Chapter 9
The atmosphere between them changed and became charged with desire. Elizabeth drew in a deep breath at this revelation. She had watched him for most of the evening, waiting to see if he would have been taken with any of the many glamorous women. He certainly received enough attention, although if he had noticed any of it, he hadn’t seemed bothered. He was contradictory in his behaviour around her and it was making her head spin in confusion.
“Why?” She strove to remember that this was a line she ought not to be crossing and was trying very hard to summon up the willpower to change the topic like she did earlier.
“Dammit, Elizabeth. I want you.”
He was so disturbing to her in every way, the smoldering flame she saw in his eyes had her pulse quickening with need. She felt her nipples harden under her dress as joy and pleasure rolled through her, making her skin tingle. Theo wanted her.
Before they could say anything else, the limo pulled up to their hotel, and silently, they walked to the lift, each absorbed in their own thoughts. The lift arrived with a gentle bell and they entered it together, standing apart from one another. Elizabeth stole a glance at him from beneath her lashes and saw that he was staring straight ahead. Just as she began to say something, the door opened up to the floor she was staying on. As Theo’s room was the next floor up, she was slightly surprised when he decided to escort her to the suite. She walked in front of him and could feel the heat of his stare burning into her back.
Opening the door, she turned around to face him. He smelled so good. Hot, muscular and male. An all-consuming need for him spiked though her in an instant of sharp arousal. If was as if a bolt of lightning struck her right between her legs. Her body heated and pulsed, her nipples straining through her dress. Elizabeth stared at him, frozen into stillness by his intense gaze.
Before she could stop herself, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her open lips to his. He immediately responded, his lips capturing hers urgently as his tongue sent shivers of desire racing through her. With his hands firmly upon her shoulders, he kicked the door shut, walked her backwards and pushed her up against the wall. His kiss was desperate and exploratory as he crushed her body to his, searing a path down her neck and shoulders. His eyes moved back to her lips, pupils darkened with intent as his mouth took hers once again in a bruising, open-mouthed kiss. The feel of his warm, moist lips, pressing against her, coupled with the scent and taste of him overwhelmed her senses. Combined with his crushing embrace, he was making her head spin out of control and her stomach tighten with need.
She had never been kissed like this before and swollen, wet and ready, her body was craving and responding with such clawing need. Her heart pounded at a fevered pace, thundering in her ears. She moaned with the total rapture of being in Theo’s arms as her knees weaken as he ravished her, an erotic dance of teeth, lips and tongue.
“You are so beautiful,” he growled, nibbling her earlobes. He paused to look at her, his eyes dark and heavy lidded. She threw herself towards him, into his kiss, needing, wanting it to never end. She heard a male sound of pleasure as his sensuous lips pressed into hers.
Suddenly, she felt herself being swept up into his arms and he carried her towards the bedroom. He lips left a blazing trail on her neck as he adjusted her to the position he desired. “So damn hot,” he breathed seductively in her ear and her skin immediately produced goose bumps, sending shivers down her spine. They reached the bedroom and he gently placed her back down, his gaze, dark with lust, never leaving hers.
“Turn around” he commanded. She did as she was told, her stomach churning with excitement. She felt his warm hands on her back, slowly easing down the zipper of her dress. She swallowed hard, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest, the slow anticipation causing her nipples to peak. “I can’t wait to have you naked,” his deep voice from behind made her sex clench, moisture soaking her panties.
Her dress fell to the floor in a pool of green around her feet. She slowly turned around to face him in her strapless lacy bra and panties. He stared at her and she felt herself colour as his searing gaze took in her full breasts, so much more than the handful she always imagined most men preferred.
“So fucking perfect.” He reached out, pushing the cup of her bra beneath her breast and tweaked her nipple, beginning a steady massage of one breast that felt so good she arched, pushing herself into his hand.
A moan escaped her lips and she flushed in embarrassment. His touch was molten, branding her and when he twisted her nipple, her sex pulsed with need, dampness soaking her even more. His hands moved to her other breast, giving it the same diligent treatment, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, watching her face as her hips bucked forward. Elizabeth writhed and moaned, her breath ragged.
“I want to find out if you taste as good as I’ve imagined.” He leaned down and sucked each swollen nipple, lashing her with his tongue.
Stars exploded in front of her eyes and the involuntary sounds that escaped from her throat surprised even her. Oh god, she thought, trying to gain some control but failing miserably.
