by Lucy Jones
I resisted and tried to free myself from his arms, but however much I wriggled, I could not escape his grip.
Because he was squeezing me too tight? Because I didn’t really want to?
"Your impertinence deserves to be punished, Julia, I’m going to take away your urge to stand up to me…"
I abandoned my struggle. The heat of his body and his scent enveloped and captivated me and I felt him harden against me. Physical resistance was impossible. My senses were aroused and taking control. Our desire was growing and I forgot about everything else. I would think about it all later.
"You have such a gift for the pleasures of the flesh, Julia, that it would be a shame not to make the most if it. It’s time to get serious…" said Daniel, in a sultry voice which drove me crazy.
Daniel laid me down on my stomach, removed my dress and tugged off my knickers. He started to caress my butt.
"I have no choice but to give you a good hiding… And I would like you to accept it willingly. That would make me very happy."
I tried to twist round so I could look at him, but he stopped me.
"Don’t move, or I will have to tie you up," he said, alternating caresses and quick light taps.
What did he mean by that?
A note of concern distracted me from my desire.
His movements intensified and the slaps became harder and faster. My skin began to sting and hurt. I was overcome with anxiety and confusion. Part of me was stunned, shocked and dumbfounded. The other part of me was titillated, intoxicated and aroused. The small cries I uttered were tinged with pain and pleasure. He continued to slap me, rub me, hit me, caress me, tap me and massage me… The more he stimulated my butt, the more aroused I became.
Daniel must have thought he had punished me enough, as he stopped and turned me onto my back.
"You're soaking, Julia," he murmured, inserting two fingers between my thighs.
He seemed very pleased with this fact. His skilful fingering brought me very quickly to the brink of ecstasy, but he pulled away just at the last moment.
"Daniel, please…"
"No Julia, not straight away."
I was paralysed by my imminent orgasm and I didn’t have the strength to move; my body seemed to be paused, like a volcano under pressure before it erupted, like a storm rumbling before it broke. I stayed lying down, feeling languorous, my eyes half-closed. I heard the sound of a packet being torn open. Then, finally, I felt Daniel’s warm hands on my burning skin.
He raised my pelvis, placed a pillow under my butt and picked up my legs. His hands were behind my knees and pushed them to keep them in the air. His sex entered mine so easily that it felt as if it had been drawn in. The pounding movement of his hips was hard, fast and deep. My thighs touched my chest under the weight of his body.
"Come on Julia, come now."
Our bodies rejoiced and we exploded together in spasms of ecstasy.
While I fell asleep under the silk sheets, Daniel Wietermann slipped away silently, went into the living room and noiselessly closed the door which separated it from the bedroom.
When I woke, Daniel had disappeared. On his pillow there was a visiting card with his contact details (mobile phone, email address) and a few words:
"Julia, I am going to California for 3 days. Wait for me like a good girl and don’t get into trouble. Kisses on your soft bottom. D.W.”
I burst into tears, not really knowing why. Perhaps it was because after what we had just experienced, the announcement of his absence seemed like desertion. Perhaps it was disillusionment. Perhaps I was tired of being torn between sensible rejection and crazy attraction.
I had to focus and I knew a good way of doing it: work. I dried my tears, left the suite, being careful not to be seen and went back to my room. For form’s sake, I had a shower, put on my uniform and tied my hair into a bun. For my own sake, I decided to make the most of these few days’ separation from Daniel to take a step back and break away a little.
Reception was busy enough for me to not get bored, yet quiet enough for me to be able to joke with Tom. The day passed quickly, almost pleasantly.
But in the evening, in the darkness of my room, my armor broke into thousands of tiny pieces. My good intentions dissolved and I had to face the facts. That man was so present, even while absent… My body still bore the marks of his hands, his tongue, his penis, his odour, his voice and his green eyes. I could feel his gaze on me and his spirit next to me.
I wondered whether his physical absence was intensifying his presence in my mind. I couldn’t think about anything else. All my attention was focused, directed and fixed on him. He was everywhere, he was the air I breathed. It was obsessive and overwhelming.
Music. I needed music to accompany me, distract me and cheer me up. I turned my computer on and began to shuffle through the playlists I had created before I left France. Come on, sweet melodies, refocus me and soothe my heart when I think about him, make my memories sing and beat the pulse of all these new sensations.
Curled up in my old leather armchair, caught up and carried away by the music, I checked my inbox. Sarah had replied.
* * *
From: Sarah [email protected]
Date: Sunday 15 July 2012 18:00
To: Julia [email protected]
Subject: Fairytale
Julia, your birthday evening was worthy of the best romantic comedy! You were definitely wrong to worry yourself sick… unless at midnight your fairytale hero turned back into a frog…?
Whatever the case, I am pleased that you are so excited.
The weather in Sicily is wonderful. I met Luca when I arrived. We are going to meet again this evening…
Ciao bella,
Sarah
P.S. Could this Camille be his mother? His sister?
* * *
* * *
From: Julia [email protected]
Date: Monday 16 July 2012 23:28
To: Sarah [email protected]
Subject: Magic spell
When I get home, I’ll tell you all about this digression and we’ll have a good laugh about it. At least I hope we will.
