Lessons in Love

by Victoria Sinclair

  ‘What did you think?’ Nicholas asked as they left the seminar room.

  ‘It was interesting; although – and I don’t know if I should say this – I’m not sure I agreed with him about economic foreign policy. Does that seem terribly arrogant to you?’

  ‘I’d think he’d know more about it than you, Emily,’ Monique butted in, a patronising tone to her voice, ‘Nicholas told me you’re just a first year student!’ She spoke loudly enough for several other people to hear and turn around. Emily felt heat rush into her face, and was about to stammer out some explanation when Nicholas turned to Monique and glared at her.

  ‘As a matter of fact, Emily, that was a very perceptive observation. Dr Richard Peoples is known for his somewhat radical ideas about foreign policy and there are many who disagree with him.’

  ‘And you?’ Emily asked, her embarrassment quenched by Nicholas’s staunch defence of her.

  ‘I don’t know. I’m coming around to his way of thinking. Let me put it this way,’ he continued, and put his own spin on the man’s words.

  ‘Let’s eat!’ Monique finally pleaded, looking thoroughly bored by Nicholas’s explanation, but Mark put up a hand to shush her.

  ‘That’s very interesting, Nicholas. I’d like to hear more of your ideas,’ he interjected. Monique pouted and Emily grinned.

  ‘So would I, but Monique’s not the only one who’s hungry. I heard one of the other attendees raving about a place called The Plato.’

  ‘Not a bad idea, Em,’ Nicholas said, casually placing a hand on her shoulder, much to Monique’s chagrin. Monique frowned for a second before pasting a charming smile on her features and turning to Mark. As she looped her arm through his, Emily stifled a giggle and turned away. For the life of her, she still could not understand what Nicholas had ever seen in the other woman – besides the obvious, of course.

  ‘This is a lovely restaurant!’ Emily exclaimed as they entered the exclusive establishment. The place had been designed to complement the feel of the Gold Coast, with large tropical aquariums along the walls, and festive red, orange and yellow décor, toned down by the dome overhead that made use of the blue sky above them.

  ‘And the seafood they serve here is marvellous,’ Nicholas joined in. ‘The lobster is some of the best I’ve eaten. But if seafood’s not your thing, they also prepare sumptuous steaks and superb pasta dishes.’

  Emily adored pasta, but she rarely had the opportunity to eat lobster. Monique looked at the menu with hungry eyes, but only ordered a salad with ‘dressing on the side’. Emily raised her eyebrows at the other woman, but Monique acted as if she hadn’t noticed. Nicholas did, however, and frowned, shaking his head slightly to indicate his displeasure.

  She remembered Nicholas’s censure of women who were forever dieting, and wondered if Monique had been the genesis of his annoyance. Another interesting thing about him, she mused, again wondering about the state of their previous relationship. She didn’t want to pry, but knew she wouldn’t rest until she’d ferreted out more details from Nicholas. But that could wait for later, now she wanted to relax and enjoy her meal.

  The afternoon’s lectures passed quickly. Both sessions had several speakers with prepared presentations. Some were interesting and vibrant and others were rather dull, but being by Nicholas’s side meant that Emily never experienced a boring moment. Whenever he’d touch her, inadvertently or not, Emily’s senses would zing, and a surge of heat would race through her entire body, giving her a warm rush of pleasure. She only hoped Monique would get herself out of the picture well before that evening. Nicholas obviously hoped so too, as immediately upon hailing them a taxi, he suggested to Monique that they hold the cab for her while she collected the things she’d left in his suite. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but with a single glance from Nicholas and a glare for Emily she snapped it shut again. Mark looked amused by Monique’s behaviour, until she moved closer against him and whispered something intimately in his ear. This time Emily’s hurriedly suppressed giggle leaked out and Monique gave her a look that would have sent her six feet under had it had the power. But strangely Monique’s affectations no longer bothered Emily in the slightest.

  ‘So!’ Emily began as Nicholas and herself entered his now vacated suite.

  ‘So what?’

  ‘So Monique?’ she raised an eyebrow. Nicholas shrugged nonchalantly.

  ‘What’s to tell? You must see that it’s well and truly over between us.’

  ‘Hmm. Remind me to mention that to Monique.’

  ‘I’m serious, Emily.’

  ‘I know, Nicholas. I’m just curious. Whatever did you see in her? I know that probably sounds catty, but…’

  ‘Emily, I was nineteen years old! What do you think I saw in her?’

  ‘Oh. I see.’ Emily found herself giggling uncontrollably for some foolish and bizarre reason, and Nicholas, who initially looked at her as if she’d turned quite insane, soon joined in.

  ‘My God Emily! You are a breath of fresh air in my life. I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.’

  ‘You’d find something, I’m sure,’ she said, looking at him suggestively, she moved across the room to touch him lightly on the front of his shirt. ‘Miss me?’ He groaned out loud.

  ‘You know I did.’ And with that, his muscular arms were around her, pulling her body hard against his. A surge of fire swept through her, and her body ached to be touched by him, touched in the most intimate and passionate way possible.

  ‘Nicholas,’ she moaned, pulling back from him just enough to fumble with the buttons of his shirt.

