"What about Saturday?" She looked surprised which was good. She wouldn't have time to think of an excuse.
"Who are you going to surround yourself with on Saturday when I take you out so you don't have to be alone with me?"
Vanessa stood up straight, eyes on fire and I wondered what she'd be like beneath me in bed. "My gran is coming for the day to see an exhibition at the V&A."
I laughed out loud. I didn't expect that. "Which exhibit?"
"The history of underwear. You can join us if you like." She crossed her arms over her chest, raising her tits and pointing her lips in a smile. She had dared me, she'd fucking dared me and there was no way I was going to back down. I hadn't said no to a dare since Maxwell tried to get me to dress up in Marie's favorite ball gown as a thirteen-year-old and I still wasn't sure what that said about him.
"I'd love to find out about the history of underwear. What time are you meeting your gran?" I was standing too, leaning over my desk and looking at her directly in her eyes, their deep blue reminding me of the Irish skies and wild oceans.
"She's getting in at Euston at 9.20 so she'll probably meet me at Borough Market for breakfast at, actually, I'll suggest Amelie's. She'll really like it." The daring look had been replaced with genuine delight.
"I'm sorry, Van," I said. "I don't want to intrude on your day. I'm sure you want some time with your gran." She was clearly looking forward to seeing her gran and her having a good day. I felt like shit, forcing her hand to invite me.
She laughed. "You're not getting out of taking an eighty-year-old woman around an underwear exhibition. She'll enjoy that far too much. Plus, she visits every three weeks, sometimes more. Especially since I left Richard."
"If you're sure."
"I'm sure." She looked thoughtful. "Would you mind picking her up from Euston? She's fine on the tube but if you could give her a lift you'd be doing her a real favor."
"If you think she'll be comfortable with that I can take the car over. Just make sure she knows what I look like. Does she have a phone that you can send a picture to or something?" I was thrown by the request and that she'd made it clear that she wouldn't be coming to Euston herself.
Then there was that smile again, the one that held all the secrets that I want to kiss out of her. "It's okay, Jackson, you won't need the car. My gran loves motorbikes; it'll make her day if she can ride on the back of yours." She gave me a wide grin that lit up the whole of her face. "I'll see you at seven at Whisky Ginger." And then she patted my bicep and I wanted to pull her into me, but instead, I watched her ass as she walked out of my office.
CHAPTER NINE
Chapter Six
Jackson
The rest of the day went relatively smoothly for a Friday. Richard did indeed call the office and tried to shout obscenities at Sylvia on reception and again when she put him through to me as Seph was on another call. By the end of the conversation – if you could call it that – I'd threatened him with an injunction against communicating with Vanessa, a threat I suspected he'd ignore. By the time I'd hung up I'd destroyed three pens and maimed several paperclips, fantasizing that they were his face.
I reached the bar just after seven, using the showers in the office to freshen up rather than going home to change. It was busy as usual: Borough Market and the surrounding area were popular places to hang out after work and there was an electrified vibe about the place. The terrorist attack on the area had only pulled people closer together and although people were vigilant, no one was scared. If anything, people wanted to enjoy themselves more, a finger in the face of those who had tried – and failed – to conjure terror.
I didn't see Vanessa at first as the bar was busy, bodies mingling everywhere, seeking relief after the working week. Claire was talking to some bloke I'd never seen before, standing near to three of the solicitors who worked with her in family law. They were all dressed up for a night out and I could tell Kelly, one of the paralegals, had necked a few cocktails already.
"Brother!" Slender arms grabbed me from behind.
I turned and saw my second youngest sister looking happy and slightly hammered. "When did you get here?"
"About an hour ago. I've been drinking on the train. I met this group of lads coming to London for a stag weekend and helped them drink their tequila." She belched loudly then laughed, her genuine happiness contagious as always.
"Payton, you're meant to be here to sort Seph out, not the other way around."
She laughed. "I'm sorting him just by being here. Have I told you how hard I've worked in Manchester? It's a relief to be back, even though I'm babysitting my brother. Why have you let him get like this? We should go out for lunch tomorrow. Have a picnic in Hyde Park and hang out and not talk about work."
Guilt wrapped her finger around me. "I can't. I have plans. Maybe Sunday?"
She cocked her head on one side and channeled Claire. I'd been had. "What plans might those be, brother dear?"
Shit. I didn't want to speak to any of my family about Vanessa. Not yet. They were going to enjoy this way too much and I didn't know Vanessa's take on it. For all, I knew she was trying to farm me out to her gran for more than just a motorbike ride. "I'm going out with a friend to a museum."
"A motorbike one?" It was a serious question and I know exactly why she asked it. Despite having lived in London for ten years and spent time here growing up I hadn't been in a single museum since I was eleven and Marie tried to make me and Max develop a little culture. I didn't think it worked.
"No. I'll tell you about it on Sunday." I avoided any more eye contact with her. I had more important people to see, like the tall brunette who was currently being felt up by some imbecile wearing a grey suit. Before I charged over to her and did something that made me look like a dog marking its territory I actually made myself think. I could ask the bartender to send over a drink for her, or I could start talking to the blonde I recognized from a magazine in the office reception. Or, I could just order a drink for myself and wait.
I opted for the third, winding through the crowd to the bar and asked for a beer and whiskey. There was a free bar stool, so I took it, making sure I was in Vanessa's line of site and I waited. The grey suit was still talking to her, leaning into her space. Firey jealousy felt like it was burning through me and I was desperate to go over there but she wasn't mine and she didn't need saving, even though the rest of the world did from her, because she was too damn beautiful. Her hair was down to her waist, curling at the ends. She was wearing tight leather trousers and a black, long-sleeved blouse with a high neck that was buttoned at the top then split down her spine, tucking in at the waist of her trousers. Her heels looked like weapons; high stilettos with straps that wrap round passed her ankles and in bed I'd keep those on. I saw her take a small step back and she glanced over at me. I held my glass up to her as a toast and smiled and then she tapped the grey suit on his arm and said goodbye. Thank fuck for that.
