It was the first day back to work after Christmas. I had completed two jobs before eight o’clock. My slate for the day held seven addresses, all of which I had keys for.
The post-Christmas blues didn’t affect me since I lost my beautiful wife at the hands of a drunken driver four years previously. My world collapsed. I withdrew into myself and shut out everyone who was close to me.
I’m Danny. My wife, Jess, died at forty-six years of age. Jess was four years younger than I. We had two children who now live in America with their spouses and children.
This Christmas I checked into a hotel in Ireland and it was a peaceful few days whiled away reading and watching tv.
My next call was a thirty-minute drive away through the city so I stopped off at a coffee shop in Speke, close to the John Lennon airport, and grabbed a coffee to go.
I work with builders surveying domestic work and signing off on the regulatory compliance of their jobs. I’ve a decent relationship with my clients and have been at it for over ten years.
I was flying. I completed my third call and jumped into the car to head to the fourth. Halfway there the phone rang. It was one of my larger clients. I had attended their Christmas night out and discussed a large development of house units so I assumed that the call was in relation to that.
“Home for the criminally deranged,” I said.
“Danny?” The female voice asked hesitantly. It was the company office manager.
“Zoe?”
“Yes, sorry for disturbing you. I know you’re busy,”
“No problem,” I said, “Happy New Year, how was your Christmas.”
“Happy New Year. It was good. You?”
“Quiet. You know yourself. I was a bit disappointed when that poor girl in Selling Sunset turned gay. Apart from that I survived.”
She laughed.
“So were you drunk and refusing to fight at the party? I asked.
“I couldn’t fight. I left my boxing gloves at home.”
“Good idea. So what can I do you for?”
“I just have a question about the party.”
“Okay.”
“I really enjoyed our conversation that night. It was the best laugh I’ve had for ages.”
“Yes, I did too.”
“But you left abruptly and I thought we’d made a connection. I thought I may have done something because I was ‘under the weather’, if you get my drift,” she laughed.
“No, you were great. Your boss dragged me into a conversation about work so that distracted me from everything else. I left after I escaped from him. I’m sorry if I made you feel like that.”
“I’m relieved,” she said “and I’m sorry for bothering you with it.”
“No problem, Zoe, thanks for taking the time to call. I’m just at my next job and there’s a strange woman staring at me through her front window. Talk soon!”
Shrugging the call off I carried on with my work and breezed through what remained of the day. I returned to my home office at a little after noon for lunch. Lunch was tinned soup, a toasted ham sandwich and a cup of tea followed by an afternoon at my desk to compile paperwork. As the food cooked my thoughts returned to the phone call from Zoe.
Was I missing something? Should I call her back and clarify anything? Did I do something to offend her? I wasn’t sure so I guessed it was the latter as offending someone isn’t beyond the realm of possibility.
Zoe is the office manager in the offices of a large client. It wouldn’t be good to ignore something in case I had caused offence. I resolved to call her later that afternoon.
I became engrossed in my work and the afternoon slipped quietly into evening. I had a call to make and I put it on the long finger, until the phone rang from her office.
“City morgue?”
“Do you ever answer the phone in a normal way?” Zoe asked.
“Every time.”
She laughed.
“What do you need, Zoe?”
“The big man wants to bend your ear, can you talk to him?”
“Yes.”
“Great! I’ll put you through.”
“Before you do, Zoe. I was just about to call you. I’m worried I did something wrong at the party. Would you meet me for a drink some evening to discuss it?”
“Yes, of course, Danny. I’ll text you my mobile number. You can call me later if you like.”
I checked my watch. 4:00.
“Great! I’m busy here until seven. I’ll give you a call after that.”
“I can’t wait,” she said in a mocking tone before connecting me with her boss.
Some time later the growling of my stomach caused me to check my watch. 9:45. I grabbed my phone and found Zoe’s text. I clicked on it and heard it ring.
“Hello,” the voice said.
“Hello,” I said, “Is Zoe available?”
“I’ll get her for you, who’s this, please?”
“I’m Danny, who are you?”
“I’m Tara.”
“Nice name, Tara.”
“Here’s Zoe now.”
“Thank you.”
“Sorry about that,” Zoe said.
“Is Tara your daughter?”
“Yes. She’s a little madam, always has to be first to answer the phone.”
“I wonder where she gets that from.”
“Probably her father.”
“Listen, I’m really sorry about the hour. I got lost in work. I didn’t want the evening to pass without calling.”
“Not to worry. I’d heard you were a workaholic.”
“I deserved that. It keeps me sane.”
“It’s no harm working hard but you should probably take time out occasionally.”
“Yes, mother.”
“So, what are you thinking?”
“Well, I’m thinking we could go eat somewhere during the week or the weekend.”
“Ooh, fancy! That sounds lovely. Anywhere in mind?”
“There’s an interesting food truck outside my house.”
“I’m sure it’s, erm, lovely? Tara’s at her father’s for the weekend. How’s Saturday night?”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll book something and text you the details.”
“Or you can call.”
“Ok. I’ll do that instead. Some evening at an undetermined time.”
“Wise move.”
“Not my first rodeo.”
We ended the call and I was sweating.
I was starving, so I ordered Chinese food and returned to complete my work. Twenty minutes later I took the elevator down to the lobby to collect it. On my way back up I thought back to the Christmas party.
It was one of those things that I never did. Ever since I lost Jess I preferred my own company. To get me out of a funk I sold the family home because there was too much emotional baggage. I bought an apartment in a Liverpool Docks development overlooking the Mersey. It was a new beginning, a place where nobody could bother me.
