Art Lover

Shopping

"What about this one?" she burst out from between the beige curtains
and twirled in front of me before finishing with a little curtsey. I
felt a little embarrassed but I smiled. She huffed.
"You could show a little more interest. It is your party after all."
She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. I was sat on a hard
plastic chair clutching numerous shopping bags. I was sat down because
I was knackered and had been dragged around clothes shops, busy clothes
shops, all day. All precious December Saturday. And I was not about to
get up for the woman standing over me, waiting for her plump daughter
to squeeze into a small white t-shirt that was never going to
fit.
"It's really nice." I paused, I could see she wanted more, "I like the
way, I can see your lovely brown shoulders." God, what was the matter
with me!
"Ahhh, thank you." A smile and a kiss for me, almost a pat on the head.
"I'm not sure, though." She fluttered back into the dressing room. I
looked around the shop, where was I, Selfridges, Karen Millen, Armani?
They were all beginning to blend together into a mixture of over priced
blacks, greys and, this year, pink. Actually, I think we had been here
when I was hungry earlier. I remember almost asking if the body lotion
was edible. I suddenly noticed the Christmas music. I love Christmas
music and every year try and think of a winning yuletime tune that will
earn me money for the rest of my life without having to work every day.
Just one simple tune, a few simple lyrics and every single Xmas
compilation wants you and you're sorted. The fat girl tumbled out the
changing room and disturbed my song-making. She looked like a sock
stuffed full of other socks with bulges and lumps all over the place.
Irritated Mother left my side and headed towards her pile of
daughter.
"What do you think?" Daughter asked cautiously. She turned her back on
the mirror and looked over her shoulder at herself.
"Hmm, might be a bit small." Mother tugged at the bottom of the top. I
peered at them over the top of my large Habitat bag, which conveniently
hid my grin.
"No, I think it is okay. This is the size I should be." She replied.
Should being the operative word. Jane came out the dressing room and
stepped around them. She handed the dress back to the attendant with a
brief smile and headed for me. I struggled to my feet.
"No good." She walked past me and I followed with a quick look at the
daughter and mother. I grinned and turned back towards Jane, who with a
quick glance left and right moved out the shop into the speeding human
traffic.

I caught her up and walked beside her.
"You were laughing at that girl, weren't you?" she looked straight
ahead.
"What girl?"
"I saw you. You know I don't like it." She walked faster.
"What?"
"Just because she was a little overweight."
"I wasn't laughing because she was overweight, I was laughing because
the top she was trying on was way too small." I shifted a bag from one
hand to another.
"Why would you find that funny?" she flashed me a look just as a large
man with a bald head bumped into me. I dropped a bag. The bald man
looked at me, he had a little child in tow with a short haircut.
"Sorry mate." He smiled.
"It's okay." I knelt down and picked up my bag, dropping another on the
floor. Jane moved towards me but stopped. She was worried about the
glass vase in the Habitat bag that she had just bought for our flat.
She looked like she did not want to upset the delicate balance I had
managed to strike, teetering on my haunches with an outstretched hand
trying to find the prone bag on the busy pavement. The small child
picked it up and put it into my palm.
"Cheers." I clutched it and elevated myself up to look at the man,
"Sorry about that."
"No worries, Merry Christmas." I always end up apologising. It was a
trend I had noticed within myself. Someone bumps into me and I say
sorry. I forget to hold open a door and, rightly, apologise. Someone
else could slam the door straight in my face, breaking my nose and they
would look at me like I just fell out their arse.
"Are you alright?" Jane looked at me.
"Yes, just got a bit too many bags." I looked at her but knew she
wouldn't offer. Jane was slim and beautiful. She started work at my
office three years ago as a temp but had landed a permanent job as PA
to one of the managing partners. I worked for a large, old investment
bank and managed personal unit trusts. Our bank had lots of high
profile clients with bags of cash to invest. I had twenty clients and
played the stock market for them, they decided what sort of risks I
should take and I did. I was pretty successful and when I made a huge
wad of cash for a newly elected Labour politician, I was summoned to
the boardroom for a pat on the back. Jane asked me if I wanted a
coffee. She had had long dark hair that was tied back in a ponytail at
the time, and wore black rimmed glasses that perched on her perfect
tanned nose. She was wearing a short black miniskirt and walked on legs
that looked good enough to eat. The wooden panelled walls of the
boardroom melted away as she walked towards the door when I eventually
managed to confirm I wanted a coffee. Just as she had put her hand on
the door handle, she turned and looked at me and smiled. I had to talk
to the board trying to stifle an erection for the rest of the
afternoon.
"Well, we haven't finished yet." She turned and headed up the street,
people seemed to move out of her way and come back together in front of
me but I struggled after her.

I unlocked the door and held it open for her. She walked in and turned
on the light. We lived in a warehouse flat overlooking the Thames near
Fulham. It was a great flat, exactly the sort of place I had always
wanted to live in. Open plan with brick walls and a huge fireplace in
the middle. It had cost a fortune but it was already worth more now
than it was. I carried the bags into the bedroom section of the flat
and chucked them onto the bed before collapsing next to them. Jane was
checking the answer phone and I heard the beep.
"Joseph....mum here. Just ringing to see how you are. Are you coming
here for Christmas Day, I cannot remember what you said you and Jane
were doing. Give me a ring soon. Bye." BEEP
"Jane, it's Em. We are going to Caverna's before going to the party if
you fancy a few early ones. About half six. See you then. Oh, hi Joe."
BEEP
"Hi mate. Popping to the normal place for a couple at seven before the
party. Thought I'd let you know, see you later, mate." BEEP BEEP. I
heard Jane open the fridge and get two glasses. The pop of a cork and
the tumbling of liquid followed and then she was beside the bed.
"Would you like a drink?" she handed me the glass of white wine. I sat
myself up on my elbows and she curled up next to me.
"Are you tired?" she spoke softly.
"Fucked." I sipped at my wine.
"I am sorry it took so long." She rested her head on my shoulder and I
could feel her looking up at my stubbly chin. She eventually stroked
it.
"It's okay." I turned my head to look at her. She was stunning. Her
dark eyes glistened up at mine and she kissed me softly on the lips. I
closed my eyes and felt her hand come up the side of my face and cup my
cheek. I wanted to put my arms around her but I had a glass in one hand
and was propped up on the other. It was very uncomfortable. I moved
slightly and she took the glass from my hand and put it on the bedside
cabinet with hers. She rolled over on top of me and I let my head sink
into the thick, fluffy pillows. She kissed me again and I slide my
hands down her back to just above her perfect backside. She kissed my
neck softly and then descended my body whilst keeping herself close to
me. I felt her undo my belt and unzip my jeans. I rang my fingers
through her hair and looked up at the wooden ceiling, before turning my
head and looking out the window at the darkening city sky and the murky
looking river.

