by Sorell Oates
CHAPTER 6
Maddy woke first on Friday morning. The weight of James against her was dream-like. The previous morning she'd forced herself to avoid his penis, but this morning she had a permit to do as she pleased. Using all her strength she rolled James onto his back. He remained fast asleep. Mischievously, she took the sheets down to his waist. The dawn was shining through her Venetian blinds, highlighting James' tan. She stroked his chest, laying her head on it, inhaling the fragrance of him and the events of the night before. Unable to resist, she sneaked a hand under the sheet towards his crotch. Her hand found his half-erect penis. She held it firmly as he moaned in his sleep.
Taking it as a sign of encouragement, she licked her palm and ran it up and down his erection, which hardened in her hands. She pulled the sheets down further to reveal the proud prick. Maddy had never been overly keen on the male anatomy but James was in a different class. Deciding to be daring, she wriggled down the bed to study his hard-on up close. Her tongue flicked over the helmet. James shivered in his sleep. Her mouth enveloped the head of his cock. She sucked it; twisting and twirling her tongue around it.
She could hear James groaning. Relaxing, she began to work his erection inch by inch into her mouth. Moving her head up and down the shaft, paying close attention to the head, James was filling her mouth.
”Maddy, what are you doing to me?” asked a tired James.
She continued her job. His hands went to the back of her head, but didn't hold her in place. He let her set the pace. Maddy knew he was excited because he filled her mouth, becoming a strain on her throat. To avoid gagging, she returned to working him with her hands.
”Do I get a chance to return the favour?” he said, giving her a lazy, sexy smile.
”Only if you want to,” she said, cupping his balls and kneading them.
James turned from Maddy's reach. He kissed her firmly on the mouth, moved down, splaying her thighs as he went. Welcoming the attention, she awaited his tongue. James' breath tantalized her clit. As had her tongue, he brushed it lightly over her nub. Her thighs involuntarily closed, but James' strong hands kept them spread. His tongue took broad strokes, pressing firmly as he hit her bud. He swirled his tongue around her clit, then licked between her lips. At her entrance, Maddy felt James' tongue. Turned on, she swore as his tongue penetrated her. Maddy had never had a man do that to her before and the feeling was indescribably sensual. She ground down, to get as much of his tongue as she could inside her. Sensitive to her needs, James planted his fingers inside her as his mouth closed and sucked on her clit. He smiled when Maddy's body shuddered as she screamed at the peak of her orgasm.
”Please take me one more time,” she begged.
Kneeling between her legs, James drove his cock into her. He lifted her ankles, keeping her legs spread enabling his length to completely fill her. James rammed himself into her, grunting with the effort. Planting his thumb back on Maddy's clit, he was rewarded with her climaxing for the second time within minutes. He stayed still inside her so his dick could enjoy the full experience of her orgasm. When her body calmed he withdrew and came himself.
”I didn't realise how multi-orgasmic you were,” he said.
”I didn't realise I was either.”
They lay together regaining their strength.
”This is a first for me,” said Maddy.
”That's sweet,” said James.
”No, I mean I'm going to be late for work. It's a first for me. I'm always punctual.”
James' eyes widened and he sprung out of bed, beating Maddy to the bathroom. Accepting defeat, Maddy lay back in bed deciding, James was worth being late for. Early morning sex was definitely the best way to start a day. She ran over everything in her mind as she waited for James to exit the shower.
As James dressed while Maddy was in the shower, he heard her phone vibrate. He remembered the persistent caller from the night before.
”Hey Maddy,” he shouted, ”your phone's ringing.”
”Is it from Mum, Geoff or work?”
James checked the face of the phone.
”No,” he called back.
”Well it can't be that urgent then,” she said, towelling her hair in the bathroom doorway.
”It was someone called Rick,” said James. ”He must be keen because he was trying to get you last night as well. Don't tell me you've got another fellow on the go?”
Maddy was poor at disguising her feelings. She was shocked. Why on earth was her ex-fiancé back in contact?
”You okay?”
James' voice intruded on her stupefied state.
”I'm fine,” she said, trying to smile.
”Who's Rick?” asked James, attempting to feign casual indifference.
She wasn't sure whether to lie or not. Maddy was habitually honest. Her experience with Rick had taught her that a relationship built on lies would never make the distance. Rick meant nothing to her, but she felt odd telling James about him. She was more worried as to how James would react, than why Rick was trying to make contact. Sticking to what she believed was best, Maddy answered truthfully.
”He's my ex-fiancé.”
”Oh. You never mentioned it.”
