“It was an amazing meal,” said Rainn, turning her head as if she were looking out at the lights of London flicking past them.
“It was good,” agreed Jack. “But it’s always difficult to separate the food from the company. It was a good conversation. I haven’t felt so relaxed in another person’s company for . . .” Jack paused to turn off the main street. “Maybe forever,” he said.
They had pulled into Rainn’s street and Jack stopped outside her house.
“Because I enjoyed your company so much and it was such a fantastic evening,” said Jack, slowly reaching to the back seat, “I thought I’d give you a little token of my . . .”
Rainn reached over and put her finger over his lips.
“If you are going to give me a gift, thanks, but no thanks. There’s only so much perfume or jewellery I can wear.”
“Rainn, it’s only a . . .” Jack began to protest.
Rainn had already opened the door and was stepping out. “If you enjoyed the evening so much, we can do it again. Pick me up the same time tomorrow.”
“Rainn,” said Jack, “wait a second. “Definitely another time, but tomorrow I’m busy.”
Rainn nodded. “I see. Am I outside my house?” she asked.
“Yes, but let me help you.”
It was too late. Rainn had slammed the door and was opening the gate in front of her house.
The next morning, Jack called her. “Is the same time tonight ok?” he asked.
“That’s perfect,” she said.
They went out each night that week. Jack was amazed to find that each date was better than the last. On the Friday he leaned over in the car and kissed her. When she kissed him back, he could sense the yearning in her lips. He wanted to take her home with him right then, but he managed to control himself.
“Another lovely evening,” he said, smiling.
“It was amazing,” agreed Rainn. “I love spending time with you.”
“This weekend,” he said, raising an eyebrow, “maybe we can see more of each other.”
Rainn laughed. “I think I know what you mean. Come here tomorrow. For dinner. Yvonne and I want to cook for you.”
“There’s no need to cook.” Offered Jack “Come to my place. I can have a restaurant prepare us something.”
“No,” said Rainn firmly, laying a hand on his wrist. “I want to cook for you. Yvonne wants to meet you again.”
Jack accepted, kissed her again and got out of the car to escort her to her door, where he kissed her once more. “Until tomorrow,” he said.
He arrived a little early with yet more flowers and a bottle of champagne. Jack sat in the small kitchen and watched the sisters cooking. Rainn chatted away happily; every now and again Yvonne would subtly direct or guide her away from a hot pan.
“I hope you are hungry” Rainn said.
“Starving,” said Jack, watching the curve of her body beneath her long dress.
“I’m afraid this will be a bit of a come down from your fancy, high-class restaurants,” interjected Yvonne.
“Nonsense!” said Jack. “You can’t beat home cooking. Besides, this smells incredible.” Rainn leaned over the worktop, Jack eyed the line of underwear as it pressed against the soft fabric of her dress. “I can’t wait to taste it.”
When it was nearly ready, John arrived. Jack smiled and slapped him on the shoulder.
“Shall we open the champagne?” he asked.
“Let’s do it,” giggled Rainn.
Jack gave Rainn the bottle and she held it in her hand, stroking it, getting a feel for the shape.
“I’ve never had real champagne before,” she said. “Gosh, it’s big.”
“Methuselah,” explained Jack. “It’s not a bad one, I think,” he said, modestly. “You need to remove the foil.”
Rainn slowly peeled away the foil, bit by bit, until the slender neck of the bottle was naked and exposed.
“I think I’ll leave the last bit to you,” she said and handed the bottle back.
Jack held the bottle firmly between his muscular thighs and slowly turned the corkscrew. It turned slowly; the bottle seemed to tremble with the pressure building up inside.
“Do you need any help?” asked Yvonne.
“Nearly there,” said Jack.
“I’m scared,” squealed Rainn, laughing and pulling back.
Suddenly, the cork was released with an almighty bang. It flew across the kitchen, narrowly missing Rainn’s head and pinged against a pan hanging on the wall as if it were a gong. A flume of foam curved from the lip of the bottle and gushed up from between Jack’s thighs towards Rainn.
There was a moment of stunned silence then Rainn screamed and everyone laughed.
“What the hell happened?” asked Rainn, looking bewildered.
Jack took a cloth and was wiping away the bubbles that were foaming white against Rainn’s black dress.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s fine, Jack, don’t worry,” Yvonne said.
“Wow,” said Rainn, holding a hand over her mouth. “Now I think I need a drink.”
Jack had brought a set of champagne flutes and he poured out the glasses.
“Cheers,” he said and they all raised a toast.
“Wow,” said Yvonne. “This is some champagne.”
“It really is,” nodded John.
“It’s not too bad, is it?” said Jack, as if he harboured some doubts.
“Probably when you drink it every day it doesn’t quite seem so amazing,” mocked John. “You probably get used to it.”
“Oh, I don’t drink it every day,” said Jack, making it clear that there may just be days when he only drinks wine.
“Well, I could certainly get used to this,” signed Rainn. “It’s heavenly.”
They sat down and ate dinner. Despite Yvonne and Rainn’s attempts to play it down, it was a very good meal with Jack and John both enthusiastic with their praise.
