Blooming (30 page)

Jen made
little inhaled huffs of excitement and he growled in response.

Todd pushed
Jen onto her front and over her kitchen counter. Shrugging out of his shirt he
covered her with his torso, holding her hands down and draping across her,
covering her completely, flesh to flesh, claiming and possessing her.

“Is this what
you really needed me up here for Jennifer?”

“Uh huh,” she
blushed furiously.

Todd raised
himself up enough to undo the clasp on Jen’s bra and fling it away; his hands
slid under and squeezed her breasts, teasing her nipples with his index
fingers.

He eased his
jogging bottoms down and freed his cock, rubbing it over her bottom until she
moaned aloud.

Todd leant
over and laid kisses all along her spine, tasting her salty heated flesh. She
tried to push her ass back against him and he laughed resisting her advances.

“Oh no it’s my
turn to tease baby.”

He yanked her
pants and underwear down to her ankles and although he knew she’d be bare to
him he was still stunned by the sight.

“Step out of
them,” he commanded, she obeyed immediately, kicking them across the floor.

Todd dropped
to his knees and spread her legs a little, Jen’s body was shaking almost
uncontrollably, he licked a slow path up her thighs, first one then the other,
then grasping her bottom he laid a full toothed hard wet bite on either cheek
making her gasp in shock.

“Who knew
you’d be a naughty girl?” Todd teased and before she could recover his tongue
flickered over her labia, tasting her, briefly penetrating her channel before
leaving her wanting until it flickered over her clitoris.

He stood
quickly and flipped Jen around, pulling her upright on the counter; her
pleasure hungry gaze was nearly his undoing.

Shucking his
ankles free of his trousers, he spread her legs and gasped, “Christ now you’ve
got rid of it all!”

“Is that ok?”
she sounded nervous.

“Jen on
anyone but you I would find it weird, the truth is I like women a bit more
natural in that department, don’t get crazy with the wax in future on my
account. I actually like more than a landing strip, call me kinky but,” he
shrugged.

She tipped
her head back and laughed and the sound pleased him more than he could say.

“It would
make me incredibly happy to wax less for you Todd.”

In the next
breath her laughter stilled as Todd stepped inside her thighs, grasping his
cock he guided it into her centre, and slid inside like he was made for her.

“I know it
shouldn’t matter but you have no idea how much it pleases me that I’m the only
man that’s had you, the only man that’s been inside you,” he hissed in her ear.

Jen threw her
head back and Todd kissed and licked his way up her neck as he thrust deep
inside her. Jen’s tongue came out in greeting as his lips met hers and he
suckled it hungrily.

Their arms
wrapped tightly around each other, the intensity was there again as their eyes
met and held and for a minute or two the only motion was Todd’s hips, thudding
into her, then Jen’s legs wrapped around his waist and she laid back on the
counter arching her back in complete supplication to him, it made him feel like
a God and fed his urge to dominate and ravish her.

Todd bent
over her, his hair trailed down over her chin as his fingers slid under her
ribs to support her back. He sucked her up-tilted breasts deep into his mouth
then drew back and traced her wet nipples with his fingertips, “these are so
pretty,” he said blowing softly on them before gently pinching them.

Jen cried out
as her insides rippled hard around his cock. In complete surprise at her orgasm
the pressure triggered an urgency in him and Todd ground harder into her. Laying
his forehead to hers, Todd’s entire being concentrated on the motion of his
cock. His hands slid under Jen’s armpits to grasp her shoulders from underneath
pulling her down against him as he thrust up into her over and over, rocketing
him into a climax that dragged her with him. They were left in a pile of
shuddering jerking flesh, completely drained and sated.

Minutes passed
and their breathing calmed. Todd lifted one of Jen’s hands and kissed it, she
looked at him under lowered eyelashes, still shy after everything they’d done
and he found it sexy as all hell.

Todd gently withdrew
from her body causing the pair of them to groan and sexy moist sucking sounds to
linger in the air.

