Forever Fated E-Book

J.A. Kelly

• Herausgeber: novum pro Verlag
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 352

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

When Lisa Metcalf takes a job cleaning a fairytale cottage for some extra cash, she isn't expecting to meet knight in shining armour Gareth Edwards – but what will happen when the world seems determined to drive a wedge between them? Spanning decades, Forever Fated is a story of pain, class, and family interfering with the course of true love, and that love's strength, even in the face of blood and death.

Leseprobe

Contents

Imprint 2

Dedication 3

Chapter 1 4

Chapter 2 56

Chapter 3 111

Imprint

All rights of distribution, also through movies, radio and television, photomechanical reproduction, sound carrier, electronic medium and reprinting in excerpts are reserved.

© 2022 novum publishing

ISBN print edition: 978-3-99131-007-5

ISBN e-book: 978-3-99131-008-2

Editor: Ashleigh Brassfield, DipEdit

Cover images:Vladimirs Poplavskis, Chernetskaya, Natthamon Yanasing | Dreamstime.com

Cover design, layout & typesetting:novum publishing

www.novum-publishing.co.uk

Dedication

To Lynne, Tony and the lads without whom this would not have been possible. Your input and patience was invaluable to me.

Chapter 1

Lisa Mason was a petite brunette with sparkling blue eyes and a smile that illuminated the world. Always bullied by the girls at school, jealous of the attention she received, attracting the boys like moths to a flame with her easy manner, pretty face and long, thick, naturally corkscrewed locks, Lisa was blissfully oblivious of this fact, her head being filled with all things equine. She could never understand why her own sex saw her as such a threat, a theme that would sadly follow her throughout her life. In order to escape a mother who saw her as less than her brothers, always leaving her until last in her consideration in all things, Lisa met and hastily married John Metcalf, a kind youth, if a little odd, and at the age of 18 their first child was born, a baby girl called Lynette. Lisa was the driving force in the relationship, wanting to buy their first home. Her love of horses had become an obsession and she quickly realised that to do both she would have to work hard to fund her dreams. She worked at many jobs, her favourite being at the livery stables, where she learned her trade. She quickly gained the reputation of being an accomplished horsewoman, breaking and schooling young horses, gaining her Horse Master’s degree in double-time. A friend for whom she had schooled a pony had told her that there would be a cleaning job coming up for grabs, as the woman who had it was leaving because of family difficulties, and that she would put her name forward to take over her duties.

As Lisa walked down the path of the neat little cottage, the middle of a trio nestled at the end of a wooded lane, she was taken by the heady perfume of honeysuckle. It climbed over the garden walls and surrounded the picture-perfect cottage, giving it an almost fairytale quality that made her feel instantly at ease. She had been given the key to the property by Jenny, the woman who had kept it in tip top order up until her husband’s illness. Lisa entered the cottage and stood looking round at the neat, well-appointed rooms.

‘Where to start …’ she mused. Just as she was scanning the invitingly comfortable rooms, the door opened and was filled by a broad pair of shoulders draped in an expensive three-piece suit. At six feet one inch tall, Gareth Edwards had short-cropped blond hair, strikingly vivid blue eyes and a clear tanned complexion, his chiselled features and jaw set in a business-like manner. The Armani suit he wore accentuated his muscular body and formidable arms. Lisa caught her breath at his appearance; he had taken her by surprise. ‘Dear God, he is gorgeous,’ she thought as he unfolded through the door into the room. Lisa had been told that he was a solicitor and that he had recently qualified. He introduced himself; his voice was deep, rich, strong, and impeccably spoken. He appeared a little aloof, very matter of fact and concise – a typical legal eagle.

He quickly explained to her what her duties were to be and that he would pay her the sum of five pounds per hour, a king’s ransom to her. ‘What a Godsend,’ Lisa thought, elated. He left just as abruptly as he had arrived, leaving Lisa a little bewildered. ‘He was very proper,’ she thought, almost stuck up in the way he spoke, a far reach from her broad Lancashire twang.

