STAY

Eight

I was roused by a low groan from across the hall and I sat up blinking, it took me a few moments to make out the time, 4.30 am. Then I heard my name, again in the same low groan. Shit! I thought jumping out of bed and padding across the hall and into his room. "Are you okay?" I said quietly as I poked my head around the door, but to my surprise he appeared to be asleep. Had I imagined it? I frowned to myself, I must have imagined it. Lucky I hadn't woken him up. Then I heard it again, "Gigi, please ..." he said in a low raspy voice. He must be awake, I walked over to the side of his bed. I looked at him closely in the dim light, what the heck! He looked sound asleep. I put a hand on his arm shaking him gently, "hey, what's the matter? Are you okay?" I said, he was groggy and confused for a few moments, "What? What's wrong?" he grumbled. "You were calling out for me, what's wrong?" I asked. He blinked a few times and clearing his throat he finally spoke. "I ... called you, oh yeah, I did then I must have dozed off, I'm okay, sorry to wake you" he stumbled over his explanation. "You sure?" I asked, he nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I thought I didn't have, ah, water and then I realized that I did" it was obvious he was grasping for excuses. He had 2 full bottles sitting on his bedside table. I nodded, "okay" I said softly and turned on my heel. As soon as I was through the door I heard him groan, "fuck" to himself. I bit my lip, a small smile crossing my lips. He had been dreaming, about me? Why else would he have been calling my name? I tossed and turned the rest of the night, wondering what he could have been dreaming about.
***
"So, it's sunny and warm today, should we get in the pool before your visitors come over?" I asked him as we were finishing his exercises that morning. He was having friends over to visit, caterers had arrived early and were setting up a big buffet lunch. He shrugged, "I don't know, we've done enough haven't we?" He didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea. "Well yeah, but it will be fun and also, it's therapy" I insisted. "Fun for who?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "Ah me! I love swimming" I said excitedly. He finally nodded, "ok fine, I mean it's all about you having fun" he said rolling his eyes, but he was smiling. "You know what they say, all work and no play" I said grinning and bounding off. I quickly changed into my bathers. They were black halter neck, with a split down the front. Slightly revealing, but that and bikinis was all I had. I was suddenly self conscious, for some inexplicable reason I was uncharacteristically critical of my appearance, wanting to look good in front of him. I tied a sarong around my waist and walked out of my room. He was standing there waiting, bare chested and shorts with cactus' on them, my mouth went dry at the sight of his firm smooth chest, his nipples, ringed with a smattering of hair that was so faint you could just see it, trailing a small but still visible path down past his shorts. I looked up just in time to see his eyes flick down to my breasts, then quickly up again, but then down once more, his eyes widening. "That's fine, take a good look" I said spreading my arms wide. "I ... well well, you're full of surprises" he said with a small smile. He was of course, referring to my piercings, the outline of the bars clearly visible against my bathers. "Can I see them?" He asked cheekily, "mm, no, you can see them well enough" I said wagging a finger at him. "Not properly" he said with a whine. "No! Come on, let's go" I said laughing and beckoning him towards the stairs. Twenty minutes later I had hold of his hands and we were walking around the shallow end of his pool. "This is great, don't you feel great?" I said laughing. He shrugged, "I can tell you think it's great, it's okay, I don't really get in here much" he said finally smiling, no doubt at my silly enthusiasm. "I love swimming, I'm in the water, every chance I get" I said. "The ocean is much more inviting" he said, "that's true" I let go of his hands and kicked away swimming briskly to the end, then diving under the water and emerging in front of him again. "I'm cold, I think I might get out" he said. "Ok, let's go" I said nodding. "You can swim some more if you want, I'll sit out and watch" he said, I shook my head. "No, it's fine, I'll come out as well" I said. I took his hand and started to lead him to the steps, when he gently yanked me back towards him. "What's wrong?.." I barely got the words out. The momentum of the water had pushed me to him, so that my breasts were pressing against his bare chest. We were face to face our noses almost touching, I could feel his warm breath against my lips. My heart was pounding and I closed my eyes expectantly, when nothing happened I opened them again and saw him grinning widely. "Are you ...?" I stupidly wanted to ask if he was going to kiss me! "Am I what?" he asked innocently, I felt my cheeks start to heat up. I was suddenly embarrassed, had I misread the situation? Why the hell had he grabbed me if not to kiss me?! "Sorry, I ... nothing" I stammered, "Yes Gigi, I am going to kiss you ..." he said softly and leaned in to press his warm, wet lips to mine. It was a soft kiss, featherlight, he moved his head back to gauge my reaction. I opened my eyes once