Running Rings Read online

  “I hope that what I’m about to do is appropriate and not in the least bit offensive,” John said, standing up. He put his arms out to Verity. She looked at his face and at his arms and moved closer. He wrapped his arms gently around her. “When you were a tiny little girl, you and your mother used to sing ‘You are My Sunshine’ together. I haven’t been able to hear that song without feeling emotional since your mother died. If you want to know anything about her, or see pictures, or if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

  Verity smiled. It was someone who wanted to be there for her, and that was a big something. “I should start being nicer to the world. There are nice people out there. I want to laugh again, and have fun, and enjoy being a young woman. I want to control my life again. I always had control, always, I was always the boss. I would like to talk with you again, Mr Hanson.”

  “Call me John, or Uncle John if you like.”

  Verity smiled, “I’d like that. Thank you, Uncle John.”

  “I’m sure you’re just as lovely as you were when you were little. Kate was always laughing and singing. She never let a day go by without letting Josh know how much she loved him.”

  Verity felt happy in his arms because he was kind and gentle and wanted to help, and it came through in his hug. But she felt bad about herself. She felt bad about the way she’d spoken to the receptionist when she came in, and the way she’d been speaking to other people. That was the old her. The love of her life would be disappointed to hear her talking that when there was no need for it. She patted John’s back and let him go. He opened the door to the meeting room, and Verity walked down the hall and stood at the reception desk.

  “Yes?” the receptionist said.

  “Hi. I’m sorry for my sarcasm when I arrived. Seven minutes is a lot when time is money. I appreciate the time value of money, believe me. I had no control over the traffic congestion or about being lost in a street with barely any numbers, but I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m learning to apologise. I apologise a lot more than I used to apologise. Sometimes in my sleep.”

  The receptionist looked at John and back at Verity, “I’m sorry too.”

  “Have a nice day,” Verity said, and turned to leave the office.

  “You too, I hope it gets a lot better,” the receptionist said.

  “Thanks.” Verity knew her day was going to get better. She was going to be able to celebrate and buy new clothes, knowing that she had money coming into her account on Friday. She was going to do her best to be happy, and to treat people better again.

  Chapter 5

  After her last failed attempts at entering nightlife, Verity was determined to make this night fun. It was the perfect evening to ‘reclaim the night’. She had walked through the city streets with men and women in a show of solidarity that violence against women would not be tolerated and that women could walk the streets feeling safe. The crowd had dispersed to various clubs and bars, but she thought the city still had an air of love and peace, and she was feeling cheerful. She had no one in particular to celebrate with, but goddammit she was going to celebrate. A decent celebration needed a pretty dress, some dancing shoes and access to overpriced cocktails, so she was all set. She had a lot of money in the bank as of this afternoon and she was going to work out how to invest it. She knew her rent would be paid and she’d always be able to buy whatever she wanted.

  She didn’t know exactly what to do right now. She’d been inadvertently caught up with the people who were marching and now she was a long way from where she started. It was perfect timing to accidentally bump into a celebration and she felt energised. She looked at her new outfit in the reflection of the window and laughed at herself. She definitely looked like a happy individual who was ready to celebrate. The lucky bar to accept her happy self was going to be whichever one she was standing in front of right now. She took a deep breath, and looked around at everyone as she came through the open door. Everyone seemed to be letting their hair down and enjoying themselves, so this looked like a good place to play. The dark ceiling over the dance floor had lights that looked like stars in the sky and there were flashes of colour coming from the lights around the DJ. Verity ordered a drink and sat on a stool near the bar. She felt very alive right now. This was the first time in a long time that she had really let her hair down and felt comfortable being out. No one was going to make her feel bad. Not tonight. Not when so many men and women had proudly walked together supporting each other and all the people who’d suffered from violence. Tonight she wasn’t trussed up in layers. Tonight she was only wearing a matching underwear set, a dress and high heels, and she felt safe.

  Verity looked around at the men and women in the bar. She wanted to see beauty in all of them. Tonight was a night that she was going to look only for positive things, and anyone who tried to put a dampener on her mood would become invisible. She smiled and sipped the cocktail, looking towards the dancing crowd of spinning dresses and thrusting hips. There was a joy and freedom in dancing in public without caring how you looked or who was watching. Verity was going to try it, but she was going to need a few more drinks first.

  After two more cocktails, Verity moved onto the edge of the dance floor. She started with a slight foot shuffle and then a hip wiggle. She knew she was uncoordinated and self-conscious, but she really wanted to try. If the love of her life was here then he’d be dancing up a storm. He could do everything from a waltz to a barn dance. She could try. After a few more minutes some hand gestures made their way into her routine and she was further off the edge of the dance floor. She looked at the couples dancing, two women, or men and women, and seeing a few solo people was a relief. She wasn’t the only one. She watched a blonde man enter the dance floor solo from the opposite corner. He looked strong by the way he filled his clothes but he had loose hips. Verity became mesmerised by watching his hips move. She wished he would take off his jacket so she could check out his arse. She laughed at herself for thinking dirty, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She hadn’t even remembered to dance while staring at him and was practically standing still three feet from the edge of the dance floor. She realised he was coming closer and he was looking at her. He must have noticed she was staring. Verity didn’t know whether to turn around and run away or to see what happened when he got there. The decision was made for her as he slid the rest of the way towards her on his knees and held out his hand to her.

