Guardian

Todd's act of generosity seemed to have done the trick as Helen opened the packages one by one her face beaming as she opened each one. She ran over to him and threw her arms round his neck,

'"Todd, this is wonderful! Thank you so much!'

Helen's body pressed into him and he crushed her to him,

"Let's be clear about this Helen, they are not meant as a bribe or to impress you, they are a necessity, you can't go wandering around the hotel in jeans. However if you are really grateful how about a kiss?"

He pursed his lips in readiness but Helen hesitated.

"Okay if you want to think about it that's fine, you start trying everything on, if something doesn't fit just call down and they'll send up the correct size. I have a couple of errands to run , I'll be about an hour."

He slipped on a clean pair of slacks and shirt along with a pair of loafers and walked to the door before he turned and said,

"Don't forget, if you can't make up your mind take them all."

When Todd reached the ground floor he headed for the hotel shopping mall and the most expensive Perfumery.

The sales assistant was pretty girl with a tempting hourglass figure and ordinarily Todd would have flirted with her but today he was all business,

"You have the top of the range 'BLACK OPIUM' do you not? Not the rubbish they sell in the supermarkets?"

"Of course Sir, the 'BLACK OPIUM DE LUXE' is our best seller, the lady is very lucky to have a man of such good taste."

She batted her eyelashes at him inviting him to flirt with her.

"Good, have a bottle gift wrapped and sent to my suite in an hour's time."

Having concluded his business in the Perfumery his next stop was at a high class jewellery store where there was a slightly effeminate sales assistant.

"Can you show me some necklace and earring sets, something delicate not too heavy"

"Of course dear, what colour is the lady's hair and her eyes? The skin tone is important too,"

Todd wasn't expecting to be asked these sort of questions but he managed to say,

"She has red hair, well more a red copper colour, pale blue eyes and alabaster like skin."

"She sounds delightful dear, no wonder you are so smitten."

He proceeded to lay out an array of delicate necklaces and matching earrings, one immediately caught his eye, a string of small diamond clusters interspersed with Rubies.

"I'll take that one," He said without hesitation.

"Have it gift wrapped and delivered to my suite, I also have a package to be delivered from the Perfumery, make sure they are delivered together."

Having finished his business he went back to the suite, as he opened the door he could hear Helen singing happily to herself. He couldn't resist taking a peek at Helen trying on the various dresses but it just so happened she was standing naked holding up a very pretty but very short pleated skirt in the other hand was a pale blue cropped top.

Todd couldn't stop himself from commenting,

"You gotta have that one, your legs will look fantastic."

Helen dropped them in surprise and stood facing him stark naked.

Let's be clear about this Helen, they are not meant as a bribe or to impress you, they are a necessity, you can't go wandering around the hotel in jeans. However if you are really grateful how about a kiss?

She didn't know why she hesitated when he asked for the kiss but he seemed to take it all in stride.

Okay if you want to think about it that's fine, you start trying everything on, if something doesn't fit just call down and they'll send up the correct size. I have a couple of errands to run , I'll be about an hour.

He quickly dressed and was out the door, reminding her that if she wanted them all, they were hers before he was gone.

The bed was piled high with boxes and without realizing it, she started over in the area with the evening gowns. Every dress that she tried was absolutely stunning, some in dark blue and some in a shimmering turquoise color. She finally settled on a dark blue mermaid-style gown . It was sexy without revealing anything.

Once she had settled on which gown she wanted, she stripped off her clothes and began trying on the different dresses. Some more casual then others, yet all were some shade of blue.

One was dressy and had a lacy bodice, or casual and stripes. Or a cute sundress. Each dress was cuter than the one before it.

She was standing in front of the mirror, looking at a cute flirty skirt and a sweater to match when she heard Todd behind her.

You gotta have that one, your legs will look fantastic.

She was surprised and started, dropping the skirt and sweater on the floor, standing before him with a stitch of clothes.

"Todd!" She squealed and she threw herself at him as she wrapped her arms around him. "You are going to spoil me!" And she then proceeded to cover his face with kisses while slipping a hand down to the waistband of his pants. Her fingers wormed their way past his waistband and found their target.

"I'm very appreciative," she smiled as she spoke. She pulled her hand out of his pants and kneeled down before him. With sure fingers, the sound of his zipper seemed loud in the room. "I was wondering if he could come out to play." Reaching in, she fished out his cock and began kissing it.

Helen's response to his comment made her drop the skirt and top and she stood naked in front of him but what followed was totally unexpected. Instead of covering hersel up as much as she could and yelling at him to get the fuck out she squealed,
'Todd!' and launched herself into his arms wrapping her own arms around him.

'You are going to spoil me.'

She then proceeded to smother his face with hot, wet kisses, 'MWAH, MWAH, MWAH, MWAH.' While' one hand slid down to the waistband of his pants and delved inside searching for her objective, on she found it she gave it a quick stroke and withdrew her hand.
If Todd didn't have sex on his mind when he first entered the bedroom he certainly did now. The blood rushed to his cock and he was hard and erect in seconds. When Helen found it and gave it a stroke he could only gasp,

"Oh fuck YESSS"

Smiling broadly Helen murmured seductively,

'I'm very appreciative.'

She sank to her knees and unzipped him, asking

'I was wondering if he could come out to play.'

She reached in and fished out his thick hard throbbing rod and started lavishing kisses on it, up and down the length, top, bottom, side not missing one square inch of it.
In the two or three minutes all this had happened Todd had been so flabbergasted he had just stood there but gathering his wits he bunched Helen's hair in his hands and guided her hot mouth to his glistening saliva covered cock.

"Look at me baby, show me those baby blue eyes."

Suddenly he jerked her head forward and his cock slid between her wet ruby lips almost reaching her throat.

