His Saving Grace

Chapter 2

GRACE

“Yeah, he’s totally screwed her,” Tess says after I repeat the conversation from the cafeteria earlier. I met Tess when I worked at a bar here in the village to support myself through college. She’d been working there for several months already and took it upon herself to help me settle in. We’ve been best friends ever since.

“Hmm. I dunno. It can’t be true. I’m not buying that every member of junior staff is all so into him that they all agreed to be f****d by the big boss.”

“Unless he has great libido. I’ll let you know if I meet him.”

“Oh yeah? How you gonna do that?”

“I have built in radar for horn people,” she says, tapping the side of her head. “Or maybe he’s Christian Grey and stalks all potential employees beforehand and only employs the sluts.”

“I haven’t read it so I wouldn’t know.”

“Neither have I. Didn’t stop my auntie Michelle telling me all about it in excruciating detail though,” she explains, shuddering at the memory.

“Well, even if that were true he won’t be f*****g me. I have more self respect than that.”

Beer in hand, I stretch out on the ornate chair shaped like a throne, glad to be out of my skirt and in a more comfortable jeans and t-shirt ensemble. When I spot Bella and Stacey walking through the doors opposite the bar, I stand up and wave them over. Bella’s still in her work clothes whereas Stacey looks every shade of hot in a tight red dress and matching shoes.

Placing my hand on the top of her arm when she reaches me, I peck her cheek with my lips. “If I was a guy I’d be totally hard for you right now,” I say, grinning as I pull back.

When I turn, I notice Tess has sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “If I had a d**k, so would I.”

Stacey appears a little stunned by Tess’ forwardness and an awkward smile tugs at her mouth. The thing is with Tess, she has a filter, but more often than not she chooses not to use it.

I introduce Tess to my colleagues, who I’m already starting to think of as friends, and we decide to stay here for a quiet drink before heading on to Velvet, a club designed for thumping music and dancing rather than conversation.

Tess leaves the table to get a round of drinks and I nip to the bathroom. While I’m in there I take a moment to tease the strands of my golden bangs that have fallen out of style back into place, stopping when my gaze lands on a guy in the mirror who’s just stepped out of one of the cubicles behind me.

I was startled and suddenly looked around. Did I went in the wrong bathroom. But when he stops right next to me, looking into the same mirror as he adjusts the collar of his crisp, white shirt I forgot everything I wanted to asked.

My pulse quickens and it makes no sense to me. I’ve seen hot guys before. But this guy is more than hot. He’s stunning. So beautiful I feel self-conscious in his presence. Ironing out imaginary creases in my shirt with flattened hands, I study the stranger’s eyes in the mirror, searching for his story. There’s a power behind them. An arrogance. Something about the way he holds himself tells me he’d never allow anyone to have any kind of control over him.

“Like what you see?” he asks, running his fingers through his cropped, black hair. His accent is clearly northern, but there’s a forced poshness, like he’s taught himself to be better than everyone else.

Heat pools in my cheeks as I rip my gaze away, my mouth too dry to reply. Immediately, I wash my hands and then I get the hell out. I even forgot if I'm in the wrong bathroom.

Well that was weird.

Stacey and Bella have their backs to me when I arrive back at the table.

“I just don’t get why they’d sleep with a woman who looks like a man. Why not just sleep with an actual man?” I overhear Stacey say.

I don’t know if she’s referring to Tess, or just androgynous-dressing lesbians in general, but I lower my mouth to her ear. “I think the lack of c**k has something to do with it.”

Stacey snaps her head around to face me, her cheeks clashing with her red dress. “S-sorry,” she stutters. “I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”

I smile and settle down into my chair. “Don’t worry. I don’t understand their aversion to d**k either.” I wink and Stacey visibly relaxes.

Before Stacey can reply though, Tess hands out our drinks, staring at me while wearing pursed eyebrows and a contemplative pout. “You’re flustered,” she notes. “You look like you’ve just had sex.”

Stacey coughs, almost choking on the wine she’s just sipped.

“I have not just had s*x,” I say, knowing she’s joking because she knows me, knows I’m not into impromptu f***s against bathroom walls. “I did just make an arse out of myself though. I bumped into the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in the toilet and just stared at him like some kind of moron. Think David Gandy but younger.”

Tess scrunches her nose. “My auntie fancies David Gandy.”

“Your aunt has good taste,” Stacey joins in, finally relaxing into our company.

