by S M Mala
Half of her was ecstatic and the other was filled with dread, knowing someone like Finlay Chambers wouldn’t be easily released by the people who loved him the most.
But she’d made a decision.
He wasn’t going to have a confrontational experience with his family and she would do everything in her power to make sure he came out unscathed. She, on the other hand, knew she would probably get burnt in the process.
Probably third degree ones.
‘Oh god!’ he kept groaning as she managed to push him on his back and started to ride him slowly. ‘Jesus!’
Sylvie smiled and kept on doing what she could as her young lover writhed underneath her, all the time trying to focus on her but looking like he was losing consciousness at the same time.
‘I love you,’ he started to say as his hands grabbed each one of her breasts while Sylvie leaned back and pumped him harder. ‘God I love you! Jesus fuck me!’
Finlay had been truly fucked as he let out a load moan. She watched his body shake and judder through the bolt he was obviously feeling in his groin. Slowly his eyes started to open and he let out the brightest smile before laughing, then pulling her down by grasping the back of her neck, to kiss her.
He was still panting hard as she drew her face closer to his and smiled for a moment before kissing him gently. Then he turned her over, pushing her on her back, while trying to delve in deeper.
‘I want to make you come,’ he whispered into her ear as she stroked his back. ‘I want to show you how much I love you.’
‘You don’t have to show me anything,’ she said, while running her fingers through his hair. ‘I like seeing you happy and content.’
‘I’d prefer it if we spent the night together and I woke up with you,’ Finlay replied and she felt his hands stroke her side. ‘Come on! Arrange a night for your mum to babysit and I can spoil you.’
‘The first time we spent the night together, I had a wobbly then we parted ways. The second time you were in a vicious mood then…’ This is when she thought she could betray her real hurt so smiled brightly. ‘You were a good man and stuck by your wife and new born child. I dread to think what’s going to happen if we do it again.’
All the happiness drained from his face.
‘But it’s okay because we’re not supposed to get a smooth ride and …’ A sudden pang of guilt hit her as she noticed he was welling up. ‘Fin, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was being like you, blatantly blunt.’
‘I don’t like it,’ he said quietly, before rolling off her and facing away from her. All she could see was a very smooth and slim back which she touched before placing her head in the crook of his neck. ‘We sound shitty and sometimes… well you’re like patronising.’
‘Patronising?’ she repeated feeling his body stiffen. ‘What do you mean by that?’
‘For fuck’s sake Sylvie, I’m a grown man, not a child and you…’ he said, turning around and propping himself on his elbows. ‘…have a little habit of looking and speaking to me as if I don’t know my own mind. As if I’m a child! Well I’m not a bloody child! I’m nearly thirty fucking nine years old and I do have a mind of my own.’
‘Okay,’ she gently said, seeing the anger in his eyes. ‘I don’t mean to-.’
‘You think I made my choices lightly? You don’t think I know how hard it was going to be for everyone around me?’ Finlay then sat up bolt right as she looked up at him and gradually rose to meet his eyes. ‘When I told you that day I was going back to my wife and wanted to be with my unborn child, don’t you think it killed me to see your face, knowing I’d hurt you. I didn’t know if what I was doing was right but I wanted to do what I thought was honourable.’
‘I never said you did the wrong thing. I’ve never questioned that,’ she said gently stroking his arm as he looked away. ‘I know you were amazing to forgive your wife and James is your baby.’
‘Are you listening to me?’ he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and staring straight into her face. ‘I immediately knew when I told you I was going back to Juliette, I was making an almighty mistake. The most wonderful thing about this mess is I saw James being born and that made up for everything but it didn’t make it better, far from it.’
The intense pain was creeping across his face and as much as she wanted to touch him, she knew he was venting at her.
‘It’s wonderful, you being a dad,’ she said, hoping he’d stop looking so upset but she’d said the wrong thing when his tears started to fall.
‘It is,’ he said, trying to compose his breathing. ‘But I’m not going to have the family I thought I wanted because it’s not going to work. I know this now.’
‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘You upset me when I hear you say you’d give me up, when you question if I love you and mostly when you act as if this is a blip and that I don’t mean what I’m saying because I do mean it,’ Finlay says releasing her shoulders. ‘And if you don’t believe me then it’s the worst thing you can do.’
Sylvie watched as he roughly wiped his tears away and she tried to breath, but for a moment she’d forgotten how to.
‘I love you,’ she said, grabbing his face in her hands. ‘I never thought I’d fall in love again and I have. I’m sorry. You’re right, you’re nearly thirty nine and you are a man, you’re very much a man.’ She rested her forehead against his. ‘And you’re the man I want to be with forever.’ Sylvie watched him grin. ‘Have I scared you off?’
They were sitting in her living room, sharing a cheese sandwich for lunch, as he stared at her. Sylvie had her socks on when it was a warm day and, since he’d made his speech, she’d been quiet and he could tell she was ticking things over. Finlay took a sandwich and put some crisps in before eating it as she smiled.
‘My mother does things like that and she’s a loony,’ Sylvie said, before stroking his head for the umpteenth time. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Stop apologising,’ he replied, sipping his tea as she sighed. ‘It’s best we’re straight with each other.’
‘Rupert was a young twenty three year old when we got together. I questioned him then so I have this knack of doubting younger men. I forget you’re so old in mind and spirit,’ Sylvie giggled for a second. ‘I just don’t want you to make a mistake.’
‘I’m not making a mistake,’ he said, laying back on the lumpy soft sofa and smiling. ‘Are you worried you’re making a cock up?’
‘Not at all.’ He watched as she held her breath. ‘Look, I didn’t tell you something which I think you should know. Piers, well, I sort of told him about us. I know I shouldn’t have said a thing but he guessed.’
Finlay knew he was starting to break down her façade as the grimace spoke volumes.
‘He guessed ages ago,’ he replied and stroked her arm. ‘And I asked about you a few months back and then got upset. No one was telling me anything and I wanted to know you were okay. Actually, to be honest, I wanted to know you weren’t. I hated the idea you’d be happy without me. I’m the exact opposite to you. I want you to suffer and you want me to be content.’
Sylvie laughed hard at his comment and put down her food before snuggling up to him.
‘You’re so bloody honest Finlay Chambers, it’s very funny. And totally devastated I was, you’d be pleased to know,’ she sniggered. ‘That led to the blood bath with Stephen and Della walking out. Does he really have to come back? He’s going to make my life a misery, you know that? If he’s working for you guys he’ll be worse than before and he knows everything!’
‘Have you got anything to hide?’ he teased as she rolled her eyes.
‘Well unless it’s up Samina’s arse, no. And that reminds me, we have to sort the guys out if goes wrong. You have to make sure they get some sort of payment as they’ve been in the company for over two years and I don’t want statutory for them, I want something better, do you hear me?’
‘Why don’t you sell your shares to my mother?’ he asked, knowing the answer
as soon as he uttered it.
‘She’ll sell the company and fold the entire operation, as you well know. I can’t do that and I think it’d be wrong. Someone, somewhere must want to buy it? It’s not that much of an undesirable business.’ Sylvie sat up for a moment. ‘Are you’re still not allowed to help us?’ He shook his head from side to side wishing he could. ‘It would be good if you did and then the price might go up.’
‘What’s it worth?’
‘In all the months I’ve met you, I still don’t know what you do for a living. I’ve seen you sit at your laptop, make hush, hush phone calls but, other than rearranging the furniture, you’ve not done much, have you? Do you actually work?’
For a moment he examined her quizzical expression and smiled at her scrunched up nose before leaning closer, kissing her gently before their tongues met. The taste of cheese was instantly recognisable as he munched on her face for half a minute.
Pulling away he grinned.
‘I do work but I don’t go on about it as much as you do. I think you’re a workaholic, you know that?’ he laughed as she pinched his nose. ‘And I think we should try the products.’ Sylvie frowned. ‘What are you worried about? I’ve used a few toys in the past.’
