Yours Remotely

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 23

Our New Year’s plans were simple; go out for a few drinks and get to a nightclub early. Even Suse had decided to give her parents’ New Year’s bash a miss. She said that it wasn’t the same after she started going out with Jonah – no more handsome young businessmen. Linda, Sinead and I, all being single, were determined to get our kisses at midnight, and that was going to require a lot of work.

Looking in the mirror, all I noticed was my belly which had somehow expanded over the Christmas period. I wore a short, grey, one-shoulder dress with a wide, gold-coloured belt over it and grey, high-heeled boots. I had done reasonably well even though I knew Sinead would still steal all the attention. Sinead always had to dress up to the nines. She called me three times in as many hours to ask about various outfit, hair and make-up problems although I had tried to tell her that she would outshine Linda and me anyway and that I wasn’t the right person to help with fashion dilemmas. When the phone rang for the fourth time, I was fed-up. At 25, could Sinead not manage anything on her own?

I picked up without looking at the screen and grunted a response.

“I had expected a warmer welcome.”

The butterflies that had been peacefully asleep inside my stomach immediately started doing the polka.

“Gary! I wasn’t expecting you.”

He laughed. “Clearly not. I’m parked outside.”

“Do you want to come in?” I was already hurrying towards the door.

“I don’t, actually. I was going to ask you to hop in.”

“Hop in and go where?”

“To Mick and Sheila’s. Everyone’s there; Jamie and Alex, my brother, a few other friends, definitely a good night.”

Something reminiscent of a conscience weighed on my mind. I had promised to go out with my own friends, but…

“Give me five minutes, and I’ll be there.” I hung up, finished packing my handbag and texted Sinead to inform her of my change of plan.

There was only one car outside – Gary’s impressive Audi. The weather had grown cold, and a few sleety snowflakes slowly travelled down from the skies as I hurried down the footpath.

Gary whistled when I climbed in.

“You didn’t have to for me,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

I slapped his arm playfully.

“I didn’t dress up for you. I was going out.”

Gary turned the car towards the traffic lights.

“I promise that this is a better way to celebrate New Year’s than a crowded nightclub. Wait till you tell your friends you spent New Year’s Eve with The Remotes.”

“Except that I can’t.”

For a moment, it looked like he had forgotten.

“Yeah, except that you can’t,” he repeated absentmindedly before changing the topic. “Just wait till you see Mick and Sheila’s house. They bought it during the summer, and it’s huge. It could host an army.”

After about a 15-minute drive, his words proved true. Behind a huge gate and at the end of the driveway loomed a newly-built stone house. Gary pulled into the carport next to a new Beemer.

“Alex’s car.”

“And Jamie?” I asked. Gary and Alex at least had similar mind-sets on how to spend the money the band made them.

Gary grinned. “Jamie’s still learning to drive. He says it’s embarrassing because people sometimes recognise him when he’s out on lessons. Even his instructor was a bit surprised the first time.”

“I would have thought nobody would recognise the drummer,” I confessed when we walked toward the house.

“It can come as a surprise. We all get stopped on the street from time to time.”

When we stepped into the hall and I saw Gary in proper lighting, I noticed the purplish bruise around his right eye. He noticed my startled stare and dismissed it with a wave.

“It’s much better now. At least the eye functions as it should.”

“Isn’t it sore?”

He shook his head and threw his jacket on the armrest of a chair. He reached out to take my coat.

“Not anymore. It just bothers me how people notice it. Maybe I should start wearing make-up like some of my peers.” He grinned while folding my coat next to his. “You look f*****g amazing today.” He gave me an appreciative look, then put a hand on my back and ushered me towards the sounds of speech and laughter.

We stepped into a huge sitting room decorated in muted colours. Mick struggled with the cork on a wine bottle at a small bar on the right. The rest of the room was occupied by a group of taupe couches and chairs - and people. Apart from Jamie and Alex, I only recognised Steven and Sheila. The group greeted us with what sounded like applause. I sat down in an armchair. Gary fetched me a cider and went over to his cousin for an animated conversation while Mick continued his struggles with the wine bottle. Steven was deep in discussion with Alex and Jamie, and I had barely spoken to Sheila the last time.

