Blooming Page 9

  Firmly rejecting Sean’s idea that he personally supervise her waxing, she had her underarms and full legs done. Then she grudgingly had to ask for their input over what to do with her bikini line as she didn’t have a clue about the technical names.

  For some reason a Brazilian with a landing strip was the way to go. She hoped not to ever do it again that’s for sure, unfortunately for her she grew body hair as well as she did the hair on her head.

  After they took her to lunch at a cafe next door, she had to return to have her eyebrows and upper lip threaded, then Sean tried to convince her to wax her arms which she flat out refused saying, “for god’s sake even women are supposed to have hair on their arms.”

  By the end of the afternoon she hardly knew herself and as painful and awkward as she’d found the whole thing she was proud of herself for surrendering to the experience. She also couldn’t believe how nice her skin looked now, smooth and sleek, almost pretty.

  Sean’s mobile rang as they were ready to go home, it was Todd - he was coming home tomorrow night, but Lily was going to stay on for a while.

  Jen sucked in a breath. Anticipation, terror and excitement stirred - what was going to happen now?

  ****

  The next day came and Jen buried herself in work, she was almost back on track thank god. Nervous energy had her absolutely wired, she wanted to see Todd so much. She’d missed him however much he triggered things she wasn’t comfortable with yet.

  As the clock neared 11pm and she wasn’t sure what was happening there was a knock on the door, her heart skipped and she flew to the door, only to greet poor Sebastian with a disappointed frown.

  “Sorry honey, Todd just called, he had car trouble on the way and he has to wait for a replacement hire car. He’s not going to be here until the early hours.”

  She took the news on the chin with a vague amount of relief, “thanks Seb.”

  “We’ve persuaded him to put off seeing you until tomorrow night,” he said with a glint in his eye.

  “Why?” she asked as her brows furrowed.

  “Don’t be cross but we’ve arranged for the two of you to go on a date.”

  “What?”

  “You’re to take a taxi and meet Todd at Silvio’s tomorrow night, 8pm, for dinner and dancing. You’re going to wear your dress, one of your new g strings and no pantyhose. Those are Sean’s instructions not mine of course.”

  “Why do I have to take a taxi, why can’t I go with him?”

  “Because Sean wants to up the ante, he figures Todd will only get the full effect if he meets the new you away from home turf. It will be almost like a blind date. If it’s any consolation, Todd who is usually the definition of a confident alpha male, seems every bit as anxious about it as you are. If he was strung any tighter he’d snap like a wishbone,” he joked.

  “Please don’t you start freaking me out Seb, you’re supposed to be the good guy.”

  “I am,” he laughed, “I had to strong arm Sean to be the one to tell you, he had plans to wind you up far much more. You’ll be fine Jen. If you get too nervous just channel the most confident woman you can think of and you’ll get through it. Just be thinking more Angelina Jolie than Martha Stewart ok?”

  He bent to kiss her goodnight on the cheek. “We want this to work out for the two of you. Whether you like it or not, people here care about you Jen, and that’s not a bad thing.”

  She smiled at him sort of believing it, and closed the door softly.

  ****

  Jen started to get ready at five pm, she bathed and washed her hair, carefully drying it and then she coiled and twisted it, pinning it intricately, she knew by the end of the night it would leave her with the mother of all headaches, but it looked pretty damn good even to her critical eye.

  She applied some make up, tinted moisturiser and a little powder, bronze blush on her cheekbones and a little down her nose. She took extra care to apply soft taupe eye-shadow as well as dramatic navy eyeliner and flared her eyelashes out with mascara. She didn’t have the nerve to do dramatic lips, so she chose a simple nude gloss instead.

  She felt like she was going crazy as she applied body lotion and fragrance, it was like she was offering promises she wouldn’t be able to keep.

  When there was just an hour to go she opened her wardrobe and gazed in awe once again at this dress that was designed with her in mind.

