Starting Over - Chapter Fifteen - I love him!

Chapter 15 - I love him!

Ellen lay there thinking things through in her head. Rolling over she could still smell him, his head print still indented in the pillow. He’d left early, insisting she stayed in bed, slept more; he was needed back at the hotel early. They’d had a wonderful night together, despite it being too brief. She blushed at the memories of him worshipping her like some sort of God all evening, she stretched, her body ached, but she loved it....she loved him.

                “Argh!” she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. Where had that come from? She wondered, she didn’t ever remember admitting to being in love with Richard, and here she was a month into a relationship and realising that revelation. She covered her head with a pillow and groaned again, this was going to end in her heart being broken; again....she just knew it. But this far in she had the chance to run away, to leave now while she could...but she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with Jan, and if it honestly ended in a month, five or even a year she knew she’d be grateful for every moment of it. She’d just have to deal with the aftermath when it happened.

Ellen was working that day, it was very hot, and very stuffy in the shop. Her sisters called in as she was stacking shelves with jars of olives and peppers.

                “HI Ellen, we were melting on the beach, and then thought we’d come and buy soen drinks from you!”

Ellen laughed, “Sorry I don’t have a staff discount!”

She introduced them to Pedro her boss, who was as enthralled with them as most men were. As they left, they arranged to meet that evening, all set for a full on Spanish Fiesta.

Ellen spent a long time getting ready; this was such an important night for her on so many levels. She wanted her sisters to like Jan, and she also had to continue to be with a man she loved, in a unilateral relationship, and she couldn’t tell him, couldn’t let that slip out to him.

Finally she was ready, in short white denim shorts, a colourful gypsy top and heeled sandals, the dark hair she usually spent hours straightening was loose and half curled but she wore no makeup. She failed to feel attractive in front of her sisters, so she felt any more effort was futile.

Jan was coming from the hotel with several of the other staff, originally he was calling to collect her, but now that she was bringing her sisters, she decided to meet him there.  When she walked into the hotel reception to meet Charlotte and Sara she groaned, she knew it was going to be a long night. Sara at over six foot was wearing a floor length maxi dress, her hair piled up and immaculate make up, she’d look about as at home at the street party as she would in a football team’s changing room. Charlotte at five two was stood next to her in ridiculous heels at least four inches and a tiny white dress that showed off her tiny lithe and athletic body. Every man woman and child was absorbed by them both as they sat sipping what looked like sangria at the bar.

                “Ellen!” they both gushed patting a stool beside them and finding a spare glass to empty the remainder of the jug into.

Taking a deep breath she stepped into the bar and headed towards them. After an elaborate round of air kissing she settled onto the stool, glad of the sangria to fog her mind. What the hell had she expected? Her sisters had never gone anywhere quietly, didn’t understand the word subtle, but then they both lived in the public eye. Charlotte dancing in all the most famous ballets in the most famous venues all over the World, Sara gracing the front cover of Vogue more often than any other model. 

                “So what’s the plan?” Sara asked before ordering another drink. “More Sangria? Or are we moving on?”

                “Well the party’s about a forty five minute walk away at the old harbour, but there are several nice bars en route, so I thought we could wander over there slowly.”

Charlotte’s eyes lit up, “a pub crawl? Ooo it’s like being a student all over again!”

Raising her eyes to the sky in a silent prayer, Ellen led them both out into the night.

The journey to their destination was one of the most traumatic two hours of Ellen’s life. The two courted attention and disaster at every turn, she spent most of the time apologising for the other two who seemed oblivious to the people they literally tramped over. Charlotte flirted with at least two married men, and a group of three other men, much to the chagrin of several angry women, Sara ‘dirty danced’ with a lamp post outside one packed bar almost causing a riot. Ellen was exhausted as they approached the harbour and the dozens of people already gathered, drinking, dancing and laughing. Fed up with apologising on their behalf, she looked to escape as soon as she could.  The two sisters dived into the crowd both loving the attention they created, so she headed to a quiet bar along the road, ordering a beer; she sat at the bar on a stool turning her back on the world outside.

