Tales of Reluctance: Tale 02

The location of the restaurant was incredible. There were big-ironed gates, which swung open when you announced who you were on the intercom; the drive up to the entrance went on and on, sweeping round, before you finally saw what must have been an old manor house. All around were immaculate gardens, which on the right swept down to a rough running river, and on the right met a forest of pine trees.

"Wow, buy it," said Alice, mouth open at the style and quality of the surroundings. "Just buy it."

The next two hours were a delight. From the drinks before lunch, all the way through to the desert, both Alice and James thought about how great the company, food and location was. The only worry on Alice's part was how much the meal would cost James, but he shrugged off her attempts to discuss her paying at least some of the bill. There was suddenly a bit of hick-up in the smooth running of the establishment though. Firstly the coffee was taking a while to appear, not that this worried either James or Alice. Neither wanted the meal to end and to go back to the real world outside. This restaurant and the enjoyment of each other's company was a haven and reality could wait. Secondly, there was a lot of noise in reception as presumably a large party of people arrived, certainly judging by the noise it was a big group. Finally an embarrassed headwaiter asked if James would mind stepping outside for a moment.

James shrugged and said, "OK." And then to Alice, "excuse me."

The waiter presented Alice with a glass of the white wine she had been drinking and said, "with the compliments of the house." I will be back with you husband shortly." James winked at her, and she put her hand to her mouth to cover the laugh at the way the waiter just assumed they were married. James was away for a while and then returned looking thoughtful.

He explained there was indeed a large party that had arrived. Unfortunately the booking had got confused somehow and they were expecting lunch and dinner, not just dinner. Its no big deal, but they have set up our coffee in their luxury suite upstairs and were hoping we would agree to go up there, instead of sitting here.

Alice without any real enthusiasm suggested that maybe they should just go home, but was very easily convinced by James to stay. James said that he thought the restaurant would be upset if they just left, and that he wanted to stay on good terms with everyone. James felt that was important if they were to buy the hotel. It all sounded daft to Alice, but with no desire to go anyway, she agreed. Perhaps as well, with one more glass of wine in her than expected, a bit of time to sober up a little, would be no bad thing, she thought.

The luxury suite was incredible; there was a huge lounge with sumptuous sofas, armchairs and an oak desk. The door on the left led to a huge bedroom, but instinctively both of them avoided looking in that room. There were incredible views over the garden and river. Alice stood admiring the view as the hotel manager summarised what was happening.

"There is your coffee," he said waving his hand over the trolley. "The room is free till tomorrow night so you are welcome to stay as long as you want. Mr French you have already settled the bill." Alice smiled knowing James had not wanted to discuss any more who was paying. "But if you want more coffee just call, it will be complimentary. Just call down to reception," he said.

As he had been speaking Alice had moved from the window to the sofa and sat down. She crossed her shapely legs and she flicked her hair behind her back. James suddenly found it hard to concentrate on what the manager was saying.

"Thank you Mr and Mrs French, and I am sorry once again for the inconvenience of having to move you up here." Speech over, the manager turned and left, popping a key onto a small table as he went.

"Oh my god," said Alice laughing. "They really do think we are married. This is amazing though, this room, just look at it." She paused and then with a suspicious look on her face she said, "You know a suspicious women might think you just got me up here to have your wicked way with me."

James blushed, "Do you really think that?" he said aghast. "I promise you this is as much a shock to me as it is to you.

"I know," replied Alice, "when you disappeared I asked a waiter what was going on. So I knew about the problem before you did. Thank you James that was an incredible lunch."

She pulled him down to sit beside her on the sofa and hugged him. The hug was long and tight.

"You hug very well, Mrs French," said James.

So do you Alice thought, as she playfully slapped him on the arm for calling her Mrs French. She loved his strong arms around her, and she realised it had been a long time since a man held her who appeared unwilling to let her go. Finally she pulled back and kissed James quickly on the cheek.

"You must let me take you to lunch," she said. "Perhaps not quite this grand though," she winced and asked, "was it incredibly expensive?"