It’s happening tonight.
She pulled his face up to his lips and breathlessly told him the words she thought he wanted to hear. “Theo, I want you.” Lost in the myriad of sensations that flooded her, she placed her hands on his face and dragged his lips back to her. “Please, I want you to be my first.”
His darkened eyes snapped open as he stared at her. “What? Tell me you’re not a virgin?” He seemed confused.
“Yes,” she continued to kiss him, but slowly felt him freeze up. “It doesn’t matter, does it?” She pulled away, suddenly feeling awkward and embarrassed standing before him half-dressed.
“Holy shit,” he muttered, gently peeling her hands off as he backed away from her, his blue eyes still dilated and darkened with a need that matched her own. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Beth, I can’t do this.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief as he slowly walked away, seemingly tormented as he left the room. She stood there shocked, as she heard the door to the suite open and close behind him. He was gone.
Her knees gave way and she slid to the floor. Covering her face with her hands she began to sob. It was too much. How could she have seriously thought that a worldly man like Theo would want her? No one had ever excited her like that and she knew no one else ever would either. She was completely rejected, tears streaming down her face at her humiliation and pain stabbing her heart.
* * *
The following day, she stayed in bed under the duvet until past ten in the morning. Normally an early riser, she couldn’t bear to wake up and relive the shame she felt from last night. Throwing herself at Theo and being rejected for her lack of experience, made her want to crawl into a hole forever.
Her flight wasn’t until the early afternoon and she was thankful she was flying back solo as he had plans to stay on for another day. Dragging herself out of bed, she stood under the warm shower, tears prickling her eyes once again from the memories of last night.
Hastily, she packed her belongings, making sure to leave her beautiful dress and accessories on the bed, and departed the hotel. She was told that Mr Steele had organised a car to take her to the airport, but she rejected the offer and opted for a taxi instead. She needed to feel grounded and normal again.
Yesterday was just like a page out of a fairy-tale for her, but then it came all crashing down around her feet. Sometimes she really hated herself for being such a romantic – perhaps the girls were right and the type of hero she sought only existed in her imagination.
She smiled to herself as she thought of her parents. They were so in love, even after almost thirty years of marriage together. Elizabeth had known from a young age that she wanted the same love they shared.
Reflecting on her relationship with Stuart, she knew they were together because their relationship was comfortable, they both plodded along together. Looking back, there wasn’t really a spark at all if she compared herself to how she felt with Theo. She absently placed her fingers against her swollen mouth; just thinking about being in Theo’s arms had her senses reeling as if short-circuited. She felt her breath quicken and her body flush with heat as she relived the sensation of having his mouth on her taut nipples. God, what did that man do to her? More importantly, would there ever be another man who would have that same effect? She doubted it very much.
The taxi pulled into the airport and, before long she was once again seated in her return first class seat. Extracting a magazine from her bag, she sat back and looked forward to being back home shortly.
A few hours later, somewhat emotionally exhausted, she entered her flat. Amber wasn’t home, so she went straight to her bedroom to unpack and then took a warm bath with a glass of white wine to unwind.
Alison, Theo’s secretary, was due in the London office tomorrow, so she would be spending part of the morning with her, bringing her up to speed with everything on this side. Alison’s timing was perfect, there was no way she could work directly for Theo now; in fact, she even pondered if she should start looking for another job just in case things became too awkward between them. She consoled herself with the fact that she wouldn’t be working on the same floor as him, so hopefully they would rarely have the need to see each other. Still, the thought of not seeing him again, as bittersweet as it was, caused a pain in her heart. She remembered his attentive and charming company – what would it be like to be one of the women he dated? Or even just fucked. No wonder they were heartbroken when he dismissed them so casually the following day. Was her heart really ready to be trampled on like that? Despite their overpowering attraction for each other, it was obvious he didn’t commit. Perhaps, she thought, sighing, this was for the best.
Chapter 10
After a restless night, Elizabeth made her way out of the flat, swinging her satchel over her shoulder. She spotted Edward, her driver waiting for her in his usual spot. She smiled as she approached his window and gently tapped on the glass.
“Good Morning, Elizabeth.” He made to open his door, but Elizabeth held up her hand.
