Richer Ground (12 page)

“You're kinda cute when you show off.”

“Why thank you, sweetheart...” They sat sipping silently for a moment. “So, how about it... Shall I ask him to cast his net?... Dad has a lot of contacts.”

“No,” she snapped. She found the whole thing a little embarrassing and humiliating.

“Fine. Have it your way,” he huffed.

“It's my life. I'll do what I like with it.”

“I know that Ali. But think about it, that's all I ask.”

“Okay, I'll think.”

He put down his wine and lay down on his side, stroking her denim covered leg with his finger.

His tone changed quickly.

“I missed you today... It was dead boring hanging around here on my own. I was restless and kept pacing around, like a caged animal.”

“You should have gone swimming or to the gym,” she suggested, “that would have got rid of some your pent up energy.”

“I'm out of my stride with the fitness regime. I'm sure I'll get back into it, but right now I've got other things on my mind.”

She put her wine down and turned on her side to face him, snuggling up close. Her heart was picking up a pace with excitement. She ran her hand through his carefully arranged silky hair, and then down around his stubble roughened face. Finally, she placed a finger on his warm lips.

“Me too... I broke four glasses today, I was so distracted. But even worse... I called Mrs Simpson ‘Mandy’ instead of Wendy. She wasn't impressed.”

He grinned and then licked her finger.

“That was very naughty of you.”

“Damn stupid, more like. Hopefully my new trainee management status isn't revoked as a result of it. Anyway, enough about that. Put some music on and ravish me to death.”

“What would you like to listen to?”

“What have you got?” she probed.

“Everything... classical, chart, rap, pop, R&B, jazz, country.”

“Put something typically 'you' on... Give me a Richer blast of sound. Make it a long blast, so you don't have to get up too soon.”

“I'm on it.” He rose from the bed and plugged his phone in the speaker dock on the chest of drawers. He flicked around on the phone and turned up the volume to a perfect level.

She sat quietly surprised at his choice.

“I wouldn't have thought this was you at all.”

“I tend to like female vocalists the best. Beautiful voices. Like Lana del Rey, Nora Jones, this is my favourite girl though, Corrine. Perfect little catch to her voice, it sends chills all over me. She's hot background.”

“I don't think I know Corrine.”

“Yes you do...” He got up and reset the track to another, turning towards her with a big smile.

He lay down again and kissed her nose.

“‘Put Your Records On' … Oh yes. I know this one.” She started to sing along to the chorus. It was too catchy not to.

“You've got a pretty good voice yourself. Pretty all over,” he said, and stopped her mid flow with a long, long kiss. She groped him all over, her hands a wild teasing frenzy as his tongue assaulted hers.

She came up for air.

“Oh God Rick...! I love the way you kiss me. I can't stop thinking about it all day.”

“Just my kissing?”

“It's the innocent side of us. It's the only thing I can think about without having an accident..”

“I like innocent at times, it's simple and sweet. Let's do that, shall we... Just us and plain old vanilla sex.”

“Missionary position and eyes shut?” she joked.

“Whatever floats your boat...”

“You float my boat Mr hot stuff, do whatever you want. I trust you,” she giggled.

He pulled her tightly against him and the heat took off between them like an erupting volcano.

Her heart squeezed and butterflies flew around in her stomach. She almost wanted to cry with happiness when she was in his arms like this.

The way she felt about him right now, she needed to keep to herself.

He decided against vanilla sex and descended to lick her senseless instead.

A long while later he'd just about succeeded. Her legs unwrapped themselves from around his head.

“Oh no, not again... please... I can't take anymore... I'm all over-sensitised and sore...” she gasped, trying to squirm away from his stubbly chin.

He climbed up her and lay at her side, stroking her face.

“Can I ask you to do something for me?”

“Ask away... “

He stroked her pubic hair.

“Get rid of this. I like it smooth.”

Why wasn't she surprised at this little revelation?

“I can't be bothered with the upkeep. Shaving's a pain and itchy in between.”

“Tell me about it. But it’ll make things even better. And besides, hair sucks from my point of view. Literally.”

“As I said... No way Jose.”

“I'll do it as well.”

“Oh ha ha... You'd really shave your stick?”

“If you shave your pussy.”

She looked at him for a moment, considering it. Then a grin broke out on her face, and a bigger one on his.

“Right. I'll do you. And you can do me. Get in the bathroom lover-boy.”

He turned from the sink and placed a long tube of Sally Hansen cream in her hand.

“What's this?”

“It's much nicer than razors... and it's odour free apparently. Slap it on me girl, nice and thick.”

“Honestly Richer, you're a real bad boy. You actually planned this?”

“Mmmm.”

“I was going to give your ass a rest tonight, but now I might have to spank you again for being so damned naughty.”

He sighed loudly, his whole chest heaving up and down as she displayed her new hair free smoothness.

It had taken quite a while, a lot of waiting and standing in an awkward position, in hysterical laughter most of the time. But the rinsing each other off, with the shower head at close quarters, had been more than pleasant.

“Pretty and smooth enough for you?” she asked sweetly, posing provocatively.

“I'm speechless for once.” His eyes were glued.

“Let's get our new looks re-acquainted, shall we...” She took his hand and led him back to the bed. “It'll have to be a quickie as it's half past three.”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

Her eyes dipped down to his rather gorgeous hair free parts with appreciation as he knelt on the bed at her side.

