Wynter, Ch. 18.
Chapter 18.
“And this is my humble abode.”
Wynter smiled coyly at Orlando when he said those words. He was looking at her over his shoulder when he opened the door of his apartment and his gesture made her smile grow wider. Not once, since they had left the party and stopped at her house, had his attention been diverted away from her.
Wynter was very flattered, but she didn’t know how to react to that much attention. She still blushed, still ducked her head shyly at every flattering comment Orlando made, but at the same time, she could feel herself slowly becoming a bit more daring. The first time she had made a teasing remark, Orlando had laughed, quite delighted by it.
Stepping aside with a flourish, Orlando motioned for Wynter to enter first. Once inside his apartment, the first thing Wynter noticed was the scent. It wafted to her nose and she recognised it immediately as a mix of Orlando’s very own smell and something darker, more enticing that instantly brought indecent thoughts to her mind.
Scolding herself, Wynter looked around, slowly taking in his whole apartment. Lightly coloured walls contrasted with a dark wooden floor and furniture. It had an obvious bachelor feeling to it, reflected everywhere from the paintings hanging from the walls to the sculptures carefully scattered here and there. That, and the dirty yellow sock dangling precariously from the back of the couch.
“Ooops!” Orlando exclaimed, instantly noticing what had caught Wynter’s attention. Rushing past her, he quickly grabbed the sock and clumsily stuffed it in his trouser pocket, all the time smiling apologetically at her. “Please ignore it. I’m a single man living on my own… You really didn’t expect me to be tidy, did you?”
The look in his eyes was that of a mischievous little boy, so irresistible, and Wynter couldn’t hold back the laughter that bubbled up inside her. Orlando grinned unrepentantly, swinging her overnight bag on his shoulder. Then, he offered her an outstretched hand.
“Come on. I’ll show you the rest of my house.”
The other rooms were just as warm and inviting as the main one. Each held something that was valuable to Orlando; mostly sculptures and photographs, and the guest room was no exception. A double bed with a dark, rich red duvet was the main feature. To her left, a big closet that took up most of the wall and to her right, a large window reflected perfectly the dim moonlight onto the bed and the desk against the wall.
“Along with my room, this one gets most of the sunlight. I’m sure by the time you wake up in the morning the room will be feeling warm and luminous.” Orlando explained, pointing to the window.
Wynter smiled in response. Then, walking to the bed, she turned the lamp on the side table on and sat down, testing the mattress. It was in the exact point between softness and firmness that guaranteed a good rest, and her tired limbs almost cried out in joy at the prospect of sleeping there.
“Comfortable, uh? I got the same one for my room. Believe me… You won’t want to leave the bed in the morning.” Orlando said with a knowing smile. Then, softly dropping her bag on a nearby chair, he added. “Do you want to take a shower? Is there anything you need?”
“Oh no, I’m fine. I think I’ll be asleep before I can get rid of all this.” Wynter murmured, pointing to her dress. Orlando smiled.
“Well, if there’s anything you need, I’ll be in my room.”
Wynter thought he would leave right after that, but Orlando stood motionless on his spot, an undecipherable look in his brown eyes. Wynter wondered what was going through his mind, but something told her that she was better off in her ignorance. When Orlando moved toward her, Wynter remained still and silent, her eyes set on him, not knowing quite what to expect.
Orlando continued to stare at her for a long time, his eyes studying her intensely, slowly taking in every bit of her. When he finally spoke, Wynter was somewhat relieved.
“Sleep well, Wynter.”
Wynter smiled, trying to ease the sudden awkward atmosphere that had filled the room.
“Good night, Orlando.”
Orlando stood still for a few seconds and Wynter secretly hoped that he would come over and kiss her again, but it didn’t happen. She couldn’t complain, though; not after that devastating kiss at the party. After giving her a shaky smile, Orlando exited the room, but Wynter listened quietly as he made his way to the other end of the corridor. Apparently, his bedroom.