”He isn't worth mentioning. He certainly isn't comparable to you,” she said earnestly.
”Do you keep in regular contact then?”
”Actually I've not heard from him in about eighteen months. I have no idea why he's suddenly decided to get in touch.”
”Will you return the call?”
James hated himself for asking. He sounded clingy. He'd always hated clingy, needy women but it was somehow important to him that Maddy didn't contact Rick.
”No. I won't.”
He could see her struggling.
”But,” James encouraged.
”But I probably will pick up if he calls again. See what the problem is.”
”His problems aren't yours anymore.”
”No, thankfully. The biggest problem I ever had was with him.”
”What was the problem?”
”The problem was he couldn't keep it in his pants. I only found out a few days before the wedding. It was a very expensive lesson to learn. My parents had been saving for my wedding since I was a kid. Two years on and I'm still reimbursing them for the lost money. It wasn't as though they asked for it, but mum and dad aren't well-off. It was my mistake not theirs. For them wasting that money was a huge loss to their savings and the plans they had for me. They want to see their only daughter married and happy. We were trying to do the big white wedding thing. My parents couldn't save up that kind of money again, so I took it upon myself to pay them back. That way when it happens for real my Dad can feel proud he paid for the wedding.'
”I can't believe you didn't mention this.”
”It was two years ago. Besides my mind is on you, not some idiot I used to date.”
”But you didn't just used to date him Maddy. You were engaged to be married. That is kind of big.”
”It felt big at the time, but life goes on. Surely you've had serious relationships.”
”When I was a lot younger, but I was sowing my wild oats in my twenties. It's only now that I'm settled and ready for a stable relationship.”
”You never got engaged? Got a girl pregnant? Made any kind of mistake like that in your love life?”
”No,” his voice was distant and cold.
”This is silly,” said Maddy, trying to change the subject. ”It's not like I was trying to keep it from you. Naturally I've spent the week getting to know you, not dragging up the past about my ex.”
”Our pasts are what make us who we are today.”
”I appreciate that,” Maddy was on the verge of tears, ”I wasn't trying to keep it a secret from you. It just didn't crop up in conversation. If it had, I would’ve been fine discussing it; as I am right now.”
”Sure, whatever.”
”James?”
Maddy reached for his arm. He stared ahead in
the mirror, straightening his tie.
”Do you need a lift to the station?” he asked.
”We can walk,” she said timidly.
”I think I'll take my car home first, then catch a later train in. If you don't need a lift I'll be getting on.”
He kissed her perfunctorily, closing the door softly behind him. Sick to the pit of her stomach, Maddy wondered how such a spectacularly brilliant start to the morning could sour in an instant. Of all the times to get in contact, why did Rick have to choose that day? Maddy realised she had absolutely no way of contacting James to patch things up. Frustrated and hurt she locked her flat to head to the train station.
She'd missed her normal train, forcing her to enter the office at the same time as all her colleagues. Already she was regretting having asked Geoff for the early leave Thursday night. He'd be throwing all kind of questions at her this morning, to enlighten himself on her love life. With James in the house the previous two nights, her flat had seemed full with the cats rubbing themselves over the handsome new stranger. Maddy was already dreading returning that night. The cats would offer limited comfort tonight, given she'd woken in James' embrace that morning.
The thought of how hard and cold he'd been physically hurt her heart. It was as if her entire body was seized with grief. Maintaining her composure, she went to the women's toilets. Checking that no one else was using them, she sat in a cubicle, locked the door then cried. The tears soon became sobs and she felt unable to control them. Something had been stolen from her that morning. Hope.
After all she'd endured with Rick, after detaching herself emotionally from the world and focussing on the elements she could control and manipulate to give her a comfortable lifestyle, she'd somehow managed to hold onto 'hope'. When James spoke to her that Monday morning, the 'hope' that had been hidden away for years inside her had been released. That one introduction as she scrambled, embarrassed, on the packed train floor to capture the elements of her handbag that were scattered all over the floor, he had unlocked the box that held her 'hope'. She'd left the train happy, with hope. Her heart was alive. She'd deprived it from any kind of chance at love for two years but the heart was a powerful thing. Her head couldn't control it forever. Meeting James was wonderful, but rediscovering the wonder of love and relationships had given her so much in such a short span of time. Maddy trusted James; believed in him. Without warning he'd smashed any hope she had for a bright and loving future.