Unfortunately, it didn’t prevent me being assailed by invitations everywhere else. This one came during a site meeting, from Zoe’s boss, Malcolm, a successful developer with large portfolios of clients, contracts and property across the UK and Europe.
Malcolm is effusive and impossible to turn down. I tried offering the excuse that I was travelling to Ireland for the Christmas break the next day. He wasn’t hearing any of it and said I could leave early so I arrived an hour later than planned looking clean and ready to party.
Although I knew many of the guys from the sites I did not know most of the people there. There were more women than men, mostly employees wives or girlfriends and the female office staff, one of whom was Zoe, who I had only ever interacted with by phone or email. I had no clue what she even looked like.
I spotted one of the foremen, Gerry, and made a beeline for him. Gerry’s wife was standing between him and a fair-haired woman with whom they were passing the time. I was going to walk on by but Gerry grabbed me like a man in the desert seeing a bottle of water.
We exchanged insults under the gaze of the two ladies and, before he had the chance to make an introduction, the fair-haired one grabbed me by the arm and screamed, “I know that voice! You’re Danny Sheehan!”
I was initially surprised until I recognised her voice, it was Zoe. I smiled and stuck out my hand in greeting. “Great to finally meet you, Zoe,” I said but she had other ideas and said, “Fuck that, I want a hug. I feel I’ve known you all my life.”
Everyone laughed before I was kidnapped and brought over to a table inhabited by several other of the female office staff where Zoe introduced me to them all. I escaped with an excuse for a bathroom break and went outside for a smoke.
It was a cold Liverpool evening and the facade of the building was sheltered by an overhanging canopy roof. I’d worn a heavier jacket and sweater but the fingers of winter insinuated themselves between the gaps in my clothing. I found a sheltered nook off to the side of the main entrance and huddled into it as I lit a smoke and inhaled the life-saving nectar deeply. I noticed that the wind had had an effect on the status of my cigarette and it was close to its demise. I reached into my pocket for another as the main door slid open and Zoe stepped outside with a slight shiver.
She was very striking. Standing a little less taller than my 5’9” with her straight blonde hair just below her chin and curled inward at the bottom.
She was quite slim, almost willowy, standing alone in low-rise heels, the hem of her pale blue dress peeking out below the beige trench coat she held closed across her front. In her hand she held a pack of smokes, she attempted to light one but the breeze made it difficult. I strolled over and held the flame of my lighter, cupped in my two hands, to the tip of her smoke and she smiled as she inhaled the first drag.
“Do you light women’s smokes often?”
“What can I say? I’m an arsonist. I need to set things on fire.”
She laughed and almost choked on the smoke that caught in her throat. We chatted away aimlessly as we smoked and it was very pleasant. She smiled a lot, was nice enough to laugh at my weak jokes and she made quite a few of her own. Her blue eyes laughed along with her and they spoke silently when the conversation became less humorous. We kept it light and hardly mentioned work except when one of the company subcontractors walked by wearing a ridiculous pair of yellow shoes. We stubbed out our smokes and hurried inside when it became obvious that he was heading our way. As we hurried through the doors she grabbed my arm for support and I had to reassure her that I didn’t consider it an assault on my person.
As we warmed up in the vestibule I assisted her in removing her coat, folded it and placed it on her arm.
“Thank you. You’re quite the gentleman sometimes,” she said as she fluttered her eyelids and smiled a demure smile. She was a very beautiful woman.
“As long as it’s not life-threatening, I’m a veritable knight in shining armour.”
She touched my face tenderly and was about to say something when Malcolm barged in and dragged me away for an important conversation about future work. I glanced at Zoe and held my hands up in mock horror in apology.
Nearly an hour later, I left Malcolm and his estimator to their own devices, saw it was getting on for midnight and went home to pack and to sleep. Although I had negotiated what could have been a difficult evening I felt the satisfactory feeling of ending another year and having an entire fortnight off to relax or brood or whatever took my fancy. In my mind I was already on the flight to Dublin.
Entering my apartment it occurred to me that it was more than possible that Zoe felt slighted by my disappearance from the party. I dismissed the notion that she was interested in me in more than a work-related capacity. After all, guessing that she was probably in her mid-thirties, the age gap was wide and, even if I was a supreme optimist, I was no prize in the looks department since I carried a few extra pounds and a lot less hair these days. I actually looked my age which didn’t upset me but so, also, did Zoe. The more I thought it through the easier I felt in my mind that we were simply victims of a peculiar circumstance and were adult enough to be able to resolve the matter satisfactorily.
The next morning, I was on the road to Manchester for a job I had booked in a couple of weeks before Christmas. United were playing at home and the client was a director of the club which meant I’d be watching football from a corporate box. I deemed it important enough to stay over for a night so I booked a hotel room right beside the stadium.
I found myself outside a block of houses in Salford. This was the biggest of four jobs I had booked in so it made sense to get it out of the way. I was to meet the developer, Austin, in the site office and he was already there with coffee, doughnuts and the makings of some breakfast sandwiches. I gleefully latched onto the coffee, speared a sausage and some toast and joined him at his desk.
“Busy?” Austin asked.
“Yes. Out the door.”
“Still hiding from life?”
“Not so much.”
“How are the kids?”
“They’re busy with their own kids. We had a Zoom meeting at New Year’s. They seem happy, that’s all I want for them.”
I took out my phone and found pictures of them and the grandchildren and passed it over to him. His face brightened up, he was my daughter, Jessica’s, godfather. He scrolled through a few more and then put the phone down on his desk.