"I wanna be sure before I take you to bed and fuck you, this isn't going to be a one off and your way of saying thankyou is it? I told you before all this isn't a bribe or trying to impress you, it's because I want to show you how much I love you, so which is it?"

He then fucked Helen's mouth giving her no breath to answer until he had cum in her throat and told her

"Whatever your answer is I want you to know that was the best blow job I've ever had."

Just then there was knock on the door

"Two parcels for Mr Benett."

Todd pulled his pants up and took delivery of the two small parcels, tipping the bellboy.
Returning to the bedroom he found Helen sitting on the bed looking downcast,

"Two more parcels for you , take a look then give me your answer."

He went back into the lounge cursing himself, why couldn't he have let things be instead of risking everything for the sake of his pride?

One minute she was kissing his cock and then suddenly, he grabbed her by the hair and shoved his cock into her mouth. It was just like it had been with Claudio. Not content to let her do it herself, he was suddenly giving her directions all the while wanting to make sure that this wasn't a "one off". She was thrilled to get the clothes but still, this was his way of saying that he loved her? A quick fuck of her mouth and a gut full of cum and he was satisfied. Then he zipped it back in with a "best blow job I've ever had".

He went off to answer the door and left her there on the bed. He really wasn't that much better than Claudio though at least he didn't hit her. But this wasn't love. He threw the word around like it meant something but...

He returned in the room, pitching some small packages at her, nonchalantly. Like it was really nothing at all. Like she was really nothing. Nothing but a job to do. Bed the girl so she behaves herself.

Two more parcels for you , take a look then give me your answer.

She didn't even touch the packages. She got up and grabbed her jeans and tee and undies and headed into the bathroom. Five minutes later, she stood ready in the shower. She lit the pile of toilet paper in the toilet and screamed. She could hear Todd running, trying the door and finding it locked. Behind the shower curtain, she could see the flames shooting up from the toilet. Todd broke in to find a wall of flames before him. Before he had a chance to even look for her, she hit him on the back of his head with the hand held shower head.

As he fell, she quickly turned it on and put out the fire (probably seconds before the ceiling sprinklers would have been triggered) before checking Todd's pulse. It was strong so she knew that she didn't have long. She grabbed her purse and headed out the suite door and down the hall to the stairwell. By the time that Todd was coming around, she was slipping through the kitchen. She snagged someone's ball cap without being seen and ducked out the back door, cramming her red hair up in it out of sight to blend in with the rest of the city.

Todd came to clutching the back of his head and cursing to himself. He had been taken by surprise, outsmarted even but that was no excuse, the whole situation was of his own making. He grimaced again as he felt the egg sized bump on the back of his head,

"At least she doesn't hate me as much as she thinks she does otherwise she would have hit me a damn sight harder" He muttered to himself, at least the scalp wasn't broken but he would definitely have a headache for a while.

His professionalism kicked in and he knew he had to find her fast before Claudio's goons did. He assimilated all that he knew for certain to begin with, he knew exactly what she was wearing, jeans, a turquoise tee shirt and black jacket and sneakers, she was on foot so couldn't have got very far, she had very little money so a cab was out of the question, she had nowhere to go so she would need to find somewhere to go over her options which weren't that many. The best one would be to return to the hotel where she was safe but how long it would be before she came to that conclusion was anybody's guess meanwhile every minute she was out on the streets alone she was in danger.

Again his training came to the rescue as he remembered the 'fugitive behavior' module, 'When a fugitive has no clear idea of where they are going upon first leaving a building they instinctively turn left.'

Fortunately the balconied window looked out over the street and gave an unimpeded view for three blocks in either direction. Todd searched in his suitcase until he found the small telescope that he always carried on assignments. He swept up and down the street looking for any sign of Helen and was about to search in the opposite direction when a figure detached itself from one shop doorway and flitted to the next. Todd increased the magnification until he could see the figure clearly, it had its back to him but the faded blue jeans and the black jacket matched what he knew she was wearing. The cap hid her hair and Todd silently congratulated her for thinking of that. Todd increased the magnification again and found himself looking at a slim tight ass stretching the jeans tight.

"That's her alright, I'd know that ass anywhere." Todd muttered gleefully to himself. He resisted the temptation to go chasing after her as he knew she would most likely have moved on by the time he reached that spot and he would have to start looking all over again. He tracked her with the telescope until she stopped in front of a coffee shop and after checking in her purse she went inside.

"Now." declared Todd as he collected everything he needed including a small snub nosed revolver. He had never used it and hoped he never would. He hurried through the lobby of the hotel and began a fast walking pace towards the coffee shop, praying that Helen was still there.

He couldn't see her through the window so with his heart beating he went inside and saw why he couldn't see Helen from outside, she was right in a back booth and was being hassled by some gangly youth, ",,,,,,,,come on baby, let's go make some music together, rock the world eh?"

"The lady says 'NO', so now scram."

The youth took one look at Todd's face and scrambled for the door.

Helen had been hunched over her cup of coffee but looked up at Todd a mixture of dislike and relief in her eyes.

"I could say you were hard to find but that wouldn't be true a combination of LOGIC, LUCK AND LOVE brought me here so finish your coffee and let's go back to the hotel where you'll be safe and we can talk."

Without a word Helen drank her coffee and walked outside with Todd where he put his arm round her waist tightly so she couldn't bolt. They didn't exchange a word on the way back to the hotel. He knew that Helen was really pissed at him for the way he had treated her, but he was also pissed at her for slugging him over the head instead of talking it through.

Once back in the suite Todd poured them both a brandy and sat opposite Helen.

"Ok Helen you first, give me both barrels."

If she had had money, she knew that she could outrun Todd and Claudio. 'If if if, cried the queen.' It had been a favorite saying of her Mother, a long time ago. Meanwhile, she kept her head down to avoid eye to eye contact with anyone. Thank god she had grabbed that hat or her hair would have been a beacon to anyone looking for her. She stayed in doorways and against the store fronts, pretending to window shop as she used the reflection in the glass to look for anyone possibly following her.

