Desire: Love and Passion (13 page)

             
By the time the next Thursday rolled around, she was scheduled for a short trip to Ireland
.
Willow
was getting ready for the airport when there was a knock on her office door. She looked up to see the receptionist.

             
"There's a gentleman here to see you," she said.

             
"Who
is it
?" Willow asked.

             
"His name is Giles."

             
"Please send him in."

             
"Giles,"
she said when they were alone.
"Is something wrong with James?"

             
"No ma'am," he said.
"I had a few errands on this side of town and he asked me to drop this off."

             
"Please stop c
alling me ma'am," Willow said.
"I'll begin to feel as if I'm over the hill."

             
She took the envelope
from
Giles.
He bac
ked up a few paces and waited.
Willow thanked him, but his stay was her clue to read the note immediately.

             
The envelope contained a ticket for a dinner Friday
of the next week
. The note was simple.

             
I'm giving you the opportunity to say yes or no. I know we cannot arrive together, but there is nothing wrong with guests speaking to each other. Please give your reply to Giles.  Yours always J
.

             
Willow glanced at the ticket again. It was an expensive dinner ticket, a thousand quid per plate. The gesture made her smile.
S
he was certain she wasn
’
t going to make it.

             
She scratched a quick reply on a note pad.

             
Thank you for the consideration, however, I must decline this time. Please, feel free to make arrangements for another companion. Perhaps the next time. Yours for now, Will
.

             
Willow looked at the note. It was only on reviewing she noticed she signed Will. He was the only person who ever called her that. She liked it. She folded the note, stuffed it in the envelope and gave it back to Giles.

             
"Thank you," she said.

             
"My pleasure, ma'am." With that, he hurried out of the office.

             
There were ten voice messages when she turned on her telephone at Dublin airport.  They were all from him. She dropped the mobile back in her purse and flagged a cab.

             
At nine o’clock, showered and under the comfort of a blanket
,
she called him. He picked up immediately.

             
“Hi,” she said.

             
“What’s up? Where are you?”

             
“Dublin.”

             
“Ireland?”
h
e asked.

             
“Yes. I’m going to be here for a few days. A client of ours chose this location.”

             
“You could have added that to your rejection note,” he said.

             
“I guess now that your aid talk is over you
’
re going to be less busy,” she ignored his remark.

             
“Well, I’ll be back to focusing on my agenda until such time
as
the kingdom needs me
again
.”

             
“
H
ow flexible is your schedule?”

             
“How flexible do you want it to be?”

             
“If I were to invite you here, would you be able to make it?”

             
“Hmmh. Are you staying at a hotel?”

             
“Yes.”

             
“Checkout tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll text you an address. I’ll see you tomorrow, whenever you show up.”

             
“Candles and wine this time?”
s
he asked.

             
“Already on my list.”

             
“See you then.”

             
The first day rounded up at almost sunset. Willow was running through the day on pure anticipation. This new side of her was utterly surprising and she welcomed it. No more shy, naïve girl. 

             
The house was off
of
a secluded street just outside the city limits. She
would have
missed it if not for the voice of Ozz
y
Osborne insisting that she t
ake
a right turn. The rented vehicle moved slowly on a one lane road buffeted by tall trees and shrubs that provided privacy. It looked more like an access road than a driveway. The post
ed
signs of
‘
No Trespassing
’
and
‘
No Outlet
’
warned the uninvited away. A wrought iron gate was the last warning to the guest that insisted on continuing. Willow was about to get out and push the intercom button that stuck out from the stone-pillar to the left of the gate when she heard a creak and the gates began to open.

             
The house was not impressive at first glance. Willow could not tell if it was stone masonry or brick in the poor evening light. In addition, the vines that climbed and cover the entire façade seemed to be saying it was not really a house, but a part of the landscape. Perfectly manicured shrubs of all sizes buffeted the front of the house. The tiny lights that shone among the plants seemed alien.

             
She stopped just behind a dark sedan. Before she was out of the car, two white lights came on and beat back the coming darkness. She saw two figures making their way towards her car. She recognized both
of
James’ bodyguards immediately.

             
“Simon, Kyle,” she greeted the men cordially.

             
“Miss Barnes,” they returned.

