The Maid Ch. 07

She balked, spluttering a mouthful of her tea across the table. "He didn't say anything about marriage!"

But now in retrospect it made sense, that's where he was going with that whole spiel about wanting to be a family again, clearly she hadn't reacted to the news in the way Joe was hoping. She was reeling. She could feel Johns discomfort coming out of him in waves down the phone line.

John was talking again. "Look, Joe is my son. My only son. It pains me to say this Andi, but I don't want him to mess you around. I love Joe but he has no right to make this demand of you. Not now, not after all this time."

"What does Eleanor think?"

"She thinks the same but she feels dreadful for it. We told him what happened, about the fire, about Eleanor's diabetes. We told him about Stephano rescuing Sophia from the fire. We didn't realize he still had feelings for you Andi, we thought he'd be happy for you. As soon as he found out you had someone else we could tell it was having an effect on him. He got agitated, we tried to tell him it wasn't fair and he should leave it, we thought he would."

"Oh, I see." And she did see, she saw completely. Maria had been right. He'd known about Stephano all along. He'd almost had her convinced for a minute there this was about them; about her and Sophia, but it was all about him and his stupid macho ego. She couldn't believe she'd fallen for it. She realized John was talking again. She closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose and focused on the words she could hear down the phone line.

"...She's in a right state Andi, that's why I'm ringing and saying this, not her. You don't know what she's been like this last week; migraines, panic attacks and then he was round ours earlier for his tea and he told us he'd asked you to try again and that you were thinking about it. Well she told me I had to ring. We want you and Sophia to be happy Andi, you should be happy; it's been hard for you. She doesn't want you to go through any more, but the guilt, she can't bear to tell you herself."

There was so much emotion in his voice. She'd never known John like this, not even after the fire. He was usually so stoic, like a rock. And poor Eleanor after everything that had happened, this was the last thing she needed. She imagined herself in Eleanor and Johns shoes and fleetingly she understood, imagined sabotaging Sophia in this way. Fat tears rolled incessantly down her face and it was a while before she trusted herself to speak.

"Do you think he'll stick around John? I don't want to introduce him to Sophia unless he's going to be committed."

He was silent for a while, and she held her breath as she waited for his reply.

"I don't know, love. I don't know. I'd like to think so, but I don't want to get your hopes up."

"Thank you for calling. And please tell Eleanor I love her, I love you both. " She said with a catch in her voice. "I'm just so overwhelmed and confused. "

"I'll tell her. Good night, Andi. "

"Good night, John. "

She hung up and almost immediately there was a quiet knock on the door. Her heart sank, she just wanted it to stop, she wanted everything to stop for five minutes. She felt like she hadn't had a moment to herself all day. What if it was Joe at the door, she couldn't deal with Joe right now. For a moment she considered not answering it, but maybe it was Stephano. She crept along the hallway, wondering if she could possibly take a peep through the letter box without whoever it was knowing. Suddenly the door bell rang, startling her, and without a second thought she opened the door.

"Mum!" The last person she was expecting it to be; Delores never turned up unannounced.

"You sounded really upset over the phone, I wanted to make sure you were okay. When I tried to call back it was engaged." She bustled past Andrea, she was already walking into the kitchen putting the kettle on.

They sat down at the table and Andrea explained about Joe turning up. She told her about how he wanted to get back together so he could be involved in Sophia's life and how confused she felt about everything and guilty and scared.

She explained that she'd told Stephano about him and how he had left the café so suddenly without giving her the chance to finish. She told her about the house on the beach and about him wanting her and Sophia to move to Italy

"But do you want to get back together with Joe?" Her mum asked gently.

"No," She shook her head. "No I don't, but he's Sophia's father. I don't know, I felt like I should at least consider it, everyone deserves a second chance. And this thing with Stephano, I like him but I don't know if it's going anywhere. He wants me to move to Italy with him and I can't do that."

"Andi, don't make the same mistake I did. Don't sacrifice your happiness for what Joe wants. I wasted years hoping that your father was going to change, when it was obvious to everyone else he was never going to stop drinking."