“You look even bigger now, you know,” she said, grabbing him by the cock and pulling him down on top of her.

“So, you like, do you?” His grin couldn't get any wider.

“Mmmm, do I like!”

The next four days passed in a blur of entertaining Debra, and the pair of them sneaking off for some plain vanilla, naughty, and extremely bad debauched sex. Whatever they could fit in, without being too obvious. Plus, of course, some annoying work squashed in between the mix.

Debs was coming out of her shell all right. She was quite funny when the mood took her, and she and Alista had started to gel as friends.

They sat giggling conspiratorially on Rick's sofa, late Wednesday morning, reading about the men in the Big Brother house. He was writing out his monthly report and sorting out his emails on his laptop. She was due in work at one.

Alista raised her fingers and twiddled with her earrings. She went hot and cold with realisation. One was missing. She stood up in a panic, looking around where she was sitting with frantic eyes. Not seeing any sign of it, she flew upstairs to search her clothing, the bedroom, and bathroom.

Nothing anywhere... Not under the bed, or in the bed, or in the shower...

She shook out the towel, tipped out her bag... She was desperate...

Oh no...  And I didn't even insure them yet...Oh my God, oh fuck...

Tears gathered in her eyes. Her tiny, valuable, platinum and diamond earring could have gone down the plughole, or dropped anywhere... In the garden, the pub, or any number of places over the last couple of days.

She didn't know what to do. Her heart beat wildly. She turned as she heard his footsteps as he came upstairs and into the bedroom.

“For fuck’s sake. What's up? Why did you run off suddenly and what on earth are you jumping around up here slamming all the wardrobe doors?”

“
No reason
...” she snivelled loudly. She couldn't cover it up.

“Tell me!” he demanded, looking at her panic stricken face.

“No!” she said, running downstairs and out the front door, not sure what she was doing. She needed to get away and think.

He caught her up half way down the drive.

“Stop right there, missy.”

“I've lost one of your earrings...” she blurted out with a sob.

“That's okay.... it's insured, isn't it?” He hugged her to him.

“
No
,”  she sniffed, tears flooding everywhere.

“What?”

“
You heard
,” she choked.

“I can't believe you didn't insure it!”

“Why didn't you insure it for me?” she snivelled and sobbed.

“Ali, they're your earrings for crying out loud... you stupid, useless little bitch...” He ground out angrily.

“Don't say that. It's all your fault! You shouldn't have given them to me... The most I've ever paid for earrings is £9.99 in Claire's Accessories. I've never needed jewellery insurance in my life, and it slipped my mind” she spluttered, sniffing...

“Slipped your mind? Oh shut up... You obviously have no clue how to look after valuable things, despite being an adult. And I quite agree, in hindsight... I shouldn't have given them to you. But don't you dare blame me for this, you're just so....so...”

“So what...? Go on then... Fucking say it....” she taunted him with venom.

“Stupid, useless... and so common.”

“You fucking stuck up bastard. Go stick your diamonds up your ass...”

She shrugged him off with a wild sob and ran away. Down the drive and all the way home. He didn't follow. She'd left her phone, her purse, her keys...

After retrieving the spare key from the shed, she let herself in.

She puffed out a heavy sigh of abject misery as she plonked herself down on the sofa mindlessly.

She was hurt. That he'd taken on so and insulted her. But most of all angry with herself for being so careless and useless with the most beautiful, expensive present she'd ever been given. Despite being at work, he'd taken the time and thought to get the earrings cut and mounted with the best platinum and to give them to her in that sweet little gift wrapped box. And she couldn't get herself organised enough to remember to make one five minute phone call to an insurance company?

She went to work in a distraught haze. Her chest and mind heaving. She couldn't raise a smile or a cheery word with anyone, all night. Eventually, a rather displeased Tim sent her home at seven. Her mood didn't look good behind the bar, he'd said. And it was quiet anyway.

Her mum arrived home from Paris at eight that evening. Her ears barely took in a word she said.

Eiffel Tower... blah, blah...something or other. The Seine and a boat... something even more exciting, apparently, based on the tone of her voice... and Jasper was all so lovey dovey... That seemed to be the theme running throughout.

How lovely...

And it was all
so
special.

Super fucking duper.

Earth shattering and life changing news, she was sure.

Just great...

“I'm so happy for you mum,” she announced in as cheerful a voice as she could summon up. “I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'm not feeling at all well at the moment. Really dreadful headache.”

She shot upstairs, past Radleigh, who was on his way down.

“Looking forward to the big do are 'ya? It'll be fun. us hob-nobbing, like...”

“A laugh a second, I'm sure.”

“ What colour hair are you going for... orange, green, blue, like...”

Radleigh was always poking fun at her hair colouring habit. Albeit light heartedly. It wasn't as if she changed it that dramatically though... It was always, brown... or some shade of brown. Hot brown, warm brown, dark brown. Brown and browner... and boring.

Maybe she should go crazy with it.

Fuck the world.

“Sorry... bad head, need to lie down Rad.” She rushed into her room and threw herself on her bed.

She went to work in a miserable mood Thursday afternoon. She was on the one to nine shift again. Thursday's were usually even more dead than Wednesdays. She was desperate to see and speak to Rick but wanted him to make the first move. To sweep her off her feet with his apology. He had a really mean mouth when he got going.