The coffee shop looked welcoming and she checked to see how much she had left. A little over $15. She could afford a cup. She ducked in and got in line. Once she ordered it, she snagged the last booth at the back of the room and sipped her drink, keeping an eye out for Todd or Claudio's men. Until her view was cut off by some goofy kid. Looked to still be in high school but probably barely 18 or 19.

"Hey cutie, you look lost."

"Get lost!"

"Baby, I can show you a good time." She ignored him. "Hey, I can even score what you need." She gave him a withering glare. "No really. It's good stuff."

"Leave me alone!" She tersely answered and drank some more.

"Not in to that stuff? I can still show you a good time. Hey, come on baby, let's go make some music together, rock the world eh?"

The lady says 'NO', so now scram.

She didn't have to look to know who it was. In a way she was irritated that he found her so quick and strangely was glad to see him. The kid took off as Todd stood there over her, as if afraid that she would take off again.

I could say you were hard to find but that wouldn't be true a combination of LOGIC, LUCK AND LOVE brought me here so finish your coffee and let's go back to the hotel where you'll be safe and we can talk.

It bothered her that she felt a strange relief that he had found her. Though it was probably because it was his job. Wouldn't look good to lose the person that you're supposed to be watching.

He stood watch as she finished her coffee. There were no words spoken and the air seemed uneasy between them. Once she was finished, he walked her outside, holding her close as if afraid she would run again. She was proud that she had managed to one up him. Todd wasn't so mister perfect after all.

The suite was a just as she had left it and once safely behind locked doors, he released his hold and and she sat down while he poured them each a drink. Once he sat across from her, he said, Ok Helen you first, give me both barrels.

She was quiet for a moment. Just thinking about it made her mad and she downed the alcohol and slammed the glass down before bolting upright.

"You egotistical pompous ass! You treat me like Claudio did. Oh, you may not slap me around but everything else is just like him. I'm here to be fucked and to suck on your cock. You claim that you love me, pitching stuff at me like I'm some hooker that you picked up off the street. One minute I'm playfully teasing and the next minute you grab me by the hair and practically cram your meat down my throat. Typical Claudio move. The stuff he made me do. Is that coming next from you?"

She paced back and forth. "Oh, above all, I'd better make the right decision. Not string you along." Her voice was bitter. "What about me? Did you ever ask me what I want?" She gestured to the packages still laying unopened on the bed. "I don't know what that is but the way you pitched it at me made me think that it was really nothing. Or that I was nothing. Nothing but a job that you have to placate. Give her a few things and she'll shut up and behave. And by all means, I'd better make the right decision before you take me to bed and fuck me! Do me a favor. Don't fuck me! You say you love me. Make love to me. That's what a woman wants. Someone that LOVES her."

She turned and walked to the window, her back to Todd. "Claudio FUCKED me all the time. Or had me suck his dick. There were some days when cum was all I had. Do you have any idea how degrading it is to be forced to sit under a desk and suck him while a room full of his men meet with him? They all knew what he made me do. And when I complained, I got slapped and my tooth knocked out."

She turned back around and tears were in her eyes. "Then you come along and say you love me. And I, like a fool, believe you. You don't love me. I'm just a job that you have to appease. Well, I'm not happy!"

Todd took all the criticism that Helen fired at him, some deserved and some not, so when she had finished he had a few choice words of his own.

"WOW, you certainly don't pull your punches do you? Point one though, if I was remotely like Claudio do you think you'd still have a tooth left in your mouth? Most of what you said was pretty insulting. Me? Egotistical , pompous? I'd call it self confidence in being right, Okay I've made mistakes but mainly because you are so damned stubborn and unpredictable it's difficult to know what you DO want. You say you want to be made love to, what woman doesn't? You don't want to be treated as a convenient pussy to be fucked yet last night we made wonderful love together but when it came to round two you were practically begging for me to fuck you rigid, If you hadn't vocalised what you wanted then I would probably have got it wrong and left you unsatisfied."

Todd grinned at the memory of Helen thrashing and squirming under him.

"Now to my behaviour, I have already explained to you why I picked you up the way I did, at the time, yes, you were just another job but all that changed overnight, when I woke up this morning I was afraid it had all been a dream and I didn't want to let go. I bought you the clothes partly out of necessity and partly to show you how much I care for you. The crux of the matter is why we are having this conversation is because I couldn't believe that you were simply thanking me, I believed that you were building up to 'Here's a good blowjob thanks for the clothes, goodbye' I was thinking that if I fucked your face real good you would stay, so all I can say about it is, I bitterly regret everything associated with it, even the packages that I tossed at you I want you to have them regardless of whether you go or stay, by the way if you don't want me around I'll arrange for someone else to take my place."

Todd sat down with exhaustion and a throbbing headache. Without thinking he caught Helen's wrist and said,
"My head hurts, want to kiss it better?"

"I said that you didn't slap me. Did you not listen? Damn it, Todd!" She was frustrated at him. "And no, I don't want someone else. I don't really understand why all of this even happened."

He sat down and his hand came out and grabbed her wrist.

My head hurts, want to kiss it better?

"No, I don't want to kiss it." She was still mad at him, but she remembered that his headache was probably because she hit him on the head. "It's because of me, isn't it?" He turned loose of her wrist, looking a bit let down.

"Just lean back." She walked around behind the chair and began massaging his neck. "I tried to not hit you really hard. I'm just asking you to not bulldoze me all the time." As she talked, her fingers carefully ran through his hair, finding the lump that she had left. "Oh, Todd! I'm sorry." She bent his head over and used her thumbs to find the tension in his neck and massage it. "Sometimes play is just that. If I take the initiative, then don't come off all heavy handed and take over. Let me lead occasionally. Okay?"