I was fed-up by the time a man around thirty came over and introduced himself as John, Jamie’s step-brother. He too felt like an outsider because he didn’t know anybody apart from the band and Sheila.

John was nice. He had clearly seen me arrive with Gary because he didn’t try to chat me up – or possibly he wouldn’t have been interested in me anyway. He was easy to talk to, and eventually, we were so into our conversation about using light colours in decoration – John was building himself a house – that I didn’t even notice that Gary had left the room until John excused himself to go to the bathroom.

I wasn’t alone for long because Mick – who had finally won his battle with the corkscrew – sat down on the armrest of my chair and started pointing out who was who. Everybody had brought family along, apart from Alex, who was an only child and had brought a friend instead. Mick unwillingly hurried to rescue his lady when he spotted Sheila trying to open another bottle of wine. I swallowed the rest of my drink and walked over to the bar. The hosts had moved to the kitchen, afraid they would spill red wine on the pale carpet, but I ran into Steven, who immediately handed me a new cider.

“You’re not bored, are you?” he asked with a worried frown.

I shook my head although it was hard for me to get to know anybody without someone doing the introductions.

“Gary’s such a prick for leaving you alone like that. He clearly doesn’t know not to turn his back on a beautiful woman.”

I laughed. “He knows nobody’s stupid enough to touch me.”

Steven opened his beer and raised the bottle to his lips.

“He shouldn’t be so sure. Gary’s just so stupidly self-assured.”

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about finding yourself a woman before midnight?”

Steven almost choked on his drink. “No point in worrying about the impossible. You’re the only good-looking woman at this party.” He eyed me shamelessly. Then he shook his head with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t try anything. You are here with my brother after all.” Then a hint of cheekiness crept into his eyes. “But if you weren’t…” He sighed and took a couple of steps towards the group of chairs.

The screech of a guitar from the doorway cut our conversation short. That was Gary’s way of announcing that he was back. He didn’t stop at that either as he kept going with the promising melody, repeating the same beat a few times.

When the guitar fell silent, everyone present burst into applause.

“What do you think?” Gary asked with a look from Mick to Jamie, Jamie to Alex and back to Mick. Mick got up from the armrest where he had been sitting next to Sheila. He hurried over to Gary and asked him to play it again. He did, with Mick standing next to him, head tilted in concentration. When Gary finished, Mick said something I couldn’t hear and touched a couple of the strings while chatting enthusiastically. Gary played the same riff again although slightly differently. They exchanged a thrilled look before vanishing into the hall. A moment later, I could hear the low sound of a guitar from somewhere within the house.

I glanced at Steven, who was still standing next to me.

“Is that how all The Remotes’ songs are born?”

Steven grinned. “Not all of them. Not necessarily an hour before the year changes. And Gary doesn’t usually play them that publicly before they’re finished. It’s not always Gary who comes up with them either.”

I nodded, sort of understanding. I knew nothing about making music. My own musical talent was limited to listening, and even that was questionable.

We returned to the group, and a few minutes later, Mick and Gary came back, chummily patting each other’s shoulders. Mick returned to Sheila, but Gary had to look around before he spotted me. He beckoned for me to come over, and when I had finally weaved between couches and human legs to get over to him, he put his hands on my shoulders and led me to the patio door.

There was a narrow but spacious terrace behind the house. Gary pulled a box of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to me. I shook my head. Gary lit a smoke.

“Bad habit,” he admitted and blew the first cloud of smoke into the cold air. “Are you having a good time?” he asked with a nod towards the sitting room door.

“I don’t really know anyone.”

Gary shoved his free hand into his jeans pocket. He had the good grace to look guilty.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone like that. It’s just, when inspiration strikes, I have to act on it there and then.”

He glanced at his watch, which showed a little after half-past 11.

“I do have plans for when the year changes,” he said with a suggestive look at me. I shivered in the cold air, not able to shield my bare shoulders no matter how I tried to wrap my arms around them. Gary finished his cigarette and threw the butt into the ashtray a few feet away. He put his hands on my shoulders.

“Aren’t you going to ask what kind of plans?” he asked.

“I’m sure I’ll find out.” I was just happy that his large, soft hands radiated warmth onto my skin.