David Gandy remains the topic of conversation for almost half an hour. Bella's never heard of him so Stacey pulls up Google on her phone and searches for images. Bella fails to see the appeal, comparing him to his granddad. We continue to chat, getting to know each other outside a formal work environment, and end up staying in Velvet for another three drinks. When we eventually head outside, my mum calls as we walk along the cobbled street.

I excuse myself and make my way over to the stone wall to answer, staring down to the canal. “Hey, Mum,” I answer, shooing my friends with a wave of my hand, silently telling them I’ll catch up in a few minutes.

“Where are you? You sound outside?”

“I’m with some friends.”

“Oh sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just wanted to see if you’re settled into your new job.”

Her concern makes me smile. “So far, so good. I’ve made a couple of friends and have got the coffee machine down to a fine art.”

She sighs down the line and I know she’s debating whether to give me the you’re worth so much more than a mere coffee girl speech. “And the new flat? Have you finished unpacking?”

“Just about. Why don’t you come over next week and I’ll give you the grand tour?”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll pick you up,” I offer, knowing her hesitation is due to the fact she’s scared to drive on the motorway. With me being in Manchester, she won’t use the roads either because she believes big cities are full of maniac drivers. “Or get Tom to bring you.”

Tom is my older brother, by two years. By day he’s an emergency doctor in St Andrew’s hospital’s A&E department and by night he’s a loud, over-opinionated bastard. But he’s my brother so I’m genetically programmed to love him and put up with his bullshit.

“I’ll call him tomorrow,” my mum agrees. “See when he’s free.”

“Great. Look, Mum, I need to go. My friends are waiting, but I’ll see you on Sunday.”

Sunday is mandatory family day, where my mum cooks a roast dinner with all the trimmings for me and my brother, and in latter years, Tess too. We haven’t missed a single afternoon since my dad passed away four years ago. Losing a family member, especially a parent, makes you realise how important spending time together is. I still feel guilty that, before then, I took my family for granted. When you’re young you want to go off on your own, find new adventures, party, have fun, all the while assuming your family will still be there when you get back.

Until one day one of them isn’t.

“Okay, honey. Stay safe tonight and don’t forget to text me when you get home.”

“Sure,” I say. I know the drill. “Love you.”

“Love you too, baby girl.”

I can’t help but cringe when she calls me that. It takes me right back to high school when I was ribbed for six months after she said it in front of my friends. It was hard enough trying to fit in without getting the piss ripped out of me on a daily basis for being a mummy’s girl.

Tucking my phone into my jeans pocket, I jog the rest of the way to Velvet. I can’t see my friends when I arrive so assume they’ve gone in without me. I know where to find them though. Tess and I have designated meeting spots in almost all of the bars and clubs around here, so after getting in, I head to the second floor bar, spotting them as soon as I reach the top stair.

As I make my way over to Tess, I see Bella pulling on Stacey’s arm, trying to drag her out onto the dance floor. She protests weakly, giggling, but soon gives in and sashays away in rhythm with the beat of the music.

Tess leans into my ear. “Your friend is hot,” she says, straining her voice so I can hear her.

“She’s also very straight,” I tell her, laughing as I grab the bottle of lager in her hand. “Dance?”

Tess nods and takes my hand. We weave through the crowd of people dancing and eating each other’s faces, into the middle of the floor and show the club what we’re made of. We dance, we laugh, and we stay that way for a couple of hours, grinding and singing out of tune, only stopping to buy more drinks.

By midnight, I’m lagging and feeling a little dizzy. “Bathroom break!” I call out, too drunk to feel embarrassed by the fact I’m stumbling on unsteady feet as I make my way to the bathroom.

I spend five minutes trying to remember how to undo the button on my jeans before taking a piss. Opening the cubicle door, I dance towards the sinks singing Maybe Tomorrow by the Stereophonics at the top of my voice.

“Simon Cowell would come in his pants if he heard you, girlie,” a guy I’ve never seen before jokes, clapping my shoulder on his way out of the bathroom.

He so f*****g would, I think, and then carry on singing. I’m about to break into the second verse when hands appear on my hips from behind, stopping me dead in my tracks.

“I’ve been hard since I saw you earlier.”

I know that voice. That’s David Gandy’s voice. Its owner’s face is breathing heavily into my neck. I don’t know if it’s because I’m so drunk, or because I’m so stunned, but I can’t speak. As I turn around to face the voice all I can think about is the fact if I don’t breathe soon I’m going to pass out.