“Hell that
was crazy,” Todd said hoarsely. He stumbled away and pulled his pants on,
looking about for her clothing he threw his hands up in despair. “I can’t see
your things anywhere,” he laughed, “but I think that’s because I’ve gone
temporarily blind.” Then he groaned and bent over resting his hands on his
knees. “Lord my legs have gone completely weak, that was so insane.”

“I think I
need help sitting up,” Jen complained. She lay where he’d left her,
unconsciously brazen, her legs still spread apart in repletion.

Todd leaned back
over and pulled on her ponytail until she focused on him, “You are really
something, you know that?” and then he kissed her brow tenderly before picking
her up and carrying her to the sofa on slightly wobbly legs.

“I have to go
honey.”

“Really?”      

“Yeah, your
shelf emergency has been fixed, I knew I was a sucker falling for that one,” he
mock scowled at her.

“Why do you
have to go?” God she hated that she sounded so whiny.

“I just have
to,” he gave her a big brother type kiss on the forehead and that really pissed
her off.

Jen stomped
off to her bedroom to find a robe but before she was back she heard the apartment
door close behind Todd. Jen stood there a little stunned - shocked he could
just leave like that, what the hell was going on in his head? Maybe it was her
- did she just not understand the rules of the game? Jen looked down at herself
and felt a bit dirty and shameful, which soon mixed with a wash of anger as confused
tears pooled in her eyes.

Jen napped
fitfully on the couch, little Hugh cuddled into her lap. She couldn’t shake the
feeling that she had done something to be ashamed of. Todd had almost looked
embarrassed when they’d finished and she suddenly wasn’t sure how she was
supposed to act around him next time they met. A noise outside the window
disturbed her and she got up to see what was happening, then her bruised ego really
did hit rock bottom.

Todd was
shoving his blond lady friend inside a taxi, or attempting to - she was stuck
to him like glue - her nails grasping his clothes. For some reason Lily was
there and there was some kind of argument going on but she couldn’t make out
the words, now Sean and Seb were there. What the hell was going on?

Bravura Girl,
Carly, landed a kiss full on Todd’s mouth and Jen caught herself before she
managed to bang on the glass hard enough to break it. Without realising it she must
have had yelled out loud because Seb glanced up at her window and she shrank
back not wanting to be spotted.

Whatever was
happening it seemed like everybody she had come to care for was in on it, and
as ever she was the outsider. And while it didn’t exactly look like Todd was
pleased to see the woman, other than allowing her to suck his face, she was
there - despite Todd saying it was over. Another part of her thought, is this
what he does, sleeps with women, gets them hooked and then leaves them so
desperate they’ll follow him anywhere? Is that what she’d done today forced him
to be with her whether he wanted to or not?

Jen dragged
herself away from the scene at the window, sick at heart and not wanting to
witness another second. Tomorrow was going to be a really long day and it
seemed she needed a friend who was on her side after all. Jen picked up the phone
and called the Kenton’s landline and asked for Max.

After she
finished her call, Jen spent a lonely evening on her own; nobody called or
dropped in to visit. When she went out to toilet Hugh, Todd’s door remained
shut – she could hear loud murmurs inside & was almost tempted to eavesdrop,
but she also didn’t have any intention of being caught pursuing Todd twice in
one day. Tomorrow she would probably be given some sanitised version of events,
whether she wanted to hear it or not anymore was another conversation
altogether.

****

The big day
dawned sunny and clear. Jen struggled to get up having lain awake cold and
fractious for most of the night. She missed being the girl who craved her
solitude, she’d become the last thing she wanted to be – reliant on others. The
joke was truly on her, Max wouldn’t be here until nearly show time and in the
meantime she had to get to a rehearsal at the Floris Hotel. Great, now she felt
nauseous and for the life of her she couldn’t remember how she’d allowed
herself to be talked into doing this.

She tried to
focus on the purpose of the event which was helping rape victims and victims of
domestic abuse - people who had nowhere to go in times of crisis. Victims that
didn’t have the family back-up Lily had behind her. Calling Lily lucky wasn’t
appropriate, no rape victim was lucky, but the support of her loving family was
definitely the reason she’d begun to heal so well emotionally.

