Naomi.
Its been a week now, but its still not sunk in. After I disentangled myself from an embarrassed Emily and wrapped myself back into my bath towel, simultaneously reassuring Freddie that I hadn't been actually trying to screw our visitor (my treacherous mind kept nagging me to admit that her proximity, and the tiny bit of history we shared had made THAT prospect more than appealing) we got down to business. I dragged my phone out from under the bed...avoiding an even more embarrassing moment when I almost picked up my discarded pink vibrator instead... brought up the text from Camelot and then my lottery account, with its earth shattering news. Its not every day that you see a credit balance of over 22 million quid, is it?
Then, after I'd screamed a bit more, reassured Freds that no, it wasn't an elaborate hoax, for the twentieth time, there was a frantic hunt for my passport, driving licence photo card and birth certificate. Any one of which would have sufficed, especially as the pretty brunette helping me search was perfectly well aware of who I was, but anyway, it doesn't hurt to be well prepared, does it?
The next 24 hours were a complete head fuck. I got dressed (sadly alone this time) with my mind spinning like a top. We were taken to an anonymous office building in town, which turned out to be the Lottery regional office. I was photographed, had my ID checked and had to enter my password for my lottery account into a computer, then asked if I wanted publicity (No fucking way) and if I was happy to continue having Emily Fitch as my liaison exec for the next 6 weeks. The words Pope and Catholic occurred to me. First because she was drop dead gorgeous (all my suppressed longings for female company seemed to have resurfaced) But also because I wanted a face I knew to guide me through what I knew would be the madness to follow.
The no publicity bit caused a bit of friction between me and Freddie. He was all for telling the world. Emily told him that if he had a completely blameless past and was happy for every mistake he had ever made to be salivated over by the tabloids for weeks, then fine. Otherwise...
He took the hint.
Emily and I also had a quiet moment, when Freds was in the loo. She told me that her job was to look after MY interests, as my name was on the ticket. Any arrangements, and financial settlements I made with Freddie were my decisions to make. That made me think.
Freddie had been good to me. Especially in the old days. He had got me through some dark times, and I was grateful for that. But we had been coasting for over a year now. Shagging him was more of a chore than a delight. Did I see a future for us together? Hadn't really thought about it was the honest answer. But I owed him, and I was never gonna be a cunt about the money. I realised I had some big decisions to make in the next few weeks.
And then there was Emily.
She made it clear that her prime role was to be my mentor, not my friend. But fuck, it was difficult to separate out the feeling that I had been given a second chance to get to know her, from the fact that she hadn't actually volunteered for this gig.
Anyway. After the formalities, I found myself with a fucking Coutts bank account (apparently I am now a 'high nett worth individual') and in my bag was a shiny new platinum debit card and £5000 in cash...for immediate needs...
Emily checked us into the Cadbury House Hilton, the smartest country house hotel in Bristol...she said that would probably be preferable to staying in our tower block 'heaven' and although my mother would probably scream sell out to the skies, I had to agree. Piles of curly cat shit, or room service and Egyptian cotton sheets...hmmm, tough call.
After a couple of days, even Freddie stopped complaining there wasn't a kebab shop for miles. Every whim was catered for. Freds and I were in the best suite, with stunning views over the surrounding countryside. We ate kedgeree (no, me either!) and grilled french mushrooms for breakfast, lunched on exquisite pate and beautifully prepared chicken dishes and dined on £60 prime steaks and bottles of the finest french wines. We shopped for clothes, watches and jewellery on the Harrods internet site, and uniformed flunkies delivered them more or less hourly to our suite.
Emily was staying in a standard room one floor below us. She let us have a leisurely breakfast most days, then it was all endless meetings with accountants and financial advisers. She was by my side at all times. Which didn't go down well with Freds at all. Once he realised that this was going to be our life from now on, he sort of tuned out. I caught him on the phone to our friendly local meth dealer the third night. He didn't seem to understand that a well known drug dealer turning up at a posh hotel waving a large baggie might raise a few eyebrows.
Still, at least him having to go out to collect some weed meant that I had a couple of spare hours to spend with Emily.