"It doesn't matter as long as you enjoyed it." Said James and he lay back into the sumptuous sofa and Alice surprised him by using his open arms as a reason to lay her head down onto his chest.

"Mmmmmm," she said, "you are very comfortable. I am sleepy after all the wonderful food and wine that last glass has gone to my head a little. I am such a lucky girl. It was so nice," she said. "Its so fortunate I dropped my phone."

They took a long while over the coffee, again chatting about stuff, and James again showing his skill at keeping the conversation flowing. They moved into the dangerous area of men, and particularly husbands, and Alice found herself confessing that Phil her husband, and her, rarely found time for each other now.

"More than anything I miss being held," she said sadly. 'We used to hug all the time."

James took the opportunity to put his arm round her again and they ended up again with him stretched out on the sofa and Alice lying with her head on his chest. James left arm wrapped around her.

"I could lay here forever," she said quietly. "I am sorry we will go soon, it must be dull for you just lazing around."

James kissed her on the head. "I love it," he said, "good company, a full stomach and just chilling. Do you have to get the girls?"

"No I arranged for a friend to pick them up from school on the drive over here." Alice replied, her head still on his chest. "I realised we might be longer than I originally thought."

"I see, that's what deprived me of your hand on my leg coming over," James laughed.

"and now you have my head," said Alice dreamily, wriggling a little to get more comfortable.

James ran a finger slowly down her back. The thick material of her dress nullified a lot of the sensation, but she still murmured appreciatively. "I love my back being touched," she said and she kissed James chest through his shirt.

"I may fall asleep, but if you are happy doing that, please don't stop," and she continued to make appreciative noises as he ran his finger down her back and then the knuckle of his thumb back up. At one point she stirred and he thought she was going to pull away, but it was to move her hair out of the way. The fact her dress was sleeveless meant her bare left shoulder was now close to his face. He adjusted the movement of his hand to stroke across the cool, silky skin of her shoulder. He could feel her hard shoulder bone contrasted against the softness of her neck.

Alice sighed deeply. "That feels so nice James. You have obviously done this before."

"Hold still," he said. James reached down and slowly started to unzip the back of her dress. Alice lifted her head up and looked at him in surprise, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she stared at him.

"Shhhhh, its ok," he said gently. "I think you will like it more if I can touch your back properly. That's all I am going to do." She hesitated, and then put her head back down

"Ok, but Just my back. Ok?" She said.

He pulled the zip slowly all the way down her back, the dress's thick material meant the split stayed nicely wide as it opened. Alice settled herself back down, as he began to caress her back with his hand. The sensation of his fingers slowly running down her spin, felt even better, now he was actually touching her. Fuelled by the wine and his expert touch Alice began to relax and lose herself in the moment.

After a while she moved so she lay right on top of him. James was surprised she had been so bold, but Alice seemed lost in a trance. This allowed him to use both hands on her back and as she lay with her head in the nape of his neck she began to breathe slowly and heavily. He continued to stroke her, loving how soft her skin felt, the only problem was his hand kept catching on her bra strap.

"Are you any good at undoing bras?" said Alice in a quiet whisper. Surprised, he reached out and using two hands swiftly unclipped it.

"That's better," she said and then quietly, almost muttering to herself, she observed. "A man who is skilled at undoing bras."

James did not reply, but concentrated on experimenting with different places on her back, speeds and pressures, as he ran his hands all over her bare back. Alice began to sigh more enthusiastically and then using one hand to support herself she lifted herself off him, arching her back. Her other hand she put across her chest so her dress continued to cover her front.

"That's so good," she said and then suddenly looking at him intently with wide eyes she said nervously. "Can I have a kiss, James?"

James looked up and although he did not respond, she lowered her head, and with mouths open, their lips very slowly came together. James loved the fact that Alice closed her eyes just as their mouth's touched; her face was a mixture of longing and desire. James slid his hands slowly down her back and into the back of her knickers. Her ass felt firm as he gripped her bottom tightly. They continued cautiously exploring each other's mouths. Each kiss was very slow and deliberate, both Alice and James's desperate for the other to show signs of enjoying the kissing. Their kisses grew in length and intensity before finally Alice laid her head back onto his shoulder.