As he climbed into his BMW outside the cottage his mind was in turmoil, heart pumping so fast against his ribcage it took his breath away. ‘What the hell is wrong with you, man?’ he spoke the words out loud, looking at his face in the vanity mirror, seeing the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He had never had this reaction to a woman before; in fact, his total lack of interest in the opposite sex had many of his colleagues and friends assuming that he was gay, but none dared voice their opinion due to his volcanic temper. Those strangers who mistakenly chose to voice their opinions usually ended up in hospital.

He started the car and pulled away from the cottage, trying to concentrate on the road, although he could not shake the image of the slender brunette from his mind; her tight jeans with the T-shirt tucked in at her neat waist. She had a rear that he wanted to sink his teeth into, her corkscrew locks cascaded over her shoulders, now sporting blond highlights, and her chunky ankle boots gave her slim form an almost tomboyish appearance. He was taken by her beautiful, makeup-free, flawless skin and the fact that her eyes sparkled when she laughed, lighting the world. He had noticed that her eyes were gun metal blue with fine threads of green and hazel. Gareth thought her the most naturally attractive woman he had come across, yet he could not understand his reaction. He had never trusted women, a legacy from his past, yet he could find no excuse to ignore her. She was simply lovely and scary at the same time, making him uncomfortable with her easy chatty manner.

As time passed, Gareth found himself drawn to the house and made excuses at the office to go home. He would try to rush in and out, but she would ambush him and engage him in conversation, which made him feel like a rabbit caught in headlights; yet still he was drawn to her in a way that had him worried, almost running scared. He could not understand why or how he felt as he did about this woman, yet he craved her attention and for the first time in his life, at the age of 23, he felt stirrings of a sexual nature that were totally alien to him.

She started to care for him during his fleeting visits and would prepare a sandwich and drink for him, going beyond the brief of her duties. He found her easy manner endearing and soon warmed to her chatty, silly ways and the way she made him talk and laugh.

He was travelling home to see her for the first time this week, almost giddy with anticipation. He breathed in the warm honeysuckle scented air as he breezed down the path in the heat of the summer sun. He floated through the door to find her busy making lunch for him and humming some tune to herself.

‘Hiya,’ she beamed as he sauntered in, ‘I’ve made you a sandwich and a drink.’ He smiled at the view of her delectable rump and tiny waist and thanked her. As she turned to face him, he stopped mid stride.

‘What on earth have you done?’ he asked with a worried tone, wanting to take a closer look but still not confident enough to touch her.

‘A stable door caught me when the wind blew it shut yesterday,’ she replied, placing the cup and plate on the table.

He nodded and walked past her feeling uneasy. He washed his hands, and on his return, he said, ‘Let’s try that one again shall we? Are you going to tell me what happened to your face?’

She peered at him with the look of someone caught out in a lie. ‘I told you, the wind –’

He interrupted her mid-sentence. ‘There was no wind yesterday, it was a still summer’s day, try again.’

She looked totally crestfallen. Her breath caught in her throat as she told him that John had been drunk and punched her during an argument. He felt the bile rise in this throat and his lips were white with the rage he was barley containing. Why did he feel so protective of this woman? How had she managed to get under his skin at all, let alone in such a short space of time? He was finding it increasingly more difficult to concentrate at work, images and thoughts of her flooding his every waking moment; hell, he was even dreaming about her now. He ate his sandwich and chatted to Lisa, well, mainly listened to her lilting happy chatter, transfixed by her laugh and her joy in life even though she bore the marks of violence on her lovely face. She was a pleasure to be around; she seemed to lift the weight from his world.

In the past he had found the need to install a camera in his home as some of his previous cleaning ladies, prior to Jenny, had proven to be less than trustworthy, going through his possessions and on one occasion actually stealing money from a dresser drawer in his bedroom. He had left it in place merely as a precaution, assuring himself that all was as it should be. He would check it fortnightly, as a rule, but since the advent of Lisa in his life he found that he was checking it more often, and not for the reasons the camera was intended, his need to see her becoming paramount. After a stressful day at the office, he would rush home, make a brew of green tea and settle down in front of the camera, rewinding the tape to where Lisa’s form appeared. He smiled as he watched her singing along at the top of her voice to the music playing on the radio, dancing with the vacuum cleaner, and using the feather duster as a microphone. God, how he wanted her, yet past events haunted him, barring his way forward. He played the tape over and over watching avidly her every move. He was actually feeling guilty for having the camera in place and had the urge to tell her of its existence, but then he would have to forego the pleasure of watching Lisa dance her way round his home. Perhaps he would wait a little longer to tell her. Was he becoming a voyeur? Gareth quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought out of hand.

