7 comments/ 16383 views/ 13 favorites Brighton Manor Ch. 01 By: Submissioness Chapter 1 An exploration of a love-hate relationship That old manor was no place for a city girl like Stella. Perhaps if she'd been born in this country and her parents hadn't decided to move to America when they tuned 18, she might feel more comfortable running this big mansion. She would have been living here all along if her mother hadn't passed this house on to her younger sister when their parents died. Now that Stella's aunt had died a lonely, some say crazy, maid at 45, her mother was once again heir to the old English manor. Stella was never sure why her mother refused to stay in a mansion in England with a large inheritance and servants. But she did now. The house had nearly 30 rooms, many locked and crammed with old forgotten furniture and antiques. Apparently when her aunt Delores moved in and took over 25 years ago she let it run into the ground. She didn't want to pay the original grounds keeper or the landscapers anymore. She cut the wait staff down to just one little old lady and a young hand maiden. Apparently, Delores was hoarding the small fortune, leaving it nearly untouched for fear of losing everything she owned. Aunt Deloris was a very strange woman. Well, from what she could remember anyway. The last time Stella saw her for herself was at her 10th birthday party 15 years ago. At any rate, the mansion was hers now as the eldest of two, other than her mother, in the original Brighton bloodline. As she walked up to the steps of the old mansion that first night, the old woman greeted her and opened the tall wooden double doors. In the foyer stood the young woman. Both of the ladies wore ragged uniforms; they probably hadn't been replaced since her grandparents had died. They seemed very nervous which in turn made her even more uncomfortable to be there. "Hello! Welcome to Brighton Manor. Miss Brighton," the eldest lady said with manufactured zeal. "This is Victoria, she will carry your things and I will give her a brief tour of the house." The young girl waved as she struggled to pick up one of Stella's bags. Stella only nodded the entire time. She felt as though she'd stepped into a time machine that took her back a hundred years. "My name is Mary, I am the head maid. You will have to excuse us. There is one more but he ran an errand. You came sooner than we expected. But Mouse should be back very soon." Mouse, she thought to herself. What kind of name is that? "Right this way to the kitchen," the old woman said and led her away toward the left of the house. As Mary led her through the most important rooms of the Mansion, her mouth was quiet but her mind was flooded with thought. Her eyes and ears were like sponges soaking in the sights and information that Mary shared with her. As it turned out, her grandparents kept the manor up quite well. They were always entertaining guests but you'd never guess it by the looks of it now. For just a moment, Stella thought it would be exciting to revamp the old place and bring it back to its old heyday appeal. But she knew she couldn't afford to pay to have all that work done. If mother knew what has happened to this old place she'd be devastated. She would surely feel guilty for passing the entire estate on to her sister just so she could stay in America. "Mouse!" Mary called. A figure of a young man passed the dark doorway of the grand hall. The man ignored her completely. "Excuse him, ma'am. He isn't keen on strangers. He keeps to himself mostly." "Is he dangerous?" Stella said mildly alarmed. "Oh, no, he's quite harmless. He just keeps to the lawn best he can and stays out of the way. You'll have to give him time. He'll come around. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Stella and Mary caught up with Victoria in Stella's new bedroom. "I didn't suppose you'd want your late aunt's old room so I thought I would prepare your mother's old room." "No, that's awesome. It's absolutely gorgeous!" Stella looked around the lavishly decorated room. It was so delicately furnished and decorated with rich cherry wood and white lace. The bed was on a platform to elevate it from the floor and there were high bedposts at each corner draped by a beautiful white lace canopy. "We took great care in cleaning up your room, Miss Brighton. I hope you find it satisfactory," Mary said. "This room hasn't been occupied since your mother left in 1971." "It's very classic. Timeless beauty. I love it." "Wonderful. Are you hungry, ma'am? I know it's late but I could prepare you something." "No, that won't be necessary. I'm not hungry," Stella said as she opened the closet door scoping it out. "What time shall I wake you tomorrow?" "Oh, please don't. I'd really like to sleep in tomorrow." "As you wish. Do you need any other assistance this evening?" "No, thank you very much," she replied. She really just wanted to be alone. "Come along, Victoria," Mary said to the young girl. Stella knew she should get some rest but she wasn't sleepy. She had a meeting tomorrow afternoon with the lawyers. Among other matters of the estate she was going to find out exactly how much of her grandparents inheritance money was left. She took a bath in the beautiful porcelain claw foot tub in the bathroom connected to her bedroom then she crawled into the huge bed to try to get some sleep. She lay restless, however. Nervous, perhaps. It was such a strange and different environment. After laying there sleeplessly for over an hour she decided to go to the kitchen for a glass of milk-if she could find it. Stella donned her robe and made way quietly down the hall. It was very dark; everyone must have gone to bed. Gratefully, it wasn't as difficult as she thought to find the kitchen. After quietly finding the cabinet with the glasses in it, she poured her milk and drank it down. As she rinsed the glass out in the sink she noticed a light coming from under a doorway down the hall. That isn't where the servants' quarters are, she thought curiously. Part of her wanted to go see who was up but another part felt like it was disrespectful to snoop. Well, it's almost my house now. And they are almost my employees so I shouldn't feel guilty about it, right? Stella rationalized. She tip-toed down the short hallway and peeked through the crack in the door. She saw Mouse. He was undressing for bed. He sure doesn't look like a mouse, Stella thought. He was built like a god from working outside all day every day. Mouse reached over and turned on the lamp to scour his dresser for bed clothes. When he turned toward the door she was shocked at what she saw. He was a handsome young man, maybe 30, with dirty, medium length dirty blond hair that had just a bit of curl to it. And then she saw them, but only for a brief moment before he put his clean shirt on. They looked like small round burn marks, possibly self-inflicted. When she saw them she gasped slightly. She couldn't tell if he had heard her or not. He put on his shirt and turned and shut the door. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* "Hello." "Mother!" Stella shouted at her mother on her cell. "Why didn't you tell me about all this inheritance stuff?!" The cab driver glanced back at her in the rear view mirror. "Well, I never really cared much for living out at that old place, you know that. I never really kept up with it all. Sort of forgot about it, really. Your father and I make more than enough money to take care of ourselves anyway." "You really have no idea what's going on here do you?" Stella exclaimed, stunned at her mother's willful ignorance. "Honey, I made my choices a long time ago and knowing 'what's going on' over there was something I chose not to involve myself in." "Grand dad invested in things, do you remember that?" "Well, yes," she replied. "And you've heard of Apple? And Toshiba? And Coppertone? He has stock in all of those! And he apparently owns part of a soccer team..." "Football," her mother corrected. "Whatever. The other owners had talked to the lawyers and want to buy his share. He also owns stock in countless other businesses. Most I've never heard of, but Apple? Seriously?!" "Well, honey, I know you'll do what's best of the family." "We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars, mother!" Stella said sternly amazed that her mother was so disinterested in such an astonishing inheritance. Even the cabbie's eyebrows raised at the amount. "It is more than I expected but like I said, it's yours now. Just make me proud. You still have Mr. Montgomery there looking after the finances, right?" "Mom, Delores fired Mr. Montgomery in the 90's. He was there though, wanting to do it again. Apparently we paid him quite well and he was close friends with grand dad." "Well, you should let him. Your grand dad trusted him with his life. And you're lucky he was there." "Alright. Thanks, mom," she said with a sigh. "We're about to be in the dead zone. Mary said that there is zero reception anywhere around the estate." "Mary is still there?" her mother exclaimed. "Yeah, she's the head maid." "She was my mothers hand maiden when I was young. She begged me not to leave. Tell her I said hello." "Sure, mom. I'll talk to you later." "Love you. Make me proud." "Love you, too, mom." Stella placed the phone in her purse and pulled out some cash for the cab driver. "I would give you a bigger tip but I don't exactly have my inheritance yet," she said. He only gave an understanding nod. She could tell he was thinking it. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Dinner was wonderful, her bath was relaxing and she was exhausted. The house and assets were almost officially hers. When she found out how much it was all worth she nearly fell out of her chair. She cried uncontrollably for almost half an hour in the bathroom at the lawyers office before she could collect herself enough to call her mom Her first thought was that she never had to work another day in her life. The second, naturally, was that she was going shopping in Paris, but she couldn't help that thought. "Make me proud," he mother had said. Stella sighed.I guess I know what I have to do. