New Beginnings

by Elle M Thomas

  “No, well, I don't know, it's just that it's all alien to me. I've been independent and self-sufficient all my life. Until....”

  “Until?” asked Gray, smiling.

  “Are you fishing, Mr Sharp?” she asked smiling back.

  “You betcha, Mrs Sharp,” he replied and then with a deep breath regretted it.

  “It's okay, I think we both got hung up on that fake marriage thing, but we know who and what the other is now which means we can let it go. So, I've been independent and fairly self-sufficient all my life until I met you,” she admitted. “Happy now?”

  “Ecstatic.” He grinned smugly. “Look, Eve, I have never been this chasing, angry, jealous, suspicious boyfriend before, in fact, I haven't really done the boyfriend thing at all, not really, so it's unknown territory for me, too, so let's try and work it out together.”

  “Okay...” she agreed hesitantly.

  “What?” Gray asked determinedly.

  “This is huge for me, us, not because I haven't done serious relationships before, but this is different, the speed of everything and the intensity, it scares me if I'm honest.”

  “What? What scares you, Evie?” asked Gray unsure whether he was likely to want to hear the answer.

  “You. I could really fall for you Gray and if I do and it goes wrong I might never recover,” Eve explained, shocked by how frank she was being and suddenly wondered how many glasses of wine she'd consumed or whether it was just really strong wine.

  “Then we need to make sure that it doesn't go wrong. Now, as far as tonight is concerned, I would love to spend the whole night with you, but I can't go to the office dressed like this and I have a very early start. But that is not to say that I will not take you home and fuck you, my way, as we agreed, okay?”

  “Yes,” she whispered back, curious as to why he had managed to reassure her huge reservation with only a few words.

  “Now, tell me what sort of person you are if you're not an advertising kind of person?”

  “P.R. I think I said I worked in P.R. before Max became ill and maybe now is the time to try and pick up my career. I accept that I can't walk into a new company and snag a role similar to my last job because two years is a long time to take out so maybe my experience will give me an advantage in the more junior positions.”

  “I'm sure we could find a position—” he started.

  “No! Please do not finish that sentence. I'll be fine, thank you,” she replied as another waiter came and took their food orders.

  “Okay, but if I can help,” he said and after he registered the dark expression clouding Eve's face, he changed the subject. “You said something in the conference room about moving back home and Annette being pleased so I assume the two of you are close now,” he said with something resembling nervousness. “Eve. I don't want to cause problems between you and her, but I won’t be hidden or pretend we're not together.”

  “Can we pick this conversation up later, please? I feel all talked out after this afternoon.”

  “Of course, but maybe you can tell me why you insisted on chocolate flavoured condoms,” he said with a broad grin lighting up his face.

  After finishing dinner, Gray took Eve's hand as they made the trip back to her flat, chatting about places they'd been, things they'd done, but nothing heavy or too serious and they were quickly outside Eve's building.

  “Let me just check on my car,” said Gray pausing at the pavement and looking around.

  “It hasn't been nicked has it?” asked Eve worried. “It's quite a safe neighbourhood you know,” she added defending the location of her home.

  “I know that, Eve. I was unsure where on the road you lived so parked in a couple of different spaces,” he explained and then spotted his car and headed towards it leaving Eve standing in front of her block of flats.

  Watching him stop at the car she laughed, making him look back at her.

  “What?” he asked, confused by her amusement.

  “Is that your car?” she asked smiling.

  He held the keys aloft. “Looks that way, why?”

  “You were at The Stanford in it last night,” she said as a statement more than a question.

  “Yes,” he replied with a frown.

  “I saw you, well, your back I think, and you nearly bloody blinded me with your head lights,” she explained as he stepped back towards her having satisfied himself that his car was fine.

  “I saw your car and I thought I saw you, or a brunette at least, but then you disappeared,” he said, still unsure how he’d seen her and yet missed her so many times over the last fortnight.

  “I was lying down, retrieving my phone.” She avoided the bit about her crying. “Then I had a change of heart until I was halfway home and then changed my mind again,” she admitted to a frowning Grayson.

  “Why did you change your mind, twice?” He took the hand she offered and followed her into the building and up the stairs to the third floor.

  “First change of mind was when I remembered, was reminded that yesterday would have been Max's thirtieth birthday and then I changed it back after realising I was upset for Max and myself, but also at the idea of missing a chance to see you, so then I came back.”

  “You are very complicated, aren't you?” asked Gray as she unlocked the door.

  “Fraid so,” she admitted as he followed her through the open door and kicked it shut before pulling her back so that she was pinned against it.

  “I am getting a taste for complicated,” he whispered as he nipped at her fleshy lobe.

  “I'd rather you were getting a taste of me,” Eve replied, already stroking her hands across his warm back after sneaking them under his t-shirt.

  “I will be, baby. I love how you taste, you know that. I could eat you all night, Eve,” he said before undoing the zip on the burnt orange, cotton, gypsy style, dip hem skirt encouraging it to pool around her feet. “Yet another pair of knickers, baby,” he said as his fingers traced a path up her legs, between her thighs and under her nude satin fabric until his finger was twirling the dark strip of hair she kept there for several minutes.

