Share
Chapter 19: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 1, Elizabeth's Birthday Gift
Related chapters
Charlotte's Search Chapter 20: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 2, Albert's Papers
James suppresses a smile. "I've had Charlotte at the proofing yards down by the docks. Some useful add-on training in failure testing on metals and other materials."I scratch my chin. "How did you pull that off, James? We don't have connections with any of the firms down there do we?""City NDT would like to tender for the contract on the bridge, for the testing and maintenance program." He flashes brows. "I took the opportunity to take a favour.""Does blowing something to bits in a proofing yard qualify as non-destructive testing?" I ask."Nooo...." he concedes, "but their director mentioned that they were running a series of tests on rocket motors for a new government contract, so I, um, eased a lever into the crack. It's all useful experience for a trainee engineer, especially as...." He nods towards Charlotte.... ".... It's going to be all knuckling down academically for a while now, with exams coming up."He turns back to Michael and Elizabeth. "What was all the laught
Charlotte's Search Chapter 21: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 3, Michael's Worries
RICHARDElizabeth walks in, dirty and unkempt. She flops down into a chair."You look exhausted my Love. How's the house clearing going?""Oh, you have no idea. It's all bottles and jars now for recycling." She pulls a face. "Mainly whiskey bottles. Old newspapers, all tied up with string and kept. There's been rats nesting in some of them, but he kept them anyway. And yet more old paperwork cleared out from the back of the attic."A tap on the door, a pause, then Ross pops a head around the door. "Would you like a bath running, Mrs Haswell? Or something to eat?""Oh Ross. Thank you. Yes, both would be lovely. You're a life saver.""You're welcome," he smiles then retreats back out again."Whiskey bottles, eh? That doesn't sound too good. Speaking of which, would you like a drink?""I would, but not whiskey. A glass of wine would be lovely."I pour two glasses of a Rioja James recommended. Rolling it around my mouth, it is indeed, rather good. I sit beside my tired wi
Charlotte's Search Chapter 22: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 4, Lovemaking
JAMESMichael, raising a finger to his lips, stands to rummage in the drawer for a moment, then takes out a small vibe. Holding it close to her ear, he turns it on, upping the power a couple of times, letting her hear the rising whine. Touching the tip, just barely, to her skin, he slips it across her cheek and over her lips, then slides it back to the nape of her neck and down. Tracing the outline of her spine, he follows the curve of her back, diverting for an instant around her bound wrists, lying between the twinned dimples at the base, and south.My fingers are slick, and the air laced with the tang of her growing excitement. Michael raises a questioning eyebrow and I withdraw my thumb which he replaces with the vibe. She rocks against me, wailing, but he pushes it home, twisting the base to turn up the power as he does so.Smiling as he stands back, he surveys her. I pull away too, leaving her unsupported, rocking and swaying as she tries to remain upright.Offering me hi
Charlotte's Search Chapter 23: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 5, The Open Day
JAMES"That was pretty unrestrained for your usual tastes," I comment.He shrugs. "She loves it doesn't she...."True...."You feeling better now?"He stretches, then scratches at his hair. "Yeah, loads. Sorry for being a bad-tempered bastard earlier.""You've already apologised. You don't need to do it again. Everything will be fine tomorrow. You'll see."*****Useless.That's how I feel.This whole spa hotel business is Michael's project. I wander around aimlessly, trying to find something useful to do with myself, but........ That's what staff are for.Michael, having recovered from his ill-temper of the day before is calm, collected and completely organised. As he is busily putting up signs for extra parking around the front and sides of the hotel. I try to help, but I'm simply in the way. He's polite enough, but I can see I'm getting on his nerves.So, I head for a shower and to change into something respectable enough for the wealthy friends and acquain
Charlotte's Search Chapter 24: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 6, Demonstration
