TouchStone for giving (The Story of Us Trilogy) (35 page)

spoilt his usually smooth silhouette.

Who is going to speak first? Who
can
speak first? The tension between us is palpable, dangerous

and sharp enough to cut through solid steel. I form my hands into a fist to stop them from shaking, not

with fear but with unbridled desire so fast moving through my veins it’s clouding my vision and my

mind. All I can think of is him.

Even though the lift is at a standstill he makes no attempt to leave. Here we are in this small,

confined space with no more than a foot between us. He turns side-on to face me. I stare ahead, feeling

more intimidated by the second as his eyes penetrate my flesh and burn me with the intensity of a

naked flame. I reach for the door.

He grabs my wrist. “Don’t!”

I pull back yet his grip does not slacken. In one fluent movement he folds my right arm at the elbow

and tucks it behind my back. When I gaze up into those deep, dark pools I see no light. That frenzied

look causes me to gasp. The tightness of his lips and the snorting sound emanating from his nostrils,

tells me he is a man on the edge of madness. I must take care.

“I know you’re angry with me Ayden and I’m sorry I embarrassed you.” I meet his fierce stare. “I

forgot myself and being with Charlie took me back to a time … you know? Before I knew you.” With

my free hand I graze his cheek with my thumb. “I should have thought it through but the music, and

the fact it was Charlie’s night, made it impossible for me to say no.“ I swallow noisily. “I had no idea

Jake was there and I sure as hell didn’t think anyone would video it.”

He leans into my hand and closes his eyes with a breathless sigh. “I’m glad they did.”

“Why? So you can remind me of it?”

His eyes flash. “No. Of course not. So I can remind myself of what I missed.”

“You didn’t miss much Ayden, believe me.” I snigger and roll my eyes.

“You have no idea Beth. I have missed
so
much.” His grip on my wrist slackens but I leave my arm

in place. “I have missed watching you grow into the beautiful woman you are. I was not there when

you needed me and, most of all, I missed experiencing your love.”

I hold back on a stirring spasm of adoration. “Oh, Ayden. Don’t dwell on that. I’ve been happier

with you this past month than I’ve been my whole life.”

He turns away, lost in thought. “It wasn’t meant to be like that …”

I interject, hoping to quell the tide of emotion drenching him “Que sera.” I press my forehead into

his chin. “I have no regrets.”

He pulls back, shying away from my touch. “Beth, I’ve lived with the promise of your love all my

life. I should have found you long ago. I tried. Believe me I tried.” His hands find their way to my

cheek and hold me in place. “I could have prevented all the bad things you’ve had to go through.”

Through eyes that simply refuse to focus, I ask, “Is that why you were so angry? With yourself?”

“Yes. What else?”

I visibly deflate.

“Even tonight I allowed work to steal me away from you. I didn’t get to see you in all your glory;

so young, carefree and alive.” He softens his touch. “You were taken back to a time before … before

he stole your smile and had you tie back your hair and cover your face with glasses … “

“You could tell all that from a single dance?”

“It was as clear as the nose on your face.” His lips skate across my nose for a millisecond.

“But you might not have loved me then.”

“I would have.”

I smile and respond. “Me too. I missed you tonight.”

He seems unconvinced. “Really? My spy tells me you were not without male company.”

“Yes … Well, yes. Spiderman and The Incredible Hulk did hit on me.”

“But you fought them off?”

I giggle at the suggestion. “I did.” A victorious smile plays on my lips.

“I’d like to have seen that. It must’ve been an epic battle; Bat Girl versus two superheroes.”

“Oh, you were there Ayden, in my thoughts the whole time …”

“And you in mine Beth. I gave Lester the night off. I was going to collect you at 11.30 anyway. I

was glad you called.”

A flash of a recollection finds its way into my face; I cannot hide my apprehension.

He sees it. “What is it?”

Where to begin? “When you came you saw me coming out of Charlie’s bedroom, didn’t you.”

