The Desire to Touch (13 page)

“Are you warm enough?” Trey asks

“Yes, thank you.” The silence isn’t so awkward anymore, it’s actually quite comfortable and it’s nice not having anyone ask if I’m ok every five minutes.

The journey seems to go really quick and before I know it we’re driving down a long road that has huge trees either side. We slow and pull into a set of gates that are hidden far back into the trees. Trey pushes a button near his steering wheel and the gates open slowly onto a lane that is dimly lit by old fashioned street lamps. The lane is edged by perfectly trimmed hedging that glows under the lamps. The lane is quite long and eventually leads to an Edwardian style house, no, house is the wrong word - it’s a mansion, it’s huge. We leave the lane and pull onto a sweeping gravel driveway that sits just in front of the half-brick, half-timber palace. I am catching flies again trying to pick my mouth up off the floor.

“This is your house?”

“Yep,” He turns off the engine and climbs out, I follow his lead and open the door and try to exit the car ladylike with the duo whispering in harmony ‘Do not fall over when exiting the car’.

Trey comes round to me and closes the door behind me, then walking up to a massive glass front door shaped l
ike an archway. He opens it. I am walking along eyes darting left and right trying to take in the beauty of the building, I bet it’s stunning in daylight, very British looking with ivy growing up the side. I turn to look at the front lawn and I can’t see much because its so dark but there are a couple of huge trees lit up like the house. I turn around again and, walking forwards, so dumbfounded I do not see the step up in front of me sending me spilling forwards onto my knees.

“Shit Ellie, are you ok?”

No, I am bloody embarrassed, I’m on my knees and way too overdressed for your house, do I look ok? Angel girl is bending down pleading me to keep graceful. Graceful? That left the minute I fell arse over tit! Devil girl has left - through embarrassment I guess.

Trey appears at my side. His hands slip around my waist helping me to my feet, I can feel my mood going
downhill rapidly.

“Got me at
your feet already,” I grumble. I stand and brush myself down, removing Treys hands from my waist.

“Well that wasn’t the entrance I was expecting.”

“Not what I was planning on giving,” I can’t help but give a small smile as he does have a look of worry on his face and in his beautiful blue eyes. To know his worry for me is over nothing, feels so warming.

“Come on,” he pushes the door open and waits for me to enter.

We enter into a massive reception area. I take a few steps in and in front of me is a sweeping staircase, from the size of it I reckon it leads to Narnia. “This way. We’ll go to the living room and have a drink.” Trey walks through a set of double doors and I follow down a hallway that enters into a huge living room. The room is probably half the size of the house, we walk down a few steps into it and there are pure white carpets throughout. In the centre is a half-moon sofa that could fit about twenty people on and in front of that is a glass coffee table that is bigger than my double bed, hanging over the table is a massive crystal chandelier.

I take a few steps in
, near enough on tiptoes because I do not get the fascination with white carpets. I am totally going to spill something in here.

“Please
, have a seat, wine?”

“Yes please.”

Trey disappears and I continue looking around, there are pictures everywhere on every wall and on every window sill. I have to be nosey, so I walk over and start looking at who is in the pictures. There is a very glamorous lady in a lot of the first set, she looks every bit the film star, comparable to Monroe in the sepia style, smoky-lensed, photos. I move to the next set and there are pictures of two little boys, one is not smiling in any of the shots and then there is another little boy in other pictures who smiles when he’s alone in the pictures with the lady but, when both the boys are together neither child smiles and the lady looks pained. There must be at least fifty pictures on this wall alone, it really sticks out from the theme of the room. I look to the next wall and there are more and a grand piano that looks untouched with more pictures on.

This all smacks of feminine touch, let’s see, this is where the Swedish model glides in with her 8ft tall legs and scratches my eyes out.

“It’s my mom.”

Trey has appeared behind me with two glasses of wine, taking me by complete surprise.
“I am such a bad host, please let me take your coat.” He walks over and places the glasses on the table then walks back to me and stops in front of me. He starts unbuttoning my coat, he doesn’t look at me but keeps his eyes on the task in hand, I try to keep my breathing still and calm, knowing his hands would be hovering over my stomach and the gigantic scar that covers it.

“The pictures,” he continues, “My Mom, she has this thing with photo’s. When we were younger she was always taking us to have pictures taken,” the corner of his lip twitches
up as if suppressing a memory. “Then, when I moved here, she helped decorate. Every time she comes to visit she brings a couple of pictures with her. I’ve been here two years now and to begin with I used to put them in the cupboard, but I don’t have the strength to argue with her anymore.”

He reaches my top button and unhooks it, then looking directly into my eyes he parts my coat slipping his hands under the lapels slowly running his fingers along my neck to my shoulders making me clench deep down within. Trey’s hands are so soft and as they touch my skin the whole of my body becomes alive and every nerve ending is extra sensitive, slowly he lifts my jacket off my shoulders. Breaking the stare first Trey walks behind me and slips the coat down my arms, I pull my arms free and he folds the coat
, placing it on the back of the sofa.

“This place is lovely, huge though. Do you live here alone?” I ask walking over to the floor to ceiling glass doors to see what’s outside.

“I like having space,” he answers becoming very closed off.

I press my nose against the sparkling clean glass of the doors to see through, there is a pool that is bigger than my apartment. Trey stands behind me and passes me my drink, I take it and gulp down a few well-needed, thirst-quenching, gulps of wine.

I feel a hand rising behind me then all of the outside lights up like a Christmas tree, I turn quickly and see Trey has turned on the lights for me to see. The pool has under - water lighting showing its glorious size, there is decking leading to a bar and dozens of seats and tables all surrounded by millions of little white lights lighting it all up.