There was a
knock on the door, “Come in,” she said with little enthusiasm. It was Todd, and
it actually hurt to look at him - rotten stupidly handsome beautiful man, but there
was hesitancy in his soft green eyes.

“Hi baby,” he
made to come over and kiss her but she ducked into the kitchen avoiding him.

“Good Morning,”
she managed.

“Are you all set
for tonight?”

“As much as I
can be, I just have to go to the practice this afternoon then physically I’ve
little to do but show up. All the girls taking part are having hair and makeup
done in Sean’s place, and then I’ll just head out to the hotel.”

“Wait - you
are coming with us aren’t you?” Was that anxiety in his voice?

“No, I’m
making my own way there; I’ve been making my own way places my whole life
Todd.”

“I know that,
but you don’t have to anymore.”

“Besides I’m
bringing a date.”

“What?” he
thundered.

“You heard
me; he’s a friend I’m bringing for support.”

Todd fumed at
the inference, “I’m here to support you.”

She pinned
him with a hard stare, “Really Todd? I’ve got to get ready so I think you
should leave.”

Todd took a reluctant
step back finally getting the full effect of the chill in the room. Had she
seen the showdown outside last night?

“Are you ok
Jen?”

“I’m great,
just nervous, I’ll be glad when it’s all over and things can go back to the way
they were. I’m tired of people wanting in my life one minute and avoiding me the
next. I never know whether I’m right side up anymore, it was easier before.”

What were you
doing last night Todd? Why was I on my own Todd, can you answer me that Todd?
That was the unspoken implication and he got it loud and clear. He even agreed
with it.

Todd made
another attempt to touch her but Jen drew away again, “I’m really proud of you
for doing this Jen; I know you’re going to find it really difficult but Sean’s
thrilled to have you, and supporting this charity means a lot to Lily.”

Tears pricked
at Jen’s eyelids and she gritted her teeth, “I don’t need your validation Todd,
I’m doing this for me as well.” She walked past him to the door and opened it. “I’ll
just see you later on ok, I’m sorry but I’m not in a great frame of mind right
now, I’m better left on my own.”

Todd was out
the door and in the hall with the door in his face, yet again. It was easiest
just to capitulate for the moment because she must have witnessed the little
scene last night. He’d desperately wanted to go to her afterwards but he’d been
a coward he didn’t want to either fight with her or lie to her about Carly. Then
he’d spent most of the evening on the phone to Carly’s parents, trying to get
them to come out here and take her home. She was having a breakdown of some
kind that was for sure.

What Todd
really wanted to do was go straight back inside and pin Jen down and force her
to listen to him, but he also needed her to hold it together for the rest of
the day. If they argued now it would only mess with her head more. Shit now he
was madder than hell and to top it all off some unknown bastard was escorting
her there tonight. He needed to hit the gym and go a few rounds with a punching
bag before he put his fist through a goddamn window.

****

Jen sat in
front of the mirror in her apartment, she was in her robe, the rehearsal was
over and she had spent hours upstairs being primped by Sean’s friend Marguerite
and her team. It had given her a boost to see the vivacious Spaniard again
because it was impossible to be completely miserable around her, she
practically oozed Mediterranean sunshine and made sure she blasted you with it.

In the
practice run Jen had ducked out of wearing her allotted outfits, pleading that
she wouldn’t have the guts to do it later if she saw herself in them before
showtime. They were all very revealing, but she’d tried them on and just kept
her mouth shut to stifle any insecurity. According to Sean they fit her like a
glove, and Jen knew she could trust him when he told her she looked good enough
to wear them. His reputation was staked on it of course, but somehow as
ambitious as he was, she knew Sean cared more about her and making her feel
good than that.

Jen leaned
closer and found the face reflected back at her quite startling; her thick
brown hair was in an artful fishtail braid draping over one shoulder, random
strands curled and bobbed about her face and neck, the long bangs drew
attention to her strong brows, the heavy braid reached to just below her
breasts and was intertwined with tiny silver sequins.