She couldn't really feel his shoulders through the suit and she paused. "Now, don't take this wrong. If you will take off your jacket, I can get to your shoulders. I'm not trying to get you into bed but I'm just trying to help your headache. Okay? I have been told before that I give a quite good massage. But if I can get to your shoulders that I can relieve some of that tension."

Todd sighed happily, Helen was actually behaving more friendly towards him so he shrugged off his jacket and leaned back. Helen had to move closer to reach his shoulders, so close that his head rested on the soft comforting mounds of her breasts, she began working her fingers on his shoulders and the ache began to slowly dissipate.

"My back aches a bit as well can you do that as well?"

He leaned forward a little and pulled his shirt up and she began an exquisite back rub, her cool fingers gliding over his skin.

"That's real good Helen but I think you need to apply more pressure, why don't I take my shirt off and lay on the bed so you can do it properly, I'll behave myself I promise."

Without waiting for an answer he stood up and began walking towards the bedroom,

"If you want to do it properly I'm sure I saw a bottle of massage oil in the bathroom, why don't you fetch it while I make room on the bed."

On reaching the bedroom he cleared the bed of the pile of clothes and laid them carefully over the back of a chair and lay face down on the bed naked from the waist up, hiding his erection that had sprung up from nowhere. He heard Helen returning from the bathroom carrying a bottle of massage oil. He tucked his arms under his head and waited for Helen to begin. The first few drops of oil were cold and he gasped in surprise. As if realizing her mistake Helen poured a few drop of oil into her palm and rubbed her hands together to warm it. Her hands began to massage his back gently sending exquisite shocks through him and his erection grew larger.

Standing at his side as she was she couldn't apply the pressure evenly on his back so he suggested that she climb on the bed and sit on his backside.

"I promised you I'd behave and no funny business." He gave a boyish little laugh, "Besides I'm enjoying myself too much, you certainly have the magic touch, it's a good thing you can't see what's happening down here in front."

He lifted his rear up with Helen sitting on him and adjusted his cock to a more comfortable position.

"I don't suppose you'd like to massage my front as well or would that be asking too much? I'm not trying to bulldoze you into anything just extending an invitation, it's up to you if you want to accept or not."

He rolled over onto his back with his pants tented but he kept his hands by his sides looking at her with a questioning grin on his face.

It was obvious what Todd was doing. He seemed determined to see just how far he could push things. Typical man. All she had asked was for him to remove his jacket. But he had to push it. Massage oil. No shirt. Laying on the bed. She was sure that if he had his way, he would soon be totally naked and have her riding his cock. Well, not this time.

He rolled over on his back and she could see his cock pressing against the front of his pants, trying to escape.

I don't suppose you'd like to massage my front as well or would that be asking too much? I'm not trying to bulldoze you into anything just extending an invitation, it's up to you if you want to accept or not.

She stood looking at him, one eyebrow raised and her arms crossed.

"You have a choice. You can turn back over and be still while I try to help you get rid of your headache, or I'll sit and watch television. Your choice."

He sheepishly grinned at her before turning back over onto his stomach.

"And no more clothes come off or I'm calling it quits."

He seemed to get the message as he rested his head on his crossed arms. Carefully she climbed on his back, sitting on his ass. With a dollop of massage oil warmed between her hands, she began. Thumb pads slowly digging into the small of his back, she ran them up either side of his spine. Once she would reach the base of his neck, with a slow turn of her thumb, worked the kinks out. Then she worked her way back down to start all over again.

She had always been told that massages was something that she did extremely well. Everyone always said so.

After a while, his breathing became more regular and she was wondering if maybe he would fall asleep. If nothing else, it would help his headache. Without realizing it, she started to hum softly. Not a real tune and not real loud.

"You know, I may not have a lot of money, and maybe I'm not the smartest person. But you don't have to spend a lot of money on me. I just ask that you talk to me, treat me like a human being with a brain. I know that I have a temper. It must be the red hair. And I'm sorry that I hit you on the head and gave you a headache. I have to admit that your libido is certainly alive and kicking."

As she spoke, almost in a whisper, she continued her massage, feeling his muscles slowly relaxing. As she worked, she gradually lessened the pressure until she called his name and he didn't answer. His breathing was even and she really felt he was asleep. Carefully she climbed off his back and left him sleeping. Heading into the small living room of the suite, she sat down and switched of the TV.

It took a while to find a halfway decent channel, passing up an episode of Charlie's Angels, some show on HGTV where someone was having their room renovated, Chopped, one of the shopping channels, a couple of games, cartoons, and other various shows. She settled on the news, watching without really paying attention until a name caught her attention. She was surprised to look up and see a picture of the Ricky that she had met at Claudio's. The poor kid didn't deserve the beating they gave him. All they had been doing was talking one minute, and the next thing she knew, Claudio was beating the kid unconscious. When she had tried to stop the brute, she had been backhanded by the bully with a promise of more if she didn't butt out. The last she had seen of Ricky, he was unconscious on the floor and bleeding. That was probably the real reason that the creep wanted her.

She felt the tears start. Someone needed to cry for the guy.

The grin faded from Todd's face when he saw the determined look on Helen's face and he knew his little ruse had failed, confirmed when she told him in no uncertain terms,

'You have a choice. You can turn back over and be still while I try to help you get rid of your headache, or I'll sit and watch television. Your choice.'

He grinned sheepishly and as he turned over he muttered half to himself but loud enough for Helen to hear,

"Okay so your still a bit pissed at me, but you'll come round I know it."

The only reply he got was,

' And no more clothes come off or I'm calling it quits.'

He folded his arms and rested his head on them still feeling a bit woozy.