Lisa always believed that she had been put on this earth to help those in need. It didn’t matter if they had two legs or four, she had a natural empathic ability that drew her to any being that was damaged by life, knowing instinctively when she needed to intervene.

She was working at the cottage, singing at the top of her voice when the door opened. She had prepared lunch for Gareth, as it had become part of her routine. In addition, she had also ironed shirts that she found in the washing basket. As she turned toward the door her heart sank; she immediately felt that all was not well with the man that faced her. His whole demeanour was one of defeat, not something that ever sat well or for long on his broad shoulders.

‘Aw, what’s wrong?’ she said, startling him from his thoughts and taking a step forward, arms outstretched, to administer a healing hug. He immediately blocked her advance with the long reach of his arms. Looking at her lovely face he heard her say apologetically, ‘Sorry, I’ve overstepped the mark,’ holding her hands up and taking a step backwards. She could feel the heat in her cheeks.

It was at that moment, as he watched the blush spread over her cheeks, that Gareth took a leap of faith. Pulling her towards his chest, he kissed her forehead, his chin brushing the top of her head as he stooped to meet her, burying his head in the nape of her neck, and holding her tightly against his torso for what seemed like an age to Lisa. At that very moment he felt the exquisite pain of cupid’s arrow pierce his heart as it thawed and melted. He had never felt a rush of emotion like this in his entire life; she had to be his one and only. They sat drinking the brew that Lisa prepared while he ate his lunch. He was becoming acutely aware of the discomfort from his growing erection that pressed solidly against his suit pants. She questioned the reason for his troubled expression. He found the whole experience exhausting; never before had he let another human being see his pain, yet here he sat having every word coaxed from him. He recounted having found out that his stepfather had sold the family legal practice for a pound on the day had he qualified to prevent Gareth from inheriting the firm. The man had hated him from the moment he discovered that he wasn’t his child but the result of an affair that his wife had with a handsome local farmer. The loathsome man had made it his mission in life to punish the beautiful little blonde-haired boy for his wife’s infidelity, subjecting him to a catalogue of abuse that spanned his early years and beyond. God only knew he dared not speak of the torture that he had suffered at the hands of his mother, which made his stepfather’s pale in comparison, for fear of appearing less of a man. Perhaps one day, but until then he would bury that dark secret deep.

Lisa listened after pulling every last piece of confessional from his lips. She could see that he was drained by the effort of releasing the burden he felt and made a mental note to revisit the subject at the first available opportunity, knowing instinctively that there were depths and layers that needed peeling away but having no idea of the horror that she would eventually discover. Gareth climbed back in his car feeling as if he had just had a full work out. He was drained, yet felt lighter, easier in himself. He shook his head and thought, ‘Dear God, what has that woman done to me?’

Lisa’s home life was deteriorating, becoming increasingly more violent. John Metcalf proved to be an inadequate, jealous partner, turning to drink to drown the sickening feeling in the pit of his gut. He took to verbal abuse at first to make himself feel better, pulling Lisa down at every available opportunity, telling her no one would want her or ever look at her, that she was worth nothing. This became a weekly routine. He would go out, getting increasingly more wasted. The more he drank the more belligerent and violent he became; this often led to him taking a beating from the men at the places he frequented as he made clumsy drunken advances toward their women.

John was small in stature and a little sickly-looking, which only served to fuel his feelings of inadequacy. The rage that brewed inside him came from watching a long line of admirers that found Lisa ‘A friendly, easy lass to talk to,’ as they would say. One of her jobs of an evening was at the Withy Tree public house – the landlord Bob thought highly of Lisa as she drew in the male punters, filling his bar and his pockets. John’s toxic putdowns caused Lisa to cover her form with baggy off-the-shoulder tops that draped loosely over her body, having the opposite effect to the one desired. The tops proved to be far more alluring to the male punters, which boosted Bob’s profits, of course, serving also to bring wives and partners to the bar in order to see what the pull was to their increasingly absent menfolk. This usually culminated in the ejection of all parties concerned, in particular John, who invariably waded into the fray, escalating any problems that existed. Lisa was naïve enough to believe that the attention she received from the many male admirers that frequented the bar, engaging her in chit chat, was merely ‘folks being friendly.’ After all, John had told her how fat and ugly she was so many times she began to believe it to be true.

