Blooming (9 page)

Sean was
right her shoulders and hips were fantastically matched and she had a tiny
immaculately delineated waist.

The crappy
bra was doing little to cover her small high breasts, allowing a hint of her
perky pink nipples to show through. As she turned in front of him again it was
with the elegance of a natural born dancer and he caught a view of a lovely
firm bottom, her butt cheeks peeking out of the shorts as his eyes followed her
toned thighs and calves all the way to her feet, which were clad in outrageous
five inch leopard print heels which must have come from Sean’s personal
collection.

Todd’s voice boomed out before
he even realised he’d shouted, “What the fuck is going on here?”

Jen shot
round, took one look at his thunderous face and screeched in alarm as she
vaulted onto the sofa and launched herself over the back of it before shooting
into the bathroom out of sight. The grace with which she managed it in the
heels was astounding.

“Todd
darling,” Sean began to say.

“Don’t you
fucking darling me,” he roared before scooping up Jen’s t shirt and jeans which
were strewn on the floor. “I’ll deal with you in a minute. I ought to toss you
out on the street.”

He stomped
off, dragging the sofa out of his way and pounded on the bathroom door. “Go
away,” she yelled.

“Not a
chance,” he roared back, I’ve got your clothes out here and I’m prepared to
wait as long as it takes.”

The door
opened a crack and her hand came out, “give them to me.”

“Not before
you let me in.”                                      

“Sebastian
attempted to deflect his ire, “Er Todd, it’s our fault, Sean had an idea for a
line of dresses and he wanted to see Jen for himself...”

“Oh well he bloody
well managed that didn’t he!”

The next
thing he knew the bathroom door opened wider and a small hand yanked him
inside.

Jen stood there,
eyes wild, her chest pounding.        

“How much
have you had to drink?” he stormed.      

“A third of
whatever they’ve had, it’s your fucking fault, telling Sean about my scar what
happened to you managing to keep a secret? Well he had to come see for himself
didn’t he and I was forced to drink enough to give me the courage to show him.
Unfortunately the little fucker still isn’t put off.”

“I heard
that!” Sean yelled from the living room. “Who are you calling little?”

“Forget about
that I’ll be having this out with him in about five seconds, first I want a
good look at you myself.”

Her breathing
stuttered in her chest and she instantly sobered as she sensed the dangerous
change in his mood.

Suddenly she
was aware of how small her bathroom was and how much room he occupied inside
it. His green eyes flashed with heat and anger while his eyes roamed over her.
“Firstly I promised to keep a secret about the virgin thing. Second - I’m
getting pretty damn sick of discovering you having fun every time my back is
turned.”

“I haven’t
encouraged any of it, not yesterday or today and don’t go round telling people
about my scar either.”

His eyebrow
cocked in mischief as he pointedly looked at her chest and then her groin.

“Do you
realise how revealing that bra is? I can see your nipples through it.”

She gasped at
his directness and tried to cover her chest.

“It didn’t
seem to matter and it’s not as if Sean and Sebastian care, just for a minute I
felt brave enough to do it.” She sobbed suddenly and collapsed on the floor,
she was about to go into hysterics.

He pulled her
up by the wrists and yanked her towards him. “I don’t know what’s happening to
me,” she croaked. “You’re all driving me crazy, and I’m doing things I would
never have dreamed of a month ago.”

All of a
sudden his anger drained as she began to cry. Her confidence boosting
adrenaline was fast diminishing.

“I’m sorry,”
she said.

“Well don’t
be, I just got the shock of my life that’s all.” He stepped back and looked her
up and down again, drinking her in. Then he coaxed her to turn around slowly
before she turned to face him again.

“You are
absolutely beautiful,” he said reverently, and then to diffuse the palpable
tension between them, “But seriously we need to get you some new underwear.”

They stood
looking at each other for a minute neither saying a word, then Todd spoke,
”before you cover all this up again I have to kiss you.” His hands went to her
waist and his fingers splayed out over her rib-bones.

“Ohh,” she
said on a long sigh. “How come it doesn’t tickle when you do it?”

