Somewhere in Sevenoakes (17 page)

With that, James undressed in the bedroom in front of Maddy. Standing naked in front of her, he removed her Spongebob Squarepants vest from over her head. Her pendulous breasts fell out, nipples hardening in the cool air. He kissed her on the lips then dropped to his knees. His teeth tugged on her matching pyjama shorts, as his hands reached up to grope her breasts. Maddy whimpered as he squeezed her nipples. His hands returned to her shorts to peel them down. James kissed Maddy's flat stomach and moved southward. Having kissed her mound, he went lower and pushed his tongue between her lips, the tip hitting her clit. She immediately shifted her legs for his mouth to access her fully. James tongued her bud rhythmically, his teeth moved to lightly nibble on her lips. The graze of his teeth on such a sensitive area had her moaning. His tongue took a broad lick of her moist pussy and he stood up.

Turning her around, he bent her over the bed. Maddy steadied herself by resting her outstretched arms on the frame of the modern four-poster bed. James placed a condom on his cock, then glided straight into Maddy. She groaned at his thickness and length as he shafted her smoothly. His hands remained on her hips to ensure his full length was inside her. He buried himself deep in her, then rocked her on his hard-on. To vary the rhythm he inserted his full length into her, then withdrew himself entirely. Each time he slid himself into her, his helmet would burst through the tight entrance of her slit making them both moan, as they did again when he withdrew completely. The constant stretch of the continual re-entry had James close to the edge.

He took one of Maddy's hands from the bed frame, guiding it between her legs. His hand over hers, he made her touch herself. His covering hand directed the motion and movement of her hand tending her clit. Slippery, wet and supremely turned on, it wasn't long before Maddy was convulsing on James' cock. The contractions massaged his dick until he powered into her, coming hard.

James held her close, inhaling the sweet smell of her hair and skin. He kissed her back as his hands returned to her breasts.

”We are definitely going to have a shower now,” said Maddy, bringing them back to reality.

The soapy shower had Maddy grinning in the office all morning. Helen was flummoxed by the sudden turn of events in twelve hours, accurately guessing the real reason for Maddy's impossibly good mood.

The land-line on her desk rang.

”Maddison Bridie speaking.”

”Maddy hi, it's Geoff.”

”I knew we wouldn't see you back in yesterday.”

”Ha, ha! You can do your 'I told you so's' when I'm back in the office. I need you to do me a favour.”

”Go on.”

”There's a blue plastic folder on my desk, I think. Can you find it for me and call back to let me know you've found it. If it's not there I have a feeling I may have left it at lunch yesterday and I'm not sure the other partners on the firm will be as good-humoured about my long lunch yesterday as you.”

”You've got me twisted round your little finger Geoff. I'll call you as soon as I've got it in my hands.”

”Cheers, Maddy.”

Shaking her head, she entered Geoff's office. She evaluated the state of Geoff's desk. How he managed his filing was beyond her. It wasn't until after she'd shifted an array of reports and correspondence that she caught sight of the blue cover of the folder. She removed it from underneath the mass of papers hiding it. As she went to close it, a piece of paper jumped out at her. The logo was instantly recognisable to Maddy as she'd spent the majority of Thursday studying it. James' company was doing business with hers. Managing the company accounts, Maddy was familiar with the lawyers Yearwood, Angus and Port used and it wasn't the firm James worked for. She shut her eyes as everything fell into place.

James' firm were acting on behalf of another company that wanted to either acquire or merge with  Yearwood, Angus and Port. His distress at the clash between work and personal life had had nothing to do with his emergency visit to Beijing, it has to do with him being involved with the deal. Their discussions through the week flashed through Maddy's mind. She'd divulged all kinds of information on work that would have been of benefit to James if he was brokering a deal. All their talk on human resources; it was Maddy's job that was on the line. Geoff's distant and weird behaviour about helping her leave the company verified her line of thinking that her job would be axed in the acquisition.

Furious at being used, Maddy had had enough. For the first time ever, she prioritised her relationship over work. She put the blue folder in Geoff's tray.

”I'm not well. I need to go home,” she told Helen, grabbing her things together. ”Let the office manager know. Unless it's an emergency don't bother calling.”

Maddy stormed out of the office, leaving the entire accounts department speechless. She flagged a cab giving the address of  SGR Nowe International at Canary Wharf. Under other circumstances she would have enjoyed the journey down the river Thames, but she couldn't be bothered with scenery. Equally furious with Geoff, she texted informing him she'd gone home ill and letting him know where she'd left the folder.