Arriving home from the night shift at the bar, John followed Lisa in, staggering drunkenly through the door. ‘Give me the fucking car keys,’ he barked, spitting the slurred words at her as he slumped against the wall.

‘No way, look at the state of you, you are not fit to drive,’ she replied. The rage exploded inside him and he lunged forward, grabbing her wrist as she closed her fist quickly around the keys to stop him taking them, which earned her a sickening blow to her face, cracking her eye socket. The keys bit hard into the soft flesh of her palm as he repeatedly smashed her clenched fist against the wall, busting her knuckles. All Lisa could think was ‘Thank God that Lynette’s at her grandparents,’ as the pain tore through her hand. The exertion eventually proved too much for him, the effects of the alcohol he had consumed finally overwhelming him as he collapsed in a heap on the floor. Lisa strode over his prone body as it lay across the narrow entrance hall and climbed the stairs, dazed and bleeding, steadying herself on the handrail. She cleaned and treated her face and hand the best she could with what she had in house.

The following morning no amount of concealer could mask the damage to her eye socket, which had swollen to the extent that the eye had closed completely. It throbbed, her head ached, and her lip had been split during the struggle. ‘God, I look like a train wreck,’ she thought. As she came down the stairs John’s crumpled heap lay where it had fallen the night before. She checked to see if he was breathing, then strode over him, leaving to turn the horses out and head for Honeysuckle Cottage. She was not prepared to answer any questions about her injuries that morning; most seemed satisfied that she had been injured whilst breaking a horse that proved a little awkward. She knew one person who would not be satisfied with her explanation, so did her best to avoid him.

As Gareth entered the kitchen, he called, ‘Lisa, where are you?’

She was cleaning the bathroom. ‘Won’t be a moment,’ she called, ‘your early lunch isn’t ready yet.’

He had rushed home early on the pretence that he needed papers for a case he was working on, needing to have a fix of his drug of choice. As she entered the kitchen, she saw him flinch, his beautiful perfect smile changing to an angry, troubled grimace. ‘Another stable door, I presume,’ he said, barely concealing the venom in his tone. She looked crestfallen and nodded sheepishly. ‘This is not right, you know.’ He was trying to soften his voice so as not to upset her with his reactions, but found it difficult to choke back the bile in the back of his throat. ‘You shouldn’t have to hide away from me or anyone else because you have taken a beating from that lowlife.’

Her embarrassment at his statement welled up and she snapped back, ‘Well, it really is no one else’s business, is it?’ She knew that he was concerned and instantly regretted her barbed response. He turned to go back through the door, and she returned to her chores.

Moments later she heard a loud crack and the sound of splintering wood but did not witness the single punch that hit the door, splitting it in two and knocking it from its hinges. She ran as quickly as her aching legs would carry her only to see Gareth leaning with his hands on the garden wall, head down, breathing laboured as his anger took hold. He looked up to see Lisa astonished face peering at him through the space where the door used to be.

‘Please forgive my outburst,’ he said as he walked past her, back into the house, pausing to stroke her arm in reassurance. Picking up the phone he dialled the joiner. The man recognised Gareth’s voice instantly, having worked for him previously, and listened as the tale unfolded of an incident that had occurred at Honeysuckle Cottage involving the property no longer being secure; Gareth said that he had been the incident and to attend as soon as possible to secure the premises.

Replacing the handset, he returned to Lisa, who had made them a piping hot brew of green tea, both in need of a break to regain their composure. The more he looked at the damage to her face and hand, the more he resolved to sort Metcalf out.