He let his hands drop and took my wrist. “Come on,” he said and started pulling me towards the corner of the house, away from the sitting room. He found a door leading into another, smaller sitting room that was decorated in warmer colours than its larger colleague. Gary didn’t stop but continued through the room back into the hall and up the stairs where he finally opened a door into one of the rooms. He pulled me inside and locked the door.

The room was beautifully decorated in shades of sky-blue and white. In one corner was a door to the en-suite. The focal point of the room was a huge, old-fashioned bed that looked inviting and soft with its baby-blue throw.

“This is the best guest room in the house. I just booked it for us.” Gary grinned and nodded towards the locked door.

“And I have no say in the matter?” I crossed my arms, pretending to be offended.

Gary shook his head. “I just locked the door.” He wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed me lustfully.

“So, this was your plan then?” I asked when I pulled back to catch my breath.

He nodded but didn’t let go of his grip behind my back.

“When the clock strikes 12, I’ll be in that bed,” he said with a nod towards the bed, “with you doing naughty things.” To prove his intentions, his hands dropped to my buttocks.

I raised my eyebrows in mock irritation and leaned back. “And I have no say in that either.”

His eyes shone in the dark of the room. “None whatsoever,” he admitted and pinched my bum playfully. He kissed me again and pushed me towards the footrest of the bed. My lower back hit the foot end painfully, but Gary didn’t seem to notice, and I had no time to complain. With amazing swiftness, he unbuckled my belt and threw it on the floor. Kissing my neck, he grabbed the hem of my dress and, feeling my body on the way, pushed it over my head. He gave my matching underwear an approving glance and then pulled me behind him to the long side of the bed. I took his belt and pulled his jeans to his ankles where they caught on his shoes. He left me alone for a few seconds to get rid of them and then glanced over his shoulder at the table in front of the window.

“Just a sec,” he said and walked over to the window. He returned with an open bottle of champagne.

“You’re well prepared,” I pointed out while he pulled the cork from the bottle.

He smiled smugly. “I know.” He took a sip from the bottle and handed it over to me. I raised it to my lips and took a swig. This was not cheap champagne - not the kind I would have bought. Gary took the bottle and put it down on the bedside table, turning the table lamp on at the same time.

“I want to see what I’m doing.” His hands found the clasp on my bra and he threw it on the floor where the rest of my clothes were. Then he grabbed my panties and pulled them down past my boots.

“You can leave these on,” he said, running an approving hand down the boots. I was pleased that I had paid a good price for them a couple of years earlier.

Gary pushed me gently to sit on the edge of the bed, and I grabbed his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. He grimaced when it reached his sore eye but said nothing. I decided to make up for the inadvertent pain and pulled his underwear down. I gripped his buttocks and guided him closer to me, taking him in my mouth. He closed his eyes with a dreamy look on his face and murmured happily when I caressed his buttocks.

After a few minutes, he put a hand on my head and pushed me away.

“Lea, Lea, you have to stop or you’ll ruin my plan.” He quieted my protests although he appeared disappointed. He guided me to the centre of the bed and straddled me. He grabbed the bottle of champagne, took a swig and poured some of the cool drink on my breasts and stomach. I was just as startled by the touch of the champagne on my skin as I was by his intentions. He really had planned everything carefully.

I felt the champagne running down my skin and onto the bed throw. Gary sensed my doubts but didn’t do anything to stop the bed staining.

“It’s not your problem or mine. It’s Sheila’s problem.”

My conscience tried to remind me of its existence again, but I had no time for protests because Gary bent over me and started licking the champagne off my breasts and n*****s. He did his job carefully, and not just with the champagne either but with me too. His lips and tongue slid further and further down towards my stomach and navel and finally even lower, to my inner thighs and between my legs.

He seemed out of breath when he looked up at my relaxed face. He glanced at his watch and reached into the drawer for a pack of condoms.

“It’s five to,” he said. A moment later, he entered me and started moving inside of me. For the next few minutes, I was blissfully relaxed and enjoyed the moment in another world entirely. It was quiet, and I completely forgot about the New Year’s celebrations downstairs until a loud and drunken countdown started. The counting eventually erupted into cheerful shouts.

Gary buried his face in my hair and whispered in my ear, “I bet you’re happy now that you’re not in a crowded nightclub.”

He was so right. At that moment, there was nowhere else I’d rather be.