Todd felt the bed dip as Helen climbed on the bed and sat on his backside, even being this close to her felt good and her jean clad legs clamped his together. He closed his eyes and pictured Helen in the same position only naked and her wonderful, gorgeous breasts swaying side to side. He sighed happily as Helen began her massage.

The feel of her hands working up and down his spine was soothing and euphoric, his eyelids closed and his thoughts were a jumble of images of a naked Helen rubbing herself against him. With his head feeling woozy he was only half awake when Helen began a tuneless hum then she spoke but he couldn't make out if she was actually speaking to him or just letting her thoughts out.

' You know, I may not have a lot of money, and maybe I'm not the smartest person. But you don't have to spend a lot of money on me. I just ask that you talk to me, treat me like a human being with a brain. I know that I have a temper. It must be the red hair. And I'm sorry that I hit you on the head and gave you a headache. I have to admit that your libido is certainly alive and kicking.'

It didn't make a lot of sense to him he had only bought her the clothes because she needed them and alright he had indulged her with the blue theme and she didn't know yet about the perfume and jewellery but again he WANTED her to have them because he loved her. Had he really been treating her like a brainless bimbo? he couldn't recall any occasion he had done that, he had given her orders sure enough but they had been to get them out of trouble. At least she had noticed his libido, the question was is she prepared to act on it? He smiled to himself as he slipped into a shallow sleep.

Slowly, inexorably he fell asleep, not even noticing when Helen finished her massage and climbed off the bed.

Half an hour later he was roused by the sound of the TV, his headache was all but gone now, he pulled on a clean shirt and picked up the two unopened parcels and made his way into the lounge where the newscaster was just reading the latest on the body in the river and up flashed a picture of a young good looking man no older than Todd himself. He heard Helen begin sobbing and realised that her fears had just been confirmed. He sat down beside her and put his arm round her shaking shoulders,

"It was him wasn't it? The guy at the party? Whatever you do don't go blaming yourself, no one could have foreseen what happened."

He pulled Helen so she was leaning against him, he just gently stroked her hair,

"You wanna talk to me about it? Doesn't matter if you don't just sit and cry it out."

He got up and sat in in a chair opposite,

"Is there anything I can get you honey?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

It was him! It was Ricky. He was just a goofy kid. And he meant no harm to anyone.

Suddenly Todd's arms were around her and he was holding her and all she could do was cry. In the back of her mind, she had worried about the kid. So when Todd pulled her to him and began stroking her hair, the floodgates opened and she cried hard. Todd was mumbling something but she was crying so hard that she really couldn't hear exactly what he was saying. He pressed a handkerchief into her hand as he comforted her.

After a while, as she blew into the handkerchief, he sat down across from her and asked, Is there anything I can get you honey?

She nodded and asked, "can you get me something to drink."

She sat there trying to pull herself together, hearing the clink of a glass. In a minute he pressed a glass into her hands. Without even looking to see what it was, she took a drink.

Once she had calmed down a bit, she took another sip and a deep breath and found herself explaining.

"Claudio was always giving parties, though I think that half the time it was so he could do deals in the back office. Ricky was like me - he really didn't fit in either. I found out that he was with the accounting firm that handled Claudio. But he really had a passion for off road biking. He was sweet. A nice kid. We must have talked for about 45 minutes. He had a list of trails that he wanted to go on."

She took a sip and tears started down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away before continuing.

"Next thing I knew, Claudio found us. We were just sitting and talking and suddenly Claudio picked the kid up by the hair and proceeded to beat..." She started crying, her words coming out between gasps. "...beat...beat the crap out...out of him. I...I...I tried to stop...stop it and that's when he...he...backhanded me and knocked my tooth out."

She broke down again, crying hard. She managed to set the glass down and spilled only a small bit. She didn't notice the arms around her.

"The last time I saw him he was bloody and unconscious on the ground."

She couldn't continue. She was crying too hard.

Helen was crying so hard that Todd's heart went out to her, he could tell that she was blaming herself. He kept telling her that it wasn't her fault, that she couldn't have stopped it but she just buried her head in his shoulder and cried and cried. His arms were around her shaking shoulders and he wanted to fold her in his arms and hug her but he was afraid that she might misconstrue his intentions so he let her weep all over him soaking his shirt with her tears.

Finally she stopped crying enough to tell him what had happened and he realised then just how callous Claudio was. He marvelled at how a girl like Helen could get mixed up with a man like him. When she had finished she burst into tears again. Desperate to get her mind off the subject he suggested that she washed her face and change so they could go down to the restaurant for tea and cakes a quaint custom brought over from England. He could tell she didn't want to go but he he finally persuaded her and while she was washing her face he picked up the short skirt and top that she had been just about to try on earlier.

"Here Helen wear this , it'll make you feel better, but one word of caution wear a thong for the sake of decency."

It wasn't meant to be suggestive just something that would bring back a smile to her face.

She looked at the outfit. It looked too flirty and sunny for the way she felt. She finished washing her face and went back into the bedroom, looking over the clothes that he had bought her. Instead of the skirt and top that he had chosen for her to wear, she picked out a sleeveless dress, plain with a flutter bodice. It wasn't flirty and the color was a bit more somber. And the length was less revealing. Nevertheless, she made sure that she wore underwear.

She knew that Todd was trying to cheer her up, but really all she wanted was someone to hold her and comfort her. No matter what he said, she still in a way felt guilty. Even though there was no way she could have called for help, it still bothered her.

She hid the evidence of her crying with makeup, but it was a solemn woman that greeted Todd when she opened the door.

"I'm ready," she quietly said as she walked over and picked up her purse.

Todd was disappointed that Helen had opted for the more demure dress but accepted that it was up to her what she wore and she had said she didn't want to be bulldozed into anything so he kept quiet except to say,

"I must say you look better now and that dress suits you."

