Undisclosed Desires (High Rise Novella Two) (6 page)

Sophie brushed against her clit and Isabella’s knees buckled. Isabella slipped two fingers inside Sophie and found a rhythm, her back grating against the tree as she moved up and down.

She stopped for a moment to let her fingers skate over Sophie’s clit.

“Just fuck me,” Sophie moaned.

Isabella obliged and plunged back in, feeling the rim of Sophie’s pussy contract around her fingers every time she pushed up.

Sophie let her finger dance over Isabella’s engorged clit, manipulating it with agile tenderness. This wasn’t about a long drawn-out and gentle first time. This was about releasing tension—and creating an unforgettable memory. If it was the beginning of love, they’d have a long way to go from that hill in the dark, but it felt as if the entire city was bursting out of Isabella’s heart. It lay below her, bustling and glittering, as she thundered towards orgasm.
 

The walls of Sophie’s pussy started clenching around her fingers as her moans grew hoarser. The guttural sounds uttered inches away from her ear didn’t miss their effect on Isabella.

“Oh fuck,” she exclaimed, just before a fire shot up from her toes and reached her core, like a rocket being launched through her body.

“God,” Sophie murmured and collapsed onto Isabella.

They stood gasping against the tree for a bit, their clothes rumpled and their legs shaking.

“Better than any bed, don’t you think?” Sophie planted a moist kiss on her lips.

Isabella could only agree.

NAT

Nat zipped up the escalator, Cindy’s nervous giggles at the same time stirring anticipation in her blood and launching an assault on her nerves. What had Isabella said?
Don’t you want something better for yourself than an endless slew of girls you deliberately choose because they won’t mean anything to you? And what about the girls? Don’t they deserve someone who can at least pretend to care for them for longer than a night? It’s a lose-lose situation. No one gains anything in the long run.

As the evening had progressed, flashes of Isabella’s advice had materialised in Nat’s brain in between shots of Scotch—Cindy had wisely opted for another glass of wine. Then there was the memory of Isabella running her long fingers over the paperbacks on her book shelf. She’d done it reverently, with passion in her eyes. The look on her face betraying the desire to pull one out and settle in the sofa for the night.
 

The more her brain had suffered from Isabella-related images, the more Nat had put the moves on Cindy. She was cute as a button with her pouty lips, round cheeks and eyes as dark as the night—they all had eyes like that, no matter how glittery their jewellery and make-up.
 

She tested some first lines for a short story titled T
he Darkness of the Hello Kitty Girls
. She could picture Cindy on the cover. Eyes blazing and mouth giggling.
As if the bubblegum factor of their cheery-pink exterior is all a means to hide the blackness of their stare.
Nat had soon aborted the little writing session in her head. If Isabella was fucking Sophie tonight, she’d be taking Cindy home. And even if Sophie and Isabella were all chaste about it and decided that the first date after a blind date should be platonic, then at least Nat would have one up on Isabella.

She could easily imagine how Isabella would look at her if she were to confess to having thoughts—or was it more like a strategy?—like this. Ever-accepting eyes peering over dark-rimmed glasses—the ones she put on for watching TV—her face drawn into a serious expression but the sparkle in her glance revealing her true feelings.

They were almost at the top of the escalator, at the street of The Ivy, when Nat realised what the real question was. Why had she insisted on setting them up? Why had it been so important? Deep down, it started dawning, but she’d need a few more processing sessions with Isabella before she could actually admit it.

Cindy grabbed her hand as they turned the corner, her tiny clammy fingers probing their way between Nat’s.

“Are you sure?” Nat faced her one last time. Not that she questioned Cindy’s eagerness, more her own.

Cindy’s only response was a squeeze in Nat’s hand accompanied by an unexpected confident smirk. And people claim these girls are interchangeable, Nat scoffed inwardly—mostly for the benefit of her own self-esteem.

Spencer, the doorman, held the glass doors wide open for them, his face as professionally blank as ever. Nat always shot him a wink.

“Sorry, Miss Nathalie,” Vivian at reception said. “Only one elevator available right now. The other one under maintenance.”

“Sure.” Nat nodded at Vivian. “No worries.”