She got up and took the tray, walking back to the kitchen before starting to wash up.
‘I’m not saying I’d prefer to use toys instead of playing with you,’ he continued as she flashed him an unimpressed glance. ‘But you do get them for free.’
Still she didn’t say anything as she started to dry the dishes and he leaned up against the fridge seeing she was trying her hardest to ignore him.
‘Why don’t you use them? You must have at least tried or been tempted when you were feeling horny since your husband died?’ Finlay knew not to push it too far as she put the crockery away. ‘You can tell me.’
‘Something plastic can’t replace something real,’ she said with her back to him. ‘I want someone to hold and kiss me not just fuck. And yes, I did miss having sex but I was resigned not to have any for a long time. So no amount of dildos could turn me on. Does that answer your question?’ Then she held her breath for a moment before turning to look at him. ‘I understand why people want them.’
‘You work for a company that specialises in-
‘It’s not something I’d happily put down on my CV, okay.’
Finlay wanted to laugh but bit his lip to produce a smile as she turned her back and wiped down the work surface.
‘This seems to be an honesty session today,’ he eventually replied, eying her up and down before walking closer, wrapping his arms around her waist then nuzzling in her hair. ‘I’m telling you about how I feel about us. You’re telling me about how you feel about vibrators. Perfect communication!’
Finlay started to laugh then heard a little grunt.
‘You’re telling me to treat you as an adult and I’m telling you I don’t want to use adult toys, I prefer skin, prefer you,’ she replied, before sinking into his arms as he rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘Do you think we need help in that department? The sex aids? So soon?’
‘I think,’ he said, spinning her around to see her smile. ‘You know the answer.’
Fifty seven
‘It feels like I’m the enemy but I’m not,’ said Stephen cheerfully as Sylvie sat in the meeting room table with Finlay at the opposite end, the following Monday morning. ‘It was a misunderstanding, the whole thing!’
‘I told Finlay what you said about accusing Samina and Rosalind sleeping with him, as well as me,’ she said, straight faced and noticed Finlay pulled a surprised expression. Sylvie tried not to grin. ‘Which I found distasteful!’
‘What? The idea of sleeping with me?’ Finlay said sounding put out. She rolled her eyes as Stephen glanced at him. ‘That’s a bit below the belt.’
‘I was upset Sly,’ said Stephen, turning his back on Finlay. ‘We used to be so close and things changed. You were pushing me away and I hated the fact you were in turmoil about this place and not leaning on me. It was obvious for those few weeks something was upsetting you.’
Sylvie stared hard at Stephen but only to avoid the smile spreading across Finlay’s face. Then the shit blew her a kiss and her eyes widened, knowing he was getting a kick out of the meeting.
‘Why would you say that?’ asked Finlay as Stephen turned back to look at him.
‘She was subdued and I could tell the pressure was getting to her,’ he said with total authority as Sylvie looked at the real culprit of her hurt feelings. ‘And she wasn’t letting me in, were you?’ At that moment she felt sorry for him. ‘I want us to be friends again.’
‘Friends?’ Finlay said. ‘If I remember correctly you were declaring your undying love for her last year.’
‘Things change,’ he said confidently and shook his mop of hair. ‘I’m with someone new. That’s obviously after Emilie and I broke up.’
‘Obviously,’ whispered Finlay. ‘Who’s the lucky lady then?’
Sylvie watched Stephen blush before smiling brightly.
‘It’s Della. We’re together…’ he giggled as Sylvie sat there truly shocked only to see Finlay try not to laugh. ‘It’s totally unexpected.’
‘I’m really pleased for you,’ Sylvie said genuinely as Finlay put his head down. ‘You make a great couple.’
‘And about what I said regarding you two… you know I didn’t mean it. I mean, I met Finlay’s wife and she’s drop dead gorgeous. I can see the whole idea of you and he is completely absurd, even if they are going through a matrimonial blip!’