again, my lips were parted slightly and I was breathless, he kissed me again, decidedly harder this time. My hands wasted no time sliding up into his hair, grasping it firmly. I felt his tongue slip past my lips into my mouth, finding mine, gently probing. I was happily losing myself in the kiss. "Is this part of your therapy?" we both heard the amused voice snicker at the same time. We came apart and my eyes widened in surprise, I turned to see his brother Shannon standing near the edge of the pool, a huge grin on his face. "Great timing" muttered Jared. I was mortified, "we should get out" he said to me. I nodded swiftly and headed to the steps. I slowly emerged from the water leading Jared. I grabbed a towel and handed it to him, Shannon was watching me amused. "Hello gorgeous, nice to see you again" he said to me, a cheeky smile on his face. "Hello" I said in a small voice, I could feel him taking in my appearance with an appreciative eye. I wrapped a towel around me wanting to run away and hide in embarrassment at getting caught kissing my boss, but I had to wait for him!! "You'll have to excuse us, I'm going to have a shower and I'll need Gigi's help" said Jared in a smug voice. "Fine, I'll make myself at home" he said in an equally smug tone. We walked off leaving him head towards the kitchen. "He just comes in? Doesn't he  ...?" I was about to say knock. He laughed shaking his head, "knock? No he doesn't, he has keys, usually I don't mind" he said with a wry smile. I nodded. We stopped outside his room, "Do you really need my help?" I asked him in a low voice. He shook his head stepping close to me, "no, I should be okay, unless you'd like to join me?" He said softly, his lips grazing mine. I waited a beat before shaking my head, somewhat reluctantly. "Ah, I should probably, just ... you know" I was stuttering. "Go clean up Gigi" he said smiling, letting me off the hook. I nodded and scampered away closing the door to my room. I put my fingers to my lips, remembering the feel of his lips on mine.  I shivered, feeling a faint shift in the air.
***
I stood at the side of the room watching him hold court on the sofa. He was talking animatedly with his friends, about new music, business and everything in between. He was so enthusiastic about everything it was engaging listening to him talk. Shannon sauntered over to me, "Hey gorgeous, you should get some lunch". I smiled at him and nodded, "I'm going to grab some now, I just wanted to get him settled" I said glancing over at Jared who was picking at the plate of food I had prepared for him. I walked into the open area near the kitchen, where the tables were set up and grabbed a couple of things on a plate before heading back in. As I entered the living area I heard two of the female guests giggling, "so why is the hired help hanging around, he doesn't need nursing right now does he?" said one, "well he can't exactly banish her to her room, he's way too polite to do that, she really should just stay there until she's required" said the other one cattily. I stopped dead in my tracks, the blood draining from my face. Is that what they all thought of me? That I had no right to be there, in  amongst his friends? Maybe I didn't, I was after all, the hired help. My breath caught in my throat, my hand was shaking so much I feared I'd drop my plate, I quickly turned putting it down. I took a minute or two to compose myself and walk back into the room, skirting around the edges to reach him. Leaning over the side of the couch I said quietly, "I'm going to head out for a couple of hours, to visit with some of my girlfriends and go past home". He looked up at me and frowned, "how long will you be gone?" He murmured. "Not too long, you've had some meds and you've got plenty of company and just ring me if you really need me to come back" I said. I didn't give him a chance to object, instead I headed up to my room and grabbed my purse then ran back down. I bypassed the living area and heading to the front door. Just as I was about to open it I felt an hand grab my arm, "Genevieve, I heard what the girls were saying, you know he'd never want you to feel like the hired help" it was Shannon. I was surprised, he must have been nearby and I hadn't noticed him. So he'd heard them as well. "But that's exactly what I am, I'm under no illusions as to my place and as such I really don't belong in that crowd, he was being polite including me" I said shrugging. "That's bullshit, you know very well he wanted you there" he said frowning. "Please don't worry about me, in any case this is a great time for me to catch up with some real friends" I said opening the door and walking out, leaving him standing there, thus ending the conversation. I drove off down the winding street a little too fast, anxious to get away. God what was I thinking? We moved in very different circles and today was proof of that. I tapped the call button on my screen and heard the familiar voice of my best friend Jamie, "hi babe what are you doing? How's your super secret job?" She said laughing. "It's great, but listen, I've escaped for the afternoon are you guys still having lunch?" I asked hopefully, she squealed down the line. "Yes!! I'm ordering you a mojito, get your ass down here!" She said happily. "See you soon" I said giggling. I hit the freeway and suddenly my heart felt lighter and I was free.
