Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(39)

‘You love it when I get dirty, you know you do.’ He smacked her on her bottom and she giggled. He let her go and went back into the bathroom and closed the door this time.

‘Come on, babe. What you doing in there?’ Paula called outside the bathroom door ten minutes later.

‘Yeah – won’t be a minute.’

He’d had another text from Dee. He knew what she would want to know – had he sorted the bank? He checked his emails on his phone. If only the contract he’d been chasing for two years now would just happen, for Christ’s sake! He’d poured so much money into courting the potential buyers, a conglomerate of Middle Eastern businessmen, that he had no more money to risk. Still they kept him waiting, with more questions about supplying this or that, tweaking and customizing and basically screwing him down until he was too far under their thumb to work himself loose.

He opened the door to find her standing there waiting for him. ‘I heard you texting. Is it work?’

‘No, babe. It was Craig. He likes to text me when I’m away.’

‘Ah. He sounds lovely. What are you going to do with him this weekend?’

‘I promised him I’d take him out on the speedboat.’ He could see Paula melt. She loved any discussion of wealth and the trappings that went with it.

‘When am I going to meet Craig? You’ve met my girls. They talk about you a lot. Ever since we came back from those few days in Disneyland Paris – it’s all they keep asking – when is JJ going to take us away again? I still feel guilty that we didn’t take Craig.’

‘Craig would have hated it with us. Believe me.’ Ellerman came out of the bathroom, looking perfectly groomed and with his blond hair neatly brushed. ‘I need a haircut if you have time.’

Paula nodded. ‘Sure, babe.’

She followed him downstairs into the lounge.

He looked at his phone again when yet another text came through. It was another from his wife that he wasn’t going to read. He switched it off and looked at Paula and her anxious face. She was watching him intently. ‘Nothing to worry about – it’s all taken care of. I’m not going to be bothered by clients right now. Now, what have we got to eat here? I’m starving.’

‘I thought we could get a takeaway?’

Ellerman made his disappointed face.

‘And there’s me thinking you’d have a lovely meal waiting for me like you usually do.’

Paula shrugged. ‘No time – sorry. I had to get the kids over to my mum’s, to give us some peace. You said you have some photos of our house in Spain to show me?’

‘I do. They’re on my phone. I’ll show you in the morning. I don’t want to turn it on again – I’ll just have to talk to clients. More stress I don’t need.’

‘Let’s go down the pub then. I told my friends you were coming and they’re waiting there for us. I thought we could pick up a takeaway on the way back. Come on, JJ, it’ll be fun. I want to show you off – my sugar-daddy boyfriend.’ She reached out and ran her hand around his waistline.

Ellerman looked at her and felt real affection for her. She was simple and sweet, uncomplicated and forgiving. When she had contacted him on the Sugar Daddies dating site, she was looking for a secure future for her and her girls. She was willing to wait for him. She was the easiest of all the women and, in a way, he was drawn to her; he was fond of her trusting, simple nature. She reminded him of the way Dee used to look at him; look up to him; idolize him. He enjoyed taking Paula and her girls away. They were grateful and they were proud of him. But even Paula had begun to notice that the presents had dried up. If they went out this evening, she’d expect him to buy several rounds of drinks for her mates. He didn’t see how he could. He might just be able to get a few quid out of the new credit card. He hadn’t used it yet. He was trying not to – the rate of interest per annum was sky high. He’d try to make her pay first.

She pouted at him. He laughed. She was like a small child when she made her petulant, pissed-off face. She went to move away in a huff and he grabbed her and tickled her so that she screeched with laughter, and he guided her back into the bedroom.

An hour later, she gave up trying to keep him hard. He lay back on the bed and sighed. She cuddled into him.

‘What’s the matter, babe? Are you all right?’

‘Sorry.’

Christ – it was coming to something when he had to say sorry to these women. What the fuck was the matter with him? He sat up in bed and pulled his jeans on.

‘What’s the matter? Aren’t we going to try again?’

‘We’ll have all night. You’re right, let’s go out, darling. Let’s go and get drunk and then I’ll come back here and screw you senseless.’

‘Darling? You’ve never called me that before.’

‘Well, it’s because that’s how dear you are to me – my little darling.’

‘Give me an hour to get ready.’

‘No, I’m not waiting an hour. I want to go out now. You look perfect as you are.’

She made the face again. He didn’t laugh this time and she got off the bed and went into the bathroom.

‘Okay then, but I only want you to be proud of me. A girl’s got to look her best.’