“Ever thought about getting out of Liverpool?”
“Yes.”
“Why not come to work with us,” he said.
“I don’t think that’d be a good idea. I’m still not the nicest bloke to be around. I’m better working for myself, besides, if I was to get out of Liverpool I’d be heading overseas.”
“Where to? The States?”
“No. I’ve an offer from a mate in Ireland.”
I got up to refill my coffee. When I turned back Austin had my phone in his hand. A text had come in and he was holding it out to me.
“Would you leave Zoe behind?” He said with a wink.
“What? Who?” I asked in confusion.
“It’s about fucking time you met someone.”
“No, Austin, this isn’t anything. Zoe is Malcolm’s office manager and I’m in the process of ironing out a misunderstanding with her. In fact that text is, most probably, work related.”
“Whatja doin’?” He said.
“What?”
“That’s the first line of the text. You’d better reply to her.”
“Maybe later,” I said, and put the phone away.
I felt tired that evening. It was a combination of the drive down, the work and the stress of Austin’s constant harassment about Zoe and the lingering unanswered text that mocked me on my phone. I was due to eat with Austin and his wife, Sammy, at their house but I chose to order some room service, go through my paperwork from the day and relax a little. Time got away from me and at 9:30, or so, I finished my work and ordered some food. I checked my phone to find another text from Zoe so I hit the call button.
“Hi, Danny,” she said enthusiastically.
“Hey, Zoe. I got your texts just now. Is it ok to call so late?”
“Of course. What’s happening?”
“In Ireland they say ‘What’s the story?’ But there’s always a story over there.”
She laughed and said, “If you insist, what’s the story?”
“Also, being Ireland, they shorten that to just ‘story’, in case of confusion.”
“Okay.”
“How are you doing?”
“Good. It’s busy at the office and just as busy when I get home. Your name was taken in vain today.”
“Oh! Was it scandalous?”
“No. Alison was supposed to call you about something but you weren’t answering.”
“Yeah. That happens sometimes when I leave the phone in the car. I do that a lot while I’m inside a building.”
“Why?”
“So I don’t get delayed or distracted. I’ll give her a bell in the morning. Do you know what it’s about?”
“Malcolm was looking for you.”
“Okay. That’s fine. He must have forgotten I was out of town for a couple of days.”
“Where are you?”
“Manchester. I do this every month.”
“You didn’t say you were going out of town.”
“Should I have?”
“Well, if I’d known I wouldn’t have disturbed you.”
“I’m happy now that I didn’t let on. You don’t disturb me, Zoe, I like hearing from you even if it’s just a two word text. As long as the second word isn’t ‘off’.”
I explained the Manchester connection and that I also do this in London and Newcastle. She was surprised but encouraging.
“When are you back home?” she asked.
“Thursday morning. Austin is bringing me to see a match tomorrow night. He has a private box, it’s a win.”
“Who’s playing?”
“United and some pretenders from Belgium that I never heard of.”
“Are you a United fan?”
“I might just be,” I said, laughing. “Why? Are you?”
“I can’t say. Tara is here.”
“I’ll get you a souvenir. What would you like?”
“Surprise me. Did you eat yet?”
“No. I’ve ordered room service.”
“Good idea. Danny, I have to get this child to bed. Enjoy your food and sleep well.”
“You too, Zoe.”
Next morning I was awake at 6:00, outside the hotel having a smoke ten minutes later and walking in for breakfast at 6:30. I texted Zoe, ‘Good morning. Thanks for last night’, and put my phone away. When I walked out of the dining room at 7:30, my phone chirped a reply.
“Are you working all day?”
Enthused, I hit the call button.
“A policeman wouldn’t ask me that.”
I could hear her collapsing with laughter. It was infectious and I could only join her. It took a little time for her to recover.
“Well? Are you?”
“Working all day?”
“Yes.”
“Until about noon. Why?”
“I was thinking that waiting until Saturday is silly at our age.”
“Possibly. What are you thinking?”
“Tara wants to go stay with my sister until Friday and I’m owed a bit of time off. There’s a train gets into Piccadilly, Manchester at three o’clock from Lime Street.”
“Are you gonna be on it?”
“I was thinking that, if you agreed, I could be.”
“I’ll be in Piccadilly at two. Can’t wait. Do you want me to book you a ticket?”
“I already booked one.”
It was my turn to howl with laughter which attracted much ire from a couple of older women who were making their way into the dining room.
“I should have guessed. Now I’d better get to work so I’m on time. See you at three.”
As I walked to the car I took in my surroundings. This hotel was okay for an overnight visit. It was very utilitarian and was a monument to all things Manchester United with very little other influences. Somewhat akin to The Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool where Beatles music is played on a continuous loop and, with the best will in the world, would drive anyone who is a guest there for more than an hour around the bend.
Also, it was one room with a standard double bed. I’d need to get a second room for Zoe but it was booked solid for the match that night. I returned to my room and hit the web where I found a more luxurious hotel only five minutes away beside the cricket stadium. They had no rooms available except a suite which held a folding bed as separate accommodation. It looked ideal, so I booked it for the night. I then cancelled the extra night in my current room, packed my stuff and left for work feeling happier with things.
My head was spinning as I left the hotel. On my way out I caught sight of my reflection in a glass door and it immediately caused the anxiety and doubt to return in full force. What was I doing? How was this going to end? Who did I think I was fooling more? Zoe or myself?