MICHAELCharlotte's wearing loose joggers and a vest and moves like a cat. Normally I admire her movement. While Beth sashays, Charlotte strides, moving with a fluid grace that says 'Damn the world. This is what I am'. Her pony-tail swings behind with her movement, emphasising her long lovely neck.But right now, it occurs to me that her expression is predatory."I'll put some mats down," I say, "then no-one gets hurt.""Fine." There's a glint at her mouth, her teeth showing.I gesture the audience to back off while I lay out a good large area of mats. Charlotte watches me, almost imperceptibly stretching muscles; arms, legs, spine; and winding her head in a circle.She knows I'm going to have to pull my punches....Does she think that rule applies to her too???Why should she have all the fun?"Perhaps," I suggest, "we should start with a demonstration of what can happen when a woman is assaulted. Who's going to volunteer?"Not a man moves, but abruptly, two
Charlotte's Search Chapter 25: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 7, Waiter
JAMESI pass through the guests, offering champagne. I've never been a waiter in my life before today, but find I'm rather enjoying myself.Not that I'd want to do it every day....I pass out my first tray of drinks, then head back for a refill. A fresh supply on my tray, I return to the guests to find a general drift out of the lounge and towards the gym.Some display Michael's arranged perhaps...?In the gym, groups of the glitterati mill and chatter. Then I see....It's Richard and Beth, both intent on some sight out of my view, leaning into each other and murmuring something I can't hear.Trying hard to keep my face straight, I move to come up from slightly behind them, offering the tray. "Champagne, sir? Madam?"Richard reaches for two glasses, passing one to Beth, then double-takes as he sees my face at the top of the waiter's uniform, and almost spills his drink."James!" His voice is startled and Beth's jaw drops. Richard lowers his voice. "James? What the hel
Charlotte's Search Chapter 26: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 8, Cave Man
JAMESI follow them towards the house, to see Michael looking back........ Checking they're out of sight of the guests...?.... then turn and make a grab for Charlotte. She shrieks as he hauls her in by the waist and slings her over his shoulder."Michael! Charlotte?"He turns, his expression somewhere between severity and laughter.... "Madam here has a debt to settle." Then he spins back to march away through the house, Charlotte dangling upside-down and ponytail swinging down his back, Christ, is she alright?He looks like he's really going to lay into her....But as I follow, she looks up to me with a happy little smile and a wriggly wave of the fingers.Michael turns back to me again from the bottom of the stairs. "Hold the fort back there will you. This won't take long."And what can I do but laugh?Thirty seconds later there is a wumph - the kind of noise that might be made by - to take a purely hypothetical example - a body being dumped unceremoniously on
Charlotte's Search Chapter 27: Her Lovers' Touch, Part 9, Checking the Facts
MICHAEL"Sally, you got a minute?""Sure Mr Summerford, so long as it's only a minute." She waves back at the sea of activity in the kitchen. "I've got seventy covers to get out in the next hour or so." She turns from her counter, dips into a roiling pot with what is apparently an asbestos finger, sucking at some kind of liquid. She nods to a young lad in a white apron, "That's fine, Billy. Now poach the fish in the stock. Six minutes. No more." Then she turns her attention to me."Yes, only a minute. Um, somewhere quiet if you don't mind."She puckers brows but follows me to the outer corridor. "Is something wrong?""Um, not sure.... Look, this is kind of embarrassing, but I received a report that James had been.... er.... bothering you.... Is there any truth to that?"Her face clears. "James? Mr Alexanders, you mean? No, not at all. He's a perfect gentleman. And he was such a lot of help the other day in the kitchen.""Really? My brother thought...."Her face clouds o
Latest chapter
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 203: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 23, Richard's Gift
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 202: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 22, Kink
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 201: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 21, Michael
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 200: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 20, Sandwich
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 199: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 19, Redemption
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 198: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 18, The Package
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 197: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 17, Remembrance
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 196: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 16, Charlie
- Charlotte's Search Chapter 195: Her Enemy's Promise, Part 15, The Legacy
