by M J Rutter
“Trust me, Grace, when you know what you want, you have to jump at it, you never know what is around the corner.”
“I suppose,” I nodded. “How long have you known Alec?”
“Must be about six years now, he set up a new business program for us during the recession and helped to get us some overseas customers. Mike loves him like a brother and they are always talking on the phone when he is back in the UK.”
“I have never met anyone like him before, it’s as if I have known him my whole life.” I admitted.
“He is a lovely bloke and I will be honest, Grace, I have never met any of his girlfriends before. Like I said, you have to be a special girl because he is smitten.”
“How do you know?” I frowned.
“He phoned here this morning and said, I have met this incredible girl and I think I am in love with her.” I smiled, “Yes, Alec has never said that before, not for any of his girlfriends.”
“Wow,” is all I could muster. “I don’t understand though, why me?”
“Aside from the fact that you are beautiful and I don’t just mean on the outside. You look sincere, real and as easy to read as an open book. Alec doesn’t like complicated, although you intrigue him, he feels he’s known you forever too, as if your souls were tethered before you met.”
“I don’t know about that, but I do know it’s too soon and I shouldn’t feel the same, still…”
“You do,” she smiled and tapped my arm. “There is no such thing as too soon when it comes to love.”
We arrived at the factory building and she pushed a sliding door across. The scent of fermenting fruit filled the air. Huge hoppers were everywhere I looked and machines buzzed and roared around us. The bottles chimed as they moved along a conveyor belt towards machines that filled them with red, white and rose wine.
I had never been much of a drinker, certainly not liquor anyway, but I did enjoy a glass of wine and this place made my mouth water. Jennie showed me the labels of the bottles, they looked as though they had been drawn by hand, beautiful pictures for each of the types.
“Chelsea designed them,” she explained.
“They are stunning,” I remarked gazing over them.
“She is going to art school in the Fall, not my choice, but what can you do? They have to live their own lives and follow their own dreams.”
“Totally agree there, my parents are the same. I am an only child and when I told them I wanted to work in London they were thrilled for me, they even helped me with my bills at the beginning.”
“Has Alec told you about his parents?”
“He has,” I nodded, “it is so sad.”
“It is, he is a really nice guy, Grace and it’s good to him happy again. His last girlfriend made him miserable. She lied, cheated and stole his money. I thought he’d have a hard time ever trusting anyone again. I can see though, he trusts you.”
“Its early days yet,” I winked my eye. “My gold-digger self is also on holiday.”
She chuckled lightly, “Well, can you ask her where my gorgeous toy-boy is when you see her? Grumpy bum back there is starting to wear me out.”
“Really?”
“No, I love him to bits, he is the other half of me and not only my husband, but my best friend too.”
“Alec hasn’t really said much about his life, I mean, he talks about his sister and her family, about his friends and that, but he never mentions his ex’s.”
“He’s a man, they don’t feel the need to tell us everything when it comes to ex’s, especially if they have wronged them and left them with huge dents in their ego. If there is anything important he feels you need to know, he will tell you.” She linked her arm with mine again. “Let’s go to the cellar and choose some wine for dinner tonight.”
As Rose was my favourite wine, we decided on a couple of bottles for us and white for the men. We took them to the grand looking house and she led me inside by way of a side door. The kitchen was huge, in fact, I would go as far as saying my whole flat would have fit in that kitchen. It had a large island in the middle with white cabinets and dark grey, marble counters and a black and white chequered floor.
We put the wine in the huge fridge and she took me on a tour of the house. I didn’t feel like she was bragging, I think she could see how intrigued I was. She led me through the downstairs, opening doors and revealing large rooms with plush carpets and expensive looking furniture. In the grand foyer, the hall as it is more commonly known, had a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a large carpeted staircase that led us up to the first floor.
The house had ten bedrooms in all, beautifully decorated, Chelsea’s room was what I would expect a teenager’s room to look like, hot pink accessories, black and white animal print covers on her unmade bed, posters all over her walls and all the latest high tech equipment anyone could ever need. Their son’s room had a sign on the door, Keep Out! She knocked on the door,
“Calvin, honey,” she called through the door.
“Come in,” he announced. She pushed open the door. He looked small for nine, more like six or seven. His dark blond hair was spiked and he wore black framed glasses. One of his front teeth were missing as revealed when he gave me the most captivating smile ever.
“Calvin, this is Grace, she is Alec’s girlfriend.”
“Hi,” I smiled.
“Hi,” he answered, “So, what do you do for a living?”
“I work at a fashion magazine back in London.”
“I want to go to London, maybe when I am older I can.”
“Well, if you do, be sure and let me know, I’ll take you to this amazing café where they have over a hundred different smoothie flavours.”
“I will,” he grinned.
“Dinner will be at six, okay, sweetheart?”
“Sure, Mom, I’ll take my meds before I eat.”
“Good boy,” she smiled slightly, but there was a hint of sadness in that smile.
“See you later, Calvin.”
“Okay, Grace.” He nodded and returned to his computer.