We never actually discussed THAT kiss, but it was always in the background. I remembered the way her eyes had lingered on my naked body when she gave me the good news about my win. That definitely wasn't a professional appraisal. I dug a bit, to find out what her romantic situation was nowadays, but she was cagey as fuck.
"This is all about you Naomi...not me" she smiled sweetly "Its about how you deal with the money so that it brings you happiness, not misery"
I whined a bit at that
"But we're gonna be hanging out together for the next few weeks...can't we be friends too? Don't friends tell each other all about themselves"
Her eyes dipped, and she suddenly seemed very interested in her hands.
"If you're asking if I'm still gay...the answer is yes" she murmured, not looking up. The fact that I could see the flush on her neck informed me that she was uncomfortable talking about herself. Trouble is, it made me even more determined to find out more.
"And...are you...with someone...?" I persisted, and the flush deepened.
She looked up and regarded me seriously before answering.
"No one serious" she grimaced "I seem to attract the unfaithful and manipulative type. Must be me, I guess"
I covered her hand with mine. She jumped as if to pull away, but then let my hand stay where it was. Still her eyes held mine. Suddenly the air in the room seemed to get thinner. I felt like I did all those years ago. I tore my eyes away from hers and looked at her lips. Lips I had kissed before. Lips I wanted to kiss again.
"Naomi..." She said in warning "I don't think..."
"Don't think Miss Fitch..." I said softly "Just feel it..."
Our heads moved closer and pure electricity crackled in the space between us. No guy I had ever kissed had made me feel this sort of anticipation. I knew in that moment that the money had changed one thing irrevocably, I was going to be true to myself from now on... I wasn't straight. Not even a little bit.
A fraction more movement, and I could feel her breath on my skin. Her eyes held a strange expression, a mixture of want and fear. I wanted to kiss her so much I felt dizzy with desire.
"Kiss me" I said breathlessly "Or I think I might just fucking explode here"
She blinked and I saw her expression change. The fear was replaced by hunger. My lips tingled as she brushed mine with hers. My hands started to move up her arms. I'd never been so turned on in my life, and then...
"Babe!"
The yell from the suite door jerked us both backwards, like puppets with our strings cut. If Freddie hadn't been quite so distracted, trying to balance a litre bottle of JD and a carton of 200 fags, we would have been busted on the spot.
Emily jumped up and went to stand over by the window. I wrapped my arms around myself to stop the shivering which was starting in my legs. Fuck...what perfect timing, I thought bitterly...almost, but not quite.
After Freddie bustled through the lounge, dropping the Jack and Benson's on one of the Regency chairs, Emily turned back into the room with an entirely fake smile on her face.
"Right...well thats me then guys" she said brightly "I've got paperwork to finish. Have a good night, and I'll see you in the morning?"
Freddie grunted and flashed her one of his "who the fuck are you anyway' looks.
"I'll see you to the door" I muttered and stood up before Freds could protest. We walked to the door silently, but the tension between us was tangible.
"Good night Emily" I said, a little too loudly. It sounded brittle, even to me.
"Good night Naomi" Emily said in a small voice "I might not be in a relationship...but you are...this can't happen again...OK?"
She didn't wait for an answer, and as the door closed behind her, I gritted my teeth, turning back into the room.
XXX
Emily
I should have listened to my head. My stupid heart always leads me down this path. First hope, anticipation and temporary sexual satisfaction. Then the shit hits the proverbial. I should have known it would turn to ratshit. Its not as if my track record doesn't give any hints, is it?
Even from that first kiss with Naomi, back when I was 15 and anything seemed possible, it had always gone wrong. OK, I'd never seen her since. But there was Sasha, who broke my heart in College. Then Sarah at Uni. Really fell for her bullshit, didn't you Emsy? Finding her sucking off some stud...in the fucking room we shared and loved in, was quite the clue...not absolutely gay then, was she? And then bloody Mandy...oh yeah, Mandy. At least with her there was no pretense about being faithful. I was an occasional shag, convenient on weekends when no one else was available. And I would let her do just about anything to me in bed. She liked that.
