Slowly I feel teeth nipping at my collarbone. The change in sensation stirs the butterflies in my stomach. The ceaseless rocking has ensured that the slow burn has turned into a raging inferno, and when I suddenly feel the nip of teeth on my pert nipple, I feel myself coming apart once more. I have not even had a moment to catch my breath before the gentle rocking abruptly changes pace, and I feel Taylor slamming into me. It takes only a few thrusts before I feel Taylor go rigid above me as I come with the force of a hurricane. White-hot light burns my eyelids, erasing the darkness, and my soul is soaring. It might have been minutes or hours that we lie there, Taylor’s forehead resting on mine, until he finally withdraws, pulling me into his arms.
.........................
My morning can’t go fast enough. I made all my calls first thing, and now I am just waiting for news. There is nothing more frustrating than being at the mercy of other people’s decisions. Andreas and Bea can sense my unease and have pretty much left me to my own devices, so I have been taking my frustrations out on some dough instead. I really need to get back to doing my morning yoga routine and find some Zen.
I am just bringing out a fresh batch of rolls to the counter when Bea grabs me. “There is a girl here about the shop role. Do you have time to speak to her?”
“Sure, let me just get out of this apron and I’ll be right out.” I quickly dash to the toilets to wipe away the flour dust that always seems to get everywhere. Walking out through to the front, I immediately spot the girl. Tall, blonde and very pretty. From the looks of her, she is older than me, so it makes me wonder why she wants a shop job. But hey, everyone has a reason and who am I to judge? I step forward and hold out my hand to her. “Hi. I am Abby, the owner of Bread. I hear you are interested in one of our roles?”
The girl smiles warmly in response before replying, “Hi. I am Anna.”
I suggest that we go round the corner to a small bistro and grab a coffee, so she follows me out. It is only a short walk, but I spend it furiously trying to think of suitable interview questions. I have never done this before, so I try to remember the kinds of things I was asked in my interview with Hudson and see how I can adapt them, during which Anna chats on about moving to Brighton for a fresh start.
I order us a couple of lattes and start asking Anna some questions, but very quickly the interview becomes a friendly chat instead as we discover just how much we have in common. It is clear that Anna has more than enough experience and my gut tells me she will be perfect for the job, so I suggest she does a trial shift on Saturday to see how she fits in with Andreas and Bea. I trust their opinions more than anything, so I definitely need to get their feedback before we get anyone on board permanently. We are just saying goodbye when my phone rings and I see that it is Rufus calling.
Anna heads off and I click the button to answer the call, nerves making my stomach flutter. “Hi, Rufus. Please tell me it’s good news,” I plead.
“Hey, Abby. Umm…” Rufus stalls and my heart plummets. “Only joshing with you. The owner was very excited about the idea of expanding your business into the property and has accepted your offer.”
I can’t help but squeal in delight, stopping only when I realise the stares I am getting from the passers-by. “Seriously, Rufus, you mean it’s mine?”
“It’s yours, Abby. Congratulations. And the owner is keen to move quickly and expedite the sale, so as soon as you have the cash, you can consider it yours.”
“Wow, this is moving so much faster than I ever imagined. I will have the cash on Friday. Is that soon enough?”
“That’s fine, Abby. We’ll start drawing up the paperwork. Get your solicitor in touch, and we can get this all moved along ASAP.”
“This is amazing. Thanks, Rufus. I am just waiting on a call back from my solicitor, so I’ll be in touch soon.” We finish off the conversation and I can feel a grin stretching from ear to ear. I have to let my mum and Taylor know, so I quickly tap out texts to both of them before heading back into Bread to break the good news to Andreas and Bea.
I have barely managed to get the words out when my phone rings and I have my mum squealing down the line at me in excitement. It makes me so happy to hear that she is as enthusiastic as me about this whole project. Well, maybe a little too eager. But I know I am going to need all the help I can to get this done, so I know I am going to need to make the most of the support on offer.