For the moment, I am far from calm.
Daniel – the extremely rich heir of a large jewellery family – is too rich, too inclined to control everything, too secretive and too distant for our relationship to be simple and stable.
The slightest little confession and he immediately retreats into his shell.
He has left New York for a few days and I thought I'd be able to put him out of my mind. But he has bewitched me. I know I should get away from him, or like him, feign indifference and make the most of our sexual harmony when we are together. But his absence has made me realise that my affection for him goes beyond sexual attraction. Of course, I would never admit that to him, for fear of ruining everything and losing him.
How did your reunion with Luca go?
kisses,
Julia
P.S. I have to admit that it never crossed my mind that this Camille might not be his wife. It would no doubt suit me to think he is married, to justify his mood swings, his harshness and his silence and not allow myself to imagine a relationship with him. That marriage was the motive for my ignorance and the reason I was furious and hurting. In short, I was looking for excuses for him and finding reasons for myself...
* * *
I went to bed without turning off the computer, abandoning myself to the calming effect of the music. But I couldn’t sleep. There was a stampede going on inside my head. I kept repeating to myself the message Daniel left. Julia, I am going to California for three days. Wait for me like a good girl and don’t get into trouble… Three days of silence? Wait for him like a good girl? And if I didn’t want to obey? No. I had to make contact, I decided to send him a text message.
Without actually spelling it out, I tried to work out how to say that I missed him, that I wouldn’t let him control my life, that I was hungry for his sex and that I wou
ld like our strange dealings to become a real relationship. I found a formula which conveyed my ambiguous feelings.
“17/7 00:01 May the devil take me… J.”
Sent. Sending the message calmed me, although it made me nervous. I still couldn’t sleep. I was waiting for an answer despite myself. I stared at my phone and constantly played around with it, but it remained silent.
The first thing I did when I woke up was grab my phone. Screen empty. I spent the morning clutching the small device as if my life depended on it, as it could reveal the future to me. Stomach cramps, neural connections not working. I waited. And I really, really didn’t like the state I was getting myself into.
It was one pm when my phone finally beeped with a new text message. I was sweating and trembling as I pressed the keys.
“ Be in your room, in front of your computer, at eleven thirty pm. D. W.”
Relief, disappointment. Daniel Wietermann had written to me, but with an order.
Candice and Daniel himself had warned me about strict time-keeping and about Mr Wietermann’s “precious time”. Despite that (or perhaps because of it?) I went out for a drink with Tom, forgetting (deliberately?) to take my phone and did not keep an eye on the time. It was midnight when I got back to my room and I found six new texts. They were all from Daniel.
11.30 pm “Good evening Julia. Log onto Skype. I’m waiting for you“
11.33 pm “Technical problem?”
11.36 pm “Julia, where are you?”
11.40 pm “What are you playing at? There’s a limit to my patience!”
11.45 pm “Stop it now Julia! Tell me what you are doing!”
11.50 pm “Has something happened to you?”
Bloody hell!
I logged on immediately. He was still online. His face appeared on the screen. He looked really livid.
– Shit, Julia, have you seen the time? Where the hell were you?
"Stop shouting at me! I was busy."
"Busy? Doing what? When I tell you a time, I’d be grateful if you could respect it!"
"I do have my own life as well, you know!"
"And that means you can’t answer the telephone?"
"Well, no, I couldn’t!"
Silence. He gave me an accusing, inquisitive look. I stared back, although I was very on edge. I felt that I was about to crack and my eyes filled with tears.
"Julia, I’m only in LA for 3 days, I’ve got friends to see and a lot of work to do, believe me I’ve got lots of other fish to fry. But despite that you are constantly on my mind and my sole desire is to find a moment when I can see you via some hideous webcam," he said drily but gently.
"We can turn the camera off if you want."
"… No."
"Were you worried?" I asked quietly.
"… Yes."
We looked at each other in silence. Finally, I lowered my eyes.
"Caress yourself for me, Julia. As if your hands were mine… The first thing I would do is take off that blouse."
With my eyes still lowered, I slowly unbuttoned my blouse and took it off. I had nothing on underneath.
I raised my eyes.
"Magnificent, Julia. You are a very beautiful woman. I’m taking your breasts in the hollows of my hands and pressing their soft flesh. Yes, like that. Can you feel how swollen and taut they are?"
"Yes."
"I’m pinching your nipples between my thumb and index finger and pulling them gently. I’m turning you on..."
"Mmmm…"
"My hands, under your breasts, descend languidly over your stomach. And lower, like that."
I extended my body, stretched out and arched.
"That’s right, Julia, you are starting to burn with desire."
As he was guiding me, Daniel also got undressed. The poor image definition barely altered the beauty of his sculpted torso. I was so desperate to touch him that I conveyed that desire to my own body. My caresses were increasingly firm, strong, sensual and passionate, as if through them, I could reach him.
"My hand is going under the elastic of your skirt your knickers. Removing this material barrier has made me so aroused. Can you see how hard I am for you, Julia?"
Daniel had moved the camera back. His enormous erect penis appeared in close-up. The effect it had on me was crazy.