“Edward, thank you for coming here this morning, but please do let Mr Steele know that I no longer need to be chauffeured to and from work.” She smiled at him kindly, determined to make her own journey from now on.
“Are you sure?” he asked, looking slightly worried at her decision.
“I’m sure, Edward. Please do let me know if he gives you any trouble over this – I’m happy to speak with him myself if you prefer?”
“Oh no, no bother at all. Do you want a lift now or would you prefer to take the tube?”
“Thank you, Edward, but if you don’t mind, I fancy a little morning walk through the park so I’ll make my own way.” She stepped back from the car with a smile and a wave before leisurely strolling away.
Arriving at her desk in Marketing a short while later, she was engrossed in making adjustments to a brief, when her desk phone rang, momentarily starling her.
“Hello, Beth speaking.”
“Beth, hey, it’s Alison. Are you free to head on up?” She sounded pleasant enough and efficient on the line.
“Hi Alison. Yes, sure – just give me ten minutes and I’ll be right there.” They hung up and Beth quickly finished up the document she was amending. Taking the lift to the executive floor, Elizabeth walked over to her old desk. She was slightly surprised to note that Alison looked older than she sounded and noticing her presence, the other lady looked up from her screen, assessing her briefly.
“Hi Beth, it’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from the team.” Alison briefly stood and the two ladies shook hands.
“I hope nothing too bad, then,” she joked, laughing a little nervously.
“On the contrary. The European team has been very complimentary of you. Thank you for taking care of things on this end.”
Beth smiled at her, already warming to Alison. She pulled up a chair, opened her laptop and together they started going through various documents and diary engagements. The numerous tasks ate into most of the morning as the women worked together side by side. Elizabeth was enjoying her company as Alison took time to explain to her the different spokes of the US office and operations in other parts of the world.
“So, Alison, have you been working with Theo for a long time?”
“Almost four years.” Alison took a break from her screen, considering her time with him. “At first, I seriously didn’t think I could work for a twenty-four year old kid,” she grinned, shaking her head. “Little did I know what a force of nature Theo would turn out to be.” She smiled. “Turns out he’s been keeping me on my toes ever since. The man’s a machine. But so incredibly inspiring to work with.”
“Yes, I can see that,” Elizabeth concurred. “He is very exciting to work for.” She blushed at her choice of words and Alison looked at her quizzically. Elizabeth glanced away, picking up a document to bury her face into. Alison stood.
“Beth, I could sure use a quick coffee. Can I grab you one?”
“No, I’m fine thanks. I’ll get some water in a sec.”
“Okay, see you in a few.” Alison stepped away from her desk and headed to Theo’s coffee area.
A few moments later, she heard the ping of the lift sounding someone’s arrival onto the executive floor. Absorbed in a document, she didn’t bother to glance up. The next moment, the hairs on her arm began to rise as she heard a familiar mobile ring tone. He was here. His footsteps were rapidly approaching and she froze, her face flaming, almost tempted to hide under the desk.
“What,” he snapped into the phone, pausing a few feet away from Alison’s desk. She kept her head low, trying to keep out of view. “I told you to deal with it.” His voice had hardened. “Yes, do it. Now. This is what I pay you for. Take care of it.” He ground the words out, his voice edged with steel, and Elizabeth shrank further into her seat.
Please, let him walk by. Please, please, she prayed.
He had terminated his call and she could now make him out from her peripheral vision. Even though her heart started beating out of control, she drew a deep breath and forced herself to settle down. Clenching her jaw, she was determined not to show him how much he affected her. The next moment, he was standing there. She had no choice but to acknowledge him.
His blue eyes pierced the distance between them, searching her face as if reaching into her thoughts. She almost felt faint, heat flooding into her face at the memory of Saturday night. Moistening her lips, Elizabeth forced herself to give him a small stiff smile. He was just about to say something, when Alison walked back, coffee in hand.
“Theo,” she smiled warmly at him. “I wasn’t expecting you to be in today.”
Totally ignoring his secretary, his eyes continued to blaze down into hers, unspoken words flashing between them. Elizabeth blinked, feeling lightheaded and dropped her eyes from his heated gaze. Alison watched this interaction between them with curiosity but without comment.
“Alison. Welcome.” He finally looked away from Elizabeth. “When you’re ready, please bring the deal folder into the office. I have some things to take care of which is why I cut my trip short.” Without another word, he sauntered into his office.