But this was a cluster fuck beyond anything even I could imagine.
I'm not talking about almost being caught snogging a lottery winner. I'm not even talking about the next few days, which started off...awkward... but got better. For the first 24 hours I tried my best to keep a respectable distance between us. Freddie was usually around, so it was easier to pretend nothing had actually happened. The more time that passed the simpler it was to put it down to momentarily weakness and move on.
OK, I admitted to myself that I drop dead fancied her. More than fancied actually. I liked her eyes, her hair...the way the corner of her mouth twitched when she was struggling to contain a giggle. I liked her smell, the way her hands moved...the way she stole glances at me when she thought Freddie wasn't looking. There was a whole lot I liked about Naomi Campbell. But then someone else liked them too. And Freddie might have been a bit dim, but he wasn't fucking blind.
We all went out for a meal together on the third night after our 'almost' kiss. Freddie was actually quite funny when he wasn't stoned, and I relaxed a bit. Bad move.
Too many glasses of chilled Crystal, and the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel night club led to...little things happening... If I had been completely sober, I might have spotted the looks Freddie was giving her and me during our banter. But I wasn't...and I didn't.
Freddie was off somewhere getting another bottle when Naomi finally reached over, putting her hand over mine, just like she had the other night. We were both pleasantly pissed, so the slight slur in her words was understandable.
"You know I really, really fancy you, don't you?" she said, holding my eyes with those intense blue orbs.
"Naomi..." I answered "We've talked about this...you have a partner...remember?"
She shook her head deliberately, the way half drunk people do and picked up her glass with the hand which wasn't pinning mine to the table.
"Me and Freds..." she started "We sort of drift along...have done since we were kids at school...but..." and her eyes pinned me again "I feel something deeper for you...always have done. Ever since that kiss. Haven't you ever thought about how things might have worked out if your homicidal sister hadn't seen us and fucking clocked me? "
"Now and again" I lied. Only about every month of my life was closer to being accurate.
"Tell me you don't feel something for me" she whispered, stroking the back of my hand with her little finger. "Be honest..."
"Jesus, Naomi" I choked "You're making it really hard for me...I'm supposed to be professional about this. I could lose my job...Freddie could find out..., get me fired"
"I hear you talking Emily" she said slowly "But I don't hear you saying no"
I looked away from her for a moment. I couldn't think straight with her eyes boring a hole in my soul.
"Look" I said finally, turning my head to face her again. "If we'd met under any other circumstances... if I wasn't working for you...if you weren't living with someone...and a man at that...the answers yes...I do like you...fancy you...but..."
"Buts are for sheep and goats" she said cornily, and the sides of her mouth turned up in the way that already had the power to disarm me, even after this short time.
"Look..." I tried again, but she squeezed my hand and interrupted.
"No...you look" she said firmly "Let me sort out the Freddie problem. I think a seven figure sum in his bank account is more a priority for him than hanging on to me, don't you? Will you just promise me something?"
I nodded
"This...mentor thing...lasts for 6 weeks altogether, yeah?"
I nodded again
"So...after that...you won't technically be in breach of any of those professional ethics you're so fond of quoting, right?"
"No..." I said eventually, if only to stop her thinking I had lost the power of speech.
"OK" she grinned. "Its a deal...you get to be miss businesslike for 4 more weeks. Then you and me...maybe we could go on a date...or something?"
What could I say? She was right. I fancied her, she fancied me. With Freddie paid off and out of the picture, who knows what could happen?
A shite storm from hell, thats what could and did happen. Quelle surprise.
Freddie came back from wherever, and the evening gradually wound up. Naomi gave me a small grin over his shoulder as the lift doors closed on me. They went up to the top floor, and I to my own room below.
A couple more days passed. They spent money, endured boring finance meetings and I chaperoned them through it all. We kept our distance with only the odd eye fuck to spice it up.
On the Saturday, I went with Naomi to the Porsche dealership in town, and we ordered her a brand new 911 turbo in canary yellow. Not my colour of choice, but then I'm not a lottery winner. She was all touchy feely, there and back, and I started to think we might get away with it. Fuckwit that I am.
