Twelve Days - The Beginning

by Reyner, Jade

  “You like, Sir?” she mimicked in her best subservient voice, dropping her eyes in an attempt to appear coy.

  Roughly, he grabbed her right hand and pressed it in-between their bodies, fitting it over his hard length, rubbing it briefly up and down.

  “I think you’ll find ‘Sir’ likes them very much.” And he bucked further into her hand as if to emphasise the point, making them both draw in a ragged breath

  Reluctantly, Vaughn removed her hand from his groin, stepping back and putting a discreet distance between them.

  “We have to go into dinner,” he ground out, slowly emphasising each word, “although I am fairly certain that it will be one of the longest and most tortuous experiences of my life.”

  The six of them were seated at one of the many round tables in the main ballroom and, as they weren’t conference guests as such, they were at the furthest end away from the dance floor and partially tucked into a corner.

  Vaughn had morphed back into boss mode and had seated everyone in a boy – girl arrangement which meant that she had Vaughn to her right, Roger to her left with Celeste followed by Sam and then Tilly on the other side of Vaughn. As soon as they were seated, Vaughn surreptitiously moved his chair closer to hers and she watched with some amusement as both Sam and Roger did the same thing, moving closer to Tilly and Celeste respectively.

  The food looked delicious and Elise was surprised to find that she was hungry, belatedly realising that she had not eaten much more than a sandwich all day.

  Shortly after they had settled, uniformed waiters arrived with military precision and proceeded to serve them their soup - a divine blend of carrot and coriander, which Elise polished off in almost indecent haste. There was also freshly made bread and charming little rolls of butter, which brought back fond memories for Elise. Her mother had gone through a ‘posh’ phase when she had been growing up and had held endless dinner parties. The butter had always been served in small, handcrafted rolls, achieved by the use of a special implement and it brought back fond memories of being allowed to help her mother make the butter rolls.

  During this first course of the meal, she had given herself some time to think about Vaughn and how he affected her. As a result, Elise remained largely silent, allowing the rest of the group to carry on the conversation. She was finally beginning to admit to herself that she was attracted to Vaughn on a level much deeper than she had ever been to Dale and that scared the life out of her.

  She knew that she wanted Vaughn physically and he apparently wanted her too. Part of her, the rebellious part, the one that was fed up with her life and the reality of her marriage, was just willing herself to let go and have some fun. They both knew that she was married, that nothing permanent could come of any association and as far as Vaughn was concerned, Dale was a low life who deserved everything he got.

  Whilst she understood the argument that both he and Cole put forward about Dale, she was still struggling to let that one last piece go and admit that her marriage was over. In her heart of hearts she knew that it was but to admit to it out loud was a different thing altogether. She also had no idea how she could end her marriage without hurting Dale. Ironic really, considering the amount of hurt that Dale heaped onto her on a daily basis. It was a fragile situation and, given his volatile behaviour, part of her was very scared.

  If he took it badly, which she suspected he would, then what would that mean for her and anyone who decided to get involved and help her out? She didn’t want to be hurt any more than she already was and she certainly didn’t want for Cole or any of her friends to get hurt. She knew that the time was coming when she would have to make a decision that would almost inevitably mean leaving Dale, but she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough yet to brave the consequences, whatever they were.

  Deep in thought she sighed, causing Vaughn to look across at her from where he had been talking to Roger.

  “You OK?” he asked.

  “Yes, sorry – just thinking.”

  He leaned closer to her so that he could whisper in her ear.

  “As long as you were thinking about what’s going to happen between us later – then that’s fine with me.” He really did have the most ridiculously sexy voice.

  “Your ego knows no bounds, Mr Granger – you were the last person on my mind.” She playfully punched him lightly on the arm - again.

  “Ow! You really have to quit hitting me, you know.”

  “Or... What if I don’t?” she teased playfully.

  “I may just decide to take some revenge of my own.” He added suggestively, his voice low and dangerous.

  Roger reclaimed Vaughn’s attention and he turned away again; except this time he placed his left hand on her knee under the table and began massaging circles up, down and around, occasionally dipping to the sensitive spot just underneath her knee.

  As she fidgeted away from his touch, he moved his hand higher and lightly gripped her thigh at the exact point where the lacy top of her hold ups sat. He proceeded to run his thumb along the edge of the lace, all the while continuing his conversation with Roger, seemingly unaffected by anything that was happening below the table.

  The waiters returned to clear away their soup bowls and Elise took the opportunity to excuse herself to go to the ladies room and to put a little distance between herself and this intoxicating man. As she went to stand up, Vaughn briefly tugged on her right hand, pulling her ear down level with his mouth.

  “Don’t bother coming back unless you’ve removed your panties” he whispered, so low that at first she wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly. She straightened up in complete shock and looked directly into his eyes. He nodded at her imperceptibly, raising an eyebrow in silent challenge and she realised that she had heard every single word - precisely. Legs shaking, she pushed her chair back and tried to catch Celeste’s eye; she really needed her friend right now. Unfortunately Celeste was oblivious to the world around her, totally engrossed in something that Roger was saying and reluctantly Elise left the table alone. How the hell was she going to deal with this one?

