CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Emily drove the BMW, hood down, out of Geneva and made for the road that skirted Lake Geneva on the West side. She kept the speed down so that they could admire the views.
'Are you safe now?' Jessica's question had come at the end of a discussion about Emily's Swiss bank.
'Hope so. The least you know about the detail, the better.' Emily had spent a couple of hours at the bank to make arrangements to take her name off the account. It was now a company name, with nominated directors appointed by the bank.
'Do you feel guilty, Em?'
'Yes. It somehow happened, as a laugh to start with, to get back at Mr 'Lecher' at the Department.' Emily thought about that horrible man with horrible searching eyes. 'I justified it, I suppose, as salary they owed me.'
'It should have ended there.'
'Yup, you're right. Having hacked in, I just set up this small change thing, without really thinking. It looked so easy, it became a challenge . . .'
'Like a dare. To see if you could get away with it.'
'More of a challenge. To do it without discovery.'
They stopped at Montreux on the lake and had lunch. Jessica had her mobile searching for places to see. 'Let's go to Zermatt. It's high in the mountains. What do you think?'
Just then, Emily's mobile buzzed. 'Scott, how are you?' She was pleased to hear him again.
'I'm on a lunch break. I miss you, Emily.'
We're having lunch as well. Gorgeous cafe in Montreux.'
'You heading home now?'
'We're so close to the mountains, we thought of heading up to Zermatt.' She winked at Jessica who gave the thumbs up.
'But you're not going to make it back for the weekend.' Scott had said this extra fast and was obviously worried. Or was it annoyance? Emily couldn't tell.
'Does it matter if I skip this weekend?' Emily felt she shouldn't have put on an argumentative voice. It sounded like she was a spoilt kid. 'We're in the Alps, for Christ's sake, Scott. Give me a break.'
'I want you here. I thought we were an item.'
Emily picked up on the anger in his words. She retorted, 'you don't own me.'
'Obviously not. And why did you cut me off yesterday evening when I phoned?'
'I didn't cut you off.' Emily knew this was a lie, but she couldn't say, oh yeah, I switched off our call because my friend here started pushing my thong across my p*ssy. 'We lost connection.'
Jess was nodding her head and mouthing the words, I made you come. Tell him.
Emily couldn't help a small chuckle at Jessica.
Scott must have heard. 'So, that's why you're laughing. I don't believe your story of a lost connection. And I don't want to see you this weekend. Stay over there, as far as I'm concerned.'
Emily was just about to try and defuse the argument, but realised Scott had gone.
Jess reached over to hold Emily's hand and said, 'he'll get over it. When you get back, go round to his place, say you're sorry, and let him f*ck your brains out.'
'You always did have a way, Jess, of getting to the heart of the matter.'
-O-
Scott thought over his conversation with Emily. He could have handled it better. He could kick himself for his choice of words, his tone and cutting her off. He was better than that. On the other hand, he reasoned, it may have sent a message to Emily that he wanted her by his side, as a couple. And he was clearly upset at not spending the weekend together. Which way would Emily react, he wondered?
He decided to wait and see if she contacted him, a text or phone call. Scott put the problem to the back of his mind as his surgical team made their way out of the canteen to prepare for the next operation. Scott followed.
The nurse came up behind him. 'Was that your girlfriend?'
Scott dropped his pace so that she could walk alongside him. He had this urge to ask her, do you still wear stockings under that nurse's uniform? But he kept that thought to himself. 'Yes, she's my girlfriend.'
'Trouble?'
He looked at her and nodded. Scott didn't dare say anything in case he said something that was an invitation or misunderstood. The nurse must have read his mind.
'It's been all week, Scott. Poor you. Remember, I'm a good listener. We can talk anytime.'
Her message was very seductive, but he wasn't going to have sex with a random nurse, just because he had a tiff with Emily. 'I'll be alright.'
As far as Scott was concerned, if he was going to have sex today, it wouldn't be with anyone but himself.
-O-
Emily and Jessica booked in to a hotel in Zermatt and made enquiries about snow conditions further up the mountain. They found a ski instructor who assured them that the snow was good, even though the official ski season had ended in April. He offered to take them for a reduced fee, since there was little work for him at the moment. Jacques took them to a ski shop to hire boots and skis for the following day. He said he would teach them to ski.
Jacques had the weather-beaten face of a seasoned skier, and a confidence to go with it. He suggested a restaurant for their evening meal at a special price. Emily didn't realise he would be joining them, not that the girls minded, and the three sat down for an alcohol fuelled meal.
That night Emily and Jessica collapsed into bed and immediately fell asleep.
Emily looked out of the window of the railway carriage. The slow cog train was destined to carry them to the top. She turned to Jacques. 'You sure there's snow up there? All I see is clouds above us and green fields below.'
'Faith is a beautiful thing, is it not?'
Emily exchanged a look with Jessica, as if to say, is he always going to talk like this?
The train continued up through the cloud base and at one point they couldn't see a thing. Then it suddenly cleared and there stood the Matterhorn. The arrow shape of the mountain rose above them, covered in snow, with the sun beating down.
After getting off the train, Jaques took them to a nursery slope. 'We will do some gentle turns and stops. You must learn to stop. Yes?'
