Loving Alex (The Alexandra Drake Series) Read online

  “Anything else?” He asks once he’s finished rampaging through the store.

  “No, I need to do a big shop anyway. Thought I’d do it online.”

  “Online? Don’t you like to choose your own stuff?” He frowns at me, clearly the idea of someone doing your shopping for you is not one that he agrees with.

  “Not always, sometimes it’s just easier to have it delivered.” I defend my rationale for shopping online.

  We exit through the self check out area and are soon back in his Audi and on our way to the hotel. He parks in the car park at the rear and we enter through the new corridor at the side of the orangery. The pool’s empty as we walk past but it’s lit up, the water looks so inviting.

  “Pool looks good,” I say as I’m marched past.

  “Fancy a swim?” He grins.

  I shake my head. “It’s closed and anyway, you know I don’t show my back, in public.” I remind him of my scarred back, the horrendous marks left by my bastard of a husband.

  “But it is closed. We can make sure the blinds are shut. Come on Blossom, come for a swim, no-one will come in now, it’s well past eleven!”

  The thought does sound very tempting and I haven’t swum for years, since before Lewis slammed that iron into my back.

  “What if someone was to come in?” I question, quietly, “You know…see us?”

  “They wouldn’t, it’s closed. I can put an extra sign out. I can do that, you know, close it off from everybody.” His tone is so seductive, mesmerizing I feel compelled to say “yes”.

  “I used to love swimming.” I think aloud.

  “So why don’t you let me take you…tonight. You’re staying here with me anyway. Come on Alex, live dangerously!” It’s that smile again.

  “I think….” I stop; what if someone sees me.

  “You think what Blossom?”

  “I’m just scared someone will see!” I blurt out, “I don’t know. I’ve not been since…..” I look at James. I’d love to swim, to move myself through the water, to feel weightless. “As long as you close the pool and promise that nobody can see us.” I agree, half-heartedly.

  “I can do that. It’s been closed since nine anyway, but I’ll make sure the main access door is locked and the blinds are down so nobody can see in. Okay?” He smiles, pleased with my agreement, “I’ll make it special….I promise!” He winks at me as he reaches for a strawberry from the plastic bag, popping it into that gorgeous mouth.

  “I know you will,” I whisper, “I haven’t a costume!”

  “No need.” That smile, that bloody smile of his.

  He holds my hand as we walk through the foyer, through the staff only door and up the stairs to his office, once in I plonk myself into one of the battered leather chairs.

  “I need to go and get some things,” He grabs the supermarket plastic bag, “wait here.” He says as he leaves me alone in his office.

  I make myself a hot drink and sit in the huge old chair sipping my tea. I’m surprised at myself for being so calm, after what’s happened, those photographs. The more I think about it the more I convince myself that Benito is right, ignore him, hopefully he’ll just go away.

  There’s a knock at the door, “Hello!” I call.

  The door opens slowly and I’m surprised to see Lola walk in at this late hour, she’s wearing tight jeans and black t-shirt. “I was looking for Mr. Aconi.” She says as she looks around the office. I note that her Converse sneakers are totally battered and well past their best, in fact her clothes all look like they could do with replacing, or a good wash at the very least, not what I expected the well presented waitress to look like in her “civi’s”.

  “He’s just gone downstairs, I don’t expect he’ll be long, maybe I can help you?” I ask.

  She studies me for a moment, “I don’t know, I wanted to give Mr. Aconi my new address details, I moved yesterday. Marcus said that I should tell him.” She mumbles.

  “Oh, well if you write your new details down,” I pass her a piece of paper which I pinch from the printer and a pen, “I’ll pass them onto him.”

  She takes the paper and pen from me and leans on the desk as she writes.

  “Have you worked all day today?” I ask.

  “No, I had a split shift. I worked breakfast and then went off until evening.” She says as she concentrates on her writing.

  I watch her, her very light blonde hair tumbles around her face as she leans forward, I can see that she’s naturally that colour, no evidence of bottle blonde there.

