her brother, she turned her attention to Jason’s companion.
“Hi, I’m Steph,” she said and extended a hand.
“Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Mandy,” she replied. “And your dress is lovely,” she added, referring to the floaty cotton sun dress with a cream background and bold black floral print that Steph had matched perfectly with black strappy, high heeled sandals.
“Thank you and nice to meet you.” Steph smiled before Jon stretched across.
“We should probably join the others. Nice to meet you, Mandy.”
“This is Jon, Steph’s boyfriend,” explained Jason as they headed towards the huge table that was reserved for them in the middle of the restaurant.
The ma?tre d’ was standing at their table and obviously recognised Jon as he beamed at him and almost ran to greet him.
“Ah, Mr Bro . . .” he said before Jon interrupted him.
“Marcel,” he said looking down at his name badge. “Thank you for sorting the reservation for my friends. Do we have the wine list?”
“I was just getting it,” he called as he scurried away, and returning a few seconds later he gave the wine menu to Roger after Jon had subtly gestured for him to do so.
Lunch was an easy affair and the conversation flowed with the exception of any questions relating to Jon’s business or family which made Steph very uncomfortable, so much so that she could feel her own body physically tense to the extent that she had held her breath at one point making her sister Jess frown at her across the table.
“This must be a bit intimidating though,” said Roger. “So many of us and only one of you,” explained Roger smiling.
Jon laughed. “I suppose it is because there are a lot of you and I am still unsure exactly who fits where.”
Steph introduced them all and although she explained where everyone fitted, wasn’t sure Jon would remember the details.
Another ten minutes passed when Steph excused herself from the table and was followed into the ladies by Jess who immediately asked, “What’s the story with Mr Perfect then?”
“What? I don’t know what you mean,” protested Steph.
“Course you do. You cringe every time anyone asks him about his work, his family or his past, so spill,” said Jess bluntly as she lifted herself up onto the counter to the side of the wash basins.
“Do the others have suspicions about him?” Steph was concerned that if anyone else was suspicious, her whole relationship with Jon could be blown out of the water.
“Not that I am aware of and anything you tell me is between us, Stephie. You’re my sister and I love you and no matter what is going on it is obvious that you are smitten and so is he. How bad can it be?” A warm smile curled Jess’ lips before she took Steph’s hand and kissed it.
“This remains between us then. He is married and I am currently working for him at his multi-million pound business headquarters and he is subsidising my flat because his company owns it. Oh, and he cooked up a deal with Eddie so that I now have the brand new, top of the range car I’ve always wanted,” revealed Steph and breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“I thought you were going to say he was some kind of gangster or drugs baron, so I feel slightly relieved now!” Laughed Jess.
“No, he is legal if nothing else,” said Steph in response.
“What’s the story with the wife, doesn’t she understand him?” Jess asked a little cynically now.
Steph shrugged, “I have no idea. I avoid discussing her whenever I can, but from what I can gather he doesn’t spend too much time with her, but I knew he was married before I got into this. Lindsay told me about his wife before her wedding.”
“Yes, he is Charlie’s mate, isn’t he?”
“Yes, and we first met on Lindsay’s hen night and I was a bit the worse for wear and Jon took care of me, although he was an arse and I hated him, and it seemed mutual.” Steph went on to explain all that had happened since that first night. “He is in every part of my life, Jess, and I have to admit that I like it, even if it scares me shitless,” she admitted and couldn’t hide the huge smile on her face making her older sister laugh loudly.
“You have it real bad sis!” Jess said as one of their sisters-in-law, Chloe, appeared with her daughter, Emily.
“I think your dad is getting worried about you two, you’ve been gone ages,” said Chloe as she disappeared into a cubicle with Emily.
“Thank you for a lovely afternoon.” Steph stretched up and kissed Jon as they lay in bed together on Sunday night.
“No problem, darling,” he replied as he stroked her hair.
“And thank you for letting my dad pay. He would have been upset if he hadn’t paid, he is funny like that.”
“Ah, I did think he may feel that way so I should probably confess that I had Marcel prepare two bills, the one your dad paid and the other half of it that I did.”
“Thank you.” She could feel him smiling at her use of the words that had been so prominent during their recent spanking session.
“Those two words have been spoilt for me now.”
They both laughed.
“Spoilt has such negative connotations,” she protested, making him laugh louder.
