by Viva Jones
‘I want you too,’ he whispered, fighting for breath.
‘I just feel we’ve got a connection,’ she added, straddling him. Remembering how much men loved to see pussy, she climbed up to his face on her knees, so that he could get a full view. ‘Do you think she’s pretty?’ she asked.
‘Fucking gorgeous,’ he replied.
She stroked herself, darting one finger in between her pussy lips, putting on a show, just as she’d learnt. He raised his head up and made tentative licks, but she sensed he was young and inexperienced, and that he still had much to learn. She climbed back and straddled his cock, then slid herself onto it, leaning forward so he could take her breasts in his hands while they kissed.
His cock was inside her, Tanya thought. The cock of a rich and famous footballer was inside her! The thought turned her on and she slid up and down his shaft more eagerly, imagining what it might look like inside, imagining his cum shooting out inside her. Suddenly he did come, firing out at her, his baby face crumpling, and this sent Tanya over the edge and she came too, suddenly and with a force she’d rarely felt before.
The next morning she woke up to the sounds of a car alarm ringing insistently in the street and a bus thundering past. Without disturbing Marinos, Tanya peered through the curtains to see a sky heavy with clouds, but there was nothing it could do to dampen her spirits. Tanya was in-love with a footballer, and her world was complete.
When they got up, Marinos suggested some shopping in town, and drove to the west end in his BMW. He parked in one of those hellishly expensive places that Tanya’s dad used to complain about without even considering the expense. And then as they did Bond Street, hand in hand, he showered her with gifts - a pair of oversized sunglasses Tanya thought would look the part, a new dress and some Jimmy Choos. Everywhere they went - all these shops that Tanya would feel self-conscious in under normal circumstances - they were treated with respect, deference, even. It was a whole new experience for her. At one point Tanya heard someone call ‘Over here, Marinos’, and she’d turned to see a group of boys watching them, but he warned her to ignore them. People in the street shouted all the time, he told her; you got used to it.
By now he’d explained what he did, and Tanya had feigned surprise and tried to ask pertinent football questions, and he’d leant forward and kissed the tip of her nose, finding her adorable. He was three years younger than she, but she didn’t care. They felt right together, and his wealth was something she could definitely get used to.
That evening he took her to a smart restaurant in the west end, and she wore her new dress and shoes, and when a flashbulb went off as they left, Tanya grabbed his hand and smiled broadly, trying to ensure they got her best side.
It was only once she was back in his leather upholstered car that Tanya remembered she was supposed to be visiting her sick mum, and that photos of her in the papers might be inopportune, but remembering that Yannakis never read the British papers anyway, she decided she’d get away with it. And anyway, what did she care if she lost her job? Marinos wouldn’t let her down.
The following day they’d made it into one of the tabloids. ‘Mystery Blonde Aids Recovery’ ran the headline. Tanya quite liked being described as a mystery blonde. And it was a nice shot of her, considering. The dress, short, tight and white with pale pink straps, was fitted to make the most of her cleavage, and her legs looked longer than ever with those shoes on. She’d have to do something about her hair, though, it didn’t hang properly. She’d wanted that unkempt look, but hers was too straight and boring. Perhaps a session at some celebrity hairdresser’s might do the trick?
As Tanya poured over the newspapers, Marinos’ phone never stopped ringing. She was disappointed to see her photo in just the one, but it was a good start. They’d have to go somewhere visible again today to ensure some more. And then she’d come back to London as soon as she possibly could, because it was important, Tanya decided, not to let their love, or whatever it was, grow cold.
‘You all right with this?’ Marinos asked cautiously, indicating the photo.
‘Should I do something about my hair?’ she wondered aloud.
‘I like it the way it is,’ he told her. ‘But the publicity, I’m really sorry about it.’
‘Look,’ Tanya said, brushing the papers aside. ‘I really like you, Marinos. I always have, since we first met. That’s all that matters. And if being with you means that occasionally I get my mug shot in the papers, well, so be it!’ She thought that sounded like a good answer.
‘You’re amazing,’ he told her, kissing her. ‘Some girls would find it difficult.’
