“I think you’d look sexy as hell in that.” A familiar deep voice breathed into my ear and I felt the heat from his body radiate into me. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. What the hell was he doing here, he seemed to pop up everywhere these days, I couldn’t escape him. “It’d look even better on my bedroom floor.”
I nearly choked, what a sleazy line I couldn’t believe he had used that one.
“Seriously? Resorting to the cheesy lines now are we?” I still couldn’t look around I just stayed rooted to the spot.
“It was kinda cheesy wasn’t it….but true.” I shook my head and walked away from the dress to where Robyn was leaning over the display of shoes and boots on the other side of the store, but he grabbed my arm to stop me.
“If you need any help to try it on I’d happily assist… to slide it on….zip it up… rip it off.” He ran his fingers up and down my arm making my skin goose bump and my breath catch in my throat.
“Why are you following me?”
“I’m not following you Ella, we just keep being drawn together. Like I said before. Fate. It’s out of our hands Ella.”
“You are so full of shit, do you know that? You expect me to believe you make a habit out of shopping in the women’s wear department of Harvey Nichols?”
He chuckled, “Maybe I’m looking for something for my Grandma? …So am I going to get a fashion show today or not?”
“Not a chance, I’d rather run through this store naked than dress up for you.”
“Sounds like a win win for me there, don’t let me stop you.”
I was rubbish at the come backs sometimes, run naked through the store, really Ella? What sort of a comeback was that? Robyn turned towards me smiling and holding a pair of black suede ankle boots. I turned to give him one final forceful ‘get lost’ but there was no one there. I looked around but couldn’t see him anywhere. Was he some kind of genie that could appear out of the blue then disappear twice as quickly? One thing was for sure, he’d totally unnerved me and was probably standing somewhere right now loving my jittery reaction.
“Please can we get out of here, I feel…spooked.” I shivered and held my arms across my chest in a hug.
“Sure… Ella this is supposed to be fun, if you aren’t feeling it today we can just go grab a drink at the pub, it’s no biggie. We can do battle with the Grannies at the Second chance store with the liquid courage in our system if that’s better for you?”
“Sounds much more up my street today!”
Robyn put her top on a random rail and hid the shoes under a mannequin wearing a ball gown and we linked arms as we headed for the escalator and out to the real world. Robyn rubbed my arm soothingly as I felt the anxiety roll off me. Being outside and back in the crowds was much more my style. No devastatingly handsome devil man could work his voodoo spells on me out here. I felt safer in amongst everyone else, less exposed. As much as Joe Madden intrigued me, he scared me more. His egotistical over confidence would only annihilate me, I knew it. After Adam I couldn’t take any chances, I had to protect myself from the hurt, the destruction and most of all the loss of self that being with a man like him could create.
Chapter Nine
The next week was probably the worst I have had in a hell of a long time. Monday morning started drab and drizzly, the city rain splattering the pavements and turning my curls frizzy and my patience paper thin. As I parked my little red car in the tiny car park we were lucky to have at the back of our offices I noticed a familiar sight that filled me with dread. I left my car behind and made the mad dash towards the back doors of Parker Hayes trying to avoid the rain as it fell unforgivingly on my mane of curls.
“Ella, please I need to talk to you.” Adam said pleading from the alcove that he stood in for refuse from the English weather.
“I have nothing to say to you Adam so just fuck off and leave me alone.” I replied but he grabbed at my arm to stop me leaving. “What is it with people thinking they can grab me and control me?”
“Who’s been grabbing you Ella, tell me and I’ll sort them out, I’m always here for you baby.”
“No Adam, you haven’t been there for me since you stuck your dick in the first girl you cheated on me with.”
He shook his head and made the effort to look remorseful. Too little too late asshole.
“What do you want Adam? Spit it out then get the hell away from me and let me get on with living my life.”
He sighed and looked at me with what appeared to be love, regret or hope in his eyes.
“I miss you Elle, I miss us.”
I laughed in utter disbelief, “Are you fricking kidding me right now? Adam you have fucked more women since we’ve been together than you ever had before we met. That’s not love! Now you come here telling me you miss me? You weren’t missing me when you were banging them!”
“I made a mistake Elle, I didn’t think… didn’t know what I was doing. It scared me, the commitment, you, us. But I know what I want now and it isn’t any of those other girls, it’s you Ella, I want you and only you…I’m lost without you.”
He was truly a piece of work. “You should have thought about that before you did what you did Adam. You thought with the head in your pants and these are the consequences. I don’t want to be with you Adam, I don’t love you anymore.”
He ran his hands over his face and continued pleading with me, “I’ll make it right Elle I promise. I’ll do anything to get you back. I can’t do this anymore, I miss you every hour, every minute of every day. I can’t concentrate at work, I’m miserable without you. Please….”