She closed door and I could see the pain on her face, “I don’t know if Alec told you, but Calvin is sick.”
“He did actually. I went to school with a boy who had C.F., he’s still going strong I believe, despite being told he would live much past his eighteenth birthday.”
“They have really come along in research, but the fear is still there.”
“I am sorry, Jennie.” I said stroking her arm.
“Oh, it will be fine, he will be fine.” She insisted bravely, but I could see the pain in her eyes as she fought to hold back her tears. “Now then, do you like ribs?”
“I love them,” I smiled and followed her down to the kitchen.
When we got to the kitchen, Alec and Mike were waiting for us. Mike had set up a tasting session and led us out to the conservatory. A table was covered with bottles and glasses and as we got closer a staff member handed us each a drop of white wine in a glass. I had seen wine tasting on TV and did not like the idea of making slurping sounds with wine in my mouth. I took a small sip and rolled it modestly around my mouth before spitting it out in a bucket that the worker had pointed to.
Alec did the same and as we moved around the table, sipping wine and rinsing our mouths with water we discovered one thing, we both liked rose wine and most of the white, but we both felt the red wines were too heady.
“You two are so compatible, its uncanny.” Mike remarked. Alec flashed a proud smile at me, taking my hand and squeezing it lightly.
“She certainly is something,” he stated making me blush. Corny alert or what?
“Awkward!” Mike announced in a fake American accent, “Let’s take some of this and sit on the deck while we wait for dinner, okay?”
“Lead the way,” Alec said to him. As Mike disappeared through the door, Alec turned to me, pecked my lips and smiled, “They’re a great couple, aren’t they?”
“They are lovely.”
I agreed.
We headed back towards the house and as we got to the side door again, Mike opened it and handed Alec four wine glasses. We followed him to the back of the house and sat on wooden chairs that surrounded a large table. Jennie came and joined us and we talked the afternoon away.
After dinner, Jennie and I talked with Chelsea and Alec played on the X-Box with Calvin. Even though I had consumed a ridiculous amount of wine, I didn’t feel drunk, smiley, but not drunk. It had been an amazing afternoon and evening and I was saddened when it came to an end, until then I had never pictured myself anywhere but in London. That night though, if I had the chance to move to America, I would have dropped everything to do so.
We hugged them goodbye and thanked them a hundred times, Jennie and I swapped numbers and addresses promising to stay in touch which I could see pleased Alec. I sat in the back of the car as Daniel drove us back to LA and rested my head on Alec’s shoulder.
“Grace, we’re back,” Alec said tapping my arm. I lifted my head and gazed around, “You drifted off to sleep.”
“I am so sorry.” I said sitting up.
“Nothing to be sorry about, I thought it was extremely adorable.”
Daniel opened my door with a smile, “Thank you,” I told him as I climbed out and waited for Alec.
I linked my arm with his as we walked into the hotel, he pressed the button for the lift and the doors opened immediately, “If you want to sleep alone tonight, I understand.” He said as we stepped inside. “I know you are tired.”
“What time is your meeting tomorrow?” I asked.
“Nine, though I am hoping it won’t be all day.”
“It’s up to you, but you can bunk down in my room, you know, seeing as my room is so much better than yours.” I joked.
“I uh, I wasn’t completely honest with you when I said your room is nicer than mine. I am actually staying up in the Penthouse suite.” He smiled slightly.
“Oh, I saw this movie too, sunken bath tub, Prince impressions, except I forgot my polka dot dress and thigh high boots,” I pouted.
“What are you talking about?” he quizzed quite miffed actually.
“Pretty Woman, Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, it’s set in LA too.”
“I have never seen it.”
“Well, that backfired on me then, didn’t it?” I muttered.
“Grace,” he smiled.
“Yes, Alec?”
“Would you like to have a sleep over in my room tonight?”
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “I suppose I can slum it for one night.”
“Keep it up and I promise you there won’t be much sleep going on at all.”
“Promises, promises.” I smiled.
Six
I woke sharply when I felt movement in the bed, I turned over to find Alec with his brown eyes open and smiling in the golden glow of the room. A warm breeze blew gently across my arm as I allowed the cover to fall from my shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Yes,” he grinned even more.
“Why are you smiling?” I frowned.
“I had an amazing dream about us.”
I smiled slightly, “Tell me.”
“You’ll think its corny.” He said lying on his back, I moved into his naked body and draped my leg over his hips, “We were so happy, walking hand in hand through this meadow I know back in England, the wild flowers were swaying and birds were singing, it was, well, it was just amazing.”
“That’s it? I thought you were going to tell me we made love under the sunshine surrounded by forget-me-nots and daisies, poppies and corn flowers.”
“Did you have the same dream too?” he asked.
“Ha, ha, you are so funny at…” I looked at the clock, it was almost six. “It’s not even six o’clock yet.”
He wriggled slightly, moving closer to my body and gently stroked his hand down my back. “How can I sleep when all I can think about is you? I am hooked on you, Grace Matthews, you satisfy the hunger I have had in me for a long time. Where have you been all of my life?”
“Now you are sounding corny,” I smiled.
