Dark

by Rachel Harley

  I try and keep the pleading out of my voice. The day and night will be shit for me if he doesn’t come. I’ll spend the whole time thinking about how wonderful it’d be if he was there, sharing it with me, none of it will mean anything without him and that scares me. I don’t have to worry at the moment, though, as his face breaks out into a lovely smile.

  ‘I’d love to,’ he says, glancing at Justin as if for approval. Justin grins at him.

  ‘I’m going to hire a minibus, there’s no point in us going in about three cars. We’ll meet at mine at nine on Saturday?’ he says, raising his brows at Diane, who rubs her hands together.

  ‘Cool, I’ll round up the numbers, Jus and let you know?’

  ‘Absolutely.’ Justin looks at Carter and I, standing in the office. I’m at work, albeit, I’m on my lunch, and I dither for a moment. I want to spend some alone time with Carter, even if it’s twenty minutes. I want to hold him and kiss him and I can’t do that here. Maybe we can go in one of the conference rooms for a five minute snog, as inappropriate as that actually is. It’s either that or go and sit in my car and that’s even more inappropriate.

  ‘Pearl.’ My head swings to Justin. ‘Why don’t you take the afternoon off? You’ve been stuck in a counselling session all morning and you’ve had no lunch.’ A slow smile. ‘Go on, have an early dart. It’s quiet here.’

  God bless you Justin Walker, you wonderful man.

  I don’t need asking twice. Chucking the sandwich that I bought, need, but can now no longer eat into the kitchen fridge, I thank him, telling them that I’ll see them all later on. As I move towards the door, Carter turns to Justin.

  ‘I’d like to come back and have a real look around, Justin. This place is absolutely amazing.’ His voice is soaked in feeling and Justin nods.

  ‘Any time, Carter. I’m usually here.’

  I’m glad he’s not suggesting a tour now. That’s the last thing I want to do and I tug at Carter’s hand, getting him out of the office before it occurs to Justin. As we walk out into the early afternoon sunlight, I tip my face up, letting the rays bathe my skin and I revel in the heat for a moment.

  When I open my eyes, he’s looking down at me, saying nothing, but his eyes say so much. ‘Hello, Pearl Harrison,’ he whispers, ghosting his lips across my own and I start to pulse quietly between my legs at the slightest contact. He takes my hand and leads me over to the black Audi that I saw parked outside his house yesterday, parked next to my Mini. So, it’s obviously his car.

  He blips the alarm as we reach the vehicles and turns to me. His eyes search mine again, he does this all the time. I wish he’d just tell me what he’s looking for when he gazes at me so intently. I’d tell him in a heartbeat if he asked. He gives me a slow smile.

  ‘What do you want to do this afternoon?’

  ‘Well, I really need to go and see Nelson,’ I say. I do. I can’t swerve it again. I’ve started to build a great rapport with Tracey and if I don’t arrive again today, her opinion of me is going to start to wilt. I’ll come across as a spoiled little diva that can’t even be arsed to come and see the hideously expensive horse that she was given three days ago.

  Carter’s face lights up. ‘Great idea. I love horses,’ he says, and I beam up at him. That’s excellent news and I suddenly itch to introduce him to Nelson.

  ‘I need to call at home to get changed,’ I tell him and his eyes drag themselves from my jean-clad legs to the light turtleneck I’m wearing. They heat and I see the flicker of that unknown emotion in them again. Damn – I wish I could pin it down, but it disappears before I have chance to identify it. I don’t even know if it’s good or bad. It’s… disconcerting.

  He dips to kiss me quickly and I resist sliding my eager tongue against his. We’ll never leave the car park if I do.

  ‘I’ll see you at mine,’ I say huskily and he reluctantly releases me, dipping and sliding his lithe body into his low-slung car. When I’m in the Mini with the engine running, he’s gone and I drive home as quickly as I can, without breaking any speed limits.

  I arrive at the house, parking the car outside the garage, seeing the black Audi hunkered at the right of the door and we both get out of the vehicles at the same time, the magnetism that binds us drawing us together immediately.

  ‘Do you want me to wait here?’ he asks as I reach him, fishing for my keys.

  ‘Do you want to?’ I fire back.