"I thought you blamed me for what happened with Joe, for him leaving. That it was my fault for not looking after him properly; for not being a better girlfriend."

Delores frowned. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way Andi. I didn't mean to, I just felt so guilty. I didn't want you to follow in my footsteps. You were so young when you had Sophia, I wanted you to make something of yourself, do something with your life. And you have, Andi! I'm so proud of you."

"Oh mum." Andrea had a lump in her throat.

"I know I haven't met him yet but Stephano seems like a good man. Don't sacrifice your own happiness for Sophia's sake. For what you think you should do. What do you want?"

"I don't know what to do." She said sadly.

"Go to him."

"It's too late."

"It's not too late."

She looked at her watch. "It's 9:30, and it will take me nearly an hour to get there."

"Oh! You mean that kind of too late. That's not so late, I'm sure he'll be over the moon to see you whatever time it is. Stop making excuses and go. Andi wasn't sure, she was worried he wouldn't want to see her. Delores was riffling through the old blue leather handbag she carried everywhere and pulling her purse out of it.

"Mama, what are you doing?"

"Here. Take this, catch a taxi."

"You don't need to do that."

"Take it. I know you'll catch the bus if you don't take the money. It's too late to travel all the way across town on your own on the bus. I can stay here. I can take Sophia in to school in the morning, just go."

It was more like half an hour at that time of night. Which was lucky, she felt like she was coming apart in the back of the cab as it hurtled through the city. The driver talked at an alarming rate about an incident with a television presenter that had dominated the headlines in the last few days. She hadn't really been following the story closely but his banter was a welcome distraction from the anxiety eating away at her insides. She was so nervous, what if he didn't want to see her? She realized the driver had asked a question, she hadn't heard it, she was sure how to reply.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that, what did you say?"

He didn't seem to mind repeating himself at all as he launched gleefully back into his diatribe.

"I mean I ask you, why is it anyone else's business what 'e does with his spare time?"

But she was only half listening to him. She made the occasional noncommittal sound and he seemed to be happy with that. She thought about Stephano as she stared out of the window watching the city at night hurtle by. Somehow, the conversation with her mum and with Joe's dad had finally given her permission to admit her feelings to herself. She didn't want to do what she thought she should do; she didn't want to be with Joe, she wanted to be Stephano. When she considered the possibility that she might never see him again she felt almost as though someone had plunged a hard cold blade into her stomach. She needed to talk to him, to tell him how she felt; to explain that even though she couldn't just drop everything and move to Italy with him she still wanted to be with him, she wanted to somehow try to make it work.

Upon arriving at the hotel, she realised she hadn't given any thought to how she was going to get past reception and to his room. She was assuming he was staying in the same room he usually stayed in but he might not be. The trip had been unexpected and last minute. There were two staff members at reception but they hadn't seen her yet. She wasn't a guest. She couldn't just waltz in. she needed to get past them without seeming like she didn't belong. One of them left and went out the back. She let out a breath, one was better than two, then the phone rang the remaining receptionist picked it up, who ever was on the other end immediately grabbed her full attention.

This was it, this was her moment, she took another steadying breath, straightened her shoulders and strolled past the front desk with all the confidence she could muster, trying very hard to look like she belonged there. As she reached the lifts a pair of doors slid open as she walked a little faster. She reached them just as an older couple left, allowing her to slide right in. She almost forgot herself and slumped in relief, but the porter seemed to be scrutinising her with more interest than necessary. She squirmed uncomfortably wondering if perhaps he recognised her from previous visits. Deciding it was probably her imagination she stared straight ahead as the doors to the lift closed.