  “Grayson, touch me, please,” she moaned.

  “Oh no, Evie, my way, remember, and I want you wet, baby, wet and begging,” he told her, snagging her lip between his teeth. “You feel so hot,” he whispered as his lips found her ear and he rubbed his finger across her closed labia.

  “Yes,” she groaned as she widened her stance to draw him in.

  “My way,” he exclaimed with a laugh. “Take me to your bedroom,” he told her as he stood upright and pulled back from her.

  With her breathing still raspy, she stepped out of her skirt and led him towards her bedroom door.

  Stepping into the darkness Eve reached towards the light switch.

  “No, leave it,” said Gray, pressing her to the wall where he kissed her again firmly until her mouth felt bruised and sore.

  “God this is crazy. I can't get enough of you, Evie. I want to kiss you and touch you forever and I don't ever want to stop,” he told her as he pulled back to remove her tight, white lacy t-shirt. “I love how you feel,” he said stroking a finger down her ribs. “The feel of your skin against mine,” he whispered as he lost his own t-shirt and pulled her warm, supple body against his.

  “If I was suspicious I might think these were just your professional lines.” She teased, making him laugh.

  “How much do you reckon I'm worth?” Gray stared down at her in the dark.

  “I think you could name your price, but I think it might be more than I could afford,” she answered seriously.

  “Then it's a good job I am free of charge.”

  “It certainly is,” agreed Eve. “Grayson,” she mewled. “Take me to bed.”

  Gray reached across the bed and retrieved his phone to cancel the alarm before it woke Eve, who he had watched for over an hour. He smiled at the image before him; Eve looked so innocent as she slept next to him, flat on her back, one arm thrown
over her head, the other resting across her exposed belly, below her naked breasts. Gray inhaled deeply as he took in the sight of her milky white breasts outlining her pinky brown areolae and then the red points in the middle that looked redder this morning.

  Reaching beneath the covers Gray squeezed his now firm penis as he recalled sucking on those perfect tits, over and over, kissing them, flicking them, biting down into them as she came in a shuddering climax beneath him. Leaning forward he blew across her chest and grinned smugly as they puckered into tighter points. He was harder now than he could ever remember being, and briefly wondered if he had time to make love to her this morning, but decided he didn't, not to do her justice. Maybe they could meet for lunch, at his office which would involve no food at all. God, this wasn't helping him. He gently removed himself from the bed and smiled that she remained asleep.

  He gathered his clothes and holding them in his arms took in the room for the first time and thought that if the flat's interior was all her doing then she may have missed her vocation in interior design because her eye to detail and the way she combined colour and shape was second to none. The bed dominated the room, but not in an overpowering way; the super-king size, brown, wooden bed frame that had no headboard was flanked by large, matching two drawer cabinets that sat over a thick, soft, cream coloured carpet and that set the colour scheme.

  The wall behind the bed was painted in a rich, chocolate brown while the wall opposite was a full wall of mirrored wardrobes, mirrors that he intended to fuck her in front of with all the lights on so that she missed nothing, but last night the sensuality of the darkness had won out.

  He focused back on the brown wall that was broken up by brown prints in gold frames with cream mounts, very tasteful, he thought as he returned his attention to the bed that Eve still slept soundly in. Her head and hair rested against a gold pillow with a cream one beneath it that matched the crisp cotton sheet. The covers that he had so recently vacated were in the same gold tone as the pillow. He jumped as she kicked out, suddenly throwing the duvet off her completely, revealing her expanse of creamy skin that he was sure he could feel beneath his hands, her scent was already in his nostrils and her taste that was on his tongue now. How had she done this to him? What had she done that resorted him to this state?

  The dark brown throw that appeared to live across the bottom of the bed and served no purpose slid to the floor now, pooling next to the very arty, brown upholstered chair that had no arms, but strangely splayed, gold legs that gave it a 60's edge sitting in front of French windows that led to a balcony no deeper than a foot. He was unsure if the chair was ever sat on or whether its sole purpose was to house the mountain of cushions in varying shades of brown, gold and cream off her bed as it did now.

  She really was very beautiful. Gray watched her naked form, reconsidering his options for the morning again. She was a very bad influence on his usual work ethic. She made a strange little moan in her sleep as his glance got as far as her pubic hair, what little there was and then she rolled over so that she was suddenly face down, exposing the two, perfectly formed round globes of her behind. He recalled the feel of them in his hands as he'd entered her from behind.

  Now it was Gray that let out a moan as he fought every urge and desire he had not to climb back into bed and make love to her all morning until she begged him to stop, unlike last night when she had simply ended up begging, begging and pleading for him to keep doing whatever he'd been doing. It was definitely time to leave, well, that's what his head was saying if not his heart and certainly not his dick that was ramrod hard, desperately pulsing and suddenly in his hand now.

  'Go to work' he told himself turning to leave where he caught sight of himself watching Eve's reflection in the shabby chic, cream mirror over the brown dressing table. Even leaving her was becoming more and more erotic as this resembled a scene from a James Bond movie, with his very own Bond girl lying in bed as if it had been scripted and she'd been placed in the right position after a seriously hot night.