  “There, that’s it.” She announces as she stands upright.

  “Good, I’ll see that he gets it.” I take the piece of paper and place it in the middle of James’ desk, just where he’ll see it.

  She stands watching me, intently, a little off putting really, “Is that all?” I ask.

  “Yeah. I didn’t think you’d be here this late.” She adds.

  “Oh! Why?” Her statement takes me off guard a little.

  “No reason,” she turns and heads for the door, “bye.” she says as she exits.

  I look at the address she’s written, it’s the same postal area as mine, it looks like an apartment. Blimey, I’ve no idea how much she earns but I do know that I live in one of the more expensive parts of London, even rentals are higher priced. How’s she affording it? I stop the thinking, none of my business really, but if you can afford to live there why are you waiting tables? Maybe she’s waiting tables so that she can live there?

  I sit waiting for James to return and start to psyche myself up for my swim, which from what he has said will not involve any form of swimming costume. Who’d have thought that Alex Drake, middle aged soon to be divorced mum would be skinny dipping with a veritable sex-god!

  James soon returns distracting me from my thoughts which already have me slightly damp.

  “You were longer than I thought you’d be!” I look up from my chair as he walks across to the other side of the desk.

  “I went to put the signs out and close the blinds. I’ve checked and nobody can see in.” He glances at his desk “What’s this?” He holds up Lola’s hand written note.

  “Oh, Lola dropped by. It’s her new address.”

  “SW3 – that’s some new address, it’s by you!” He points out.

  “I thought that too! How much do we pay her? Maybe she has a rich dad?” I laugh.

  “I doubt it very much, why would someone with a rich dad be waiting tables?” He throws the handwritten note back on his desk.

  “I was joking…..I thought the same thing!” I laugh.

  He shrugs his shoulders giving me that look again, the one where he appears to look right into my very sole.

  “Ready?” He walks around to me and holds my hand, “Let’s go have some fun!”

  I hold his hand tightly and follow, trepidation grips me slightly as we move along the dim corridor and down the staircase.

  “You’re sure nobody will be able to get in?” I ask nervously as he whisks me along.

  “I’m sure, stop worrying. The main door to the leisure centre will be shut, it’s past nine so it’s closed anyway and I’ve put the yellow closed sign out. Nobody will come in. Stop worrying!” He’s so firm taking control of the situation in his usual assertive, but calm and pleasant way.

  He pulls me through the foyer and into the orangery. “Alex Drake, you have no fucking idea how much you mean to me.” He kisses me deeply, passionately, “come on….”

  We enter the new leisure complex and pass the sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. As we go he makes sure the doors are shut behind us and drags me into the female changing room. He’s full of lust and passion as he virtually attacks my top dragging it over my head, then shoes and jeans which he unzips and throws onto one of the seats, next to come off are the bra and knickers.

  I’m feeling it too now, hot, bothered and desperate. He quickly undresses and dumps his clothes on top of mine, grabbing me around the waist he kisses me again, his tongue flic
king against my lips I open and he expertly flicks into my mouth whilst his large hands navigate their way down to my backside, he squeezes firmly. “Are you ready for this Alex?” He breathes heavily against my neck.

  “I’m more than ready, as long as no-one comes in?” I whisper.

  “They can’t so please stop worrying,” he chuckles, placing a light kiss on my forehead, “nobody will come in, okay?”

  He holds my hand and pulls me through the changing room door and onto the poolside. The pool that Maggie, my deceased aunt, my birth mother, had designed is a sort of Roman design, mainly rectangular with a half circle at one end, the shallow end. I suppose the pool is around 20 foot long, not a huge thing but big enough for the guests to be able to enjoy a dip.

  He guides me down towards a row of loungers at one end of the Orangery. “Sit” He says in that commanding tone of his. I lower myself onto the thick cushion of the lounger and look up to my lover who reaches towards the back of the lounger producing a bottle of champagne and two glasses, he smiles at me “Drink?”

