Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,138

began to tingle from head to toe. She moved her fingers forward and allowed her thumb to brush lightly over her clit, the small movement beginning to tip her over the edge.

“Shit Vaughn, I’m coming. Aaaaaahhhhhhh...shit.”

Through her fog of sensation, she heard a string of expletives followed by a loud groan as Vaughn reached his peak too. They were both breathing heavily and Elise collapsed bonelessly back onto the plastic chair as she allowed the sensations to finish washing over her.

Vaughn was first to recover.

“Shit, baby – that was amazing. Christ – I needed that. I miss you so much, you have no idea.”

Elise smiled against the phone and willed her limbs to co-operate as she sat back up and began to straighten her clothing.

“Well, that’s another first for me.” She said. “No substitute for the real thing, but bloody hot. You’ve obviously had a lot of practice.”

There was a moment’s silence and then Vaughn’s voice came across again, smaller this time and almost unsure.

“Believe it or not Elise, I’ve never done that before either. I’ve never been with someone who I’ve needed as much as you. I need you every single minute of every single day and it scares the shit out of me. I can’t bear that we are apart.”

Elise could hear the sincerity in his words and, although she was surprised, she found herself believing him. Who would have thought that she would drive this strong and powerful man to the edge of control? Although she felt the same, she was reluctant to be as open as him until she had satisfied herself once and for all that there was nothing between him and Olivia. Now was not the time to embark on that particular conversation though, so she put it one side for the time being.

“I believe you.” She said, “And for a couple of first-timers, that was pretty bloody awesome.” She stopped. She wanted to tell him that she needed him too and that she hadn’t stopped thinking about him either but she couldn’t seem to form the words.

“I miss you too.” She said simply instead and then after telling him that she would be with Dale from now until they met again on Thursday so he was not to call or text her again, she hung up.

She detected a note of sadness in Vaughn’s voice as they parted and she wondered if he felt that she should be giving more of herself. What he didn’t know was that she already had given herself to him – totally. She was just too scared to put it out there until she was completely certain of his feelings and above all, his faithfulness.

Chapter Thirty-One

Elise woke on Christmas morning surprised to find herself alone; Dale’s side of the bed was empty and cold, suggesting that it hadn’t been occupied for a while. Things with Dale were still weird and this was just another example. He never got out of bed before lunchtime on Christmas day, claiming that there was nothing to do.

Today though Elise could smell bacon cooking and immediately her senses went on high alert. There was something going on with her husband. He was acting so totally out of character and she was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable with it all.

Quickly she checked her new phone tucked safely in her handbag, to make double sure that it was switched to silent, and then she threw on her dressing gown and headed downstairs towards the delicious smells.

Dale was in the kitchen standing over a frying pan and absently humming Christmas tunes to himself in time with the radio. Hearing her approach he turned around, utensil in hand and walked towards her to give her a brief kiss on the lips before ushering her towards the table that he had laid out for breakfast.

“Merry Christmas, baby.” He said as he pulled out her chair and seated her at the table. Overcome by what was happening, Elise remained silent and instead regarded all of the food that Dale had prepared on the table. There was fruit, cereal, yoghurts and from the smell of it, bacon sandwiches. More than enough to feed an army and Elise wondered when he had gone and bought all of this.

“This looks beautiful, Dale.” She said, “Merry Christmas.”

Dale smiled at her and took the seat opposite. “Dig in. There’s plenty and I’ve got fresh coffee brewing as well.”

Elise smiled back at him, her radar still telling her that something was seriously off, but she decided