No Ordinary Love (High Rise Novella Three) (8 page)

“Enough about me.” Alex drew Maddie in for a kiss, their first of the day, and embraced her for long minutes. “Let’s focus on you.”

“What did you have in mind?” Maddie shot her a broad smile.

Alex looked around. “I presume hand cuffs are out of the question?”
 

Maddie nodded and winked.
 

“I’ll pick up where I left off earlier then.” Alex pushed Maddie down again, her hand trailing down along Maddie’s belly.

“Sounds just about perfect to me.” Maddie pulled Alex close for a kiss while Alex slipped a finger inside the heat between her legs.

MADDIE

Maddie followed Alex into the shower cubicle. It was Wednesday night after Alex’s last class of the day and all she’d been able to think about for the past hour was Alex’s body slammed against the tiled wall of the shower.

“What are you doing?” Alex planted her hands on her hips. Quite the sight when she was completely naked. “Get out of here.”

Maddie inched closer and covered Alex’s hands with hers. She knew full well Alex didn’t mess around with displays of affection at work. She’d wink at Maddie during class, but even that gesture had grown less frequent as their affair had progressed.

“I’d like to stay.”

Alex shook Maddie’s hands off her. “No way,” she whispered. “I can get fired for this.”

“I know it’s not your speciality, but you’ll have to be extra quiet then.” Maddie turned on the tab and manoeuvred Alex against the wall.

Alex took a deep breath and put her hands on Maddie’s shoulders. “I know you used to get off on office sex, but I thought you were past that now.”
 

“Ouch.” Water splashed around them and Alex’s hair started to cling to her forehead in delicious wet strands. Maddie backed off.

Alex’s black eyes shot daggers at Maddie. She wasn’t kidding.

“Get out of my cubicle and make sure no one sees you.” Her voice was low and gravelly. She looked a little bit turned on. Or maybe it was an angry side of her Maddie hadn’t yet had the pleasure to encounter.

“Okay. I’m going.” Maddie gave Alex her cool sexy stare and for the first time ever it didn’t seem to have any effect. Dejected, she stuck her head out of the door, made sure no one was around and ducked into the shower cubicle across from Alex.

Angry Alex was hot, especially without clothes and with water raining down her body. Maddie imagined it was Alex who rubbed the soap into her skin and washed her hair, not gently, but with firm movements supported by strong muscles. She couldn’t wait to get home.

When they towelled off and got dressed in the communal area, Alex turned her back to Maddie. Maddie could only imagine the brooding fury in her eyes as she watched Alex’s muscles flex while she slipped into her clothes.

On their way out, Alex still hadn’t said a word. It wasn’t until the door of the gym was firmly shut behind them that Alex blew a fuse.

“Don’t you ever put me in that position again,” she hissed, loud enough for Maddie to hear but hushed enough to not provide passers-by with unexpected entertainment. “This is my job. There are rules and I stick to them. I believe in ethical—” Alex halted mid-rant. Her mouth fell open and her expression changed into one Maddie had only seen once before.

Maddie spun on her heels and stared straight into Rita Lowe’s face.

“Trouble in paradise?” Rita’s voice was clear and sultry. It was odd to stand so close to her, facing off really.

Alex regained composure much quicker than last time. Maybe the mood she’d been in before had something to do with it. Maddie had never seen her so feisty. Hands balled into fists and lips drawn tight.

“I realise my teaching schedule is freely available online, but I don’t take kindly to stalking.” She took a step closer to Maddie, whose heart thumped frantically in her chest. “Whatever it is you have to say, Rita. Or whatever prop from our past you want to give me that you rendered meaningless the day you started fucking Peggy, I’m not interested.” Alex grabbed Maddie’s hand. “I told you I’m seeing someone.” Her fingers trembled against Maddie’s palm. “This is Maddie, my girlfriend.” Alex huddled closer and Maddie flung a protective arm around her shoulder.

“Nice to meet you, Rita.” Maddie painted the most friendly fake smile on her lips she could muster and extended her free hand.
 

“And you.” Rita shook her hand with a firm grip. “I’d best be on my way.” A forced grin played on her face. She nodded at Alex and walked up the platform leading to the escalator.

Maddie’s heart jumped in her chest. Alex couldn’t have chosen her in a more obvious way. She faced her and dragged her into her arms.

“Are you all right?”

