Part Eleven

Marc pulled the blanket over Isobel’s towel clad body, but her face was forlorn as he threw the cushions off the sofa.

                “What’s wrong?” He sat looking at her from across the room.

                “I just feel like I need a hug, I feel cold, and scared.”

The last word won him over and reluctantly he headed towards her, “I hope you realise how difficult this is going to be?”

He pulled back the duvet and slid into the bed next to her. She turned and wriggled into his arms, her head on his naked shoulder.

                “Thanks Marc,” she offered nervously. “I feel so much better now...and that’s thanks to you.”

He squeezed her, “that’s ok, now go to sleep.”

She lay there for a long time, loving the feel and the security that his arms gave her, she knew he wasn’t sleeping; the little shudders he gave involuntarily when she moved were a sign that he was feeling exactly the same as she. 

Warmth was spreading through her body, her breasts ached, her heart thumped. She knew she wanted more, now, not in a few days, a few weeks, for as much as she was scared, she was in a state of desire too. Squirming in bed she managed to relieve herself of the towel, a few grunts caused Marc to stir.

                “What’s the matter now?” she could hear frustration and anger in his voice; this was SO hard for him.

She dumped the towel ceremoniously on his chest.

                “What’s this?” he asked reaching for the bedside lamp.

Turning back he paused, there was Isobel, sat on her heels in the middle of the bed, completely naked.

                “Iz,” his voice was soft, his eyes devouring every millimetre of her. “Don’t do this to me!” She began to crawl towards him across the huge bed; he was backing into the pillows. “Please Iz.”

She smiled, “I thought you wanted me.”

He looked at her intently, “I want you more than anything, but now is just not the right time.”

She was in front of him now, straddling his thighs, face close to his, “suddenly everything is becoming clear, he was winning, for so long I’ve changed because of what he did. I’ve switched off all my emotions for five years. Now I can feel again Marc, and that’s cos of you, I just want to go on feeling, making new memories, does that sounds stupid?”

He licked his dry lips, never had he felt under so much pressure to the right thing, “it’s not stupid, but tonight isn’t right…”

Isobel had this huge surge of confidence, she didn’t know where it had come from, but it was causing her whole body to swell in anticipation, and she took his left hand and placed it over her breast, “tonight is VERY right, I want this more than anything else.”

He groaned, but his hand moved to cup her gently, leaving his thumb to strum across her nipple, his other hand pulled her mouth to his. The kiss was a mutually savage assault, both mouths plundering and searching the other.

Time for talking had long gone. Neither had much grip on themselves. Their kissing was furious, his hands were roaming over her body, hers were tugging at his jeans. When they were undone, he lay back and allowed her to pull them down over his hips. Once they were on the floor, she kissed her way back up his legs, licking at his knees, the hair on his thighs. His boxer shorts were tight, and he was straining at the seams, his arousal so evident.

She reached out a finger and ran it along the length of him. He let his head fall back for a moment, a groan emerging from deep within his chest.

As she licked his belly button he thought he was going to explode. Reaching for her, he threw her back against the pillows, and took control, nipping, licking and sucking at each breast, his spare hand sliding between her legs. As he finally found her most sensitive spots, he thrust his lips back onto hers, not letting her have a moment to doubt him, to doubt this, and again they fought a furious combat with their tongues.

She felt a mounting sensation of unfamiliar, overwhelming pleasure, so much so that she dropped her head from his, slumped into the pillows, her body arching into his hand. Then it over powered her and she felt her whole body convulse, as she lost control of all sensations for a few moments. He looked down at her seeing the confusion on her eyes, and he realised this was new to her.

                “He didn’t deserve you, sweetheart,” his voice was a whisper into her ear, “it should be like this every time.”

With that he kicked off his boxers and slid into her, slowly, gently, murmuring words of love as he did, his hands lifted her pelvis to get even better access. Within moments he could feel his own climax approaching, so he rolled onto his back, lifting her on top of him. She sat up and looked down at him, and he groaned as she started to move slowly, rocking side to side.

He watched her for a few moments before he could tolerate no more, so, he rolled her on to her back again, he brought them both to a forceful end, before slumping down on top of her. Both sweating and panting for air.

                “That was incredible Iz,” he finally had the composure to flop onto the pillows, and pull her into his embrace. Kissing the top of her head he added, “If I had any doubts that I loved you, they’ve gone!”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, “do you mean that?”

He nodded, “even if it had taken ten years to get to this point, I’d have waited.” He stroked her hair as they lay together, “that felt like it was meant to be. I knew it would be.”

                “Mmm,” she mumbled into his chest.

                “Are you going to sleep?” he was incredulous. “I’m opening my heart and you’re falling asleep?” He propped himself on an elbow and looked down at her, “there’s no way you’re going to sleep, no way at all”

They teased and pleased each other well into the night, it was almost light when they finally gave in and found some rest.

Isobel’s phone alarmed at half seven and woke them. They both groaned and buried their heads together under the duvet.