She paused outside the room. Was he even staying in this room? He could be anywhere, he might not even be staying in this hotel. She was starting to feel like this whole scheme had been stupid and naïve. She should have just picked up the phone like any normal person would have done. It was getting later and if he wasn't behind this door she would have lost valuable time that she could have spent with him. She could hear talking. She was relieved when she recognized his voice on the other side of the door. Who is he talking to? When confronted with the idea that he might not be alone she nearly turned around and walked right back into the lift. But she didn't, she couldn't just run away, not now, after everything. She listened harder, she could only hear his voice. it occurred to her that he was on the phone. She knocked quietly on his door. She waited, she was beginning to think she had knocked too quietly, that he hadn't heard. She was plucking up the courage to do it again more forcefully when the door swung open and there he was.

At first neither of them spoke they both just stared at each other, he was only wearing trousers and as her eyes roamed appreciatively over his bare torso she was hit by the smell of his shower gel, he must have just showered. A predictable surge of attraction swept through her and she took a shuddering breath as she tried to suppress it and focus on the matter at hand.

Finally he spoke. "Andrea."

She smiled nervously. "Hi."

He stepped out of the way and she wandered into the room and looked around, his laptop was open on the desk, there was a spreadsheet of some sort up on the screen, papers scattered around, an empty cup. She turned to find him watching her with a vulnerable expression. He quickly finished the conversation and put the phone down on a near by surface. He looked almost hungry but frightened. More vulnerable than she had ever seen him.

"You are here."

"Yes." She was only speaking in one syllable words. Her mind had cleared of everything she had planned to say when she arrived. All she knew was that she wanted to be closer to him, to touch him, to press her lips against the bare skin on his chest, to feel the heat of him against her mouth, to lose herself in his intoxicating scent.

"How did you get here? Did you take the bus? You should have called me, I would have come to you." She shook her head, but smiled despite herself. This was so of typical Stephano, to be so overprotective, dominating.

"Who is looking after Sophia?"

"My Mum. Stephano, we need to talk."

"Yes." Taking big strides, he moved towards her and stopped in front of her. He started to unbutton her coat. Taking it off he draped it over the edge of a nearby chair, and grabbed the hem of her jumper.

"Lift your arms."

Without thinking she obeyed and he pulled it over her head.

"You're taking my clothes off," she said, belatedly realizing she was stating the obvious. What was wrong with her?

"Yes." He said, again, as he undid the buttons on her blouse.

Once he'd dispensed with her top he slid his arm around her waist moving her backwards so they were both moving towards the sofa. She wanted to stop, to talk, to tell him what she had come here to say but she was hit so hard with a wave of lust that she was nearly on her knees. The backs of her legs bumped against the sofa and she fell back and immediately he was on top of her, pushing her down.

"We're not going to talk now?"

"No."

He reached behind her and with practiced efficiency he unhooked the clasp on her bra. He ducked down to her feet and started untying her shoes.

"Stephano, we need to talk."

"We will."

She was struggling to focus as he gripped her jeans and yanked them down, pulling them off her.

She frowned, he stopped what he was doing and looking up at her he answered her unspoken question.

"I need to be inside you."

She was baffled again, by this urgent desire he seemed to perpetually have for her, but it didn't last long, she was only in her underwear now and he was trailing his lips along her torso sending a elicit frisson of desire coursing through her, lighting up every cell in her body. All thoughts of talking had left her and she was entirely in the moment as he removed the last of her clothes and started to unbuckle his belt.

He groaned as he thrust into her, after almost no foreplay. As she clung to him all of her anxiety was forgotten. This was where she belonged, with this man, how could she have even considered being anywhere else, doing anything else. Their eyes locked, and she matched his thrusts move for move, as the intensity of their rhythm grew.

Although he was looking at her he seemed detached, as if he couldn't really see her, as if he wasn't really there. She frowned, trying to fathom why that was. He stilled and met her quizzical stare and just like that, he was back in the moment. Cupping her jaw in his hands holding her face he looked at her. She rested her hands on his torso, exploring the contours of his chest with her fingers. Suddenly he snatched both her wrists and pinned them over her head. When he spoke, his voice was filled with a fearsome intent.

"You are mine," His eyes were burning. "You belong to me." She nodded slowly as she gazed back at him.

"Say it." He growled, gripping her hands even tighter.

"I'm yours."

"Again."