But in reception, after Naomi had disappeared upstairs to change, I got a tug on the arm from a very unwelcome source.
"A word please, Emily?"
Freddie stood there, glowering at me unpleasantly. He smelt of bourbon. But then he usually did from 11am onwards.
I plastered on my best fake smile and sat with him in the bar while he drank neat Jack from a tall glass.
"It won't work, you know" he said flatly.
"What won't?" I answered, heart starting to beat a little faster...we'd been so careful...what did he know?
"Don't play fucking dumb Emily...we both know what I mean. I've seen the looks. The little touches, the secret smiles. I've been here before, you know?. I know Naomi gets the hots for girls occasionally. Its a bit of a turn on actually. She gets all breathless and excited, flirting, making eyes and imagining what a night shagging a woman would be like. But she always chickens out in the end...always"
I swallowed hard. Fuck.
"And do you know the best bit?" he smirked nastily
I blinked but didn't answer him.
"After she's got herself into a horny state...all wide eyed and wet knickers?...She comes home to me...and she's so fucking up for it...she's gagging for my cock before we even say hello. Best fucks I've ever had..after she's been...primed for me by some random tart...screams the fucking place down when she comes...shame you'll never hear it"
He sneered at my shocked expression..I couldn't keep my face neutral any more.
"So be a good girl" he said "Stop imagining her running off into the sunset with you. Ain't gonna happen babe"
And with that, he swallowed the last of his Kentucky finest and got up.
"See you in the bar later then Emily?"
I stared into space after he left. I really had been kidding myself, hadn't I?
XXX
Naomi.
It took me fucking ages to get ready. Freddie came up to the suite half an hour after I got back from the Porsche dealer.
My fucking dream car! I was so hyper. Emily had been amused at my choice of colour, but she giggled at my enthusiasm and let me throw my arms round her neck after the deal was done. It was going to take 6 weeks to deliver, but what the heck? I had just spent £100,000 on a fucking CAR!
My mother spent less than that on our house...
I was on a natural high when I got back. Me and Emily seemed to be heading in the right direction. She even let me hold her hand in the taxi on the way back. The money was going to make lots of things possible. I decided I was going to tell Freddie tonight that we would be going our separate ways after this. I would transfer £2,500,000 into his bank account, which would keep him in booze and spliffs for life. He deserved better than a half arsed relationship anyway. Enough drifting for both of us. Time I took control.
I spent longer than usual in the shower, but then I don't normally get myself off with the shower head, imagining Emilys lips on me...her fingers inside me...her wet skin against mine...moaning into my mouth. When I came, I actually slumped to the floor with my fingers still inside myself. Christ, if this what its like in my mind...the real thing will kill me, I thought, as I staggered to my feet.
Well, that was the idea, anyway.
You know that old saying? "If you want to make God laugh..tell him your plans?"
Well he must be in hysterics now...
She was a bit off with both of us over dinner, and I couldn't get her to meet my eyes, even when Freddie went to the toilet. I ended up persuading her to come to the ladies with me after he got back. I wanted to know what had changed since this afternoon.
She tried to waffle, but I held her face in my hands and begged her to tell me what I'd done to upset her. In the end, her face stopped looking like a mask of indifference and she gripped my hands as they cupped her face.
"Tell me this isn't a game to you Naomi" she said, and her voice broke on the last word. I could see big tears brimming in those gorgeous chocolate eyes. I took a deep breath.
"I've never been more serious in my life" I said levelly "This isn't a game. I really like you. Look...I'm gonna tell Freddie tonight. Tell him he can have a couple of million...see the world, like he's always wanted to. I won't say anything about us...but..."
She nodded and pulled my face towards hers. At last, I thought, as for the first time in 7 years, I shared a sweet, tender kiss with Emily Fitch. It was everything I thought it would be. Full of promise and dark desire. My legs actually trembled as we finally separated. We looked at each other with eyes equally stunned. Fuck, she could kiss. Suddenly that ten minutes in the shower earlier felt like a pale imitation of what it would be like to have sex with Emily Fitch. My stomach, and places further south, clenched and another pair of expensive knickers needed changing.
