Jingle Balls (Ball Games #5) Read online

  Chapter Seven

  Camille

  “Sorry about Mum,” I say to Beth and Linds. I know they’re used to her, but they have their own parents, they don’t need to put up with mine as well.

  “She makes me laugh,” says Beth. “Goodness knows how your dad hasn’t gone deaf.”

  “Must be worth it for the Christmas outfits,” laughs Lindsay.

  “Ew, Stop it. Seriously. I can’t believe she’s insisting we join in on her sex-crazed plans. My worry is that the biscuit making isn’t fulfilling her anymore. I reckon she’s suffering from a lack of projectitis.”

  “Well, you’re the Grinch who stole Christmas from her.” Beth pulls her tongue out at me.

  “Do you think that was mean? I know she loves organising it, but I wanted to do it for once.”

  “Your mother’s got to learn she can’t have everything her way. Her children are growing up, and things are changing. She needs to adapt,” says Lindsay.

  Then Beth and Lindsay fall about laughing.

  “You know she’s going to take over, don’t you? There’s no way you’re getting away with a buffet and no Christmas pudding.” Says Beth.

  “What’s she going to do? Bring a full dinner around in the car? Even my mum can’t pull that off. Good warning though, she’s bound to interfere with something. I’ll keep a close watch for her antics. In the meantime, give her some more baking to do.”

  “That I can do. We’re getting extra orders all the time.”

  “How are you getting on in the Kid Zone kitchen?” asks Lindsay.

  “It's fantastic. Best move I’ve made. I feel far more business-like with staff to direct. No more men and children interrupting the process. I’m getting so much more done.”

  “That’s fantastic.”

  “What about you?” I ask Lindsay. “How’s the promotion going?” Lindsay had got a promotion earlier in the year which meant she’d had to move from the Rotherham Branch of Smiths to the Sheffield one.

  “It’s alright. I have a great team, and they’re enthusiastic about the Christmas promotions. It’s not the most exciting place on earth, but it’s a job.”

  I ponder my play centre. “I love my job.”

  Beth’s face gains a dreamy expression. “Hmm, me too.”

  “You two make me sick, you know that?” Lindsay says. “Well, maybe sometime in the future I can consider getting a dream job, whatever that might be, but for now I’ll have to put up with working in a shop.”

  “And being the girlfriend of a famous YouTuber,” I add.

  “Yeah, but I’m not counting on that. It could disappear at any time. We’re not like you and yours. It’s very early days for me and Tyler.”

  “Are you having second thoughts? I know he can be a bit stupid.”

  “I’m thinking about what your mum said about this being his first foray into independence. What if I’m just practice? What if his career takes off, and he becomes surrounded by groupies and turns into a manslut?”

  I touch her arm. “Oh, Lindsay, I’m sure that’s not the case. My brother’s very fond of you. He doesn’t pack a manbag for everyone you know?”

  “Sod the shopping, I’m going back to the Sleigh Bar,” says Lindsay.

  “Oh, yes please,” Beth adds, and we turn around and regroup at our table with a fresh round of warm Pimms.

  “So any more thoughts about the wedding?” Lindsay asks me.

  I sigh. “It’s a bone of contention between me and Dylan right now. He believes I should be more enthusiastic and wants us to decide on a date and venue, but I’m so busy at work. I’m self-employed, I can’t ignore work stuff to plan a wedding.”

  “Why not let your mum do it?”

  I sigh. “She’s not interested in weddings. It’s the one thing she won’t get projectitis about. Besides, I need to show my commitment to Dylan. We’re shut on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Maybe we can decide on something then? I’m thinking Spring 2018 anyway. Plenty of time.”

  “Not in weddingland. Venues get booked up months in advance,” says Beth.

  “I’ve got an idea,” says Lindsay, “though you might not like it.”

  “What?”

  “If Leo says yes, why not have a double wedding? You can half the planning responsibilities.”

  Beth and I look at each other.

  “I would, would you?” I ask her.

