Close Enough (High Rise Novella Four) Read online

  NAT

  Nat dragged herself to body combat class. She was tired, hungover and sad, but she figured it was the only place where she could corner Alex without getting too much of a mouthful. With lacklustre punches and half executed kicks, she made it to the end of Alex’s Friday night session. She sat wiping her brow on a bench outside the studio, when Alex approached.

  Alex sank down next to her and sighed. “Oh, Nat. I really should have locked you in your room.”

  “You could have tried, Pizza. I’d still have found a way to sneak a girl in. Really, you mustn’t blame yourself.” Nat shot Alex a weary grin. “Let’s go home so you can yell at me for a few hours.”

  Alex put a hand on Nat’s thigh. “Don’t take this as my approval of your lewd, scandalous behaviour, roomie, but I think a talking-to is the last thing you need right now.”

  “You really are a changed woman. I’m surprised we’re still on speaking terms, to be honest.” Nat curled her fingers around Alex’s hand.

  “I’m not the one who got hurt. From what Maddie told me Isabella is livid, but I know that the person suffering most from the consequences of your actions is you, Nat. You don’t need a scolding. You need a plan of action.” Alex rose and pulled Nat up. “Come on, we need to get you your woman back.”

  Nat stood speechless for a while before following Alex to the locker room. “Excuse me, lady in white tank top, who are you and what have you done to my self-righteous flatmate?”

  “For some reason, more than three years after Claire left you, you still feel the need to sabotage anything good that comes your way. But I have eyes in my head and I know love when I see it. You’re crazy about Isabella and it looks like you need a little help aligning your actions to your feelings.”

  A happy end-of-the-week buzz hung in the changing room. Several women in various states of undress greeted Alex, a few winked at Nat. She focused on getting her sweaty clothes off and hurried to the shower. She’d never expected Alex to cut her this much slack. She certainly didn’t feel as if she deserved it.

  Nat cringed when they passed The Bean on their way home. “Another place I can never set foot in again.”

  “Oh please, if that were an issue, you wouldn’t be able to go anywhere in this town anymore.” Alex slapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, there’s an idea.”

  “Very funny.” Nat thought about what Alex had said earlier. “Do you really think I can win her back?”

  Alex turned towards her. “Yes, I do. I mean, it’s not as if you’ve been trying like mad to keep her so far.”

  “Touché.” Nat hooked her arm through Alex’s.

  “I know you’re not a big fan of them, but we will need some rules.” They fell in step together. Nat felt blessed to have someone as level-headed as Alex by her side. “No more girls.” Alex squeezed her arm. “Please, repeat after me.”

  Nat giggled and held up two fingers. “From here on out, my goods belong to one woman only.”

  “Goods? Really?” Alex shook her head. “You’re such a romantic.”

  “And that banker on the forty-third floor is one lucky chick to have scored someone like you.” Nat squeezed Alex’s bicep.

  “You should probably lay off the bottle for a while as well, as it tends to screw up your judgment.”

  “No girls, no booze… sounds like something an esteemed doctor prescribed not too long ago.”

  “Exactly, what better way to get her back than to play by her rules?”

  “If only it were that simple.” Nat remembered the expression on Isabella’s face. “She was angrier than I’ve ever seen her, but more than that, she looked extremely disappointed. Disgusted even.”

  They reached the entrance of The Ivy and waited for the elevator in silence. The lobby of a posh building was not a place to discuss winning back one’s lesbian lover.

  “Here’s an idea,” Alex said as soon as they entered their flat. “Maddie’s at Isabella’s and they’re both hammered. Why don’t we go up there. She might be more pliable while intoxicated.”

  “Are you nuts?” Nat’s heart pounded beneath her ribcage. “She kicked me out of there just a few hours ago.”

  “Of course she did. She just spotted a half-naked barista thirty years her junior in your flat. What else was she going to do?” Alex put her hands on Nat’s shoulders. “Just stop by for a few minutes, show her you’re serious about getting her back. At least, she’ll know you’re not out on the town somewhere enjoying the attention of another girl.”