I stopped outside to collect my thoughts and emotions and lit a smoke. I knew that I’d worry myself into a state of high anxiety if I let my mind wander. I needed a distraction so I switched my brain into work mode and headed out into the fray.
Given the delayed start to the day, I was slightly beyond my estimated arrival time at Piccadilly Station by about thirty minutes. This was acceptable since I had two more inspections thrown at me out of the blue. It was just the curve ball I needed to keep my head level.
I found the platform I needed and then sought out a coffee shop. At 2:55 I was at the gate waiting for Zoe’s train. According to the platform board, it was on time. I sipped absentmindedly on the coffee that I didn’t really want. All it was doing was enhancing the Damoclean feelings of dread and doom which put flight to the butterflies in my stomach. Curiously, though, it made me feel alive. It was something I hadn’t felt in a really long time. As the train pulled into the station, the feeling persisted and grew. I felt physically sick. Then I saw Zoe alighting the train. She looked up, saw me and waved. She smiled broadly. She actually looked happy to see me.
She was stunning in a short black coat with six big white buttons, denim-clad legs jutting out below the hem with black ankle boots and a white woollen hat covering her head. She pulled a larger-than-normal carry-on case as she hurried along the platform.
Coming through the gate with a huge smile she threw her arms around me and kissed me quickly on the lips, grabbed my hand and dragged me away from the crowd. We stopped about fifty metres later where we kissed properly for the first time. It was exquisite. It was soft, deep and tender. Her tongue fluttered in and out of my mouth as she explored my tongue.
“Jesus!” I could only say.
She looked at me with twinkling eyes and a coquettish smile and said, “I’ve been looking forward to that for such a long time.”
I was almost speechless as I tried to understand. Instead, I took her case and led her through the exit and out to my car. We were both hungry so I stopped in a little cafe that I liked just outside the city centre. Zoe ordered a burger and chips while I plumped for sausages and chips.
She said, “You eat from the kids’ menu often?”
“Sausages are men’s food. Did you not know that? Besides, kids love burgers too.”
She reached out and took my hand, her eyes boring into mine as though searching my soul.
“Your eyes are beautiful, Zoe.”
She sighed happily.
“So. Can I ask a stupid question?”
“Ask me anything,” she said.
“The first time we met was at the party.”
“In person.”
“Yes. True, and we’ve texted and spoken by phone a few times since then.”
“Yes.”
“Now we’re sitting here in a caff in Manchester, holding hands and behaving like children.”
“Ok. Not how I’d describe it but what’s your point?”
I searched my mind for the words. “How did we get here?”
“Well I suppose we’ve spoken many times before we met but it was usually about work or whatever. I’ve always admired your attention to detail and you’re never harsh or angry.”
“Ok.”
“I’ve never known men who were interested in what I have to say, who listen. About a year ago I was going to Spain on holiday with my sister and our kids. I was unsure of myself. It was my first holiday since my divorce and I was uncomfortable with two weeks away instead of one.”
“Ok. I remember that. There was something said by somebody.”
“Yes. You told me to ignore them. That they were begrudgers. That I worked as hard as anyone you knew and the time off was deserved and needed whether it was for a day, a week or a month. That I shouldn’t let anyone dictate how I lived my life, especially someone who obviously didn’t care enough about me to wish me well.”
“I think I might have said bastard.”
“Yes. You did, but you were right and I needed that bit of a bucking up just at that moment. We went off and had a fantastic time and I thought about you every day in Spain. When eventually we met face to face I decided that I needed to be with you and when you disappeared from the Christmas party I was absolutely crushed.”
I stroked her hand as she looked down at it.
“I nearly called you during the Christmas break but I didn’t have the courage so my sister made me do it on the first day back at work.”
“I’m beginning to like your sister. Was she behind your trip today?”
“No. That was my idea. I don’t know why but I was having a hard time waiting until Saturday. This way we can get to know each other away from prying eyes. When you texted me this morning it made my mind up to come in case you were getting cold feet,” She said with a serious look.
I squeezed her hand in mine. It was so soft and I didn’t want to let it go. She leaned over the table and kissed me softly.
“In the spirit of openness I will admit to some minor confusion coupled with anxiety,” I said.
“I thought that,” she said. “Tell me why.”
“Well, it’s a number of things. Firstly I haven’t been with a woman that I wasn’t married to for over twenty-five years. Then there’s the fact that I haven’t even looked at a woman since Jess died, in fact I haven’t even had any urges in that way for nearly five years. When someone tried to change that I ran away. Literally. Then there’s my appearance. When I look at you I can’t understand what you see when you look at me, then there’s the age difference. I mean, I’m fifty-three years old,”
“I’m forty-four this year,” she said quickly.
“Seriously?”
“What?”
“You’re not forty-four! I would have put you at mid-thirties.”
“I wish, and by the way, you’re quite handsome. Your hair has to thin otherwise you’d look like you were in your early forties. All the girls at the office said that. You exude kindness, you’ve a wicked sense of humour and you’re very charming. Tell me about this woman who tried to change your urges.”
“I was in America last Christmas visiting, Jessica, my daughter. They had an evening for me to meet the neighbours. It was a group of divorced women mostly and they wanted to hear me speak like a Beatle. Anyway, I got into a conversation with this one lady. Nothing exciting, just mindless platitudes and nothing of note or remarkable. I was suffering with jet lag, so I stayed in the house the next morning while everyone was out shopping. I had a coffee, a book and a reclining armchair and I was happy. About an hour into it, the lady from the previous night knocked on the door and she made it clear what she wanted. I tried to explain my predicament regarding the inability I had with arousal since my wife died and she decided she was going to fix me. Scared me shitless I can tell you.”