***
A couple of hours later I was onto my fourth or fifth mojito! I'd lost count, I had tried to stop the waiter from bringing the last one but Darcy had insisted. "So tell us, who is this person you're working for?" She asked for the tenth time. I shook my head, "I can't tell you, I've signed an NDA" I said pretending to pull a zip across my lips. "Sounds like Christian Grey" she laughed and we all started giggling madly. "Hmm, I haven't seen his red room yet" I said seriously, we all burst into peels of laughter again. "Oh come on we won't tell" said Jamie whining, "no sorry babe I can't" I said trying to sound serious. "Maybe after it's finished" I said shrugging. She pouted and poked her tongue out at me. I felt my phone start vibrating and looked down at the screen, JL. I bit my lip sliding it across to answer, "Hello, Sir" I said as seriously as I could. "Gigi, where are you?" he said, "in Malibu, with some girlfriends" I said in a sassy voice. "Ohh it's Mr Grey!" said my other friend Tess. I shook my head trying to shush her, "you've been gone for hours, are you coming home anytime soon?" He said testily. "I wasn't planning on it, why, are you unwell?" I asked. "No, but I'd like you here" he said, his tone brooked no argument. "I'll head on back, soon" I snickered. "Gigi, have you been drinking?" he asked suspiciously, "a little, why?" I said with a giggle. "Oh Mr Grey doesn't like her drinking" snorted Tess who had been trying to listen to my conversation. "Tess, stop!" I said pushing her away. "What was that?" He said, "what was what?" I asked innocently. "your friend, what did she say?" he asked, "nothing, ahh, I'll be back later, this afternoon, oops evening" I said trying to think straight. "Don't drive, get an Uber, or I'll send Shannon to pick you up" he warned. "Mmm, aha, no it's okay, I'll make my way back" I said airily. "Genevieve! Listen to me, I want you home, now. Don't you dare drive your car, you're drunk" He snapped. "Relax, I'll get an Uber, geeze, calm down" I groaned. "I expect you home within the hour" he said and the line went dead. "Oh crap, my boss is mad at me" I said to the girls seriously, suddenly we all burst into yet another fit of giggles. None of us was fit to drive so we all ordered Uber's. Mine was the first to arrive, I bid them all goodbye, with promises to see them again soon and we headed off. Soon enough I found myself outside his big security gate trying to remember the code. I put it in three times before I finally gave up and pressed the call button, a minute later it opened automatically. To my dismay, there were still a couple of cars parked in the huge front drive. I composed myself before turning the knob and entering the front door. I glanced over, seeing only a couple of guys sitting in the lounge. Shannon was standing near the door, "did you have trouble with the code?" he said grinning. I giggled, "it just flew right out of my brain" I said waving my hand around my head. "He's upstairs, lying down" he said. I nodded giving him the thumbs up and walked briskly up the stairs, knocking loudly before walking into his room. "Good evening" I said trying to stifle my giggle. He was lying on the bed a book in his hand, he looked up at me and frowned. "You really should have read that NDA" he said sternly.