It was lunchtime and Elizabeth took that as her excuse to depart. They had been through pretty much everything and anything else left to do, she told Alison that she would complete it downstairs at her desk. She grabbed her satchel and texted James to meet her for lunch. It was time for some good old gossip from her close friend in Marketing and right now, she really needed the distraction.
Heading out into the warm sunshine, she grinned when she saw James standing there with an umbrella shading himself from the sun.
“What on earth are you doing?” she asked, laughing at him.
“Darling, how do you think this skin is kept so fresh, fine and wrinkle free?” he enquired, raising an eyebrow, as he ran his hands over his face. She burst into a fit of giggles as she linked arms with his.
“Come on, let’s have a glass of Rosé.”
He looked at her surprised. “Wine? On a Monday? Okay, girlfriend, clearly you need to let off some steam. Lead the way.”
* * *
For the remainder of the week, Elizabeth managed to avoid going up to the executive floor. Alison was buried in her workload, doing her role both in London and in the New York office. Elizabeth barely heard from her as the week progressed and assumed that she was fully up to speed and no longer needed any input on Theo’s files. Although she felt a bit melancholy – she missed her work on the new deal, having gotten to know the European team well over the phone – she knew it was for the best that she and Theo keep their distance for now. She was also pleased that the Human Resources Department had offered her a full time, permanent role in marketing. The salary offered was also extremely generous and they had kindly given her a week to give them her answer; she was pretty sure she would be accepting their offer, but just wanted the weekend to go over the paperwork in detail before she committed to Steele Global Investments.
* * *
On Thursday after work, Elizabeth stepped out of the glass lift and was walking towards the exit, when she spotted Luis standing in the foyer, talking on his phone. She was really happy to see his familiar face and quickly decided to say hello before she left the building. Walking towards him, she saw him finish up his call, check his watch and then look up in her direction. As soon as he saw her, he broke out into a charming grin.
Once again, Elizabeth noted how impeccably dressed he was, with his dark suit and light blue shirt which complimented him well. He really was a very good-looking man, she admired, but unlike Theo, her heart did not speed up for him.
“Beth!” He was so obviously happy to see her that impulsively, he grabbed her around her waist in a tight embrace and spun her around. She squealed in surprise, laughing and embarrassed at his show of affection in front of everyone, which had drawn some attention.
“Luis!” She giggled. “Put me down right now.” Laughing, he set her down, but his hands lingered around her for a moment longer than necessary.
“If you two would kindly finish up your show, I have a business to run here.” Startled, Elizabeth stumbled away from Luis as she looked up into Theo’s thunderous face, her lips parting in surprise. In the busy foyer, his confident presence radiated with his authority. Having not seen him since Monday, Elizabeth’s heart lurched; he was devastatingly handsome, the tantalizing smell of his cologne teasing her senses.
She blinked as his accusing glare burned through her and coloured fiercely from the sarcasm in his tone. He glanced sharply at Luis, his eyes blazing. “Luis, let’s head to the meeting. Now.” She was confused and annoyed at his reaction. What right did he have to treat her this way, having clearly rejected her? Still, he was her boss so she held up her hands and stepped backwards.
“Please, don’t let me stop you. Luis, it’s always a pleasure.” Flashing Luis a smile, whilst noting the tensing of Theo’s jaw, she spun on her heel, threw her satchel over her shoulder and walked away.
* * *
It was Friday afternoon, and Beth counted another two hours to go before she could head home. She was looking forward to the end of the week and the start of her weekend. Planning to get home quickly, she wanted to catch up with Amber as they had barely seen each other this week. She also needed to pack her overnight bag, ready for the train first thing in the morning. It was the weekend of her parent’s thirtieth wedding anniversary party and she was really looking forward to seeing everyone.
The weather was set to be beautiful and her parents had everything under control, from the caterers, waiters and marquee hire so there was very little for Elizabeth to do. She had decided to stay at a hotel close to home as, unexpectedly; some friends of her parents were arriving from Australia. She had insisted they all stay together to catch up; it was going to be a full house of guests, so she didn’t mind giving up her bedroom.
Just returning to her desk following a quick catch-up with Miranda, she could hear her desk phone ringing and she rushed to grab it, breathlessly answering.
“Hey Beth, I need you to do me a huge favour.” It was Alison and she sounded somewhat stressed on the other end.