  ‘Do I fuck,’ he says immediately, which makes me smile and my blood starts to heat.

  ‘Then don’t.’ I turn to the front door. I was hoping he’d say that. I know I’ve got to go and see Nelson, but I’ve got half an hour. I owe him an orgasm. My subconscious is looking at me with disinterest.

  Great, you’re planning to whack him off again? Bet he can’t wait.

  No. I’ve something else planned after my little chat with Ellen last night and even though I haven’t had chance to experiment with a carrot, I’ve a feeling I can control my gag reflex a little better than I did yesterday.

  He follows me up to the front door and I let us in quietly. He’s never seen my little attic before and I’m suddenly excited to show it to him. I’m so incredibly lucky. Just a bedroom in this wonderful house would have been more than enough for me, but I’ve a whole little flat to myself. I even have a kitchen.

  Pushing open the door, I’m glad I tidied up now this morning, put my dirty clothes in the laundry basket and made the bed. He follows me in and stands awkwardly for a moment, looking around him. He looks delicious today. He’s wearing a dark green finely knitted Lacoste jumper which brings out the cobalt in his extraordinary eyes and the copper highlights in his hair. Black jeans and Rockports make him look nothing short of edible and I’m reminded that I’ve brought him up here so I can eat him. A part of him, anyway.

  As I take a step towards him, his lips part and his pupils dilate. I push him gently, shoving him up against the door to the flat and before he even has a chance to process what I’m doing, I’ve dropped to my knees in front of him, my fingers tugging at his button flies in agitation. His mouth falls open.

  ‘Fuck, Pearl… what the hell are you…?’

  ‘Shut up,’ I retort, boldly taking the lead. I get the top button undone and grab hold of the fabric pulling it until the remaining buttons pop open in a row. I reach in and stroke the arousal that’s already in residence and his head drops back against the door in defeat, a tortured sound leaving him.

  ‘Pearl, you don’t have to do this,’ he says huskily, looking down at me. His lips are parted, his breath coming in soft pants and I itch to stand up and kiss the life out of him. But I don’t. I stay where I am, kneeling in front of him and before I have chance to change my mind, I’ve yanked down the elastic of his Hugo Boss briefs, his hard-on springing free. There’s a strangled gasp from Carter as I take the tip of his penis in my mouth, swirling my tongue around the velvet head.

  ‘Fuck…’ he mutters, his hands coming up to hold my head gently as his knees begin to shake. I remember Ellen’s advice from last night. Control your gag reflex. How? Can it even be controlled?

  Alright then, if you’re worried, don’t try deep throat until you know you can handle it. If you throw up all over his cock you’ll never see him again.

  I take him slowly into my mouth, sucking gently and he gasps my name. I go as far as I dare, which isn’t bad for a first attempt and now I see what Ellen means. At the first brush of the head of Carter’s cock against the back of my throat, I suppress the urge to heave, dampening it and I smile inside as I realise I can do this. Only for a second or two, granted, but I’ll train myself to manage much longer. I bare my teeth tantalisingly as I drift my mouth up and down, my eyes looking up at him all the time. I’m locked with him, worshipping him on my knees.

  ‘Are you sure you’ve never done this before?’ he chokes jokingly, biting his lip, sweet agony flooding his face as I suck repeatedly on his glans, holding his length steady and then nibbling around his foreskin. ‘Oh
baby,’ he breathes, his fingers stroking my face and I increase the pace a little now, kneeling up and taking him down to the back of my throat again and again.

  As I grip the base of his penis, I pull his foreskin back and, as the hyper sensitive tip of his cock brushes my edges of my teeth, he throws his head back, clouting it hard on the door. He’s really shaking now, his solid thighs trembling and I reach up, stroking the magnificent bird inked on his body.

  ‘Pearl,’ he gasps as I hold him steady in my right hand, my mouth sucking the head of his cock like a lollipop now and his eyes slide shut again. ‘Oh fuck, I’m gonna… fuck! Pearl, I’m going to come, if you don’t want it in your mouth, you need to stop, now.’

  Not a chance.

  I redouble my efforts and he moans when he realises what this means. I want to swallow his fluid, and I will, eagerly. I stroke his body with my own trembling hands now and, as I feel him twitch repeatedly, a sign I’m coming to realise is a herald to his orgasm, I wrap my arms around his firm behind, my mouth full of him.