I wrapped the plush white towel around her and tucked it together at
the front. She turned and put her arms around me. I had a towel around
my waist but was still soaking wet. She kissed me and then turned to
look in the mirror.
"I am looking forward to tonight." I moved around her to the mirror and
reached for my shaving foam. I squirted some into my hand and patted it
onto my wet face.
"Hmm, should be a laugh." I smoothed the foam up my cheek and around my
brown side burns, and then over my top-lip and then down under my chin.
I could feel Jane watching my well-drilled routine.
"Are we going to Caverna's?" she spoke softly.
"I thought we could go and meet Alex." I spoke through the white snow
on my face and reached for my razor.
"But Em and the others are going to Caverna's. We always go to fucking
Hoopers." She watched me stroke the razor down my face, parting the
foam perfectly and leaving a clean patch of skin.
"But Alex is going there." I knew that I would lose the argument. I
knew that I would end up ringing Alex. I knew that he would have a go
for being under the thumb. I knew that he would agree to change his
plans because Em and the other girls would be there. I knew that she
had fucked me to soften me up. I knew that Jane knew this as well. I
knew that I would lose the argument.
"Please, Joe. I want this to be a special night." She paused a ran her
finger down a smooth bit of skin, "Can't you ring Alex and get him to
come to Caverna's? All the girls will be there."
"Okay, okay. Fine." I put my razor down and turned the hot tap on. I
waited for the steam to rise and then put my hands under and splashed
the water over my face. It felt good. I opened my eyes and Jane had a
small white towel and handed it to me. I patted dry my face,
"Thank-you." She kissed me quickly on the mouth and dropped her towel,
"Now I have to get ready." I took this as my cue to leave the bathroom
and slipped my feet into my slippers and padded out the door onto the
wooden floorboards. My tux was hanging over the screen that separates
the bedroom from the living room. My mind drifted onto a subject it
often drifted towards, Jane. I know she wanted a relationship like the
ones you think rich people have, and actually I think we did. We made
lots of money, we had an amazing flat and lots of expensive things.
Nice cars. Big Parties. But it all seemed so superficial and unreal but
then other times, when we were alone, it was like the way I think it
should be. Two people who are really into each other, curled up on the
settee watching television but then other factors got in the way - it
had to be a Harrods two seater leather sofa and a wall mounted plasma
television. And god, she was amazing, stunning and sexual, alluring and
perceptive. Maybe it was just me, maybe this was the way it was. Me -
giving in and apologising most of the time and Her - pulling me on and
off the little finger that I was so keen to wrap myself around. I
lifted my tux of the coat hanger.

The steamed glass door to the bathroom eventually opened and Jane
walked out. She looked incredible. Her dark hair was up, swirled
together in a way that a man cannot comprehend how to achieve. She was
wearing a strapless black dress that kissed her body all the way down
to her shoes. Shoes that contained two small feet with a silver ankle
chain that I had given her for her birthday two years ago wrapped
around her ankle.
"Close your mouth, Joe. It's not very attractive." She glided over to
me, "But thank you for the reaction." I was sat in my large black
leather chair in my shirt and trousers, I was about to put on a pair of
socks when she had come out and was still in a strange position with my
leg pulled up towards me with a sock open in my hands. She kissed me on
the top of the head and with one finger lifted my head up towards hers.
I tried to speak but she stopped me.
"You've said enough." She smiled and my heart twanged somewhere deep
inside, "I love you. Now put your socks on and order a taxi."