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Later that night Stella was contemplating the fate of the manor. She had decided to hire temporary staff and landscapers and such. She knew she wanted to purchase new uniforms; those rags they've been wearing looked decades old. Then she thought of Mouse. Stella looked at the clock: 10 PM. Everyone should be in bed by now, she thought. She again crept down to the kitchen. And again she saw a dim light coming from the cracked door down the short hall. She walked slowly toward the door and peeked through the crack. Stella didn't see anything for a moment but then he walked into her narrow view. He must have just gotten out of the tub because his hair was wet and curly and water droplets covered his back and shoulders. He had a big white towel wrapped low around his waist. She was hoping that he would go ahead and remove the towel so she could see the rest of his immaculate physique. But instead he took a few stops back and closed the door. Damn! she thought to herself. Where do I put the quarter for another peep show? She let out a single giggle and slapped her hand over her mouth. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* "I think Mouse is avoiding me. I haven't seen him face to face in the two days I've been here." Stella said to Mary over breakfast. "I told you, dear, he keeps to himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't speak a word for the first few weeks. Just then Mouse emerged from the short hallway. "Here's a word for you if you must have one," he said walking past the two ladies sitting at the table, "good day," he snapped and just as quickly as he entered, he left. "That's two words you sour puss," Mary called after him. "Why does he always wear long sleeved shirts?" Stella inquired softly. She already knew it was because of the burns but wasn't sure how they had gotten there. "Oh." She seemed surprised by the question and desperate for something to say without telling the truth. "Well, he was in an accident. Nasty scars and such," she said with averted eyes. Stella decided to let it lie and not push anymore for the time being. "Why does he go by 'Mouse'?" "When your aunt hired him, he was just a young scrappy orphan lad of 15. Nothing much to him, really. And he kept to himself, much like he does now. Always very quiet. Anyway, so she started calling him that and he liked it. Or maybe he just appreciated not being called by his real name. Hunh," Mary said, "I can't for the life of me even remember what it was." *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Stella sat on the porch sipping Mary's homemade lemonade, listening to her iPod...well, maybe she had her eye on Mouse, too. Her naughty side got the best of her on this day and she broke out the bikini to "get a tan." She had her large dark shades on so she could watch him without him knowing. Yeah, it was a little obsessive, she knew. But she was bored and he intrigued her. Now and again he looked over at her propped up in her lawn chair. It was a struggle for her not to smile. Wonder how long it's been since he's gotten laid," she thought and smirked. She knew it had been a little while for herself. Stella made a habit of keeping her eye on the mysterious and quiet servant. He seemed to always be outside working on the lawns and gardens of the manor. He was so strange to her. He seemed so hard and cross, and yet she would often find him singing to himself as he worked. But he stopped the two occasions that he had caught her watching. Stella also made a habit of checking every night to see if his door was left cracked open as he readied for bed. All five nights that she'd stayed at the mansion up until this point he'd left the door cracked. Why didn't he just close it all the way to begin with? Was the door broken? It wasn't like he knew she was coming. Mouse walked right past her and into the house, not even looking at her as he passed. Moments later he reemerged with a glass of lemonade and his own dark shades. After he chugged the drink he set back to work weeding what used to be the back flower garden. She knew exactly why he got his shades; he didn't want her to know when he was checking her out! Stella stood up and walked over to him. "I have landscapers coming out tomorrow to discuss plans for the lawns and gardens. Once they get started they'll take care of all those weeds, I'm sure. You can take the rest of the day off if you want," she said. "You're hot. I mean, it's hot out here you must be hot. Temperature," she stammered. "I know what you meant," he said softly, still crouched in the flower bed. "And just what do you expect I should do instead of working?" Stella didn't know what to say. This wasn't going the way she wanted. "Listen, boss, if you're trying to get rid of me, don't dance around it, alright?" he said calmly. "No! I'm not trying to fire you. I just want this place to get back to the way it used to be and I can't or wouldn't expect you to do it all by yourself, that's all!" "You don't have to get defensive," he said. "And you don't have to avoid me like the plague. And yeah, I've noticed," she shouted at him. "And you,"he said as he stood, "don't have to spy on me." He began to walk away but he stopped and added, "and yeah, I've noticed." "You..." she started but again had nothing worth while to say. "Well, you're the one that keeps leaving your door cracked at night!" "You know," he said turning back around. "That wasn't even what I was talking about but thanks anyway, you've now confirmed my suspicions." Stella's eyes widened dramatically and she became beet red as she realized she'd confessed more than he'd even accused her of. "And maybe I like the attention just as much as you do," he said pointing at her bikini. Stella just stomped away furiously. "How dare you suggest I wore this for you!" Mouse threw his hands up in the air as if to challenge her to prove him otherwise. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* That night she debated on whether to sneak down to his room or not. Wouldn't he expect me? Surely he wouldn't expect me to go tonight after the fight we had. But she had to know, at least, if he had left the door cracked. She had to know! So once again she sneaked down to the kitchen but she saw him standing there in front of the sink rinsing out a glass. She pulled back hoping he didn't see her. Then she saw him walk off into his little hall. She waited a moment before she followed. Stella inched toward the hall and peeked around the corner. As usual, his door was cracked and dim light shone through. Oh my gosh! What does this mean? Does he want me to come back? I should just go back to my own room. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of bed springs being depressed. He just got into bed. I can just go peek. Stella tip-toed toward the door. She peeked through the crack in the door and saw by the light of a single low watt lamp, Mouse laying in his bed under a thin white sheet. But only his torso was illuminated so she couldn't see his face. He was laying still for a moment but then she saw some rustling underneath the sheets. What is he doing Then he released a soft moan. Oh my god! He's masturbating! Stella watched in awe as she saw him fondle himself, wishing he would tear off that sheet and let her see it all. But he never did. He kept as he was, laying on his back, stroking himself. As his pace increased so did his moans. Stella couldn't believe her eyes. After several minutes he was stroking fast and hard. His breath had become irregular and his groans more deep and husky. When he came she swore it was the hottest thing she'd ever seen in her life. He began to shift like he was getting up and she knew she had to get out of there fast just in case he wanted to come out. She hurried off to her room and jumped in bed. Then she reached under her mattress for her vibrator. She raised up her night dress and stripped her panties off. Stella turned on her vibe and slipped it inside of her to get it wet. Then she moved it over her folds teasing herself to start out with. She began to imagine Mouse masturbating in her mind, watching him stroking himself to completion again. Except this time, she tried to imagine it without the sheet. With her vibrator buzzing at max speed and doctored memories of the handsome hunk filling her brain it was mere minutes until she reached her peak. Stella moaned softly as she finished. And as her hormone levels settled she realized that she should never have gone down there that night. She had a terrible feeling that he knew. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Today was the day. The landscapers were coming to discuss the plans for the lawns and gardens. A few temporary staff members will be interviewed and new uniforms will be selected. The current staff will probably suffice as she didn't actually need someone to wait on her personally for every whim. She will Mary and Victoria helping her with delegating the jobs for the temps as they clear out the other, unused rooms in the house. It was lunch time. The landscapers were almost there and Stella hadn't seen Mouse anywhere, as usual. She had wanted his consult for the plans. But in the back of her mind, she was glad that she hadn't seen him yet. Stella finished her lunch and Mary took her plate. Just then the front door opened. She walked into the foyer to see who it was and she saw a landscaping team walk in through the door that was held open by Mouse. She was taken aback at how nice he looked. He wore black pinstriped dress slacks and a long sleeved blue dress shirt that made his blue-gray eyes really pop. Brighton Manor Ch. 01 Mouse introduced the landscape contractors to Stella but she couldn't concentrate on that. She could only think of Mouse in that outfit and watching him in bed the night before. The three gentlemen shook her hand and Mouse pointed them to the office where the details will be discussed and drawn out. Before he followed the men, he said softly to her, "Don't be too impressed, I got this to wear to your aunt's funeral." Dammit! Why am I such an idiot?! Why can't I take my mind off this guy for one second?! Or at least not broadcast it all over my face! "Are you coming?" he said over his shoulder pulling her from her thoughts one again. "Geez, I'm coming," she said to herself and joined him in the office. There was a small rectangular table in the middle of the room where the three men sat waiting. Mouse pulled a chair out for Stella but she knew it was all for show. "Miss Brighton, Jon was gracious enough to show us around your land while you were at lunch." "Jon?" she asked. The man seemed confused at her question. "Of course," she said. "Jon. Yes, Jon is quite gracious. Thank you, Jon." Stella kept emphasizing his name and she could tell he wasn't happy about her knowing it. "You know any time you need me my door's always open," he said sarcastically and glared at her with a manufactured grin. She began to blush from his double entendre that clearly referred to her habit of spying on him. The three men looked at each other seeing if the others had the same confusion. The head contractor began to lay out his brochures with all the information about the available flora. "Now, Mr. Crowley has already provided us with a makeshift blueprint of the grounds." "Mr. Crowley did?" she asked. "Yes," said the contractor subtly motioning his hand toward Mouse. "If you would like a few days to look through my brochures and come up with a master plan yourselves, I wouldn't mind leaving them with you. Or, my team can design it all for you, it's really up to you." "Jon Crowley, do you think we are up to it?" Stella beamed smartly. "Always up for a challenge," he said smirking and winked so that no one saw but her. "It's always better when it's two people working together for a common goal. Then you can share a great sense of satisfaction and pleasure. Don't you agree, Stella Brighton?" "On the contrary, Jon Crowley, I believe working by yourself can be equally as rewarding," she said with a raised brow. "Perhaps, but then you might have to rely on tools that might not otherwise be necessary," he replied smiling triumphantly. Stella became flush and looked away. How did he always find a way to trump me?" "Ahem," the contractor cleared his throat. "Well, we'll leave you two to work this out. We'll be expecting your call when you're done or if you have any questions." The man was trying very hard to be polite. "Thank you, gentlemen. We appreciate you coming out and leaving all this material here for us to peruse." The four men stood and shook hands. "Let me show you to the door," Mouse offered. "Allow me," Stella interjected and led them out of the room to the front door. She helped open the door and thanked them. "Ma'am, good luck with your...partnership. I hope everything works out," one of the men said. "Thank you," she said but was really thinking, "he better be talking about the landscaping." The three men took their leave. "Bloody hell," one said. "The sexual tension in that room was so dense I could have choked on it." "Aye, it was pretty awkward." Stella approached Mouse in the office. "We need to discuss one other thing, Mr Crowley, before you disappear again. I'm ordering uniforms today. You'll have khaki work pants and shorts. And button up work shirts. Short sleeved for the warm months." "If it's all the same to you, I would prefer long sleeves," he said calmly but seriously. "Oh? And why is that?" she said with mock ignorance. Mouse walked up beside her and pushed the door to the office closed and leaned against it. "Listen, I don't ask for much," he said trying to remain calm. "All I ask is that you order long sleeves. If you don't order long sleeves, I'll wear my own. Simple as that." "You are the most ornery, disrespectful person I've ever met." "Is that so?" he said raising his voice a bit. "Well, you're welcome for dressing up and showing those landscaping guys around so you didn't have to." "What's the big deal with your arms anyway?" "That's none of your business," he snapped. "There was no accident was there?" "You need to stop right now, Stella." "What are ya gonna do, Jon?" "Don't call me that," he said. "Why not? It's your name, isn't it?" "You haven't earned the right!" he yelled. "And you say I'm ornery and disrespectful," he scoffed, opened the office door and slammed it behind him. Stella's hands were shaking and she kept her tongue and her temper in check. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* That day she hired three temporary workers to help restore the many rooms and ordered all the uniforms as planned. And no, she didn't order a single short sleeved shirt for Mouse. She flipped through all of the flora brochures that the landscapers had left but she couldn't concentrate on it. She couldn't keep her mind off of all the peculiar things about Mouse. He was rugged and dirty...until today. And he was quiet and kept to himself...until he was ready to speak his mind. He was hard and crass...but he sang songs to himself as he tended to flowers. And he was such a jerk to her...but for some reason he continued to leave his door cracked in case she came to spy. She couldn't figure this guy out. Why didn't he want her to know his name? And why won't he tell her what happened to his arms? All she knew was that she was pissed at him for being so...right...she finally realized. I was just as much a jerk as he was, she told herself. He was just a lot better at it. A light rapping knock came on the door. It was Mouse. Suddenly Stella felt nervous. The comment that he had made about it being more satisfying working together to reach a common goal kept playing over and over in her head. "I have some ideas to run past you," said Mouse. "Oh, great!" Stella exclaimed, grateful that he wasn't there to humiliate her any more. "Come on in and we'll get started. I've been looking through these books but to be honest, I don't know anything about flowers and trees." "It's more complicated that it looks," he said as he took a seat right next to her and pulled it as close to her as he could. He began organizing the materials in front of them. This was the closest she'd ever been to him. She watched his hands as they turned the pages. She noticed that his nails were clean and trimmed. She wondered if he had intended on impressing her. He went on explaining the difference in annuals, perennials, and evergreens; what plants were good for the area and soil, pH content, blah, blah, blah. Stella didn't care. She watched him talk, she didn't listen. At one point she had caught herself biting her bottom lip as she stared at his mouth. Maybe just one kiss, she thought. Just one and I would be satisfied. "Stella-" he said interrupting her thoughts once again. "What?" "I asked you if you like fruit trees. We have some in the back. Do you want to keep them?" "Yes. That would be nice," she replied trying to salvage what was left of her composure. He caught me!" "Why don't I let you look these over a bit more now that you have a better idea of what types of plants we should get. Alright?" "Yeah. Yeah, okay." Mouse closed the books and left her to them. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* That night Stella lay restless in bed. Mouse invaded her every thought. It was around that time. If I want to see Mouse I should go now, she thought. "No! I'm not going down there any more! This has got to stop! What was it that kept urging her to go one last time? One last time. One last time. She knew better but the compromise was incredibly tempting. I'm sure he knows that I went last night. And if he does know that I went last night then surely he came to my room and heard my vibrator! Stella was mortified. That would explain the way he was acting in the office-talking about tools. He thinks he's so clever. Surely he wouldn't expect me to go down there tonight after embarrassing me so badly. One more time. I could just look. If the door isn't cracked, I can just come back to my room. I don't even have to walk down to hall to the door. Maybe he's doing it again. Maybe with the covers off! Stella walked carefully down the hall. She knew she would die if he caught her but even that wasn't enough to keep her away. When she got to the door, she put her face as close as she could to the crack in the door without touching it. Nothing yet but the faded yellow light that fell on the bed. All she could hear was her own breath. She waited patiently for just a moment as she peered into the room. Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and a rough hand covered her mouth before she could scream. Mouse picked her up off her feet enough to back into the room, pulling her with him. Mouse closed the door behind him and pushed her gently against the wall. His face was barely visible but she could see his eyes well enough. Mouse slowly moved his hand from her mouth but she was too terrified to speak. "Fancy meeting you here," she said with a smirk. "You come here often?" "I only came here to apologize," she squeaked. "Oh, yeah?" he replied. "For what?" She could tell that he wasn't believing a word she said. "I called you ornery and disrespectful," she whispered, shaken with nerves. "You were right, I'm sorry." "Okay. Apology accepted," he said releasing her. Stella breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't believe he was letting her off this easy. She placed her hand on the door knob and tried to open it but it didn't budge. Looking down, she saw Mouse's foot pressed against the door keeping it closed. She looked up at him and he chuckled to himself. "Where are you going?" "Going back to my room," she answered nervously. "Well, what about the other reason you came?" Stella's heart was almost busting through her chest. Her eyes darted around searching for something to say. "I don't know what you mean," she stammered. "Oh, you know, a private peep show? A strip tease? Maybe a piece of the action?" "How dare you!" she snarled with tears welling in her eyes. "Give me one good reason you come spy on me every night and I'll drop it." "This is my house, I don't have to answer to you!" she snapped. "You're right! I'm sorry. You're highness doesn't have to answer to peons. So I suppose you can go now, Princess Stella. And I'll even let you kiss me goodnight." "Why the hell would I want to do that?" she asked. Mouse moved closer to her face once more. Her body began to break out into a cold sweat as he put one hand on her face. "Because I can tell by the way that you look at me that you want to. You stare at me, at my lips." Stella shook her head in denial, on the verge of breaking down. "No? You don't want to kiss me?" he said with mock surprise. She just shook her head again. "Really? Well how about I give you a chance to prove it?" Stella was confused. How in the world could she possibly prove that she didn't want to kiss him-even though she did? Mouse gently pressed his lips to hers. Stella struggled with herself to not respond to him at all. A moment later Mouse retreated. "Humph. Maybe you didn't want to." Stella's eyes closed with relief. She'd passed. She was able to control herself for a change-despite how badly she wanted to kiss him back. "Nah. I don't think I believe you." Mouse grabbed her face and kissed her again. This time was harder. He pushed her lips apart with his and slid his tongue into her mouth. Needless to say, Stella was caught by surprise and wasn't prepared to fight back to maintain her integrity. Instead, she folded. She sighed in defeat and began to kiss him back. His lips were so soft, she found, and his kiss was so sweet. Stella felt his arms wrap around her and she nearly collapsed as her lust for him overtook her sense of reason. He had won again. Mouse began to laugh softly as he pulled away. He had proven her wrong. He had broken her will to resist him and took sick pleasure in it. When Stella finally realized the pleasure he got from breaking her she burst into tears and pushed him with both of her hands as hard as she could. "You're such a fucking ass!" she screamed. Then she jerked open the door and tore off down the hall. "Stella, wait!" Mouse called, doing his best to suppress his laughter. He followed her back to her room but before he could get there she slammed the door shut. Now you've done it, he thought to himself. I aman ass. He stood outside her door for a moment debating his next move. But he didn't take long to decide. Mouse opened her bedroom door and closed it behind him. "Get out!" she screamed. She had already crawled under her sheets and began soaking her pillow in the moon lit room. "I'm not going to leave. We have some unresolved business to attend to." "Please, just leave!" Mouse walked over by her bed and sat on the edge. "I shouldn't have laughed at you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry," he said genuinely. Stella ceased her sobs as best she could so she could listen. "But all you had to do was tell me the truth because I already knew," he said and leaned in to kiss her but she successfully pulled away. "Please leave," she said softly. But he would hear none of it. "You'll feel so much better if we resolve this tonight and so will I." When nothing but silence was her reply, he continued. "I'm sorry for being a prick. If it makes you feel any better, you can be a total cunt to me," he joked. "What happened to your arms?" she shouted. That question sobered Mouse up quickly. And by the look in his eyes she could tell she had crossed the line. "You're a relentless bitch, aren't you?" he said. "Fine. You want to fucking know what happened to my arms? Look!" Mouse ripped open his shirt, popping the buttons off and he threw it to the floor. Stella was scared. She was uncertain what he was capable of when he was angry and cowered away when he jumped on the bed next to her, sitting up on his knees. "Look! You see these scars? All these little circular scars?" he asked, pointing. "Cigarette burns from when I was a kid. My father would burn me when I did something wrong-or even just for the hell of it!" Mouse's eyes were burning into her. "When I was 15, I finally started sticking up for myself and he didn't like it. We got in a fist fight and it ended when I pushed him down the stairs. He later died of a brain contusion," he said as his voice level began to trail off. Stella was shocked by the story. It certainly was nothing like what she had expected. She was still in tears but now she cried for a different reason. She couldn't believe how insensitive she had been. "Oh my god, Mouse, I had no idea," she whispered painfully. Mouse headed for the door but Stella jumped out of bed and beat him there. "Mouse, I'm sorry. Please, don't leave." "Listen, Stella, for the sake of your conscience and so you can sleep tonight, I forgive you. Feel better now?" he said sarcastically trying to get to the door. "No!" she yelled. "It's not about me. I really am sorry." "Stella, it's alright, really. You didn't know." Mouse was a little surprised at how sincere she was and his wall began to crumble when she wrapped her arms around his neck. He slowly held her to himself as she cried softly into the crook of his neck. His strong arms felt so good around her. Once Stella stopped crying, she timidly pressed her lips against his throat. She moved up his neck and kissed his face and then his lips. Then she slid her hands down his shoulders and the length of his arms feeling the round scars with her fingertips. "Stella, what are you doing?" Mouse sighed. "I'm showing you that you don't have to hide from me. And I think I'm finally starting to see who you really are and it isn't this," she said rubbing his arms. "No one has a say in who you are except for you, not even your father. You can't allow this to define you and you can't change what happened. You can only either let it make you weak or use it to make you strong, Mouse. And it's your choice." Mouse remained silent. It was a moment before Stella realized that he was struggling not to cry. "Don't suppress it anymore. Let it go," she said. "It's time to forgive him for hurting you and forgive yourself, too." Mouse broke down and fell to the ground sobbing. He sat up against the door with his knees to his chest and his face buried in his hands. Stella joined him on the floor to cry, never shushing him. It was apparent that he had shelved these feelings and they have remained unvisited for many years. When Mouse stopped crying, he wiped his face on his hands. He sat staring into nothing for a moment in deep thought. "It's strange," he began quietly. "I've never opened up to anyone in my entire life. And you say a few things and I cry like a baby," he said with a chuckle. "I haven't cried since that day 15 years ago." "Do you feel any better?" Mouse thought for a moment before he answered. "I do. It hurts-a lot. But I feel better. I just don't know if I can fully forgive him or myself." "What he did was not your fault. And you were protecting yourself. You have to forgive so you can move on." Mouse wiped his eyes one more time and looked at her. "I know. But it's going to be hard and take a bit more time." Stella smiled. The untouchable stone surrounding his heart was was cracking like and egg shell and she was seeing the real Jon Crowley for the first time. "So I guess you're not as big a spoiled bitch as I thought you were," he said trying to lighten the mood. "You assumed the worst. You were no picnic either," she said standing to her feet and offering her hand to help him up. "And I guess I should apologize for anything that I may have said or done to offend you. And I know we will have a much healthier business relationship from now on." "Yes, healthy business relationship. That's very important if we're going to make this landscaping project succeed. And I want you to know I take my job very seriously." "I know you do." Stella was very happy with the direction things were headed. He's finally come out of his shell and hopefully she can get over this silly obsession with his mysterious and sexy side. "But I still have to wonder..." Mouse said thoughtfully and he grabbed both of her hands. "What of our non-business relationship?" After the hugging and the crying, she hadn't expected the subject to reemerge. "Mouse, we both know we shouldn't continue to..." "Spy on each other?" "You spy on me?" she said part offended, part flattered. "Only when you put on a show," he said with his smirk. Okay. Maybe he was still a jerk. Or maybe he just really loved embarrassing her. "A show?!" "You know, bikini day, vibrator night. Come on, Stella." "Alright! I wore the bikini," she began reluctantly, "to tease you or get your attention or something, I don't know. But I didn't...do anything else for you." "Fair enough," he said and he turned toward the door. Just before he opened the door, as Stella was believing that she'd finally won a battle, he added, "But you still want me, don't you?" Stella was in stunned silence. She couldn't truthfully deny it even though she knew it was wrong to feel so lustfully drawn to him. He began walking back toward her. With every step he took closer she felt weaker and weaker. He took her by the waist. Brighton Manor Ch. 01 "Don't you?" he whispered. Mouse put his lips dangerously close to hers. "Go on and