He didn’t like to admit that his mother had just been on the phone, yelling at him for getting in the papers again, and for being seen with a girl who clearly wasn’t Cypriot. He didn’t like to admit that his family meant the world to him, and that going against their wishes would be hard, if not impossible, to do. Instead, he thought of something else. ‘D’you want to go and watch the team training today?’
‘Oh, er - ‘ Now Tanya didn’t know what to say.
‘Or perhaps we could just go shopping again? Maybe see a movie?’
That, she told him, was a much better idea.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
‘Now, Douglas, if you can store the marinating meats in a cool place, Nathalie, you look after the salad stuff and I’ll keep all the fillings for the canapes, then we should be all right.’
Barry, who had flown back earlier that day without Sheila, had convened a pre-party meeting to ensure its smooth-running and secrecy.
‘The idea is that Anna should have nothing out of the ordinary in her kitchen. Now we’re going to need extra cutlery, so Douglas, Ginnie and Nathalie, if you could provide four knives, forks and spoons each that would be marvellous.’
He had before him a long list of items requiring discussion, and had urged the meeting’s participants to make notes.
‘The cake,’ Anna reminded him. ‘Someone needs to hide the cake.’
‘Ah yes, now that was coming up later on my agenda - ‘
‘What time are you planning on having it?’ Ginnie asked.
‘Late that afternoon, around five?’ Anna told her.
‘In that case, I’ll store it for you,’ Ginnie volunteered. ‘Only I’ll be at the Tiggles party at lunch time. I should be back by then, but if it’s a problem, I can always give you a spare key. Where’s it coming from, anyway?’
‘That patisserie by the post office,’ Anna told her. ‘Someone recommended it to me ages ago.’
‘Yes, I know that one, I’ve had one of their tarts in the past. Though I’ve heard that the best cakes come from the one near the garage on the corner, d’you know where I mean, just off Ikarou Street - ‘
Barry shot her a withering look. ‘Ladies, if you don’t mind, we have an agenda here and I don’t want to take up too much of anyone’s time, parakalo. But yes, Ginnie, if you could store that we would be very grateful.’ He turned to continue but Ginnie started again.
‘Would you like me to pick it up first thing that morning?’
‘Would you?’ Anna asked. ‘Only I’ve got guests arriving and I really should be here for them.’
‘No problem, it’s in your name, is it?’
‘Ladies, perhaps you could have this conversation another time?’ Barry cut in sharply. ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but there are others present and we’ve got a lot to get through.’ Anna and Ginnie looked suitably chastened. ‘Now, chairs,’ Barry continued, going through his list. ‘Who has any outdoor chairs they could provide?’ Douglas and Nathalie held up their hands. ‘Good, so if you could bring those out but only after Richard has left for the office, mind, at around eight a.m. Is that clear? I’ll be setting up the trestle table around then, though Douglas, I might need your help.’
‘At eight I’ll be cycling, so it’ll have
to be later.’
Barry looked flustered. Setting the table was key to his plans; one of the jobs which could be accomplished well ahead of time, rather than stuffing canapes too early and watching them go soggy. ‘Couldn’t you forgo that just this once?’ ‘
‘Ten,’ Douglas said with a sharpness Barry couldn’t match.
An irritated Barry made a note on his paper. ‘Now, if everyone could fill your ice trays up so that we have as much ice as possible for wine coolers and the like? Anna’s going to fill number two’s bath with cold water and store all the beer in there.’ He turned to his paper. ‘Next on the agenda is wine and champagne storage. Nathalie, we’ll open the champagne when Richard emerges from number eight, changed and ready for a swim, around one-thirty. Would you be able to store it in your fridge?’
‘Yes, I’m only storing salad so far, so that should be fine.’
‘Excellent. Now that just leaves the final rundown and checklist. Are you all with me? Oh eight hundred hours, Richard leaves for office. Oh eight-thirty hours, I marinade the meat. Take it round to Douglas - ‘ he tutted as he remembered his neighbour’s cycling. ‘At ten hundred hours. Set up trestle table at ten fifteen hours.’ He looked sharply at Douglas. ‘Richard returns from office, thirteen hundred hours, and will go upstairs to change for a swim.’