Upon reaching the elevator bank Nat stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the two women with their backs to her, their clothes wrinkled and their arms hooked into one another. Her heart thrashed in her throat. Losing face was never easy, but confined to the secluded space of an elevator it would sting at least twice as hard. Nat dropped Cindy’s hand and cleared her throat. Isabella and Sophie spun around as if they were in a ballet performance together.

“Successful date, I presume?” Nat needed to get the first word in. Perhaps it could give her the upper hand as well.

“Looks like we’re not the only ones.” Confusion and disappointment battled for the upper hand in Isabella’s expression.

A high-pitched bell announced the arrival of the lift. They all stepped aside to make room for the exiting passengers, then shuffled in. Isabella stood with Sophie on one side, Nat with Cindy on the other, as if divided by a secret line of decency. People with strong morals who kept their end of the deal on one side, the more loosely-principled ones on the other.

Nat tried to hold her head up high, but she was crumbling inside. Not only was Isabella the last person she wanted to run into while bringing Cindy home, but the sight of her with Sophie, so at ease together and strangely satisfied—like couples on a sexy Sunday—caused her stomach to knot. Sophie’s eyes sparkled and hinted that she wasn’t merely being taken to the penthouse for a pousse-café.
 

Mistakes And How To Make Them
, Nat thought. Another good book title, maybe for my memoir some day.

“I’ve persuaded Isabella to join our book club,” Sophie said, trying to break the suffocating silence in the cabin. “Even though I’m not sure she’ll have time to finish the book before then.”
 

If she had talked like that about any other woman, Nat would have given her a pat on the back, but this was about Isabella and all Nat wanted was to slap her friend in the face—the friend she’d deliberately set Isabella up with.
 

“Great.” Nat seemed to have lost the power of speech as well as the ability to look anyone in the eye. Thank goodness the elevator was speedy and about to deliver her and Cindy to the forty-second floor.

“See you then,” Nat mumbled and dragged Cindy out of there as soon as the doors opened.

Once safely inside her flat she went straight for the liquor cabinet and poured herself and Cindy a large Scotch—neat.

ISABELLA

“Here’s a drink.” Isabella planted a glass of Bordeaux between Sophie’s fingers. “Make yourself comfortable, please.” She brought her hand to her chest. “Give me five minutes. I’ll be right back.”

“You’re going to see Nat?” Sophie’s face tensed.

“Something’s wrong. She wouldn’t so flagrantly piss over our arrangement if there weren’t. I just want to assess the damage.” Isabella placed her hands on Sophie’s shoulders. “As a friend.” She tried to put as much sincerity into her smile as possible. “I swear.”

“No need to swear.” Sophie spun on her heels. “Hurry back.” Sophie positioned herself in front of the full-length windows overlooking the city and didn’t say another word.

Isabella hurried out of the flat and didn’t wait for the elevator. She’d never before taken the stairs and her heels echoed in the concrete stair well. Two floors lower she emerged and rang Nat’s bell.

“Not a good time to forget your keys, Pizza.” Isabella heard from the other end of the door as she waited for Nat to open. When she did, Isabella noticed how Nat’s fingers loosened around her glass of Scotch and she regained composure just before dropping it.

“Oh. Looking for a foursome?”

“No, are you?” Isabella dragged Nat out of the flat by her arm. “Come outside for a minute.”

Nat made light work of the remainder of liquid in her glass. By the mistiness of her gaze, Isabella could tell it wasn’t her first drink of the night.

“What are you doing?” Isabella tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice, for her own sake as much as for Nat’s.

“Exactly what it looks like, Sherlock.” Nat shrugged. “I guess our deal is off. You can send Sophie home if you want. No need to consummate the date.”

“Why are you doing this?” Isabella leaned against the marble wall. The Ivy wasn’t built for drunken arguments outside its many front doors. This was a place of discreet class. People kept to themselves and didn’t raise their voices once they left the privacy of their flat. This conversation was pointless. Nat was tipsy and looking for a fight. If Isabella had more than a few minutes she might be able to get through to her, but Sophie was waiting upstairs. Sophie, who had already given her the benefit of the doubt once today when it came to Nat.
 

“Go back to your date, Doc.” Nat made for the door. “Give me a shout if you need any sex toys.” Nat had locked herself out and had to knock on the door until Cindy—Isabella recognised her from The Bean—opened it, a startled look etched across her face.