The afternoon is a whirl of activity with calls to Mr Thompson, agents and the bank. It seems as if the stars have all aligned to make my dream come true. The ever-present pessimist inside of me keeps piping up that my life never runs this smoothly and it is only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down, but I do my best to squash the negative thoughts and focus on my end goal, like I have been taught by Dr Grohl.
I am surprised by the lack of response from Taylor. Normally, he would have called or at least texted back, but all I have had is silence. I feel slightly put out, but then I remember that Taylor was supposed to be in back-to-back meetings all afternoon, so I can’t really blame him for not calling. After all, he is the owner of a global company and I am just little old me.
I am startled from my inner narcissism by Bea announcing that there’s a courier for me. I gasp when I see the tell-tale yellow box from Selfridges. I sign for my parcel quickly, eager to see what delight Taylor has sent me. I open the box slowly, savouring the anticipation, and find a note written in Taylor’s familiar hand:
Celebrations are in order! Meet me at The Roundhouse in Camden, 6 p.m. T x
Okay…I dig through the layers of tissue and find a pair of black stonewashed skinny jeans and a sheer Emilio Pucci lace blouse. Further investigation reveals a pair of skyscraper-high, fuck-me shoes. Seriously, I have never seen such an amazing pair of shoes, and I can only imagine what Taylor is going say when he sees me. Well, he chose them, so I can only imagine what was going through his mind at the time!
I grab my phone to find out who is playing at The Roundhouse tonight, but curiously, the website says nothing at all. I glance at my watch and see that I’d better get a move on if I am going to make it up to London in time for my date with Taylor.
.........................
My taxi pulls up outside The Roundhouse, and I am amazed at the crowds of people gathered. I feel myself starting to panic, wondering how on earth I am going to find Taylor, when I hear a tap at the window and see the man himself standing there. Taylor pays my fare and then opens the door, offering his hand to help me out, something I am eternally grateful for considering the shoes that are now gracing my feet.
“Holy shit, you look hot,” Taylor whispers into my ear before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the entrance.
“What’s going on, Taylor? I checked the website and it said nothing was on tonight, yet look at all these people.” Taylor just winks and pulls me forward. Curiosity has definitely got the cat, so I follow Taylor as fast as my heels will allow.
At the entrance Taylor is greeted by name, and I am starting to feel a little like Alice heading down the rabbit hole. “So are you going to tell me what is going on yet, Taylor?” I plead, desperate to know what on earth Taylor has got planned.
“Not yet…dinner first.”
“Um, okay.”
Taylor leads me through to the dining room, maintaining a steady flow of small talk, all designed to keep me from questioning him any further, I am sure. Once we are seated, we agree on a selection of their light plates, as I am too keyed up now to be able to eat much, and a couple of virgin mojitos.
“Seriously, I could do with an actual drink after all this secrecy, you know, Taylor!” I complain loudly as the waiter leaves us, my outburst garnering a few stares from nearby tables. I glance around self-consciously, realising that I am behaving like a spoilt brat. It is in that moment that I realise there is something wrong with this room full of people. Like either I am hallucinating or in some alternate reality where the crème de la crème of A-list celebs r
egularly dine together in Camden.
Seeing the look on my face, Taylor lets out a snort. “No, you are not going crazy, Abby…” Taylor trails off, reading my mind.
“So this really is real?” I whisper. “Seriously, what is this, Taylor? The suspense is killing me.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you part of it. Tonight is a secret charity concert for a very well-known band, and all the people here had to bid to get tickets. And before you start asking who the band is, you are going to have to wait and see.”
Oh. My. God. Taylor would not be playing me like this unless this was something huge. I wrack my brain over bands that might be in the UK at the moment, but for the life of me I am drawing a blank. It seems like only moments before plates of delicious food are arriving at our table. The butterflies now churning in my stomach make it hard to eat much, so I find myself pushing bits around my plate, hoping that Taylor won’t notice.
I should have known better. “You need to eat a bit more, Abs,” Taylor scolds gently, reaching forward and cupping my face gently. You’ve lost weight again.” I deliberately fork a piece of chicken into my mouth, chewing slowly to prove a point, whilst doing my best to maintain eye contact with Taylor. My stomach churns, but I ignore the nausea, knowing I won’t get any peace if Taylor thinks he has to start watching everything I eat. Damn morning—or should I say all-bloody-day—sickness!