When we got back to the bar Freddie was drinking...of course. A tall glass of bourbon stood in front of him, together with a tray full of brimming shots. About 20 fucking shots. He held up his glass as we approached.
"Welcome back ladies", he smirked " I think its well overdue for the lottery winners and their lovely minder to get fucking totally wasted!"
I should have fucking known. Freddie might look out of it most of the time, but even with his chronic weed problem, he had aced his A levels. He's no fool. But I am.
Two hours later, none of us were feeling any pain. Another tray of shots had been consumed, and I had accepted his offer of a little white pill to 'give you a lift'.
Well it did that alright. Freddie always did know where to source the best gear. The powerful E burned a hole in my drunkenness, leaving me with a delicious feeling of goodwill to all mankind. It was only 10 o clock when we went upstairs. Emily had passed on the MDMA, but she was giggling too at Freddies lame jokes. When the lift got to Emilys floor she left us with a goofy grin. She had told me she didn't 'do' hangovers...but I had a feeling tomorrow would test that theory to the limit.
When we got upstairs, Freddie disappeared into the bathroom. While he was in there, I hunted for my phone to text something soppy to Emily, although strangely I couldn't find it. But nothing could defeat my euphoria. The rush was still coming on in waves, and I felt like I had far too many clothes on. I stripped down to just my knickers and slipped into bed. Fuck it, I thought, I'll tell Freddie the bad news tomorrow...
XXX
Emily.
When my phone buzzed about ten minutes after I undressed and got into bed, after scrubbing my teeth and drinking a litre of water (my infallible hangover cure) I almost didn't pick it up. Probably Katie...or worst still, Mandy, after a random shag. But I picked it up anyway. Naomi, the caller ID said. I couldn't help the stupid grin that spread over my face at that. I opened the text.
"Freddies out cold already. Come up to the suite in 15 minutes..I have a surprise for you. Naomi xxx"
If I had a stupid smile at first, the one that now occupied my face was epic. I jumped out of bed and spent 10 of them next 15 minutes showering and using some of my favourite body lotion. My spine tingled at the thought of what she'd got planned. Drink and the proximity of naked Naomi clouded my judgment, your Honour...
Precisely 15 minutes later, I was exiting the lift and walking quickly towards the suite door. I lifted my hand to give a gentle knock, but it was open. Oh fuck, I thought, shes prepared well for this,
The lounge door was closed, so I made my way across the thick carpet of the lobby towards the bedroom. That door was ajar. Maybe Freddie had passed out on the couch and Naomi was in bed, waiting for me. My mouth dried at the prospect. It was dangerous, but suddenly I didn't care.
As the door swung open, I heard odd sounds from inside. My brain was about three seconds behind my ears, because of the alcohol, otherwise I would never have taken another step.
Two figures on the bed. Mercifully a sheet covered most of their nakedness. But there was no mistaking the identities. Or what they were doing.
The sheet only covered the bottom half of their bodies. Bodies that were joined in an oh so familiar pose. As I watched with horrified eyes, Freddie ground into the body beneath him. His skinny arse rotated and pumped rhythmically under the sheet. Her hands were gripping him tightly. One hand on his arse, urging him on...the other clawing at his back. She was making little uh uh noises in the back of her throat. The sort of noises women make when the guy who is fucking them is hitting just the right spot.
I felt the bile rise in my throat, and knew if I didn't get out of there in the next two seconds, I would projectile vomit over both of them. My ears only had time to register one more sound before I fled.
"Oh fuck Freddie...just there...just like that...you're gonna make me come babe..."
I just made the corridor before upchucking in a very expensive Chinese urn.
XXX
Naomi
The morning sun cut a savage yellow shaft across my eyes as I turned over in bed. My first thought, as I groaned in agony was that a small army of hangover dwarfs were mining my skull for gold. It felt like several little pick axes were hammering away inside. I squinted against the brightness, and turned my aching head away from it. Bad move.
Not only did it hurt like a bitch, but I was greeted by the sight of an unconscious Freddie on his back, completely naked, mouth open, snoring like a wrecked sailor. My stomach joined the protest my head had already started.