  Carter gives a long, painful groan and then he’s shooting warm streams of come down the back of my throat. My belly hitches and I almost gag, but I keep swallowing, not willing to spit it out, or even worse, throw it up. It’s part of him and as such, it’s precious nectar to me. I hold him close until I’ve milked everything I’m getting and then glide my lips lightly down his cock, kissing the swollen tip lightly as I stand up.

  Carter leans back on the door just staring at me. He looks dazed and he doesn’t even try to re-button his jeans. His mouth hangs open as I take a step towards him, his chest heaving. I’ve unravelled him, little old inexperienced me and I tip a smile at him now, running my hands over his soft knitted shirt.

  ‘Think that’s two each, at last count,’ I say quietly and he laughs. ‘Seems I’ve got your come on my face now, as well,’ I say playfully, licking my lips, and he shakes his head, his eyes unfathomable again.

  I wish I knew what he was thinking. He’s so demonstrative in some ways, so open with his feelings, his words, his endearments. The way he calls me baby occasionally is already really getting to me, just the sound of the word turning me on. He makes it so sensuous, the way that it drops from his perfect lips.

  ‘Was it okay?’ I ask anxiously, leaning my face up to his. I want to kiss him, but he might not be keen, given his reaction when he shot his wad all over his own chin. He looks down at me, shaking his head again as if in amazement.

  ‘Okay? Jesus Pearl…’ He shakes his head. ‘For someone who’s never done that before, well, you wiped the floor with me didn’t you?’ He rolls his eyes and gives me a lovely smile. ‘You make me feel about fourteen again, you take away all my control.’

  Do I? That’s good to hear, since he’s robbed me of all of mine.

  ‘Come here,’ he whispers and then he’s kissing me, hungrily, obviously not giving a damn that he must be able to taste his own climax on my tongue. He finally breaks away and folds his arms around me, dropping his face into my neck.

  ‘Well, you get an A in blow-jobs,’ he says, his voice muffled in my neck and within a moment we’re both helpless with laughter. He kisses the end of my nose and pushes my heavy hair back behind my ear.

  ‘Come on – let’s go and see this amazing horse of yours,’ he says, pushing us away from the door and I hurry into the bedroom to change my clothes.

  Fourteen

  I emerge from the bedroom ten minutes later in jods and a light sweatshirt, tying my hair back. Carter’s sitting in one of the armchairs in the lounge, his fingers steepled together. He’s miles away, but when he sees me, he seems to shake himself, his eyes clearing as they focus on me and a smile starts across his face as he gets up and comes over.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ he murmurs, just gazing down at me with his expressive eyes. I feel my cheeks heat gently, he seems full of emotion and I wonder what he’s been sitting here chewing over whilst I’ve been getting changed.

  ‘I’m not beautiful, Carter, but thank you anyway,’ I say. I’m not trying to be modest, but I have eyes. I’m attractive, yeah – I’ll have that, but I’m not beautiful.

  ‘Yes, you are,’ he whispers, dipping his head and I expect a kiss, but he just hovers his lips a fraction away from my own, close enough so that I can feel the heat from them. His warm breath bathes my face and I can’t stop my eyes sliding shut at the nearness of him. I’m barely hanging onto it again and we need to leave, now. His declarations as to how beautiful I am, although music to my ears, are doing nothing but make me want to strip him naked and fuck him senseless.

  ‘You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,’ he breathes, but then pulls back, and I’m locked in those searching eyes again.

  ‘I…’ He doesn’t continue, shaking his head and then smiling at me. I blink up at him. What was he going to say? Something tells me it was something significant that almost slipped out unawares whilst he was off guard and he managed to slam the door on it just in time.

  ‘Come on,’ he says, taking my hand and we leave the house. As I’m locking the mortice he pauses at the foot of the stone steps.

  ‘Shall we go in my car?’

  Hell yeah!

  I love performance cars and whilst Carter’s Audi is not quite in the same class of luxury as Justin’s AMG S65s, it’s clearly a prestige car. I grin at him and as we walk towards it, he takes my hand, intertwining our fingers, squeezing gently. I squeeze back. It’s bizarre how much I can feel just from the touch of his hand, as if we’re hard-wired together somewhere.

