Chapter 4 Mr. Bernhardt

It had been a month since I became a married woman at twenty-four. Not exactly how I had planned out my life. Sally Bernhardt still sounded strange and unnatural and fake. The Sally alias had had to be maintained so his father did not suspect foul play. And even though the marriage was a contract, a façade of the real deal, it still scared me. One of the terms of the contract had included that I was never to be seen in the company of another male. And that my name was to be Sally till the contract ended. All written in document and signed and tucked away in the safe of some lawyer.

And that in itself, made me feel like I was tied up.

Torsney, on one hand had never made an attempt to touch me after that one kiss in the restaurant. He'd found me a bungalow a bit removed from the town, bought me a new, sleek car and put me on a monthly remuneration. I had all the time in the world and more money than I had ever had to spend on it. I only had to sometimes attend a few awkward family dinners in the company of my husband. Torsney only visited the bungalow because he too had to keep the pretense up.

I had gotten myself a toy poodle, a little guy that enjoyed breaking dishes and following me around the house. When I woke this morning, I found he was snuggled up under the sheets next to me. Snoring like mad.

I was in the middle of fixing my breakfast when I heard someone knocking at the front door. It was Torsney, looking as ravishing as ever. I could barely hold myself from leaping at him. His long hair looked windswept and sure enough, when I glanced past him, I saw his huge motorbike parked in the yard.

When I wouldn't invite him in, he brushed past me and into the apartment looking every bit the arrogant jerk I had first met.

"Hey, where's the kitten you said you got? Toby... Margaret, whatever your name is, come meet your daddy," he yelled.

"I did not buy a kitten, Bernhardt. It is a puppy. And you are not his daddy."

"Why not? I bet you a thousand bucks he'll love me more than he loves you after today. Deal?" He liked his bets, Torsney.

I rolled my eyes and began to walk back to the kitchen. At the door, I paused. "After today? You're staying?"

"Why, am I no longer in my own home?"

"Who said you were not?"

I did not answer. The eggs I had in the frying pan would have burnt if I had longer to banter with him. I had only just turned off the stove when I felt him hug my back. The shock of it alone drained me completely empty of thoughts. He started to kiss my neck. The smell of his hair up my nostrils made me want to melt.

But then, I was me, and pushed him off before he could go further.

"What are you trying to do?" I stuttered.

"What you've always wanted me to do, Sally. Now, don't pretend. I know it. I've seen the way your want to collapse when I touch you."

He was looking me straight in the eyes. Those piercing blue against my brown.

"You have really beautiful eyes, Mr. Bernhardt, " I said, surprising myself.

"Yeah?" He grabbed me again. I struggled weakly. I wanted it. I know I did. I always had. I wanted so much to feel his tongue part my lips, with his hot breath on my nose. I wanted to feel this tall gorgeous man in me. To have him.

He leant close, and kissed me full on the lips. He tasted like wine, red wine. I wondered what I tasted like. He had a hand on my buttocks and with the other, he started to fondle my breasts. I began to fall apart.

"No, no. Stop," but even I sounded stupid to me. He pulled me close so there was not an inch between us. I began to kiss him back. I had a hand in his hair while I messaged the taut muscles of his arm with the other. Then he was carrying me up, placing me on the counter.

We paused for a second so he could pull off his shirt. Then we had our tongues in each other's mouth again. He was unzipping my blouse. I was wearing no bra and so he had easy access. I reached and began to unbuckle his belt.

"This what you always wanted, yeah?" He gushed, his head buried between my breasts. "Come now. You have it all."

I so wanted for our bodies to merge together. I glimpsed Toby peek at us from behind the kitchen door. He gave a little yelp as if in shock, and bounded away.

I no longer wore a skirt. He had since gotten that off too. Then he was carrying me up, his face still buried in my chest, carrying me through the house. To the bedroom.