  It was electric blue which Sean claimed did something fabulous to her eyes, it was fitted chiffon falling to the knee but with a sexy long split to her left leg. The neckline was the clever thing - it was cut straight around her like a strapless dress, so the tops of her breasts could be seen. But then a two inch wide jewelled strap snaked a path up the centre of her décolletage, cleverly concealing her scar, until it finished in a narrow collar that circled her neck.

  Jen drew the dress over her hips, zipped herself in, and then buttoned the collar behind her neck. A mix of emotions filled her - she felt sexy and attractive, but also for the first time like it might actually be true and she had a right to feel that way.

  Next she stepped into the black stilettos with the four inch heel. Then to complete the ensemble she put on the drop earrings composed of dyed blue feathers that Sean had loaned her along with a jewelled black clutch.

  She looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t know who she was anymore - this was a woman who looked like she knew what she was doing. With a minute to go before the cab was due, Sean and Seb knocked on the door.

  With knees trembling she invited them in.

  “Holy fucking Christ,” Sean said, Sebastian smacked him in admonishment of the language, “Cinderella you shall go to an Italian restaurant!”

  In the next second they’d enveloped her in a hug that conveyed comfort and managed to not mess her up at the same time. “I hate to say this,” she admitted “but I’m getting used to having you guys around.”

  “Ah don’t get too mushy on us babe,” Sean quipped.

  Seb walked her down the stairs and out to the kerb, seeing her into the cab.

  When she made it to the restaurant a couple of minutes late, she waited for the maitre d to notice her. The table had been booked in Todd’s name. Jen fidgeted from foot to foot - part of her hoping he was already here, another part thought it would maybe be better if he stood her up and she could just go home.

  As it turned out the maitre d never got a chance to seat Jen. Because from the back of the restaurant Todd had been looking for her and before she knew it there he was, and everything else fell into place.

  “Jennifer,” his eyes bored into her and all she could think was how beautiful he looked towering over her in a charcoal suit, a whiter than white shirt and a maroon tie.

  In the next breath his arms circled her waist and pulled her into him and up onto her toes. He smelled so incredible it sent Jen reeling. Kissing the shell of her ear his tongue surreptitiously slipped inside and he said hoarsely punctuating each word, “You, look, so, beautiful, and I’ve missed you, missed you so much I can hardly breathe.”

  The two of them stood there, her on her tiptoes with her arms around his neck and he with his hands stroking her waist, her hips, her shoulders anything he could touch that would still be in the realms of decency. The pair of them didn’t part until the maitre d coughed discreetly and indicated they return to their table.

  ****

  Jen asked Todd to order for her, because she couldn’t give a damn what she had to eat. All she was aware of was the heat in his gaze and his hand on her wrist, his fingers stroking her pulse. She had no idea but it seemed like that was an erogenous zone she’d never heard of.

  They ate and she was aware everything was delicious and the red wine rich and velvety.

  “It nearly killed me not to come see you today. As gorgeous as you look now I would have been just as happy to see you in your pink robe at 3am.”

  Jen looked at him and for the life of her she couldn’t remember why she was so afraid of being with hi
m, and in that moment she was sure that was how the night was going to end.

  When they had finished their main course, Todd got to his feet and said, “Dance with me.”

  She stood up slowly on shaky legs and mumbled, “I’ve never danced with anybody before, but I’ll try.”

  Todd led her to the small dance floor. Silvio’s specialised in an eclectic mix of tribute acts, and as Todd drew her into his chest a lone singer was making a good job of crooning an old Ray Charles number on the piano.

  Todd’s right hand was on her waist and his left held her hand tight, Jen’s left arm moved to encircle his upper back and the benefit of heels enabled her to hook her fingertips on his shoulder. “I’ve never been much for dancing before, but doesn’t it feel good?” he whispered.

  Jen felt more than a little out of control. She’d been too nervous to eat much all day, and between the wine, Todd, and the charged atmosphere it was like being punch drunk.