Zoe became animated, “Fix you? How?”
“Well, I don’t know because I managed to get her out of the house with an implication that we could set something up. Next day I was on a plane home.”
Zoe squealed, “You were not! You ran away?”
“Americans have guns and they know how to use them. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
That was enough to send her into fits of laughter as I speared a, now cold, sausage. We finished what we could of the food in front of us and left the café. The plan was to go to the hotel to change or shower or whatever. It occurred to me that I hadn’t told Zoe about the alternate arrangements when she asked what a football hotel actually looked like.
“A bit of a cock up on the accommodation front, Zoe.”
“How so?”
“Don’t worry. I have it sorted. After you told me you wanted to come down this morning I tried to book another room but there were none available because of the match tonight,” I began.
“But ….” she tried to say.
“I called the hotel beside the cricket stadium and they only had one suite left but it has a roller bed that I can use and a separate bedroom for you so I booked us into that. It’s a lovely hotel and not a long trek to the stadium.”
“There was no need to do that, Danny, but I really appreciate you not taking me for granted,” she said, as she reached for my hand. “Can you stop the car along here for a second please?”
I pulled into the next space that appeared and when the car stopped Zoe looked at me with a serious look on her face. As she collected her thoughts I could see that she was concerned about something.
“Ok, Danny. As we’re being open with each other, I’d like to put something on the record. I’m not interested in a separate formal sleeping arrangement. If there are no separate rooms it’s not fair that you sleep on a roller while I play the princess and the pea in a big soft bed in the adjoining room. I came here to be with you and that includes where we sleep. If something beyond that happens, I won’t complain. If you’re concerned about your problem, then that’s different and understandable but it shouldn’t have an effect on our sleeping arrangements. Do you see what I mean?”
“Yes. I do and I’m happy to comply,” I said with relief, “and if it’s of any consolation, when you said that, I just felt something that I haven’t felt in a long, long time.”
“In what way?”
“Let’s just say I won’t be running away this time.”
“Oh! Well, that is good news. So tell me about this hotel suite you booked.”
We reached the hotel and extracted our bags from the boot of the car before ambling into the hotel lobby. There was a long line of football fans checking in but I’d booked a suite which brings some little privileges. Notably, a VIP check-in desk which was empty save for a young assistant. Zoe had attached herself to the end of the check-in queue so I gently nudged her and showed her the VIP desk.
“Are we VIPs then?” she asked.
“Yes, we are.”
Little more than two minutes later we were escorted to our room and we both sat down in the nearest chairs available to us and exhaled. With all of the running around, excitement and anticipation we were both exhausted and took a minute to absorb everything.
“You look tired,” I said and she came to sit beside me.
“Happy tired.”
“How so?”
“I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I put my arm around her and her head rested on my shoulder.
“So am I.”
I could feel her nodding off so I suggested she take a nap. She didn’t argue and went to rest on the bed. I picked up my phone and went through some messages. There were a few missed calls but I wasn’t going to bother myself with them except for one from Austin so I called him up and told him I wouldn’t get to the match as I was too tired. I returned the phone to my pocket and went to sit back down but Zoe was standing in the doorway
“I can’t sleep. I think I’ll take a shower if that’s okay,” she said.
“You don’t need permission. We both have the run of the place. Before you do, I think we should give the match a swerve tonight. I don’t want to share you with anyone. We should come up with a plan after your shower, I’ll take one when you’re done.”
She grabbed some stuff from her case and danced into the bathroom and it was less than a minute before the water started flowing. I switched on the tv and let it wash over me as I lay on the bed until the noise from the shower head suddenly stopped. Zoe reappeared a few minutes later dressed in a fluffy hotel robe with her head wrapped in a towel and carrying the clothes she had been wearing beforehand.
She stopped in front of me and pirouetted.
“Cute or what?”
“You have my vote,” I said, as she leaned down and kissed me.
“I’ll dry my hair in the bathroom so you can watch TV in peace,” she offered.
“No need. I’m not watching it, it’s just on. I need to hit the shower too so I’ll leave YOU in peace.”
With that, she settled herself in front of a dressing table mirror, shook out her wet hair and began her ritual. As the hairdryer started its work I grabbed a few bits and hit the shower myself, hoping it would clear my head and revive me somewhat.
When I emerged, refreshed and clean, I was dressed in the second hotel robe and had a similar towel wrapped around my head.
“Cute or what?”
“You messer,” She said as she walked over and pulled the towel from my head, snuggled in close and kissed me.
“You smell nice,” I said.
“So do you.”
Her eyes shone and her skin was soft and slightly pink. As she smiled the little wrinkles at her eyes became apparent and softened her entire demeanour. We kissed again and she wrapped her arms around me. It was a wonderful experience and I could have died right then and been perfectly happy.
I reached down and tugged on the belt that held her robe closed. Looking into her eyes as I did so, she gave me positive acknowledgement and silent permission with a smile and by closing her eyes slightly. The robe slid effortlessly from her shoulders as she took a short step back, shook the garment off and extricated her arms to allow its final release from her body. In the same movement she pulled at the belt on my robe and it dropped to the floor beside hers.
Smiling and holding my hand up she said, “Will I do?”