“Suit yourself.” Isabella watched as Nat slipped inside, one arm already draped around Cindy’s shoulder. Jealousy, frustration and disappointment fought for the upper hand in her mind. She shook her head and climbed the stairs to the penthouse where Sophie waited.

“And?” Sophie’s features had softened. She walked toward Isabella as she entered the flat, handing her a glass of wine.

Isabella shook her head and accepted the drink. “In the end, it’s her choice.”

“Maybe she needs something else than abstinence.” Sophie coaxed Isabella to the sofa. “Maybe it’s our turn to set
her
up.”

The thought terrified Isabella. “Do you have someone in mind?”

“I’ll have to think about it. She’s not an easy one to match.”

“Judging from what she told me about Claire, it’ll have to be someone who’s willing to play hard to get. Too eager won’t do it for Nat.” Isabella sank down in the couch. “It’s a near impossible task.”

“Whatever it is, it’s not a task for us to worry about on a Sunday evening.” Sophie inched closer. “I think it’s time I found out what it’s like to kiss you indoors.”

Isabella smiled, hoping it would relax her, but her muscles tensed under her skin when Sophie touched her. Her head filled with images of Nat and Cindy—all of them indecent and painful.

Sophie kissed her and it didn’t change a thing. Their lips touched and their tongues swirled around one another and Isabella only had one person on her mind. It wasn’t the one whose tongue darted in and out of her mouth.

Sophie wasn’t the kind of woman you pushed away twice. It was already quite the surprise she was sitting here now, her hands snaking toward Isabella’s breasts. She started pushing Isabella down, covering her with her body.

Isabella didn’t feel the same exhilaration rushing through her flesh as earlier on the mountain. Her mind didn’t shut off, allowing her body to enjoy Sophie’s caresses. All she saw was the sadness in Nat’s eyes, the desperation of her drooped shoulders, the pleading of her glance.

She knew what she had to do.

“I’m sorry.” Isabella pushed herself up on her elbows, breaking Sophie’s lip-lock.

“What?” Sophie’s eyes glistened through narrowed eyelids, desire clinging to her voice.

Isabella thrust herself up some more, forcing Sophie off her completely. “I thought I was being honest with you.”

Sophie’s mouth fell open, her eyes still confused.

“But I failed to be honest with myself.” Isabella placed a hand on Sophie’s forearm. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”

“What the—” The mist in Sophie’s head seemed to clear. Her eyes darkened and she shook herself free from Isabella’s gentle hold. “This is about Nat, isn’t it?”
 

“Yes.” Isabella nodded. “I’m afraid it is.”

“I’m beginning to think you two deserve each other.” Sophie straightened her skirt. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were shooting daggers at Isabella.

“She…” Isabella knew full well how stupid it sounded. “She needs me.”

“Sure.” Sophie looked around for her bag. “But don’t pretend you don’t want to fuck her as well.” She found it on the floor next to the sofa. “Good luck with that.” Once she reached the door she turned around one more time. “Don’t call me again.”

Years of training and experience in all kinds of matters of the heart and mind and Isabella had ignored her own the most. She was crazy about Nathalie Orange and it was about time she did something about it.

NAT

Isabella’s little visit had been the nail in the coffin of Nat’s already dwindling desire for Cindy. She’d excused herself and hid in the bathroom, head spinning and heart hurting, but she couldn’t stay there much longer without crossing even more boundaries of decency. She checked herself in the mirror before heading back into the living room. This morning she’d looked so healthy and energetic. That seemed like weeks ago. She took a deep breath and faced Cindy.

“I’m so sorry.” She crouched next to her. “I’m not feeling very well.” She rubbed her tummy for effect. She could hardly tell Cindy the truth and expect her to understand. Nat barely got it herself.

“Oh.” Cindy drew her mouth into an O, making her look even more perplexed. “What can I do?”

“Nothing.” Here comes the blow, Nat thought, and she truly felt sorry for the girl. “I think I just need to rest a bit, sleep it off.” Or maybe she’d just saved her. “I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning.”

“I can get you some medicine.”

Cindy was way too sweet for this situation, her kindness stirring endless guilt in Nat.