  She surprised herself a few minutes later when she raised both arms to lock around his neck and leaned up in the hopes of a kiss.

  Todd stopped moving and just looked down into her eyes. He held her gaze, looking for clues, as both his hands sank to her waist and then his fingertips wandered dangerously lower. He met her lips and kissed her softly, gently caressing, waiting for her cue for more. When she made the move to deepen the kiss his tongue swept straight inside. Jen responded eagerly and encouraged him in deeper. When he softly suckled her tongue her eyes flicked open startled, before she relaxed back into it, a little giggle burbling in the back of her throat.

  They stood there locked together kissing passionately for what seemed like minutes. Then Todd dipped her so low her head was inches from the floor and a burst of laughter came from deep inside as he swept her back up so he could kiss her neck, his open mouth caressing right from her collar bone to her ear.

  “Christ, I think we’d better sit back down before we get tossed out on our asses,” he groaned.

  Jen’s heart was beating so hard that Todd was finding it hard to drag his eyes away from her breasts which were peeping over the top of her dress. He briefly brought her back towards him and using his broad body as cover he stroked his strong right hand up the slit in the dress, so his thumb stroked nearly all the way to her groin. Jen exhaled sharply and nearly fell over.

  He spun her and guided her back towards their table following close on her heels making sure more than once that he bumped into the back of her so he could be sure she’d feel his erection against her backside.

  Jen was almost delirious with excitement but as she got back to the table a strange noise caught her attention momentarily.

  She shook it off and her gaze lit on Todd taking the seat opposite her.

  “Dessert?” he asked hoping for a negative answer.

  “I’m not big on dessert, maybe some coffee?”

  “Fine, the sooner we’re out of here the better,” he said heatedly.

  Chapter 8

  Christ why could she still hear that sound, she felt so tuned into everything Todd was saying & doing, but for some reason her brain was screaming, “pay attention!”

  The waiter came to them and Todd ordered coffee and the bill never taking his eyes off her. He licked his lips and nerves sparked in areas she didn’t know existed, then that god awful sound again.

  A second later and her stomach turned over, the hot oily nausea that had plagued her during the most stressful times of her life, almost knifing through her.

  It was Homer Simpson’s laugh.

  She shot upright and for a minute Todd thought she was going to tell him they were leaving now, then he caught the strange look in her eye. She was wild and vacant at the same time and for a weird second he felt a flash of fear.

  Jen was aware Todd was speaking to her but she was in a strange bubble where she couldn’t make out the words, her eyes raked the restaurant looking for that voice.

  He really was there, the table nearest the entrance; his fucking blond preppy head bent to a female companion - his hand on her wrist just as she’d seen it on Lily’s. Jen was up and moving faster than she realised, she upset the table in her haste shocking Todd to the core as he tried to right it and get his footing at the same time.

  “Jennifer?” he yelled, aware other patrons had turned to look at them.

  By the time she reached his table her feet were pounding into the floor, the man didn’t see her before she had him by the shirt front and had thrown him against the wall, all consuming anger fuelling her strength beyond anything she could imagine. All the air lurched out of him as his chair cannoned into an adjacent table.

  “Bitch,” he croaked on a shocked exhale, and she hauled her arm back as far as she could and launched it at him.

  Too late, a hand easily twice the size of hers caught her fist and spun her, an arm circled her waist lifting her feet from the floor. Todd pinned her in his arms, an alarmed question on his lips. He saw the total fury in her face and in that second he knew, and Jen was deathly afraid of what was going to happen next.

  Todd dropped her and she tottered unsteadily on her heels, the next second his right fist connected with the mouth of the man she knew as Philip Lorenson and the force of it sent blood spattering across everyone in the immediate vicinity.

  More than one female scream rent the air as Todd continued relentlessly battering the bastard who’d raped his sister. Jen heard the man’s jaw snap, and as his head whipped round Todd smashed a fist into his ear mangling it, then he pounded a huge combination deep into the man’s guts, so hard that his feet left the floor and he vomited up his entree.

