Un-Break my Heart: Book 2 (The Heart Trilogy) (29 page)

“Not yours” I repeated “How can he not be, he looks just like you except for the eyes but I guess he gets green from Felicity” it was my turn for the words to trail off. Only moments ago I had been staring her down in the rest room and her eyes were cold, ice blue.

“Fucking hell” I breathed, just before I heard Naomi approaching with a glass of water and a glass of champagne.

We both sat in silence as the knowledge sunk in, his hand held mine so tightly I could feel it starting to go numb.

“Here’s your water Stephanie, are you feeling ok now as Greg sent this champagne” Naomi said, setting the glasses down on the table. I picked up the water and took a long slow gulp and felt it cooling the angry heat that was burning deep inside of me. Naomi was trying not to stare at the gorgeous guy holding her new boss’ hand at the table.

“Naomi this is James, James meet Naomi my receptionist” I managed.

“Would you like me to bring you a drink, Greg is buying” she asked James.

“Yes, whiskey and soda” he said “I need it”

Naomi hurried back to the bar and we watched her exchange a quick word with Greg and then she was back with the drink.

Suddenly a shrill tapping broke through the throng of merriment and I could see it was Greg holding a glass.

“I’d like to propose a toast to all the staff at Love Shack radio and especially my beautiful station manager, Stephanie” Greg said. I watched his eyes search me out to find me in the corner as he raised his glass to his lips. James looked across at me and I smiled and looked embarrassed. Then he tapped his glass against mine and said

“I couldn’t agree with him more, but I think he needs to know that you are mine”

Jack chose that moment to head over and pulled up a seat at the table.

“Hi James, are you ok now Steph”

“Yes Jack I’m fine now just felt a bit faint hitting the heat after the cold outside”

Jack headed back to join the rest of the party and I turned back to my man.

“Greg’s been trying it on a little ever since he offered me the job but I’ve been fending him off in a nice way as I don’t need him to change his mind”

“Well that explains everything” James said, a smile starting to play on his features. I could still see his inner battle through the blue of his eyes as he continued to hold my hand.

“This has not quite been the quiet drink I had imagined” I said, softly.

“Why not come back to mine tonight and just head home early tomorrow morning” James suggested.

“Now that sounds like a good idea” I said “Shall we go”

James stood up and pulled me to my feet. Then he enfolded me into his arms and as I inclined my head and closed my eyes his lips touched mine. It seemed to last forever and I let it wash away the earlier fears I had faced. Walking towards the door I paused and let Greg come over to us.

“Hi Greg, I’m James” he said, holding out his hand.

“Good to meet you James and you are Stephanie’s?”

“Childhood sweetheart” James declared, squeezing me closer into his body.

“Oh……that’s great” Greg said, struggling with the words but hiding it well.

“Going so soon Stephanie” Greg asked, turning to me.

“Afraid so Greg, but you stay and party and I’ll speak to you soon” Just before the door closed behind us I heard Felicity’s voice

“Gregory, would you like another drink”

Walking back to the compound we drove home in convoy. We foun
d
Charlott
e
sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of tea in her hand; she looked surprised to see me.

“Is everything alright, I thought you were going home after your meeting” she enquired.

“I just couldn’t leave after the long day I had so I’m just going to get up early and drive back in the morning” I said, watching James flip the switch on the kettle. We both knew we had to hide today’s revelations fro
m
Charlott
e
for the moment. I found a pie in the freezer and started to prepare some vegetables.

“I’m just heading upstairs to talk to Mitch so call me when tea’s ready” Charlie said “Oh and by the way yes my first day at college was ok, thanks for asking”

“Forget the tea I think we both need something stronger” James said.

Chapter 41

Upstairs Charlie set up the webcam and turned the computer on. Then checking her appearance she sent the first message and waited for her screen to light up. It took a few moments but her patience was rewarded when she saw Mitchell lying on his bed. He looked a little sleepy but as he focused o
n
Charlott
e
he soon woke up. She had deliberately chosen her pink vest top and shorts as she sat cross legged on the duvet.

“Hi Mitchell, sorry if I woke you up”

“H
i
Charlotte, you look lovely this evening. I wish I was there with you” he murmured, his hand reached out to touch the screen.

“I wish you were too, baby” Charlie replied, mirroring his hand with her own.

They both paused for a moment, gazing at each other on screen. Charlie could already feel her desire for him starting to kick in.

“Can we play or are you too tired”

“If you want to play then I’ll enjoy the show” Mitchell said, feeling his body stir just at the thought.

“Ok, tell me where to start” She watched the smile spread across his lips as he licked them and replied.