The bar man deposited a beer in front of her, as well as a small bowl of spiced almonds and left her. Ellen drank from the bottle and picked at the surprisingly tasty nuts, so it seemed the honeymoon with her sisters was over, they really weren’t ever destined to get on. She remembered her psych tutor at college talking about ‘Middle child syndrome’, she wondered if there was also an ‘underachieving and unglamorous’ version of this psychological condition. She’d seemed to spend all her life trying to fit in, trying to be what everyone wanted, and this desperate search for approval almost led her to a loveless and possibly abusive marriage. But being here, she did see things more clearly, that distance between her and everything else seemed to help. Jan was the catalyst, believing in her, making her believe in herself, he wasn’t a forever kind of guy, but at least he was here now, that was what she had to do, stay here with him until she was strong enough to do this alone, strong enough to find a life on her own. It’d hurt to leave, but she had to see this for what it was, her chance to find herself, to decide what she wanted to do. At the moment the world was her oyster. Thanks to Jan she had money, somewhere to live, and a future to think about!

She was still deep in thought when she heard a commotion from outside, with a sigh at the thought of what may greet her, she swiped the last of the nuts into one hand, and the bottle in the other, then stepped back out into the street. Then she froze, Sara was in the middle of the street stood on a table with a man she didn’t recognise, both were drinking beer from a huge bottle as the crowd chanted.

Ellen covered her eyes and groaned, she had to live here once these two attention seekers had left. It was mortifying.  Then a voice breathed into her ear, “I’m so glad I got the sane sister!”

And there it was the accented English, the lime aftershave, the stubble on her soft skin. Jan. And the whole of her body responded to him being here, the man she loved. The man who suddenly made this alright.

As his arms fastened around her waist, she rested her head back on his shoulder, and groaned, “I was just about to lose the plot!”

 He turned her in his arms and smiled at her, those dark eyes glinting in his angled face, “you mean I’ve saved you?”

She laughed, “More than you’ll ever know! Can I call you Sir Jan? My knight in shining armour?”

It was his turn to laugh as he leaned close his lips touching her ear making her shiver as he whispered, “shall I rescue you on my trusted steed?”

Ellen gasped at the innuendo, the blush being half shock and half lust, “here....” she breathed, “now?”

He pulled back and looked down at her face, “I’m not sure what I’m thinking is legal with an audience....but there are a lot of dark back streets!” Their bodies were touching along their whole length, she could feel the same arousal in him as he ‘d created in her, “but you’re too good for that dear Princess...I say we rescue your sisters, party...just a little, then I whisk you back to the apartment to deliver on my promises....how does that sound?”

Her breathing was erratic, she was still pressed u p close to him, her body tingling, involuntarily she was rubbing her pelvis into his, desire so acute and overwhelming. When she didn’t reply he smiled, “keep doing that and a grope in a dark alley it will be Ellen!”

Now she smiled, “you’re such a spoilsport!”

He shook his head, “you are my Princess, you deserve to be worshipped and made love to....not screwed in a dingy dark alley and that is exactly what I intend to do...later...once we’ve secured your sisters.”

They hadn’t kissed yet and she knew it may be her undoing, but she lifted her lips to his, partly to stop the words ‘I love you’ bursting out. That was something she had to keep a secret, but when he was treating her so wonderfully, it was on the tip of her tongue...she had to be careful, keep her wits about her, but with beautiful loving Jan, that was proving really hard.

His mouth was receptive, his lips curled into a smile even as they parted to deepen the kiss. When she heard the little moan that her tongue flicking into his mouth caused, she hoped for a moment that it was a sign, that he felt the same as her, but it was only a fleeting thought. Jan pulled her tighter, his mouth devouring hers, his hands dragging him to her, she could feel him hard, excited against her tummy, and knew that she felt exactly the same way.

                “What was that about an alley?”

His lips were on her neck and her body erupted in goose bumps as he chuckled against her skin, “when did you become so brazen Ms Reynolds?”

She guided his face back to hers, “since I met a man who makes me feel this horny!”

He visibly gulped at her openness, and for a second she knew he was really torn, “well you had better hold that thought. We have a little networking to do tonight, we need to sort things with your sisters, but I guarantee one thing...” one of his hands raised up her body to rest in her armpit, but in a cheeky and evocative gesture he reached a thumb around to drag across her clothed nipple, which hardened to his touch at the same second she bit her lip, and he wasn’t sure which gesture undid him more. “When that door closes tonight I am going to give you that much horny and some!”

Ellen gasped, her body so receptive to his touch, “How do you do this to me?” She breathed. His response was a chuckle and a grind of his hips, and she realised that he felt exactly the same level of arousal.

Pecking a kiss on her nose, he turned her to walk in front of him, she may be flushed and wide eyed in her excitement, but it was a less visible phenomenon than his. They got drinks and meandered out into the street and started to search for her sisters, by now Jan was calmer and led her by the hand, winding through the other celebrators. Finally they spotted the tall fair head of Sara leading a group, dancing in front of a large statue at the harbour; Charlotte was near, talking to a tall blonde man who looked stereotypically Scandinavian.