Alex circled her arms around Maddie’s middle. “You’ll take any excuse to hug me in front of my work place.” She nuzzled her nose into Maddie’s neck.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I was out of line.”

“You’re such a nymphomaniac. I can’t take you anywhere.”

“I’m only a maniac for you, babe.” Maddie loosened herself from their embrace. “And you have no idea how happy you just made me.”

“Shunning my stalking, manipulative, cheating ex in front of you, you mean? That was the easy part.” A crooked smile tugged at the corners of Alex’s mouth. Maddie knew she was acting much tougher than she felt. She’d sensed the incontrollable tremor in Alex’s fingers when she’d addressed Rita. She’d heard the uneasiness beneath the steel in her voice.

“Oh yeah?” Maddie didn’t know if she should push for more of a conversation on the topic or not.

“The hard part will be getting you in those cuffs later on, to punish you for your lewd behaviour.”

“It’s best to set the record straight from the start, babe. It’s never going to happen.”

“Have you met these?” Alex flexed her biceps and guided Maddie’s hand toward the impressive bulge forming underneath her jacket sleeve.

“Best get me home now before I have to resort to inappropriate actions in the vicinity of the gym again.” Maddie curled her hand around Alex’s arm at bicep height and coaxed her towards the escalator.

“I do have other ways of punishing you. I hope you realise that.” Alex’s face was all cheekiness. Her dark eyes lighting up and body relaxing. “The weather should be ideal for a leisurely stroll along the Dragon’s Back this weekend. What do you think?”

“I’ll take the hand cuffs.”

ALEX

“Maddie and I bumped into Rita last night.” Alex and Nat sat across from each other at Munchies. Two girls at a table nearby had been looking at Nat longingly for the twenty minutes they’d been there. Nat had been staring back a bit too much for Alex’s comfort.

“What?” This got Nat’s full attention. “An ultimate lesbian drama moment. Tell me all about it.”

“I told her to bugger off.”

“Who? Maddie or Rita?” A huge smile split Nat’s face. “Just kidding, Pizza.”

Alex mock-smiled. “Not even remotely funny, Orange.” Alex took stock of the girls. They looked about seventeen, but were probably in their mid-twenties. They seemed like the exact type Nat would have gone for before things heated up between her and Isabella. “And what are you doing making eyes at those girls?”

“Lighten up. Isabella and I are not exclusive, you know.”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up. “Does Isabella know that?”

“What do you mean? I know you’re of the more prudish variety, but isn’t that implied at the beginning of any courtship?” Nat openly ogled the girls now and Alex stiffened at the sound of their giggles cutting through the air.

“No. Of course it’s not.” Alex leaned over the table. “Are you saying you’ve been seeing other people?” Alex hesitated for a second. “Since you and Isabella got together?”

“I haven’t been going out of my way to meet them. Isabella keeps me pretty occupied.” Nat met Alex halfway across the table. “And satisfied, I must add. But sometimes, when one is out and about, things…happen.”

“What sort of things?” Alex couldn’t believe it. Maybe she’d been living under a rock of late, what with Rita resurfacing and the intensifying of her relationship with Maddie, but she’d assumed Nat and Isabella were a done deal from the beginning. She’d certainly never suspected Nat was still up to her old tricks.

“No need to make a big deal out of it, Pizza.”
 

The smug smile on Nat’s face drove Alex crazy. She could deal with Nat the philanderer when she’d been single, but she couldn’t accept that kind of behaviour now she was with Isabella.

“If you’re cheating on Isabella, I swear to you, I’ll never speak to you again.” Alex realised she’d recently fallen victim to over-complicating the matters of the heart in her own life, but this was just ludicrous.

“I’m not cheating on her. We simply haven’t set the boundaries of our relationship yet. It’s only been a few weeks and I’m not sure if I’ll ever choose monogamy again.”

Alex was at a loss for words. She knew the person sitting in front of her inside and out, but she’d never expected this. She’d always believed Nat’s loose ways were a means to waste time until the right woman came along.
 

Then it hit her.
 

She looked into Nat’s bright blue eyes and realised her best friend was scared out of her mind. Nathalie Orange was afraid Isabella would break her heart the way Claire had done and she was reacting in typical Nat fashion.

“I know it’s scary. All these new crazy feelings crashing down on you and the insecurity accompanying them, but there are other ways to deal with them.”