“You really
are drunk aren’t you? It doesn’t tickle because I know what I’m doing,” he laughed
then faltered, “Just who else has been tickling you anyway?”

“Nobody, I’m
drunk I don’t know what I’m saying and you shouldn’t be taking advantage.”

“Well I’m
afraid you’ve found the limits of my chivalry, when I find women in their
underwear inside my building they become fair game,” he said pulling
surprisingly hard on her pony tail.

In the next
second his hands were at her back as he swooped into her mouth - all hot breath
and flashing tongue. Thank Christ for the heels because without them he knew his
hands would be on her ass and he wouldn’t have been able to control anything
that happened after that. As it was he thrust her up against the sink, her legs
went to open on instinct and he stepped into her.

He kissed her
so hard, she was struggling to respond there was no room for her to kiss back,
he was staking his claim to her, and something scary and fascinating was poking
her stomach.

Next thing
there was banging on the door, “Todd, I know you’re not trying to sex that girl
up while you have two gay men out here!”

He groaned
into her mouth and slowed his rhythm and in delighted relief her own tongue
surged into his mouth and she kissed him back once before withdrawing.

“I better let
you get dressed,” he looked at her ruefully, “you’re going to give me a heart
attack otherwise.”

The banging
started again, “Todd I want to get my girl’s measurements before she sobers up
and comes to her senses.”

He looked
back at her once with regret, then pressed a hot open mouth kiss between her
breasts, so quick she wasn’t sure it had actually happened. Then he stepped
away yanking the door open and strode out.

“You two
finish whatever you’re doing and get your butts downstairs, I want an
explanation for this,” he yelled at the guys before stomping away.

****

Todd was
pacing back and forth when Sean and Sebastian knocked and came through his
door. He’d managed to calm down a little, so when Sean held up his hands in
surrender he simply said, “What the hell were you thinking of Sean? I told you
something very personal to her, something she’s probably only shared with me,
and I only did that to spare her the embarrassment of trying to deal with you
herself. I didn’t for a minute think it would have the exact opposite effect on
you.”

Sebastian
chipped in, “Look Todd, we are truly sorry. Sean got excited because he had a
brainwave that he could design dresses for women with issues like Jen. You know
- sexy dresses for ladies with specific things they felt they needed to hide or
camouflage, dresses to make women feel gorgeous give them their confidence back.
Maybe expand it into working with burn victims or cancer patients.”

Todd sighed,
“Guys that’s a nice idea but she’s told me she will bolt if we can’t all
respect her privacy and I really, really don’t want her to go anywhere.”

He fixed them
both with a penetrating stare so they understood his meaning.

Sean looked
sheepish, “She gave me the mother of all dressing downs as soon as you left the
room. She’s sworn off drink - for good she said, so we won’t be able to put one
over on her anymore. She’s funny isn’t she? I’ve never met anyone like her, shy
one minute, spitfire the next.”

Todd smiled
despite himself, then his face quickly changed to a scowl when Sean teased,
“Hell Todd you should have seen your face, I thought you were gonna swallow
your tongue!”

Seb burst out
laughing, “Yeah your eyes were nearly popping out of your head man, you looked
like a cartoon character and if you’ll forgive me noticing but your package
went boing in like nought to sixty,” he made a descriptive hand gesture at the
same time.

They both
cracked out laughing and Todd had to give up and just watch them fall about.

When they’d
finally settled down, Sean was more remorseful. “Look Todd none of us want her
to go anywhere. I think we all agree we want to help her, but none of us know
what we’re doing here. Funny thing is she thinks she has no confidence and yet
look what she did, how many women would do that especially in that horrific
underwear. She wants to push herself whether she admits to it or not and we
four might just be exactly what she needs. Don’t try so hard to protect her
that you risk not helping her at all.”

Todd thought
on what he’d said then checked his watch, “Oh hell, I’ve got to go pick Lily up.
I said I’d take her out for pizza. We’ll discuss this later, I’m not sure you
two are off the hook yet,” he pointed at them menacingly.