  ‘Let me.’ But his hands were as fumble fingered as her own, and finally, in desperate frustration he ripped it open, sending buttons flying across the room. Laughing, Emily pulled him towards her again, feeling his erection pressed hard against her stomach. ‘Emily, you know I want to prolong the pleasure for you as long as possible, but I don’t think I can wait.’

  Moments later he swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed, letting her down and moving on top of her in one single fluid motion. Somewhere along the way, Emily’s shirt had become unbuttoned, and it took little time to rid their bodies of the remaining impediments between them.

  ‘God you’re gorgeous!’ Nicholas muttered, taking one pert breast in his hand, and bringing his mouth to the other, teasing the erect nipple with his tongue. Emily arched her body closer, wrapping her hand around his pulsing erection, longing to feel him deep within her.

  ‘Take me now, Nicholas,’ she pleaded, ‘I want you so much!’

  Then their union was complete, and they moved together in sweet, loving surrender, Emily reaching her fulfilment moments before Nicholas groaned in final, blissful release.

  ‘You’re amazing, Emily,’ he said hours later. ‘I don’t know if I’ve ever said that to a woman before.

  ‘Not even Monique?’ she asked teasingly, but he turned to her, serious.

  ‘No. Not even Monique. There were a lot of things I never said to her. Ultimately, I suppose that’s why she left me.’ Emily turned to him in surprise, lifting herself up onto her elbow.

  ‘She left you? I’d imagined it to be the other way around.’

  ‘Now, my love, no jealous feelings allowed. As I told you, I was young, far too young. She’s two years my senior. Not, I suppose, that you’d know it. She still looks damn good.’ Emily glared at him and he laughed, bringing up a finger to shush her. ‘She’s like a porcelain doll, beautiful to look at, but that’s about all. I need a real woman to satisfy me. Someone who can satisfy my mind, my body and my soul, and that’s you. With you, it’s real. My relationship with Monique was based on lust, although at the time I mistook it for more. And remember, that relationship ended over fourteen years ago. Since then I’ve known, I suppose, that I could never have another serious relationship until I met the right woman. And that time is now, with you, Emily.’

  She smiled down at him, every scrap of jealousy and useless emotion gone. ‘T
hank you,’ she said.

  ‘You don’t need to thank me, Emily Peterson, I need to thank you, for showing me just what living is all about.’

  Nicholas stroked a gentle hand along Emily’s jawline, and then trailed his fingers down her neck and over her left breast before cupping it gently in his hand.

  ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he murmured, his voice thick with passion and emotion. Emily felt heat rise within her, and then need for him returned, as fierce as ever. Somehow, no matter how many times they made love, she was always left wanting more.

  They kissed and began exploring each other’s bodies again, this time their lovemaking was slow, languorous, and so filled with heat and intense emotion Emily almost felt as if she could explode into fireworks.

  That night they slept in each other’s arms, aware that it would be the last night he would hold her for some time. The morning arrived all too quickly, and by tacit agreement they unravelled themselves from each other’s arms with nothing more than a swift good morning kiss. If they couldn’t make it through a single morning without making love, how would they make it for the rest of the semester? But it was hard, so hard.

  During the day’s seminars, Emily could hardly keep her mind on whoever was speaking, as her thoughts were firmly entrenched on the man beside her, the man whose presence radiated a warmth that encircled her whenever he was close by.

  The only way she could focus was to write copious notes, which she did with exceptional diligence. Nicholas and Mark both glanced at her occasionally with amusement in their eyes, but for Emily it was serious! If she couldn’t write, her mind would never be able to focus on anything for long enough to benefit from it.

  The day passed all too quickly, and before she knew it, Emily was being hustled back to the hotel, where she had a scant twenty minutes to pack her bags and get ready for the plane trip ahead.

  Now that the weekend was all but over, reality began to set in and a slight wave of depression washed over her, but before she could succumb to it, she remembered the time she’d shared with Nicholas and knew that their relationship was stronger than ever.

  ‘So what did you think?’ Mark asked Emily late Sunday afternoon as they sat in their seats for the flight home.

  ‘Hmmm?’ Her mind had been otherwise occupied, and not with thoughts of the business conference they’d just attended.

  ‘The conference?’ Reality slowly returned.

  ‘Oh!’ she said, feeling a flush rise into her cheeks. ‘It was good. Very worthwhile.’

  ‘I see,’ Mark said with a laugh.

  ‘I’m serious Mark. I’m glad I agreed to come. I really enjoyed a couple of the seminars. I think now I feel even more motivated to achieve, and I’ve got a better understanding of the way things work.’ Mark nodded in understanding and then paused, as if deliberating on what to say next.

  ‘OK, spit it out!’ she ordered. ‘This is about Nicholas, isn’t it?’

  ‘What else? Look Em, I think he’s a great guy. I realised fairly early on in the piece what was happening between the pair of you, even when you thought you hated him!’ Emily turned to him and looked at him sharply. He held up his hands in mock surrender. ‘Trust me, it was there. Anyway, I’m glad for you. It’s nice that you’ve found someone, but,’ he paused again and scratched his head, ‘I think you need to be careful. He’s a lot older and more experienced than you. Not to mention that he’s your lecturer.’