“Like regular exercise, you mean? Alessandra Pozzato’s cure for everything.” Nat went on the defence. Alex knew she’d hit the nail on the head.

“Please, talk to Isabella about this before you ruin something really good.”

“Don’t worry about it, Pizza. Isabella and I are fine. I like her, a lot. Despite the fact she’s fifty and, by the odd chance we’re still together in ten years, she’ll be sixty by the time I’m in my mid-forties. That’s a woman’s prime, you know.” Nat eased back into her chair, her eyes darting to the table with the girls. “Look at them. The very image of youth. Not a laughter line visible on their face and all they do is giggle.”

“You speak as if you’re about to start menopause. That’s very dramatic, even for you.” Alex eyed the girls. They did nothing for her.

“Drama is my job.” Nat sighed. “And I’ve come to know too much about menopause for someone my age.”

Alex dug her wallet out of her bag and put some bills on the table. “Come on. I’m getting you out of here before you do something you’ll regret.” She extended her hand and Nat took it. She made Alex work for it and didn’t cooperate when she dragged her out of her chair.

“How many?” Alex asked when they were on their way back home.

“How many what?” Nat’s face was the picture of innocence, as if she didn’t know what Alex meant.

Alex stopped to look her in the eye. “How many girls since you started dating Isabella?”

“Does it matter?” Nat shrugged.

“It should.” Alex suddenly felt like someone’s mother. “I know you Nat. I know why you do what you do. I’ve also never seen your eyes so vibrant and your demeanour so gentle as when you’re with her. Do this for yourself.”

“I won’t fuck it up. I promise. I just need some time to get used to the idea of getting seriously involved with someone again.”

“Okay.” Alex slapped Nat on the behind. “Now get your ass home so I can lock you in your office until dinner time.”

“No wonder Maddie spanks you. You’re insufferable sometimes.” Nat leapt out of Alex’s way before she could slap her again. Alex smiled and followed her flatmate home.

MADDIE

Maddie and Isabella shared a taxi to Copyright, the book store hosting the launch of Nat’s first translated book in Chinese. Isabella looked out of the window, a sparse smile on her face.

“You must be excited for her,” Maddie said. “Hell, even I’m excited.”

“Sure. It’s all very thrilling.” Isabella didn’t turn to Maddie when she spoke.

“What’s wrong?” Maddie hadn’t heard of any trouble. She did sometimes wonder if the fact that she was Isabella’s best friend kept Alex from sharing certain information about Nat with her. But that was Alex’s business and she couldn’t blame her if she did.

Isabella sighed. “It’s not that I had expected her to be, but…she’s not faithful. And now that her books are being published in Chinese, she’ll get even more offers she won’t be able to refuse.” She fidgeted with her hands in her lap. “It’s as if everyone in this city wants a piece of Nathalie Orange and all I get are leftovers. I’m not sure I can live with that.”

“But…” Maddie was stumped for words. “You guys seem so happy.”

“We are. That’s what makes it so frustrating.” Isabella finally faced Maddie. “I don’t know if she expects me to know or if she thinks I’m stupid. Either way, it hasn’t been a topic of conversation yet.”

“Are you sure?” Maddie had heard all about Nat’s three-year stay in Trampville, but she’d thought that had ended once she’d gotten into bed with Isabella.

Isabella nodded. “Of course I’m sure. It’s not as if she goes to great lengths to hide it. She just won’t talk about it. When we’re together it’s this frenzy of sex and lust and hormones and, frankly, I find myself unable to bring it up. And yes, I know how ridiculous that sounds coming from my mouth.”

The taxi driver sighed as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders because he was stuck in cross-harbour traffic.
 

“What will you do?” Maddie imagined Alex cheating on her and winced at the idea.

“She claims she moved to Hong Kong because of the anonymity, but I see how she revels in the attention she gets. She loves the spotlight, no matter what she says. And she’s grown so accustomed to a certain lifestyle. I’m not entirely sure I fit into her plans.”

“But you’re in love with her.” Maddie moved a little closer to Isabella, as if proximity could make it right.

“That I am.” Isabella sucked her bottom lip into her mouth.
 

After a long minute of silence in which Maddie had no idea what to say, Isabella took a deep breath and continued.

“I’m quite sure she doesn’t deliberately want to hurt me. I’m smart enough to figure out her reasons and I do know she’s in love with me too. There’s no way she’d be with me otherwise, but the differences between us are so huge.”