Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,50
that her reaction had not been missed – damn him for noticing everything.
The windows on this side of the flat looked out over the countryside beyond. Elise was surprised to see this given that they were still in the main town of Eastwood. Maybe it was built on the outskirts? She had lost all sense of bearing on the journey and it really didn’t seem important to find out right now.
At its end, the hallway opened up into a stunning lounge/dining room that had views on two sides, both out onto the countryside beyond. A couple of standard lamps gave some muted light and Elise could make out a pair of functional sofas, a coffee table and a well-sized dining table with six chairs. In between the two windows and on the far side of the wall was a state-of-the-art flat screen television and Elise found herself smiling at the mental image of Vaughn sat here of an evening with the ancient countryside just outside of his door and every modern convenience inside. His home was perfect and it reflected the little that she did know about him. A modern man with old-fashioned values – with the exception of the sanctity of marriage it would seem.
As they entered the lounge, Vaughn turned on a couple more lights and threw his keys on the table. He gestured for her to sit on one of the sofas and lit a gas flame fire she hadn’t noticed on first inspection. In front of the fire was a huge woollen lounge rug in a rich burnt copper shade, the pile so deep that Elise just ached to slip off her shoes and rub her bare toes into it. The warmth from the fire started to permeate the room and Elise felt herself relaxing a little; this really was a beautiful home and she was alarmed to realise how right it felt just being here.
“I’m going to get a drink – would you like one, Elise?” Vaughn stood by the side of the sofa expectantly and she glanced at him, realising that he had asked her a question.
“Huh? Oh sorry – yes please. Whatever you’re having would be great.”
She watched as he disappeared into the kitchen, admiring the way he moved; the sway of his buttocks encased in perfectly fitting jeans, his strong shoulders, narrow waist and hips, the proud way in which he carried himself. The kitchen adjoined the lounge/dining area via an open archway and it wasn’t long before she heard clinking sounds and he reappeared holding two glasses of what looked like whisky. He passed one to her, their fingers brushing against each other for a second, and her hand lit up in flames at the infinitesimal contact. Tentatively she sipped her drink, pleased to find that it was indeed whisky and a good one at that, perfect for calming her overwrought nerves. Usually she preferred to drink wine but she definitely needed something stronger tonight and mentally she added it to her alcohol intake for the evening, realising that she would now be paying for a cab to get home.
“Thank you.” She said, indicating her drink. She didn’t know what else to say. Absently, she watched the flames in the fire flickering and dancing, wondering what it felt like to be that completely free.
Vaughn took a seat on the sofa opposite to her and was silent for a while too, although she could feel that he was watching her. Eventually she looked away from the fire to find his eyes fixed on her face, watching her with an intensity that made her shiver.
“Elise...” he said “I want to apologise for what I am about to say. I’m sorry, but I just can’t help myself.” he paused, as if weighing his words. When he finally spoke, although she was prepared, his words still shocked her to the core.
“You are so fucking beautiful and so sexy. I don’t think you realise it. I can’t bear to think of how that bastard treats you. If you were mine...” he stopped, swallowed, and closed his eyes briefly.
“If you were mine, I would look after you as though my life depended on it. I would never hurt you, never damage your beautiful skin and I would never want to see pain in your eyes. You would be my world and no one would ever be able to hurt you again.” He moved to sit next to her and took her hands between his.