The Book Group Ch. 04

Rachael walked up the stone flagged path, knocked on the oak door and waited under the tiled canopy. It was a small red brick cottage on the outskirts of the village. She looked back at the drift of snowdrops already in flower at the bottom corner of the garden against the white picket fence. There was a smell of wood smoke and she could see her breath in the sharp February air.

"Olivia's just making tea," Jess explained, opening the door and quickly ushering her into the front room. The others were already seated in the worn armchairs around the log fire on the brick hearth. It was a cosy room with a low beamed ceiling and thick lined curtains in a bold floral pattern. A large tabby cat was curled up in the inglenook regarding everyone with suspicious yellow eyes.

"Oh good. We're all here," Olivia said returning with a tray piled high with teapot, milk jug, cups and saucers. She had pale skin and her curly chestnut hair cascaded in ringlets over a white crocheted smock. She tugged her skinny denim jeans up to be able to sit down. There was a couple of minutes of small talk while waiting for the tea to brew. Ethan and Amelia were both asleep upstairs and her partner Paul was refereeing at the youth club. She had persuaded him to call in at the pub afterwards so they wouldn't be disturbed. Olivia handed round a tub of assorted biscuits and poured the tea before settling back in her armchair and checking she had all their attention.

___

It was Isabelle, from my class at college, who told me that the Spears family were looking for a babysitter. They had recently moved in to a house at the top of her street. She couldn't do it herself because she was already sitting for another couple on Fridays but she thought the money would be useful to me.

"How much do you get?" I asked.

"Usually, twenty-five pounds for a three hour sit."

"Wow, that's more than twice as much as my allowance and I've got to clean around the house to get that." I knew it wasn't as much as the other girls got but, being the eldest of four, I realise now that it was all my parents could afford. I hoped they would let me to take the job.

I was surprised Mum was so cool about it. "Sure, that sounds like a good idea. You should be taking more responsibility at your age. How will you get back? I wouldn't be happy with you walking back after dark."

"I'll ask," I assured her. "I'll meet them with Isabelle after school tomorrow."

"You'll have to wait at my house," Isabelle said. "I don't think either of them get back from work until six, but we can do our homework together." In the event, we spent the whole time in her room, chatting and texting our friends. Homework could always be done later.

At six we walked up to the top of her road. "They live there." Isabelle pointed to a detached house on the left just as a silver saloon pulled onto the drive. When we turned in, a woman in a China blue belted blazer and fitted trousers was just stepping out of the car. She was slim with straight black hair which fell over her shoulders. Opening the rear door, she reached inside to lift an infant car seat out. It had a hood that was pulled up so we couldn't see inside, but I guessed from the care she was taking, the baby was asleep.

"Hi Mrs Spears," Isabelle called.

She looked round. "Hello Isabelle," she whispered. "Liam's just nodded off."

"Oh, sorry," Isabelle apologised in a stage whisper. "Could we have a look at him?"

"Of course." She gently swung the seat around. "Liam's pink face was surrounded by soft white blankets. He was a picture of peaceful bliss.

"He's beautiful," I murmured.

"This is my friend, Olivia," Isabelle introduced me in hushed tones. "She'd be able to baby-sit for you on Friday evenings."

"Oh wonderful," Mrs Spears said. "Look, come inside while I put Liam in his cot."

She unlocked the front door and waved us through to the lounge while she took the baby upstairs. We stood just inside the room decorated in rose and ivory. It was dominated by a huge television screen which faced a long cream sofa. In front of it, a Persian rug lay across the pale oak flooring.

"I'm dying for a cuppa," she declared, coming back downstairs. "Would either of you like a drink?" We both shook our heads. "Well, just take a seat then." She disappeared to put the kettle on. The pillow-back sofa was so wide our legs stuck out if we sat back, so we perched on the front. I'm not sure why, but we whispered our conversation while she busied herself in the kitchen. When she came back in, she put her mug on a coaster on the side table and pulled over a matching chair.

"So, you're Olivia," she started, "and you are in Isabelle's class?" I nodded.

She smiled. "Have you ever looked after little ones?"

"I babysat my cousin when she was eighteen months."

"Ah, good. Where do you live?"

"On the Lindley Estate."

"So, if we want you at seven, would you need picking up?"