“Sure, Alison. How can I help?”
“Great. I’m in the middle of setting up some meetings next week and I can’t leave until they’re confirmed. In the meantime, Theo needs access to a couple of files, which are in his office. Would you be able to jump in a taxi and deliver them to him at home, please?”
Home? His home? Elizabeth hesitated, her heart fluttering at the thought of being not only alone with him, but in his home, his territory. She paused before she could answer, silently weighing her decision.
“Look, Beth. Honestly, I’ve worked with Theo for a long time and I don’t know what’s got into him lately, but he’s like a bear with a sore head. I think you are probably the only person right now who he’s civil to. Please, this would really help me out, and besides, I’m not sure I can withstand another verbal beating from him.” She laughed lightly, but Elizabeth could hear the plea in her voice. She didn’t have a choice.
“Okay, I’ll do it. Let me just quickly finish up here and I’ll pop up and collect the files.”
“You’re awesome. I owe you one, Beth.” They hung up the call and Elizabeth sighed, momentarily squeezing her eyes shut. Part of her was thrilled to be able to see his home and another part was tensing up with a bundle of nerves. Still, she was committed now and had no choice but to see this through.
The taxi ride to Chelsea, where Theo resided, was rather long due to the onset of Friday rush hour traffic. Armed in the back seat with the two files he needed, Elizabeth chewed her nails thoughtfully. She was trying to think of the easiest way she could deposit the files and leave within five minutes. The humiliation of their last time together in close proximity was still raw as mixed feeling surged through her.
Taking a deep breath, the taxi slowed down and pulled into a pretty tree-lined street. Reaching her destination, she paid the taxi driver and stared in awe as she stood outside the impressive white-coloured, listed building. It was beautiful and grand and for a moment, feeling insecure, Elizabeth was acutely aware of their social differences. Chewing her lower lip, she rang the buzzer and his disconnected voice came through.
“I’ll buzz you in, Alison. You’ll find me in the library on the ground floor.”
Before she had a chance to answer, he pressed the buzzer and she had no option but to push open the door. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt her heart pounding. He wasn’t even expecting her.
Heart beating madly, she stared at her surroundings. The hall was absolutely enormous, almost as big as her front room, with Victorian tiles broken up by an expensive woven rug. Ahead of her, a staircase wound its way up elegantly. He said he was on the ground floor, but the house was huge with a myriad of rooms to the left and right of the staircase. She smoothed down her skirt with perspiring hands and peered into two reception rooms, a study and some sort of cinema room, judging from the huge mounted flat screen, before she eventually hit the library towards the middle of the house.
Through the half-open door, she glimpsed him with his head buried in a mountain of open books on the heavy oak desk he was sitting at. Hesitantly, she knocked.
Chapter 11
Theo, glanced up and, for a moment, shock registered in his piercing eyes before he quickly composed himself.
“Elizabeth. Where’s Alison?” He regarded her quizzically and she saw he was watching her intently.
Elizabeth averted her eyes, the familiar heat spreading into her cheeks as she felt a tightening in her chest as if she was about to have a panic attack. She looked at him, trying to depict an ease she didn’t necessarily feel.
“I’m sorry; she couldn’t leave the office and asked if I could drop these files to you.” Moistening her lips, she cautiously stepped forward into the room and towards his desk. Placing the files in front of him, Theo didn’t say a word as he just continued to stare at her.
The tension was broken with her mobile phone ringing loudly in her bag. Startled, she mumbled an apology and started to rummage through her satchel looking for it. Theo sat back in his chair, watching her fumble and getting increasingly frustrated at her lack of discovery. Finally, she retrieved it and holding a finger up to him, she answered the unrecognised number.
“Hello, Beth speaking.” Elizabeth listened to the caller on the other line.
“What? No, this can’t be happening! What am I supposed to do? I can’t go on Monday. No!” Theo listened to the one-sided conversation and could see Elizabeth getting visibly upset.
Elizabeth hung up the call after a few minutes. She couldn’t believe it. The ticket office had called to inform her that her pre-booked train ticket was cancelled due to a morning strike. Feeling a rush of emotions and panic, tears glistened in her eyes as she tried to figure out the best way to get home. Theo got out of his chair and walked around the desk, concern etched in his features.
“Beth, is everything okay?” he asked softly.