I was mesmerised as I could only stare at the vision in front of me. She looked beautiful clad only in a pale pink lace bra and matching thong. Everything was visible through the lace of her bra and her breasts were perfect in size and appearance. I pulled her closer and kissed her with everything meaningful that I possessed inside me, my hands wandering all over her body. I couldn’t get enough of her and began to resent the little clothing she was still wearing.
My hand found itself on the slim clasp of her bra and, seeking permission, I kissed her neck and smiled at her. Her unspoken acceptance allowed me to twist the clasp open. It took a bit of effort because it was new but I got there in the end and the string-like straps fell aside as she held the cups to her breasts and slowly sat on the edge of the bed.
She reached out and touched the beginning of an erection in my boxer shorts. She looked up and smiled in acknowledgment and I bent to kiss her. As we kissed she slid my shorts down and gently took my erection in her hand. Relief flooded through me as I sat beside her on the bed and we cuddled together on a silent and conscious plane of private intimacy.
I noticed her eyes as they began to mist over slightly and we smiled at each other as we kissed and lay down together on the bed. She reached for me and I took her in my arms as we lay skin to skin and I was totally in her thrall as my lips found her breast and my tongue encouraged the soft pink areola to yield her erect nipple to my lips. It was a time of exploration and education for us both and we explored gently and mindfully. My tongue travelled constantly around the crest of her perfect nipple and breast as she undulated under my touch. My hand explored her other breast before switching with my tongue to her nipple as she continued to writhe beside me. Her hand grabbed my hair and pulled me into her breast and she shuddered with a loud sigh as the edges of my teeth met the sides of her extended and sensitive nipple as my hand began to explore the soft downy hairs on her stomach.
“Oh, Danny, I’m gonna explode,” she breathed.
My hand moved slowly across her abdomen along her hip and down the outside of her left leg. I repeated the motion in the opposite direction while still teasing her nipple with my lips, tongue and teeth. When it reached her exposed breast and my thumb flicked across her extended nub of pleasure she pulled my lips to hers and drowned my whole world in her mouth with soft cries of ecstasy as she slipped over her threshold into orgasm.
As it subsided, I continued stroking her skin softly. Moving slightly, my lips found the heavenly valley between her breasts and I sensed by the movement of her head that she was watching my progress while holding me lightly. My hand moved to caress her soft, delicious backside, lingering for a while on the curve of her body and softly kneading its way to the valley created by the meeting of her lower limbs. My hand then slid along her skin and under the garment to give me access to all of her body and my tongue moved to her navel as I kissed my way downward in exploration.
I laid my head along the softness of her stomach and closed my eyes to savour the spiritual sensation that it brought. Simultaneously my hand lightly travelled from her rear down the outside of her leg. Her skin was soft and smooth. She sighed as she stroked the side on my face before running her fingers through my hair. Her thighs parted slightly in signal of need which my hand used as an invitation to explore her inner thigh, travelling ever higher before retreating just as she opened wider to allow access to my touch.
I opened my eyes and saw my hand gently massaging her inner thighs and how she reacted to it. Her hips began to make small circular movements and they rose slightly as my hand travelled upwards before slowly retreating again.
I brought my lips to the waistband of her thong and kissed her skin just beneath the fabric. Using my tongue and lips I savoured the sweet sensation of the contrasting textures created at the place where her soft skin met the delicate yet sturdy lace of her thong and the supple strength of her hip as it gyrated slowly in time with my hand.
She moaned again as my hand slipped under the fabric and along the sacred front of her lower hip. I slid my body down between her legs as they parted further to allow for my shoulders to fit. Our eyes met knowingly as I gently slid her thong down over her thighs all the way to her ankles and over her feet. I folded it and tossed it on the floor to join the rest of our clothes as they lay on the carpet but not before I held them to my face and inhaled her fragrance from the large patch of wetness that it contained. She covered her eyes with her hands in a show of either modesty or mortification but I was in heaven.
There was a short runway of soft blonde hair forming the V where her body met her thighs. I needed to touch this and it was amazing to just rub my thumb across. I then moved my lips to kiss the soft inside of her thighs and caught my first sight of her vulva as it opened slightly to display a perfectly proportioned but slightly misshapen flower. I let my fingers massage up to but just short of the area itself and my lips and tongue followed suit until I heard her moaning, “please.”
With my thumbs on both sides, I eased the outer lips apart slowly and rested my tongue flat along the entire opening, finding its own place among the bright pink and delicious folds beneath her outer lips. Her slickness, depth, softness, taste and aroma was an exercise in hedonism that I had never before encountered. My hand made way for my tongue and lips and found her breasts as she lay back and surrendered to the experience. She held my fingers as they tweaked her nipples, encouraging me to squeeze them tighter and twist them slightly as I quickly found her desired tolerance.
My tongue began its exploration of her vulva. The area was fully exposed to me now that her legs were splayed wide. It travelled up and back and around in small circles until I finally touched the flat of my tongue to her hungry clitoris which was hugely extended and then very quickly resting between my lips as I trapped it there while stimulating her with my tongue.
I knew by the feel of the strength with which she was pulling my lips into her that she was not far away from another release. I wanted this for myself as much as her so I focused my whole world on this beautiful little place and brought her to the brink of ecstasy before holding on for life as the dam broke and her body bucked and weaved as she completely lost control of her senses.
It took some time but I stayed with her as she returned to earth. A clear fluid emanated from inside her and spread across her legs and lower stomach. She lay in a foetal position as she recovered and when she had stopped shaking I took her shoulders and held her in my arms until she finally landed. Her eyes opened and she touched my face. I kissed her and she whispered, “Thank you,” As we both drifted off to sleep.
