Ginger Sweets

Chapter Three

Edwin:

Sally had told me Mr Carol owned a flat in the city and we would stay there. I was both excited
and nervous to spend two weeks practically living with the man of my dreams. I knew that I would hardly see him, since he would be working with Sally and I would be doing what ever Mr Carol had planned for me. I had thought that the educational-two-week-trip was only a plot to get me with them, so he could have Sally as his assistant, but apparently he had been serious.
On our way to the flat, Mr Carol gave me a full schedule he had drawn out for me. It consisted of museum visits, theatre, sightseeing and even attendance in one of his business meetings.

“ My friend Lizzie has promised to take you sightseeing.” Mr Carol pointed at my timetable for
the next day. “ I’m sure you two shall get along like a house on fire.” He assured me.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. I would be spending my days with complete stranger, who would probably think I’m a freak. I should have packed my more masculine
clothes instead of the dresses and other pretty things. Now that I thought of it, I wasn’t sure why
I did that in the first place. I wanted to look pretty for Mr Carol, no, for Steven, my mind shyly corrected me. But he probably already thought I was a cross-dressing freak. I could feel myself spiral to the deep swamp of insecurities like a crashing plane.

“ Hey, baby, nothing to worry about. Lizzie is my best friend, you are going to love her.” Steven
said in a low voice, almost like he had been reading my mind. I checked on Sally in case she
heard what Steven called me, but she was busy talking on the phone.

“ Um… do you think it’s okay to… w-wear…” My voice faltered and I blushed like crazy.

“ To wear your pretty dresses in her presence?” Steven supplied. I nodded nervously and looked out of the car window. Steven had called my dresses pretty. Did it mean he was really
okay with me wearing them? He called me baby, again. What did that mean?

“ Absolutely! She’s probably going to take you shopping some more. She made me put enough free time for not-so-educational-activities. She informed me that hanging around with her should
be a very important part of your trip.” Steven chuckled and I found myself giggling a little.

“ She said that?”

“ Indeed. She told me educating teenagers, especially cute ones, is her favourite hobby.”

“ But she doesn't even know me.” I was feeling a little confused but also intrigued. Would I really
like this Lizzy person like Steven seemed to think I would.

“ I vouched for you, baby.” Steven smirked and pushed a few strands of hair from my face. His
touch was gentle and it send sparkles all over my body.

The flat was spacious and stylish, but it had that sort of empty feel, that told me no one actually lived there. Steven told me to relax and take a nap, since I was probably feeling a bit off. And he was right. To be honest I felt like shit. My whole body felt weak like it always felt after throwing
up. My mind was in a whirlwind of confusion. Steven kept calling me baby and making sure I
was comfortable, hell he even touched me like he was caressing me. But Steven Carol was a
successful business man, in his thirties, rich and handsome. Men like that don’t take interest in cross-dressing teenboys.

I knew Steven was bisexual, thanks to Sally telling me everything
about her boss, but that actually made my situation even more desperate. That small sliver of
hope was feeding my silly crush into epic proportions. I was just a charity case like Miss Keith
said. That’s it. I was Winnie The Charity Case.

Steven:

Edwin had requested in a very small and timid voice a permission to use the shower. I felt a little
sad that he was so shy around me, but I reminded myself of the fact that we’ve only just met
and Sally had told me before that her brother was very shy and nervous person.

I noticed that Sally made sure the water was running the bathroom before she approached me.
She had a very serious look on her face, almost sad and disappointed.

“ Steven? Can I talk to you not as an employee, but as a friend and Edwin’s older sister?” I had an uneasy feeling of the conversation, but I nodded.
“ You didn’t bring Edwin with us, just to get me here, right?” Her voice was not accusatory, but not friendly either.

I didn’t know what to say. I
knew I had been acting boldly and not exactly hiding my interest in her brother. I didn’t want to
treat Edwin like I wanted him to be my dirty little secret. I wanted to get to know him and date
him without hiding. I cleared my throat and tried to put my words carefully.

“ I knew you would feel bad about letting him alone for two weeks and yes, I wanted to get to
know him better, so I thought taking him with us would be a perfect solution.”

“ Winnie is only eighteen. He’s shy and naive. I know you are not some immoral playboy, but I’m
worried for him. He’s my baby brother.” Sally reasoned with me. I understood her point of view.
And maybe I had been pushing too strong too quickly. Edwin just was something I’ve never
seen before. He was pretty, sweet and smart. He was uniquely intriguing.

“ I just want to get to know him. I would like it to lead to dating, yes. But that is up to Edwin.”

“ I’m not completely against the idea, if it’s something Winnie truly wants, but I just can’t make
myself approve it entirely.” I was about to try and convince Sally to believe I was not planning on
hurting her little brother, when we realised that the water was no longer running in the bathroom.

Sally shot me a warning glance before disappearing to my study to put up my temporary office.

A few minutes later Edwin walked gingerly into the living room. He smiled shyly at me. He was
dressed in some kind denim skirt with braces. His damp, ginger curls looked deliciously messy.

“ Are you hungry, baby? The food should arrive soon. Sally choose something she was sure
you’d like.” I know I was fussing over Edwin, but he just brought out all my protective instincts
and my need for taking care of someone. I didn’t even know I had needs like that before I saw
Edwin’s pretty eyes looking shyly at me. I still had a strong urge to ravish him and taste every
millimetre of his delicious looking, pale skin, but there was also the need to make sure he was safe and happy.

“ I don’t know. I still feel a bit funny.” Edwin admitted and took a seat next to me. “ Um, i- is it
okay if I sit here?” He asked like he had just realised our close proximity. He looked like he was
about bolt from his place.

“ Of course it is, Winnie. There’s no need to be so courteous around me. Make yourself at home. Do you think you’ll be fine by yourself this evening? Sally and I have the first meeting today and obligatory dinner afterwards.”

“ Yeah, sure, I can catch up with my studies.” Edwin smiled and added with a small voice:
“ Don’t want to disappoint Miss Keith.”

“ That woman was really something.” I laughed when I remembered how Winnie’s teacher had
almost climbed over her desk to my lap.

“ Seriously, what did you do to her?” Winnie asked and gave me a suspicious look.

“ Nothing, I swear.”

“ Yeah, right. She was seconds away from browsing a wedding catalogue.” Winnie muttered. I wanted to pull him into my lap and kiss the cute little nose he was wrinkling in an obvious
distaste. I think I might have really done that if Sally hadn’t come from my office and started to
fuss over Winnie.

I watched their interaction and realised that I was not the only one who seemed to have an urge to take care of the pretty boy.