Lisa complained that her head ached, and her eye was becoming more painful. After much persuasion he convinced her that she should go to the A&E department of Preston Royal Infirmary, but only after the joiner had replaced the door. Gareth rang the office and told them he would be working from home for the rest of the day; he didn’t intend to leave anything to chance, taking Lisa to the hospital. He stayed by her side steadying her as she walked guiding her through the corridors. The attending doctor informed them that the eye socket was in fact fractured, discharging Lisa on the understanding that she rest and took the painkillers that he prescribed. Gareth dropped Lisa home, making sure that she was comfortable. She breathed a sigh of relief to find that John was not longer at home.

That night as John Metcalf staggered home from his usual watering hole down the back streets of Preston, concentrating on his footing in the dim light, he didn’t see the tall figure step from the shadows, a baseball cap pulled down to mask the face of a man whose teeth were clenched, jaw set and lips white with rage. Metcalf could barely remember the kick that smashed through his jaw, splattering blood over his face and choking his airways as he hit the hard cobbled stones, let alone the kicking that followed. His assailant growled with menace, close to his ear as he lay there bleeding: ‘Touch her again and I will kill you.’ The figure walked away from the scene of devastation he had inflicted. Heading towards the nearest phone box he dialled the emergency services, informing them to send an ambulance to where Metcalf’s body lay.

The following morning the Royal contacted Lisa informing her that her husband was admitted with serious injuries in the early hours of that day. As she walked down the ward she could see John’s limp prone body, curtain partially drawn round where he lay. ‘Dear God,’ she thought, ‘he looks like he has been hit by a truck.’ His features were swollen, bloody and distorted, both eyes puffy and closed. ‘Retribution,’ she thought, believing that his drunken antics had earned him yet another beating, yet this was far more serious than any that had gone before. She wondered who had been pissed enough to unleash such destruction on another; Joe Fraser could not have done a better job in ten rounds. He wasn’t in the mood for talking and blanked Lisa’s questions, ignoring her presence. After ten minutes of silence, she rose and went in search of a nurse to find out what she needed to know. The staff nurse told her that John was stable and would be kept in for 48 hours, as there were concerns that his kidneys had been damaged which warranted further investigation. Lisa left the hospital without returning to John’s bedside, making her way to the carpark. She got into her car and headed to the first job of the day.

The cottage kitchen was clean and tidy – Gareth was ever organised. She gave the work surfaces a cursory wipe down and checked the washing basket for ironing. He had been so pleasantly surprised at the way she had ironed his shirts without tram lines on the sleeves that he included that task in her duties, upping her money to ten pounds as a result. Finishing that chore, she retrieved the vacuum cleaner from the cupboard under the stairs. Dragging it into the lounge, she bent, plugging the appliance in at the wall. As she straightened up, the sunlight that flooded that room glinted on three objects, catching her eye. On the table at the far end of the long plush settee the sun bounced off the metallic objects. Leaving the cleaner where it stood, she walked across the room to the table. There in plain sight were three handguns, carefully positioned on a cloth that draped the table, protecting its highly polished surface from the metal. Lisa had only ever seen guns like this in films and was taken aback to discover three sidearms laying out in full view. She was afraid to handle them for fear of setting one off by mistake, yet curiosity getting the better of her she scanned them closely.

Deep in thought, she hadn’t heard the door open or Gareth’s hasty entrance. He had been at the office, unable to concentrate, Lisa flooding his every waking thought. What would she be doing now … He looked at his watch; she would be cleaning up a storm. He froze.

‘Oh dear god,’ he exclaimed out loud, and grabbed his car keys. Racing to his car, he sped off toward the cottage. On his arrival he composed himself as he walked through the lounge door, taking in the scenario that faced him.

‘I am so sorry, Lisa, I forgot to lock them away after I cleaned them last evening. I brought them home from the gun club to inspect them and forgot about them.’

Lisa smiled, totally at ease with the explanation he proffered, being blissfully ignorant of the fact that sidearms were illegal in the United Kingdom unless kept under lock and key at a licensed gun club, each carrying a five-year prison sentence for possession. Gareth quickly removed the Smith & Wesson, Glock, and Colt from the table, taking them into his bedroom and placing them in the metal gun case that he kept at the back of his wardrobe. ‘Careless,’ he muttered under his breath, ‘very careless.’