  Turning back for a final glance, he stubbed his toe on the stool in front of the dressing table and now, sitting on the thickly upholstered, gold, chenille cushion and cursing through gritted teeth at the pain resonating through his toe, foot and beyond he looked back at Eve.

  “I think there are laws about staring at naked ladies whilst masturbating,” said Eve through the haze of sleepy eyes.

  “Firstly, you're my naked lady, so that point is moot, secondly, I am not masturbating, I was just holding this,” he said seriously, making her laugh.

  “I could hold it for you if you'd rather.” She grinned, rolling onto her side so that her front was exposed again and facing him.

  “I bet you could.” He laughed. “But I really have to go home and get showered and changed for work after I changed my plans last night, but if you're free later I would definitely rather you held this for me.” He began putting his clothes on.

  “Okay, if you really have to go.” She pouted. “I suppose I ought to think about finding a job anyway,” she said getting out of bed.

  “Okay, baby, but stay where you are or I may not be able to resist,” he said firmly as he slipped his shoes on. “I'll text you later.” He smiled now.

  “Have a good day, and be nice to Sally,” she said as he reached for the door handle.

  “Eve, I know you mean be nice and not just give my friend a chance, but can we agree now, that no matter what happens with Sally in business it has no bearing on us, now or in the future?” he asked nervously.

  “Of course.” Eve stood before him having left the bed and was stretching up to wrap her arms around his neck, fingering the hair there. “I was joking, kind of.”

  “Good.” He lowered his arms so that his hands cupped her behind. “Now, please move away from me before my penis overrules my head and I end up dragging you back to bed and forgetting my professional responsibilities.”

  “If you insist.” She grinned as he freed himself and opened the bedroom door. “Gray, thank you for a memorable first date,” she added, making him turn to her.

  “Yeah, I suppose it was really. Jeez I can't wait til we're comfortable enough with each other to really relax and let go, maybe by date five or six.” He grinned before disappearing through the now open front door.

  Chapter 10

  The next week went by quickly; Eve saw Gray every day and spent most nights with him at her flat. Sally had been successful in her bid to work with Sharpstone on the Marshall Hotels campaign and despite the amount of time they'd spent together Eve was glad that talk had been limited whereas sex had been plentiful. Eve had registered her details with a couple of agencies, one was a general agency that would probably offer her generic admin work, but it would be something she could do and earn money. The other agency was more specialist, and although they had made it clear that it may take a while to offer her something it would be in the P.R. field. Gray had, during one of their limited conversations offered to help her to find work again, an offer she had rejected and when he had persisted in explaining why it was a good idea she had resorted to enticing him into the shower with her and the conversation was terminated.

  Gray was waiting in the marble foyer of the skyscraper where his office was situated when he was joined by Leon Markham, a man of some thirty odd years, a little older than Gray who ran Frontiers, a P.R. company, a few floors below Sharpstone.

  “Gray, how the devil are you?” the sandy haired man asked looking up at Gray slightly.

  “Good thanks, you?” replied Gray, genuinely happy to make small talk with the other man.

  Although he didn't make a habit of small talk, he liked Leon and when they'd worked together in the past he'd found him to be conscientious, honest, hard-working, highly professional and scrupled, all qualities Gray had himself and valued in others.

  “I'm fine thanks, not as good as you though judging by your big smile,” he teased.

  “I don't know what you mean,” protested Gray,
grinning now and irritating himself slightly in the process.

  “If you say so, but I saw a very pretty brunette in your car the other night, leaving the multi-plex down on the new complex off the waterfront.” He smirked.

  The lift arrived and they both got in smiling at each other.

  “You got the Marshall campaign I hear,” said Leon.

  “Yes, we did.”

  “Well, when you're looking for P.R. you know where to find me,” said Leon as the lift stopped on his floor.

  “Leon,” Gray called after him as he stepped through the open doors. “Are you free? I'd like a word.”

  Glancing at his watch Leon replied, “Yes, sure.”

  Gray leapt through the door as it began to close, smiling smugly and followed the other man.

  When Gray arrived at his own office, Kirsty looked up and smiled at his 'oh so pleased with himself' expression before telling him, “Sam's been in and would like to see you.”

  “Okay, let me dump my stuff and I'll go over. Could you grab us some coffee please, Kirsty?” he asked as he headed into his own office.

  Leaving his office a couple of minutes later, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He was entering Sam's office on the opposite side of Kirsty's desk to his own in the open plan suite that the company's private offices occupied.

  “Good morning, Mr Sharp,” called Holly, Sam's secretary that she shared with Tim.

  “Good morning, Holly,” called Gray, dipping back and smiling warmly at the pretty, blonde girl who obviously had a bit of a crush on him.

  “Get in!” chastised Kirsty, smiling as she appeared behind Gray with a tray of coffee.

  “What?” he protested as he entered the office and held the door for Kirsty to follow.

  “Don't play her. She's young and likes you and somebody on reception told her that she's, and I quote, ‘just your type’,” Kirsty told him with a frown.

  Sam, who was sitting on the sofa in her office next to Tim made a loud tut while Tim laughed.