  Leaving the dining room, she headed for the washrooms straight ahead and sank gratefully into a cubicle, leaning against the door for strength. She had to make a decision about Vaughn tonight – she knew that. He had made his feelings perfectly clear and it was up to her now; the ball was well and truly in her court.

  There was no doubt that she wanted Vaughn with a fierceness she couldn’t hide, she just had to work out how to deal with the moral issue that was holding her back, the one that was keeping her from committing the ultimate sin. And she had absolutely no idea how to begin to rationalise that kind of decision – she would be a cheat, regardless of any mitigating circumstances, and that wasn’t something that she wanted to be.

  Taking a deep breath, she conjured up Dale’s face in her mind; his handsome smiling face on the day they had got married, the despair marring his features when they had found out they couldn’t have children and then the ugliness that she saw there on a daily basis now.

  She thought about all of the times that he had shouted at her, all of the times he had punched her. The time he had broken her rib. She remembered the humiliation of the fight in the office last week, the derogatory words that he said to her day in and day out, the lack of concern for her wellbeing or happiness and she remembered his face - his face in glorious technicolour – every single time he raped her.

  The tears flowed down her cheeks unchecked, the hurt as fresh as it had been each day and on each occasion and at that moment with absolute breathtaking clarity, she realised that she was done. Totally, completely and utterly done. She didn’t deserve the life that she had. Whatever happened, no one deserved that kind of life.

  Dale and her were over – they had to be. She couldn’t live with it any more.

  If anyone had asked her ten years ago where she would be at the exact moment when she realised that her marriage was going to end, the last place on earth she would have told th
em would have been a toilet cubicle in a swanky hotel in Swindon. Assuming she would have replied at all, that is, and not just knocked their block off for suggesting that her marriage would end up becoming another sad statistic. In some ways though, the fact that she had reached her decision in such a place seemed almost fitting. Her life had been going down the proverbial toilet for such a long time – how symbolic to actually be reaching this decision in a cubicle in the ladies room. Karma, kismet, fate? Whatever.

  Taking some tissue from the dispenser she wiped her eyes, amazed to realise that she felt like a huge weight had just lifted off her shoulders. She felt lighter, happier somehow, and she realised finally how much of a toll her life with Dale had taken. Knowing that there was an end in sight somehow freed her and the relief flowing through her body was like nothing she had ever known. It was almost as if she had just woken up from a five-year long slumber and was now ready to face the world, embrace it, and get on with the rest of her life.

  She would have to face him, of course, and she would need to explain everything to him. Unfortunately, with it being Christmas next week, she accepted that it probably wouldn’t be the best time to try to talk to him but perhaps, when they went back to work after Christmas, she could arrange to stay with Cole for a while and talk to Dale then. At least she would have somewhere to go if things got out of hand and she would be logistically close enough to Dale to sort things through. It would be a difficult time for both of them but perhaps if she was no longer living with him, they would be able to make the necessary adjustments much more easily.

  She really hoped that Dale would accept her decision and not make life difficult for her; he couldn’t possibly be happy with the way things were either but she couldn’t quell the undercurrent of fear running through her. She had seen him angry and she had seen him manipulative and part of her was scared that once he knew that she was leaving him for good, all of his previous behaviour would seem like a walk in the park compared to the reaction that this decision would receive.

  Meanwhile, here in Swindon in a swanky hotel, she had a couple of days to herself. A couple of days with no one around to judge her – her work colleagues were no threat on that score – and plenty of time to think about her future and to begin to embrace the rest of her life.

  She didn’t know whether that would include Vaughn Granger or not but she finally accepted that she would forever regret it if she didn’t take this opportunity to find the hell out.

  Bending down, she slid her knickers off and out from underneath her dress and deposited them in the bin on the way out of the door. Feeling like a new woman, she strode back to the ballroom, to their dinner table in the corner and to the first evening of her new life.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The second that Elise entered the ballroom she could feel Vaughn’s eyes on her, as if he had been watching the door to see if she would return. Closing the door behind her, she looked across at their table and immediately their eyes connected. Reading the question in his, she gave a brief nod and made the rest of the journey across the room, outwardly showing a level of bravery that she was far from feeling.

  This ‘going commando’ business was a completely new experience for Elise and she was still trying to get her head around whether or not she liked it. Even though she knew that she was well and truly covered and that there was only one person in the room that knew she was minus her underwear, she still couldn’t help feeling bare and vulnerable.

  Aware of a pair of very dark eyes watching her entire journey, she made it back to the table in record time, keen to sit down before she did something stupid like tumble over a non-existent lump in the carpet and allow the majority of the assembled guests to witness her virgin commando moment.