  Jen’s equilibrium returned like an electric shock up her spine, Todd was not going to stop until he killed the guy. She launched herself up and onto his back, her legs locked round his waist and she drew her right arm across Todd’s throat and heaved backwards with all the strength she had in her. She was aware of people moving to intervene all around her, moving to attack Todd even as she tried to stop him herself and in a scream as loud as she could manage she yelled and pointed, “Rapist!”

  Again and again she pulled back on Todd, until she was aware he was struggling for breath, then Todd blacked out and he dropped backwards like a stone. As she fell underneath him, her left arm flung out wild to try and save herself - instead it crashed against one of the marble dining tables and excruciating pain shot through her forearm. The floor came at her in a rush and as her back connected with the tile Todd landed solidly on her ribs, and the last thing she was conscious of was the sirens screaming outside the door.

  ****

  Jen woke up in a hospital bed, she felt all foggy in the head. As she struggled to focus she became aware of someone sitting in the chair next to her. “Ben? Is that you?” she croaked, confused.

  “Hey,” he leant over her, “don’t try to move, your ribs are all banged up.”

  “What are you doing here?” and in the next second she realised,”Oh my god where’s Todd?”

  “He’s with the cops still.”

  Jen gasped and then gasped again when pain ricocheted through her midriff.

  “Sorry,” Ben said, “maybe we should push the call button and see if you’re due some pain relief.”

  “No, no, don’t do that it’ll only make me sleep again.”

  “Jen, try not to worry but Todd’s been arrested.” Jen let out a sharp cry and grabbed for Ben’s hand.

  He shook his head, “sorry I’m saying everything wrong - it’s a bit complicated. First all three of you were brought here from Silvio’s for treatment. On the strength of what people heard you shout at the scene, the police were quick to run your name and came up with you on the witness list in Lily’s rape case, which meant this Philip Lorenson was arrested before they even treated him. But once Todd came round, the police arrested him too on suspicion of assault. The docs said he was well enough to be taken in for questioning.”

  Jen moaned in despair,”Shit this is my entire fault.”


  “Ssh, Todd used me for his phone call and told me how he wanted to handle it, and then I phoned Seb because he acts as Todd’s lawyer. Meanwhile I came here and officially identified Lorenson as the man I’d seen assault Lily at “Beans.”

  Todd asked me to make sure somebody stayed with you, and when I found your room Sean was already here sitting with you. He’s gone to meet Seb now to see if we can get Todd out.”

  “God Ben when I saw that guy in the restaurant every sane thought went out of my head, I shouldn’t have reacted, I should have found a way to call the cops without Todd knowing, or asked the staff to do it. Anything but do what I did.”

  “From what I’ve heard you were awesome Jen.”

  “No Ben, Todd’s in jail because I made the wrong decision,” Jen’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Jen if you had denied Todd the opportunity to kick the shit out of that bastard I don’t think he would have ever forgiven you. I know I wouldn’t have,” he said heatedly, his eyes flashing.

  “But he could have killed him Ben, I was so afraid of what would happen to him if he did.”

  “You stopped Todd before he could go too far, you saved his hide, with Todd’s history even with the extenuating circumstances if he’d killed this creep he’d definitely have wound up in jail.”

  Jen struggled to process what Ben was saying, “What do you mean Todd’s history?” For a horrific moment she had visions of Todd as some kind of career criminal.

  “Don’t you know - I thought you too were dating?” He laughed, “Todd was a professional boxer, if he’d killed someone with his fists, he would have been up shit creek and no mistake!”

  Jen gawped at Ben open-mouthed; did she really know so little about the man who was taking up so much of her thoughts these days? While he was busy driving her round the bend crazy with unwelcome ideas and possibilities couldn’t he have dropped in that little piece of information?

  She raised her left hand to rub her face and then groaned anew when she got the first glimpse of the cast covering her forearm and wrist. “Oh fucking hell.”