Twisted Love and Money (9 page)

Dorothy had
laughed when Jeremy had said that he was unsure how to reciprocate.
He admitted that he had never touched a woman. First silence, then
her body relaxed and he knew she believed him.

“Not tonight,”
she had whispered, “when I know you better, I promise. I will show
you.”

“Let me try,”
he had asked, “I know the general geography. I’m just not
experienced.”

“Forget it
Jeremy,” she had replied, “A man should be shown. That way he won’t
be clumsy. Be patient, I’ll show you, but not tonight, go to
sleep.” And that was final.

What would he
say to David? How would David react? It was hard not to be a
catholic in Ireland. Gay was a sin to a catholic. If his mother
found out he would die of embarrassment. His mother would never
understand. She had never forgiven him for giving up his studies to
be a priest. If she found out he was gay, homosexual or queer as
she’d say, and that he was living with a man in London she would
most likely disown him entirely.

Dorothy’s hand
was warm and he squeezed it. She looked at him, smiled and then
returned her attention to the film.

Dorothy could
save him, he thought, save his soul from perdition, and make it
right for him with his mother. But he knew that once he saw David
his heart would soften. He could not hurt David. They had too much
together. Somehow he had to string David along. He did not really
believe in his heart of hearts that Gay was a sin, a mortal sin.
But in his head he was still a Catholic. Maybe it was just being in
Ireland. In their circle in London no one took much notice. But the
people in London, they were strangers.

Jeremy also
longed for an heir. In discussion David had suggested that they
adopt, but Jeremy could not agree. He believed a man and woman
should have children.

Also, in
Ireland it was different. It was small; no one could keep a secret
for long. Ireland was like going home to family. He had never come
out in Ireland. He wanted to behave differently in Ireland. He
wanted to be respected, not looked down on as a queer. He knew
times had changed in Ireland and he could come out, but in time his
mother would hear of it. He wanted to keep his secret from his
family, from his mother. He could not do that to her, he had hurt
her enough already.

Seamus gently
laid his hand on Ann-Marie’s. She snuggled up to him and smiled.
Then she curled her fingers around his and when she was cosy she
turned back to the film.

“Sweet?” he
whispered, offering chocolates. Dorothy and Jeremy smiled and
declined. Ann-Marie took the box, letting go his hand to unwrap a
chocolate. This she popped into his mouth. Seamus’s dark eyes
clearly showed his pleasure, even in the dark. He took her hand
again.

Home by one
o’clock, her father had agreed. Ann-Marie began to wonder how she
could lose her sister and Jeremy after the show. She was warming to
Seamus with every whisper, every movement. He was gorgeous, and
even if she decided not to see him again, she would try to have one
decent, no indecent kiss. Ann-Marie smiled and looked at Seamus. He
caught her eye and smiled back.

Chapter
ten

“Bite to eat?”
Dorothy suggested after the movie.

“No thanks,”
Ann-Marie chipped in. “I have to get back, school tomorrow. You and
Jeremy work away. Seamus can get me a Taxi. I’ll see you on the
weekend Dorothy.”

Dorothy had
decided that there was no way she was losing a half hour to an hour
running in and out with Ann-Marie sitting in the back seat getting
a lift home on her date with Jeremy. And if she brought Jeremy to
her parent’s home she would have to bring him in. She was not ready
for that. And she guessed, neither was Jeremy.

“Fine, let’s
go,” Ann-Marie said quickly, taking Seamus by the arm.

“Night, night,”
Jeremy said, following Dorothy towards her car.

“Night, night,”
Seamus and Ann-Marie said simultaneously, looked at each other and
giggled.

“What did you
think of him?” Ann-Marie asked.

“Who Jeremy? A
bit poncy but looks very intelligent,” Seamus suggested.

“I wonder where
Dorothy found him?” Ann-Marie said unkindly.

“
Take me to your motor bike, take me home,” she added with a
grin.

“I thought you
said you had to get a Taxi?”

“I’ve changed
my mind now Dorothy is gone.”

“O.K.” Seamus
smiled and looked very pleased.

“Let’s walk a
little, until we are sure Dorothy is gone. I don’t want her to
know.”