  Words, words, words. Isabella’s outbreak still rang clearly in Nat’s ear. “Can I at least have a drink before we go up?”

  Alex pouted her lips and brought her hands to her sides.

  “Okay, okay.” Nat held her palms up. “The third rule is following the other two rules. Fair enough.”

  “Do you have anything you can give her? Something meaningful?”

  “This is why I need you, Pizza. I would never think of something like that.”

  “Oh, I know. You’d just barge in, slap on a crooked smile and hope for the best. Those times have passed. This is serious. Make an effort.”

  “All right, oh highly appraised Romantic Guru.” Nat looked around the flat. What could she possibly give to Isabella? It certainly couldn’t be a bottle of Scotch. Or a strap-on. She scanned the book shelves. Of course. “Hold on a second.”

  Nat dashed to her office, flipped up the lid of her laptop and opened the document she’d been working on last. After printing five pages of a work in progress no one had laid eyes on yet, she checked herself in the hallway mirror, and went to see Isabella, Alex by her side.

  ISABELLA

  Isabella had reached the melancholy stage of drunkenness and wondered what Nat would be up to. Although still furious with her, it was hard to shake the memory of her scent—and the dexterity of her fingers. Would she be out and about? Off into the Hong Kong night looking for prey, for someone to forget the day with?

  “Shall we open another bottle?” Isabella glanced at Maddie, who hung slumped in her chair. It probably wasn’t a good idea.

  “Only if it’s a bottle of water.” Maddie’s speech slurred. “I believe I’ve had enough.”

  “I’ll get one.” Isabella hoisted herself out of her chair and the world started spinning. Slowly, she made her way inside. Just as she entered the kitchen, the bell rang.

  Isabella had expected Alex to turn up. She hadn’t counted on Nat materialising in her doorway.

  “Drunk girlfriend pick-up service,” Alex said and made her way past Isabella into the flat.

  “She’s outside,” Isabella mumbled, her eyes fixed on Nat. She looked effortlessly gorgeous in a tight pair of jeans and a too small t-shirt with a picture of a young Michael Jackson stencilled on.

  “I know I’m the last person you want to see and I mean no disrespect,” Nat started. Her skin glowed and her eyes sparkled. Who was this person standing in front of her, having hijacked Nat’s body? “I wanted to give you this.”

  Isabella steadied herself against the wall and eyed the small pile of papers in Nat’s hand. She was afraid to speak, unsure of what would come out of her mouth in the state she was in.

  Nat stretched out her arm and handed Isabella the stack of papers. Isabella wasn’t wearing her glasses, and even if she had been, her vision would be too blurred to make out what was written on them. Instead of saying anything, she moved out of the way, gesturing for Nat to enter.

  “I’m going to take this mess home.” Alex appeared with Maddie leaning on her arm. “Make sure to drink plenty of water before you go to bed.” She fixed her gaze on both Nat and Isabella before exiting the flat.

  Suddenly, Isabella found herself alone with Nat.

  “Why don’t you sit down?” Nat took charge. “I’ll get you some water.”

  Isabella watched her dart into the kitchen. Dizziness and alcohol-induced lack of judgement suppressed the rage that had been with her all day. She realised she was still clutching the
papers Nat had given her between rigid fingers. She disposed of them on the coffee table and sank down in the sofa. When she leaned her head against the backrest for balance, the world started spinning again.

  “I got you some painkillers as well.” Nat emerged from the kitchen with a big glass of water and two white pills. “Drink up.”

  So many things were wrong with this picture. How did this happen? How did Nat end up here while Isabella was in such a state? Isabella swallowed the pills and gulped down the water.

  “Would you like me to go?” Nat crouched down next to her. “Or do you need a hand getting into bed?”

  “I’m not that wasted.” The words came out much colder than Isabella had anticipated, much colder than how she was feeling.

  Nat shot up and immediately Isabella missed the friendly stare of her blue eyes. She dug her hands in the pockets of her jeans and glanced around. Clearly Nat didn’t have a clue what she was doing here either.