Drinks

The company I work for employs mostly people from some sort of money
background and I almost slipped in through the back door. I am just a
normal middle class boy who has managed to get up the ladder, it would
have been quite refreshing to have seen it happen but to actually have
it happen to you was something else. I had worked hard at school and
college, making it to Edinburgh University to study economics,
specifically trends in the stock market. I applied to Broadbent &;
Sachs on a whim more than anything, I had to try. They asked me to five
interviews before offering me a place on the graduate scheme, this was
six years ago when I was twenty two years old. I like working for them
and they reward me well, it was hard work and sometimes more pressure
than one person should be under but it was good. However I had a
reputation. People knew that I was not born with a silver spoon in my
mouth and they seemed to like it, they thought that I was a bit of
rough. However, the worse trouble I got in was one detention after
school for hitting a boy who cut my football boot shoelaces and an
incident with the police when they confiscated the three cans of beer I
had just bought on my way to a mate's sixteenth birthday party. They
were from a different world, a world of polite debutante balls and
elocution lessons. Not all of them, you understand but a lot. Still,
they seemed to find the difference between me and them - attractive. I
often thought that was what Jane liked about me. When I was first
summoned to her parents, I got lost on the drive from the front gates
to the house; ended up spooking the horses in some distant stables and
being chased by the grounds keeper on his tractor. Alex had worked for
the company a couple of years longer than me and was the most similar
person there to me. He and I worked closely together and socialised
outside of work as well, he was a good bloke amongst a collection of
fine gentlemen.
"Hello mate. How are you?" I shook his hand after we had spotted him at
the bar. He had several drinks in front of him on the black bar.
"Not bad, you?"
"Good. Just getting some drinks in. What do you want?" he looked
towards a table. I spotted Jane kissing Em on the cheek as all the
girls looked Jane up and down and made appropriately approving
faces.
"Guinness for me and a vodka and orange for Jane." I looked at him and
smiled. He was dressed like me and looked very smart. He was going
slightly bald and had taken the plunge a few months ago to shave the
whole lot off. It suited him but made him look older than his actual
thirty years. Caverna's was set up to be dark and intimate with low
lighting and even lower ceilings. You had to get on the guest list to
get in and it was a regular haunt of celebrities looking for a quiet
drink in the darkness. Some light jazz music played. You could never
tell if it was busy, people sunk down into the large sofas and very few
stood at the bar.
"No pints, mate. Just bottles or spirits." He shrugged and looked at
me, knowing what I was thinking.
"Bottle of Miller, thanks." I heard Alex order and looked over towards
the table. My memory of people was shocking and I tried to remember the
people at our little enclave. Em and her boyfriend....Steve or Andy or
something. A girl called Jewel, who I always remembered because she
knew Robbie Williams, who was going out with Fletcher from our office.
Harry. And then there were the girls, some worked at B &; S, some
didn't. Kate. Not sure. Red. Recognise her, can't remember the name.
And Yaz. They were all dressed well and looked fantastic.
"What are those two's names?" I asked Alex and nodded towards the two
unknowns.
"That one is a friend of Emma's, I think her name was Robin and the
other one is Harry's date. He didn't introduce her, you know what he is
like. She has just been sat there quietly." Alex paused, "Get the other
tray, will you?" He picked up the first and I grabbed the second and we
made our way over the table. I put it down in the middle and people
began to grab desperately for their drinks.
"Joe, you look very smart." Em stood up and kissed me on both
cheeks.
"So do you." I smiled and held my hand out to shake her boyfriend's
hand, "Hi mate. How are you?"
"Good, thanks." Paul, that was his name. He worked for a rival company,
I remembered. I felt Jane's hand on my back.
"Do you know everyone else?" Jane asked me.
"Yes, think so. Hi Fletch." I shook his hand and then nodded at Harry,
"Harry, alright? Who's this?" I looked at the pretty girl to Harry's
right.
"Err, this is Veronica." Harry looked up at me from his seat. Veronica
was wearing a concealing black dress and had mousy blonde hair cut into
an efficient bob.
"Nice to meet you." I shook her hand, "Jewel, how's Robbie?" Jewel
leaned forward and I kissed her on the cheek.
"How many times do I have to tell you! I know Gary not Robbie." She
mocked a telling-off and I faked an apology. I quickly kissed Kate, Red
and Yaz. They all looked amazing. Yaz was an up and coming star at the
office, she was predicting things all over the place and making lots of
money. She worked slightly under me and Alex but would soon be up with
us. I was trying to help her as she was a top girl and one of the first
black women in the firm.
"Yaz, you look fantastic." I held both her hands in mine. She did a
little bow.
"Thank you. Don't look bad yourself." She smiled.
"Joe, this is Robin. She's an artist." Em introduced her friend next to
her. In the darkness, her hair looked a bit purple and she had a ring
through her left eyebrow, "She's just submitted an entry to the Turner
prize."
"Cool. Good to meet you." I shook her hand and smiled, she grinned back
and sat down. I slipped myself over the arm of the sofa and sat down
next to Yaz, Jane perched herself half on the arm and half on my leg. I
leaned towards her ear.
"Are you comfortable enough?" I whispered.
"Yes thanks. You really do look good tonight." She whispered back and I
put my hand under her calf muscle and stroked her leg. I knew the back
of her leg was one of the most sensitive parts on her body and she
tensed slightly and smiled.
"Stop it or we will have to leave." She whispered almost breathlessly.
I turned back towards the table and passed Jane her drink before
reaching for my own. Alex was sat next to Yaz at the other end of the
sofa. Alex and I were two of the only people who could leave work at
work and hated talking about it outside the office.
"Tell me about your Turner prize entry." I leaned slightly forward to
talk over the table to Robin. Em and Jane had started to talk about
Em's upcoming engagement party, I had forgotten she was marrying Paul.
Robin leaned forward.
"Sorry?" She cupped her hand to her ear.
"Tell me about your Turner prize entry." I repeated.
"Oh...it's called Forgotten Baby." She paused, "It's a film of a
chicken eating one of it's own eggs."
"Right. What does that mean?" I asked slowly. I liked art and going to
galleries but found some of the new stuff confusing and stupid.
"What do you think it means?"
"Don't let a chicken babysit?" I laughed.
"No." she replied sternly and I felt guilty but she smiled, "Only
joking. It is just about parents and children. Sometimes the people
that care most, do the most damage."
"Do you think you will win?" I asked after a long gulp of beer.
"Maybe. I think I am second favourite." She took a sip of white wine.
She had green eyes and spoke with a soft Irish accent. A splatter of
orange freckles coloured her nose and cheeks and she had small delicate
hands that clasped her glass. She was very attractive.
"Well, best of luck. I will keep an eye open for the results." I felt
Jane's finger stroke my neck, I knew that meant she wanted my
attention. I looked up at her.
"Em is going to get married on the beach in Miami." Jane spoke with
admiration of Em's idea.
"That'll be good." I replied with enthusiasm, "When?"
"In the summer." Em looked sweetly at Paul and he grinned back, putting
his hand on her bare knee.
"We will all have to fly out." Jane looked back at Em, and then at me
again, "I love Miami. I love weddings."
"When are you two going to get married?" Paul leaned forward and put
his drink down on the table. If I had a gun, he would have been
plastered over the wall behind.
"Err, well. I..errr." I stammered hopelessly but Jane laughed instead
of throwing a tantrum.
"Come on, Joe. Answer the man." She teased. I flashed her a look, her
eyes were happy and full of knowing exactly what I was thinking. It
felt good.
"We haven't really thought about it." I took a long swig from my
bottle, eventually finishing it and stood up, "Anymore drinks?" Jane
and Em applauded and Paul grinned. Robin smiled up at me. I bowed and
headed for the bar.