Then, as last nights events caught up with me, I temporarily forgot my ferocious hangover. Bollocks, I'd shagged him again, hadn't I?
What started off as a lame attempt to salve my conscience by being nice to him, had turned into something quite different. The crafty bastard knew my tolerance to MDMA was zero. I hadn't really taken it since college. With most people, it lowers inhibitions and makes you horny. With me, it just plain destroys them. After one particular party after my A levels, I had to disguise myself for a month after I found out I had been the meat in a rather adventurous sandwich between two male undergrads. I swore off it then. Fucking Freddie knew that.
When he came out of the shower last night, with that lopsided grin and slid in beside me, I knew what it meant. It started off as a chore...something for him to remember me by, when I dumped him this morning. But his sly touches and whispered filth excited me more than I was expecting. He knew just what buttons to press with me. No blow job brush off this time. By the time he was buried in me, thrusting slowly, teasing me beyond reason, he had me just where he wanted me.
"Let yourself go babe" he whispered
"Explore those dirty fantasies with me...I know you like girls too...imagine a pretty brunette is kneeling over you right now. Those perky little tits bouncing...her hot wet cunt inches from your tongue...you'd like that, wouldn't you Naoms...a pretty cunt for you to lick while I give you a good seeing to. Imagine it babe...the taste of her...the feel of her clit on your tongue...her moans"
I groaned in ecstasy. Oh fuck yes...Emilys skin, her taste, her breathless moans. Suddenly it was almost real as he thrust in and out of me. He hadn't given my fantasy partner a name...but I had...instantly. There was only one beautiful brunette I wanted kneeling above me.
I rarely come from straight sex with him or any other guy. But with the drugs roaring through my system, and his hot promises penetrating my mind, I let him really have me. Lost in my fantasy of making love to Emily, his dick created enough friction in the right place to make me scream. Soon enough, I could feel the familiar build up inside. I came hard.. Like really hard. Now the ache between my legs began to compete with the one in my head.
Jesus, I thought finally. Emily would NOT understand if she found out about this... Then exhaustion and sleep claimed me...
Next morning.
Thank God she didn't know. I found myself rationalising it all in my thumping head. We weren't a couple yet...she knew I wouldn't be dumping Freddie until today...it was a sympathy shag, nothing more...never to be repeated. What pathetic excuses we give ourselves, huh?
None of it made me feel remotely OK with what I'd done. But if I held it together, did the dirty deed on Freddie this morning, it could all just be a sordid footnote to my dying relationship. No need for Emily to ever know, right...Right?
When I had drunk a whole litre of cold mineral water, scrubbed myself in the shower for 10 minutes and let the super strength painkillers do their magic, I began to feel almost human again. It was just after 8. I knew Emily would already be up.
I put on a pair of jogging bottoms with a fresh white tee, and scrunched my hair up in as good a pony tail as I could manage this early. Swiping a piece of dry toast from the breakfast tray which had magically appeared in the lounge while I was in the shower, I used the stairs to run down to Emilys floor.
I knocked on the door hard, and put on my best 'who, me?' face, waiting for the cheery "come in" I was used to...
When no answer came, I pushed at the door, which was surprisingly open. I walked into the room which appeared to be empty. Unlike our suite, there was no lobby, just a bathroom on the right and a double bed to the left of me. It was unmade, but on top of it was a packed suitcase with the lid still up and a leather laptop case nest to it. I wrinkled my brow in surprise...Emily hadn't said anything about us checking out yet. I thought today was about finalising the details of the holiday she had recommended. Apparently, most winners need that pause, between the euphoria of winning and the reality of dealing with all that money. She had suggested we take advantage of a two week break in an exclusive Jamaican resort, which Camelot reserved several big villas in for just this reason. We would be paying, of course, but it sounded wonderful when she brought it up. But that wasn't due until next week. Why was she packed ready to go now?
Just then I heard the sink empty in the bathroom, and seconds later, Emily walked out in her smart black business suit. She stopped dead when she saw me and I saw something in her eyes I hadn't seen up till now...cold dislike. What the fuck?