Emily was delighted with the news. The snow was so slippery with skis that she definitely wanted to know how to stop. She couldn't help laughing, but was unable to decide if it was the continual falls into powder snow, or Jaques's French accent which always ended his English sentence with a question.
Emily called out, 'give me strength,' as she tried to get herself upright. Just as she got herself up, Jess collided into her and both girls collapsed in a tangle of polls and skis.
Jacques had to pull them apart. 'You two are like magnets, are you not?'
By the end of the day, Emily felt exhausted but incredibly hungry. They got back to Zermatt and arranged to eat with Jacques at seven o'clock.
They were on their second bottle of wine before Jacques asked the question, 'I cannot tell which one I am speaking to, so I ask you both to have a coffee at my place. You agree I hope?'
The slightest of nods from Emily to Jessica indicated Jess should go.
'You come as well, Em?'
'No, I'm too into Scott.'
'Sure? A threesome. Could be fun.'
'You have fun, Jess, but I want you back at a reasonable time.'
Emily lay in bed dozing, but aware Jessica wasn't there. Emily heard the key in the door, the tip toes to the bathroom, the draft of cold air as Jess slipped into bed.
'You smell of sex,' murmured Emily, as she slide her arm around Jessica's shoulder and snuggled close.
Jess giggled. 'That obvious?'
'Hope he used a condom.'
'Several.'
'What.' Emily was well awake now. 'How many?'
'Three I think,' Jessica smiled in the dark. 'It was so nice to have a c0ck inside me. Don't take that the wrong way, Em. What we have is special and beautiful. It's just that a man is different.'
'Amen to that.'
-O-
Scott had been good yesterday evening, after the conversation with Emily at lunchtime. He had gone home at the end of the day, then out to eat by himself, read a book and gone to bed. Today, Friday, he had got up feeling horny. The prospect of coming home tonight and spending the weekend by himself was depressing.
His work day was a typical schedule of concentrated surgical operations and appointments with patients.
By the time he got back to his flat at six o'clock, showered and changed, he stood and felt the desire for sex creep through his body. He reflected on the last time he had had sex with Emily. Last Saturday, a week ago, at the Mandarin Hotel in Boston. She had made him do it in the bath while Emily watched. Then after dinner they made love. He could feel now his heart rate go up, even though it happened a week ago.
And he hadn't had sex since, not even with himself.
He couldn't last, he knew that. The urge was so strong. The desire for Emily was like a tidal wave sweeping over him. But she wasn't here and wouldn't be here, and couldn't save him from the desperate fire in his stomach. He weighed up his options, the thoughts lingered, from the outrageous to the impossible. He could just phone a prostitute and be done with it. Or he had the phone number of the nurse who said she would be a willing listener, and no doubt would listen to his moans while he came inside her. Or Scott could pull out an old porn movie.
He steadied his breathing. His watch indicated ten o'clock and he wondered what Emily was doing. Her clock would be one hour ahead and probably she would be asleep. On the off chance, he texted her number. 'Hi.'
Twenty seconds later the text came back. 'Hello Scott.'
'Emily, I'm so sorry for the other day. Completely out of order.'
'It's okay, Scott. Don't worry.'
'Did I wake you?'
'Yup. But that's fine. I'm in bed.'
'By yourself I hope.'
'Of course.'
What about your friend?'
'Oh, she's off with a ski instructor.'
'I need you Em. Sorry.'
'I need you too. Why sorry?'
'Desperate to have you now, that's why.' Scott could feel his arousal.
'Want some help?'
'Do you mind? I want it so bad.'
'Me too. Shall we together?'
'I'm bursting.' Scott wondered how much she really wanted him and sent another text, 'how bad do you want it?'
'Very. You can help me. Are you in bed?'
'No. On the sofa.'
'Take your clothes off and get into bed.'
'Give me a minute.' Scott leapt up and strode into his bedroom while peeling off clothes. He switched on the side light and climbed into bed. He texted again, 'I'm now naked in bed.'
'I've just taken my panties off. Naked for you.'
'I so need this Emily.'
'Are you aroused, hard?'
'Yes.' Scott felt himself and then took his hand away. 'Are you?'
'Wet already.'
'Tell me what you're doing, Emily.' He could imagine, but it was so sexy to have her describe it.
'Pinching my nipples. Would love you to suck them.'
'Suck yes, and I want to press your hands above your head.' Scott touched himself, but not too much for fear of coming too quickly.
'Can't wait for you to do that. My fingers are on my p*ssy.'
'How wet.'
'Very. Are you wet?'
Scott ran his fingers down his shaft and up again, 'So near. Are you?'
A silence descended and Scott waited for Emily to reply. He sent a further text, 'You ok?'
'Catching you up.'
'Doing what?' Scott knew what she was doing, could imagine himself there, watching and loving the way she was.
'Two fingers inside, pretending it's you f*cking me.'
'You near? I am.' Scott's hand masturb&ted his shaft. He knew his staying power was limited, especially as he was so aroused. He managed a follow up text, wanted to say so close now, but couldn't get his text finger to do what he wanted, so it came out as, 'so clozz no.'
'Yup. Now flicking my cl1t. Coming any minute.'
'Me also. Come now. I am.'
'Yup, I am. Love you.'
'Love you too.'