He ignored her still puffy eyes and held her by the waist and kissed her gently and sedately on the lips. Her lips were soft and warm and he wanted nothing more than to crush her gsto him and kiss those soft seductive lips with passion but he held himself back unwilling to risk the uneasy truce between them. In truth Todd didn't know what to do, he didn't know what Helen's feelings towards him were anymore.

He took her hand in his as they walked to the elevator and he asked her,

"Have you ever had one of these English teas? They are out of this world, a choice of at least half a dozen blends of tea and would you believe sugar lumps with a set of tongs? As for the cakes and pastries, well, a whole tier of assorted cakes, the likes of which you've never seen before."

Having kept the subject of Ricky firmly under wraps Todd hoped that he had intrigued her enough to concentrate her mind on the food instead of mourning Ricky.

The waiter showed them to a table and Todd noticed that several heads turn to watch his redheaded beauty cross the floor.

"What tea do you want or shall I choose?"

Helen didn't seem to hear him as she was looking around wide eyed at the opulence of the tea room with its hanging drapes and sparkling chandeliers.

"A pot of Earl Grey for two please Oh and a tier selection of cakes."

Helen eventually came back to earth and stretched out her hand across the table, Todd was quick to seize the opportunity and took her hand in his rubbing his thumb over her delicate skin.

The waiter brought the pot of tea and the tier of cakes the sight of which sent him into paroxysms of laughter. Seeing the questioning look in Helen's eyes he began to explain,

"You see that iced cream bun on the top? Well this is a story I heard a while back. An American sailor was on shore leave in Pompey (Portsmouth) England when he met a very pretty young girl, who invited him home for tea, it turns out her father was a vicar and her mother was very strait laced. Anyway she brought out a tier of cakes very similar to this one, sitting on top of the tier was an iced cream bun, oozing with thick rich cream, it just so happened that this particular sailor loved cream buns, couldn't get enough of them so forgetting his manners he stood up and reached right across the table and snatched the cream bun, well the parents were horrified and the girl's mother sniffed,
"HMMM I can see you're Naval."
To which he replied "I don't care if you can see my fucking arse, I'm having that cream bun."
Afraid I don't know what happened after that."

He looked up at Helen seeing tears in her eyes but tears of laughter. Her face for the rest of the tea was radiant, each one of them carefully avoiding the cream bun.

He took her in his arms and kissed her gently, and she felt safe there. What she really wanted to do was to stay in the room and just have him comfort her. Not sex. Somehow, sex seemed wrong. She was glad that he didn't press her too much.

He held her hand on the trip down in the elevator. Out in public, she needed to be on her best behavior. When they walked into the tea room, the opulence of the room was breathtaking. The afternoon sun poured through the parted curtains and played amongst the crystal chandeliers, casting rainbows of color around the room. Delicate pink wallpaper graced the walls with white piping and edging. It was like a fairy land.

She was unaware of the stares that she garnered as she entered on Todd's arm. If fact, it was the sudden quiet that got her attention and she looked to find Todd looking at her a bit worried. Reaching out a hand to his, she was comforted when he took hers in his. Warm, strong fingers closed around hers and she smiled back as his thumb stroked the back of her hand.

Soon the tea and a tower of plates loaded with prettily decorated little cakes arrived at the table. She was surprised when he burst out laughing, but when he told her the joke, it seemed to lighten the mood and she fought hard not to burst out laughing too. The smile did stay on her face for the rest of the tea and though she really didn't converse that much, she no longer looked as if she were going to suddenly start crying.

She spent the rest of the tea smiling though she was not ebullient, neither was she mopey or crying. When they left to head back to the room, they walked past the newsstands and her eyes caught sight of the headlines screaming about Ricky. She knew that Claudio wanted her because she could place the young accountant beaten and dying by Claudio's hands. She also realized that should he get his hands on her, she would quickly follow the same fate.

She looked away, afraid that the tears would start. Todd must have realized it and stepped between her and the newsstand, blocking her view as he changed the subject.

Once they were back in the room, she realized just how tired she was. All of this was draining for her. She needed to be up front with him.

"Todd, I'm sorry but I feel really exhausted. I don't feel amorous or sexy and I don't want sex. I just want to curl up in your arms and watch a movie and fall asleep with you holding me. Please?"

She went in the bedroom and took off everything except her panties. Slipping on her tee, she went back in the living room of the suite and found Todd had poured them each a glass of something - she wasn't sure what it was nor did she really care. All she wanted was to feel safe in his arms and try to forget about today.

The rest of the tea passed without incident and Todd could see that she was really trying to put Ricky out of her mind and enjoy being with him but there was no sparkle in her eyes. When they had finished they decided to go back to their room and on the way they had to pass a newspaper stand where the headlines were all about Ricky and had his picture plastered all over them. Todd saw her looking and quickly blocked her view and guided her to the elevator.

Back in the room Helen's shoulders slumped and Todd just held her close as she told him,

'Todd, I'm sorry but I feel really exhausted. I don't feel amorous or sexy and I don't want sex. I just want to curl up in your arms and watch a movie and fall asleep with you holding me. Please?'

Todd understood her feelings and silently agreed with her although he really wanted to take her to bed and make love to her as he had the night before, but instead he nodded and said,

"You go and change into something comfortable while I find a decent movie."

A few minutes later Helen returned bare legged and wearing just a pair of pale blue panties and a tee shirt which did nothing to hide the fact that she had removed her bra as well, her nipples while not hard were pushing against the thin tee.

He arranged himself so Helen could lay on his lap while he wrapped his arms around her, her head on his shoulder. She look so beautiful, soft and vulnerable he couldn't help himself from leaning down and kissing her tenderly,

"Don't worry honey, you're safe here with me."

There wasn't anything worth watching on TV aside from the cartoon channel, so he sat watching that, before long he heard Helen snoring softly. He wondered what she was dreaming about.