"Going somewhere?" I said lightly, desperately trying to think what I'd done to earn that look.
She pursed her lips and her eyes flashed with something I didn't like at all.
"Back to London" she said tersely "Another liaison officer has been assigned to you Miss Campbell. I'm sure you'll be happy with my replacement"
She went to walk past me, but I grabbed her sleeve as she did. She pulled away from me as if I had the plague, and her eyes flashed fire again.
"What the FUCK, Emily?" I said loudly "Why are you being like this...I thought we were...we had..."
She turned when she got to the bed and closed her suitcase with short, angry movements. When it was zipped up, she straightened and made to take it and the laptop bag past me.
"NO, Emily" I said, angry too now. "Stop right there. I have no idea why you're so pissed off with me...but I'm not letting you go without an explanation. What the fuck happened to make you like this?"
She looked up to the ceiling and blew out a long breath, dropping the cases to the floor before fixing me with a hard stare.
"You really want me to tell you Naomi?" she said in a low, dangerous voice. A tone I had never heard her use, certainly around me.
"Yes I fucking do...Last night we were...well, getting on really well, and now you're leaving? I think I deserve to know why, don't you?"
My irritation was rising, and I folded my arms and looked at her equally unflinching. I really thought we had something. What the hell could have changed her mind overnight?
"What were you doing at 10.30 last night Naomi?" she said finally
"What?" I asked, mouth open...what the hell did that mean?
"I was in bed...you left us at just after 10 at the lift, what the fuck do you THINK I was doing, the Great North Run?"
"I didn't ask you where you were Naomi, I asked you WHAT you were doing at precisely 10.30 last night?"
I stood there dazed for a moment. Last nights events were still a bit hazy after Freddies pill, but I wasn't so far out of it I couldn't remember.. And then it hit me...oh fuck, oh fuckety fuck...she can't mean...
"Nothing... I mean...sleeping...I mean what...?" I stumbled, my voice dropping to a whisper. She couldn't know...we were on separate floors, doors locked. She COULDN'T know...could she?
Emily pulled out her Blackberry and thumbed the keys quickly, before turning the screen towards me.
"Remember this?" she hissed in a voice cold as ice. "Or were you so out of it you can't even remember sending it?"
I stared at the words. I couldn't make my brain work. What the fuck...I hadn't sent that...why would I?"
"I didn't send you any texts last night Emily" I said feebly "I have no idea..." and then, of course, it all fell into place, in cold jagged little pieces. Losing my phone, the Ecstasy, Freddie being so persistent about fucking me straight after he got out of the bathroom. My mind spun with the permutations. The cunt had set me up. Set Emily up, which meant she had seen...oh sweet Jesus. He'd been screwing me when she walked in. She'd seen...heard...everything. I felt sick and clammy.
"All coming back to you now Naomi?" Emily sneered in a very unEmily voice.
"You know, I must be the stupidest woman in the universe. I thought it was bad enough, having to watch and hear you fucking Freddie...oh, and weren't you enjoying the hell out of THAT? But actually, I'm madder at myself. I should have known better. Everything I touch turns to shit. Every person I put my trust in doesn't just let me down...they have fun rubbing my nose in it too. I thought you were different...I thought, just for once I had met someone who wouldn't fuck me over. But I was wrong, wasn't I?."
Her eyes were still hard, but I saw the big tears threatening. Tears I had caused, and had no fucking excuse whatsoever for causing. Freddie might have set us up, but I let him, and now Emily was having to deal with what I'd done.
"I'm sorry..." i choked "...I was drunk and high on MDMA...it was supposed to be a pity shag...putting off the inevitable until today...I never meant you to see that..."
Emily laughed out loud. Not with humour, but with disbelief.
"PITY shag?" She snarled. "Can you hear yourself...or rather, maybe I should remind YOU what I was forced to listen to last night?"
Her voice went up an octave from her normal husky tone.