“How could I not, looking like this?” He leans back to take in the tightly fitting costume and winks

roguishly.

“And … you saw Jake too?” Air settles in my lungs.

“Yes.”

I lower my head. “It looked bad.”

He lifts my chin with the forefinger of his left hand. “Did it?”

“Yes. It looked like I’d been in there, with him.”

He tips his head to the right, seeming to turn the conversation into a frame by frame scene in a

silent movie. “And were you?”

Words tumble from my mouth. “Yes. I was but not
with
him, as such.” I watch his lip twitch and I

rattle on inarticulately. “I was in the en-suite bathroom when he came in with Wonder Woman …”

“Charlie?”

“Well, yes, Charlie. I tried to tip-toe out but he saw me and …” Why is he smiling like that?

“What’s funny?”

“You.” A wisp of hair finds its way behind my ear.

“I’m not explaining it very well … but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

He stifles a laugh. “I don’t. Jake would never lay a finger on you without my permission.”

How wrong is he about that!

“I see.”

“I know he was rather … indisposed when you were with me.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he had traces of red lipstick on his mouth when he exited the room, Bat Girl isn’t wearing

red lipstick.” He looks very pleased with himself. “It’s elementary Miss Parker.”

“But you went over to him straight away and I thought …”

“You thought wrong. I wanted to know what I’d missed. The highlights, so to speak …”

“And?”

“And that’s when he slipped in the memory stick and brought up your disco diva moment.” He

chuckles, clearly amused by his own attempt at humour.

I roll my eyes. “Did he do it to make me look bad?”

“No. Not at all. Because he thought I would enjoy it, seeing you like that; unselfconscious,

unguarded. He was right.”

“You didn’t find it … distasteful?”

He laughs out loud. “Distasteful?” Stroking my hair, he continues. “Hardly. It made me smile, the

way you always do. I’ve seen sides of you today I’ve not seen before. It’s been an eye-opener.”

“You mean me throwing shoes and prancing around in a leather outfit?”

Through a crooked smile he mumbles. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s not been all bad.”

“It hasn’t. Today’s been your day Ayden. It’s been your open book day. Not mine. I said you were

perfect inside and out, and I was right.” I brush my lips with his.

“Let’s not get carried away. Perfect is much too strong a word for what I am.” He will have none of

it.

“Not as far as I’m concerned. You’re my Mr. P and that’s the end of it.”

He grins and the skin pleats beneath his eyes. “Is it? You’re very demonstrative all of a sudden”

My hands rest on my hips. “That’s because I’m Bat Girl.”

“Indeed you are. And tonight you’ve met your match Missy.”

“I have?” Instinctively, I lower my arm to my sides.

“I’m in two minds. Should I take you into my Bat Cave or to my bed upstairs?” He taps his chin

and takes on his thinking stance.

I’m shrugging my shoulders. “Either. I’ve fought enough battles for one night.”

“Yes, you have. Does that mean you’re ready to submit?”

The space between us lessens as he edges me backward into the corner of the booth. With my free

hand, I reach up to him and caress his serious face but there is less softness there; he does not react.

He jerks his head away and lifts my hand from his cheek, places it against his lips and kisses the soft

flesh on my palm before nipping my fingers, making me jump. I try to pull away, but he will not

release me and folds my arms as before at the elbow, strapping them against my back, leaving me

defenceless.

Between breathless sighs I speak. “Ayden, if this is one of your games …”

He flattens me into the corner with his hips and moves in for the kill, speaking in easy, slow

syllables. “I have witnessed you in all your glory today; naked and exposed on my dining table …” He

licks my neck and nuzzles my left ear in a way that has me dipping into him.

“… Enchanting my adoptive parents …” He changes sides and I throw back my head, losing myself

in his kisses, his words. “Charming the one woman whose love once kept me alive and tonight …” His

voice is no more than a snarl. “… I watched every fucking guy at that party salivating over you, just

waiting for the chance to get you alone so they could sink their hard cocks into you. And I
didn’t
like

how that made me feel.”