Fuelled by fury, she tipped the cab driver, not wanting to wait around for change from her twenty pound note. The building was modern and impressive. Maddy marched to the main reception desk.

”I'm here to see James Nowe,” she said with what calm confidence she could muster.

”Can I ask who's here to see him?”

”Maddison Bridie.”

Her eyes were hawk-like as she watched the receptionist ring through.

”I'm afraid he's not available.”

”Did you speak to him or his secretary?”

”His secretary.”

”This is urgent and important. It's a private matter. It's very important James is notified personally that I'm here.”

The receptionist glowered at her. Maddy didn't blame her. She knew she was being haughty. While she felt bad about her unpleasant attitude, if she didn't kick up a fuss they wouldn’t call James directly.

”Can you take a seat in the waiting area please?” asked the receptionist coolly.

Within minutes James appeared in the elevators. He hurried to Maddy.

”Maddy, what's up? What's wrong?”

”You knew, didn't you?”

James looked blank.

”You knew from the start about my company. You knew where I worked, you knew there was a deal going on and if I'm right, you were working on it.”

”Maddy, let's go outside.”

”We'll discuss it in here,” she said sternly.

”I can't discuss it here. Please come outside,” he requested tentatively.

Steaming, Maddy allowed him to usher her out the front door.

”Do you want coffee?” he offered.

”I only want answers.”

They walked to a bench overlooking the Thames. London was always prettiest in the summer when the sun was shining. The view and company should have been perfect but Maddy was ill.

”I only want the truth,” she sighed.

”I’ll give you the truth, you have my word.”

”What do you know about truth, James? You haven't been honest with me even once. You take me out for a drink, kiss me and the next day give me the cold shoulder on the train. You make love to me and when I get a call from an ex you walk out on me. You never mention where you live, where you work, who you are. You'll forgive me for saying your word means nothing to me.”

”Get angry Maddy. I deserved that.”

”Did you know where I worked?”

”No. Not until you told me.”

”Why didn't you say you were trying to buy out my company?”

”Because I can't. Business, law, it's private. I can't talk about these deals with anyone except the parties involved. When you told me where you worked, I felt awful. I didn't know what to do. I was already committed to my client and the deal, but I didn't want to lose you in the process. I hated not being able to tell you, that's why I was offish with you.”

”Did you use me to get inside information on Yearwood, Angus and Port?”

”No. The things you told me, because you are involved with the financial aspect of the company, I was privy to the information any way. It took longer, but we were already getting accounting reports from the lawyers acting on behalf of your company.”

Maddy knew James was speaking the truth, because Geoff had requested she prepare the reports to pass on.

”Fine, I understand that. I appreciate your job and whatever restricts you from discussing your clients and the projects you work on. I even appreciate I was the one blabbing about my company to you and you would've gotten hold of the information regardless, but I'd love to know why you never mentioned where you lived or where you worked. Was it really because you thought I’d brand you as an over-privileged, selfish, spoilt man that never grew up?”

”Actually yes. People in my line of work hear the name Nowe and decide from those four letters alone what kind of person I am. You aren't stupid, Maddy. Look how easily you tracked me down with so little to go on. If I’d told you all those things on the day we met, you probably wouldn't have even bothered giving me a chance. I know I've played it wrong, I should've been upfront, but I...I felt there was something between us and I wanted to give us a fair and proper chance without my surname putting you off.”

”There was something between us,” she said tearfully.

”But there's not now?” James' voice was breaking with emotion.

”How can I ever trust you?”

”Because I never lied. I may not have been open, but I never lied. I always came back to you. I'm not perfect. It isn't only women who get hurt by the opposite sex. I slept around and had fun in my twenties. I had a lethal reputation with the ladies and law by the time I hit thirty, but all the women wanted was the boy. They weren't interested in the matured man wanting to settle down. They wanted the rich, reckless, boy-wonder lawyer, who'd lavish money on them and never ask for anything back. I know you're too good for me. When your ex called, I knew I couldn't compete. I was angry and jealous because I badly wanted us to work. I was petrified I was putting everything on the line for a girl on the rebound.”

”I told you it was two years ago.”

”I know. I told you I'm a fool. There's a lot of room for personal improvement with me.”