"That's it baby, you rest, I'm hoping you'll be wanting to use your energy later." he murmured to himself.

She was glad that Todd didn’t press her but instead was willing to give her what she asked for. She really didn’t pay attention to what was in the tv. The tv wasn’t really important. It was just a noise, something in the background. Instead, she climbed onto his lap and as his strong arms wrapped around her, she snuggled up against him. Softly he kissed her lips and told her, Don't worry honey, you're safe here with me.

She felt safe. She felt that he would look out for her. The sound of his heart beating against her ear was strangely soothing. Soon she was asleep, dreaming mixed up dreams. Of being chased by big rats and always Todd there to protect her. She twitched in her sleep and tried to burrow closer to him. Todd! Her protector.

The big rat had Claudio’s eyes and Claudio’s evil grin. He nipped at her heels and she gave a cry and woke up with a start, with Todd stroking her hair and kissing her temples. Her arms went around him as she whispered,

“Please Todd, don’t give up on me. I know that I’m more trouble than I’m worth. I’m sorry that I hit you on the head and ran away. I guess...I guess that I’m afraid of love. Why should you love me? I’m nothing but trouble.”

Todd was dozing fitfully with Helen in his arms when she woke with a start bringing him to full wakefulness. Her eyes were wide open with fear or apprehension, he wasn't sure which.

"What is it baby? What is it you're scared of? I told you you're safe with me."

He stroked her hair and kissed her temples as she twisted and put her arms round him, as she did so her tee rode up her body a few inches leaving her pantie clad butt completely exposed. Todd looked and yearned to pull her close and have her straddle him but he put that thought out of his mind, she was in a delicate state of mind and he didn't want to do anything to disturb the trust that was slowly building between them.

' Please Todd, don’t give up on me. I know that I’m more trouble than I’m worth. I’m sorry that I hit you on the head and ran away. I guess...I guess that I’m afraid of love. Why should you love me? I’m nothing but trouble.

"Why would I give up on you? Yes you're trouble alright, but that comes with the territory. I guess you weren't thinking straight and you were justifiably mad as hell at me when you clobbered me."

He grinned ruefully and winced as he felt the lump on the back of his head.

"As for being afraid of love, I think Claudio has done that to you, you believe you can't trust your instincts and let yourself get too close to anyone in case you make another mistake. Why shouldn't I love YOU though? I can't help falling in love with you any more than you can stop me from.............."

Todd's self control failed him and he sat Helen on his lap with her legs spread either side of him, then he pulled her to him kissing her moist soft lips.

"That's all I'm going to do until you say otherwise, I can only tell you that I want you like crazy, it's all up to you now but whatever you choose I'll still be here for you."

He reluctantly lifted her of his lap and stood her next to him,

"Go and get a shower and get dressed decently I have a couple of surprises for you when you're dressed." He pointed her in the direction of the bathroom and playfully tapped her backside.

"Go on off you go."

He watched as Helen none too subtly swayed her hips as walked to the bathroom.

His words touched her. He really had listened to what she had said and was trying hard to do as she asked. She appreciated that.

The kiss he gave her was sweet.

That's all I'm going to do until you say otherwise, I can only tell you that I want you like crazy, it's all up to you now but whatever you choose I'll still be here for you.

He then sent her off to shower and change. As she headed for the bedroom and bathroom, she gave him a little tease, swaying her hips for him.

In the shower, the hot water felt so nice, almost as if washing away the grime of Claudio. For once in a long time, she felt safe with a man. And Todd had let her spout off without a clip upside the head. Even when she conked him on the head with the shower spout, he hadn’t hit her. Instead, he just hunted her down and convinced her to return back with him.

After her shower, she slipped on clean undies and a bra before picking a blue and white floral dress. Putting the finishing touches to her makeup, she headed out into where Todd was waiting.

“I hope that this will do.”

Todd grinned when Helen teased him with an exaggerated sway of her hips on her way to the bathroom, he was now more confident that she would play ball later.

While she was gone he tried to remember the small details in her file that he could use. He wanted most of all for her to go to the cops so they could deal with Claudio but she hadn't mentioned it and he couldn't help wondering why.

He was deep in thought when Helen's voice interrupted his thoughts,

'I hope that this will do.'

That was an understatement if ever there was one, she looked stunning in a pretty blue and white spaghetti strap summer dress and he told her so in no uncertain terms so that she blushed a bright pink but still did a twirl for him when he asked her.

"I would really love to kiss you but I don't have permission so I guess I'm gonna have to wait."

He was sincere in his words, Helen was still in a delicate state of mind so he had to go a lot slower than he normally would.

"Say let's play a little game , let's pretend it's your birthday and you only have two presents to open, your boyfriend (ME OF COURSE) has promised you if you're delighted with them then he'll take you to dinner and dancing tonight."

He handed her the two small packages and noted with satisfaction that her eyes sparkled with excitement instead of suspicion when he first gave them to her.

"Go on open them." he urged.

She blushed but gave a twirl nevertheless when asked. His next words reminded her that her was really trying hard to do she had asked.

I would really love to kiss you but I don't have permission so I guess I'm gonna have to wait.

She held her breath and was surprised when he said,

Say let's play a little game , let's pretend it's your birthday and you only have two presents to open, your boyfriend (ME OF COURSE) has promised you if you're delighted with them then he'll take you to dinner and dancing tonight."

And with that, he handed her the same two packages that he had been trying to give her all day. They must be pretty special. This time they weren’t pitched at her. Her interest was piqued as she carefully took the packages and sat on the bed to open them.

The first one had some definite weight to it as she carefully unwrapped it. She couldn’t help the squeal of delight when she read the name on the box inside.

“Black Opium! I love Black Opiun! Oh my God! Thank you, Todd!” Leaving the box on the bed she ran over and threw her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly, whispering in his ear.