"No, I could walk here, or I could stay at Isabelle's after school."

"That would be really convenient. We can take you home afterwards, of course," she assured me. "How much do you charge?"

The question took me by surprise. "Well," I mumbled, "I haven't been paid before."

"Yes, it's new to us as well," she smiled. "How much do you get, Isabelle?"

"Twenty-five pounds for three hours, a bit more if its longer," she stated.

"Would you be happy with that, Olivia?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

Just at that moment, the front door opened and Mr Spears came in.

He was a tall broad man with dark curly hair shaven at the back and sides. He was also wearing an office suit; grey check with a paisley pattern tie.

"Hi dear, this is Olivia who is going to babysit for us."

"Oh, great. We'll be able to go out again," he grinned.

"I'll just take her home and have a quick word with her mum. Liam's asleep upstairs. I'll be half an hour or so. Could you put dinner on?"

"Sure," he agreed.

Isabelle said that she would go home for her tea now, so I got into the front seat with my backpack on my knees. We chatted about my family as I directed her to my house. She parked on the pavement of the narrow street and I walked her round to the kitchen door. Mum stopped cooking when we entered and I introduced her. I think she was just wanting to check that mum was happy with the arrangement and to give her some reassurance of where I would be. We all exchanged phone numbers and it was agreed that I would start the following Friday.

I was quite excited when the day arrived. I'd arranged to have tea with Isabelle before we both went out babysitting. I knocked at the door just before seven o'clock. Mrs Spears opened it in a bit of a fluster.

"Nick is running late tonight. He's only just getting changed," she explained, leading me into the kitchen. "Liam's asleep, so you shouldn't have any problems there. He's in the small bedroom directly in front of you at the top of the stairs"

She showed me the bottles of baby milk to warm if he did wake up and checked I had her mobile number if I couldn't get him back to sleep. She had laid out some biscuits and fruit juice on the worktop. "You can use the dining table if you need to do some homework or there's the television in the lounge. I nodded.

Footsteps started to descend the stairs. "At last," she muttered, checking her watch. Mr Spears ambled into the room. "Right, we're going to the cinema so we should be back before ten," she said, immediately turning him around and pushing him out of the door.

"Have a nice time," I called after them. I closed the door and stood at the bottom of the stairs. I decided to sneak upstairs to have a peek at Liam. I turned the landing light out before opening his door and then waited for my eyes to adapt to the darkness. There was just enough illumination coming though the curtains to make out his face. I leant over the cot and held my breath to hear his soft breathing. He was pink and warm and smelt of milk.

Back downstairs, I did some homework for about an hour and then went through to watch TV. The huge screen seemed to fill the whole room when it lit up. It was like being at the cinema myself. I had almost nodded off when I heard their car arrive back on the drive. Mrs Spears rushed in. "Has he been, okay?" she asked anxiously.

"He's slept right through," I assured her.

"Oh, great," she sighed, clearly relieved. "I shouldn't have worried." She rummaged in her handbag for her purse and handed me twenty-five pounds. "Thanks ever so much. Nick will run you home. Are you all right for next week?"

"Yes. Thank you," I replied, looking at the notes and thinking that was the first money I had ever earned.

The baby sitting continued in the same routine throughout the autumn months. Liam only woke up once and I was able to settle him down again very quickly. Normally Mr Spears would run me home, in which case, after a few pleasantries, we would drive in silence. But sometimes, if he'd had a drink, she would take me back. She was much more garrulous and would keep up a constant patter for the whole journey. It was on one of these occasions, just after Christmas, when she asked me about boyfriends.

"No, not at the moment," I said. "I've had a couple, but nothing serious."

"What about girlfriends?" she asked flippantly.

"Oh no. Well, not like that!" I was a little shocked.

"Have you never thought of it?"

"No, not really."

She nodded and gave my knee a gentle pat, but said no more about it.

A couple of weeks later when I arrived at their house, Mrs Spears was still in her office clothes. She was wearing a black and white striped blouse with black trousers and red heels. She led me through into the lounge. "I'm afraid Nick is having to work late tonight," she announced. "But I'd like you to stay and keep me company this evening."

"Oh." I was surprised.

"We could have a girly night in and watch a film or something," she giggled.

"Okay." I could hardly say that I had to be somewhere else, and anyway, it might be fun.