“I enjoy cooking,” explained Rainn, “but I’m sure I’m not very good at it.”
“You’re very modest,” said John.
“Either very modest or you honestly have no idea how exceptional you are,” said Jack. “Exceptional at many things and in many ways.”
Rainn blushed. “Well, if you will excuse me a moment, I shall have to go and clean myself up after all the cooking and eating.”
She rose from the table and Yvonne rose with her. “My make-up assistant will come with me,” said Rainn, laughing. “You’re in showbiz, Jack, you know how it is.”
“Of course,” said Jack, standing politely, “I have one myself.”
When the sisters had left he sat down. “More champagne?” he asked John.
“A little,” said John.
When Jack had placed down the bottle, John asked, “What are you playing at?”
“I’m sorry,” said Jack, genuinely surprised.
“What’s your game with Rainn?”
Jack turned his chair so that he was facing John. “There’s no game,” he said. “I like her and I want to spend time with her.”
“And when you get bored,” said John, “What happens then?”
“Who says I will get bored?”
“You always get bored,” said John. “That’s the way you are.”
“And who the hell are you to tell me about what person I am.”
“It’s clear,” said John. “You are a thrill-seeker. You chase one high after another. Women, alcohol, drugs, it doesn’t matter. And when you are bored of one thing, you drop it and move on to the next.”
“You don’t know what you are talking about. Can’t you see this is different?”
“I’m sure it always starts off as different,” said John. “But it always ends the same way, with you hurting someone, yet you move on, without a care in the world.”
Jack shook his head. “You’re making a fool of yourself.”
“I don’t know what thrill you find in Rainn. Perhaps it’s because she’s
so trusting. Perhaps it’s because she’s blind. There’s something there that’s turning you on. But one day soon, you’ll get bored of her and you’ll drop her like the rest.”
“I won’t,” said Jack.
“You will,” John corrected him. “And it won’t matter much to you, but it will destroy her. She can’t see it. That’s the tragedy.”
“And you’re going to make her see it, are you?” said John.
“If I have to.” John jutted out his chin.
“And who appointed you Rainn’s guardian? Who said you have to decide what’s good for her? As if she were a teenager.”
“I’m her friend,” said John.
Jack looked at him and laughed. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you? That’s what this is all about. You’re in love with her and you’ve never had the balls to tell her. And now you’ve lost her, you’re behaving like a jealous little child.”
Jack threw his head back. “Thank God, you’ve lost her. Rainn deserves a lot better than you.”
Jack sipped his wine while John turned red with rage. “Wonder why you’ve never told her. Just don’t have the balls, I expect. Scared of rejection.”
Jack slapped his hand against the kitchen table. “No, I’ve got it,” he said. “I know what it was. You always banked on her never finding another man. Because she was blind, you thought she would always be there for you, while you were free to go off and play the field. Isn’t that right? You were out having a good time, while all the time you had the one woman you really loved as a backup.”
Jack raised his glass of champagne. “That’s it, isn’t it? Jesus Christ, what a loser. Well, John, you’ve really messed this up, because guess what? I’m not going to hand Rainn back to you. Not ever.”
6
The following day Jack picked Rainn up early.
“Is there a problem between you and John?” she asked as he got into the car.
“Of course not,” said Jack. He pulled out into the London traffic that was moving slowly with no more urgency than was appropriate on a Sunday morning.
“I just sensed a strange atmosphere last night.”
Jack patted her knee in a friendly way. “You know there’s no one who is more in awe of your senses than I, but in this case they’re a little off.”
They drove along the tree-lined streets of the suburbs and the sunlight flitted through the car windscreen. Often Jack glanced at Rainn’s face and his tongue played on his lips. He was still hungry. But he would have to be patient. He would play the long game.
“A good day for a walk,” he said. “Perhaps we could go to the common.”
“I’d like that,” said Rainn.
They walked along the edge of the common, chatting as dog-walkers and joggers went passed. Jack walked with his arm in hers. He could feel her body move beside him and sense the strength of her back in her upright posture. He felt the curve of her waist and the length of her muscles that curved down her slim thighs.
Rainn felt very much alive and asked Jack to describe the things she could hear and smell.
He told her about the clumps of narcissi in the verge and the lilac coming into flower. He told her about the swans on the pond and the sparrows that hopped on the path in front of them.
They sat on a bench and Rainn told him how she imagined the world.
“It’s difficult to explain,” she said.
“No,” said Jack, he put his arm around her. “I think I understand.”
“I’m not sure it’s possible,” she said. “But it doesn’t really matter. All that matters is that you try.”
She smiled at him and he delicately took her chin and turned it towards him. They kissed.
“Come to my place,” he said. “It’s time I saw you in it.”
Rainn laughed. “I’d like to. You can give me a guided tour.”
7
Rainn listened to the car wheels roll over the gravel of the driveway for quite a distance.
“You have a big garden,” she guessed.
“Yes,” said Jack, surprised, as if he had never noticed it before. “I suppose I do.”
“Do you spend a lot of time gardening?”