Fighting an overwhelming need to be close to him, Elizabeth shook her head as she quickly brushed away her tears.
“No! I have to be home tomorrow for my parent’s anniversary party, but that was the train company. They’re on strike and my ticket is cancelled.” She teared up again at the thought of missing the party. “I have no way of getting back in time and I don’t know what to do.” She shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
“I’ll take you.”
“Wh…what?” She stammered. “Oh no, I couldn’t ask you to do that. Thank you, but I’m sure you have better things to do on the weekend than to attend my family party.” She shook her head, surprised at his offer. She was truly stuck. If she said no, she would miss her parents’ party. If she said yes, she’d have to face more alone time with him, which right now, she wasn’t sure she could handle. There was a lot of unspoken words between them and it felt like a choice between a rock and a hard place. He interrupted her thoughts.
“It’s fine, I’d like to. Please, let me.” His face finally broke into one of the rare smiles and Elizabeth felt her resolve melting. “And no, I didn’t have any particular plans this weekend. So it’s settled then.” He walked back around to where he was sitting and looked up at her again. “What time shall I pick you up in the morning?”
* * *
At ten o’clock the following morning, Theo buzzed the intercom on her flat. Grabbing her weekend bag, she hastily gave herself one last look over in the mirror. Her long blonde hair was hanging straight down over her shoulders, sunglasses perched in anticipation on her head. Keeping her make up light, for she had acquired a lovely golden tan over the summer, she chose to wear a simple white t-shirt and denim cut off shorts. She slipped her feet into her wedge sandals and shut the door behind her, making her way downstairs.
She felt a tingling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of spending most of the weekend with Theo and despite her nerves, she couldn’t deny the spark of excitement at the prospect. Yesterday, he had booked a room at the same hotel she was staying at, happy for the chance to explore Somerset for he had never visited before and was looking forward to seeing that part of the Country.
In turn, she had tried to call her parents last night to explain the situation and let them know she was bringing a guest, but they must have been out dining with their friends for she couldn’t get hold of them.
Opening the downstairs door, her breath momentarily caught in her throat as she spotted him, leaning casually against the bonnet of his Porsche. She paused, as she drank in his appearance. The deeply tanned muscles rippling on display under his white polo shirt quickened her pulse and his stance emphasised his strong thighs and slim hips in the light khaki trousers he was wearing. She took in his tempting and attractive male physique as she watched him adjust his brown aviators. Elizabeth felt she could stand and happily watch his handsome profile all day, but taking a deep breath, she walked towards him, smiling shyly.
“Hi.” She looked at him not being able gauge his reaction behind the sunglasses in the bright sunlight.
“Hi, yourself,” he spoke in a low voice, his lips turning upwards in a half smile. Elizabeth’s hair blew around her face in the light summer breeze and before she had a chance to sweep it out of her way, Theo reached out and tucked a few strands behind her ear. It was such a small gesture, but the feeling of his hands on her face, like a soft caress sent sparks shooting through her. She couldn’t help but lightly colour. He took her bag out of her hands and put it in the boot, whilst she stood there watching. Coming back to her, he opened the passenger door.
“My lady, your chariot awaits.” His fake English accent and theatrical bow had Elizabeth smiling and shaking her head as she stepped into the car.
“Thank you, kind sir.” She flashed him a grin as he raced around to the driver side.
“Nice wheels, Theo,” she admired, running her hands over the smooth dash. The engine roared to life and Theo turned to face her.
“Thanks. This is one of my babies that I keep for weekend travel.” He gave her a wink and Elizabeth’s heart started fluttering wildly.
“Just “one” of your cars?” She teased.
“Yup.” He elongated his word, popping the end, grinning at her. “What can I say, I like my toys.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Boys and their toys she smirked to herself.
“Are you okay to ride topless?”
She spun her head towards him. “Pardon?” Her eyes widened and feeling flustered, she was unsure if she had heard him correctly. Her reaction seemed to amuse him as laughter rose up from his throat.
“While I have no issues with you riding topless, Elizabeth, I was actually referring to the roof.” His laugh broke off and his eyes smoldered at her. Blushing furiously, Elizabeth simply shook her head and turned to her window to catch her breath as all sorts of emotions ran through her. She could feel her nipples tightening under her t-shirt and drew her arms over her chest. If he noticed, he didn’t comment as he waited for the roof to recline back before he maneuvered out into the morning traffic.