What hurt the most was that she had no one to blame but herself. She heard herself telling Helen that the one thing she learnt from Rick was to not rush into a relationship; take the time to get to know someone. One kind word from James and she'd fallen head over heels. The way he behaved this morning had been horrendous. She clearly knew nothing about him. To have allowed herself to hope they might develop a relationship had been foolish on her part.
Exiting the cubicle, Maddy washed her face in the sink. Her eyes were bloodshot and tear-stained. There was no way she could disguise the effects of her uncontrollable sobbing, other than to avoid eye contact with her colleagues. She trod, heavy footed up the stairs into the accounts department.
”Your phone's been ringing?”
For the first time ever, Helen sounded timid as she addressed Maddy. Maddy realised her mood was obvious to the entire department. They were clearly doing their best not to avoid her. She wanted it to be James, but knew it wouldn't be. As she saw another missed call from Rick her disappointment shook her. Just when she thought her hope had been crushed, she'd been so keen for it to be James she'd let herself believe he may have gone to the effort of tracking her work number. The fact that he hadn't hurt even more.
Furious at Rick, she snatched the phone to address her ex-fiancé.
”I'm going out for a breath of fresh air,” she announced to the accounts department; not a peep was heard from anyone.
Maddy approached the fire exit, fondly referred to as 'smokers corner'. Seeing three people waving cigarettes in animated discussion, she opted to make the call in the basement car park. As expected the car park was empty. She called Rick's phone, tapping her foot anxiously.
”Hello you,” greeted her ex-fiancé, as if he was in regular contact with her.
”Why are you ringing me Rick?” she hissed.
”Don't be like that.”
”Don't be like what?”
Maddy heard her voice jump up an octave.
”Shrill,” he laughed.
”What is it Rick?” she asked icily.
”Are you really going to speak to me like that after all we've been through?”
”After all we've been through Rick, I shouldn't be speaking to you at all.”
”It's water under the bridge Maddy. Forgive and forget and all that.”
”I don't remember you ever asking for my forgiveness Rick.”
”Didn't I?”
”No.”
”Then I'm sorry.”
”Well that only took two years. You'll get my response in another two.”
”Lighten up Maddy. I thought you'd be glad to hear from me.”
She was sickened that he thought he could charm his way back into her life. That she'd drop everything in pure joy at having heard his voice.
”You thought wrong. I'm sorry to disappoint you. Would you care to explain what's so important you've been bombarding me with phone calls?”
”Yeah okay.”
Maddy smiled. Her indifference to Rick had thrown him. He wasn't used to being brushed aside by women.
”I've moved into a flat, and the boys and I were talking about 'The Sopranos'. Turns out one of them hasn't seen it. I wondered if you still had my DVD box set. Thought maybe you could send it to me, so the guys and I could watch it all.'
''That's what was urgent. You and the boys want to watch 'The Soprano's'?”
”I didn't say it was urgent.”
”Rick, I've had twenty-seven missed calls from you in twelve hours. I assumed it was something serious.”
”Entertainment is always serious Maddy,” said Rick, sounding trite.
”Right well, I'll dig out the complete DVD box-set of 'The Sopranos' that I bought you so you and the boys can be seriously entertained.”
”Brilliant. If I text you my new address will you post it?”
”To clarify Rick, I'll send you a DVD box-set that I purchased and cover the postage costs.”
”Didn't you get it for me as a birthday present or something?” he asked.
”No, I bought it for us.”
”You don't really want it though, do you?”
Maddy stayed deathly quiet on her end of the line.
”The postage thing...I don't really want to run into your parents,” said Rick breaking the silence.
”Why ever not?”
”Don't be a bitch Maddy, you know why.”
”I'm not sure. Is it because you were a serial cheat on their daughter or because you were happy to have them lay down umpteen deposits on a wedding you never wanted in the first place but didn't have the balls to actually cancel?”
”You're still angry then.”
”I'm not angry Rick, but don't call my phone again. As for 'The Sopranos', I've got the DVD box-set in the new flat I bought. Don't bother calling in to pick it up from my parents' place because I moved out a long time ago.”
”You won't send it then.”
”No.”
Maddy hung up the phone.
It automatically rang again with Rick's number flashing up. She hit the cancel button, then sent a text reiterating she did not want to hear from him ever again. Waiting five minutes she was relieved her phone remained silent. Irrespective of her heavy heart, she felt a little better in herself. Maddy walked back into the office.
”Maddy can I see you,” asked Geoff, beckoning her into his office.
She walked in quietly.
”Is everything okay, Maddison?”
”Rick the Dick,” she replied simply, juggli
ng her phone from one hand to the other.
”Is that who you've been seeing all week? Have you started dating him again?”