  “Hey.” All rational thought left Isabella. She was tired and hurt and had had enough of harsh words and disappointed facial expressions. She extended her hand. “Come here.”

  Nat slipped her fingers around Isabella’s and her touch sent a jolt of electricity through Isabella’s bones. Isabella pulled her close until Nat fell down on the sofa next to her.

  “Don’t get your hopes up,” she said as she pressed her lips against the back of Nat’s hand. “Because this doesn’t mean anything.”

  One more time, Isabella thought. Just one more time. Then her mind went blank.

  She frantically tugged at Nat’s t-shirt and tore off her bra. If she was doing this—and oh how she wanted to—she’d make sure not to display too much of the silly, crazy affection she had for this girl. No tenderness and no time for niceties.

  Nat’s eyes blazed with fire. Her mouth came down hard on Isabella’s lips as she unbuttoned her blouse. She yanked it off, threw it on the floor and pushed Isabella down on the sofa.

  “Just one thing,” Nat panted in between shallow breaths. “I know I don’t deserve you and I also know I have a funny way of showing it, but I’m crazy about you.”

  “Show me now.” Isabella stared up into Nat’s eyes. Ideally, she’d be on top, but half a bottle of Scotch and Nat’s dominant bedroom habits were a bit too much to contend with.

  “I will.” Nat fixed her glare on Isabella while she zipped her out of her skirt. Isabella’s panties soon followed and there she was, lying naked beneath the lover she’d only just kicked to the curb.

  “Take off your pants,” Isabella commanded.

  A small smile played around Nat’s lips. She shook her head. The ongoing fight for top was half the reason why sex between them was always so devastatingly good. Isabella fully realised she didn’t stand a chance tonight. Surrendering was her only option.

  Isabella’s head spun out of control when Nat closed her lips around her nipple. She didn’t suck gently. Her teeth grazed along the ridge as goosebumps spread over Isabella’s skin. Isabella buried her hands in Nat’s hair and pulled her head towards her mouth. Their lips met and Isabella wondered how she would ever live without these sensations delivered by someone with whom she should be so out of touch but who felt so right for her.

  When someone is about to slip their finger inside of you it hardly matters that they’re more than a decade younger. When someone has you panting at their fingertips just because of the bright blue stare of their eyes, their emotional maturity is not really a factor.

  Isabella knew she was smitten. She’d known it all along. She wasn’t the forgive-and-forget kind though. She’d meant what she’d said earlier. Neither one of them should get their hopes up too high, but first, before she allowed the cold, hard facts to reign again, she had a climax to receive.

  Nat’s fingers traced down, halting at her breasts to twist her nipples into hard peaks, trailing south before skating through Isabella’s wetness. The intensity of their kiss amped up the lower Nat’s hand ventured—more teeth than tongue already. Nat slid two fingers inside and it felt as if the entire day fell away from Isabella. As if none of it had happened. Nat started with slow thrusts, but already Isabella felt herself tumble through the cushions of the sofa, felt her mind wander off to that no man’s land of pure pleasure.

  Nat curled her fingers inside, faster and faster, while she sucked Isabella’s bottom lip into her mouth. She bit down hard and slipped in deep and Isabella’s blood pounded in her veins.

  “Oh fuck,” she moaned into Nat’s mouth, spurring her on to increase her speed.

  Head spinning and muscles trembling, Isabella cried out. “You,” she screamed. “You always do this.”

  NAT

  Nat bit back a tear. She looked down at Isabella in her wrecked, pleasured state and she realised what she had lost.

  “I’m in no condition to reciprocate, I’m afraid,” Isabella mumbled as she drew Nat near.

  Nat allowed her body to sink into Isabella’s. She drank in her scent of liquor and magnolias. She had no idea what to say.

  “You can’t stay.” Isabella held onto Nat, her actions not following the meaning of her words.

  Nat nodded against Isabella’s neck. “I know.” She didn’t move, didn’t want to move. They lay wrapped up in each other for minutes and Nat wasn’t sure if this was the last goodbye or perhaps a cautious new beginning.