  “Well Leo needs to say yes first, and then he would need to agree to it, but hell why not?”

  “Lindsay, you’re a genius.”

  Lindsay beams. “I’ve another idea.”

  “No we’re not having a foursome on the wedding night,” Beth laughs.

  “Oh my God. Hahahaha. No, I was wondering. You say Dylan thinks you aren’t serious. Well, you’ve not had an engagement party yet.”

  “I haven’t had time.”

  “So make your Christmas buffet an engagement party.”

  I sit back, nursing my Pimms as I mull it over. “That, girl, is a fucking genius idea. It takes no more preparation than what I’m doing anyway and whoop, extra pressies.”

  “Wow, your party will be busy. An engagement do, a Christmas do, and my proposal. You need to do something big as well, Lindsay.”

  “I’ll no doubt be videoed for Ty’s reality channel. Plus, it’s his birthday.” adds Lindsay.

  “He’s not videoing my proposal, I’ll die of embarrassment.”

  “Yes, but you’ll have the happy moment on camera forever,” says Cam.

  “Okay, he can video but not post it.”

  “I’d like to see you stop him. It’ll be the feature of the day.”

  “It might not be,” says Lindsay. “I’m working on something. It’s just a seed of a thing at the moment, and I’m not sure if it’s happening yet, but it should take his attention off everyone else’s business.”

  “Ooh, I’m intrigued. Spill.”

  “I’m keeping mum on this one.” Lindsay winks. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

  “Well, how was your afternoon with the girls? Did you buy me lots of presents?” asks Dylan on my return home.

  I hang my coat at the bottom of the stairs and walk through to the lounge. “It was a productive afternoon,” I answer, flinging my arms around his neck.

  “It smells it,” he says. “You’re wearing the aroma of Pimms like a perfume. However, there seems to be a distinct lack of shopping bags.”

  I stick my tongue in his mouth and twirl it with his. Then I step back. “We had the most brilliant idea.”

  “What? To stick your tongue down my throat? That is brilliant. Can you have more of these girly get-togethers but come up with something naughtier next time?”

  I smile at him. “We should have an engagement party.”

  He holds me at arm’s length and gazes at me. “My God, you’re not actually committing towards our wedding are you? I was beginning to think you were your mother’s daughter.”

  “I think Mum avoids the subject because she resents that my dad never wanted to get married when she did, back in the early days of their relationship.”

  “Why didn’t he?”

  “He always said it didn’t make a jot of difference to a relationship and that he didn’t need a piece of paper.”

  “I really felt for him when your mother turned him down.”

  “He proposed for all the wrong reasons. He shouldn’t have expected another answer. For all her bravado, I think deep down it affected her, him not committing officially. Sometimes, I see her attention seeking as her wanting him to notice her. It’s like she’s scared his attention will wane.”

  “Can’t see your dad looking for another woman. Doesn’t seem the type.”

  “No, but he’d get wrapped up in going for a pint in an evening and staring at that rather than my mum.”

  “Anyway, enough of them, back to us. An engagement party? When?”

  “Our Christmas day bash. Two for the price of one. We’ll add your parents and family to
the mix.”

  “And it’ll be our housewarming too.”

  “Oh God, yeah.” I think about that. It’s now a Christmas Buffet/Housewarming/Engagement party, with Tyler’s 26th birthday and Beth proposing. Jeesh.

  “I can’t wait for you to become Mrs Ball,” says Dylan. “You’ve to promise to sit and make a date for our wedding by the start of the New Year. Now, let me taste that Pimms again.”

  I agree with both his suggestions.

  Chapter Eight

  Dora

  Tuesday 6 December 2016

  So, Beth gave me a key to her house yesterday. She’s so frazzled she gave me hers to get copied after I started nagging, though she did point out that should she be in a kitchen fire she’d prefer to be taken to hospital. So, I’m in. The house is gorgeous. I didn’t want anyone in the vicinity to be suspicious or think I’m a burglar, so I dressed in my naughty nurse's outfit but added a pair of black trousers underneath. There was an old biddy who nodded to me through my car window before I turned up the driveway. Thank goodness it’s a long driveway, or she might have asked me a medical question, she seemed the sort.