kiss me if you want to." Stella resisted the temptation. His arms felt so good around her and she knew his kiss was Heaven but she also knew that she could not allow this to go any farther than it already had. All it took to break her will was that slight brush that is bottom lip made against her top lip. Stella could no longer deny her desire for him and began kissing him urgently. It was as though a switch has been flipped inside of her. Every rational plan she had to suppress her desire was forgotten and the only goal was to have him. She wanted every inch of this man and would not be satisfied without it. As they kissed, Stella tore off her robe and began to move her fingers frantically trying to unbutton his pants. But Mouse pulled away. "Easy, tiger," he teased. "Slow down. Johnny boy's no one minute man." He pulled her over to the bed. "Lie down." Stella complied. He started touching her toes and feet. Then he moved his hands up her shins and thighs until they met the silky fabric of her night dress. Mouse tugged on the material at the hip allowing it to creep up her thighs giving her goosebumps. Then he soothed them with his hands. Instinctively, Stella's legs began to separate. He pulled the night dress past her hips and chuckled to himself as he saw that she had worn no panties. "Do you always sleep pantiless?" he asked, very pleased with the neatly trimmed bush. Mouse pulled the thin shoulder straps down and the dress came with it exposing her bare chest. He dragged his fingertips over her chest and over each of her breasts. Stella's eyes closed and her breath began to deepen. Mouse watched her chest rise and fall under his touch. Mouse leaned over and took a nipple into his mouth. His hand moved over her mound and he slid a finger between her folds. He was very pleased to find her so wet and wanting. "I wanted to take you on that meeting table right there in front of those men today," he breathed against her skin. "I wanted you to take me," she replied smiling, "every time I saw you." Mouse slid a finger inside of her as deep as he could go and she made a soft cry that pleased him. Then he added another finger and began to massage her canal. She released a deeply satisfied moan. Stella's hands grasped his broad shoulders as he fingered her. Then he suddenly pulled out and began to unbutton his pants. He moved off the bed long enough to completely remove all of his clothes and reclaimed his spot next to her on the bed. Mouse had moved so quickly that Stella couldn't see his package. She sat up and looked him in the eyes. He watched her eyes burn a trail down his chest and abs to his glorious member. It wasn't terribly long but it certainly wasn't short. What caught her attention was the girth. He was so thick she just knew he would rip her apart if he wasn't careful. Stella placed her hand on him and shivered as she realized that he wasn't even completely hard yet. She began to stroke him, feeling him growing slowly in her hand. She was mesmerized. She could only imagine what it was going to feel like to have him stretching her walls. Suddenly Mouse groaned softly, jerking her from her trance. "My god, Mouse, you're going to tear me apart," she whispered. "I will if you don't stop teasing me and start doing something a little more...effective," he said and sat up and kissed her. Stella knew exactly what he wanted and she was all too happy to help. When Stella broke their kiss Mouse pulled himself back against the headboard and watched her descend upon his lap. Stella started by licking all the way around his crown. Mouse rolled his eyes back and began to run his fingers through her hair keeping it out of her way and his line of sight. She licked every inch of his thick member coating him in her saliva. The cool air began to dry it, sending chills down his spine. Stella moved her lips over the head of his cock and began to slowly bob her head up and down on him. Mouse watched her, quite pleased that he has such a lovely lady, his boss, under his spell. He never had problems getting sex when he wanted it. Usually it would be farmers' daughters who didn't see much of anyone outside of their own families until Mouse came to the farm to do some trading. They were mostly desperate girls that he could easily bed using his rugged good looks. But Stella seemed so different from all the others. She fought it, fought him-which made it even sweeter still to watch her licking and sucking his manhood so eagerly. She was better than him socially, financially, intellectually...and he knew it. And yet there she was, crouched down at his lap, curly brown hair spilling onto his thighs, diamond stud earrings glinting at him as she moved. He realized that she was the first woman that he would remove his shirt for to make love. Stella glanced up into his blue-gray eyes and saw that he was very content. Then she smiled and began to pump his cock with her hand, encircling his engorged head and pushing down again. This seemed to stir a reaction out of him so she stroked him faster. Mouse was almost ready to come and she could sense it. She flicked her tongue across the underside of his wide head as she made quick and shallow thrusts into her mouth, all the while still pumping his shaft. Mouse's breath became sharp and quick. His muscles tensed and he came into the waiting and wanting mouth of his new lover. "Stella," he whispered as he came and she milked him for every drop. "Damn, you are so freaking hot when you come," she whispered lustfully. "And you're sexy as hell with a big fat cock shoved in your mouth." For a moment it was a bit awkward what he said but Stella suddenly began to laugh and he soon joined her. He pushed her flat on her back and started to tickle her. "No! No! Please!" she cried. "Please, stop! "Don't you like to be tickled?" he teased. "No! I hate it!" Her voice was desperate despite her traitorous laughter. "Please, no more." Finally he stopped. Then they heard rapid footsteps getting closer. Mouse ducked behind the bed and Stella pulled the sheets around her to conceal her nakedness. The door cracked about a foot and the light from the hall streamed into the room dimly illuminating Stella's face. She could barely make out the features of Mary standing in the door way. Stella looked down and saw Mouse's pants and swiftly kicked them aside hoping Mary hadn't seen. "Are you alright, dear? I heard screaming." "Nightmare," Stella lied. "I'm sorry to have woken you. I was just dreaming. I'm fine." May paused for a moment studying her. "Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I'm right down the hall." "Thank you so much. I'm fine. And if you hear anything else you really don't have to bother checking on me. I talk in my sleep." "Alright, dear," Mary replied as if to say, "I know you're lying but I'll leave you to your business." She gently closed the door and returned to her room. Suddenly the sheets flew off of her and Mouse popped up between her legs. He pushed her left foot up to rest on the edge of the bed so he had better access to her. With no preface at all, he dove straight for her pussy like a starving animal. The unexpected and overwhelming sensations sent her reeling. It only took a few minutes of this and she was destined for orgasm. But, only moments before she would have peaked, Mouse stopped suddenly. "That's enough of that," he said and climbed back onto the bed. Stella was shocked and could barely form her words. "I was almost there," she pleaded. "I know," he replied. "You son of a bitch! Why would you do that?!" she cried. She was confused and frustrated and desperate to have him finish her. Had he played her to get what he wanted and planned to leave her in this state? Tears began to form in her eyes. "Get out!" she screamed. "Stella-" he said and she lashed out and tried to hit him but he caught her by the wrists and pushed her to the bed. "Stella...shhh..." he whispered. "Get off of me!" she cried. "Stella, don't get so upset," he said and placed his fingers over her mound and began to massage her slowly. It was enough to maintain her need but not enough to send her over the edge. "You would enjoy my cock in a heightened state of arousal far more than in the afterglow of an orgasm. Don't you think?" Despite her hurt and anger, her body was writhing with lust, just as he had planned. "Now are you going to behave?" She looked past his slightly demeaning tone and simply nodded. Mouse slid between her legs and laid comfortably on top of her. Stella could feel his thick shaft pressing against her as he positioned himself. His face was inches from her own and he looked deeply into her eyes as he placed the head of his cock at her entrance. He continued to gaze intently in her eyes, holding her attention, hypnotizing her. She could not seem to look away. In a very controlled and quick movement he pushed himself completely inside for her. Stella gasped and clenched her eyes closed. "Shh. Look at me. Look at me. Look at me," he whispered quickly. The dazed girl forced herself to meet his gaze once more. Mouse withdrew slowly, savoring each tight, wet inch. Then he pushed himself back in completely. This time Stella kept her eyes locked to his intense stare. Her passage was being stretched wider than she knew it could and it was a delicious cocktail of pleasure and pain. Again Mouse repeated his strokes and they moaned in unison. He began to kiss her forehead and then her cheek tenderly as he thrust a bit faster. Now that she was better lubricated, Mouse wanted to roll her over and really make her lose her mind. He stopped long enough to ease her onto her tummy. "Hands and knees, baby," he told her. "You might want to keep that pillow handy." Mouse took a hold of her hips and eased back into her, molding her to him, pushing in as far as he possibly could. He heard a low guttural groan muffled by the pillow. Mouse increased his speed on every thrust and soon he was in full force slamming into her from behind, sweat forming on his brow. Stella was at times screaming into the pillow when she wasn't holding her breath; it was the best fuck of her life. Time and again he would slow to let her catch her breath and to catch his own. Mouse wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up so that he was sitting on his calves and she was straddling his lap facing away. His left hand wandered across her tummy to her breast and his right hand traveled down between her legs. "I want you to come for me, okay, Princess? Come for me," he said in her ear. Stella was surprised she hadn't come several times already and probably would have if he hadn't slowed down those times. And she knew it wouldn't take much for her to tip over the edge. Stella steadied herself and began to ride him slowly as he fingered her tender swollen clit. The extra stimulation was just what she needed and within minutes she was bucking hard against him as he held her tightly to his chest. "Suck me off. I'm almost there," Mouse said eagerly. Stella quickly crouched before him to assist. She sucked as he jerked and in moment he came. She swallowed all she could and collapsed to the bed exhausted. She half-heartedly pulled the sheets over her and immediately crashed. Mouse climbed from the bed, equally as drained, and donned his clothes. "See you tomorrow, boss," he whispered with a satisfied smile. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* The next morning, Stella woke in a daze. It took her longer than usual to remember where she was. Then she was suddenly conscious of her aching pussy and the details of the previous evening flooded back to her. At first she was incredibly embarrassed. How could she ever look him in the face again?! Then she felt ashamed that she had lost all self control and allowed that to happen. There were too many reason why what she did was very wrong. And then she felt something she didn't expect-butterflies. But not because of the embarrassment. But because...she liked him. She knew she shouldn't but what had begun as an intriguing infatuation has bloomed into a legitimate crush. She hated this feeling the most because she knew the odds of him returning those feelings. Now her emotions were at war. She didn't know what to do when she saw him. Perhaps she'd just play it cool. Don't say anything until he does. Go with the flow. What in the world does she see in him? He's rude and arrogant. Loving him was certainly dangerous. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Stella sat at the breakfast table eating her oatmeal, deep in thought and staring out the window. She could see Mouse tending to the yard despite the fact that she was paying the landscapers to do it the following week. Mary walked up beside her breaking her from her trance as Mouse so often does. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked kindly. "Oh, yes, fine. Thank you for letting me sleep in this morning, by the way." Mary filled Stella's coffee and turned away. "You needed it. Those nightmares kept you up all night." She knows. This can't be good. "I'm no one to tell you how to live your life or run your household but I must discourage..." Mary began. "Mouse is a very disturbed young man, albeit a brilliant grounds keeper. He knows every inch of this property like the back of his hand. And that's precisely why any falling out between the two of you would be devastating." Mary placed her and on Stella's shoulder. "Do you understand, dear?" "Yes, I understand." Stella looked back out the window and saw Mouse walking toward the house. A moment later he popped into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of black coffee. He walked right past Stella at the table and Mary doing the dishes. "I've got a doctors appointment at three," he said softly. "I can go with you," Stella spouted, spinning around in her chair. Mary gave her a questioning look. "I need a few things from town and I have to go to the bank to add my name to the account." Mouse poured what little coffee that was left in his cup into the sink. "Be ready at 2." *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Stella just couldn't help herself. She knew it wasn't making the situation easier at all but she just couldn't help it. She put on one of her sexiest outfits just for him. It was a short white skirt and a silky light blue chiffon sleeveless blouse. She felt incredible prancing through the house looking for Mouse. Then she spotted him through the window. He was standing by his old run down car talking to that Victoria girl. Weird girl. She's hardly said two words to me, what has she got to say to him? Stella watched as Victoria clearly flirted with Mouse. She was smiling, touching her hair and his collar. Mouse was facing away so she couldn't tell if he was flirting back. From the way she's acting, you'd think... Oh, I don't want to think that. Were they sleeping together? When Victoria noticed Stella walking toward her and Mouse she suddenly stopped smiling and hurried off into the house. Stella couldn't help but have a scowl on her face. If she can't have him, by God, no one in this house was going to! Without looking at him, Stella walked to the opposite side of the car and opened the door. "You going to drive?" he asked. Then Stella realized she'd gone tot he wrong side of the car. That only heightened her embarrassment and anger. She slammed the car door and while she walked around to the other side, Mouse opened the passenger side door for her. Once Mouse got behind the wheel he cranked the car and looked over at Stella. "Is there...something you want to talk about?" She only stared out her door window. He put the car in drive ands started down the driveway. Stella sat in her seat stewing, stirring the pot of and anger and jealousy in her mind. She hadn't meant to be rude by not answering him, she was only worried that she'd explode. Just a few yards before they reached the manor gates, the shotty old car began to jerk and sputter. "What's going on?" Stella inquired with wide eyes and panic. "Give me a minute. I'll look," he said calmly and got out of the car to pop the hood. A few minutes later he opened his door and sat in his seat with one leg still hanging out. Stella watched as he rummaged through his glove box and pulled out a cell phone. "You have a cell?" Stella asked. "It's pre-paid. I don't always get reception though. Cross your fingers," he said and got back out and shut the door. Stella quickly got out of the car. "Well, can you fix it?" "I can fix it but it will take a few days. I need a part. I'm going to call a cab." "Dammit! Dammit!" she yelled. Mouse spoke for a few minutes with the cab company and then threw the phone in the seat. "Alright. It'll be about 15 to 20 minutes. And don't worry, I'll reschedule my appointment," he said. "Fantastic," she muttered sarcastically. "You sure are in a fiery mood," he said. "The car broke down! Of course I'm not in a good mood!" "Things happen. The cabbie won't be long and we'll be on our way. But it's not just the car. What's the matter?" Stella was tired of letting him get away without an explanation. "Victoria sure does seem to have a keen liking for you," she snapped. Mouse kicked the dirt around on the road a bit before he replied. "Yes. She does." "She looked like she wanted to jump your bones this morning. As if perhaps she has before," she said gritting her teeth. "So what if she has, Stella?" he retorted angrily. "So you did fuck her!" "She came on to me," he said defensively. "Oh, like you didn't want to," she scoffed in disgust. "I didn't want to! She kept insisting and I did it, okay?" "I'm sure it was such a traumatic experience for you. And why wouldn't you want to anyway?" "I didn't want to get involved with someone at work." "Oh, but you'll fuck the boss? That makes a whole lot of sense!" "It wasn't like that!" he defended. "Wasn't like what, Mouse?" she cried throwing her hands in the air. "I'm the boss and you're the employee that fucked my brains out." "I never cared about Victoria. It was a free ride. How was I supposed to say no when there was a beautiful naked woman lying in my bed when I got out of the shower?" "I forgot- you're a man, you have no self-control." "Yeah, and you just exude self-control, Stella. You're a real roll model for will power." It was as if a knife was jabbed into her gut. She doubled over screaming in frustration and hurt. "Well, congratulations," she sobbed. "You've got a new trophy on your shelf. Another free ride victory. Chalk on up!" "Trophy?!" he exclaimed. "Is that all you... Why the bloody hell are you so jealous anyway? It's not like we're together. You and I made love one time. Then I have a conversation with another girl and you flip out," he said stepping closer to her. "You're right. You're right, Mouse. It obviously meant nothing to you so why would it mean anything to me?" she said looking straight up at him. "I said I made love to you. What does that mean to you?" he said glaring coldly into her eyes. Before Stella could reply, the cab pulled up. Stella spoke up from the back seat explaining the directions to her bank. Then she offered 50 extra pounds to him if he would just wait for her. The cabbie, not surprisingly, agreed enthusiastically. The ride to the bank was silent aside from the hum of the cab engine. The driver thought about striking up a bit of conversation to ease the tension but the look on the faces in his back seat from the rear view mirror changed his mind. Finally, the cab pulled in to the bank and Stella gathered her bag. "I won't be long," she said to the driver. "No need for you to come along," she added glancing in Mouse's direction and closed the door. Brighton Manor Ch. 01 "Is she really going to pay me 50 pounds to wait on 'er?" the cabbie