"This is moving very fast," she said. "I can feel that I've got you excited James, you feel rock hard and so big." She lifted his head and noted his embarrassment.

"Don't worry. I love it," she said, gripping his arm. "It's been so long time since I got such a reaction from a man. Let me see if I can please you."

She slowly began to move her ass. James helped to move her skirt out of the way, so she could move more freely and he too began to gasp in pleasure.

"Is that nice, darling?" She said. James nodded and for some while she rubbed up against him, watching his face the whole time as she moved. After several minutes she stopped and moved so she lay beside him.

"Perhaps we should go now," she said sounding sad. "You know, before we go too far. This getting dangerous," as she spoke she gently touched his lips with her fingers. James kissed her fingers as she moved them, "and I need some time to think, before we do something we can't undo." She kissed him and then rolled off the sofa, pulling her skirt down as she did and then standing up, she fastened the clip of her bra and then zipped up her dress.

James looked up her with a distraught look on her face. Alice felt her heart melt but she knew she needed to stay strong.

"Come on," she said. "If we stay any longer we will end up making love."

"And that's a bad thing?" said James, trying to lighten the mood that had suddenly gone very serious.

"YES," she replied firmly. "It would be a bad thing. A very bad thing."

Part four

The next few days were really difficult for James. Alice had made him promise he would not contact her again or visit her. In the car on the way home she had gone on and on how about how guilty she felt, and that even though they had not had sex, they still had gone way too far. She kept saying she blamed herself.

James initially tried to argue back, but in the end he completed the journey to Alice's house in silence. He tried to drive as slowly as possible, but the journey still ended way too soon. On the last bit of the journey she had put her hand back on his leg and thanked him for lunch and what she called the most amazing afternoon of her life. He felt a glow of happiness at hearing those words, but was devastated that she seemed to be pushing him out of her life.

When she got out of the car at her house she said goodbye and walked away without looking back. By the time he got back to the bedsit he was feeling very depressed and went straight to bed. Fortunately he did not see Jonathon, he really did not want to talk to anyone, least of all his brother.

He threw himself into restaurant life and left negotiations with the new hotel to Jonathon. To his brothers amazement James seemed happier to work all hours managing the restaurant they had, rather than get involved with the new hotel project. This was so out of character, that he became worried about James. He got short shrift out of him if he mentioned the bet and Alice.

James would just say. "He had lots of time."

Jonathon began though to get frustrated with the moody and distracted James. The meeting with Alice Jonathon had known about and in the end he saw it as an opportunity to have a dig at his brother.

This turned immediately into a blazing row, which had the restaurant staff diving for cover. Jonathon suggested that he might have fallen in love with Alice. It was a silly joke, the kind of banter that they shared all the time. However it resulted in James storming out and disappearing. This was something he had never done in his life and Jonathon wondered what on earth she had done to him.

Relieved to be alone, even if his storming out had been an overreaction, James had just driven aimlessly. He knew he was behaving like an idiot, but he just could not control himself. Those words from Jonathon, "perhaps you have fallen in love with Alice," kept repeating in his head and he knew that his brother had seen right through him. He hated that, but he hated more the fact that being with the woman he loved seemed impossible now and he had cheapened the whole thing by it initially being a bet. Even if they ended up together, which seemed impossible, he would always have that secret. He would have to tell her, if he could just get her to see him again, and at the same time tell her how he felt.

He needed time to think and he needed a place to stay. If he went home his brother would be there, and they would argue or fight, or he would have to come clean and he dreaded that. His cell phone rang, and bizarrely it was "The River Fork Hotel." The person on the call apologised for the recent mix up, and asked if there was anything they could do to encourage Mr and Mrs French to return. James asked if he could have their luxury suite room tonight, at a good rate, and the caller offered the room for free, if he just paid for breakfast. James suddenly had the place he needed to think and stay.