“Thank you so much.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back to the bed and sitting down to open the second gift.

The content of the second package left her speechless, her mouth open in shock and amazement. Even to her untrained eyes she could see that they were the real thing and not just cut glass. With trembling fingers, she touched the gemstones and whispered to him.

“Will you put this on me?”

She turned her back to him and waited while he slipped the necklace around her neck. Running to the mirror, she put on the matching earrings and looked in the mirror at her reflection and then at him.

“Oh Todd! Thank you so much. You shouldn’t have spent so much. But thank you.”

She turned and softly kissed him on the lips, pressing herself against him. She was quiet, almost afraid to move. She waited for a response from him, but not to be attacked. She had given a gentle overture and hopefully she would get a gentle acknowledgment from him.

Todd watched as Helen sat on the bed and began opening the first of the two gift wrapped packages and saw her eyes widen with delight when she saw the perfume.

'Black Opium! I love Black Opium! Oh my God! Thank you, Todd!'

She ran over to him and threw her arms round his neck before giving him a peck on the cheek, It was not quite what he had been hoping for but it was a start.

'Thank you so much!'

"I knew it was your favourite , you were wearing it last night when we went out to dinner, I couldn't place it then but I sneaked a look on your dressing table while you were in the shower and in the perfumery they only had the DE LUXE version so it was that or nothing, I couldn't settle for any cheap stuff for my special girl."

Helen sat on the bed opening the second gift and when she opened the case her eyes went wide with disbelief as she fingered the necklace.

' Will you put this on me?' she whispered in awe.

"Of course my love." Todd replied, fastening it round her slender neck, holding her copper red hair out of the way. She ran over to the mirror and fastened the matching earrings and twisted this way and that, admiring the present.

'Oh Todd! Thank you so much. You shouldn’t have spent so much. But thank you.'

When Helen turned and kissed him full on the lips and pressed herself to him Todd didn't really know what to do, Helen was obviously waiting for some sort of response from him but how far should he go?

"Do I have permission to kiss you back now? I can't really do that properly without holding you so is that alright too?"

Helen didn't move, she stood still and lifted her face up to his and pressed herself harder against him.

His arms went round her waist and pulled her in closer for a long sweet passionate kiss, his cock was hard and throbbing wildly in his pants and he was sure Helen could feel it against her thigh. Helen accepted his kiss and their tongues met, dancing with each other. Growing bolder by the second Todd slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders and murmured softly into her mouth,

"Tell me if you want me to stop baby."

His kiss was what she needed at this moment. He hesitated asking her permission. It was nice being asked for once.

Her heart soared when finally he did kiss. She leaned into him as his lips claimed her and she felt the room spinning. She thought that she felt something pressing against her. Of course, she was having an affect on him, just as he was having an affect on her.

His fingers lightly brushed the strap of her dress as it slipped down. She had to admit to herself that his advances were not unwelcome.

His voice was soft and hopeful.

Tell me if you want me to stop baby.

“Oh Todd, I can’t help but love you. Of course I don’t want you to stop. But it’s nice to know that you listen to me.”

She kissed him back, putting all her feeling into it. Without realizing it, she slipped her arms around his waist, keeping her close to him.

“But if we continue like this, we will be late for our meal.” There was a light banter in her voice. “Of course, it all depends upon just how hungry you are.”

"Tell me if you want me to stop baby."

'Oh Todd, I can’t help but love you. Of course I don’t want you to stop. But it’s nice to know that you listen to me.'

Helen's reply to his question was more than he had dared hope for, she had actually said that she loved him and didn't want him to stop, neither did he. Her arms went round his waist pulling him tighter to her luscious soft body and his cock throbbed as his bulging manhood pressed between her legs. Her kiss was deep and passionate, his tongue delved into the wet warmth of her open mouth and slowly he ground his body against hers. His hands pulled down the bodice of her dress leaving her bra exposed, deftly he unclasped the strapless bra and pulled it from her dropping it on the floor, not touching her exquisite breasts that were now pressed against him. He broke the kiss and pulled her dress back into place.

"There now sweetheart that's better, you don't really need a bra with this dress."

'But if we continue like this, we will be late for our meal.

Her voice was happy and in a light bantering tone she continued,

'Of course, it all depends upon just how hungry you are.'

"You know very well what I am hungry for," His thumbs grazed over her nipples through her dress and he felt them harden beneath his thumbs, "But unfortunately we don't have time for everything I want to do to you, I have to make an appointment for you at the beauty parlour, not that you aren't beautiful," he hastened to add, "But I want you to look your very best tonight so everyone realises I am the luckiest man alive."

He finally let her go and called the beauty parlour telling them that his girlfriend wanted the full works, Massage, hair, fingernails, toe nails and make up.

"How long will all this take? two to two and a half hours, Hmmm that's cutting it fine but it will do and who am I speaking to? Marcia? Good I'll send her down straight away, I'm sure you'll do a great job, by the way her favourite colour is blue but whatever you do don't dye her hair blue."

He chuckled at his last remark and put the phone down and grinned boyishly at Helen,

"You get all that? You better shift that pretty ass of yours and get down to the beauty parlour, you're gonna get the pampering of your life, call me when you're ready and I'll come and fetch you, before you go you had better take off that necklace and earrings."

He unfastened the necklace and kissed the back of her neck.

"Now git," he said authoritatively.

As soon as Helen had gone he sat down thinking about what a wild twenty four hours it had been. He really thought about what Helen had said about not being bulldozed and finally understood what she meant, she wasn't going to lie down on her back and open her legs just because he was horny, On the other hand he wasn't prepared to be a lapdog, living for her permission to even kiss her, there were going to be times when she would have to be taken by surprise, a man had to assert himself sometimes and take charge, he would tell her all that in bed tonight.