I try to speak. “Ayden …”

“Don’t speak. Listen to me. This is not a game. I mean every word.”

He chills me with a stare so intense it freezes the words in my mouth.

“I need to ask you something, again.”

I know what’s coming; I
feel his tightening grip and bear witness to the anxiety behind those panic-

stricken eyes.

“Please … for the love of God. Will you marry me?”

His words shred me, tear at my heart and leave me in pieces. I’m not frightened by what he will do

to me. I’m way beyond that. It’s the thought of him
not
doing it to me that terrifies me; the prospect of

never experiencing the kind of emotional and physical love that defies explanation.

When will I love a man more?

When will a man ever love
me
more?

Never.

But … “Let go of my hands Ayden.” He does willingly, unsure of what to do with his own now I

have freed him. I wriggle my fingers and take his face in my hands, swathing him in a blanket of love

and devotion. “I want to marry you, even more than yesterday because of what I’ve learnt today, but

there are skeletons in our pasts that will not rest; they’re buried and untouched but they are there. We

have to exorcise them or they will come back to haunt us and destroy us.

From his expression, he knows where this is going and so do I. For me it’s what happened one

fearful night seven years ago. For him his spectre has only one name: Elise.

With a flicker of recognition, he leans in and kisses my forehead. “You’re right, but I can’t, not

right now. Not while I feel like this and you’re looking like that.” He traces the edge of my leather

corset with his forefinger. “I have to burn off some … some calories first.” He smiles at his joke and

so do I.

Through my smile I ask a simple question. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“Need I explain? I have not kissed you for over 24 hours because you’ve needed to put on a brave

and beautiful face, but no more. I need to feel your mouth on mine, to be inside you and to fuck you so

desperately I will surely die if I don’t. Do you understand?”

I nod and remain transfixed, blood flushing my cheeks.

“Bat Girl, you have met your match.” He grips my hand forcefully and presses one on the control

panel. ”Prepare to be topped missy by a mere mortal who will stop at nothing to win your heart.”

My timing may be off but I don’t care. He makes me giggle.

The lift stops smoothly, he opens the door and beckons me to exit. ”First right,” he says smartly, as

if I didn’t know. We enter the master suite. I stand expectantly by the bed, my pulse throbbing in my

veins.

He lifts my chin. ”This isn’t the basement so there are no rules. This is our bedroom where we can

say and do anything.” He takes my hand and places it between his legs, making me recoil a little at the

stiffness of his erection. He’s desperate to be stroked and fondled. “You have me, body and soul Beth.

You know that, right?”

“Yes, Ayden, I do.”

“Then close your eyes and imagine we’re in Rome again. Will you do that for me?”

“Yes.”

“The sun is rising over the rooftops and there is the sound of crickets and somewhere in the

distance, there’s a restless dog barking. Can you hear it?”

I feel a smile wash over my face. “I can.”

“Now remember how we felt that morning. How you gave yourself to me without fear or hesitation.

Can you recall that feeling?”

My breathing is becoming laboured; my chest is beginning to heave with each sensual recollection.

There’s a twisting, aching feeling in my groin and a sensation of trickling wetness between my legs.

Why is he doing this?

“I remember everything Ayden. I remember how it felt to lie in the darkness, tethered to the bed;

your hot breath whispering to my body; your tongue seeking me out, your fingers inside me. The way

you encased me with your knees and with your hands in my hair, holding me fast. I was frightened. I

began to panic but you calmed me with your gentle words and your kisses until the fear dissipated;

only to be replaced by a craving so carnal in nature, I can’t describe it.”

Still in the moment, I’m unfastening his belt, unbuttoning his trousers and easing my hand slowly

down inside his boxers, through damp pubic hair to hard flesh. In my blind state I hear him groaning,

his steaming breath coating my cheeks. I lick my lips happy to relive this moment of unparalleled