“I’d love to see you naked”

With that comment Charlie slowly unfolded her legs and stood up in front of the camera. She flicked the switch on the stereo and “Hungry Eyes” filled the room around her as she closed her eyes and started to sway to the music moving her hands down over her body.

Charlott
e
had never really done a striptease before but as the beat ran through her fingers she slowly inched the straps off her shoulders and then turned around so that when it fell from her body all Mitch could see was her spine.

“Turn around Charlie, don’t tease me” she heard him say above the music. It was almost as if he was in the same room and not just on the screen. She looked over her shoulder at him and winked in recognition of his request as she slowly turned towards him. She had her hands cupped over her breasts, her nipples already aching to be played with.

“You want to see” she murmured, playfully.

“You bet” Mitch replied. Slowly she ran her hands down her ribs, exposing her erect nipples to him. He groaned and wished he was there to suckle at them.

Shaking her hips and then turning away again she moved her fingers beneath the waist band of the shorts. Slowly inching them down until once more they dropped to the floor and the
n
Charlott
e
ran her hands down the entire length of her body until she reached her toes. The view that Mitchell saw was a perfect brief glance of her glistening pussy before she straightened back up and turned back to see his face.

“What can I do now” she asked, loving the look on his face and the fact that his hand had disappeared into his own shorts.

“Do what I’m doing and play for me” he said, as his quickly dispensed with his own shorts so she could gaze at his magnificence.

Licking her finger, even though she knew that she was moist enough, she tried to imagine that she was sucking him. She heard him sigh as she felt the skin taut over her stomach and then she began to rotate the pad of her finger onto her clit. All the time she was watching him stroke the length that she wished was there to pierce the emptiness.

Reaching to the side she found her vibrator that she had taken out of the drawer earlier and switched it on. Then after a short moment she plunged it inside and started to match the strokes of his hands with hers. Mitch watched with desire and burning happiness to be witness to such abandon as Charlie writhed and moaned just for him. As his touch got faster and stronger so did hers until he heard her cry out his name and shake before lying still on the bed. That was all it took for him to come too and then sink back into the pillows on his hotel bed. All that could be heard for a few moments was their breathing as it slowed to a reasonable level.

Just then Charlie heard her Mum shouting from downstairs.

“Five minutes until tea’s ready”

“Ok Mum, I’ll be there in a bit” Charlie managed, pulling the vibrator out and missing its feel inside of her. It wasn’t the same as Mitchell but it would have to do while he was away.

“That was fabulous” Mitchell said “Even though I wish I was there with you”

“Me too” Charlie replied “Guess I’d better go”

“Same here, it’s the middle of the night and I’ve got more practice in a few hours” Mitch said.

“I love you so much
”
Charlott
e
said, moving towards the screen so she could kiss it. Mitch copied her but it just wasn’t the same.

“Sweet dreams honey” she whispered.

“Night lucky, catch you again later” Then after a moment the screen went black and he was gone.

Pulling on her pyjamas and slippers she headed for the bathroom to splash her face with cold water to disguise her post orgasmic flush.

“Is Mitchell ok” James asked “He did give me a call this morning and said he would send you an email with all the show dates on”

“He’s fine, I just woke him up but he says it’s going really well” Charlie replied.  She wondered whether she should ask her Mum about this evening and then changed her mind as it didn’t really matter.

As I cleared up after tea Charlie headed back up to her room and James watched me, a glass of wine in his hand and a look of disbelief still on his face. Walking up behind him I placed my hands on his shoulders and felt the tension beneath them, all caused by Felicity’s revelation.

“Mmmh that feels nice” James said “What are we going to do”

“I don’t know honey, it’s a lot to take in and we need to think about Mitchell first and foremost and what this will do to him” I said, softly.

“It’s a fucking mess, how could I have not realised before” he groaned.

“Why would you” I said “I would never have considered it before I looked into her eyes today”

“Perhaps Felicity should tell him”

“I guess but you know who he’ll turn too to pick up the pieces”

James nodded at my comment as he reached out his hands to catch mine.

“Let’s go upstairs as I think they may be other parts of me feeling tense and in need of your healing hands” James said. I nodded and we turned the lights off.

Unleashing his tensions into our lovemaking I hoped that it would help James to sleep. But later when I woke up and turned to snuggle into his arms they weren’t there. I contemplated going to find him but inside I knew he needed some time alone with his thoughts. I heard him creep back into the room and I sleepily held out my arms to him and he filled them without a sound. My alarm sounded at six in the morning and I was pleased to see that James had managed to find some sleep. Lightly placing my lips to his I left a kiss there before I crept from the covers and got dressed in the bathroom and then headed downstairs.