  “Umm, please.”

  He carefully opens the bottle and fills two flutes with the pale gold liquid, the bubbles fizzing to the top as he does. He hands a glass to me and sits beside me on the lounger.

  “You are beautiful Blossom.” He says as he bends forward and kisses me again, I can feel and taste the cold wine on his lips. He reaches behind the lounger again and pulls back with a huge ripe strawberry. “Open.” He dips the fruit into my glass and places it on my lips. I do as I am requested and take a bite of the wonderfully juicy, sweet berry smothered in the dry tasting champagne.

  “Umm, delicious.” I mutter, the champagne and strawberry a heavenly mix in my mouth, tantalizing my taste buds and fuelling the feelings, the passion that is bubbling within me, ready to explode.

  “And very, very good for you,” he mumbles, “come on, put your drink down.”

  He pulls me up from my lounger as I place my drink on the small table to the side. We walk to the edge of the deep end and he dives in, so elegantly with hardly any splash. He surfaces and turns towards me, treading water “Come on, it’s not cold!”

  It’s been so long since I’ve been in a pool; I was never a strong swimmer anyway but hope that I can remember.

  I jump in with a splash, having never been particularly good at diving. It feels so free having no costume on. I swim towards him, slow breaststroke and once there I face him. He takes my hands and moves towards the middle of the pool and I follow until he stops. “You can stand here” He says.

  Tentatively I lower my legs until I can feel the bottom. He grabs me around the waist and kisses me again, slowly walking me towards the side. “Hold on to the edge.” He rumbles as he duck dives down and I feel him kissing my sex, his hands gradually pulling my thighs apart, his thumb brushing over my sensitive nub, he surfaces he looks stunning, droplets of water glistening on his olive skin, highlighting the well developed muscles of his arms, chest and stomach. He smiles at me before taking another deep breath and ducking under again.

  I feel him on my sex, his fingers stroking, I am so turned on, he’s so gentle yet firm, I throw my head back against the side of the pool as he holds my waist, keeping me still.

  He surfaces again and kisses me deeply, “Baby you so want this don’t you?” He asks softly, his face buried against the side of my neck.

  “Yes…” I gasp.

  He pulls my legs around his waist, I look down into the water and see his arousal, he lifts me slightly and lowers me onto him as his length, he invades me, I feel so full. He pumps into me harder and harder, one hand around my waist the other resting on the edge of the pool as the water moves around us, I feel totally weightless.

  I throw my head back, moaning as I do. “You’re there baby.” He says, his voice husky as he continues to thrust.

  “Oh, James!” I cry out.

  “Ready…..together!” He shouts.

  “Umm….James!” I moan loudly, crying out as I climax around him, he pulls me so close holding me as he releases, his thrusts becoming slower but harder.

  We cling to each other, just holding on, my legs around his waist, he holds on so tightly “God, I love you…” He says.

  “Do you really?” I whisper against his cheek.

  “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it!” He’s firm.

  “I missed you today. When I got home Muriel was just leaving, I was so lonely, I didn’t like being in that house on my own, I didn’t like the feel of it.” I mutter.

  “I’m sorry Alex, but I needed to be here, just so that Robbie could have a night off.”

  “I’m so pleased you’re stepping down. Well, taking a directors role. You can still be involved, just handing over the day to day stuff. I hate the thought that when you’re working here and I’m left on my own, especially at night.” I nuzzle his neck, the water around us so sensual caressing every part of me.

  He steps back and lowers me to the pool floor moving a strand of my wet hair away out of my face and tucking it behind my ear, “I know, but it’s sorted now, we can spend more time together but, I’m not being a kept man, that’s not negotiable. I work and that’s final!” That look he gives, looking into me with those dark eyes.

  “I know. I understand, you will be working, just not as the General Manager, not here at all hours of the day and night.”