  In and with the alarm switched off, I have a good look around for the best place to instigate my plan. Beth would be onto me in no time; it’s Leo I have to work on. I hide the elf and the package in the top drawer in his office desk and hope to God Beth doesn’t go in there for any reason.

  Leo

  I return from my golf lessons early. Although I’m booked up into the New Year with people reserving lessons for their partners as presents, it’s pretty quiet right now. I’m going to build some furniture for an hour or so before I collect Trey from pre-school. You’d think an early start and a morning of activities would tire a kid out, but no, if anything he returns with even more energy. It’s no wonder Beth is so slim; she’s run ragged with Trey and the business.

  I’m so bloody proud of her. I realise how much of herself she lost when she had to give up her Uni education. She says it was worth it, but I know she felt a need to prove herself. She’s done that, and more. She made my life complete when she moved in with Trey. Hopefully, somewhere down the line, we can have another kid, but if it’s only us three, that’s fine with me too. She doesn’t know it, but I’m going to propose to her on Christmas Day. Dylan’s in on the secret, but I’ve asked him not to tell Cam. I can’t trust her to keep it to herself. The ring’s hidden in the back of the wardrobe, but I’ve bought a new desk with a lockable top drawer. First, it’s time to empty and dismantle the current one, which has a rickety leg and a half-broken drawer. I’d been putting up with it, but now Trey’s around I want to make sure everything is safe.

  As I open the top drawer of the desk, I shriek. The noise I make is like a crazy ass woman scared of spiders. Thank goodness our house is set away from others. My cheeks heat. Heart pounding, I peer back in the drawer and bring out the most awful looking Christmas elf. What the fuck is it? I peer around the room, convinced it’s some kind of voodoo doll and I’m about to be murdered. Fuck, there’s a note. I pull my golf gloves out of my pocket and put them on to avoid putting fingerprints on it. It might be needed for evidence.

  I read the typewritten words. At least it’s not formed out of newspaper letters, so that’s something.

  L.

  Wrap me up, in this bow.

  Then let’s take it nice and slow.

  Don’t mention the fact I bought this myself.

  You have a naughty secret elf!

  I might come back another day.

  But for now, it’s time to play.

  Shh!

  Ooh, get my Beth, the naughty minx. Fine. I’ll not mention where it came from. If she wants me to take the lead, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Right, I’d better get this desk fixed up, and the ring put away. I can’t have her going in my drawers again. Even if it is to help me get in hers!

  A key turns in the lock. She’s home.

  “Mummy!” Trey jumps off my knee, leaving it feeling cold without his warm body there and goes running. I jump up and follow him.

  She spins him around. “Hey, big boy, how was school?”

  It’s corny I know, but I almost have to bite on my hand because of how much love I have for them both. As if reading my mind Beth beckons me towards them.

  “Come on in, Daddy. Family hug.” Beth yawns. “God, I’ve been so busy. This time of year’s a killer,” Beth says. She looks ready to slump on the sofa, but that’s not in our plan for tonight.

  I bath Trey and get his milk and biscuit while Beth fixes us an evening meal. I’m not the world’s best cook, and Beth enjoys doing it. I feel guilty when she’s worked all day, but she says it helps her unwind, that making an evening meal is different to the pressure of making perfect chocolates and biscuits. She eats with Trey on her knee, passing him little pieces of tuna pasta bake and singing songs. Meal times take a long time now, and her food must be cold by the time she gets to eat it, but she won’t pass Trey over when I’ve finished. It’s her time with him before he goes to bed. After that, she reads him bedtime stories for half an hour, until settled, he falls into a deep sleep.

  Usually, I’ll return downstairs after kissing our son goodnight, but this evening I have an order to execute.

  On our bedside table, there’s a glass of red wine each.