Stephen then laughed as Sylvie put on her masking smile and Finlay stared at her for a moment. She guessed he could see how uncomfortable she felt. The confidence she had a second ago completely disappeared as self-doubt started creeping back in.
‘Well now that matter has been cleared up,’ Sylvie began. ‘We can talk about what you think you’re going to do here.’
She then heard heavy stomps up the stairs and before she could stop them entering, Rosalind and Samina were standing in the meeting room, staring angrily at Stephen.
‘What he do here!’ demanded Samina.
‘What are you doing here so early?’ Sylvie asked, looking at her watch.
‘Security man tell me bad man back,’ she said, staring daggers at Stephen. ‘I tell him watch out he come and kill us all!’
‘You odious little creep! Why have you let him in after what happened and trying to get Toby arrested!’ snapped Rosalind as they walked closer to the table and Sylvie could see the terror on Stephen’s face.
‘I’ve come here to apologise,’ he said, standing up.
‘Why you wear suit? You go to court for bad mouthing good people!’ said Samina loudly as Sylvie tried not to smile. ‘You touch Toby again I hit you hard! And not touch Sylvie, you hear me! Get out! Scrum!’
Finlay stood up slowly and it was the first time she’d looked at him properly since she saw him on Saturday. He was wearing slim fitting light blue jeans and had a short sleeve checked shirt open, exposing a lightly bronze chest. Swallowing hard, she tried not to let out a lustful groan on what she wanted to do to him later on that morning.
‘My mother has hired Stephen to do some projects at head office and to come back to oversee the accounts, as we’re selling our shares,’ he said tiredly before pushing his hand through his hair. ‘As a company wanting to sell, we need to know everything is in order and all the possibilities out there.’
She smiled.
Sylvie couldn’t help it but she felt ecstatically happy, considering her company was in deep shit and it was his company doing it to her.
‘You hit head?’ asked Samina as Sylvie felt a palm across her forehead. ‘You sick? You grin like mad woman. They drug you? They type of men that drug and take advantage! Especially Stephen! He like all that tie up! Only way he keep woman still to put winky inside!’
‘How dare you?’ Stephen said aghast as Finlay let out a small laugh but
Rosalind was looking at Sylvie. ‘I have you know I’ve never had any complaint in that department!’
‘You use gag to stop them talk!’
‘Play nicely,’ Finlay said, walking out the meeting room before shouting over his shoulder. ‘I trust you Stephen to make peace with everyone and you’ll need to work closely with Rosalind as she’s now in charge of accounts.’
Sylvie stood up and shrugged, noticing Stephen’s stunned expression.
‘Stephen, you keep at desk, no snooping around, no free product, you pay for it!’ said Samina sharply as he picked up his case and walked back towards his old office, closing the door.
‘God, Alice can be a cow!’ hissed Rosalind. ‘And putting Stephen back in here is really going to help. I bet you she’s paying him to shaft us!’
‘Finlay had to break the news to me and I wasn’t happy,’ she replied, seeing him standing at his desk and looking at her. ‘Stephen’s going to find a fault and we’ll end up being sold for shit money to someone who will probably make us operate a sex line!’
‘I can talk dirt,’ shrugged Samina. ‘I good!’
‘Have you tried to find a buyer or have you been distracted?’ Rosalind asked before glancing at Finlay. ‘And even though he is my nephew, he’s the enemy too. If it wasn’t for his bloody wife, we wouldn’t be in this situation and could have found someone by December.’
‘I’ve tried but it’s not all his woman’s fault. Alice seems intent on closing this down and I don’t know why, if only to prove a point that she can,’ Sylvie replied, sitting back down. ‘I’ve approached companies who look at mergers and acquisitions but the idea of buying a large part and me keeping the rest is off putting, so I’m told.’
Samina was shaking her head from side to side as she sat down next to Sylvie and patted her hand.
‘We be out of job for carnival. Maybe we sell stock there to make money,’ she sighed and Sylvie felt a massive pang of guilt and pressure in her chest when she realised she was out of her depth.
She put her head in hands for a moment before feeling something touch her shoulder.