“We could stand
in the Queue for the Taxi. There are so many people out of the
Cinemas it would take a while. There is a good view from the Taxi
rank. Do you know Jeremy’s car?”

“No, but not to
worry, let’s stand in the queue and talk. I think it is a better
idea than walking in the car park.”

They stood
holding hands standing close together, talking and slowly moving up
the Taxi rank. Dorothy drove past in her BMW and gave a wave as
they passed.

“Jeremy must
have a good job with a big car like that,” Seamus remarked.

Ann-Marie said
nothing. It was her sister’s car, but then he would find out they
were rich.

“Is money
important to you?” she asked after a moment.

“Money, no-mon,
no-fun.” he said with a laugh.

“Oh?” Ann-Marie
said concerned.

“Seriously,
money is not an issue for me” Seamus continued. “ I presume you
haven’t got any Ann-Marie otherwise you would not have had to work
in that get up in the Parade?”

“I liked your
face,” he added quickly, blushing as he remembered her low cut long
legged costume.

“You spent a
lot of the Parade looking at my face?” Ann-Marie remarked, sensing
his discomfort. Seamus blushed. Ann-Marie looked at him in
surprise. She had not expected him to blush so readily.

“Well of
course, I did notice the rest of you, especially when I opened the
cab door on the lorry,” Seamus replied a twinkle in his eye.

It was
Ann-Marie’s turn to blush. “Shut up,” she said, giving him a
friendly elbow. “And don’t get any ideas Seamus. I am a respectable
girl.”

Seamus lightly
kissed her nose. “Ann-Marie,” he said softly and put his arm around
her shoulders.

They stood for
a moment, feeling each other’s warmth.

“Come on,
Dorothy is well gone now. Where is the Bike? I hope you still have
a spare helmet. Otherwise it’s the Taxi for me.”

“No worry, come
on, it is this way.”

The Bike was
not the courier’s bike she had seen him on at the Parade.

“Gosh,” she
said, “it’s huge. Don’t go too fast when I am a passenger. No macho
stuff all right.”

“Don’t
worry.”

Ann-Marie
looked at Seamus; she had such a tingle of excitement with him. He
was so big and strong and yet uncertain in how to handle her. She
wondered how he would handle the next five minutes.

“Gosh, how do I
get on?” she asked. “My skirt is very tight.”

Seamus had
noticed the short leather mini skirt which emphasized her soft
round figure.

“You can’t ride
side-saddle.”

“Don’t look
Seamus. I’ll have to pull up my skirt.”

“Take my
jacket, it will cover up some of your tights.” Seamus offered,
taking off his leather Jacket and handing it to Ann-Marie.
Ann-Marie smelled the jacket and put it around her shoulders.

Then, to
Ann-Marie’s annoyance, he took her at her word and completely
turned his head away, still holding the bike by the handlebars to
steady it as she climbed aboard.

He missed the
flash of her white inner thigh where her black stockings stopped,
leaving a white stretch before her black knickers. He also missed
her black garters. When he turned his head back Ann-Marie was
sitting modestly, covered up with his jacket across her knees. She
decided she would have to catch him when he got off the bike.

When he got on
she put her arms around his waist and gripped the buckle of his
belt.

“Which way?” he
asked when they had put on the helmets.

“Down the dual
carriageway. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

She pulled
herself tight to him as he kick started the engine.

They sped
smoothly along on the big powerful bike. Ann-Marie felt the wind
blow the jacket back and show her thighs and garters to the world.
On route several drivers beeped their horns in celebration of the
sight of Ann-Marie’s black garters over white skin and black
tights.

Ann-Marie
pressed in against Seamus. She let her tongue lick the back of his
cotton shirt, tasting him. The power of the bike and his ease and
strength in control gave her a warm glow of excitement despite the
cold wind whipping around her legs.

At the gate of
the O’Byrne estate Ann-Marie made him stop. “My mother will be
asleep,” she said indicating to the gatehouse.

In reality
Imelda the old family Nanny and Housekeeper, occupied the
gatehouse. They had kept her on and then retired her to the
gatehouse as the family grew up. To Ann-Marie, Imelda was still
‘Nana’ and she visited her practically every day. She did not want
Seamus to see the Estate House for fear such obvious wealth might
turn him off, or worse give him a mercenary interest in her.