He must throw a lot of parties, I can’t imagine him sitting out there on his own then again after all ‘the pictures with girls’ mentioned, I’m sure that’s where he has all his orgies. I’m not dense - he’s a star, he probably has orgies, just him and all the playboy bunnies. Now all I can see is Trey and playboy bunnies fornicating by the pool side and in the pool. Damn it! I try to blink the images away but the jealousy monster is starting to rear her head from deep within and I can feel my mood starting to drop, more so than before. The façade of ‘Old Ellie’ will be harder to keep up if I keep tormenting myself.

‘Stop it woman just stop it, he’s not yours to get jealous about!’

Devil girl and Angel are both fighting some green-eyed monster that’s trying to battle its way up from middle earth.

“Very romantic.” Shit! Did I think that or say that?

“Can’t say I’ve thought of it like that for a while.”

I did say it! ‘Oh dearie me, this wine must be going to my head already.’

“Are your feet holding up tonight?” he laughs.

“Just about.”

It’s only standing still for long periods of time and then the burn starts to set in on the balls of my feet.

“Errr Ellie?” Trey sounds panicked.

“Yes?” His tone takes me by surprise and I use all my will to fight the urge to grab my bracelet.

“You’re bleeding!”

“What?”

I turn to look at him and see him staring down at my leg, I follow his gaze and look to my knee and there’s a line of blood trickling down. I must have sliced it open when I fell. I glance back at him then it hits me he has a white carpet! I look over to the stairs and there’s nothing – phew, then I look to the pictures where I stood for a while and from there to where I stand now is a treasure map of blood drips across his beautifully clean carpet, CSI would have a field day!

“Oh my God your carpet, I am so sorry.” I gasp instinctively, bending to cup my knee
to stop anymore drips falling. I am bloody mortified and I can feel the lump in my throat starting to rise again, ‘Swallow it, just swallow it away!’

“It must’ve been from your grand entrance,” He smirks
, eyeing over the carpet.

“I’ll pay for it to be cleaned, I am so sorry.”

Before I know it my bangle is encased by my left hand and I’m squeezing it so hard my hand has gone numb, pay for it? Who am I kidding – it’s blood on white carpet, that won’t come out for shit!

“Forget about it, please come in the kitchen and let me clean you up.”

I pretty much slobber all over my hand and then slap it back on my knee to try and stem the bleed, Mum always said your own spit stops the bleed. Anyway what am I saying - the cut is more like a gash, I bet I could see bone if I had a proper look.

I follow as he leads back to the hall way and then through a door, the whole time I am behind limping with my hand on my knee I can’t help but feel like Igor following his master.

“Sit over there,” Trey says pointing to a black marble Island in the centre of the palatial kitchen.

“Yesh mashter,” I grumble taking Trey completely by surprise and make him laugh out loud.

“I like the sound of that.” A wry smile touches his beautiful lips.

“Ha! Dream on buddy!”

I climb up on to the stool and sit while Trey disappears into another door. I take my phone from my bag and text Meagan quickly.

At his house in Long Island! Fell over

& cut knee open – bone hanging out –

blood all over his white carpets!!! X

I hit send and place my phone on the Island next to my bag. Trey returns and places a box on the surface next to me, opening it he searches through, pulling out plasters, tape, bandages and more. He walks over to the sink and wets a bit of tissue then comes back to me and places it on my knee, I jump.

“Sorry,” he whispers.

“It’s cold,” I laugh.

I look down and start to play with my bangle, he’
s so graceful in every movement. This man is too good for me.

“I didn’t know first aid
was necessary for film stars.” Ignoring my comment, he wipes the blood from my leg then dries it. “Can you see bone?” I genuinely do worry you may be able to see something hanging out.

“No, I t
hink you’ve escaped stitches.” He takes a plaster and goes to open it.

I chuckle, “I don’t need that, it’ll stop bleeding in a bit, I’ll just hold the tissue on it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” I reach up and stroke the side of his face.

Whoa, what am I doing? The care in him has got me going all soppy. I quickly retract my hand, not believing I have just done that. Old Ellie is definitely still in there somewhere and she’s trying to claw her way back out. Our eyes are held in a stare of wills and I feel like he’s searching my soul, I look away and feel myself turning red.

“It’s not a necessity, more of an occupational hazard.”

“I’m sorry?”

Trey sighs as he repacks the box, “Julian is my brother. Mom brings him
over every so often and, as you can imagine, he has a few accidents.”

Oh shit, of course!

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise,” first thing tomorrow I’m going to change my name to Miss Cringe. Letting out a deep sigh, Trey scoops me up off the stool and places me on my feet.

“I think you’ll live Miss Jones.”

I smile.

“Are you hungry?”

“Not really but I’ll eat if you’ve cooked something.”

“I hadn’t cooked, I was going to order something in for us.”

I am so relieved; I don’t think I could eat a morsel and still keep my stomach sucked in to this dress.

“More wine?”

“Yes please.”

Trey walks over to the fridge and produces a bottle that he promptly refills our glasses from. I am drinking it way too quickly and my Devil appears at my ear
‘Go on, ask him who the Swedish bitch is!
’

I take
a deep breath in and look at Trey who is leaning on the Island in front of me, just looking at me, almost as if he’s trying to read my mind.

I sit myself back on the stool facing him, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course anything.”

“Why did you invite me here?”

He lifts himself from his leaning position and props his hands on the edge of the island, “I wanted to thank you and to apologise.”