Dancing

"Would you like to dance?" The hotel had been hired out entirely for
the company as all the international partners were here as well. The
main ballroom was decorated in silver tinsel and electric blue
balloons, supposedly on a millennium theme. A band played classic rock
tunes and people swirled around on the dance floor. It was packed with
people. In the middle of the ceiling was the biggest disco ball I had
ever seen and it spurted light all over the room. They had done a good
job in doing the place up.
"Would you like to dance?" she repeated. I looked at Robin and grinned.
We had been there for several hours and the free bar was beginning to
take it's toll. I could see Jane talking to her boss over on a table of
management. Management loved Jane, she made them feel special and
important by making almost rude jokes and sexual innuendo. She seemed
to empower the elder member's members.
"Okay." The band were struggling through a rendition of Robbie
William's 'Angels'. Robin grabbed my hand and we headed for the
darkened floor. We moved into the middle and she turned and put her arm
around my shoulders. I slipped my hands around and held them
respectfully above her bottom. She moved closer to me and put her mouth
to my ear. I could feel her firm, slim body pushing up against me and
was suddenly grateful for the dulling effect alcohol has on your dick.
I could feel her breathing slowly into my ear.
"I was hoping you might be able to help me with something." She
whispered. Her Irish accent sounded stronger than before. I looked at
her green eyes and they twinkled under the spinning lights from above
us. She was slightly shorter than Jane and had paler skin. Her hair had
turned out to be a dark purple colour. I noticed it when we walked from
the bar to the hotel.
"What?" I replied eventually.
"Something new I am working on." She paused, "I need a man."
"Do you mean - you need a man to help you with the thing you are
working on or were you just stating that you need a man." I replied
quietly. She moved her mouth nearer my ear.
"Both." She spoke in a breath and smiled showing a white set of teeth
with one gold tooth in the corner. We twirled again to the music.
"I'd be happy to help." I whispered in her ear, "With the thing you are
working on. I am not sure I can help you with wanting a man."
"Cool." I felt her slip her hand into my pocket, "This is my card. Ring
me and we will sort it out." She kept her hand in my pocket and I felt
her finger extend towards my penis. She just touched it and removed her
hand and grinned. The song ended and she led me off the dancefloor,
"Want a drink?"
"Yeah, and maybe a cigarette?" she turned and laughed at me. We headed
to the bar and I spotted Alex and Yaz.
"Hello guys." I slipped my arm around Yaz's shoulder. She kissed me on
the cheek. She had chocolate coloured skin and long straight black
hair. She had turned heads when she first arrived at B&;S and still
did.
"Having a good time?" I asked.
"It's good, isn't it?" Alex replied and then grabbed the drinks Robin
was passing to him from the bar. He passed me my bottle and winked at
me before nodding towards Robin. I shook my head and smiled.
"Haven't pulled yet then, mate?" I looked at him.
"No, haven't really tried." Alex made a little gap and Robin stood next
to him.
"What about you, Yaz?" I looked at her and noticed her flash a look
towards Alex.
"You know me, Joe. I'd never mess around with anyone from the office.
Not like you." She slapped my backside with the arm she had around my
waist.
"I heard that." Jane came up from behind us with a huge smile, she
kissed me on the cheek, "You should, then you can keep an eye on them
24 hours a day."
"How you doing?" I put my hand on her hip.
"Good, thanks." She paused and moved her head side to side in front of
me, "You look pissed."
"That's because I am." I took another sip of beer, "Do you want a
drink?"
"No. I am fine." She paused, "Sachs Junior is over there. He wants to
meet you. Do you think you can cope with that?"
"What! Little Sachs wants to meet me." I looked at her in
surprise.
"Apparently he has been hearing all about you." She took my hand and
began to lead me across the floor towards the upper, upper, upper
management enclave.
"Don't do anything embarrassing." She reprimanded me in a whisper,
"Lord Sachs, this is Joe Lawson." Samuel Sachs Jnr had taken over at
the firm when his father died in 1978. Despite his Junior title he was
about eighty but remained heavily involved in the running of the
company, he also remained in shape as I could tell from his firm
handshake.
"Hello, young man. I have been hearing lots of things about you." He
smiled a healthy smile.
"Not all bad, I hope." I grinned. He still had hold of my hand.
"Quite the opposite, in fact. Good things." He paused and let go of my
hand and sat down. He gesticulated to the chair next to him, "Nearly
all good things." I sat down and felt Jane behind me, she had her hand
on my shoulder and I felt like we should be having our portrait
done.
"How do you like working for our company?" he asked me after a sip of
water. He saw me looking at it, "Yes, water. Doctor's orders, I am
afraid. But back to my question, how do you like it?"
"Very much." I replied quickly.
"Good. We need people like you to stay happy at the company. You are
our future." He answered.
"I know there are a lot of good people, who are very happy. We have
several on our team." I looked him up and down. He was sat down with a
serviette draped across his lap. He had thinning white hair and his
neck was beginning to look like a 3D road map.
"I have looked into your background, you have done things the hard way.
I respect that." He paused, "We are thinking about making you a junior
partner. We believe that you have a fresh outlook on the company, we
also believe the boardroom needs a bit of a shake up." He looked at me,
searching for a reaction. I felt Jane tense with excitement behind
me.
"When you say 'thinking' about making me a junior partner, what exactly
do you mean?" I leaned towards him slowly. He grinned.
"When I say 'thinking', I mean the board has to vote." He paused, "I
wanted to let you know, I want you to be prepared. New ideas, Joe. New
thinking. I like you, I think you are going to be good for the
company."
"Thank you, sir." I smiled.
"I look forward to working with you, Joe. Now I have kept you away from
the party long enough." He paused, "Keep this under your hat for now,
son. We are going to be rocking a pretty settled apple cart, be
discreet." I stood up and extended my hand, which he shook
vigorously.
"Merry Christmas, sir." I said happily with only the slightest of
slurs.
"Same to you, Joe. And a Happy New Year." He waved a hand and smiled at
Jane. We turned and walked away, I could hear Jane speaking under her
breath.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." She spoke through still smiling
teeth, until we mingled into the crowd, she turned and threw her arms
around me and kissed me wildly on the lips. I tried to speak between
the kisses.
"Be discreet, be discreet. Remember." She recovered herself and
straightened her dress. I put my hand either side of her face and
kissed her long and softly on the lips.
"Well done, darling." She spoke in my ear as we hugged, "You are going
to clean up."
"Hmm, not just a pretty face, eh?" I laughed and we walked over to the
rest of our group.

Croissants

I turned the oven dial around to about 150 degrees and shut the door.
The light came on inside. I flicked the small stereo on next to the
microwave and pressed play on the CD, some Spanish music drifted
quietly out. I padded across the floor in my slippers to the bread
cupboard and opened it. I searched past some bagels and found the
croissants. I split the bag open and pulled three out. I tucked the bag
back in the cupboard and shut the door. I opened the wooden cupboard
door next to the oven and pulled out a baking tray and rested it on the
hob. I spaced the three croissants out on the tray and opened the oven.
The heat tumbled out onto the bare part of my legs that stuck out under
the length of my dressing gown. I pushed the tray in and shut the door.
I opened the fridge and took out the cranberry juice and poured the red
liquid into the two glasses on the tray. The ice already in the glasses
cracked in glee as they were showered in the juice. I replaced the
carton in the fridge and took out the pallet of strawberries and the
butter. I opened the butter and cut out a large wedge and put it on the
small plate next to the large blob of jam. I put all the strawberries
into the small bowl next to the butter plate and added a sprinkling of
white sugar over the top. I opened the nearby drawer and took out the
oven gloves and opened the oven. I took out the baking tray and lifted
the three croissants onto the larger plate. I shut the oven door and
put the gloves back in the drawer, lifted up the tray and headed for
the bedroom. I stopped at the small chest in the lounge, resting the
tray on the coffee table, I opened the chest and took out a small
wrapped parcel that contained a very expensive diamond necklace that I
was giving to Jane as her Christmas present. I had a quick look out the
window, it was pissing down with rain and miserable outside.