"Oh...thats it Freddie...right there, like that...you're going to make me come"
"Stop it, please!" I begged. Jesus, it even sounded liked me. I had no memory of what I'd screamed at the moment Freddies cock had got me off, but it sounded horribly accurate,
"No...you stop it Naomi" Emily grated bitterly. "Stop pretending you even liked me...that you're even fucking gay for Christs sake. Freddie loved telling me a while back in exquisite detail how you turn yourself on, by teasing girls into thinking you're gonna put out...then running back to him to get 'properly' nailed. There's a word for women like you Naomi, but I'm not going to use it. I should have twigged when he warned me off the other day. He knows you pretty well, doesn't he...inside and out?"
She sighed bleakly and picked up two white envelopes from her dressing table.
"I've brought forward your holiday schedule. You and lover boy are booked on this afternoons flight to Kingston. Details and tickets are inside. The new liaison guy will meet you out there and sort you out fine. You don't need me any more"
"Please Emily" I sobbed "I'm so sorry. I don't want to go anywhere with Freddie. I don't want you to go either. I meant what I said yesterday. I fucked up...I know that...but..."
"No Naomi.." Emily said icily "You fucked Freddie, when I thought you wanted to fuck me. My mistake. I won't be around to make another one"
She held out the tickets, but I just stared at her hopelessly. After a second or two, she shrugged and dropped them onto the unmade bed.
"Call it a second honeymoon" she rasped. "Time for you to jump back into the closet Naomi...have a nice life"
And, picking up her cases, she brushed past me, and was gone.
I stared at the door, which had closed firmly behind her. Jesus, just when I thought...
No other thoughts came. Just tears. And then rage. Freddie might think he'd won. We'd see about that.
XXX
Emily.
I managed to hold it all in until I was in the train, on the way back to London. My boss, Mike, had been great about it all. Its not as if its unknown, a Camelot employee getting too close to a winner. Its a bit like Stockholm syndrome. Sometimes the isolation involved in being close to a super winner binds you together. Then, usually the winners get over it and you both move on. To us, its supposed to be just a job. We get paid £45,000 a year, which eases the pain of being so close to suddenly rich people all the time, but normally we can switch off, after the euphoria has passed for our happy flock.
But occasionally, like now, we get sucked in and have to disengage abruptly. And boy, did I get sucked in. How could I have been so stupid? Forget the messy way it ended. It never did have any legs, did it? She was a figure from my past. A kiss remembered...a girl who occasionally (OK often) invaded my masturbatory fantasies. But she was a multi millionnaire now. Super rich. She could indulge virtually any fantasy she wanted now. If she and Freddie wanted to spice up their sex life with the occasional woman, there were plenty of agencies in London, where every kink could be accommodated. English, American, Chinese, African. Big girls, small girls, older ladies and, if you were discrete and rich enough, girls (and boys) barely out of primary school who would expertly fuck you into a coma for the right money. Cash gives you that power, you see. Wherever there's a need, there's a supplier. You just need to be able to afford the ante. And Naomi could afford it.
So fuck them, fuck Naomi Campbell. Now I knew she was as unpleasant as her namesake. So I shed some more tears in the almost empty carriage as the train hurtled through the west country, on its way to Paddington. Then I stopped crying. People got on at Swindon and Reading. By the time Windsor Castle appeared on our right, I was OK. Bristol seemed a long way away.
Pulling out my mobile, I deliberately deleted any mention of Naomi. THAT text included. I had a twinge as the Blackberry asked me if I was sure I wanted to delete Naomi Campbell from my contact list, but did it anyway.
Then I had a thought. I hadn't actually got laid for weeks now. Time I did.
I thumbed a number into the keypad and waited for her to answer.
"Hi Emily!" the voice the other end trilled "I thought you were mad at me?"
"Not mad enough to forget you're a damned good shag" I chuckled, causing a matronly woman opposite me to choke on her orange juice "Are you free tonight?...I'm back in London in..." I checked my watch "Twenty minutes?"
"Why wait for this evening" she purred. "I've got a new toy...you have GOT to try it Emsy"
"Sounds good" I chuckled dirtily "You're such a naughty girl Mandy..."
The woman opposite spilled another mouthful. I gave her a cheeky smile and ended the call. Meet the new Emily Fitch, I said to myself. No more fucking doormat.
