“Alexis, please tell me what’s wrong? Have I done something to upset you?” He was pleading with me. My initial stubborn and jealous reaction was to brush him off, but as I looked into his desperate eyes, I couldn’t do it.
“Bryce, you and Chelsea were once a couple weren’t you?” He put his head down on my lap. Oh shit, here we go.
“No, not really. Well, yes...Sort of.”
“Oh please Bryce, did you fuck her or not? It’s not that hard a question,” I snapped as I rolled my eyes. He raised his head and looked at me, still displaying evidence of worry on his face, but now he also seemed somewhat amused.
“Yes, we did fuck, but it never went anywhere. We didn’t have a connection, not like the one I have with you.”
“When were you last with her?” I needed to know it wasn’t recently, I don’t think I could take it if it were. He paused for a minute. You better be calculating, Mr. Clark, rather than concocting a story.
“It would have been about two years ago.”
“So were you a couple or not?” I asked again. His posture slumped, and I think at this point he realised I was more than jealous—I was upset—upset that I knew nothing about him.
“Hunny, please don’t be mad, there is nothing between me and Chelsea, I promise.”
“Bryce you didn’t answer my question. Were you a couple or not?”
“In my eyes, no. In her eyes, yes.” He answered quickly.
“So what are we then? You know, just to clarify we are both on the same page.” My voice had an edge of sarcasm and hurt to it.
He rested his cheek on my knee and resembled a pleading puppy. “I love you, Alexis. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, and one day I hope you’ll become my wife.” Oh, okay, you can’t get any more clarity than that. A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes began to flood. I think the built-up hurt I was feeling, was not only from the realisation I knew nothing about him, and that Chelsea was his ex, but it was also from ending a 12 year marriage I thought was rock solid. I couldn’t contain myself any longer, and tears began to stream down my face. “Hunny don’t cry, I’m sorry.” He knelt higher and touched my face gently.
“No, I’m sorry. It’s just, I don’t know anything about myself anymore. Up until a few weeks ago, I was in what I thought was a happy marriage, and now I’m here in a private jet on the way to God knows where, with a man I’m in love with and know nothing about.” I put my head in my hands. He stood up, took my hands away from my face, and pulled me up.
“Come over here.” He led me to the three-seater lounge and sat down, then patted his thigh as an invitation to sit. I obliged and curled into his lap.
“Okay Hunny, we have six hours. What do you want to know? And by the way, we are going to Uluru.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Uluru, Ayers Rock! Oh wow, I’ve always wanted to go there. He could not have discovered this by creepy research, as I didn’t think I had ever actually made it known that I wanted to go there. Then again, the question of how he was always able to gather such personal information about me remained a mystery. Therefore, I could not entirely rule out the trip to the red centre was a result of me wanting to go there.
“Why Uluru?”
“I’ve never been, and neither have you. I thought you could add this to your list of firsts with me.” He really was quite thoughtful and sweet, even if it had a small element of his mysterious creepy research. I wiped my eyes and nose and sniffed the remnants of my outpouring of emotion.
“Sounds wonderful, thank you, but tell me Bryce...How do you know so much about me? How do you know I haven’t been there before? How do you do your creepy research?”
A small smile crept in at the corner of his mouth. “A magician never reveals his secrets, Ms. Summers.”
“You’re not a freaking magician, so spill.”
“I’ve told you before. Lucy.” Grrrr. I sighed in exhaustion, I didn’t want to argue, or fight, or worry anymore, I felt somewhat deflated. “Alexis Hunny, you need to understand this is new for me as well. I want to tell you everything you want to know, and I want you to feel that you know me inside and out too. Screwing this up is not an option for me. I will not lose you.” He pressed my head to his chest and ran his hand down the side of my face. I don’t want to lose you, either.