They sat at the table, chatting about horses, a common interest although he had no formal training in equitation. He found Lisa’s passion infectious, delighting in her antics and the way she sparkled when she spoke. ‘Mine,’ he thought to himself, ‘I have to have her.’

John Metcalf’s moods had become increasingly unstable, dropping him to the depths of despair, his only solace found at the bottom of a bottle. His drinking was out of control, spilling over into his workplace and eventually culminating in his dismissal. Lisa suddenly found herself the only breadwinner in the family, the monies she earned having to keep them plus the horses that she had acquired. She made sure that little Lynette, John, and the horses were fed, often going without nourishment herself as John showed little inclination towards pulling himself out of his malaise.

Gareth arrived home for lunch, the happiest time of his day, Lisa greeting him with a beaming smile that warmed his world. Placing his lunch before him, she asked, ‘Do you mind if I make a sandwich for myself?’

‘Of course not, please help yourself.’ He was puzzled and a little concerned.

‘You can dock it from my wages,’ she offered, but he frowned at the thought, shaking his head. As his eyes wandered over her body, luxuriating in the feast before them, he noted that she had dropped weight.

‘Is everything ok with you, Lisa?’ he enquired.

‘I haven’t eaten in three days,’ she said under her breath, a little ashamed.

‘Why on earth not?’ His alarm was obvious at the revelation. She explained as they ate lunch together that she was now the only wage earner in the family and the circumstances that had brought about the situation. Finishing lunch, she removed the cups and plates to the sink. As she turned, the heat from the proximity of Gareth’s body hit her as he pulled her into his arms. Cupping her face with his hands he kissed her as she had never been kissed before, tasting her lips, nipping, sucking, relishing every last morsel. She melted into his body, responding to his every move. He suddenly realized that this was fast approaching the point of no return for him, as Lisa’s body yielded to his touch. He felt that he was taking advantage of her, after all she was a married woman, and a mother, he stopped. Apologising, he released her from his embrace.

‘Please don’t apologise,’ she whispered, ‘it was wonderful.’ The whole of her being flushed with desire; no man had ever touched her, held her, kissed her as he did. She had no idea that Gareth had never kissed a woman before. Seeing the longing in her face, he kissed her deeply for a second time.

‘I wish for there to be many more such occasions.’ His voice, trembling, filled with hope.

Gareth was beginning to feel overwhelmed by what had just happened, feelings that where alien to him. He made his excuses to leave and, climbing into his car, he drove to the top of the road on which the cottage stood, pulling over and stopping the car. Burying his face in his hands, he sobbed, his feelings rolling over him like thunder, the release of emotions – love, passion, and guilt intermingled – reducing him to the wreck of the man whose tear-stained face stared back at him through the mirror. Never before had he experienced such an outpouring; control was his strength, a strength that he learned as a little boy locked in a dark cupboard under the stairs of his parents’ grand home, the strength that kept him together.

In the wake of his stepfathers treachery Gareth resolved to branch out on his own, and to that end he entered into talks with a variety of legal people looking to make names for themselves; he was only interested in the best, those hungry for success. Once he had his team primed, he would have a party at his home to introduce them to their colleagues and launch his new venture. During their next lunch together, Gareth invited Lisa to attend his little soiree.

‘What will you do about the food?’ she inquired, glowing with pride. Attention to detail was her forte where food was concerned.

‘I will hire caterers to sort it out,’ he answered casually. Convincing him that she could do a better job than any caterers and for half the price, it was agreed that she would be allowed free rein. While he didn’t wholeheartedly embrace the idea at first, believing that she worked hard enough, he did see an opportunity to ease her financial situation by paying a decent sum for her efforts. Lisa had worked for Gareth seven and a half months now, and he had never been happier. He was looking forward to the party and introducing her to his colleagues.

Gareth marvelled at the wonderful spread Lisa had prepared, pride of place taken by a large roast turkey and silverside of beef for them to carve as they pleased. She laid out platters filled with a cornucopia of tasty morsels to tempt even the fussiest palate. She arranged and rearranged until everything was perfect to her eye. Gareth had made sure there was a well-stocked bar that would grease the wheels of camaraderie for those in attendance. The scene was set as his guests arrived, ten of the sharpest legal minds around. Steve Ferzackerly and Ray Arrowsmith were the first to arrive. Steve had known Gareth since middle school, both meeting up with Ray at Cambridge University, where they studied law together.