When at last Taylor seems satisfied that I have eaten enough, he pays the bill, and I feel my nerves ramping up. Taylor glances at his watch and, with a grin, offers me his arm. I take it gratefully, still feeling nervous about walking around in these crazy heels. Taylor leads me through to the private Member’s Bar, and I raise my eyebrow when we are seated at a table with a direct view of the stage.
“Only the best for my girl,” Taylor says with a smile on his face. I look down at the crowds gathering round the stage, and I am grateful that Taylor thought to book us somewhere to sit. Seriously, I have barely walked in these heels and my feet are already killing me. I say as much to Taylor, who smirks at me.
“Hmm, well, when I bought them, I didn’t exactly envision you doing much walking in them,” Taylor whispers into my ear, causing a flush to rise up my neck. I try my best to keep my expression neutral as Taylor starts to describe exactly what he had in mind for me whilst wearing nothing but the said heels. I find myself wriggling in my seat as my panties get increasingly damp from the visions flitting through my imagination.
I am spared from a response when a deafening cheer signals the arrival of the band. I peer closely and nearly fall off my seat when I realise who has walked on. “Foo Fighters?” I scream at Taylor in excitement. “Seriously, I can’t believe this. I have never managed to see them live. Holy shit, Taylor, thank you!” I throw my arms around Taylor’s neck, and he squeezes me back gently. “Anything for you, Abs. I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
Two hours later I am exhausted from rocking it out but completely exhilarated. I gratefully take the bottle of chilled water Taylor hands me and enjoy the cool liquid as it soothes my poor parched throat. The band starts to slow it down with an instrumental jam as Dave Grohl, the lead singer, starts talking to the audience. I freeze when I hear him ask if there is an Abby James in the house. What. The. Fuck? Suddenly a spotlight is shining in my face, and I feel like a rabbit caught in the headlamps.
“Ah, there she is,” Dave says in his trademark husky voice. “Dude, you didn’t say she was so damn sexy,” he continues, sending a look in Taylor’s direction. What the hell? Dave Grohl knows my name? He thinks I am sexy? No, scratch that…Dave Grohl knows Taylor and has just called him ‘dude’??? I can feel the flush across my face as hundreds of pairs of eyes are now staring in my direction.
“This one is for you beautiful Abby James, courtesy of your man Taylor here.” Dave sends me a wink before stepping back and starting to play. I recognise the opening chords to ‘But Honestly’ and my heart melts. I feel Taylor wrap his arms around my waist tightly as he sings along softly into my ear. When he gets to my favourite part of the song, ‘And tonight I thank the stars / As I count my lucky scars / For everything you've given me’, I feel tears of joy falling down my face.
We stay that way until the band finally finishes their epic encore. I turn in Taylor’s arms and gaze up into his eyes. “Thank you, Taylor,” I say softly. “This has been the most amazing evening.” I lean up and place a soft kiss onto Taylor’s lips. Taylor brings his hands up to my face, gently stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. He seems as if he wants to say something but something is holding him back. I look into Taylor’s eyes, silently willing him to say out loud the words I am hoping he is thinking, but it is not to be. He shakes his head slightly as if trying to clear his thoughts, and my heart plummets.
“Let’s get you home, Abs,” Taylor says softly, and I do my best to stamp down my disappointment and instead focus on the amazing night Taylor has given me. I offer up a smile. “Sure, I’ll be glad to get out of these heels,” I say with a laugh.
“You are not getting out of them that quickly,” Taylor replies with a smug smile. I giggle in anticipation, my grumbles instantly forgotten.
I am grateful that Taylor has parked nearby, and it is only minutes until we are back in the cosy warmth. As the engine roars to life, I settle back in my seat and close my eyes, reliving that magic moment of being serenaded. Definitely something to add to my top-ten life experiences.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I know is the feeling of being lifted out of the car and being carried upstairs. I hadn’t even thought about where we were staying tonight, but from a sleepy glance around, I can see that Taylor has brought us back to Brighton. I smile into Taylor’s neck and murmur a soft “Hi.”