Jan stopped and turned to her, “so do we say hello?”

Ellen looked at Jan with a smile, he was wearing those divine white linen trousers that she loved, low slung on his narrow hips, clinging to the arse that she could only describe as pert...or a good handful. The black t-shirt was fitted and caressed and framed his lean body, with more than enough hint of developed Pecs. For a moment she wondered how her sisters saw him, remembering how she’d prejudged him so badly, he wasn’t classically good looking, his angular face and small eyes were harsh features, but his smile, his charisma, the way he held himself was everything that he was, happy in himself, confident, comfortable. With a sigh she knew they’d not see him as she did, as everything she wanted.

Sara saw them first and danced her way over to them, a swarm of men following her every move. Tossing her arm around Ellen she kissed her cheek before taking Jan’s hand and dragging him out to the impromptu dance floor.

It was painful for Ellen to watch, Jan obliged in that he moved to the music, but Sara was like some bitch on heat with him, running a finger over his chest, moving around him brushing her body into his, but she knew that she trusted Jan. She kind of figured that this was a test from her sister; she wondered if she’d done the same to Richard at some point, Ellen almost laughed at the thought; he’d not be dancing impassively as Jan was.  Then Sara looked up at Ellen broke into her million dollar world famous smile. She leaned up and talked into Jan’s ear, and he nodded knowingly, gave a half smile, then looked at Ellen, beckoning her with a crook of the finger. She obliged and they danced for a little while, before he finally leaned in and spoke.

                “Seems I passed her test, they’ve been invited to a party at Gunter’s house,” he gestured to the blonde man who had captivated her older sister. “I passed on us joining them, told her I wanted to ravish you all over the City, but not in a party with them!”

                “You didn’t!” she exclaimed swatting at his arm, “it’s the truth Ellen, and I only ever speak the truth.”

They couldn’t get home quick enough, it was a forty minute walk, but after a few lengthy kisses in darkened shop doorways, they both realised it’d take all night to get back. And their desire was too great, so he hailed a taxi and they dived inside.

True to his word as always, as the door closed behind them, he was on her, she was a few paces in front of him, but as lips connected with the base of her neck, just between her shoulder blades, she froze. Literally. Suddenly the only thing she could think of, feel, do, was his lips, then his hands that raised to her stomach. With a deft tug, the tight elastic of her strapless top slipped down to her waist, revealing her pale breasts and the strapless bra that covered them. His hands cupped them through the cotton and lace, and as his lips left her neck, she felt him pull at her bra, presumably with her teeth, and with a ping it came undone, only his hands held it in place.

By now she was barely able to stand, her legs were weak, butterflies churned at her stomach, and lower in her pelvis. His teeth dug into her left shoulder as he lifted his hands and her bra fell to the floor.

                “Jan...” she breathed suddenly feeling so vulnerable.

                “Sshh,” he whispered as he raised his hands, his thumbs seeking her hard nipples, at the same time he kissed her left cheek. She dropped her head back resting it against his shoulder, watching him watching his hands touching her. It was the most terrifying yet erotic thing she’d ever known, and likewise had no idea how to respond.  When he took his hands away from her she felt bereft, and by the time she turned to look at him, he was naked, bar a pair of white boxer shorts that were struggling to contain him.

He crooked a finger, for the second time that night, but this time she shook her head, declining the offer, instead curling her own finger at him. He wasted no time in striding towards her and pulling her into his arms, his lips had list the gentle inquisition of earlier, this was full on desire. Her breasts were squashed against his firm chest, her thighs flanked by his and that damned erection pressed against her stomach.

Jan groaned against her lips as she scanned his shoulders and spine with fingers that were too delicate, too teasing. His response was to swoop his head down, capturing one of her breasts with his mouth, her nipple with his teeth. Now it was her turn to moan, to writhe against him.

Laughing he scooped her up in his arms, planted a kiss on her mouth, then carried her into the bedroom.

                “Can I make a rule?” he asked an hour later, Ellen lay in his arms, her eyes closed in exhaustion. Jan’s lips were pressed against her hair as he spoke. He waited for her to grunt before he added, “that you wear a sexy little strapless top every night we go out....I think that the thought of that will keep me keen for the rest of my life.”

As he pulled her into his arms, she smiled sadly at the irony of that comment!