  ‘You can drive, if you want?’ he offers, hiking a brow and holding a fob out to me. I shake my head, horrified.

  ‘No thanks!’ I splutter. ‘Not that I’m not grateful for the offer, obviously, but I’ll stick to my little Mini. I’d never be able to look you in the face if I damaged it.’

  He leans on the roof of the car, his forearms propped as he grins over at me.

  ‘It’s just a car, a means of getting from one destination to another,’ he says easily.

  ‘A very expensive car, by the looks of it,’ I fire back and he shrugs.

  ‘So? It’s only money and it wasn’t bought with mine, anyway.’ He gives me an intense look. ‘My father bought it for my twenty first – and as such, I don’t have much of an attachment to it.’

  I say nothing more as I slide into the car. There’s evidently a lot of tension between Carter and his father, he called him Philip earlier, didn’t even refer to him as dad and the thread of disdain in his voice just now, that he sees the beautiful car as a throwaway gift, speaks volumes.

  The door thunks shut behind me and my eyes widen as I look around me. Bloody hell, it’s like being in an aircraft cockpit, all black curving leather, dials and instruments. I wonder vaguely how fast it goes. Carter slides in beside me and flashes me a smile, pulling his belt over his shoulder and starting the engine, which snarls and then purrs when he eases off the throttle. I fish my phone out and key the post code into his sat nav. With a bit of luck, this’ll need to be the last time I do this.

  Carter pulls the car slowly out onto the road and we sit in silence as he guides the Audi away from the city. I’m beginning to love this companionable quiet that we seem to share at times. It comforts me, the lack of the awkward desire to fill the silence with unnecessary words.

  As we leave the city behind, Carter relaxes back into his seat, pushing a hand through his hair and he turns and smiles at me. He looks down for a moment, fishing in the centre console for a pair of sunglasses, slipping the Tom Fords gently over his nose and my belly hitches. I had no idea he could look any hotter, but he just has and I wriggle on the soft leather seat for a moment.

  I need to talk to him, I can’t sit here and become a turned on mess. I’ll end up bailing from the car park again and if that happens, I may as well tell Justin to put Nelson up for sale. It would be an utter slap in the face to the whole family.

  ‘So, tell me about your Masters,’ I say, re
aching out my hand as the wide A road clears in front of us and he takes it immediately. He links our fingers, taking his eyes from the road for a moment and sliding a look at me before bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles softly.

  ‘I’m three months off Graduation, but I can take my final exams whenever I’m ready,’ he says, knocking his window down a notch, the wind stealing in and tumbling his beautiful hair in a dance around his face for a moment. ‘If I sat them now, I’d pass, but if I hang on a while longer, I’ll do it with Honours. It’s worth the extra push after six years.’

  He squeezes my hand before letting go gently, to change down a gear, a lumbering sheep truck weaving around in front of us. The G Force pushing me back into the bucket seat for a few moments as we roar past.

  Whilst enjoying the sensation, my brain is trying to pick apart how intelligent a person would have to be to Graduate a Masters in computer science with Honours. I’ve said nothing in response to his explanation and he glances over at me, another smile appearing when he can see the changing expressions on my face. He shakes his head gently, his eyes back on the road now.

  ‘It’s really not as glamourous as it sounds. I’ve just got a very analytical mind. I was a year above my age-group for maths and physics, so I took the GCSEs and then the A levels early. Computer programmes fascinate me, the intricacies mixed with the simplistics…’ Another quick glance at me and I know I’m all eyes as he grins again.

  ‘I’ve been writing programmes at home for a few years, well, since my mid-teens really,’ he says and I think immediately of Dillon. I can’t wait to get them together! ‘As I mentioned previously, I’m considering a Doctorate, but I’m not entirely sold on the idea, at least for a few years. I need to earn some real money first.’

  A roundabout’s approaching and Carter slows the Audi, but as the traffic in front of him moves away he drops down a gear and then powers out of the first exit, onto a narrower country road. He looks over at me again. I can’t see his eyes behind the mirrored shades but his mouth’s tipped up at the corners, so I know they’re smiling too.