“Maybe a poor choice of word, but whenever anyone says thank you to me now I get a hard on.” His serious tone matched his expression as he gazed down at her.
She grinned briefly and then as she climbed across him until she was straddling him she looked down at the most handsome face she had ever known, mischief dancing in her eyes. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Absolutely nothing negative happening here,” Jon told her, grabbing her head, pulling it down to his so he could take possession of her mouth until she was lost in him again.
She’d woken up at half past four and despite her best efforts was unable to get back to sleep so decided she should just get up. She made a cup of tea and felt that she was almost being summoned to turn her laptop on and as Jon was still asleep, it wouldn’t hurt to have a little look at the figures.
Steph picked up her cup and sighed as she realised she’d already drunk it. How long had she been here?
“Was that sigh because you have realised that you have broken your promise about that bloody laptop?” Jon appeared behind her.
“No, but I have run out of tea,” she admitted.
“That is outrageous that you are making no attempt to cover up the fact that you have broken your promise.” His tone was one of outrage, but he still smiled.
“I don’t know that I made a promise.” Steph knew her protest was both weak and disingenuous.
“Oh, darling, that hole you are in is getting deeper and deeper. You said you would bring your laptop home, but I promise not to get it out and that is a direct quote.”
“Oh,” started Steph as she got to her feet and turned her computer off.
“Oh indeed.” Jon was already wrapping his arms around her waist, gazing down at her as his hands dropped to the bottom of the black silky robe she wore. Lifting it, he exposed her bare behind and began to caress it gently. “Maybe we should address your broken promise before work,” he said seriously, but with a naughty and very sexy glint in his eye.
“Or not.”
Jon looked at her with an expression of confusion. “You enjoyed it before, didn’t you?” He still caressed and cupped her behind.
“I did. You know I did, but we have to get ready for work and I would really like to be able to sit down without looking like I am in need of medical attention and . . .” she allowed her voice to trail off.
“And what?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing, forget it.” She blushed, struggling to find the courage to utter the words in her head.
“I don’t want to forget it. Please tell me what you were going to say.” Possibly pre-empting that Steph might walk away, his grip on her tightened.
“No, it’s embarrassing.” It was, but she also felt shame washing over her so dropped her eyes.
Jon tilted her head back up so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. “What can you possibly say that would embarrass you after all we have done?”
“Please, Jon, I am dying here. Let’s have some breakfast and then we can get ready for work. I daren’t be late or Dave will have a fit.”
“Okay, I’ll leave it, for now,” he said as he headed into the kitchen to make more tea. “I think I owe you an apology,” Jon said, confusing Steph who spun to face him from the other side of the breakfast bar.
“For what?”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day, about me invading your life.”
“Right,” replied Steph nervously as she considered just where this conversation might go. He had invaded all areas of her life and although she liked it, as she’d told her sister, she was also scared about exactly what that would mean for her in the long-term. She had no illusions about Jon leaving his wife and making a future with her, although she could admit to herself that if he was able to offer her that she would jump at the chance.
“Yeah. I care about you and for you and as such I want to keep you safe. To ensure you have the best of things and that your skills and abilities are recognised and rewarded, but in facilitating that; the job, the flat, the car, everything, I kind of forgot about your feelings.”
“I see. It does scare me shitless, Jon, this, us. I worry that if, when things end between us I will have nothing left that is mine,” Steph admitted to him in what she hoped was a calm and even tone that wouldn’t betray her inner emotional state or worse still that the tears she was keeping locked in would break free.
“Darling, I promise I won’t fuck you over, no matter what happens. Your employment contract is safe, I swear, and I really do value you professionally. Even if I hadn’t fancied the pants off you, I would have done everything in my power to have you on my team. The flat lease is legally binding and the car is all registered in your name. But I still owe you an apology for treating you like a commodity in the way I simply did things without consultation, so, I am sorry.”
Steph smiled at his expression as much as his words. “You’re very sexy when you’re contrite.”
“Just when I’m contrite? Because it’s not my default setting and I was hoping you’d find me sexy more frequently than you’ll find me contrite.” He winked making her flush.
“Even when you’re being a dick I still find you sexy.”
“Hmm, I hope that’s not an inference that I am only ever contrite or a dick.”
Steph shrugged and then shrieked as Jon dashed towards her until she was pressed against the wall with his mouth covering hers.