"Pull your skirt up, Julia. Take your knickers off and let me see your cunt."
I didn’t know this word, but I immediately knew what it meant. I did what he told me.
"How does your pussy feel, Julia?"
"Hot, wet… I said in a small voice, sliding one hand between my legs."
"Oh… my rod is so hard now that it’s becoming painful. I need to appease it."
" … I am licking it… from the base to the gland… I’m taking it in my mouth… I’m swallowing it, sucking it slowly, now faster… greedily, again… "
"That’s so good, Julia, so good…" he moaned, stroking his penis to the sound of my words.
"I’m parting your lips with one hand and with the other I’m stroking your clitoris…"
"Daniel… Again…"
"I’m putting one finger into your dripping crack...now two…"
"I can feel you there… Bury yourself in me...Deeper… I’m going to…"
"Yes, Julia! Like that, carry on…"
"Oh Daniel…"
"Oh Julia…"
5. For me only
Wednesday was my day off, so Tom and I decided to meet at the hotel bar for lunch. He was already there by the time I arrived. He handed me a wicker basket and asked me if I'd like to go for a little picnic in Central Park, which sounded like a fantastic idea. I listened to Tom talk while sitting in the shade, under a tree. I could've listened to him for hours. Not only because he was a gifted storyteller, but also because I didn't really feel like talking. We had a lovely afternoon together.
On the way back, we decided to stop by an art gallery that had just opened a few steps away from the hotel. As we were standing outside, I thought I recognised one of Daniel's employees through the window. I chased the idea away, I couldn't believe it, my mind must've been playing tricks on me: there's no way he would have followed me.
When we got back to the hotel, Tom got a call. One of his friends was throwing a party, so he decided to go and make an appearance and asked me if I'd like to come along. In the end I decided I'd rather go home and spend a quiet evening prolonging the calm and tranquil feeling the day had left me with, before getting an early night.
When I got back to my room, I went straight to bed. My arms crossed behind my head, my eyes glued to the ceiling, I lazily daydreamed and fell asleep peacefully. But in the middle of the night, I woke up, agitated. I was lying naked on my stomach, my head buried in the pillow. My body felt heavy and immobile, my mind clouded. I half-consciously felt the sheet lift as Daniel slid in next to me, his skin against mine, his kisses, his languorous caresses, the weight of his body against my thighs, the words “take me”, his sex vigorously thrusting in me, the cries that were escaping from my mouth, “harder, harder”. Suddenly, I woke up in a feverish somersault. I'd been having an erotic dream. The feeling of incredible excitement in a sleeping body, of reaching orgasm simply through a dream, was both strange and divine.
The next morning I woke up early and got to my desk before I had to start my shift. My stomach was in knots. My mind was troubled. Daniel should be coming back today. When he finally arrived, my wide grin disappeared upon seeing his stormy expression. He was walking briskly. Planted in front of the counter, he pretended to ignore me and talked to Tom.
“Tom, is that your name?” he asked aggressively.
“Mr. Wietermann,” Tom responded, timidly.
“My key, please.”
He brusquely took the key and turned around. I was burning. I couldn't say anything in front of Tom. Daniel stopped and came back. This time, he gave me an accusing and rancorous look.
“I want to talk to you.”
“I'm listening,” I said, t
rying to keep my composure.
“Not here.”
I led him into a service room and closed the door.
“Shit, what's come over you?”
“I wanted to ask you the same thing, Julia. What did you do all day yesterday with Tom?”
Was Daniel Wietermann jealous? Jealous of Tom? Him?
“So that was your employee who I saw. For the love of god, you had someone watching me!” I said, outraged.
“Ray had to make sure that nothing happened to you while I was gone, especially after the little trick you played on me last Tuesday.”
“But who do you think you are?”
A predator or a protector? Was Daniel trying to hold on to me?
“You still haven't answered my question. Is this Tom your boyfriend? Since when?”
Did Daniel consider us 'together'?
“Listen, Daniel, this interrogation is ridiculous.”
During this virulent exchange, interspersed with silences full of things left unsaid and glances that said a lot, the tension between us took on a whole new dimension.
"I have several appointments and then a business dinner today,” he explained nervously, trying to deflect our respective impulses. “But tomorrow, we can spend the weekend in my house on Long Island. If you'd like,” he said, calmly, after a long silence.
“I suppose you can 'arrange things with Mr. Guttierez?'” I asked, with an ironic smirk.
“Be ready at nine am,” he said with a slight grin that was a mix of surrender and amusement.
I nodded in agreement.
Before leaving the room, Daniel murmured in my ear:
“I'm not joking, Julia. I can't bear to see you with another man. I want you for my own. For me only.”
I stood for a moment in the room full of the sensual scent that Daniel left in his wake. I was rattled by desire, I needed to get myself together.
Friday, July twentieth, nine AM. Daniel opened the door of a white MBW Z4 convertible. We left the city. The road raced by the window, as we drove in silence, and soon the Long Island house appeared in the distance, isolated, looking over the beach as if it were a painting by Edward Hopper. Candice and Ray were already there. Daniel exchanged a few words with them and I saw them leave.