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I was about to utter the words ‘public humiliation’ when he pre-empted me. “A private members club. So these off!”
I blushed and quickly slipped them off. Why did he have to be so pedantic with definitions?
“Don’t you dare let anyone see or else I shall have to punish you severely.” He pulled my hair back and kissed me on my lips hard. I wondered what severe meant and whether I wanted to explore any more of his particular definitions.
***
His Austin Martin car pulled up in front of the clubhouse. Behind us, Martinson was following in a conspicuous Volvo 4x4 SUV. Jason parked up right by the entrance and immediately a doorman leapt out to collect his clubs from the boot. Jason grasped my hand, giving me a reassuring smile and we walked through the double doors into the entrance foyer.
“Mr Lucas.” A man approached Jason, hands rubbing together nervously. “I’m sorry, sir. Mike Henderson can’t caddy for you today. He is sick.”
Jason frowned, his disappointment obvious.
The nervous man suggested two other names with a hopeful look. Jason picked one. “I tee off in ten minutes time.”
“Very go
od, Mr Lucas.” The man scurried off.
I turned to face Jason. “There is something you’re not telling me? Parking space by the entrance, choice of caddy, very nervous man...” I was tempted to wave a finger at him, but quickly suppressed the desire.
Hands on hips, Jason looked down at me with a dazzling grin. “Why, Gemma, didn’t I tell you I own this golf club?”
I looked at him amazed.
“Oh, perhaps not,” he said without changing his expression. “You need to be on your very best behaviour. The ladies of the club will have high expectations of you.”
I was so out of my comfort zone and it triggered a mouthful of nervous nausea. I took Jason’s arm to steady myself as he walked me to the bar. I was faced by eight faces, different ages and looks. Their eyes collectively turned to face Jason and I, all conversations halted.
“Ladies allow me to introduce you to Gemma Marshall, my girlfriend.”
Well, a pin could have been heard dropping followed by a sound of gasps been suppressed. I tried my hardest not to blush. Secretly I was delighted to be referred to as Jason’s girlfriend. I stood back as Jason rattled off a list of names as he went round the room for introductions. They went mostly over my head, as each one smiled and said hello politely.
“I’ll leave you ladies to your chat,” Jason bent down and whispered in my ear. “I’ll check on your progress after the ninth hole.”
I watched him depart and taking a deep breath faced my inquisitors. I should not have worried, they were all awfully well-mannered and not as curious as I thought they would have been. I deflected a few awkward questions about Jason’s habits, keen to protect his privacy. I explained I met him at his office and I was about to start a new job elsewhere. Jason suggested, in the car on the way to the club, keeping simply to the truth.
As voices talked over and around me, I was very conscious of the need to keep my knees tight together. My knickerless state was distracting and I could not keep up with the flow of conversation. I was starting to look like an empty-headed frivolous girl, with an inability to talk sensibly to anyone. I suspected this humiliation was what Jason intended. He was busy enjoying himself on the golf course while I squirmed and looking ridiculous on my bar stool. I was starting to feel angry and if truth be told, furious. Was this public humiliation or did he consider his golf course to be a private arena? It did not matter to me as I was seriously pissed off with the entire knickerless situation.
The golfers drifted in for lunch after the ninth hole and Jason was one of the first to arrive looking pleased with himself, his round was going well I deduced. He bent down and planted a kiss on my cheek.
“Comfortable, Gemma?” His voice was laced with amusement.
I glared at him, trying very hard to communicate my state of affairs silently.
“Let’s eat,” he said.
He took my arm and led me, with the other wives and girlfriends, to the restaurant. The layout was a buffet style, with a selection of salads, cold meats and cheese. The men stood in one corner, reliving the morning’s round with exaggerated mock swings and putts. Jason was to one side talking in a hushed voice to an older man. The women were milling about, interweaving and picking at their food. Jason took pity on me and broke his conversation to come across to me. Putting his plate down, he introduced me to his companion.
“Gemma, this is Philip Hills, a very important person in my company.”
Philip looked uncomfortable at the compliment. However he took my hand and shook it warmly.
“Pleasure is mine, Miss Marshall. I never had the chance to meet you while you were working for us.”
“Please call me, Gemma.”
Meeting Jason’s deputy was confirmation of Jason’s commitment to me and an introduction to a significant person in Jason’s life was encouraging.