‘He’ll have seen the table then, won’t he?’ Ginnie interjected. ‘On his way home. He’ll have already seen the table.’
Barry’s forehead started to sweat. He stared at his carefully typed pages in disbelief. How could he have failed to spot that? ‘Thank you, Ginnie,’ he said as magnanimously as he was able. ‘You’re absolutely right. That does change things, rather. Douglas. Thirteen hundred hours sharp, the minute Richard goes upstairs, we set up the trestle table.’
‘Right.’ Douglas saluted.
‘Do we need a practise run?’ Barry wondered aloud. ‘It can be a bit awkward you know.’
‘I can make sure Richard stays inside until you’re ready,’ Anna suggested.
‘Can you make it seem natural, though?’ Barry asked.
‘Yes, I - ‘ Anna started to blush. ‘I think that would be possible. As long as mummy doesn’t get in the way,’ she added doubtfully. Then, ‘I know!’ she exclaimed delightedly. ‘Richard buys the paper on his way to the office, so when he gets home he’ll just hand her the sports pages. That way she’ll happily sit by the pool without disturbing us.’
‘Perhaps your mother can give you some sort of signal when they’ve got the table ready?’ Ginnie suggested.
‘She can call up from downstairs, asking whether we’re ready for lunch,’ Anna decided. ‘I’ll go through it with her later.’
‘So then at approximately thirteen-thirty hours Richard descends to a fully set table and his neighbours all relaxing by the pool, and then your visitors spring out from number two and give him the surprise of his life.’ Barry concluded happily.
‘Then we have lunch,’ Anna resumed quickly, ‘followed by cake at around five, depending on when Ginnie gets back.’
‘But I’ll give you the keys if you prefer.’
‘Thank you ladies.’ Barry cut them off. ‘Now, to resume, we’d better go through the check list...’
Douglas’s eyes started glazing over. The others shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Anna looked at her watch. Ginnie thought about the finishing touches she needed to make to her dress, and imagined Demetrius’s hands slowly unzipping it at the back, while sensuously kissing her neck. Nathalie thought about the other morning with Anna and Richard, and how none of them had spoken much since. Anna worried that her mother was getting bored and impatient, while Douglas imagined Nathalie straddling his cock, his hands firmly grasping her small waist.
But on Barry went, oblivious to their desires and dreams.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
‘I really like you, Tanya,’ Marinos told her, holding her tight.
‘I really like you too,’ Tanya said back, breathing in the scent of his skin. Outside, the taxi’s engine kept running, urging her to get a move on or miss her flight.
‘I want to see you again, innit.’
‘I want to see you, too. I can’t believe I’ve got to go back, at the end of the day.’
‘We’ll work something out, I promise.’
Tanya pulled back and looked deep into his eyes. ‘You concentrate on getting yourself fit again. I want to hear about you scoring loads of goals!’
He smiled. ‘I will, you know, and I’ll do every one of them for you.’
She blew him a kiss goodbye, put on her oversized sunglasses, even though the sun was barely up, and headed for the taxi. As they pulled away, Tanya waved sadly. She was leaving the sexiest and most famous man she’d ever met for a party with the likes of Yannakis and Mr Makhtabi. She shivered in disgust when she thought of what she’d gone through with that man. Never again! She resolved to give him the heave-ho that afternoon, and to get a fabulous rock on her finger by Christmas.
But it was because she was going back, Tanya told herself, it was because she was independent and valued her career, that Marinos respected her. And it was because of those things that he’d beg her to live with him and give up her old life. Tanya smiled, satisfied. It had been a good move, talking about his health like that. It showed concern for his career, and therefore for what was best for him. Men liked that.