Games

I arrived at the office at ten, it was practically deserted. None of
the temps, secretaries or PA's had to work to the two days between
Christmas and New Year but we did. It was horrible leaving Jane asleep
in bed when I had to go out in the cold and rain and go to work. We'd
had an amazing Christmas, spending most of Christmas Day in bed before
heading out to our favourite restaurant for a late lunch. It had been a
special few days but it was all over now. It had been the first
Christmas we had spent entirely in each other's company and it had been
a success, she had been unbelievably happy since she heard about the
partnership. I had heard rumblings about it before but never told her,
knowing that she would be over the moon but now it was confirmed.
"Morning Yaz." I walked past her desk. Our office was open plan and we
each had huge wooden desks with large brown or black, your choice,
leather chairs. Yaz had a red one specially made. The carpet on the
floor was plush and thick, everything oozed class and money.
"Hi Joe. Good Christmas?" she looked up from her flat screen monitor
and smiled.
"Cracking one, actually." I smiled and walked around to my desk,
dropping my bag on the floor, "And you?"
"Not bad. Family stuff, you know how it is?" she leaned back into her
chair and watched me take my coat off and hang it on the coat stand. I
took my suit jacket off as well.
"They always turn the fucking heating up so much that you just sweat
your bollocks off as soon as you get in." I grumbled and sat down. I
flicked on my PC and waited for the James Bond music that plays as it
starts. I swivelled in my chair to face Yaz. She was sipping at a mug
of coffee.
"There's not much going on. Everyone else is away on holiday." She
spoke softly.
"Alex?"
"Not in yet." She paused, "I guess we just have to sit here until
five-ish. There isn't much to do."
"Hmm, I have to admit I would rather be at home." I got up and headed
for the quietly percolating coffee machine, "Are you alright?" I held
up my mug and she nodded.
"How's Jane?" she asked as I sat back down.
"Good, yeah. Still in bed when I left."
"Bitch."
"That's what I said." I entered my password and the screen lit up with
all my icons. I double-clicked on my mail and watched it search for new
messages.
"Morning all." I turned when I heard Alex, he strode to his desk and
quickly took his coat off, got a coffee and sat down. He span round in
his chair to face us across the small walkway that separated our side
of the office from his, "Who bought games?" Yaz smiled, she knew that
Alex and I brought games in on the two days between Christmas and New
Year. Last year she had been in working when she didn't have to and we
had got her involved in a game of scrabble or two. We hardly knew her
then and she was a little uncomfortable playing games when she should
have been working. This year she was well up for it and had been
waiting for one of us to bring it up. She sprung forward in her seat
and reached under her desk. She pulled out Monopoly and Kurplunk. Alex
smiled.
"Nice one. Monopoly is always a winner." He grinned and looked towards
me, "Joseph, what have you tucked away in your bag?" Alex blew on his
hot coffee. I pulled my bag up onto the desk.
"This year, I have chosen to combine the traditional with the new." I
pulled out the familiar green box, "Scrabble." Alex nodded his approval
but his face turned to confusion when I pulled out a large green cloth
before throwing it out like a sheet across a bed, "Subbeteo." Alex
stood up and applauded loudly.
"Oh yes, you have outdone yourself this year." He laughed.
"And what have you got?" Yaz got up from her desk and walked over to
Alex's as he reached into his bag.
"Well, I too thought that we should go for something a bit more
modern." He pulled out three small cars and handsets, "Remote control
cars. Races!"
"Cool." Yaz grabbed a controller and set a car down on the floor. The
small car zoomed off down the carpet, she laughed and Alex put his down
and chased after her.
"Joe, come on." Alex put my car down and chucked me the controller and
I set after them. The three small cars whizzed between the desks
crashing into each other. Alex sprung out of his chair and began
setting up a track using post-it notes to mark out the track.

Alex and Yaz went to buy some more batteries at lunchtime and I took
out my wallet and searched for Robin's card. I dialled the number
slowly. It rang twice before it was answered.
"Hello" I recognised her soft accent immediately.
"It's Joe."
"Oh, hello." She paused, "Did you have a good Christmas?"
"Yeah, good thanks." I wasn't really sure why I was ringing.
"Are you still up for giving me a hand?" she asked confidently.
"Sure, what exactly do you want me to do?" I replied.
"You'll have to wait and see. Nothing painful, I promise." She
answered. I fiddled with the telephone cord.
"When and where?" I instinctively grabbed a pen and a post-it
note.
"Can you make it tonight?" she asked.
"I can probably get out of work early, there is not much going on." I
drew a little man playing tennis on the post-it.
"Cool, about four?"
"Sure, where?"
"I've got a little studio in Docklands." She explained where I had to
go and hung up. I looked at the little yellow note in front of me. I
felt like I was going behind Jane's back. I felt even worse when I rang
her up and told her I would be late as I was playing Alex at squash
after work. Shit, what was I doing?

Art?