I woke about an hour later and watched her sleeping for a while. She looked beautiful as she rested and I prayed that she wouldn’t think less of me or that there was something bad about what we had done. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled as she reached for my hand.
“That was the most unbelievable experience I have ever had, Danny,” she said. “Thank you.”
“Same here, Zoe. I’m still thinking about the whole day.”
She pulled me down to her and kissed me. Her kisses were deep, soulful and inventive and it made my head spin.
“Did you sleep at all?” She asked.
“Yes. I just woke up a few minutes ago and was watching you sleep.”
“Oh God, you weren’t.”
“You’re beautiful, Zoe, I could look at you all day.”
I checked my watch. It was nearly 9:00. I got out of bed, grabbed my robe from the floor and struggled into it.
“I need a smoke,” I said, and headed for the balcony.
“Wait for me,” she said as she scrambled out of bed, naked.
I sat in one of the chairs on the balcony and lit two cigarettes. I could see the floodlights of Old Trafford through the darkness as Zoe appeared beside me and grabbed the smoke I offered her. She took a satisfying drag from it and sat in my lap.
“Was everything okay for you?” I asked.
“It was heavenly. I’ve never had oral before.”
“Really? Why not?”
“I don’t know. Only one of the girls in the office has ever had it, and she didn’t like it.”
“You sit around talking about oral in the office?” I laughed.
“Oh we talk about everything.”
“I’d better watch myself then, just in case.”
“Oral isn’t really a thing, at least in our circle of people. A lot of men won’t do it.”
“I wonder why. It’s the most intimate thing that two people can do in my view but I suppose it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Did you enjoy it?”
“Fuck yes. I never imagined it could be like that. I’ve never had an orgasm that I didn’t give myself. Giving up that control to another is hard but it’s also very liberating.”
“That makes me happy. I wasn’t sure at first.”
She kissed me again.
“I can give you a blow job,” she said suddenly.
“I’d love that, but only if it’s part of lovemaking. We have plenty of time to explore each other.”
“Yes. We have.”
We had another smoke and sat there reflecting on things. When we were finished we went back inside to get out of the chilly air.
“Hungry?” I asked her.
“Famished,” she said.
“Ok. We can either order room service or eat in the posh restaurant downstairs. It’s lady’s choice.”
“Can we get a table downstairs please? I need to have another shower because someone got me all hot and bothered.”
“Tell me who she is and I’ll go around there and nail her knees to the door. Ok, you do your thing and I’ll make a booking, is thirty minutes enough?”
“Make it forty-five if you can,” and she headed off to the bathroom.
I had a good navy shirt that I always carried with me so I got it out of my bag and checked it. It had a few wrinkles, so I got the ironing board out and ran the iron over it when it heated up. I had just completed pressing the shirt when I felt a hand on my back.
“You’d make a great wife for someone,” Zoe said and laughed.
“That’s what all the girls say.”
I unplugged the iron, picked up the shirt and turned around as she stood in front of me. My breath caught when I saw her. She wore a short black dress with a silver cross and chain at her neck. It was low cut and held in place by two flimsy straps at her shoulders. Her hair hung daintily to her shoulders and she had foregone makeup, letting her porcelain-like skin speak for itself, her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled.
“I don’t know what to say, love, you look stunning.”
“Thank you,” she said and kissed me. “That means everything to me.”
I dressed quickly and noticed that I had a little stubble going on so I excused myself and went into the bathroom to wash my face, clean my teeth and run the electric razor across my face. When I was done I looked in the mirror. It was the best I could do.
We sat in the quiet restaurant at a table near the side of the dimly lit room.
“This is lovely,” Zoe said and I had to agree.
We ordered wine for her and a Green Spot for me as we looked over the menu. Zoe had to dig her spectacles out to see the menu while I just squinted as hard as I could. I always forget mine.
The meal was great and Zoe was definitely famished but she sat back in her seat looking happy and satisfied as she leaned toward me and picked a small piece of lint from my shirt. I smiled at her.
“What?” she said with a smile.
“Nothing. Did you enjoy that?”
“The lint? Yes, in fact, I did. Someone needs to monitor your appearance.”
“I know but that’s rich coming from someone who forgot to wear a bra.”
“I’ll have you know that I most certainly am wearing a bra. I’ll show you.”
She pulled the front of her dress away from her body to reveal a black lace bra that had no straps. Luckily we were sitting almost side by side so it didn’t raise an eyebrow.
“Wow. That’s something that has never happened before. I’ll treasure that as my memory fades in my declining years.”
“You’re welcome. Do you want to see it again?”
“Love to. I’ve nearly forgotten the first one.”
“Already?”
“Yes. It’s like some old fingerprints on an abandoned handrail.”
“I think you shouldn’t have any more of that Spot whiskey.”
“I think you’re right. Will we go for a smoke?”
“Yes please.”
We walked out into the car park and strolled through the grounds as we smoked. I took off my jacket and placed it around her shoulders when she shivered slightly. When we returned to the suite, the bed had been made up and turned down with a couple of chocolates left on the counterpane in a silver dish while a coffee maker had been set up on a side table for the morning.
“I could get used to this,” Zoe said as she took my hand and headed for the balcony.
“Let’s have a smoke before bed,” she said.
I stood at the balcony rail with my back to the wall and Zoe came and leaned her back against me. I massaged her neck as she murmured her approval.
“Thank you for today. This has been amazing,” she said.
“You’ve been amazing,” I said as I flicked the cigarette end into the car park below.