Wynter merely sat on the comfortable mattress, trying to understand what had happened between them. She had seen something in Orlando’s eyes, something that profoundly moved her to feel emotions she’d never felt before. She couldn’t quite decipher it, but it felt almost as if Orlando hadn’t wanted to leave her there alone, that he hadn’t wanted to go back to his bedroom and sleep. And for the first time in her life she felt attractive. Wynter didn’t know what to do with that discovery or how to use it, but it certainly felt good!
However, for the time being, the most urgent matter was to get rid of her heels and dress, wash the make-up off her face and go to bed. Well, that was if she didn’t collapse long before she got all that done, that's it. Wynter pondered the thought for a while, but the idea of sleeping in that dress wasn’t exactly appealing.
Orlando had been kind enough to stop at her apartment so she could get everything she needed to spend the night with him, and so Wynter reluctantly stood up and walked to the chair where her overnight bag awaited for her. Kicking her shoes off, Wynter opened it, searching for a brush and getting ready to free her hair from its now somewhat painful confinement.
When five minutes tickled by and Wynter saw that she had succeeded on removing only two pins of the many hidden somewhere in her hair, she let our a frustrated sigh. She was getting increasingly sleepy and grumpy, so this was not the moment for a futile battle with some bobby pins. Taking a deep breath, Wynter tried to calm down. There was no use in fretting, so she slowly stood up and reached her hands back to undo her dress. She’d come back to her hair in a minute.
“For God’s sake!” Wynter exclaimed when she failed to find the well-hidden dress’ zipper. It was the most beautiful piece of clothing she’d ever owned and probably would remain as such, but at that moment, she wished she had the designer right in front of her so she could punch him. Who in his right mind would design a dress that couldn’t be taken off unless someone else did it for you? Wynter didn’t have someone undressing her like some medieval maiden, so how in hell was she supposed to take the bloody thing off?
A dangerous thought crossed her mind and Wynter raised her head in alarm. No, she couldn’t do it… She wouldn’t dare to! And yet, it was her only option if she truly wanted to get out of the damn thing! Of course, asking Orlando to help her to take off her clothes felt rather intimate, but there was no other way out. Still, it was easier thinking about than actually doing it.
Two minutes later, a very shy Wynter stood in front of Orlando’s door, arguing with herself whether she should knock. Once she finally dared to, it was such a soft knock that she doubted Orlando could even hear it. She was wrong.
“Are you all right?” Orlando asked suddenly, opening the door widely wearing only his black trousers.
For a second, Wynter allowed her eyes to feast on the naked, bronzed skin of his well-toned chest, knowing that it was an image that would never leave her for as long as she lived. His skin was so smooth looking and perfectly hairless, that Wynter pictured herself running her fingers down. Just to see if it felt as good as it looked.
Orlando called her name again and Wynter, embarrassed that she might have been caught staring, looked up with a light blush colouring her face.
“I…” Wynter began to say, but then interrupted herself. She knew there wasn’t an easy way to ask for his help in that particular matter, so she took off from what seemed to be the most harmless one. There was no need to condemn herself to never being able to look at him in the eyes ever again. “Could you help me with my hair? I… I can’t find the pins.”
Orlando felt his eyes widening at her words. He’d left her so abruptly only minutes ago because he didn’t think himself strong enough not to kiss her again… and now here she was, asking him for something that felt so… Intimate!
Clearing his throat, Orlando stepped aside, holding the door open for her. He watched Wynter walk to the centre of his room, holding her skirt up so she wouldn’t stumble with it. When she turned around, the first thing Orlando noticed were her pink toes peeking out from under her skirt and it made him smile. Those shoes had looked damn painful!
However, when he looked up and saw Wynter staring at him with an expectant look, a warm heat filled his insides. Orlando scolded himself. This was Wynter, the woman he had worked so hard on building up her trust on him. So far, she was only just beginning to trust him; ruining their relationship by imposing his will on her was the last thing he wanted to do.