“Bryce, all I can fathom right now is that I have a week to share with you unconditionally. My children are happy at Mum and Dad’s, and safely away from all the shit. I’m not ready to confront Rick yet, and I won’t be for some time, so this week is what we have right now.” I pulled away from his chest to look into his eyes. “I honestly do not know what is going to happen in the long run, but what I do know, is I will have to go back home and dissect what Rick’s infidelity means for me and my children. I couldn’t possibly be with him again knowing he had cheated on me so long ago, and never saying a word about it until now. And anyway, he won’t want to be with me either, knowing that I have fallen for you. This is the only thing I can comprehend right now, but I have to consider what it will do for my children. They are first and foremost my priority.”
“Hunny, I understand you need to sort out what is best for you and the kids. The thing is, I am what’s best for you, and I will do whatever I can to make you realise that. This is not just some one week whirlwind romance to me, Alexis.” Oh, Bryce, deep down I know this to be true. It’s just not that easy.
I snuggled back into him. “I know Bryce, really I do. It’s just I don’t know a hell of a lot about you really. I know a little about your family, and I know the material things, like your talents.” Boy do I know your talents. “And your interests, but that’s about it.”
“Well, what would you like to know?” The questions started to swirl around in my head. Have you been engaged before, better still have you been married? Do you have any children floating around? Have you told Chelsea she has no chance with you? What are you hiding from me?
“Have you ever been married or engaged before?” I asked with bated breath. Please say no, please say no.
“No, before you I had never met anyone I wanted to share the rest of my life with.” Oh shit.
“Why?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I have been in relationships before, if you can call them that...”
“Hang on, hang on, ‘if you can call them that,’ really Bryce? Do you not know the definition of a relationship?”
He moved me away from his chest. “Ms. Summers, what one person perceives as a ‘relationship’ may not be what another does. This was the case with me and Chelsea. A relationship to me is one where two people connect on a level that could lead to forever. Yes, Chelsea and I connected, but it was never going to be ‘forever’, I couldn’t see a future with her, I tried, but it just wasn’t there.”
Thank fuck for that. “Was there anyone else that could’ve been a ‘forever’?” Answering my questions hadn’t seemed to faze to him so far, and the fact he could be so open with me about his past was quite endearing.
“When I was 23, I met Sarah. We both went to a ‘group’; I suppose you could call it that, it was a group Jessica had arranged. Sarah, too, had lost her parents suddenly, and we could relate to each other. At first I thought maybe she could be a ‘forever’ because we shared something so personal, but after a couple of months together I realised that was all it was; a mutual connection of loss. We are still friends and catch up every so often for a coffee.” Hmmm, not sure I like Sarah. His answers so far were open and honest, but they left me feeling as confused as ever. “What is it Alexis? You look worried.”
I was biting my thumbnail. “I’m not worried, I’m just a little confused.”
“What about?” He smirked at me. Oh, stop that.
“You shared connections with Chelsea and Sarah, you had something in common with them both. With Chelsea, you are both pilots and with Sarah, you shared a deep understanding of loss and grief.”
“Yes, and how is that confusing?”
“Wel
l, we don’t share anything like that. We have nothing in common. What’s so special about me, then? I’m just Alexis, a 30-something year old mother of two. I don’t get it.” I honestly didn’t. I couldn’t fly a paper plane, let alone a helicopter, and the greatest loss I had suffered was my pet dog of 13 years, which was horrible mind you, but it was nothing compared to the loss of both your parents and brother.
“Just Alexis, ay?” He shook his head at me. “What is so special about you? Oh, Hunny, you have no fucking idea what you do to me. I can’t get you out of my head. I think about you 24/7. The way you look, the way you smell, your confidence in everything that you do. I love how you read between the lines and the way you challenge me. I love your innocence, your kindness, your nurturing ways and your jealousy. When I’m with you I feel alive, like you are the missing part of me. And when I’m not with you I can’t stand it, I literally feel lost. It is fucking unbearable.” Oh shit, is that all? I sat there, speechless, taking in what he had just declared. It brought tears to my eyes. The honesty behind his admission of his true feelings for me penetrated my chest and completely ensnared my heart. I had never been spoken to like that before, and it blew me away. I repositioned myself astride him and pressed my forehead to his. I couldn’t possibly top his extremely heartfelt confession, but I opened my mouth to offer my feelings for him anyway. I owed him that at least.