“Help me down
please,” she asked when Seamus pulled in. This time he could not
help what he saw as she climbed down and then fell against him, her
soft breasts against his hard chest. She was surprised that he
blushed again, but gratified to see the soft look in his eyes as he
drew her closer against his firm body.

“You blush a
lot,” she whispered.

“You are the
most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

“I’m not a
thing.”

“Sorry... I
think…”

“What?” she
interjected.

“I think it is
love at first sight.”

Ann-Marie
giggled nervously and then met his eyes. Gently they kissed.

“Put on your
jacket, it’s too cold,” she whispered, offering it back to him.

He slid it on,
leaving the zip down and she snuggled into his warmth. “Kiss me
again.”

He kissed her.
She kissed back. She had promised herself one decent kiss and she
let her tongue touch his for a second. His hand came up and touched
her breast. He drew back a fraction and she blushed. She pushed him
back.

“Can I see you
again?” he asked.

“Of course,”
Ann-Marie replied brightly, in these things she followed her
instincts.

“Do you have
any other girl?” she added.

“No. I don’t
date a lot. I don’t know many girls. Most of the time I play
football or have a pint with the lads.”

“Would your
mother approve of me?” Ann-Marie asked.

“I don’t have a
mother.”

“What?”

“My mother and
father were both killed in a car crash.”

“Oh, I’m
sorry.”

Ann-Marie
kissed him, aiming for his chin, but he brought his face down and
their lips met. There was a long lingering kiss and Ann-Marie felt
herself swooning into him. She pushed to push him away but found
she had no strength.

“My granddad
brought me up,” he explained when they paused for breath, He was
still holding her tight in his arms and Ann-Marie looked at him
through her eyelashes. Maybe having no mother explained his
apparent inexperience with girls.

They talked to
past midnight, pop groups, U2, the world at large and every minute
the electric current of attraction sparked and crackled. Ann-Marie
even let him fondle her breasts from outside her clothes. She
didn’t usually go so far on a first date, but he was gently
persistent and she was intrigued by his curiosity.

Seamus was
loath to depart from Ann-Marie. However Ann-Marie was being
insistent. “I have to be in at one if we are to date again. I can’t
foul up. I have to be in on time otherwise Dad won’t let me go out
with you again. I’ll be grounded.”

Seamus stole a
last kiss. “Goodnight,” he whispered.

Ann-Marie
squeezed through the railings beside the high iron Gates. They were
locked remotely from the house and she could have buzzed through
but preferred her own tried and trusted way in. They kissed again
through the bars. Ann-Marie giggled and pressed her breasts through
the bars and she giggled again as Seamus stroked her while he
kissed her. Seamus was too broad to squeeze through after her and
they played about for a few minutes, him trying to hold onto her,
letting her go and catching her again.

“When do we
meet again?” he persisted.

“Next
week.”

“Jesus, what
about tomorrow?”

Ann-Marie
laughed. “Saturday. I’ll meet you outside Eason’s in O’Connell
Street at half eight on Saturday. You can take me somewhere.”

“I’ll live for
the moment,” Seamus said fervently and kissed her again.

Ann-Marie
pushed him away with a friendly shove and reluctantly Seamus went
to his Motorbike.

Ann-Marie
watched him as he drove away. Then suddenly scared at being alone
in the dark she skipped up the driveway. She always had a vision of
a vampire on dark nights on the driveway.

She thought of
Seamus. Oh God, he was dishy. A real man, not like the crowd she
usually met. Spoiled rich over-confident brats most of them. But
Seamus... She laughed aloud at her thoughts.

Seamus gunned
his bike along, enjoying the speed on the open empty roads.
Eventually he reached a large Garage bearing the sign
‘O’DONOGHUES.’

The entrance to
the garage was like a scrap yard. For about twenty yards deep on
either side of the forecourt there was an accumulation of forty
years of scrap from Cars, Tractors, and Trailers. Part of the
business was breaking down old agricultural machinery and cars and
anything else, which would produce saleable second hand spare
parts.