  Slipping into her seat, she noted the unmistakable glint in Vaughn’s eye and immediately began to doubt if she had done the right thing. What had seemed reckless and exciting in the solitude of the ladies room a few moments ago now felt slightly crazy and definitely more than a little dangerous.

  “You’ve returned then, Miss Grayson – are you feeling ‘refreshed’ after your visit to the ladies room?”

  Quickly Elise glanced around the table to see if anyone else had heard his comment and maybe read into the innuendo but they were all far too busy with their own conversations to take any notice of Elise and her lack of underwear.

  “It’s a little cooler in here now, don’t you think?” Vaughn said deadpan, and Elise only just resisted the urge to punch him again.

  As if sensing her awkwardness and enjoying every minute of it, Vaughn continued to tease her mercilessly until she was on the verge of getting up and walking right back out, retrieving her underwear from the bin on the way!

  “Will you just stop it?” she hissed “I can’t believe you asked me to take off my underwear and now you’ve done nothing but tease me about it since. Can’t you see how uncomfortable I feel with all of this?! It’s not as if I make a habit of attending posh dinners without wearing any knickers!”

  The instant the words left her mouth a feeling of complete terror hit her as she belatedly realised that they were no longer alone. The waiter was standing at her shoulder ready to deliver their main and he was standing so close to her, that there was no way he had not heard every single word.

  Her ultimate shame now complete, she waited until the waiter had placed her food – he somehow managing to keep a commendable poker-face - and then she rose from the table walking as fast as her legs would carry her back out of the ballroom.

  Her cheeks were on fire and she pressed the coolness of her palms against them as she headed back towards the ladies room to retrieve her underwear. Why, oh why did she think she could do this? Surely letting a man such as Vaughn dictate to her was exactly the same thing as allowing Dale to run her life? Perhaps what she really needed was time alone - with her knickers on!

  A strong arm grabbed her as she was just about to push through the door into the ladies room and pulled her back into the alcove where they had stood just a short while earlier.

  She wasn’t surprised to see it was Vaughn – who else would it be? She had known that he was likely to follow her; she had just been hoping to make it to the sanctuary of the restroom before he caught her up.

  Angrily she rounded on him, grateful that they at least didn’t have an audience out here.

  “You knew he was there, didn’t you?” she demanded, “Why the hell didn’t you stop me, you bastard – I can’t begin to imagine what he thought. No doubt he’ll be telling all his friends and they’ll be having a right laugh at my expense. You can’t possibly understand how humiliated I am. This is just perfect – just PERFECT!” she almost shouted.

  Breathing heavily, she stopped, trying to calm herself down a little. She was already embarrassed enough, there was no point in making another scene. The foyer was quiet but she knew that anyone could walk by at any moment and she really didn’t want to be remembered at this conference for all the wrong reasons.

  Vaughn was watching her impassively, his expression giving little away; the only hint of a reaction his infuriating half smile, which tugged at his far too kissable lips.

  “Have you quite finished?” he asked, referring to her rant.

  “Hmph...” she said childishly and turned her head to the side, away from his all-seeing gaze.

  Gently, Vaughn turned her head back around to face him and waited patiently until she engaged her eyes with his before he continued.

  “To answer your question – yes, I did know that he was there but it seemed a shame to stop you when you were in full flow. I didn’t realise that it would upset you so much. I was hoping that if I teased you when you first got back to the table, it would help you to relax but I obviously got it wrong. I am sorry Elise – really I am.” His eyes shone with sincerity, all trace of humour long since gone.

  Elise considered the validity of his argument for a moment and realised that in the last few minutes she had been so consumed wit
h being mad at Vaughn that she had totally forgotten about her knicker-less state so maybe, in some twisted way, his logic had sort of worked.

  “Maybe it did help a little,” she conceded begrudgingly, “but you’re still not off the hook completely. You have no idea how much I am trusting you tonight, which for me is huge. I need to know that you realise how much this is costing me.”

  Vaughn looked down at her, his eyes shining with barely concealed wonder. There was an honesty about his features as he continued to regard her and she started to think how much she had over-reacted and of how childish she had been.

  “Elise, please believe me when I say that I realise how difficult everything is for you and that if you have decided to trust me, I am truly honoured. You are a beautiful, independent and determined woman who has coped with a life that no one should have to cope with. To have you here with me now is just beyond unbelievable and I do not want to do anything to jeopardise any chance that we may have. I will never knowingly hurt you – ever. I promise.”

  Elise looked up at Vaughn and watched as the words formed from his beautiful mouth. This man was continually laying everything on the line for her and all she ever did was rant and rave at him. For the first time she considered what this situation must be like for him and it made her realise that perhaps she wasn’t the only one a little out of her depth.

  “Vaughn, can I ask you something?” she asked, continuing on with her train of thought.

  “Yes, anything – you know that.”

  “Have you ever had a relationship with a married woman before?”