Sean winked,
“Wait until you see the dress I’m going to make for Jennifer, it’s gonna knock
your socks off! Then we’ll see who’s hooked.”

****

An hour later
Todd was starting to panic, Lily hadn’t turned up yet and he wasn’t sure what
to do. He looked at his watch again, god he better go try the restaurant but he
knew he’d told her to meet here at the Kinsey Institute.

He was
starting to feel really sick, something was not right; what should he do?

He called
Sebastian, to check his apartment for him, see if she’d made it home, but she
wasn’t there. With sick dread in his stomach he remembered that they’d never
made it to the police to file a report on her date, the guy calling himself
Philip Lorenson. He should have made sure they’d done it today, but the initial
fear he’d felt had abated overnight and he’d let her go off to college as
normal.

He couldn’t
take it if something had happened to her, he absolutely couldn’t; he was going
to the police.

****

Bang, bang,
bang on her door, Jen sat up groggily. She’d just about managed to change into
nightwear before crashing out early at seven, she reiterated to herself that
there was no way she was having any more alcohol while she lived in this
building. Her mouth felt like Satan’s armpit whatever that meant.

She looked
over at her alarm, it was 4 in the morning. This was the final straw she
couldn’t keep on living like this, not know what was going to happen one minute
to the next. She couldn’t cope with it any more.

Jen stumbled
out of bed and opened her front door, a snarl ready on her lips.

Todd stood
there looking like a ghost; it was like someone had reached into his chest and
ripped out his guts.

“Todd,” she
stuttered, “what’s going on, what’s wrong?” her eyebrows creased in confusion.

He was
swaying in front of her, god he looked like he was going to faint. As her eyes
began to focus better in the dim light of the hall, she became aware that his
face was wet with tears and she made a startled cry. Then he stepped to the
side and she registered Lily’s presence.

“Oh my God.”

If not for
being with Todd, she doubted she would have recognised her.

Lily had the
beginnings of a black eye which was nearly swollen shut and a nasty cut over
her eyebrow which had been dressed, but there were still remnants of dried
blood on her face. Her lip had been split and she was as white as a sheet.

“Lily?” Jen
said in confusion, looking back at Todd for an explanation.

“Jen, can we
come in?” 

“Of course,
sorry,” she stepped back and fumbled to find the light switch. When it came on
overhead Lily winced, and Jen saw further marks on her body. God there was a
handprint on her neck as if someone had been throttling her, her coat was torn
and bloodied.

“Todd?” she
said and not knowing what else to say she left the unasked question hanging.

“Lily baby go
sit on Jen’s couch while we talk in the hall.”

Lily moved
away to do as he asked, she still hadn’t spoken and she hadn’t looked at either
of them. Todd grabbed Jen’s hand and pulled her through the door.

“Todd what
happened who did this to her?” she said as soon as the door was shut.

The next second
her heart lurched when Todd bent at the waist and his mouth opened in near
silent wracking sobs, trying to stifle the noise so his sister wouldn’t hear
him let go.

Jen pulled
him upright supporting his weight as best she could and pulled his head into
her neck. Then he said in her ear, “Lily has been raped.”

The bottom
fell out of her stomach even though it was what she’d half expected him to say.

Not Lily, no,
no, not beautiful - effervescent full of life Lily.

“She didn’t
show up where I was supposed to meet her on campus, that guy grabbed her
straight off the street, he must have been waiting for her. I went to the cops
when I couldn’t find her and the report had just come in from the hospital that
she was there. He knocked her out, raped her in his car and then threw her out
on the street like she was trash.”

Without
thinking he put his full weight on Jen and she had to lower them both to the
floor, he was shaking uncontrollably. Jen became aware of Sean and Seb on the
stairs, they’d obviously heard the disturbance and come to check out the
source. She shook her head at them to keep back for a minute.

“I had to be
with her at the hospital while they did an exam and she made a statement. She
won’t speak to me and I’m afraid to touch her,” he began to cry more openly. “I
let her down.”