Yes, so far, everything had gone even better than she’d expected, she thought, leaning back, feeling that tingle between her legs that only Marinos seemed to bring out in her. A rock on her finger by Christmas. Tanya watched the London streets go by. A lavish celebrity-filled wedding next summer. Two children - it was important to look like a devoted mum - each with a name exotic enough to ensure a lifetime in the public eye. For a boy she’d like something short and edgy, like Drake, or Chance. For a girl, something softer and floral. There were already too many Lilys and Roses around, though, Tanya would have to come up with something more imaginative. Geranium wouldn’t work. She tried to picture the flowers on Sheila’s terrace and remember what she’d called them. Fuchsia, was there? That might be problematic. And Jasmine was a bit common these days. What was the bush that was everywhere, then, the one with the vivid pink flowers? Tanya tried to remember. Oleander, wasn’t that it? That could be a pretty name, she decided. Oleander Kiriakos. It sounded particularly actressy she thought, satisfied with her choice.
Tanya watched the London streets come to life. She could just imagine the lovely spread in OK featuring her new baby Oleander, with toddler Drake playfully at her side. When asked to explain her choice of name, Tanya would tell of how it paid respect to Marinos’ background and the beautiful island where they fell in-love. Her sensitivity would bring tears to readers’ eyes and the name Oleander would be copied by mums throughout the nation.
It was such a wonderful fantasy that it saw Tanya right through to check-in, hopelessly unaware that the oleander plant could be fatally poisonous if ingested.
***
‘Happy birthday, darling,’ Anna woke her husband with a kiss.
‘Oh God, is it really? Forty! I mean, how can I be forty?’
‘They say forty’s the new thirty,’ Anna told him. ‘I wouldn’t worry about it.’
‘But forty, God. I mean, what have I been doing all my life?’
‘Oh Richard, don’t start having a mid-life crisis on me now.’
He shook his head in disbelief. ‘Let’s just keep it quiet and discreet, shall we? I could pick up some nice seafood on the way home for supper?’
Anna pulled a mock frown. ‘Perhaps I’ve already got something planned?’ she suggested coquettishly.
‘You have?’ He swung round to face her. ‘You’re full of surprises.’ He leant forward and kissed her. ‘And the other day was the biggest surprise of them all! I still can’t get
my head around it. You’re the best present a man could ask for, you know that?’
‘I’m sorry about Nathalie and me,’ she admitted. ‘I don’t know how to explain what happened between us. A form of midsummer madness, perhaps.’
‘And perfectly understandable under the circumstances.’ He kissed her again. ‘But we’re over the worst now, aren’t we? Come on, let’s make love.’
Anna looked at her watch. ‘You’re going to be late for work.’
‘Oh bugger it, who cares if I’m late? I’m forty! That doesn’t happen every day.’ He started caressing her breasts.
‘Richard, you mustn’t. I tell you what, let’s leave it until you get back, eh? You can keep mummy quiet with the sports pages and we can have a pre-lunch session, how about that?’
‘But I want you now!’ he said, burrowing his face into her neck. ‘I don’t care about the bank, I want you now!’
Anna peered at her watch again. Their friends were on the early flight arriving at nine. They’d spend a bit of time sorting out the car hire but wouldn’t get there much later than ten. And she still had to get washed and dressed herself and had her mother to deal with and -
‘Morning, here’s some coffee for you!’ Audrey breezed in holding a tray with a pot and two cups, a birthday card propped up against the milk jug.
Richard leapt off Anna and covered himself with the sheet. ‘Audrey, what a lovely surprise!’ he told her.
‘It’s not every day you’re forty, is it?’ she asked. ‘Now, aren’t you running late?’ She winked at Anna.
‘Yes, I suppose I am,’ Richard said, deflated. ‘So I’ll just have a sip of coffee and then get myself under the shower. And I’d better make it a cold one,’ he added, once Audrey was out of earshot.
***
It was ten past eight and Richard had still not emerged, Barry noticed, peering out of his window. What was going on in there? He made the marinade for his meats and checked his list again, to see what he could work on next. The bulghur wheat salads were done and just needed warming up, the table accessories cluttering up his living room were ready but would have to wait until after Richard was back, and the green and mixed salads wouldn’t need assembling until the evening. He had canapes to do but wasn’t due to start on those until eleven forty-five, the optimum time before they started getting soggy. Now there was the bread to collect, but he wanted to check that Richard had left before he did so.