I found the place easily and pressed the buzzer. It was raining hard
and I was wet through. It was a strange looking place and must have
been an old warehouse when the London docks where still working docks.
It now seemed to be a load of storage rooms and studios. The buzzer had
a little bit of paper next to it saying, "Robin".
"Hello." She eventually crackled through.
"It's Joe." I spoke into the little microphone and heard the door buzz
open.
"Come in, I'll meet you on the stairs." I pushed the large door open
and went it. It was dark and murky. There was an old bicycle propped up
against the wall. The floor looked like slate. I wiped my feet on the
mat and went in. There was a set of stairs spiralling upwards and I
started up them. I heard a door open up above me and Robin leaned over
the banister and waved.
"Come up." She shouted and I walked slowly up the stairs. I was wet and
cold, and not really sure what I was doing. I trudged up. Robin came
bounding down the stairs towards me, she stopped in front of me a
little awkwardly.
"Hello." She smiled.
"Hi." I forced a smile back.
"Oh god, you're soaked." She came towards me and touched my coat. She
was wearing a large white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair
of trousers that came down to just below her knees. Her purple hair was
tied back into a ponytail and her silver eyebrow ring caught a brief
shaft of light. She looked like an artist. She looked cool and sexy.
She was still holding onto the lapel of my coat when I kissed her on
the cheek. She moved her head and kissed me softly and briefly on the
lips. She let go of my coat and took my hand and almost skipped up the
stairs, I followed her. We reached her floor and she slid open a large
door and we went it. She slid it shut behind us. It was warm in the
studio, which explained her lack of warm clothes on the stairs. There
were large pieces of paper and cameras everywhere. It was a mess of
scaffolding, prints and tripods. There was a small living area and the
rest seemed to have been taken over by equipment.
"Do you want a coffee?" I looked over and she was standing in a small
kitchen area. There was a little fridge and a microwave but that
appeared to be it.
"Do you live here?" I asked as I walked over towards her.
"Yes, most of the time. Coffee?" she asked again.
"Please, black. No sugar." I paused and then took my coat off, "Is
there anywhere I can hang this to dry?"
"Course, let me." She flicked the kettle on and then grabbed my coat. I
watched her walk over to an open cupboard, she pulled out a coat hanger
and then hung the long black coat by the electric fire by the door. She
walked quickly back over to me and poured the boiling water onto the
instant coffee in the mugs. She handed me my cup and then moved towards
the small sofa and sat down, she patted the place next to her. I sat
down.
"I guess you want to know why you are here?" she asked
eventually.
"I was curious."
"I am working on a new bit of work. It is a bit different." She put her
coffee on the small table and turned to face me, curling her leg up
underneath her, "My Turner prize entry, the one I told you about, it is
the start of a series of work I want to do about parents and children
and life really."
"Sounds good."
"Yes, I hope so." She paused and for the first time I could see she was
nervous, "I want to do a painting."
"Instead of film." I sipped at my drink.
"Yes, instead of film. Though I shall be using film again." She looked
at me with her green emerald eyes, "I want to do a painting using a
man's cum." I held the coffee in my mouth for a second and then gulped
it down. I looked at her to make sure she wasn't joking.
"Cum." I repeated.
"Yes, cum, spunk, wank, whatever." She looked at me intently.
"I hesitate to ask because I think I know the answer, what do you want
from me?" I looked at her and she looked down at my crutch, "Right, I
just thought I would ask in case it was money or something you were
after."
"What do you think?" she asked.
"I don't know what to say." I put my coffee on the table and sat back
in the sofa.
"Think how much you waste of it. Knotted up in condoms or knocked off
in the shower. I just want to collect some of it and make it into
something beautiful." She glistened at me.
"I don't know, it seems a bit weird." I paused, "What do you want me to
do just bottle it up and send it to you?"
"Don't make it sound so clinical." She moved towards me, "I could help
you produce it." She slipped her leg over my lap and sat down across
me. I looked up into her eyes. She leant down and kissed me on the
mouth.
"What about Jane?" I muttered between her kisses.
"What about her? This isn't adultery, it's art." She tugged at my tie
and undid it. She slowly started to unbutton my shirt. Thousands of
thoughts were tumbling through my head as she began to kiss my now bare
chest, thoughts of Jane, thoughts of art, thoughts about just giving
her exactly what she wanted, thoughts of fucking her. Fucking her.
Fucking her right here and now. If she wanted to use the spunk for some
artistic endeavour, good luck to her but it was about fucking not about
art. And I wanted to fuck her. I undid her shirt and pulled it off her
shoulders. She wasn't wearing a bra and I pushed my head between her
breasts. They were beautifully shaped and I kissed them, I could feel
her fingers in my hair. She suddenly got up and pulled me to my feet
and led me towards a bed I hadn't seen. There were several cameras
pointing at it, she pushed me onto the white sheets and took off the
rest of her clothes. I got out of my trousers and lay naked on the bed
watching her. She had a tattoo of a peacock on her shoulder and some
sort of Chinese symbol on the cheek of her arse. She moved between the
cameras turning them on. Three large television screens flickered on
and I saw myself on them in black and white. I laughed and she looked
at me and smiled.
"There's no business like show business." She grinned and jumped onto
the bed and onto me. She reached into a drawer and pulled out a packet
of condoms, "We don't want to lose any." And then we fucked.

Salmon

"Good game?" I heard Jane shout as I unlocked the door.
"Yes. Knackering." I felt guilty but my time with Robin had been
amazing, so sexual and different, "I might have a quick shower."
"Didn't you have one at the gym?" Jane walked towards me, she was in
her pyjamas. She kissed me on the mouth and smiled.
"Yeah, but it's pissing down outside. I could do with a warm up." I put
my arms around her and hugged her, "Have you had a good day? I notice
you are still in your PJ's."
"Hmm, I've been naughty. I haven't gone out, I haven't got changed, I
haven't done a thing and I loved it." Her hair was still messy like it
gets when she wakes up. She looked fantastic. Robin seemed like a
different me, a different time. This was me, now.
"Do you want to come in with me and help me warm up?" I asked her. She
grinned naughtily and kissed me on the lips, "I'll take that as a
yes."
"Yes." She pulled away from me and headed towards the kitchen, "Let me
just put the salmon back in the fridge."