Gareth beamed as he introduced Lisa to them, her charms not going unnoticed by Steve as they hugged her in turn. She wore a black calf-length pencil skirt, black high-heeled court shoes and a cream short sleeved blouse that was tucked in at the waist and opened to reveal a delicate camisole top beneath, showing just the right amount of cleavage. Her thick highlighted locks framed her face and cascaded over her shoulders. Gareth’s gaze was never far from Lisa during the course of the evening, watching as she circulated. She was stunning, yet her naivety, which was part of her allure, needed his protection as she was swimming with the sharks. Steve made a beeline for her as she alighted on the large, comfortable plush couch. Sitting closer he draped his arm around her shoulders – he had been drinking solidly all evening freeing his inhibitions. He found her to be an absolute delight and, emboldened by the drink, he flirted with her as Gareth watched from across the room.

Lisa excused herself, heading towards the door that led to the stairs. As she took the first stair she was pulled back and pushed up against the wall. Steve had followed her and was intent on taking a taste of this delectable morsel.

‘Hi gorgeous, can I give you a hand?’ He pushed his body against Lisa’s just as Gareth came round the door.

‘Go away,’ Lisa laughed, unaware of the implications, thinking Steve harmless, just wasted, as she would put it.

Gareth gripped his arm, making Steve flinch. ‘Leave her alone,’ he growled.

Steve, holding his hands up, capitulated. ‘Ok mate.’ Turning, he watched hungrily as Lisa climbed the stairs. Turning back to face Gareth, smiling, he said, ‘I am going to bed her before the night is out.’

Steve’s feet didn’t touch the ground as he was man handled back into the lounge. Gareth called Ray over, instructing him to ‘Get him out of here before I do.’ Ray knew better than to question an order and loaded Steve into the taxi that he had called. The evening went without further incidents and was declared a resounding success by all in attendance. As the last of the merrymakers left, Gareth and Lisa were faced with the debris that they had left behind. Lisa started to collect the empty plates.

‘Leave that, I will sort it out tomorrow. Come and sit down.’ Gareth grabbed her, and pushing her down on the couch he started to kiss her. God, how he wanted her, his growing erection bearing witness to that fact, taking his breath away. He consumed her greedily, wanting to possess every inch of her. Standing he reached out and took her hand. Rising to her feet, she followed him, her whole being intoxicated by his touch.

Heading for the stairs, he paused, and turning to Lisa softly said the words, ‘You just have to say no.’ She smiled and squeezed his hand. Heartened by her response, he led her up the stairs to his bedroom. Gareth had never known this level of intimacy with a woman, his virginity still intact. He was frightened, visibly shaking; he wanted every moment to be perfection, to give her what she desired, to satisfy her every need. He faltered for a moment, hearing his own trembling voice say, ‘I have never been with a woman, Lisa, I am a virgin.’

She laughed, replying, ‘Right, Lynette was an immaculate conception too.’ How could this beautiful Adonis of man still be a virgin, she thought. Smiling weakly at her she immediately knew it to be true; his expression said it all. She pulled him toward her, kissing him hard and full. He responded immediately. God, how she loved this man – he was everything she had dreamt of, yet she always settled for less than she deserved. She took his hand, placing it on her breast. He kneaded her gently, smiling cheekily, but this wasn’t enough – he needed to feel the soft skin of her breast against his hand. Pushing his hand inside her top he brushed his fingers over the hard nub of her nipple. She grabbed his shirt at the waist, pulling it free. He instinctively raised his arms over his head, then realised she would not be able to reach up that far; bending forward he pulled the shirt over his head, revealing his ripped torso and muscular arms. Running her hands over his flat washboard stomach she leant forward, taking his nipple in her mouth, licking, sucking, teasing, driving him wild. He threw his head back and moaned. He was barely holding on, his orgasm’s aching insistence rising in the pit of his stomach. Carefully he removed the blouse and camisole top, and fumbling with her bra he released her perfect breasts. Unable to take his eyes from them, he caressed ever inch. Lisa worked quickly, undoing the clasp at his waistband and unzipping his pants. Pushing her hand inside his briefs she grabbed and held his steel-hard cock, stroking, kneading, caressing his balls, relishing every moan he uttered. His building orgasm was reaching critical mass.