The caller sounded confused when James responded to the question about his wife, by saying his wife might be staying or she might not. He changed the subject quickly and reassured the caller that he was happy to take the room and would be there soon. Turning the car around, he began what was now quite a long trip to the hotel. His aimless driving had taken him in completely the opposite direction.

Once he was in the hotel room, it seemed different, strange and quiet depressing without Alice there. He wandered from room to room. The bedroom had no memories, as before he had not even gone in there, so that was good and bad, the lounge the same but for opposite reasons. He channel-hopped on the television; briefly setting on a program about fishing which he had no interest in, but he watched anyway, before in disgust turning it off. The silence in the room felt deafening without the sound of the television and so when the phone rang, he jumped.

The caller asked if they could send some coffee up for him and he carelessly agreed. He was beginning to feel that he should text Alice. It seemed like he had lost her anyway so what did he have to lose. He played with the phone, wrote a message, deleted it and tried again. How do you write a text message, cryptic enough to be safe to be read by someone's husband, but still clear to the person you want to read it? Especially when you want the message to say, "I love you."

He jumped again when there was a knock at the door. James sighed deeply, got off the sofa and walked over to the door. It was room service and she wheeled in a trolley with coffee and cups for two. This made him smile, of course the hotel still thought of him as married, and that his wife with him. He gave the maid a large tip and sent her on her way. As his fingers played over the top of the cup, he heard the door open behind him, and he turned around to see Alice standing there.

As he turned round her face broke into a wide smile and she ran into his open arms. James lifted her off the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck and as he lowered her to the ground again, she held his face and kissed him passionately.

"I just can't stop thinking about the other day," she said, "when the hotel phoned and said you had booked yourself in. I had to come over."

"They phoned you?" Said James.

"Yes, they were not sure if you were staying for one night or more," she replied. "So god knows why but they phoned my mobile not yours. So I told them one night and then I rushed over. I hope that's ok."

James kissed her again and she smiled, taking that as a very clear yes.

She walked over to the coffee trolley, lifted the cloth that was covering the side and pulled out a tray with an ice bucket containing a champagne bottle and two glasses on it.

"For afterwards," she said.

"Lovely," said James, gushing with happiness at what seemed an acknowledgement that they were going to make love.

"Now sit," she said, and she pushed him into the armchair behind him, "and wait there." Alice disappeared off to the bathroom carrying the bag that she had brought with her.

"What are you doing?" said James.

"Patience," came the reply. "You will see soon enough."

When she walked back into the room she was wearing a very pretty bra and knicker set, with light brown heels on her feet. James smiled and shook his head, as she walked across the room to him. As she crossed the room she tossed her hair back over her shoulders.

As she stood him front of him, he went to get up, but she pushed him back down. She caressed his face with both of her hands.

"Now you are going to be a good boy and fuck me." She said.

James laughed, "Do I get a say?"

"Do you want a say?" she replied, and James shook his head. She lowered her head down to his level and kissed him, running her hands over his shoulders as she did.

"You are so strong," she murmured.

"And you are beautiful," he said. "I love you Alice."

She put her finger to his lips. "No talking," she said. "Just make love to me."

He smiled and ran his hands up to the top of her legs, and then between them. Her inner thighs were so warm and soft. He thought about kissing her legs, but before he could move Alice sat down on his lap, and so he continued to stroke her thighs. They kissed again, long and passionately, every touch, every movement, slow and deliberate, loving the taste and feel of the other person's skin and lips.

"You have beautiful breasts," he said, his fingers stroking the top of her chest and Alice smiled, as he slipped her left bra strap off her shoulder. They kissed again.

"Unclip it I want them in your mouth," she said, and James unclipped her bra and as they kissed some more, he squeezed her breasts through the hard material of her bra. As he let go of it, it slowly slipped off her tits, revealing that her nipples were already hard. Alice briefly covered herself with her arms, and then smiled.