Gathering

The flat looked amazing. I had spent the day stringing small white
lights everywhere, up the walls, across the ceiling, out onto the
balcony. The Christmas tree twinkled in the corner and Jane had set the
table. We had a large wooden dining table that we had found in an
antique shop in Camden, it was round and sat about ten. We had to buy
new chairs but it matched the flat perfectly. We had moved it so that
it overlooked the river, the river that was now hidden away in the
darkness below. I knew that our flat would be the perfect place to
watch the fireworks and things in the city. Em and Paul were coming as
were Alex and Yaz, Fletcher and Jewel and one of Jane's friends from
school with his girlfriend who I had never met. Jane and I had been
preparing food all day, we enjoyed cooking and had made a prawn and
salmon cocktail starter followed by roast duck with a huge chocolate
cake for pudding.
"Darling, can you open a bottle of red and let it breath." Jane shouted
from the kitchen. I was looking at my lights.
"Come and have a look." I flicked off the top light and the room was
bathed in the small glow from the many lights. Jane came out from
behind the screen between the kitchen and the lounge.
"Oh wow." She leaned herself into me, "It looks really good." She
kissed me on the cheek. She looked beautiful in this light. She had her
hair down tonight and was wearing a grey dress. I slipped my arms
around her waist and kissed her on the mouth.
"Joe," she asked eventually, "Do you love me?"
"Why do you ask?" I replied still holding her.
"Well, I tell you but you never tell me," She paused, "I understand
that you might have a problem with commitment." What problem with
commitment? I didn't think I did.
"I love you." I said it slowly and quietly, "I love you more than I
have ever loved anyone."
"Oh, Joe." She flung her arms around me and kissed me wildly on the
face. I moved my face so I could look her in the eyes, soft brown eyes
that the light played in.
"You look beautiful tonight." I stroked her hair. She smiled and I saw
a little tear in the corner of her eye, "Please don't cry."
"I just...I love you too." She wiped her eye. The buzzer by the door
surprised us and made us laugh. She kissed me quickly and walked to the
intercom.
"Hello."
"Hi, it's Em." Jane pressed the button to unlock the door. She turned
to look at me and winked. She turned back and opened the big door. Em,
Paul, Fletcher and Jewel came into view.
"Happy Millennium." Em shouted and ran towards Jane, throwing her arms
around her. They kissed each other on the cheek. I wandered over and
shook hands with Fletcher and Paul before kissing Em and Jewel.
"Come in, come in." Jane ushered them in to the lounge.
"Wow, did you do this Joe?" Em looked at the lights and then at
me.
"Yep, you could say I have too much time on my hands." I grinned.
"It looks amazing." Fletcher patted me on the back.
"Who wants what to drink?" Jane said from the kitchen and Em and Jewel
went round the screen to see her. I wasn't particularly good friends
with either Paul or Fletcher and had tried to dissuade Jane from
inviting them but now they were here, I had to make the effort.
"We should be able to see all the fireworks and things from here." I
moved towards the balcony and they followed.
"What a view!" Paul looked out the window at the river, "I think I work
for the wrong company." Paul did not have a good reputation in our
area. He came onto the scene as a bright young thing but was soon burnt
out. He was now working in a less high profile area with less important
clients. Broadbent &; Sachs had considered poaching him when he was
younger but not now. Fletcher worked at B&;S but in a different
sector, he was more of an accountant. He was pretty straight down the
line but not very interesting.
"This is a great flat." Fletcher looked around approvingly. The three
girls came towards us carrying two glasses of red wine each. They
passed one to us each.
"Here's to a good night." Jane raised her glass and we all chinked them
together and gulped the blood red liquid. The buzzer went again and I
went over.
"Hello."
"Hi mate, it's me and Yaz and we found these other two characters."
Alex chirped into the microphone. I pressed the button.
"Come up." I opened the front door and waited. I heard Alex clomping up
the stairs and then saw him. He was wearing a grey Armani suit with a
black shirt underneath. Yaz was behind him and was wrapped up in a long
black coat. I shook Alex's hand and gave Yaz a kiss.
"You both look very good," I paused, "Nice that you arrived together."
They looked at each other quickly.
"Look, we have been meaning to tell you." Alex replied.
"Just seemed a bit weird. Telling you, that is." Yaz looked at
me.
"I think it's great. Why would you think I would think otherwise?" I
took Yaz's coat.
"Dunno, just work and things. Bit complicated, isn't it?" Alex grinned
and put his arm around Yaz.
"You don't think that I might have seen it coming?" I smiled looked
over their shoulder at the two coming after them. I nearly dropped
Yaz's coat when I saw the purple hair of Robin. It was tied up for once
neatly on top of her pale face. She grinned at me.
"Joe, you remember Robin from the office party?" Alex ushered them into
the flat, "And this is her fella, Jake."
"Course. Robin." I kissed her on the cheek and felt a little sick. Her
green eyes twinkled at me and contained the recognition of the
situation with an intentional cheekiness, "Jake." I shook his hand. He
was tall and blonde with a leather jacket on top of a white t-shirt. I
took his coat and shut the door.
"Nice to meet you, mate." He patted me on the shoulder, "Thanks for the
invite. I had no idea what I was doing until a couple of days ago. Wow,
this is a great place."
"I hope you enjoy yourself." I was feeling strangely okay. My times
with Robin at the studio were separate from this life, distant and
different. I had managed to get to the studio three times in the last
week. Each time, Robin and I had screwed each other senseless. It was
fantastic. It had also made me realise how much I loved Jane, every
time I came home from a time with Robin, I would feel more in love with
Jane. It was weird and wonderful.
"Jake." Jane ran towards him and kissed him on the cheek, she then
stood back from him and held both his hands, "How are you?"
"Good, thanks for the invite. I was just saying to Joe, I had no idea
what to do until you called." He smiled. Jane's eyes moved to
Robin.
"Robin? I didn't know you two knew each other." Jane smiled and then
kissed her on the cheek.
"We've been seeing each other for about a year now, it was just a
coincidence." She paused and obviously felt like she should say more,
"He said that we were invited to Joe and Jane's party and I worked it
out from there. I hope you don't mind."
"Of course not, it's great to see you again." Jane looked around the
room, "Let me do the introductions." Em came forward and kissed Robin
on both cheeks. They made small talk as Jake was led around the room in
a flurry of handshakes and kisses.

"Could you pass me the wine?" Yaz asked Jewel.
"All I am saying is that some art is a bit crappy." Alex pontificated
to Robin and the entire table.
"Define crappy." Robin retorted with a smile.
"Well, the sharp in the tank. What's all that about? That's not art. A
nice Van Gogh or Cezanne, that's art." Alex watched Yaz refill his
glass.
"I agree that is art but so is the shark." Robin replied.
"Yes, it is about nature being beautiful and artistic and producing
something like the shark." Jake added.
"Is that right? Is that what it is saying?" I asked innocently, "I had
always wondered what I was meant to be thinking when I looked at
it."
"Exactly! If you have to be told what something is about, then it isn't
doing it's job." Alex almost leapt out of his chair.
"Art isn't about doing a job, Alex." Jane shook her finger at him and I
felt her other hand go under the table onto my thigh.
"Yeah, but it should do something." Alex looked at Robin, "I went to
see your film about the chicken and egg. I got that. I understood what
you were saying, that wasn't crappy."
"Thank you, I think." She looked at him in curiosity.
"What are you working on now?" Em looked at her friend. Robin flashed a
quick look at me.
"It's a bit of a secret. I cannot tell you at the moment." She grinned,
"I promise you will all get a special preview showing, if you
like."
"That would be great. I can give you my valued art opinion." Alex
laughed and Yaz dug him in the ribs, "What?"
"Stop it." I felt a foot on my leg and looked across the round table at
Robin, she had slid a little way down in her chair to reach me. She was
looking at Jake but I felt her foot moving up my leg towards my thigh
and Jane's hand.
"Have you drunk too much, Robin? You seem to be slipping off your
chair." Fletcher, good old Fletcher, pointed out and Robin shifted
herself back up.
"I am just moved by Alex's insightful opinions." She smiled and looked
at me. Jane stood up.
"Pudding." She went to the kitchen and I followed. Once in there she
turned to face me.
"Alex is drunk and offending Robin." She spoke quickly.
"Alex is drunk but I don't think is offending Robin, in fact she seems
to enjoy the argument." I put my hand on her cheek, "Honestly. It's
fine."
"Are you sure? Have a word with him if he gets too out of hand." She
opened the fridge.
"Yes, dear." I kissed her on the neck as she sprinkled a fine layer of
caster sugar over the chocolate cake.
"Will you get the little plates and some knifes." She picked up the
cake and prepared to walk into the lounge. I kissed her on the mouth
and she softened.
"Sure." I opened the drawer and followed her.