  “Don’t fall asleep on top of me,” Isabella whispered in Nat’s ear and giggled.

  Nat pushed herself up and exclaimed the words to their private joke. “You’ve topped me enough for one day.” The smile on Isabella’s face acted as a warm balm to her heart. “Come on, I’ll put you to bed.” Isabella was still naked beneath her, skin smooth and muscles soft.

  “I think I’m old enough to take care of that myself.” Isabella reached for a blanket she kept tucked away behind the sofa, ushering Nat off of her in the process.

  Nat scanned the room for the whereabouts of her t-shirt. She found it flung over a corner of the coffee table, next to the short story she’d brought Isabella. While Isabella wrapped herself chastely in the blanket, Nat slipped into her t-shirt and, with the disappearance of naked body parts, the atmosphere in Isabella’s flat changed dramatically—all reminders of what had just happened erased.

  “Do you need anything before I go?” Nat asked. She wanted to add, “more water,” but the look on Isabella’s face made the words freeze in her throat. As if the day’s events had just caught up with her again, Isabella’s glance turned to ice. She huddled in the corner of the sofa and curtly shook her head.

  “I’m sorry,” Nat said one last time before making her way to the door. “See you around.”

  * * *

  Days went by without a word from Isabella. Nat sat in The Bean for hours, ignoring Cindy’s shy glance, staring out of the window, at the escalator zooming past, waiting for Isabella’s regal posture to glide by. Whenever she hung out in the lobby of The Ivy, always finding a reason to linger about longer than necessary, her mouth went dry with anticipation, but Isabella never showed.

  She didn’t turn up for any of Alex’s classes and both Maddie and Alex claimed not to have heard from Isabella in a while. Nat suspected Maddie to be under strict orders not to divulge any information.

  After a week of Isabella nothingness, Nat couldn’t take it anymore. She called Isabella’s secretary, gave a false name and booked an appointment for the next day.

  Isabella’s office was located around the corner of The Ivy, catering mainly to overpaid expats and their spouses living in the Mid-Levels. Nat’s heart hammered in her throat as she pushed open the door. She’d never been there and the fact she’d never met Isabella’s assistant worked in her favour.

  A petite Chinese woman manned the desk. The badge pinned to her collar read Charlotte. Charlotte was all reassuring smiles and gave Nat an extensive first-timer questionnaire to fill in. Everything she wrote down was a lie.

  “Can I pay in advance?” She asked when she returned the
clipboard to Charlotte. “I have an important appointment scheduled after this and I will have to run.” She figured if she’d already paid for Isabella’s time, she’d be less likely to get thrown out.

  “Of course, Miss…” Charlotte checked the papers Nat had filled in. “Evans. Just a minute.”

  Nat scanned her surroundings while Charlotte billed her for time with her ex-girlfriend. The reception slash waiting area was decorated in a completely different style than Isabella’s home. The armchairs were big and plush, inviting you to sink into their warm brown cushions. A large shag carpet adorned the floor and the walls were covered with a dozen golden-framed Hong Kong sea and mountain views.

  “That’ll be three thousand, please,” Charlotte said without scorn.

  Nat forked over the money with a smile and settled in one of the chairs, waiting her turn.

  At exactly five minutes before eleven the door of Isabella’s office swung open. A perky blonde with big green eyes exited, Isabella’s hand resting on her shoulder. While the blonde made her way to the reception desk, Charlotte handed Isabella the clipboard holding a Miss Caroline Evans’s information.

  “See you next week, Kelly,” she said to the blonde, before eyeing the papers in her hands and approaching the arm chair Nat occupied.

  “Miss Ev—” Nat’s fake name didn’t make it off Isabella’s lips. Her eyes narrowed while most colour drained from her face.

  “Doctor Douglas.” Nat rose and extended her hand. “Pleasure.”

  Isabella shook her hand briefly and stepped aside to invite Nat into her office. She didn’t turn around immediately after closing the door, as if contemplating a counter move.