Free Desires by Holly J. Gill, Nikki Blaise Page A

doors led off.
    They turned left at the end of the corridor to see yet
another stretching before her. This one had small tables dotted at intervals,
bearing bowls of fresh flowers. The house truly was stunning. Dan opened another
set of double doors at the end of this corridor, which opened out onto the
garden.

 
 
 
    Chapter Three

 
    Stacie stepped out, the winter air hitting her. To her
left was an impressive conservatory. Through the windows, she could see a black
grand piano sitting in the centre, the walls lined with chairs shaped like
musical notes. At the far side of the conservatory there was a bar.
    Outside there was a weed-free block-paved patio with silver
tables and chairs punctuated by outdoor heaters, and yet another building
beyond that. She was surprised at how extensive the club was. It was far larger
than it had appeared from the front.
    They walked between the conservatory and the other
building into a large garden. Mature trees rattled their naked branches, and the
garden was well-stocked with a variety of bushes and conifers.
    Dan walked ahead, then stopped and waited for her to
catch up as she stared around her. “Everything okay?”
    “Yes, just being nosy.” She shook her head at the sheer
opulence.
    “It is stunning, isn’t it? It has just recently been
decorated. Angel has spent a fortune on it, but the place is doing well, so why
not?”
    They continued to walk deeper into the garden—everything
looked gloomy and dismal. Winter truly held sway here. The cold air bit at her
nose. Stacie wished she had brought her gloves and a scarf, not just her coat.
She tagged a little behind Dan, following him through the grounds. Her thoughts
turned back to the receptionist. Has he
slept with those girls? She found it hard to understand her own anger. They
were colleagues after all. Maybe they were just good friends. Why do I find that hard to believe?
    She walked down the pathways, inhaling the winter-cold
air, wondering what she would be doing if she were at home? Probably working or
doing housework, cooking for one and being miserable. Instead she was at
Desires getting herself jealous, and following a very attractive young man
around a miserable, dull, cold garden.
    Dan led her across the lawn to what appeared to be an
unbroken hedge. But, as they approached, she saw it was an optical illusion.
One hedge overlapped another behind it, creating the appearance of an
impenetrable barrier, but in actual fact, there was a narrow gap which led to a
secret garden, walled, with bushes and conifers hiding it from onlookers. A few
sheds and outhouses lined the pathways. Dan led her to a sheltered wooden
arbour where they sat down.
    “You okay?” he said.
    “I’m just thinking how beautiful this place is.”
    “It looks stunning in the spring and summer,” he said, leaning
back in the seat next to her and taking a deep lungful of the fresh air. She
could smell his scent. It intoxicated her. She wanted to snuggle up next to
him, but she knew he would not welcome it.
    They sat in silence. Stacie hated it, wishing she could
find out more about him, but she knew she would be wasting her breath.
    What should she do? She knew the sensible option was to
leave Desires and never come back. Dan would never give her what she wanted.
Her feelings for him would never be reciprocated. He was doing his job, that
was all. But then, when she had almost decided to leave, the thought of never
seeing Dan again sent her into a blind panic. She wanted him, no, she needed
him—not only emotionally, but practically. She still needed what she had come
here in the first place for, to gain confidence in herself sexually. Wasn’t it
better to learn from Dan, who understood her needs? Whilst leaving Graham had
been a big decision, all that Stacie had really needed was to wake up and smell
the coffee, but Dan…he was something else, inexplicable.
    Her mind wandered in circles, not knowing which
direction to take. She admitted