The drive down to Taunton was filled with laughter and banter between them. Elizabeth was a bundle of nerves at the start of the day, fearing their trip would be awkward, but Theo had an amazing quality of making her feel completely relaxed in his company. Although they were both very aware of how things were left between them last weekend, tactfully, neither of them chose to discuss the event during the journey down. Instead, their conversation was light and at times flirty, as they talked about their favourite music, bands, books and other easy-going topics. She was surprised that they both enjoyed mostly equal taste in music, had a mutual love of Asian food and by the easy banter they shared, it was clear they had a very similar of humour.
Elizabeth was fantastic at doing impersonations of famous people and at many times throughout the journey, Theo threw his head back and roared with laughter. His laughter was marvelous and catching and Elizabeth couldn’t really remember the last time she had so much fun with anyone.
A few hours later, after a short stop for lunch, they arrived at their hotel in Taunton and checked into their separate rooms. It felt a bit surreal being back in a hotel room, near home, exactly a week later from her Cinderella experience last week. She sat on her bed in her modest room and reflected on her journey with Theo. As much as she tried to keep a check on her feelings, she just couldn’t help the way he made her feel. It was bittersweet because she knew her feelings were not reciprocated but, at the same time, even she could see that he was somewhat attracted to her, except for the part where he had zero desire to sleep with her.
She shook her head trying to diffuse her thoughts. Her parents’ party was due to start in a couple of hours and she was due to meet Theo downstairs in the reception area soon.
After a quick freshen up, Elizabeth slipped into her hot pink maxi dress, pinned her hair up, leaving a few loose tendrils around her face and put on some fresh light make-up. She spritzed herself with her favourite perfume, grabbed her clutch and set off downstairs to meet Theo.
She spotted him sitting by himself reading a newspaper on the large comfortable sofa and walked over to him. He had also changed into a light shirt and trousers and his hair still looked damp from the shower he had taken. She moistened her lips just as he looked up, catching her staring. She quickly looked away, but not before she saw him smirk at her.
“You look lovely, Elizabeth.” He folded the newspaper and raked his eyes over her dress.
“Thank you. You don’t clean up too badly yourself,” she joked. “Shall we go?”
She directed him to her family home, which was just outside Taunton in a small village. As she neared her house, she felt both excitement and nerves building up in her. En route, she pointed out a few of her favourite spots, especially the field where she liked to take long walks with their dogs.
They turned into a small winding lane and Elizabeth directed Theo to her house which was just along a small dirt road, off the lane. There were plenty of cars already parked up and soon, the cottage came into view. She smiled happily when she saw it and glanced at Theo for his reaction.
“Elizabeth, this is beautiful.” He seemed genuinely impressed which made Elizabeth happy – it felt good to delight the man who had everything. They pulled up to park on one of the empty spaces in front of her house and immediately she could hear the sound of barking.
“Theo, I hope you like dogs. Because here come Meg and Lupo.” She opened her car door and was immediately set upon by two golden Labradors. Knowing not to jump up, they surrounded Elizabeth with barking, tail wagging and tried their best to lick her face, which she managed to keep away. Laughing and hugging her dogs, she told them to settle down and looked over at Theo who was smiling and watching her intently.
“Theo, come and say hello. Meg, Lupo, behave.”
Theo walked around the car, holding out his outstretched hand for the dogs to sniff. After a few cautious sniffs, they started barking and wagging their tails, trying to lick him as if he was their long lost friend.
“I think they approve, Theo.” Elizabeth laughed as Theo’s expression lit up with her compliment.
“That’s because they know who the boss is here,” he teased, winking at her.
“Oh please, you’re full of yourself,” she playfully shoved him in his chest and he grabbed hold of her hand, holding it against him. The laughter broke away as the air became charged with something else as Theo’s eyes darkened. He opened his mouth to speak and Elizabeth held her breath.
“Beth, we thought it would be you with the commotion the dogs were causing. Come here, darling.” Elizabeth dropped her hand from Theo’s chest and dragged her eyes away from his. She turned around to see her dad standing by the open door. She ran into his arms.
“Daddy! So good to see you.” She smiled, hugging him fiercely. “I’d like you to meet, Theo.” She stepped out of John’s embrace and gazed at Theo, who was standing behind her. He held his outstretched hand to John.