asked. "You'll get your money. Don't worry. She can be a frigid bitch but she won't leave you hanging." Stella returned a half hour later. She handed a slip of paper to the cab driver. "Take us to this address, please." "Yes, ma'am," he replied and cranked the car. Soon they were pulling into a Mercedes dealership and Stella smirked. With all the money from the estate why the hell did they only have that piece of shit to ride in? "This the place?" "It's perfect." The driver quoted her her due and she paid him well over the promised 50 pounds plus fare. As Stella scanned the lot her spirits seemed to lift. A young man approached the pair smiling. "Hello and welcome. My name is George. Is there something I can help you find?" "Nice to meet you. I'm Stella Brighton. This is Jon." They all shook hands. "I would like to drive away with a nice new car." "Let me show you our showroom." Stella chose an exquisite coupe in black and it met with Mouse's approval. "Alright, well, we'll just come speak with our finance manager and see what kind of interest and payments we can get set up for you," the gentleman said. "What if I want to just buy it?" Stella inquired. "Pardon? You don't want to finance it?" the man said. "No. I'm ready to pay in full right now." She kept a cool front but she was about to explode inside. Buying this kind of car in cash was exhilarating! "Certainly, Mrs. Brighton. We'll see what we can do. Will the car be in your name alone or Mr. Brighton's as well?" Stella and Mouse looked at each other in an awkward silence. "We're not..." "...going to add my name. It's hers alone," Mouse interrupted. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want the illusion that his man had that they were married to be broken. And maybe he was making sure he didn't make a pass at her. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Mouse was more than happy to be able to drive the new car back to the estate but the overall tone of the trip and the argument that they had before the cab came still left a bad taste in his mouth. A few miles before reaching the gates to the manor he finally got the nerve to speak to her again. "I think we need to resolve everything before we go back to the house," he said gently. "I didn't know we had anything left to discuss," she mumbled. "Cut the crap, Stella. You know damn well what we need to talk about," he snapped, immediately regretting his tone. "I'm firing Victoria." "Why?" "I don't need her. I'm willing to part with a generous severance." "Stella, for fuck's sake, it was just one time. Nothing's happened since and she knows that I'm not interested in doing it again." "I just can't have her in the house anymore." A few moments passed and she knew he had something else on his mind. "You know, Stella, no one ever wants to get to know me. Girls sleep with me willingly but never ask me over for dinner. They treat me like that's all I'm good for. I'm just there to fix their temporary needs. If all I am is a temporary fix for you then maybe I should be the one to move on." "I wasn't using you, Mouse!" she said amazed that he'd even suggested it. "Then why did you sleep with me?" Stella felt flustered. She was trying her best to suppress and deny her growing feelings for him but he always seemed to pry them out of her! "Because," she began taking a deep breath, "you interest me." She knew she was about to divulge more than her pride would approve of. "When you're in the room, there's a feeling I get in the pit of my stomach that makes me want to be close to you. You're such a mystery. All I want to do is learn more about you." She sighed and decided to go on against her better judgment. "And last night I felt so close to you on so many different levels, I needed you." Mouse was visibly upset and Stella couldn't put her finger on exactly why. His eyes were glossy and his fingers gripped tightly to the steering wheel. "Stella, I think we need to be honest with each other here." He seemed to be avoiding eye contact with her now. "Even if there were an attraction between us that grew beyond physicality, it would never work out. I'm not the kind of guy that girls like you get mixed up with. I was thinking that maybe it is best if I move on. There no sense in..." "There's no sense in even saying that unless you already had feelings for me. You won't have a problem living with someone you didn't want. But living with someone you want but can't have is a different story entirely, isn't it?" "God, Stella, why do you think I avoid you like the plague? I can't help but feel this false sense of hope when I'm with you but I know I've got no chance in hell." Mouse took a moment to compose himself. "Then somehow you break down my wall that I've spent 15 years building and make me feel good about myself for the first time in my entire life." He hit the steering wheel with the palm of his hand just as they pulled in front of the house then he lowered his voice because the windows were down in the car. "How could I not having feelings for you? How could I not make love to you?" Stella saw Mary's head poke past the front door. "Promise we can continue this conversation later, okay?" At the nod of his head she grabbed her purse and exited the car. Just as she did, a tall dark haired man stepped out from behind Mary. "Greg!" Stella shrieked and ran up on the porch. She threw her arms around him as Mouse watched and listened from the car. "I didn't know you were coming so soon! I'm so surprised." "Well, I missed you." "I missed you, too!" Stella exclaimed and planted several kissed on his face. Then they scurried back through the door leaving Mouse sitting in the car. He sat there for several minutes trying to digest everything that happened that day. Stella was jealous of Victoria but never expressed that she had feelings for him. And he expressed his for her. And now...now he finds out that there is another man in her life. There was no other alternative. Do it now, do it fast, and make sure no one catches me, he thought to himself. About fifteen minutes later Mouse was holding a satchel containing a few changes of clothes. He stood in the kitchen and listened to the chatter from the other room. "Well it's not just my house, Gregory, it's our house," he heard Stella say. "No, you inherited it, not me," said the man. "I know, I know, but you'll always have a place here. Always." "That's sweet, Stel." "I staying in mom's old bedroom. I can't wait to show you," she said. Mouse couldn't take anymore. He slipped unnoticed out the front door and walked off down the drive. The cab was instructed to pick him up away from the house. He had gotten only a dozen yards away when Stella happened to glance out the window and saw him fleeing. Moments later the front door flung open and Stella was running after him. "Get away from me. I'm gone," Mouse called over his shoulder. "I thought we were going to talk about this," she pleaded. "You can't have it both ways, Princess. You can't harass me about my other relationships and have others for yourself." Mouse kept walking but stopped again. "And right in front of me after I told you how I felt!" The cab came around the curve and halted a few feet from Mouse. "I can't stay another night in this house with a lying whore like you," he said walking toward the cab. "Mouse!" she screamed. "Please stop! Greg is my brother!" Mouse got in the cab and shut the door. "Don't leave!" she pleaded with tears in her eyes and ran up to his window. But it was too late. Even if she had been telling the truth, Mouse knew this was for the best. There was no use in pretending. Besides, no one would believe he was interested in anything but her money. Now it's time to take what she'd shown him about himself and start a new life. Stella wept into her hands as she watched them drive away. "Been a busy place today," said the cabbie trying to make conversation. "My buddy was out here earlier today and when you called I was just on my way back from dropping off the lady's brother." Mouse didn't reply. It was true. He had over-reacted just like she did about Victoria. It's too late. You both made too many mistakes, he kept telling himself. "Take me to the cheapest inn in town," is all Mouse said. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Despite the residual joy that she got from her brother's presence, Stella's mood was somber. The battle between her heart and mind had finally ended but no closure was found. And while the issue was settled and she should be glad for it, she remained in a state of disconnect. Why can't I just forget about it? she asked herself. He isn't coming back. "Why don't you have a cup of hot tea, dear? Perhaps a hot bath?" Mary walked into the kitchen where Stella sat at the table staring out the window. "Thank you, Mary, a cup of tea would be nice." Silently, Mary prepared her a cup of tea and placed it in front of her. "I believe this to be the best for both of you, you know." "I know, Mary, but it's not always that simple." "I know, my dear. But he was a troubled man. I suppose it was due to his childhood," Mary said sipping her tea. But she had Stella's attention. "What about his childhood?" She asked, already knowing the answer but hoped that she might find out a bit more. Mary thought carefully. "The scars that you saw, I've had a glimpse of them myself. I could tell that they were cigarette burns at the time but he wouldn't tell me how he got them." She took another sip of her tea and replaced the cup on the saucer. "Until yesterday." Stella's eyes shot across the table to Mary, silently inquiring the details. "Mouse called me into his room yesterday morning before anyone else was even awake. He took off his shirt and held out his arms. Of course, I looked and saw all of the little burn marks that he had all over them. Then he said, 'Mary, are they hideous?' And I told him, 'No, they