Still, Orlando wanted to kiss her again so badly, that he almost reached out for her. Wynter had enjoyed the experience as much as he had and Orlando knew it, but there was still so much innocence on her… The amazed expression on her face after he had kissed her in the party spoke volumes of her lack of experience, not to mention that it had almost been the ruin of him. Orlando wanted to be a gentleman and, above all, a good friend, but he wasn’t sure how much longer Wynter would be safe under his ‘protection’.
Since the very first moment Orlando had taken the first step to make their relationship a friendlier one, he had been aware that something lurked inside him, even if he had masked it as a pure and selfless interest in her. Now, over a month later, he and Wynter had grown closer, and although there were many things he still didn’t know about her, one thing was for sure. He was attracted to her, and the intensity of that feeling scared him.
Orlando walked towards her and Wynter stood motionless, silent as he positioned himself right behind her. The heat radiating from him touched the naked skin of her back and she shivered pleasantly, savouring in the moment. He was so close…
“Tell me if I hurt you, all right?” Orlando murmured and Wynter nodded. She didn’t know whether he realised how intense the experience was for her, but she was sure he could hear her heart hammering against her ribcage.
When Orlando tangled his fingers with her hair, both were struck by a jolt of pure electricity coming and going from one to the other. He started a slow movement through her black hair, his warm and soft fingers running through it and searching for the pins. His touch was so gentle and careful that Wynter couldn’t hide the low and yet very audible sound of delight that escaped from her parted lips; she only hoped he hadn’t heard it.
Orlando bit his lip, bidding himself to stay in control. Running his fingers through Wynter’s hair was enticing enough without that little moan fuelling him even more, the heat now pooling in his groin. Orlando knew that he was probably taking an awfully long time finding the pins, but there was no power on Earth that would make him hurry.
Very slowly, Orlando removed every single pin from Wynter’s hair, careful not to hurt her in any way. Occasionally, he would run his fingers repeatedly through the already loose hair with the excuse of looking for any lost pins, but he only did it to feel the softness of that thick mane in his hands, the feminine scent of it tickling his nose and increasing the tension in his lower tummy.
There was something so intimate in the whole picture; Wynter barefoot in her beautiful dress, he wearing nothing but his suddenly uncomfortable trousers as he played with her hair. Had it been any other woman, Orlando would have kissed her neck, luring her to join him in his big, comfy bed, but this was Wynter and she was different.
Wynter wasn’t the kind of girl he could have a short and meaningless affair with; she deserved the best! If the time came that they reached that level of intimacy between them, Orlando would then take it slow, even if it killed him. He would kiss her, touch her and love her until…
Orlando shook his head, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other in a futile attempt to relieve some of the pressure in his trousers. Running his big hands through her hair one last time, he took a deep breath before speaking, his voice coming out rather hoarse.
“Done.”
Wynter smiled and then shivered pleasantly when his long fingers brushed the nape of her neck. It had always been a soft spot, but his touch seemed to take that and make it a thousand times softer. As Orlando had run a hand through her hair for the last time, he placed his warm hands on her naked shoulders, his fingers absently stroking her collarbones.
Wynter sighed happily. She had never felt that way in her life, so free, careless… And daring. Orlando’s breath tickled her skin and she noticed that it was harsh, as if he had run a long distance. The thought that her, the simple and sometimes unwanted Wynter, could affect a man like Orlando in that way made her dizzy with lust.
Slowly, almost unnoticeably, Wynter leant back against Orlando’s chest, her eyes darting open when his sharp intake of breath was loud and clear in the dimly lit room. However, Wynter didn’t pay much attention to it, not knowing how much she affected him; she just busied herself looking around for the first time.
The room was pretty much a masculine sanctuary. Only a lamp threw light over the dark red walls and the mahogany closet in front of her, their shadows playing there. At her right, Wynter could see a matching bedside table and just a hint of the cream coloured duvet of the four posted bed. She couldn’t see all of it in her current position, but the little she could see was enough to send crazy images to her mind of him and her together.