The river was bathed in lights as we stood out on the balcony. We had
all put on our coats and were waiting for the fireworks further down
the river at Westminster. Several small boats cruised the river casting
light out onto the black water. We all stood in anticipation. Jane was
in front of me, leaning on the balustrade, I had my arms wrapped around
her to try and keep her warm. It was bitterly cold but still.
"What time is it?" Em asked from somewhere inside Paul's coat.
"About five minutes to twelve." Fletcher answered.
"Think how much money is about to be spent on all this." Alex said from
behind Yaz.
"I suppose we will see if it is worth it in a bit." I replied.
"Hope they hurry up, I'm freezing." Jane shivered in front of me and I
rubbed her shoulders. We stood and waited.

"Happy New Year!" Alex shouted as the first firework shot up marking
twelve o'clock. I kissed Jane for a long time and held her close in the
cold. Then I kissed Yaz and Alex, shook hands with Fletcher, Paul and
Jake. I kissed Em on both cheeks and hugged her. I kissed Jewel on both
cheeks and hugged her. Our balcony was a mass of kissing and hugs,
confusion with everyone in big coats. Suddenly Robin was in front of
me, she leaned towards me and kissed me on the lips passionately but
quickly. I pulled away but everyone else was busy so I kissed her again
and smiled. She grinned back and then I looked for Jane. I found her
and held her close. We watched the rest of the fireworks before going
back into the warm.

Banks

Her head rested on my chest and I ran my fingers through her hair, down
her neck and tickled down her spine to her backside.
"Stop it." She turned over and rested her chin on me. Her green eyes
looked sleepy. We had just screwed and she had performed her normal
routine of pulling the condom off carefully, before disappearing of
somewhere to where she was storing all the stuff. She returned, walked
naked across the room and slipped back under the white sheets with me.
She looked at me.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
"Nothing. Not a thing." I replied happily. I enjoyed fucking her, she
was amazing and acrobatic and made me cum in ways I had never imagined.
I don't know who taught her the things she knew but I wanted to thank
him. I looked up at the television screens and saw the pictures of us,
lying in each others arms on the large white bed.
"Does Jake contribute to you art, like I do?" I asked after a
while.
"Yes, but he doesn't know that he does. He thinks I flush the jonnies."
She grinned.
"Isn't that a bit unfair."
"Why? It would just go to waste otherwise." She looked tired.
"Are you okay? You seem tired." I asked.
"I am just fucking so much." She replied with a sigh.
"Me and Jake."
"Amongst others." She answered with a yawn. I sat up, knocking her head
of my chest.
"What do you mean amongst others? How many others?" I stared at her in
amazement.
"Quite a few. I have to collect a shit load more spunk if I am going to
do my painting." She looked at me, "You didn't think this was some sort
of affair."
"Isn't it." I could not believe what I was hearing though I knew she
was right. It was not an affair in my head either.
"No, I am just making it better for you than just wanking into a small
jar. Also I get more out of you this way." She pushed me back down onto
my back, "Plus, I enjoy fucking you. You're good."
"How many others are you taping up?" I asked. It was a first time back
after New Year.
"Depends. I've got a few regulars but sometimes I just go to a bar and
pull. It's not hard." She paused, "I thought you realised. Once the
painting is done, we are done. I love Jake."
"I know and I love Jane." I felt childish in my reply. I heard her sigh
again.
"Though, I am not getting nearly enough of the shit." I felt her
fingers walk across my stomach towards my dick.
"I think I am giving more than my fair share." I laughed.
"I had an idea." She extended a finger and tickled the end of my penis.
I felt it twitch back into life. She grasped it softly in her hand and
began to work it.
"What idea?" I breathed heavily.
"Sperm banks."
"What about them?" I closed my eyes and felt her warm mouth envelope my
helmet, her tongue flicked on the tip. She was an expert at blowjobs, I
knew she would not talk again until I came. Then she would roll quickly
off the bed with a mouthful and disappear to her collection point
before coming back to finish the conversation.

"They have sperm." She walked back into the room.
"I think that's the idea." I had my hands behind my head.
"I want to hold up a sperm bank." She said it and I laughed loudly
until I realised she wasn't.
"Are you serious?"
"Absolutely." She sat on me with her legs either side. I noticed that
she had black pubic hair, "Go in, wave a gun, demand some sperm and
leave."
"You have to be joking. You could go to jail." I looked at her, I knew
I had a stupid grin on my face.
"If you get caught and I doubt the security at a sperm bank is
particularly tough. No one would have a clue." She reached under the
bed and pulled out a newspaper, "I was reading about this family that
want their dead son's spunk so that his widow can still have his child.
The bank is in Holborn. It would be dead easy."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked but knew the answer.
"I want your help." She put hands on my arms and leant down and kissed
me.
"No, no way."
"Then we are over. No more of this, no nothing." She paused and rolled
off me.
"Fine, it was never going to last forever anyway." I got out of bed and
searched for my boxers.
"Joe, come on. I need your help." She wrapped herself up in the white
sheet and stood up next to me as I pulled on my trousers. Jane thought
I was playing squash with Alex again, it was an excuse that was hard to
uphold as I knew she would ask Alex and might even pop down to the
courts to watch. If she did, I had an escape plan of a meeting across
town.
"Robin, I like you. I like being with you and I like fucking you but I
am not going to rob a sperm bank for you and I am not going to jail for
you." I looked at her. I put my hands on either side of her face and
kissed her on the mouth, "Don't be so fucking mad."
"But it would be simple. They would never trace you to it." She looked
up at me, "Think about it." I nodded and turned towards the door, doing
my shirt up as I walked. I opened the door and looked back at her,
wrapped up in the sheet. I knew it would be the last time I saw her, I
could not and would not get involved in robbing a sperm bank. I slid
the door shut and left.

Downhill

The view was amazing. The snow-covered peaks disappeared into the
distance and the blue sky contrasted the whiteness perfectly. I looked
at Jane, she was wearing a brightly coloured skiing outfit and had a
cool pair of sunglasses on. We were stood at the top of the mountain
having just come up on the ski lift. We always went skiing at the
beginning of February, and this year were sharing the chalet with Alex
and Yaz, whose romance was blossoming nicely.
"It's so beautiful." Jane shuffled her skis nearer to me. It had been
over a month since I walked out on Robin and I hadn't heard from her
since. I missed her but was glad that I was no longer hiding anything
from Jane.
"Hmm, it is." I kissed her on the cheek, she was cold.