“Mr Morgan, sir, pleasure to meet you. Thank you for extending the invitation.”
John shook his hand, smiling warmly at Theo.
“Please, Theo, call me John, son. We don’t have any of that formality nonsense in my house.” He patted Theo on his back and Elizabeth sensed him relaxing behind her. “Come on in you two, food is out back in the marquee, the waiters are serving drinks and the band should start playing shortly.” He looked over Elizabeth’s shoulder at someone who was trying to get his attention. “If you don’t mind, please excuse me for a moment.” John gave Elizabeth another squeeze and wondered off in the direction he was being hailed.
“Great guy,” Theo commented, looking around her home. She flashed him a smile and led him into the kitchen where she spotted her mum with a few of her girlfriends. Elizabeth was a younger version of her mum and standing there observing her for a moment, Elizabeth was struck by her elegance and beauty, hoping to age just as beautifully as her one day. Just then Sally looked up and spotted her daughter, a grin splitting her face.
“Beth, you’re here.” She stepped away from her friends and grabbed Elizabeth into a hug.
“Mum, you look lovely.” She hugged her tighter, realising just how much she had missed her.
“Who is this lovely gentleman you’ve brought with you?”
“Mum, this is Theo.” She pulled Theo up beside her and stepping behind him for a moment, Sally fanned herself, making Elizabeth laugh and blush. Theo turned around to see what she was doing, looking puzzled at the secret joke passing between mother and daughter.
“Mrs. Morgan, pleasure to meet you. You and Elizabeth look like sisters.” He gave Sally a devastatingly handsome smile as he kissed her on both cheeks.
“Oh, Beth. He’s a keeper.” Her mum laughed and Elizabeth coloured deeply, looking away in embarrassment.
“Mum, please. Theo’s my boss.” She tried to laugh off her mother’s joke, cringing as Theo laughed.
“I’m just joking, Theo. It’s lovely to meet you and, please, call me Sally.” They made small talk for a few minutes with the rest of the group in the kitchen and Elizabeth observed just how charming and at ease he was with her family. They seemed to take to him straightaway as he stood around chatting with various friends and family members.
The party was great fun, the band played some wonderful songs and both Theo and Elizabeth even danced to a few fast numbers. They mingled with everyone, enjoyed the food and generally had a really good time together. She needn’t have worried about the thought of Theo being bored as he fit into her family extremely well and they accepted him as if they had known him for years.
Every now and then, if they were apart, they would steal glances at each other. Each time his gaze met hers, her heart turned over in response. She felt herself being drawn into him and a tingling sensation spread low in her belly as she envisioned his mouth on hers. Fighting her thoughts, she would be the first to tear her eyes away from their heated stares.
It was after midnight when the party was winding down and Elizabeth and Theo were back in his car after a few long goodbyes. She smiled at him, feeling shy and uncertain.
“I hope you had a good time and it wasn’t too boring for you.” She looked at his strong profile as she spoke, her eyes lingering on his large hands lightly gripping the steering wheel, remembering the feel of them on her.
“Are you kidding? You have an awesome family; it was so much fun.” He glanced at her, smiling and revealing his dimple. “Your parents are so in love with each other.”
“Yes, they are. Someday, that’s what I want too.” She whispered the last bit, looking out of her window at the country lanes. They would be at the hotel soon and Elizabeth wasn’t ready to say goodnight to him. Her body ached for his touch, her whole being seemed to be filled with waiting.
A few minutes later, they reached the hotel and made their way to their rooms. Elizabeth was filled with a sense of déjà vu, but this time was determined to keep her feelings in check for fear of being rejected once again. The booking team had placed them in rooms next to one another so they turned to face each other once they arrived at their door.
Theo’s expression was dark and intense as he looked at her. The very air around them seemed electrified, the pull between them getting stronger and stronger. He ran his knuckles gently over her face and Elizabeth unconsciously leaned into his hand.
“Fuck.” He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.
Breaking the spell, Elizabeth opened her door as her heartbeat throbbed in her ears. If he wanted her, he could make the move, she decided, willing him to find her desirable.
“Goodnight,” she said and shut the door, deliberately putting some distance between them. Her pride was damaged once and she couldn’t put herself through that again, no matter how much her body was singing otherwise.
She leaned against the door. Listening. Waiting.
When she heard his door open and close a short time later, the first tear fell down her face.