"I am yours Stephano, I belong to you." she replied, never breaking eye contact.

A deep primal sound erupted from his chest and he was moving again and her mind emptied as she was swept along by this engulfing consuming need he seemed to have for her. He rode her like a man possessed, gripping her tightly, holding her to him, kissing her everywhere.

He stood up, taking her with him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him, as his hands dug beneath her cupping her arse, pulling her towards him so he could bury himself deeper. He strolled across the room and kicked the door to the bedroom with his foot. It swung open, hitting the wall with a bang. They entered the relative darkness of the room and it contrasted with the harsh lighting they'd left behind. He dropped her onto the bed and she landed with a thump. She whimpered in frustration at being separated from him, at no longer being able to feel him penetrating her. Scrambling upright, he started to take his own clothes off. She watched impatiently, desperate to have him inside her again as he unknotted his tie and started to unbutton his shirt, never taking his eyes off hers. Keen to speed the process up, she tugged at his trousers, pulling them down and doing the same for his boxer shorts.

Her face was level with his erection and suddenly she wanted to know how it would feel to have him in her mouth. She wanted to taste him, to give him pleasure. Wrapping her hand around his girth, she opened her mouth and closed her lips over him. She drew him into her mouth and sucked, hard. He filled her, and she reveled in the sharp musky taste of him. She moved up and down his length, dragging her teeth over the head. Her stomach clenched as she heard his sharp intake of breath, and with renewed confidence she sped her movements up, reveling in the opportunity to be the one in control. She stole a glance upwards, hoping to see his expression. She was disappointed; his head was thrown back and all she could see was his throat and the cut of his jaw. She lowered her eyes and directed her full attention to giving him pleasure. As she moved up and down the column of his shaft, exploring it with her tongue, his hands snaked up and his fingers threaded through her hair gripping her head. She moved more ferociously; his breathing had changed and she knew if carried on she could bring him to climax and she wanted to do that. She wanted to make him lose control. He made a strangled sort of sound and tried to pull away but she clamped her hands around his hips, clutching at his buttocks and held him to her, refusing to let him withdraw.

"Andrea," He said urgently, his voice thick with his arousal. "I don't want to..." but he didn't finish the sentence and she felt a wave of triumph as her mouth filled with warm salty liquid. He gripped her hair with his fists, holding her to him, trapping her.

"Santo cazzo Madre di Cristo!"

He released her and she pulled away, falling back on to the bed, wiping the remainder of his seed from her lips with her fingers, she looked up and met his gaze, failing to suppress her triumphant smile. Stephano was so dominating, so controlling in bed that she often felt like their lovemaking was something that happened to her, and she was pleased to have played a more active role. His eyes seemed to be alight with a playful expression that she hadn't seen before.

He crawled onto the bed and kissed her, his mouth pressing against hers. Rolling onto his back he pulled her with him, onto his chest and wrapped her up in his arms. He was holding her as though he might never let her go, she waited for him to loosen his grip or to move but he didn't do either. His playful mood seemed to have dissipated as suddenly as it had arrived and he seemed pensive and serious again.

"I thought you were going to leave me. I thought you were going to go back to him."

He was looking not at her, but straight up at the ceiling as he spoke. "I thought it was the right thing for you, I didn't want to interfere." He paused and his jaw clenched, she waited for him to continue.

"I was afraid. I was going to beg you not to leave me, in front of all those people." He was speaking the words in a rush.

She gasped and he looked at her finally.

"I didn't want to influence your decision. I didn't want to make it any harder than it had to be for you."

She was still reeling from the admission that he would even consider begging her not to leave him when he started speaking again.

"But he cannot have you."

"Stephano I was never seriously considering going back to him, I just..."

"I would not have let you, maybe it is the right thing, for the three of you to be a family again, but I can't allow it. You are mine," his voice hardened. "He needs to understand that."

A vein pulsed in his neck. Tentatively she ran her fingers across his chest, she needed him to understand that although he might become an unavoidable part of their lives, Joe wasn't any kind threat to them.