aren't that bad. I'm sure they've faded quite a bit since you received them.' He looked down at them and ran his hand down one of his arms. Then he said, 'I guess I never noticed because I have to see them every day.' And then he told me what happened to him, Stella. His father had burned him." Mary said. "Did he cry?" Stella asked. "No. He was a bit emotional at first but in the end he was quite peaceful about what happened. And, forgive me, ma'am, for allowing you to be mislead, but he didn't have a doctor's visit yesterday; he was going to his father's grave. He said that after all these years he was willing to forgive his after but first needed to come to grips with and accept the way he looked. That's why he showed me the scars." Stella fought to control her reaction to what Mary had shared. She was touched deeply and now she felt even more terrible than before. But a part of her was happy that she was able to influence him in such a positive way. "A troubled young man," Mary repeated. "Being here couldn't have been helping him. He needed to get away." But Stella knew Mary was wrong. She knew that Mouse was blossoming and softening up because of the connection that they shared. But it was futile to dispute it. He was gone - forever. *~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~* Stella's eyes fluttered open and the early morning sun shone softly through the curtains. For a moment she debated on whether or not to even get out of bed yet. She snuggled her back against the mattress and turned her head away from the windows. A shadowy figure sat quietly in the corner with a bowed head and Stella gasped. She sat up against the headboard, pulling the blanket with her protectively. "I'm sorry to have startled you, Stella. I shouldn't be here. I know I shouldn't be here. But I made a promise to you." Stella remained silent as Mouse stood and walked toward her. "And I'm sure I've completely ruined our relationship, whatever it was, but I wanted to come back and apologize for calling you those terrible things the other night." She pulled the covers closer to her as tears began to well in her eyes and he crouched down beside the bed. "I felt so stupid when I left. I could barely sleep a wink in that dump of an inn. I just couldn't stop thinking about you and how awful I was to you." Mouse reached behind him and picked up a portfolio and placed it on the bed beside her. "I finished the landscaping layouts. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want them but I worked all night long on it." Stella placed on hand over her mouth and the other over her heart, struggling not to burst into tears. "And I know I promised to talk to you about everything. I'm here to make up for that if you still want to talk about it." Mouse looked up at her and she's wiping the tears from her face. "It was difficult for me to accept that we are too different. You're an heiress to a huge estate and I'm just the gardener boy that your aunt had hired because she knew that I'd bust my ass for food and shelter." Stella cleared her throat and Mouse looked up at her. "I don't think you even realize how shallow you're being," she finally said. "Stella, what do you want me to do? I don't know what to do here, you know?" "Go get your things and move into a nicer room," she suggested. "I can't afford a nicer room. I can barely afford the crappy motel room that I've got." "I mean here," she said with a tiny smile. "I want you to move into a nice room and I want you to... I want to be with you." The temptation nearly overtook his senses. "Stella, I'm your grounds keeper!" "Then don't be!" For a moment there was an awkward silence between them. "You mean come live here for free and not work?" "Why not?" "I think you need to think about this." "It's all I've been able to think about for two days. Actually, ever since we got back from town the other day." "You really just want me here? No strings attached?" "I just want you with me." Mouse thought for a moment looking down at the bed beneath him. "What's the matter? I thought that's why you came back - to be with me." "I really just came back to apologize, Stella. And to say goodbye the right way, not like a coward." "I won't let you leave," she said sternly. "Please. It's already become even more difficult than I ever thought it would be," Mouse forced out and to his surprise her response was a teary eyed nod. He stood and collected his bag from the corner of the room. He paused for only a moment before he placed his hand on the doorknob. "So that's it then," she said catching him off guard. "Things are getting complicated; time to run away again," she said getting out of bed. Mouse could feel his face ignite with anger and his heart ached at her words. He turned around and pointed at her. "That's not fair, Stella. That's not fucking fair!" he snarled. "Just because it was the right thing to do 15 years ago doesn't mean that it's always right. You're a better man than you give yourself credit for, Jon Crowley. And it's time to stop being ashamed of who you are." Stella's words pierced his heart like a dagger. But she was right - again. He already knew that life wasn't safe and he had began to realize that neither was love. Mouse began walking toward her slowly. He struggled to speak as he choked back his sobs. "I don't know why you care about me so much," be barely manages to say. "But you're the only one who ever has. And I think I would rather die than hurt you." "Then don't leave me again," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. Mouse held her tightly, knowing he held the most precious thing that he had in his life. He pulled her head up so that she met him face to face. "I won't leave you again," he said and kissed her gently on the lips. He savored every taste and feel of her mouth. Every move was calculated and full of passion. It was the most intense kiss either of them had ever experienced. Stella began to unbutton his shirt prompting him to unbutton his pants. Soon he stood in only his boxers and he led her to her bed. "Just a second," she said. Stella pushed the intercom button for the kitchen. A moment later, a familiar voice answered. "Yes, ma'am." "Mary, can you please see to it that I am not disturbed for the rest of the morning?" "Of course, Miss Brighton," she replied. Mouse smiled at her with love-stoned eyes and guided her under the sheets. He climbed on top of her and they immediately met in a deep and beautiful kiss. His hand moved patiently down her shoulder pulling the thin strap with it. Soon his mouth was kissing a trail down her neck to her chest. "I just realized something," he said suddenly. "What?" "You just fired me," he teased. Stella laughed, "Actually, you quit, remember?" "Technically, I was still working for you when I finished those drawings this morning." "Alas, you're right again. I can never win with you." "Stella, you won my heart," he said with a dramatically raised eyebrow. They both erupted into laughter. "That was the corniest thing I've never heard," Stella exclaimed. "Well, I almost said, we're both winners in the game of love." "Oh, my gosh, that's even worse," she cooed. Mouse's face began to soften. He gazed down at her with passion beaming from his eyes. "How about this," he began, pushing her hair from her face. "Thank you, Stella, for everything. In a few short weeks I feel like I've become a different man. You've influenced me to do things I never thought I'd do and feel things I never thought I'd feel." Stella was speechless and touched. "And Mouse is gone. I'm okay with being Jon Crowley. And it's all because of you." "Oh, Mouse," she whispered. "No, it's Jon, we just talked about this." Stella giggled. "I'm sorry. It's just going to take some getting used to," she said running her fingers through his hair. "I just wanted you to make sure you knew that so you'll know which name to scream in a few minutes." Before she could reply his mouth was over her once more. He propped himself up on his elbow and pulled off his boxers and then her panties. He pushed her leg to one side and began to caress her between her legs causing her to release a soft moan. She felt his two fingers slide up and down the length of her slit and finally sank into her hole. He massaged her for several minutes as he kissed her neck. His fully erect cock pressed eagerly against her thigh, a constant reminder to both of them of the pleasure that was to come. Finally, Jon removed his fingers from her and flicked them playfully across her clit. "Make love to me, Jon," Stella sighed. "I need you." "And then?" he asked. "And then what?" She was confused as his strange questioning. "You need me now. And then what?" Remembering his concerns about the other girls that have "needed him" in the past, Stella took his face in her hands. "And then I will need you to stay . I will need your hand to hold as we walk through the garden. I will need you to talk and laugh with me as we grow even closer. But right now I need your body before I go insane." Jon smiled at her knowing just how much he was teasing her. "I thought I'd never make love to you again," he said then guided his cock to her opening. Stella moaned deeply as he pushed himself inside of her and he began to thrust in long, slow strokes. He wanted her to feel every inch of him and he wanted to feel every tremor of her body, hear every tiny gasp for air, see every facial expression that she made as he moved within her. They made love for well over and hour before he pulled her to the bath where they made love again. Brighton Manor Ch. 01 Finally Stella resolved that it was time to join the real world, get him moved into a decent room and explain to her brother and Mary why Mouse was no longer Mouse the gardener, but Jon, the lover and boyfriend. He was completely hers. And he knew that she was his...for now. He just had to hold on tight.