“I have never felt like this either Bryce. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Rick—and I still do to an extent—but what I feel deep in here...” I pressed his hand to my chest. “What I feel deep in here when I am with you is like nothing I have ever experienced before. You control the tempo of my heart. You make it beat like crazy when you read me with your eyes. You make it beat like crazy with your selfless gestures. You make it beat like crazy when you make love to me...” His hand twitched ever so lightly on my chest. “You make it beat like crazy every time you smirk at me, Mr. Clark. You make it beat like crazy every time your lips touch mine. You just make it beat like fucking crazy, full stop.” I pressed my lips to his and some of my salty menaces escaped my eyes, running down my cheeks and into our mouths. He held me tightly and deepened our kiss, our tongues tangoing like never before. I knew now this was another form of communication we shared with each other, a communication without saying words, just like our silent exchanges of eye contact. This kiss said everything: it said, I love you ‘absolutely and undoubtedly’, it said ‘it’s not going to be easy, but we will sort it out,’ and it said we were ‘one’.
We continued our oral message, and it started to convey we were heading towards the mile-high club. I pulled his t-shirt up and ran my hands down his back making him groan. He placed his hands on my arse, pulling me into him, making me moan. I thought we were about to change gears from kissing to let’s get naked, when we simultaneously slowed ourselves down, taking a deep breath, jumping back into neutral and resuming our silent discussion. It was the most overwhelming and romantic kiss I had ever had.
“Are you hungry, my love?”
“Yes, for you.” I want a bowl of Bryce soup, with a side of Mr. Clark, please. He stood up with me still attached to his waist, and walked us over to the recliners and table.
“We can eat each other later, Ms. Summers.” You devilish man!
“Good.” I unwrapped my legs, slid off him, and we both sat down. Bryce looked over his shoulder towards the galley.
“Amy, we are ready for lunch now.” Amy moved the curtain aside. Oh shit, I forgot she was there. She would’ve heard everything we just said, including the notion of ourselves being on the menu later. My cheeks flushed red as she came in, (no, delete that) they flushed fire engine red.
“Certainly Mr. Clark, Ms. Summers. What can I get you both to drink?” Fuck. Do you serve anything that makes you disappear into thin air? If so, I’ll have that, thanks. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even bring myself to look at her. Bryce raised his eyebrows at me. I don’t know. You choose, you seem to do a good job of that. I shrugged my shoulders.
“Alexis will have a Gin and Squash, and I’ll have a Scotch.” Amy nodded then turned back around. Oh my god, thank goodness. My phone started to ring, surprising me a little. I fumbled as tried to get it out of my bag. Alexis, calm down, you moron. The plane is not about to take a nose dive.
“Oh, crap. I forgot to turn it off.” I picked it up, it was Tash.
“You can answer it. Paul is confident it won’t affect the avionics.”
“Who is Paul?”
“The pilot.” He laughed. Okay, good, a reputable source for information! I hit accept. Before I could even say ‘Hi’, Tash began singing ‘Lady In Red’ by Paul Simon. I quickly hit the speaker button and let her continue. Bryce tilted his head to the side, so I mouthed the word ‘Tash’, he smiled and nodded, then cringed when she hit the high note after ‘side’.
“You finished?” I asked.
“Yep.” She sounded pleased with herself.
“Say Hi to Bryce, Tash.”
“What?” Her confidence disappeared.
Bryce put on a stern voice “Hi, Natasha.” She went quiet for a second, and I struggled to hold my pending laugh.
“Oh. Hi, Mr. Clark, Bryce.”
I lost it. “Hi, Mr. Clark, Bryce? Tash, you idiot.” Bryce was laughing too.
“Alexis Summers, take me off speaker right now.” She was clearly unimpressed, so I hit the ‘speaker off’ button and put the phone to my ear, giving Bryce a cheeky self-satisfied smirk.
“How can I help you my lovely?” I was the one sounding cocky now.
“You bitch! I’m going to kill you.”
“Serves you right!”