Orlando cursed inwardly, hiding his face in her hair. It was unbelievable how Wynter had aroused him, even when she was completely unaware of what she was doing.
“Wynter…” Orlando murmured, tightening the grip on her shoulders as his lips moved to her neck almost against his will. Then, composing himself, Orlando stood straight and cleared his throat, but refused to let her go. “Anything else?”
A furious blush crept up over Wynter’s cheeks. Her body throbbed with the rampaging emotions he had brought to life by only touching her hair; was she brave enough to ask the next question?
“I… Um… I…” Wynter stammered. Nervously clearing her throat, she took a deep breath before blurting out. “I need help with my dress.”
Orlando’s head bolted up, not quite believing what he had heard. Images of himself slowly undressing Wynter came to mind as his hands wandered her body, but for some reason, he doubted that was exactly what Wynter wanted.
“What?” He finally managed to say, his voice loaded with confusion. Wynter didn’t honestly believe that her face could become any redder, but she was wrong.
“My zipper… I can’t reach it.”
Orlando was cruelly brought back to reality. He was already envisioning tangled limbs between his white sheets, but all Wynter wanted was a favour. She was being perfectly innocent while he was thinking with his hormones rather than his brain.
Taking a deep breath, Orlando inhaled the scent of her before moving his hands down until his fingers stumbled with the red fabric. Then, ever so softly, he proceeded to lower the small zipper, his brown eyes not blinking in their greed to see every bit of skin before him. It was pale and flawless and it offered itself to him from her neck to the small of her back, there where the zipper stopped its descent. That exposure of skin was only interrupted by a red bra Orlando caught a glimpse of before Wynter turned around.
Orlando saw her staring at him with wide eyes. His body stirred with desire when Wynter carelessly brushed the black locks off of her face with one hand, the other busy holding the dress on its place. Her hair was a bit messed and her hand pressed the dress to her breasts, but it was a sight that Orlando would never forget.
“Thank you, Orlando.” Wynter whispered with a soft smile.
She gave him a long hard look, burning his image in her memory. Orlando saw her eyes straying down his body for a brief second and he was alarmed, but Wynter didn’t seem to notice his obvious arousal, because her eyes were just as full of trust when she looked up at him. God, if she only knew what was going through his head at the moment, she wouldn’t be so god damn calm!
“Sweet dreams.” Wynter smiled, cupping his cheek with her hand.
Then, before she could stop herself, Wynter leant forward and placed a light kiss on his lips. It lasted no more than a whisper and before Orlando could react, she had already turned around and left the room.
Orlando stared at the closed door for a long while, his body screaming at him to run to the guestroom, and his mind ordering him to stay there. Never in his life had he wanted someone half as much as he wanted Wynter in that moment. Her innocence, her shyness… All contributed to drive him mad.
Orlando walked to the door, but once he had placed his hand on the knob, he stopped dead on his tracks. Did he really want to scare Wynter?? She didn’t deserve it and yet, Orlando couldn’t trust himself.
With a swift twist of his wrist, Orlando locked the door and then walked over to his bed, throwing himself there. Hiding his face in the pillow, he punched it with all the frustration that filled his body. His body ached with need and Orlando doubted he’d get much sleep knowing that Wynter was just a few meters away, but he knew he’d better deal with it… and fast. It was that, or resort to other methods to relieve his tension.
Yoga, that was the key! Sitting up, Orlando tried to focus his mind on something other than Wynter, but when her image floated before his eyes for the fifth time, he knew he was lost. Hastily removing his trousers, Orlando slipped in the bed, determined to stay away from her.
Hours passed before Orlando managed to fall asleep and by the time he did, he had already made love to Wynter in every imaginable way. His body complained loudly at that, but once he finally gave in to the tiredness that filled his body, Orlando finally managed to forget everything about her.
Until she filled his dreams…