                “We’re going to have to cope with the day,” she finally announced pulling the duvet back from them both. “We’ve got kids to go to home to.”

She sat on the edge of the bed and stretched provocatively, glancing suggestively over her shoulder. The mojo she’d lost five years ago was definitely back. She felt desirable, sexy, loved, and it was such a powerful sensation. He’d woken aroused and she laughed as she skipped away from his attempt to swipe her back into bed. She was in the shower when two hands slid around her waist.

When they eventually emerged for breakfast it was much later. They ate like starving men, washing down a variety of breakfast foods with strong black coffee.

Back in their room, Isobel was just throwing her few belongings into her bag when once again he pulled her into his arms again.

Their kiss was passionate, and they couldn’t get enough of each other. Within seconds he was taking her again, their clothes pushed aside for grasps and touches, craving contact with each others’ skin.

                “I feel like a teenager! I can’t get enough of you!” he announced as they managed to drag themselves out to the car.

She sat back against the passenger seat and relived so many moments from the night.

                “Are you deliberately keeping your cards close to your chest? I am a thirty four year old man, who has admitted that he can’t keep his hands off you, never wants to be apart from you, that he loves you….and you sit there and smile?”

She chuckled, “I walked into this hotel with the world on my shoulders, and I’m leaving with the world at my feet. I told you last night that I wanted to have new memories, and if I never see you again I have so, so many of them…” she chuckled again, “like ten minutes ago…” She looked at him and smiled as she saw him blush. “At last! Not so self assured Mr Banfield, you’re normally so frustratingly cocky. You want me to put how I feel into words? To bathe your ego? Well I think actions speak louder than words. Don’t you?”

He laughed, “I have never felt so nervous in my life as I do leaving this hotel, cos I don’t know how I’m going to survive without you right next to me, I’ve never felt like this. I feel so out of my depth.”

She squeezed his hand, “it’ll get better. I’m not going anywhere.”

Marc looked at her for a few seconds, before firing the engine and sending the car spinning through the gravel.

She knew he was looking for some show of commitment from her but she still had some reservation, still had that need to protect Taylor, and herself.

The silence on the way back was comfortable; there was no traffic, so they were home with in twenty minutes. He dropped her at Orla’s house, and though the parting kiss was chaste, it was still passionate and full of promise. As he drove off she realised they hadn’t made any plans. But she knew she’d see him soon.

                “So how was it?” Orla asked. Tim had taken the kids swimming, so they had time for coffee and a chat.

                “It was kind of cathartic really.”

Orla paused as she filled the kettle, “in what way?”

                “There are things I have never told you, haven’t told anyone. Marc brought it all out, and I’m starting to feel like a new person. It was free therapy.”

Orla sat opposite as she waited for the kettle to boil her eyes fixed on her oldest friend, “so what haven’t you said? Can you tell me?”

Isobel nodded, “I think I’m ready to.” She took a deep breath then sat back in her chair. “After I got pregnant a lot of things changed.”

                “You can say that again, you’re only just starting to become the girl I knew from school again.”

She began to tell Orla about Richard, the pregnancy, the wife. She looked at her friend’s sympathetic face and knew she could tell her everything. So she told her about the assault, the rape, the fear, and how she’d spent the last five years denying everything and hiding away.

Orla was stunned, so Isobel got up and made the coffee. When she turned back to the table she saw that her friend was wiping away tears.

They hugged for ages, when Orla was composed she pulled away.

                “I knew something big had happened, I said to Tim that you were scared of something. I don’t know whether to feel insulted that you couldn’t tell me…”

                “I didn’t admit it to myself, I couldn’t. But with Marc I was stripped bare,” when Orla chuckled she added quickly, “I don’t mean like that…though now you come to mention it!”

Orla play punched her arm before grabbing her coffee, “so how was it?”

                “He was so patient and understanding, I blew hot and cold for most of the evening. I kept pushing him away so hard…but he stayed there, and wanted to be with me. What have I done to deserve that? I mean I’ve treated him so badly, but he just kept going.”

Orla shook her head, “you’re special, you deserve the best, you deserve to be happy. He saw that. And I’m just glad you’ve got this out finally.”

Isobel reached across and took her friends hand, “I wanted to tell you, you know, don’t you? You’re the best friend a girl could ask for. But I was too scared to admit it.”

Orla smiled, “I know that, thanks chick, now tell all…..how was it?”

Isobel leaned back in her chair, “it was fantastic once I got over all my shit. We were like rabbits all night…we had about two hours sleep. He’s so keen, and it was SO amazing.”

Orla looked at her with amazement, “God I wish I’d never asked. It’s been a long time since Tim and I have had that sort of spark!”

A text message alert disturbed their chat; Isobel dug out her phone and opened the message, then blushed before reading it aloud to her friend.

                “Seems lonely without you already, had the best night of my life...and we will repeat in case you’re having doubts. Love you, but then you know that, Mxxx”

                “Oh Wow!” Orla was swooning, “it’s like a romance novel, proper Jackie Collins fodder!”