“Well you were wearing red last night, I thought it was appropriate. So, how was the Tel V Awards? Can you talk right now?”
“No, Hun, I can’t. I’ll try calling you later though.”
“Fuck trying. You will call me later.”
“Okay, will do. Mwah, talk to you soon.” I made a kissing noise at the phone, she reciprocated and hung up. Almost instantly, I received a text message—it was one word.
Bitch - Tash
I knew operation ‘lets-hassle-Alexis’ would start soon. I put the phone back into my bag as Amy walked in with a trolley containing our lunch and drinks.
“Ms Summers, seafood dumplings in a lemongrass and coconut soup.” Aw Yum!
“Mr Clark, red wine braised beef short ribs with polenta.” She placed both dishes in front of us, together with our drinks. They looked fabulous, better than any inflight meal I’d ever seen.
“Enjoy, please let me know if you would like anything further.”
“Did you pick this?” I asked Bryce as I picked up my spoon.
“Of course!” He watched me dip it into my bowl.
“Eat your lunch and stop watching me.” I glared at him
“Yes, Ma’am.” He saluted. This time I tilted my head to the side, he was so cute and cheeky. I sipped the soup. Oh Holy Fuck, my tongue just fainted out of sheer indulgence, if it could have screamed and climaxed it would have. I glanced at Bryce, my eyes nearly bulging out of my head.
“Oh, Mr. Clark, whoever made this has just given me my fourth orgasm for the day! Wow.” A large smile spread across his face. “You didn’t,” I gasped, “You did!” He put a fork full of beef into his mouth.
“I’ll take responsibility for all four, then, shall I?” I’m sure you’ll rack up about ten by the end of the day.
“You are a genius. This is the best thing I have ever eaten.”
He raised one eyebrow, stirring my insides. Oh, it’s goner be like that, is it? I picked up my spoon, keeping my eyes on his, and sipped the soup again. This time though, putting the whole spoon into my mouth, then slowly pulling it out again. I licked the tip of it and dragged it along my tongue, which made him shift in his seat.
“Mr. Clark, can I taste your meat?” I smiled seductively at him.
“Ms. Summers, you can taste my meat anytime.” He forked a bit of beef
and leaned over.
“Is it thick, rich, and full of flavour?” I asked innocently.
“You won’t find one, thicker, richer, or tastier!” He smirked, nearly making me giggle. I opened my mouth, and he gently placed the fork inside. Immediately, I pressed my lips together, surrounding the fork entirely as he slowly pulled it out. “Well? Was that the best meat you have ever had in your mouth, Ms. Summers?”
I swallowed and licked my lips. “I’ve had better.” He glared at me making my heart pound in my chest. I licked my lips again as he picked up his Scotch. “So, Mr. Clark, would you like to taste my fish?” He scoffed and nearly spat the Scotch out, then struggling to swallow his mouthful, grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth.
“Is it good fish?” He choked out, still trying to clear his throat. I bit down on my lip. He was very good at this game, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep this performance up. Alexis, stay strong you have this one in the bag.
“You won’t taste better. My fish is like no other, Mr. Clark.” I spooned a dumpling, stood up, and then leaned over. I put my hand under his chin, fed him the contents, and waited for his response. “That’s good fish, isn’t it?” I remained standing and pulled the spoon out of his mouth, then sucked it and trailed it down into my breasts.
“Yes, you have delicious fish, Ms Summers.”
“Fuck yeah, I do.” He cracked up laughing, me along with him. “I do believe that win belongs to me, Mr. Clark.” He continued chuckling as he ate the rest of his lunch.
“Yes, Hunny, you can definitely have that one.”
***
I savoured my dumpling soup right down to the very last drop, and we continued talking during the remainder of the flight. He shared some more about himself, and I asked him if he was going to set Chelsea straight once and for all. He assured me he would do it the next time he saw her, and that I had absolutely nothing to worry about where she was concerned. I also discovered he had no love-children floating around, no hidden gay or threesome tendencies (which he found highly amusing), and he had a phobia of clowns.
Satisfaction (The Temptation Series #2) Page 5