  Beth walks into our room as she does each evening to get changed.

  An eyebrow rises at the wine, and she turns to me. “You feeling horny, Mr Coleman?”

  “I’m thinking I deserve a nice treat for babysitting while you drank copious amounts of Pimms the other day, and had to go straight to bed when you got home.”

  She giggles. “I can’t help it if I’m a lightweight. What do you have in mind?”

  “This,” I say, and hold up the bow outfit. It’s made of a shiny red fabric, and there’s not much to it.

  Beth gives me a greatly surprised face. “Oh, what’s that for?”

  “This is where you get to be my Christmas gift, and I get to unwrap you.”

  “Sexy Christmas lingerie. Well, who knew?” A smirk crosses her face as she thinks of something. No doubt congratulating herself on the role play she’s instigated.

  “So strip lady, and get this on.”

  She takes it out of my hand. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go to the bathroom. Make yourself comfy and enjoy some of that wine.”

  Beth

  Shit. What’s got into Leo tonight? I didn’t know he was into dressing up. It’s a good job I keep up to date with my waxing because there’s going to be little left to the imagination. I’ve snuck my phone into the bathroom, and speed dial Cam.

  “Fucking hell, Cam.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I giggle. “But guess what?”

  “Spill, you’re killing me here.”

  “Your mother was right. I’m in the bathroom. Leo’s just given me some sexy lingerie to put on. You ought to see his face. Like Christmas has come early. Go buy some. I have a feeling we can get away with murder if we dress up.”

  “What’s he bought?”

  “It’s basically a ribbon made into a bow.”

  “Yeah well, that’s alright for you, Miss Size Ten, my size fourteen body won’t look the same. I bet you resemble a naked Miss World.”

  “Not yet I don’t, I haven’t put it on. And shut up, you’re beautiful. At least you have tits.”

  “For God’s sake. You have a sexy man in your bedroom waiting for you. Why are you on the phone? I’ll go Google, now fuck off.”

  I put the outfit on. God, I feel stupid. But Beth, you need to own this. Leo made an effort to purchase the outfit, so you need to give him a good show. If only I could have downed the glass of wine first.

  Leo

  Jesus Fucking Christ.

  Beth walks in. Her pale skin contrasts against the red of the silky bow. The thick piece of satin ribbon runs across one shoulder and between her legs. She does a slow shimmy around, revealing th
e back where the ribbon passes over one shoulder and then folds like a thong over the crack of her fine, pert ass. It then wraps around her middle, where, as she turns to face me again, it culminates in a wide bow wrapped over her tits.

  I’m finding it hard not to come in my pants right now. My mouth dry, I take a drink of wine.

  Beth comes to stand in front of me at my side of the bed. She places a hand on her right hip and looks up at me. “Here’s your present, Mr Coleman. Would you care to unwrap it?”

  Would I?

  I remember her words in the note, nice and slow.

  Moving closer to her body, I trail my hand down the side of her arm. There’s a turn on in the fact that I’m fully dressed while Beth is almost naked. Her arm goosebumps under my fingertips. I trail my fingers up the side of her abdomen. She shivers under my touch.

  I drop the satin ribbon off her shoulder and the material puddles on the floor. My beautiful woman stands straight and proud in front of me. Not hiding herself like she used to when we first got back together, thinking I’d be bothered by the silken strands across her stomach. They’re a thing of beauty because they appeared because of our son. I kneel and kiss each stretch mark, and then move my head to the juncture of her thighs. Beth wraps her hands around the back of my neck, her own invisible ribbon tying me to her body.

  I savour the taste of her on my tongue as she grinds against me. We move to the bed and Beth sits on the edge, her long dark hair curling around her breasts. I return my attentions to her clit, enjoying the taste and the warmth, better than any wine on my bedside table. When she comes apart, I gather her in my arms and trace tiny circles on her flesh with my fingertips. Then I can wait no longer, and my cock seeks its pleasure between Beth’s thighs. On and off all night long.