When I see his face it forces a rush of air into my lungs. I’m flustered, and he knows it. One side of his mouth twists into a smirk and he drop kisses on my jaw.

“I want to f**k you,” he whispers in my ear and I can’t figure out why I haven’t punched him in his beautiful face yet. Instead, all I can focus on is how gravelly and delicious his voice sounds. “You want it,” he adds, groping my a*s through my jeans.

I’m suddenly felt so horny. I’ve no idea what’s going on with my body. Inside I’m yelling, asking myself what the f**k I’m playing at, but my body is betraying me. I still haven’t uttered a single word yet I’m allowing myself to be pushed backwards into a cubicle. David, as I seem to have named him in my head, pins me against the wall, raking his rich brown eyes up and down my body as he blindly reaches out and locks the stall door.

His mouth lands on mine as he fumbles with my zipper. He tastes of whiskey and tobacco and my eyes roll into the back of my head like he’s physically intoxicating me. I tell myself not to, but I ignore it and arch my back, pushing my lower body into him and allowing him to roll my jeans over my a*s and push them down my legs. And all rationale and reason evaporates from my mind.

I grab his hair and drive my tongue between his lips while he reaches between our bodies and roughly tugs at my now wet panty. I can’t breathe. I can’t even think. He releases my mouth, grinning wickedly, and my head falls back, hitting the wall as I groan into the air.

“Holy s**t,” I cry out, and I don’t care if anyone hears me.

I bite my lip in an effort to stifle the intense moans and I know I’m only seconds away from exploding when his skilled fingers drilled inside of me. His thrusting it in me so fast. Too fast. I can’t hold it off. I reach for his shoulder to steady myself.

“Oh f**k I’m…” It’s too late. I buck my hips, forcing his fingers deep in me as I reach my c****x.

“My turn,” he growls in my ear and I’m too breathless to protest as he spins me around and bends me over the toilet. “I’m going to f**k you so hard you won’t be able to walk for a week without remembering this night.”

Oh my God…

I hear him unbuckle his belt, followed by the sound of a c****m wrapper being torn open, and right now I don’t know who I am anymore. This isn’t me. I don’t f**k strangers in bathrooms. I’ve never even had a one-night stand. But I can’t stop it. I don’t want to.

I gasp when without a word, he suddenly pushes inside me. Hard. Fast. I’m not ready and the burn takes my breath away as he slams into me over and over again, holding me down with one hand on the small of my back and the other gripping my hip.

“You’re so f*****g tight,” he says and his voice sends shivers down my spine.

He’s stretching me and it’s only just bearable but I don’t want him to stop.

“Holy s**t,” I whimper, my body trembling as I struggle to support my weight with one hand on the wall in front of me and the other locked onto to the cistern.

“f**k yes,” he breathes. “Take that dick.”

I think he’s close because his speed increases. All I can hear is ragged breaths and slapping flesh and I can feel myself getting ready to c****x again.

“Ah f**k,” he chokes out, driving into me one last time, so forcefully I lose my grip on the wall and almost collapse.

I’m still panting when he pulls out of me and I rise to my feet slowly, feeling dizzy.

When I find the courage to turn around, the stranger I’ve just let f**k me senseless is fastening the button on his pants. He reaches behind me and lifts the toilet seat, tossing the used c****m inside before flushing it away. I can’t look him in the eye as a rush of shame floods my veins. Instead, I focus on the discarded c****m and lube sachets on the floor.

I see his fingers approach my face and he curls them around the back of my neck and pulls my heated face to his. I’m paralysed as I let him kiss my lips, and then he backs away.

“Thanks,” he says….

And then he’s gone.

Jeans still gathered around my ankles, I stumble back until I hit the wall.

What the f**k just happened?

I take a few minutes to compose my erratic thoughts and steady my breathing before pulling up my pants. Bending down, I pick up the torn sachets and throw them in the bin before leaving the bathroom in a daze. I’m instantly sober, no longer wobbly on my feet.

Tess is by the bar, chatting up some chick with long blonde hair. She leaves her behind, rushing over to me, the second I meet her gaze.

“What happened to you? You’ve been gone ages. I was just about to send Jimmy in to check on you.”

I don’t know who Jimmy is and, right now, I don’t particularly care. “I, um…” I squeeze my eyes closed and rub my face to make sure I haven’t dreamt it. “I just got f****d by David Gandy.”

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