  He pulls me close again, holding tightly, we’re both standing there in chest high water, naked, the down lights flickering in the ripples of the pool. It’s so peaceful and I have really missed being in the water, not that I spent a great deal of time in a pool, but when I did go swimming with Anna, when she was younger, I really used to enjoy it.

  “It’s got to be the right person though Alex. You understand it might take us a while to find someone?” He’s being assertive again and I can’t help but think that he’s going to drag the search for a new person out for as long as possible.

  I think carefully before I answer, looking into his eyes, the dark pools and that handsome face, that wet messy hair. I know what I feel and what I want. I pull him close and speak softly. “You know I don’t like driving in London, that’s why we got Archie and I really don’t like being in that house on my own. Anna’s going to university in October so I’m going to be down here in a house I really don’t care for, because you’re always here, well most of the time anyway. Can we sort it that we’ve got someone in place by then? It would mean so much to me; it really would - assuming this is just more than a fling!”

  “We’ll sort it as soon as we can, but it really does have to be the right person, honestly it does. And this is much, much more than a fling Alex, you must know that by now? And do you really want to trust your business with just anyone?” Despite our passion of only a few moments ago he’s so firm.

  I look up at him, “No, not really I suppose. I know it has to be someone we can trust, someone who cares about it as much as you.” I mutter. It can’t come soon enough for me.

  I start to shiver, “I’m cold, I’m getting out.” I swim towards the steps and start to climb out just as the door to the pool flies open noisily and a couple dressed in evening dress and dinner suit fall through, clearly pissed.

  James’ attention is drawn towards the noise created by the couple. He turns to them and then looks back at me. I drop myself back into the water, for modesty more than anything else.

  “Skinny dipping…can we all join in?” The bloke slurs loudly, the woman on his arm laughs.

  “Get the fuck out!” James yells across at them, “Get out now!”

  The couple just stand there, staring at us both. James swims over towards them and exits the pool just in front of them. Taking big strides he faces the bloke. “The pools closed! Can’t you read? Get out!” He jabs at the man’s shoulder, “Get out!”

  “Okay, okay, we’re going!” The bloke holds his hands up whilst looking at me in the water.

  I hear the woman say something quietly,she starts
to pull him towards the door.

  “We’re going. But if it’s closed why are you in here? Having some fun with your bit of skirt!” He winks at James.

  James points at me, “Because she fucking owns the bloody place, that’s why! Now get the fuck out now before I call security!”

  Oh hell! His face is like thunder, probably because they’ve somehow managed to get in and then the poor bloke has referred to me as a bit of skirt.

  The couple stare at me and then look up and down at James, his manhood on display for all to see, I’m unsure if he’s no inhibitions or simply forgotten that he’s naked. Whatever, I smile to myself, I really do feel totally and utterly protected by My James, Mr. Aconi, The Bossman the man who until recently I could only have ever had in my dreams.

  The bloke steps back, “Okay, okay. We’re leaving.” They turn and he guides his lady friend from the poolside and out of the orangery, once they’ve gone James walks around the side of the pool, his long strides powering him towards me. He stops at the steps and offers me his hand, I climb out of the pool and he pulls me towards him, holding me close, surrounding me with those big arms.

  “I thought no-one could get in?” I’m laughing at him.

  “They were drunk and clearly incapable of reading.” He grunts.

  I laugh out loud, doubled over. “What?” He snaps, “What are you laughing at?”

  “You,” I push my finger into his broad, muscled chest, “you, walking around stark naked in front of those strangers!” I burst out laughing again, bending at the waist as I do.

  I look up at him and he smiles at me,” You’re laughing at me – are you?” It’s that incredibly sexy smile, the grin. I can see mischief in his eyes!

  “Laughing at me,” He says again, “you’re going to regret that lady!” Without warning he scoops me up into his big arms and quite literally chucks me into the deep end.

  I hit the water with a major splash and flap around, once I’m righted and swimming back towards the edge I see him, now he’s doubled over creased with bloody laughter.