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THE NINTH pt2
The day passes quicker than I would have liked. We take a stroll through the village, and I can't help but exclaim over the quaintness of the cottages. I am so used to the hustle and bustle of London and Brighton that the sounds of the countryside are almost alien to me. We end up in a boutique coffee shop, where Taylor introduces me to blends from all over the world. I thought I was adventurous ordering a gingerbread latte from Starbucks at Christmastime, but that is nothing in comparison to what I have tried today. Slightly jittery from all the caffeine, we take a long stroll back and grab a sandwich, settling back in front of a fire just in time before the heavens open.
The muted sunlight of the afternoon soon fades as the autumn evening rolls in. Our light conversation ranges from music to books and films, and I am surprised to learn just how much we have in common. Taylor fills me in about his gap year and how the foods from his travels inspired him to set up his company
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I am too hot. The sound of birds chirping filters through my subconscious, and I surmise that it must be early, but given that we have been asleep since early evening, I have had more than my normal eight hours. I am trapped under Taylor's arm, but as I squirm to get more room, he suddenly rolls onto his back, freeing me. I study him sleeping, taking note of the way his normally spiky hair falls forward, his chin covered in stubble, his broad shoulders and his sensuous mouth.Thirst and my rumbling stomach give me the motivation to get out of bed, grab a robe and head downstairs, careful not to wake a sleeping Taylor. I make myself a coffee and pop in some bread to toast and then settle myself on the small couch overlooking the garden.My mind drifts back to the night's activities, and I remember why my body is protesting this morning. Even just thinking about it brings a flush to my face, and I start to feel horny enough to contemplate heading back upstairs to w
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Taking my hand, Taylor guides me back to bed and pulls the covers over us as he spoons me, both arms cradling me gently. At this moment I feel like Taylor's most precious possession, and it scares me. This feeling of being cherished is something so alien to me that I can't believe it is going to last."Abby!" Taylor's warning tone brings me back, and I roll over to look at Taylor face-to-face. "I know when you are thinking all that crap in your head, you know."I gulp. "Sorry, Taylor. It's just that this all seems too good to be true. I don't know how to handle a guy being nice to me." Something about the way he is looking at me makes me feel like I need to explain further. "I mean, I don't have much experience, but the whole two times I had sex before this, the aftermath was, let's just say…um…horrible. And it's not like I have even been in a relationship with a guy." I can't read the expression in Taylor's eyes, so I carry on babbling."The
Thirty Days THE ELEVENTH
I manage to sneak into Taylor's office early by telling Patrice, his personal assistant, that I am dropping off some samples for him. She gives me a look but doesn't challenge me, so I leave the cake on his desk, hoping no one peeks in the plain box.My day passes in a blur, and I only stop when Michelle appears at my desk with a tapping foot, exclaiming loudly that it is lunchtime and she is hungry. I grin at her and gather up my purse so that we can head down to the little café we both love."How are you doing, chick?" she asks when we sit down with our sandwiches and coffee."I am surprisingly okay. The funeral was hard, particularly when I had to do my speech, but then Taylor stepped in…" I stop as Michelle's eyebrows disappear under her fringe in surprise. "Um, yeah, he turned up at the crematorium…" I trail off."Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome Bossman turned up at Nonna's funeral?" Michelle squeals, and I have to shush her and remind her we are in a public place. I take a breath and
Thirty Days THE ELEVENTH pt2
At some point in the drive I pass out, and when I finally come to, I find myself lying on Taylor's bed. A strange, but kind face suddenly appears over me, and I start. My body aches fiercely. My head feels like a fire is burning out of control. "It's okay, Abby. This is my friend James." I hear Taylor's voice, and I relax as his face comes into view. "He’s a doctor. I know you didn't want to go to the hospital, but you need to be looked at by a professional." Taylor takes my hand, and I nod my consent.James starts gently prodding my body, making me wince. When he is finished with his examination, he talks directly to me. "Abby, there is nothing broken and you don't seem to have a concussion, but you have taken a bad beating and you are going to be really sore for a few days. I’ll leave some painkillers with Taylor, and I want you to get some sleep. Can you do that for me?" I hear the concern in his voice and make a mental note to quiz Taylor about him later."Thank you, James." My vo
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The pain is astonishing. Hands beat me and voices scream words like 'whore' and 'bitch'. I struggle to free myself, but my arms are held firm. I hear Richard laughing and smell the stench of his breath on my face. I scream."Abby. Abby, wake up. It's only a dream." Taylor's words jolt me back to the present, and I can feel the sweat pouring off me. Taylor's hands work to free my arms from the sheet I have managed to tangle myself up in. I am breathing hard, and I can feel the tears leaking down my face. When my arms are finally free, I fling them around Taylor's neck and sob into his chest. He cradles me gently, stroking my hair until I calm down a little. Tender kisses fall on my head, my cheek, my ear. Instinct drives me forward, and I turn, pulling Taylor's mouth to mine. We kiss slowly and Taylor cups my face, taking care not to press on my damaged cheek.The kiss intensifies, and all I want is for Taylor to make me whole. I can feel the lust building in Taylor, and I wriggle
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"Change of plan, Abs. We can't go back to the apartment today.""Um, okay? Can I ask why, or are you going to yell at me?" I try to keep it light, but I can see the veins in Taylor's neck pulsing."Richard has just broken into the apartment." Taylor's voice is low, and I can see he is trying to rein himself in."What? How?" I stammer. "How on earth did he get in? I mean, you have so much security.""Exactly." Taylor's mouth is set in a grim line, and I can see the cogs whirring. I pity the poor person who will be on the end of Taylor's wrath. He bangs his hand against the steering wheel before doing an abrupt U-turn. I close my eyes to try and ease the throbbing in my temples, when I feel Taylor's hand taking mine and rubbing his thumb across my knuckles. The roar of the car's engine dulls my senses, leaving me to drift into my thoughts.I am brought back to the present when the engine abruptly shuts off. I open my eyes to find Taylor has already j
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I tip the bag onto the bed and sort through the jumble of clothes. I have no idea how Taylor knows my size, but everything looks like it will fit perfectly. I have plenty of curves and normally struggle to find clothes that fit nicely. Plus I usually would never dream of wearing designer clothes, as my parents have always drummed it into me that I was too 'big-boned' to get into anything couture.Searching through, I find the most beautiful set of underwear in a pearlescent pink. The bra does amazing things to my cleavage, and when I slip on the delicate panties, I feel like a million dollars. All the tags are missing, but I could take a rough stab at what some of this stuff must have cost. Probably what I earn in a month. I pull on a pair of jeans, a beautiful long-sleeved silk T-shirt in the same pearlescent pink, a chunky knit grey cardigan and a wide belt. A pair of grey ballerina flats complete the outfit, and I am just pulling my hair back into a low ponytail when I hea
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