"Would you like a strawberry smoothie. I've got some in the fridge?"

"Yes, please." I dropped my backpack on the floor while she fetched the drinks. I removed my beanie and puffer jacket and curled my legs up on the deep sofa. She brought the pink smoothies in tall glasses, each with half a strawberry on top and placed them on the oak coffee table in front of me.

She wandered over to open a cabinet full of DVDs and ran her finger across the titles. "Have you seen 'Blue is the Warmest Colour'?" she asked. I shook my head. "It's in French with subtitles".

"Sounds interesting," I said. I'd never watched a foreign film before.

Opening the case, she slotted the disc into the player and turned the lights down. She picked up the remote control and came back to the sofa before switching the TV on.

The film started and very quickly became quite explicit. The young heroine was confused about her sexuality. She had broken up with her boyfriend and started to fantasise about a blue-haired woman she had passed in the street. It was then that I felt Mrs Spears's hand on my thigh. I glanced over at her. She wasn't watching the film at all. Her eyes were trained on me; intently.

I was wearing a short denim skirt with charcoal grey leggings and she was rubbing her hand up and down the ribbed fabric. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to brush her hand away, but I simply watched it slide up and down as if it was on somebody else's thigh.

"You said that you'd never had a girlfriend?" she whispered huskily. I gulped and shook my head. She ran the back of her hand lightly down the side of my face and placed a scarlet varnished fingernail on my lips. "So, you've never really kissed a woman." She slowly drew her finger down over my chin and neck to my breastbone.

"No," I whispered.

"May I?" she asked slowly leaning forward. She kissed me full on the mouth, taking my bottom lip between hers, and slowly drawing it back. Some of her silky red lipstick was left on my lips and I could taste the strawberry smoothie still lingering there.

I was paralysed. I didn't know what to do. My heart was racing. My breathing became short. She kissed me again, this time her tongue leading mine in a dance around my mouth. I was gulping for air by the time she pulled away.

"You're so beautiful, Olivia. I am longing to kiss you everywhere."

She started to pepper me with kisses; brushing her lips over my soft cheeks and eyelids. Running her finger along the line off my jaw, she swept my ringlets back to blow hotly into my ear and nibble the lobe. I was getting aroused and started to sigh like the girl on the big screen.

"Kiss me," she whispered. She started to unbutton her tight-fitting blouse. Her eyes never wavered from me as she pulled it from her waistband and held it open. Underneath she was wearing a white lace bra, pushing up her breasts and highlighting her tan. She had regained her slim figure despite having given birth less than a year ago. She slipped the top from her shoulders and lay it behind her.

Reaching back, she deftly unhooked her bra and let that slide from her arms as well. She knelt up on the sofa, straddling my legs, and pushed her breasts into my face. They were incredibly soft and much squashier than mine. Her areolas were larger as well, and darker in colour. She slid her hand underneath one to guide the nipple into my mouth.

I tasted something slightly sweet and realised it was her milk. I drew back, my eyes widening in shock. "I'm still lactating," she shrugged, gently pulling me back onto her tit. "That's it, take it all in." I opened my mouth wide and sucked in as much of her breast as I could. She found my hand and brought it up to massage her other boob. As I pinched the nipple and rolled it between my finger and thumb, I felt another sticky discharge. She sighed as I continued to kiss and caress them.

She started to unbutton my chambray shirt and pull it from my shoulders. Underneath, I wasn't wearing a bra, just a stretchy white vest. She smiled when she saw my nipples clearly showing through. She lifted the top up over my head. My heart started to flutter.

"Oh, they're beautiful," she murmured. "Your nipples are so pink." She slid off my lap to kneel before me. I caught my breath expecting to feel her fingers on my breasts. But instead, tantalisingly, they circled around and in between my boobs. She started to blow on my nipples, before cupping both breasts in her hands. "And so firm," she whispered, fondling them. She grasped one to raise the nipple to meet her lips. I moaned as she took it in her mouth and started sucking. She bobbed from one to the other, alternately licking, pinching, squeezing and kissing them. Behind her, I could hear the film echoing my whimpers.

She slid her hand up my skirt and ran her fingers along the crease of my leggings. "Do you touch yourself," she asked.