“I don’t care, seeing how everyone is with you confirms to me further, we are meant to be together.”
“I’ll remind you of that six years down the line when you say that you need some space, that I am smothering you, that you love me like a sister.” I frowned and sat up.
“Hey,” he sat up beside me, “Don’t let him do this, don’t let him stake any sort of claim on you now. You are with me and you need to let what he did to you go or it will control your life.” He pushed my hair away from my shoulder. “Take everything he said to you, every lie that left his lips and put them into ball, then throw it all away, erase it from your life. You are perfect, okay? Perfect for me and I am so glad I found you.” He pressed his lips to my shoulder and then moved to my mouth, I moved back from his lips, “What?”
“I haven’t even brushed my teeth.”
“I don’t care, I want you right now,” he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. In true, morning style, he was more than ready for me, I straddled his waist and allowed him to slip inside of me. “Grace, I am not wearing a condom.”
“I have a contraceptive implant,” I smiled, “besides, I trust you.” I added. I did, I felt that he would have told me if there was something I needed to know regarding his sexual history and the way he spoke to me that sunny morning, almost caused me to orgasm at his words.
I rocked my pelvis over him as he kissed me deeply, turned on so much by his words, it didn’t take long before that ache to start pushing its way through my body, he was like that ice cold drink on a scorching hot day, that warm soup in the winter, one that touched your very soul when you shivered from the cold. The most delicious chocolate ever created, melting slowly on your tongue. He satisfied a need in me, a thirst, the trouble is, the more I had from him, the more I wanted.
His hands caressed the sides of my breasts, stroking his thumbs over my nipples as he groaned in my mouth, my ache intensifying, I increased my speed, pushing against him, until I crashed, smashing into him, feeling him reach every single nerve in my body like a wave, a blissful orgasmic wave washing over me.
He came only a few moments later and pressed his lips against my shoulder while he pushed in as far as he could, his fingertips pressing hard against me for a few moments as he slowly melted in my arms and relaxed, leaning make slightly, he gazed into my eyes.
“This is going to sound crazy and possibly a little too soon since we only met four days ago, but, Grace, I know my heart and my heart tells me, I am in love you.”
“I must be crazy too then, because I am in love with you as well.” The words just fell from my lips, it’s was as if my heart spoke to him. He kissed me again, smiling under my mouth.
As our lips parted, I gazed deep into his eyes, “Fancy a swim?” he asked.
“We’d have to shower first,” I frowned, still not wanting to move from his arms.
“Actually, we don’t.” He grinned. I reluctantly climbed from his lap.
“Alec, I have to take a shower,” I grumbled, I so needed one after that insanely hot sex.
“If you must, but be quick,” he stood from the bed, completely naked and pulled open the white curtain covering the wall of windows in front of us. All I could see was blue sky, “I have a roof top pool, where no one can see us, so…” he slid open the door and allowed the cool, early morning breeze to blow in. “I’ll be in the water.”
I watched from the window as he dived completely naked into the water, but I still felt like I needed a shower. Hurrying to the bathroom, I hopped into the shower and used some of his gel to wash my body. With a towel wrapped around me, I hurried out to the pool and stood at the water’s edge while watching him swim.
“That was quick,” he smiled. “Come on in, it feels great.”
Taking a deep breath of bravery, I allowed the towel to drop to my feet and dived
, naked, into the water. Goosebumps raged my skin as soon as I hit water, but not because it was cold, the water was warm, but because the water seemed to have shocked my senses to life. This was something I had never done before. Number one, outside of the bedroom, I never took my clothes off, number two, I had never swam naked before and number three, I certainly had never swum naked with a man before, but something in Alec made me feel so alive, so free and this felt amazing, outrageous and almost laughable, but amazing all the same.
As we swam in the roof-top pool that over looked the city, a few things came to me that morning. As ludicrous as it sounded, I was one hundred percent in love with this man, and somehow he had awakened me helping me realize that what I had with Kevin was nothing short of toxic. He had never physically hurt me, but he damaged me in other ways, he had knocked my confidence and made me feel worthlessly pathetic. He had left me believing that we would get back together and had me dangling on a string, laughing at me while he bedded some tart he had been seeing behind my back. All the time, me, the stupid and gullible idiot that I was, believed him, believed that what we had was special, when in reality, it was all a lie.
I used to cry myself to sleep feeling empty, as if someone had removed my heart or punched a hole right through it. I never thought I would meet someone else, that I was worthy of being loved at all and it shocked me that I fell so hard and fast for Alec.
That morning as the sun beamed down on us skinny dipping in his own private pool I realized that what I had with Kevin wasn’t love, because love should never leave you feeling inadequate or useless, nor should it leave you unsatisfied and I am not just talking about sex, it was everything else. Kevin never gave me a thing, I put all of me into that relationship and got nothing in return.
When I met Kevin he was overweight and had a terrible haircut. He had no confidence and he certainly hadn’t had a girlfriend before. I created a monster in him, I made him who he was and built up his confidence so that he could better himself, and all I got in return was empty promises and lies.