Jack laughed. “Not a lot.”
“So you have a gardener?”
“Of course.”
Jack led her up the steps to the front door and she listened very carefully as he opened it and they walked into the vast hall.
“The house is big too,” she said. The door closed behind them and Rainn listened to the echo. “You must have a cleaner.”
“Correct,” said Jack.
“Is she here today?”
“No, just you and I.”
Rainn sniffer the air. “It’s clean,” she said. “Your cleaner does a good job. But there’s not much furniture. I can tell that much.”
“I like to keep it minimalist,” he said and took her arm. “Let me show you around.”
Rainn’s heels clicked on the floor. “No carpets,” she said. “Is it marble?”
“That’s right. There’s a few throws, a couple of rugs, for when I want to, you know, relax.”
They toured round the ground floor, Rainn making approving comments.
“I can’t believe how big it is,” she said.
Jack smiled. “It’s probably too much for one person.” He gazed at the curve of her chin and traced the line down her neck and between the buttons of her blouse.
Rainn smiled. “What?” she said. “What is it?”
“Oh, nothing,” said Jack. “Let me show you upstairs.”
He guided her up the steps with one hand on her back.
“A spiral staircase,” said Rainn. “I feel like a princess.”
“You look like one too.”
He took her into the two smaller bedrooms and she asked him to describe the furniture as she held onto the curtains and stroked her hand over the bedding.
“And this is my bedroom,” he said and ushered her in. He watched her as she walked around, carefully touching the objects she came across. He enjoyed watching her body move. It was a great pleasure, he realized, to watch her like this, without making her feel uncomfortable under his gaze.
“It’s a lovely room,” she said. “What’s this?” she asked as her hand came across a door handle.
“Bathroom,” said Jack. “Take a walk inside.”
Rainn smiled and opened the door. “Ooh,” he heard her say, “is this a hot-tub?”
Jack moved to the doorway and looked at her bending over with her hands stretched, searching out the sides of the tub. There was something erotic about watching her under the cold, clinical lights of the bathroom.
“It certainly is,” he said.
“It’s huge!” she exclaimed. “If I had one of these I would be in it every day.”
“I hardly ever use it,” he lied.
Rainn turned to face him as he looked her up and down. He then looked at the reflection of her back in the mirror. She was smiling at him and he stared blatantly at her pert breasts that appeared hard beneath her flimsy blouse.
“Well, that’s the guided tour,” he said.
“Thank you,” Rainn said, brightly. “It’s a great place. I’m glad I got to experience it.”
Jack said nothing. They could just hear his breathing echoing in the bathroom. He wanted to touch her, or touch himself. He could do that and she wouldn’t even know. He shook his head to get the thought out of his mind.
“Everything okay?” asked Rainn.
God, she was so innocent, Jack thought to himself. She couldn’t stay that way.
“Sure,” he said. “There’s a lovely breeze from the bedroom window. It faces right across the common, and you can smell the wild flowers. Come with me.”
8
Jack took Rainn’s hand and led her from the bathroom. He positioned her by the window and described the view to her.
“It’s spring,” she said, “it must be very green
“It is,” he said. Jack
sat on the bed and watched her. She was stroking the curtains.
“What’s this?” she asked.
Jack laughed. “Just the curtain tie-back.”
“And this?” She was holding the thickly knotted tassel that hung down, almost caressing it and something in Jack broke.
“Rainn,” he said, very seriously. “You say stop, and I will stop. I promise. Anything else, I will ignore.”
Rainn frowned and turned towards the window, as if he were describing something out across the common.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
He stood up and moved behind her.
“Here,” he said and took her two slender wrists. She gave them to him as he knew she would. Rapidly, he pulled out the tie-back and wrapped it tightly round her wrists, binding them together.
Rainn gasped. “What are you doing?” she asked.
But Jack was not for speaking anymore. He pulled down the tassel and looped it around Rainn’s waist so he could hear the air escape from her. He twisted it behind her back and held it firmly in his clenched fist.
“Jack, no,” she said and twisted round. In a flash, Jack swung his hand and she felt the sting of his large palm connecting sharply with her ass. Rainn stopped dead still, breathing sharply.
“Yes,” breathed Jack. His voice was low and husky. He sounded satisfied. With a practiced movement he lifted Rainn’s skirt so it was held by the tassel and pulled down her panties. He slapped her again. This time the sound cracked around the bedroom and Rainn moaned.
Pulling the rope tight he repositioned her so she was standing over the bed. Jack inspected her. She writhed her body and Jack pulled on the rope.
“Don’t,” he said. This was no teasing.
With one hand grasping the knotted tassel and the other reaching under her ass, he threw her face down onto the bed. As she lay there, Rainn tried to kick out. Jack fell on her, pushing his hips and thighs between her legs, pressing her into the bed.
Rainn’s mind whirled. Part of her wanted him to stop. Part of her wanted to go back to how it was, to go back to the normal people they had been just moments before. But she knew there was no going back now. Jack could never undo what he had done. He would never be the same person.
Dirty Cops Next Door Page 77