I nodded. But it was one thing touching yourself and quite another being touched by someone else. She pushed her hand up harder, gripping the softness under my leggings. I felt her pulling at the waistband, slowly peeling them down. My cotton panties came with them. She opened my legs and nuzzled her face between my thighs. She ran her tongue up my inner thighs and into my vagina. I leant back and closed my eyes, giving out a relenting moan. She continued to lick my clit and then slowly slid her middle finger inside me. I gasped.

"Have you ever had sex, Olivia?"

"No," I whimpered.

"Are you sure?" she sounded surprised. "I can't find your hymen."

I couldn't answer. I was finding it hard to breathe. I slid sideways down on to the sofa. I had never experienced anything like this before. She inched her finger in deeper until her ring and index fingers were squashing my vulva. She was pressing my clit with her thumb, like a button. My moans were getting higher and higher.

Suddenly there was a thud of the front door closing. I tried to bolt upright and grab my leggings, but she pressed her hand between my breasts to hold me down. Immediately Mr Spears came into the room. He stopped abruptly in the doorway, gaping at us. His jaw dropped in shock.

"Join us," she called. "Isn't she beautiful?"

I tried to protest. "It's all right," she soothed.

He put his case down and came over to the sofa. I tried to pull my skirt down and cover myself up as best I could. He looked absolutely huge from my recumbent position. His scrutiny ran the length of my body and back up to meet my eyes. My stomach somersaulted. I was terrified.

"Don't worry," she murmured. "He'll be very gentle, won't you darling."

He simply smiled and loosened his tie.

"Just look at these nipples," she said, pulling my arm away. "Like little pink rose buds." She plucked one, lifting my breast and then let it flop back down.

He still didn't say a word. He removed his jacket, folded it carefully and placed it on the coffee table. I followed his every move. We locked eyes. Slowly, he removed his shirt and then his trousers. He was surprisingly muscular with a light down of hair on his upper chest. He knelt down by my head and started kissing me. With one hand, he cupped my breast and gently kneaded it. With his other, he drew my curls back to kiss my neck below my ears.

Mrs Spears resumed licking and fingering my pussy. Her spare hand wandered up to my other breast and started to tweak my nipple. Their fingers and tongues were everywhere. I could feel my heart hammering inside my chest and my body was becoming restless.

"Oh my God," I moaned, unsure whether it was the stimulation I was receiving or my apprehension of what was about to happen.

He sucked his fore finger until it started to drip. He traced the outline of my areolas, leaving two moist circles around them. He gradually increased the pressure until he finally pinched my nipples, pulling and twisting them. I convulsed and arched my back.

Grabbing both breasts, he squeezed them together and started licking them. He took one in his mouth and sucked the whole breast in, flicking at the nipple with his tongue. My arousal was getting intense and I began to squirm and moan.

"Just look at this perfect pussy." Mrs Spears finally removed her fingers. "She's ready for you, Nick."

They switched positions. She came round him to lift my head and cradle it in her lap. He sidled down the sofa and eased my legs further apart. I tensed, thinking he would assail my vagina, but instead he started kissing my legs. His cheeks felt like fine sandpaper against my soft inner thighs. He swapped between them, starting just above the knee and working up to my groin, tormenting me. She cooed over me, running her cool fingers across my brow.

He combed his fingers through my mound of sparse thatch. I could feel his hot breath on my lips as his tongue probed at my clitoris. He slid his finger inside me. I was so wet there was little resistance. He pulled it out, not altogether, before pushing it back in again, deeper. I was whimpering and trembling with uncontrollable emotion. I was trying to quell the fire when he inserted a second finger.

I screamed. Mrs Spears caught me and smothered my mouth with her palm. He was slowly pushing his fingers in, stretching me out and then twisting them, first one way and then the other. I could feel my climax reaching fever pitch. I gripped her arms as the wave crashed over me.

"Beautiful," she whispered as I lay in her lap, exhausted. "Take her, Nick. Take her innocence. She's all yours."

I looked down between my legs to see him kneeling on the sofa pushing his underpants down. He opened a condom and carefully rolled it down his penis.

"Oh God," I exclaimed, petrified.

"Relax," she soothed. "You want to feel a real man inside you, don't you? It's beautiful. Trust me."

She caught my wrists and held my hands to her breasts. I took a deep breath and surrendered to their seduction.