She reached up and kissed me quickly then opened her mouth and kissed my deeply. One of her kisses. Her tongue doing that soft exploration of my mouth, slipping around my tongue, searching for the answers to all her questions, drawing me in and making me not want it to end. Her hands moved to the buttons on my shirt and began to flick them open.
“I think we should take this inside in case of hypothermia,” I said.
I followed her in and slid the door closed as she went around switching off the brighter of the lights in the room.
We met beside the bed and we kissed longingly. I unzipped her dress and helped her step out of it. I folded it and hung it on the back of a chair as I took in the vision that stood before me, dressed in a strapless black lace bra and matching thong.
“Jesus,” I said as I closed the distance between us. I reached for her but she stopped my advance with one hand and then opened the remaining buttons on my shirt and then unzipped my trousers. As I struggled out of the shirt she helped me out of the rest and undid her bra, setting her breasts free and exposing her highly aroused nipples to my fingertips.
She slid my boxers off and pulled me to the bed by the hand. There was a sense of urgency to her demeanour but she allowed me to remove her thong.
She pushed me back on the bed and kissed my nipples. Her tongue felt warm to the touch as she licked and suckled on them while letting her hand wander to where my erection waited. Her hand flattened out and massaged the length of my penis before bending her finger around the bottom of it to cup my testes. I’d never felt a sensation like it. She was on her knees and I moved her head and we kissed as she probed my shaft and head with her soft hands. She broke the kiss with a smile and then turned around bent forward and took the head in her mouth. Her tongue danced around the tip before enveloping the entire shaft right down to the base with her mouth. She sucked slowly and alternated this with her swirling tongue as I was trying to hold on. It was a sensational experience.
I placed my hand on her backside as it was close by. My fingers slid under her to her slightly exposed vulva and massaged around her exposed lips. It was difficult to keep it going comfortably so I slid a little way down the bed and moved her hips and legs until they were positioned directly above my face, I could see her wetness shining around her outer lips making them appear even more pink than before. I felt her groaning through the shaft of my penis as she paused minutely to understand what was going on.
My tongue found her labia which had become swollen and I slowly entered her with it. An audible gasp escaped her as I stimulated her clitoris with my thumb as I worked my tongue in and out of her vagina. She tasted of musk, pineapple and mint. Her scent was of patchouli, lavender and lime. I removed my tongue to her nub of pleasure and inserted one finger in its place. As it went deeper I could feel the beginning of her tender G spot as it made itself known to me. I made a short rubbing motion as my hand felt the skin on her back. I felt a humming sensation surrounding my penis as Zoe reacted to this new stimulation. It started off as a whisper and slowly increased in volume.
“Oh God, God, God,” she groaned as she lifted her head away in orgasm. She had a tight grip on me as her hips shook in orgasmic relief A small pool of fluid escaped her body and some of it dropped onto my top lip. I swallowed it in and then lapped at the remainder while still stimulating her secret spot.
We were in a 69 position so I encouraged her onto her side and we lay with my head between her legs. I could then insert my tongue inside her again and have full access to the rest of her with my hand. She was now moving her head with more force and I knew I wouldn’t last much longer so I turned her completely on her back and began to binge on her juices as they ran free. My lips found her clitoris once more and the feel of my teeth touching the sensitive bud sent her over the top once more.
She lay face down on the bed as she recovered and I joined her face to face as she smiled happily. We kissed and could taste each other as we did so.
“I need you, Danny,” she said.
“I’m here, love.”
“I need you inside me,” she said breathlessly. “I need to feel you inside me.”
I took her in my arms and she rolled on her back. Her legs welcomed me and she guided me inside her. It was unbelievably sensitive. It felt like we were the only two people in the world right then. Her eyes danced as they looked back at me.
“More,” she whispered.
I gave her everything I had to give and her eyes rolled as we realised we had both given everything. Her vaginal muscles flexed and made me groan. I withdrew about two inches and slid back in again. She was perfect. We began making love in a romantic and loving way. Everything was respectful and sensual. We gave ourselves to the moment as we dove deeper into our feelings and emotions. Zoe’s building orgasm was signalled vocally as the volume of her ecstasy grew. “I’m nearly there, love,” I whispered.
“Please don’t pull away, Danny. Come inside me. Please,” She almost screamed as she hit her peak and held on to me for dear life. Her contractions speeded up my orgasm and we arrived almost together, wrapped in each other as our tongues mingled.
We drifted off into a deep sleep. Next morning I was awoken by the sound of the balcony door sliding shut. Zoe was outside having a smoke. I stayed where I was and savoured the delicious comfort of the bed linens and the lingering aroma of last night’s lovemaking.
I checked the time. 8:45. Time for a smoke. I slid out from under the covers and slipped my robe on, grabbed my smokes and headed towards the balcony. The glass door was pulled across the opening and I saw her leaning on the metal rail as she looked down on the world. She was on the phone so I decided to give her some privacy by going to the bathroom to freshen up a bit. When I came out she was making coffee in the machine.
“Morning,” I said.
She smiled, took a step towards me and reached around my neck. Her lips found mine and we kissed as though we had been apart for a year. “Good morning,” she whispered and smiled.
I pulled her to me and we wordlessly just existed together in embrace for several moments until the coffee machine made a noise.
“Sleep well?” I asked.
“Mmmm. The best sleep I’ve had in years. Are you up long?”
“About twenty minutes. You?”
“Not much longer. I needed coffee and a smoke.”
“I would’ve joined you but you were on the phone. I didn’t want to intrude.”
TBC