I had a few minutes to scribble a short note and left it on the table. These would be my last four days at Love Shack radio i
n
Herefor
d
before my holiday. Then once I returned from ten days i
n
Jamaic
a
I would be promoted to station manager for Love Shack radio
,
Birmingham.

James woke up as he heard the sound of Charlotte in the bathroom down the hall and he realised that he was alone in bed. Downstairs in the kitchen he found the short note from Steph.

             
“Hey babe, didn’t want to wake you earlier once you had fallen asleep. Try not to worry about all of this and instead look forward to our holiday. I’ll give you a call later and I’ll see you on Friday evening. Love Steph”

Smiling he put the kettle on and then shouted up to Charlie, who sounded like she was running around between her room and Darren’s old room.

“Shall I make you some toast and a cup of tea”

“Yes please and thanks I’ll be down in a minute as I don’t want to miss the bus” she called. In a way he was glad that she was here as it filled the void that his two boys had left, or should that be one? Bursting into the kitchen she gave him a brilliant smile and grabbed the slice of toast.

“Thanks James, I guess I missed Mum leaving” she said, between bites.

“That makes two of us” James replied “Don’t forget I’m on nights for the next couple of days so here’s a key and Pam will make you some tea just pop down when you get home”

“Ok” she replied, fastening the key to her bag and taking a couple of swigs of tea. “Better go” she said as she hurried out the door to the bus stop at the end of the road.

Taking his tea James fired up his laptop and typed in the name of the hotel where he had stayed with Felicity all those years ago. It had miraculously popped into his head as he woke up and even though it was a long shot it was a good place to start. However he soon drew a blank as he checked out the listed health spa staff which luckily included photographs. He sent them an email anyway with a brief summary of his enquiry. Then to rid himself of all the frustrations he decided to head to the gym before his shift later.

Back at home I had enough time to grab a shower and get changed before I took the familiar route toward
s
Hereford. I had lots to get done this week as well as shopping for some new holiday clothes. Also I was trying not to think about Felicity’s bombshell that had floored James completely as I wondered what she would do next to split Mitchell and my daughter apart? When the sun decided to pierce the grey clouds I took a few moments to stand on the bridge of the Wye and enjoy the iconic Hereford Cathedral standing proud against the skyline. I would miss living and working in Herefordshire but life was too short to pass up the opportunity of being with my one true love.

Entering the studio Paul was on the breakfast show and I waved at him. Then it was the usual coffee making and emails before my show began. I quickly checked my phone to find a message from James.

             
“You should have woken my up this morning so I could have said goodbye properly. I’ll drop you a text later when I’m free to talk xx”

I replied quickly with

             
“I think you needed the extra sleep. Try not to worry about Mitchell too much and I’ll talk to you later xx”

I saw an email from Greg and I paused before I opened it, hoping it was not bad news.

Scanning through the requests I soon had the first half hour of my show lined up and ready to play. I hoped that James would be listening in as I really wanted to show him my love and support. Suddenly it came to me and just before the break for the news I went live on air

“This next song is for someone special who is going through a tough moment, listen to the words and I hope they help”

“They come; they come, to build a wall between us

We know they won’t win”

James had just started his car after his workout when he heard Stephanie’s request for him. “Don’t dream it’s over by Crowded House” was a song he’d listened to many times before but when he heard the lyrics he knew exactly why she had chosen it. With a renewed optimism he drove to the fire station and then took a few moments to send Stephanie a thank you text for the musical pick me up. He hoped it would be a quiet night so that he could call her later.

On the bus journey to college Charlie sent a quick message to Mitch and waited for a reply and then realised that he would be dancing so she sent another telling him she would call him during her lunch period. Feeling pleased that she had found her locker she waited for Shelley to arrive and tried to avoid the couple of brief advances from some guys. As the bell rang for first class she heard footsteps running down the corridor.

“Charlie, sorry I’m late” Shelley said, breathlessly.

“The bell has only just sounded” Charlie said, as they both continued down the corridor.

“I had a fight with Kyle last night and I told him I needed a break, is there any chance I can stay at yours tonight” she asked.

Charlie took a moment to check out her friend and saw the red rims around her eyes.

“Is it serious” Charlie asked.

“I don’t know, but I could really do with a friend tonight” Shelley stammered, trying to hold any further tears inside. Giving her a quick hug they entered the classroom together and apart from her quick conversation with Mitchell at lunchtime Charlie tried not to leave her alone.

“Shall we stop in town and get a take-away for tea” Charlie said “It will save Pam having to make us some”

Shelley nodded and they jumped off the bus a couple of stops early so they could walk through town.