(Part 01)
It was at the Lord Lieutenants Summer Ball when Dave Knapp found Lady Antonia Johnson-Claassens on the moonlit terrace and his first thought was that he might at last have found someone who he could have an intelligent conversation with, but as he got closer he noticed she was crying.
Dave had been on the prowl for someone with half a brain all evening, his sister, who was supposed to have been his plus 1 had cried off due to one of her bad heads, but when he set off on his after dinner sojourn he didn’t think he would run into Lady Antonia.
Although they did have history of running into each other at such events, they had known each other since University, and when they did attend the same functions they always sought the other out.
However since her engagement to some chinless Rupert, any kind of converse with her had been off the menu and when he saw she was crying he didn’t see that changing.
So although the first sight of her whetted his appetite he instead ended up wetting the shoulder of his dinner jacket with her tears.
When she had calmed down and her sobs began to recede she tried to tell him what was wrong but the tears started to well up in her eyes again and then they ran down her cheeks as she sobbed her heart out and she sat down on the wall.
So Mr. Chivalry again stepped into action and he knelt on the floor beside her and offered himself up to comfort her with arms open wide “I’m sorry” she said gratefully accepting his open arms and burying her tearstained face in his neck.
Dave made encouraging noises and stroked her back but being a shoulder to cry on was the full extent of his expertise.
They held that position for some time until Antonia’s sobs began to get shallower and shallower and eventually abated.
But still she held on to him tightly and began to nuzzle his neck and he could feel her breath on his skin.
He comforted her for about an hour in all and when all the tears were gone she told him what was wrong, her fiancé Nigel had chosen the night of the Summer Ball to break off their engagement, not only that but he did it at the party.
She had been very much in love with him, he wasn’t quite the love of her life, but nonetheless to say that she was heartbroken would have been an understatement and then she asked him to drive her home.
When they got to Lady Antonia’s, he drove the car onto her drive.
“Put it in the garage” she said “the remote is in the door pocket”
Dave opened the garage door as instructed and drove in, then closed the door behind them.
They got out of the Range Rover and after retrieving her shrug from the back of the car they went into the house safe from prying eyes.
They emerged in the kitchen where Antonia took the shrug from him.
“Make a hot drink will you” she said “while I get changed”
So Dave boiled the kettle and made them coffee.
He was sat on a stool drinking his when Toni rejoined him in the kitchen about 15 minutes later.
She had indeed changed, she had changed out of the expensive designer ball gown she arrived in and she was now standing in the doorway wearing a tiger onesie and fluffy slippers.
This was not the image Dave associated with her, in his mind’s eye he saw matching black silk underwear, black stockings, and high heeled shoes.
“I thought this would be a bit more comfortable” she said cutely
(Part 02)
Lady Antonia stood in the kitchen doorway wearing a tiger onesie and fluffy slippers.
“I thought this would be a bit more comfortable” she said cutely
“It certainly looks comfortable” he admitted “Not a sexy outfit is it?”
“I don’t feel particularly sexy today” she said sadly
“I didn’t say you weren’t sexy” Dave corrected her
“You’re only saying that because you feel sorry for me” she said
“Oh no I’m not” he said forcefully, more so than he should have, and it didn’t go unnoticed as she raised an eye brow
Dave and Toni had known each other since university and he had fancied her from the first time he laid eyes on her during fresher’s week, but he had never said anything because she was out of his league.
“I’ve always thought you were sexy, I’ve always thought you were special, far too sexy and special for the types you go out with… or get engaged to”
“Why have you never said anything?” she asked
“Because you’re Lady Antonia Johnson-Claassens and I’m just Dave Knapp the English professor” he retorted “you’re in a different class to me, in every sense”
Lady Antonia said nothing in response as she was taking it all in, she never in her wildest dreams imagined that he felt that way about her and it took her by surprise because she had always felt the same way about him, but she had kept silent because she was afraid.
Afraid of being rejected and of being laughed at, after all he was really smart and she was just dumb Lady Toni.