  ‘Gosh Mark, earlier you seemed to want to push us together. I mean, I know he’s my lecturer, and any relationship between us is inappropriate, and believe me, all through this, that’s been uppermost in my mind, but it hasn’t really helped. If you must know…’ She wrinkled her nose. As far as Mark knew her and Nicholas’s relationship had begun on the Gold Coast, but she knew differently. She ended up telling him everything – well, almost everything. Some details were far to intimate for a girl to tell her boss, even one she considered a father figure and good friend, to boot.

  ‘Phew! You were right to agree to put things on hold. But what about now? How are things going to be when you get back to Ballarat and you return to your student/lecturer relationship?’

  ‘Things will go on just as Nicholas and I want them to,’ she said firmly. ‘We’ve agreed to keep our relationship on hold, and we can do it. We would still have been doing it, had it not been for the conference.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure it’s under control…I’d hate for you to get into any trouble, Emily.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Mark. I won’t.’ But even as she said the words a small worm of doubt wiggled its way into her mind, and no matter how hard she tried to push it away, some presentiment of ill-fortune implanted itself in her mind, and nothing would quite push it away.

  Chapter Eight

  Three weeks passed like an eternity, and it was all Emily could do to keep her mind on her work and her studies. It was hard to keep Nicholas out of her mind for long, especially when she had to see him several times a week. While every day brought them closer to the time when they could be together, that knowledge didn’t make it pass any more easily, but did give her something to hold onto through the long days and nights.

  However, on a wintry cold Monday morning everything changed. Mark, who had seemed so content lately, came into the office looking as if his entire universe had collapsed. It was clear he was deeply worried about something.

  ‘Mark?’ she asked, gently knocking on the door to his office.

  ‘Yes Emily?’ he said. ‘Come in.’ She stepped through the door, immediately on guard. Mark’s entire demeanour told her that something bad had happened. Something very bad indeed.

  ‘You don’t look good, Mark. Please tell me what’s wrong. It’s not Lisa and the baby is it?’ she asked, her heart clenching at the thought. But at the mention of his wife’s name, Mark brightened a fraction, and Emily was relieved to hear that both she and the baby were well.

  ‘I’m so glad to hear that. I know how much this baby means to you.’

  ‘Yes, we’ve waited a long time to have this child,’ he replied, but the light left his eyes, and he turned to stare out the window.

  ‘Mark, I don’t want to pry, but if you need someone to talk to about something, you know I’m always here for you. And if there’s something wrong with the business, or anything like that, I do think you should tell me. Perhaps another point of view or just a sympathetic ear will help.’ He turned towards her, a look of resolution on his face.

  ‘OK, I will tell you. I didn’t want to worry you Emily, but it’s got to come out sometime. Overington Industries is in trouble.’ Emily stared at him, sure she hadn’t understood him correctly.

  ‘But…but everything seemed to be going fine! I know that you’re waiting on a couple of payments, and that you owe money to a few suppliers, but…’

  ‘There’s more to it than that; although you’ve got the gist of it. What you didn’t know is that R and J Trefold have declared bankruptcy, and they owe us just over two hundred thousand dollars. Without that payment, we can’t pay our creditors! You know we’re only a small business, Emily. Up until now we’ve never suffered a problem of this magnitude. I’ve always got the work done on time and done well, but I’ve never not received payment! Now that they’re bankrupt there’s no way I can get the money off them. We’re overdrawn to the max, and there’s no way I can pay the debts!’

  ‘Oh God, Mark. Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?’

  ‘I didn’t tell you because I thought we’d come through as we always do. I had no idea that Trefold were in such trouble! I only found out early this morning that they were officially bankrupt. Oh, for the last few weeks I’ve been waiting for payment, and they’ve been putting us off. You know all about that as you’ve been making most of the phone calls!’ Emily nodded. She had known that Trefold owed Overington Industries a great deal of money, and she was also aware of their own debts, but this…

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘I was ho
ping that our new investor would help us out,’ he said wryly. ‘But it turns out that our new investor isn’t so much what he claimed to be, but is now planning on buying me out!’

  ‘What?’ Emily asked, not understanding.

  ‘As you know, Nicholas wished to invest in one of our new projects. It seems he was only willing to be involved on the proviso that we could make the venture successful…profitable. Earlier this year things were looking very good for Overington Industries. Nicholas went through our books, we had several long discussions, as you are well aware, and everything was promising. Until Trefold, that is. Now Nicholas is willing to get me out of this financial mess all right, but at the expense of my entire business! He’s no longer willing to invest in our project, but wants to buy me out!’

  ‘No,’ Emily said, shaking her head. ‘There must be some mistake! Surely he could help you out. Once your debts are paid off, you’ll be right. It’s just one problem and not your fault at that. Why would this make him back out?’

  ‘Perhaps, Emily, he never really wanted to invest. Perhaps this is what he wanted all along. I should have known better than to try dealing with the man! Good grief, just days before he contacted me he’d already taken over two struggling companies!’