  Verity laughed and took his hand. He jumped to his feet and spun her around under his arm. Verity laughed again. He took her into a waltz pose, but he moved fast. Verity was impressed with his moves but couldn’t keep up with him. She wanted to be able to move her hips the way he did. “Can you teach me how to do that?” she asked loudly. He smiled and nodded. He turned her around so her back was to him, and took her left hand in his. He put his right arm across her abdomen, moving in close behind her, and pushed his knees and hips against her to make her move. Verity was enjoying it. She could do this. It was just a matter of loosening up and relaxing. She began to move more freely with him, and he spun her around by her hand to face him. He moved his leg between hers and continued to move his hips. Verity moved her hips with his and felt like she was in the movie ‘Dirty Dancing’. His moves were arousing and they made her feel sexy. She laughed, “Oh my god, I feel sexy. I didn’t know I could.” He laughed at her and bent her backwards and pulled her close again. She continued this for several minutes, but realised there was somewhere she needed to go. “I haven’t peed since I left home and I had too many drinks,” she laughed. He nodded and pointed in the direction of the bathroom.

  In the bathroom, Verity went straight to the cubicle and when she came out she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked happy. She was dancing in public. She’d never done that before, not like this. Her smile dropped away and she washed her hands. In private they waltzed and kissed, and it usually ended in gentle love making. They never went out to clubs or discoes, but when the music came on at the
university café or recreation room he danced up a storm to fit any rhythm and always drew a crowd. They celebrated turning eighteen with a trip to the pub, proudly showing their ID to prove they were now of legal drinking age, and played a few games of pool. Verity wondered if it was okay to dance with someone else. She hadn’t seen him for over a year. Maybe he was dancing with someone else too. Verity looked back in the mirror. It’s one night. It’s one night that she was determined to feel free and positive. If it involved dancing and drinks and even something else crazy then so be it. It was just one night. She smiled and wondered if that crazy dancing man was still out there.

  The noise of the music was so much more pronounced outside of the bathroom. She could hear people laughing and saw them kissing, and everyone was having a good time.

  “What are you drinking?”

  Verity turned to see who had asked, and saw it was the man from the dance floor. “Water this time.”

  “There’s some on the end of the bar, you don’t have to queue for that,” he said.

  “Thank you, I’m Verity,” she said, putting out her hand.

  He shook her hand and told her his name, but at the same time someone dropped a glass. She nodded. He directed her away from the bar queue to where there was a filtered water tap and glasses, and she thanked him. She told him she’d never been here before and was learning as she went. He asked if she wanted to dance again. She nodded. He filled two glasses with water and handed her one then clinked his glass against hers. They drank the water and he took her by the hand to the dance floor. Verity didn’t want to leave his arms. He danced like a star, and he was more agile than she expected for someone who was so muscular. She’d never had her hands on such a thick chest or big arms and she wasn’t feeling the least bit guilty about that. Everything about him was sexy. The way he looked at her, the way his eyebrow flicked up when he did something risqué, the way his hips moved against hers. Verity was surprised to find herself thinking about sex, but he was definitely making her feel like having sex. She laughed. She didn’t know if that would ever happen. She was thinking about sex as a sexy thing.

  She’d already asked him his name and she knew it started with ‘A’ but she was too embarrassed to ask again. She could blame the music and the alcohol. Right now his name wasn’t important. What was important was that she’d been dancing and laughing and drinking with him for hours and he made her feel things she hadn’t felt before. There was something sexual and magnetic about his every move and she desperately wanted to be alone with him. He would probably say no because she wasn’t pretty enough and he could have his choice of women, but she decided to put it out there. She moved closer and put her arms around his neck, “I want to take you home with me and continue this dance without our clothes.”

  He laughed and nodded, “Okay. Take me home.” He took her by the hand and they left the bar, but it was almost as noisy outside.

  “Those hours flew by, didn’t they? Wow, I had such a fun time,” she said.

  “Me too. I don’t come out every weekend, but when I do I like to make the most of it.”

  “Are we going to your place or mine?” Verity asked.

  “Let’s go to my place. We can walk there and cool down a little, it’s not that far. I have a great view from my balcony.”

  “You live right here in the middle of the city? That’s crazy. It must be so great.”

  “It’s entertaining,” he replied, “Want to walk arm in arm?”

  Verity nodded and put her arm around his waist and he put his arm around her shoulder. “So is your name Adam?”

  “No, Adrian. I know it was very loud in there. You’re Verity. It’s an unusual name.”

  “Thanks. It’s supposed to mean truth or something. I don’t know. I’m a little drunk.”

  “Did you only ask me to come home with you because you’re drunk?”