             
“We’ll bring your stuff in,” Kyle said. “Don’t worry about it.”

             
“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said. “I can manage.”

             
“It will be our pleasure,” Simon replied.

             
“Thank you,” Willow said.

             
The interior was polished marble and earth tones for paint.
It had a cozy country-
like feeling perhaps because of the comfortable looking sofa and chairs. He was making his way down the stairs as she walked in.

             
“Hey,” she said.

             
“Oh hi,” he looked up. “Did you get lost?”

             
“No
,
I had a client review.”

             
They spoke briefly during the day and she informed him she should wrap up close to four o’clock. It was almost seven o’clock.

             
“Are you hungry?”
h
e asked
.

He met
her half way the distance between them.

             
“No, I had a salad maybe an hour ago.”

             
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She pulled close to him.

             
“You look sexy,” he said.

             
She was wearing short black shorts, buttoned blouse and a stylish vest. Her hair w
as pulled back in a loose bun.
She
’d
completed her outfit in sneakers and white socks.

             
“Thank you.”

             
“So
,
how was your day?”

             
“You should come by tomorrow,” she said. “I mean we don’t have to go together, but you could find some excuse to drop by my set. You might enj
oy it. It’s an underwear photo-shoot
.”

             
“Guys and girls?”

             
“Just the fillies,” she said.

             
“I already found the filly I want,” he said.

             
“For now,” she added.

             
“How many days were you scheduled to be here?” He ignored her comment.

             
“Five
. I
’
m
scheduled for a late Tuesday evening flight
.”

             
“Can you stay a few more days?
I have a private plane
.
”

             
“I thought you had a dinner on Friday.”

             
“I do, but that means we have all day Wednesday and Thursday.”

             
“Did you find a date?”

             
“Yes.”

             
“Good. I hope you have a great time.”

             
“You’re not going to ask who?”

             
She shook her head. 

“If you could point me to the bathroom, I need a quick shower.”

Willow's plan was a quick shower and to spend the evening with him. When she stepped into the bathroom and saw the thirty jet Jacuzzi tub, another idea took shape. She found all the toiletries she needed to start a lavender bath. She stripped down and sank into the warm
soapy
water.  Water jetted out to her sore muscles and she relaxed against the onslaught.

When she got out of the tub, she was refreshed. The scent of lavender swirled around her. He was not in the bedroom when she got out. She removed pink camisoles and briefs from her bags and dressed. She sat on one side of the bed intending only to email the photos to Nancy.

The loud blare from her cellphone told her it was five o'clock. The last thing she remembered was sending off the email. She felt a warm hand over her waist and felt him stir beside her. She turned around in the soft glow of the room and saw that the alarm had gotten him up as well.

"Sorry," she said.

"For what?" 

"Fa
lling asleep and
the alarm," she replied.

"You were tired. I understand."

"What happened to my laptop?"
s
he asked.

"It’s on the sofa over there. I thought you were
n’
t a morning person."

"I'm not. I set the alarm early. It goes off every fifteen minutes so I force myself to get up."

Willow retrieved her mobile phone from the bedside table and turned off the alarm setting. She turned towards him
and
ran her left hand over his almost hairless chest. His right hand was across her waist
and he slowly
slid
it
up her body and cupped her chin. He tipped her head back. His mouth touched hers lightly at first, then harder as she opened up to him. 

Willow slid her hand down his body and to his morning erection. He moaned into hot mouth as her fingers brushed against him. She slid her hand below silk boxers and reached for him. He moaned again and the kiss deepened as she caressed him, moving her hand from head to hilt, slowly and gently, making him harder than he already was.

She broke the kiss and began kissing him down his chin. She gently, with her body
,
pushed him on his back. She stopped stroking him and moved now so she
could straddle him
. She kissed down his neck, to his chest, across to one nipple. He swore as his hands tangled in her hair, prompting her to keep up her actions.

She moved a fingernail languidly over the neglected nipple. He groaned
rather loudly.
Willow liked his responses to her touch. 

Down his chest she continued, kiss
ing
and lick
ing
gently. Her hands moved
over his hard packed abdomen. G
ently
,
like feathers the
y glided
over the
scars on his side. She felt him go tense for a moment, and then he relaxed.