“So what is it that makes you want me” she asked as she walked towards him in her fluffy slippers
“Is it because I’m posh totty?”
“I do like posh birds” he confessed “but that’s not what attracts me to you”
“So what is it then?” Antonia said as she stood in front of him looking at the floor.
“It’s everything about you” he replied “Your sparky sense of humour, your laugh and your wit and intelligence”
“Now I know you’re lying” she snapped “because I’m not clever, you just saw silly Lady Toni crying over a bloke and you thought, I’m in with a chance”
When she had finished Antonia turned away and then Dave countered
“When I first saw you on the moonlit terrace I actually thought I had at last found someone, after a desperately banal evening, with whom I could have an intelligent conversation, because you are intelligent and you are not stupid by any measure and whoever told you that you are is the stupid one, and when I saw you were crying my first thought was not of a bit of leg over, it was to comfort you, not to judge”
As he was talking he was putting his dinner jacket on to leave and when he had said his piece she still had her back to him but she asked quietly over her shoulder
“You really thought that?”
“Yes” he replied
“Then you don’t think I’m a dullard” Toni said
“No I don’t, nothing could be farther from the truth”
“You don’t just think I’m a vacuous clothes horse? With nothing meaningful to contribute to the world”
“Who on earth has been saying these things to you?” he asked angrily
“Was it Nigel?”
She didn’t respond verbally as she was crying again but she nodded, Nigel was her ex fiancé, Dave walked up behind her and lightly stroked the tops of her arms.
“Don’t cry honey” he said
(Part 03)
She didn’t respond verbally as she was crying again but she nodded, Nigel was her ex fiancé, Dave walked up behind her and lightly stroked the tops of her arms.
“Don’t cry honey” he said
“I can’t help it” she replied and fresh tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she turned towards him, so he took her in his arms and she dissolved completely into tears.
“Its ok honey” He whispered, “let it all go”
And as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest Dave kissed the top of her head.
He held her close and stroked her back as she sobbed until she lifted her head and said
“I’m getting you wet again”
“I don’t care” He replied “I’m content just holding you in my arms”
On hearing that she broke down again.
Dave was holding in his arms the very beautiful woman he had been in love with since university as she sobbed her heart out and he consoled her with his inadequate words.
Antonia held on to him tightly and began to nuzzle his neck and he could feel her breath on his skin and very soon her nuzzles turned to kisses and she pressed up against him so close a cigarette paper couldn’t have passed between them.
Dave could feel Antonia’s breath on his face before a moment later he felt her lips on his and she kissed him slowly and deliberately.
It was a wonderful feeling for him, to be kissed by the woman he loved, and it was every bit as deliciously sensual as he imagined it would be.
So no one was more surprised than him when he called a halt to proceedings.
“No this isn’t right”
“Why? What’s wrong?” she asked bemused “I thought you wanted me”
“I do, with all my heart” he said “I have dreamt of this since fresher’s week”
“So kiss me then” she urged
“Not like this, not when you’re upset and emotional” he said “Not when you’re on the rebound”
“I’m not on the rebound” she snapped
“But you only broke up with Nigel three hours ago” Dave pointed out
“You may get back together with him or tomorrow morning, in the cold light of day, you may feel differently towards me, and you would only regret anything that happened between us tonight”
Toni didn’t respond immediately but sat down on the kitchen stool and looked thoughtful for few minutes before speaking
“So you do want me”
“Yes”
“But you want to wait, you could have me now on a plate, but you want to wait” she said
“That’s right”
“Oh God I want you even more now” she said as she rushed towards him and hugged him and after minute or so she asked
“How long”
“A month” he replied
“A month” she retorted
“Yes” he confirmed “And if you still feel the same way, then we’re in business”
“Am I allowed to see you?”
“Yes” he replied “and we can talk on the phone whenever you want”
“Ok” she agreed “But…”
“But what?” he asked suspiciously
“Will you stay tonight, in case I need another hug” she asked
“Of course” he replied and kissed the top of her head.
So he stayed the night in her spare room and one month later he stayed the night in her bed and they were married six months later.
No comments:
Post a Comment