  “No, I’m not that drunk, only a little drunk. I wanted to be alone with you,” Verity said. She looked at the other people she was passing and it felt nice to be walking like she was part of a ‘couple’. Her feet were killing her though. “How would you feel about me walking barefoot? It’ll make me shorter but faster.”

  “I would feel concerned that the footpath is filthy and you might stand on broken glass or a hypodermic, but if you have sore feet I could piggy-back you,” he said.

  Verity laughed, “No, thank you, not in this dress. It’ll end up around my bellybutton. Is it much further?”

  He pointed down and across the street, and Verity looked up at the building. She thought the views must be amazing from up there and wondered which floor he lived on. He moved his hand from her shoulder and took her hand is his as they stopped at the lights. Verity felt the back of his hand with her other hand. He had strong hands but they were holding her gently. She smiled at him, but he was watching the light and the traffic.

  Chapter 6

  The doors of the elevator closed and Adrian smiled as he took her hand again. Verity rubbed his arm and looked around. “Could I kiss you, Adrian, or would that be weird? I’ve never kissed anyone inside an elevator before.” Adrian smiled and turned to face her. She moved towards him and kissed him softly on the lips. “Thank you.”

  Adrian laughed, “That wasn’t the kiss I was expecting.”

  “Better or worse?”

  “Different,” Adrian said.

  When the elevator arrived on his floor, he gestured Verity to the left. She followed him the short distance to the end of the hall and he opened the door. Verity was waiting to feel nervous, she was expecting she would, but so far she didn’t. So far she was just wondering what his apartment looked like inside. When she walked in, she looked around and thought how masculine it was in there and how it smelled like virile cologne.

  “Welcome to my home,” he said, closing the door.

  “Thank you. May I kiss you again?” Verity asked.

  “I’d like that,” he replied.

  Verity licked her lips and moved her face towards his, not knowing what to expect. He kissed her gently on the lips. So she kissed him back. He kissed her again. She smiled and kissed him again. He kissed her a little longer and Verity decided her next kiss was going to be an open mouth one. She turned her face slightly and parted her lips. She moved her tongue to his lips, hoping he’d reciprocate. His tongue brushed hers so her tongue pushed by it and went into his mouth. He moved his tongue into her mouth and then it was on. Verity kissed him hungrily and ran her hands over his shoulders. The way he kissed was something else. It was like his mouth was having sexual intercourse with hers. It was delicious, and sexy, and sinful, and it made her want to rip his clothes off. She moved her hands to his buttons trying to figure out how to undo them, and when she got a few undone she went straight for his skin. He had hair on his chest and it felt good under her fingers. She wanted to feel more of his skin, all of his skin. Please.

  Verity suddenly stopped and pulled back, “I’m sorry. I got carried away there with the kissing and the skin touching.”

  “I was enjoying it a lot. Would you like me to take my shirt all the way off?”

  Verity nodded. Adrian smiled and unbuttoned his shirt while Verity watched. She looked at his biceps and his strong chest, and he had a six pack. She’d never seen a six pack up close before. She stepped to him and felt his chest and abdomen. He smiled and moved his face to hers. Verity kissed him again and felt his skin. Her hands were over his chest and over his shoulders and down his arms as they kissed. It felt so good. Verity stopped again and pulled back from him.

  “Are you okay?”

  Verity nodded, “I’m not really sure how I got here. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve never been a sure thing in my life.”

  He smiled, “We don’t have to go any further if you don’t want to.”

  “I want to. I really need to get back on the horse,” she said, moving close to him again.

  “Am I a horse?” he asked, looking into her eyes.


  “No, you’re a gorgeous man and an amazing dancer and a sexy kisser.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her leg around his as she kissed him. His kisses were amazing and she wanted him inside her, deep inside her, as far as he could go. Verity suddenly pulled back again.

  Adrian put his hands up and then down by his side, “Sorry, Verity, I was just trying to mirror your passion there.”

  Verity wrung her hands, “It was incredibly good. I’ve never felt such a strong desire to have sex with a man in my entire life, Adrian, and it scared the hell out of me.” Verity felt embarrassed by what she had just said. She put her arms across her chest and looked away from him.

  “That was the sexiest thing I’d ever heard, until your body language shifted. Somebody hurt you, didn’t they?” he asked.

  Verity nodded.

  “Is this the first time since?”

  Verity nodded.

  “Hey, let’s not go there then. If you’re not ready, I’m happy to just hold you,” he said, “We don’t have to do anything at all. We don’t even have to kiss.”

  “Really?” Verity asked, “I thought you thought I was a sure thing.”

  “They were your words, not mine. Nothing in life comes with a guarantee, even the things that come with a guarantee.”

  Verity gave a little laugh, “I like you and I want to do this. I really do. I don’t want to leave here without having sex with you, and I hope you don’t get frustrated by me.”

  “I’ll be as patient as you need me to be, babe.”

  “Thank you. Would you mind if I was in charge?”

  “Not at all,” he said, “You lead and I’ll follow.”