‘I am going to explode, it’s too quick,’ he gasped. Lisa smiled, her eyes sparkling. ‘You’re wicked,’ he gasped, smiling his sexy come-hither smile. He pushed her onto the bed, removing her skirt and panties, pulling them down over her raised legs, his greedy eyes taking in her every curve. He pulled her naked body upright towards him. Turning her round, he kissed her neck, running his hand down the full length of her body, his erection nestled between the globes of her buttocks. His fingers stroked her denuded mons, penetrating her pouting, warm, juicy cleft, rubbing her clitoris rhythmically. Lisa pulled him onto the bed, spreading her legs. Gareth removed his jeans, taking hold of his engorged cock and pushing it deep into Lisa’s hot, soft, inviting depths, the sensation almost sealing the deal. Summoning every ounce of restraint, he pushed himself deeper, wildly kissing and caressing her body as he shook. Lisa, feeling him tremble, pushed him over onto his back and impaled herself again on his rigid cock, riding him deep and hard towards his release. Gareth moaned out loud, his whole being totally overwhelmed as his seed flooded into the safety of Lisa’s keeping, his eyes filled with tears.

As they held each other in the afterglow of their love, Lisa leant forward, looking into his eyes. she smiled and said, ‘Did the earth move for you?’ totally disarming the situation for Gareth, dissolving them both into hysterical laughter. Luxuriating in the feel of each other’s bodies, they lay together for some time before Gareth exclaimed that he had never felt anything like that before in his life. Lisa found the revelation hard to accept, but he continued to say that he had heard his colleagues discuss oral sex and had wondered what they were talking about, referring to it as a blowjob. ‘So you won’t have experienced oral sex at all then?’ she quizzed. He shook his head. ‘Let me sort that out for you now then.’

The gleam in her eye and look on her face jumpstarted his erection, filling his eyes with wonder. She kissed and sucked her way down his torso, reaching for his hardening cock with one hand, his balls with the other, and gently squeezing them she lowered her mouth, easing his foreskin back, engulfing the end of his cock. Running her tongue over the domed head and rubbing the lip of his glans with the tip of her tongue, squeezing, kneading, sucking, driving him over the edge as he grabbed at the bedding, he came, filling her mouth as he ejaculated.

‘Oh my god, I am so sorry,’ he gasped, ‘I lost it completely,’ feeling the colour burning his cheeks he blushed and kept apologising. Not Lisa’s favourite part of the evening, but she discreetly deposited his ejaculate at the top of his thigh, reassuring him that it was fine. He reached for a tissue from the bedside drawers, wiping the offending deposit away. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, wrapping himself around her they drifted off into a deep, contented sleep.

As dawn broke, Lisa stirred, feeling hot and sticky, Gareth’s body coiled round her like a boa round its prey. In tune to her movement, his eyes opened, filled with lust and longing. Lisa smiled. ‘Would it be ok to have a shower before I go to the horses? I am feeling hot.’

‘Not nearly hot enough yet. Let’s sort that out, shall we?’ As he rolled over her with a smile that could charm the gods, she reached down between his legs to discover his rampant member.

‘Oh, you’re feeling perky? Then let’s try something different.’ She pushed him away and, turning over, rose to her knees, presenting him with the delectable rump that he had always desired to sink his teeth into. She wiggled it provocatively at him, trying to ease the anxiety she knew he was beginning to feel.

As she looked over her shoulder at him he could see the wicked glint in her eye, which made him think ‘Right, lady, game on.’ Grabbing her hips he sank his teeth into each perfect globe, making her squeal with delight. He couldn’t hold back any longer, sinking his throbbing penis deep into her, far deeper than before. Lisa pushed back against his hard body as he powerfully chased his release. Totally spent, he slumped on the bed, playfully pulling Lisa towards him.