“Back in the land of the living, then, are we?” Taylor laughs as he plops me somewhat ungraciously onto the bed, making me giggle. Lying down next to me, Taylor gives me a smouldering look as his eyes travel up my body. I am wide awake now and my libido has gone into overdrive.
“I think it’s time to get you out of those clothes, Abby,” Taylor says, his voice thick with arousal. I climb off the bed and slowly lift the blouse over my head before dispensing with the camisole underneath. The air is cool in the room and I can feel my nipples tightening into little buds under the satin of my bra.
“Now trousers off, but put the shoes back on. And leave your panties on.” Taylor’s command brooks no argument, and I find myself complying without hesitation. Truth be told, I love it when Taylor takes charge like this, and I can already feel myself growing wet. I take the shoes off before sliding my jeans off and then slipping my feet back into the crazy heels. Taylor runs an appraising look over my body before standing and coming to stand behind me.
“Exquisite. Just like I knew you would be,” he murmurs into my ear, his warm breath sending shivers through me. “Do you want to play?” Taylor asks. I nod, warmth flooding my core in anticipation. Stepping away from me, Taylor goes to his drawer and brings back a strange-looking contraption: a flat piece of leather with two cuffs on one end and a rubber ball on the other. My eyes grow wide as a dozen random scenarios run through my head. I watch as Taylor places the length of leather over the bedroom door before shutting the door. He pulls on the cuffs to lower them until the rubber ball on the other side won’t allow them to move any further, and I can instantly see that he has created a sort of harness to cuff my arms above my head.
“Just remember we can stop any time, Abs,” Taylor says. I swallow nervously. “You just have to say the word and I will have you out of the cuffs in seconds, okay?”
“Okay,” I say softly, moving across to the door. “How do you want me?”
“Let me show you…” Taylor comes behind me and slowly unhooks my bra before sliding the straps down my arms, his fingers lightly grazing my heated skin. Once the bra is lying at my feet, he nudges me forward so that I am facing the door. I can feel his hard erection in my back, and I find myself grinding my bum into him, the fire
igniting deep within. A sharp smack across my arse brings my attention back. “Did I say you could do that?” Taylor asks, his voice rough with arousal.
“N…No, Taylor,” I stammer in response. Okay, so this is the game that we are playing. I stay still and silent as Taylor first takes one wrist and then the other and cuffs them above my head. “Now spread your legs.” I comply and Taylor fiddles with the straps until my arms are fully stretched above my head and my body is resting against the cold door. I test the restraints, but there is no give.
“Fuck, you look hot like that, baby,” Taylor murmurs, running his hands down my back before coming down to cup my arse. My breaths are coming out shorter and more erratic as my arousal starts to ramp up. The next think I know, Taylor is pulling a soft blindfold over my eyes. “Just remember, you can stop this at any time, okay, Abby?”
“I know, Taylor, but can you hurry up and fuck me already!” My neediness is making me demanding and cranky, which earns me another sharp smack on my bum.
“All in good time, baby. All in good time.” I hear Taylor unzipping his jeans followed by the sound of fabric hitting the floor. Then he is standing directly behind me, his warmth a direct contrast to the chill against my front. My lack of sight has heightened my other senses, making my skin feel feverish under Taylor’s nips and kisses.
Suddenly Taylor drops to his knees, and I feel his fingers trailing across my thighs, raising goose bumps. Without warning Taylor moves my thong to one side before burying his face into the apex of my thighs, his tongue licking expertly at my clit and the sweet nectar coating my wet folds. “Damn, you taste good, baby.” I squirm underneath Taylor, but he holds me tight, making it impossible for me to move. Very quickly the fire in my belly becomes an inferno as Taylor’s expert tongue and fingers bring me to an earth-shattering climax.
Book Two: Thirty Days, Book 2 Page 6
