The Happiness of Ella Bloom · Part 3

The Happiness of Ella Bloom · Part 3 (3/5)
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The budding couple celebrates that night in a nice steakhouse and heads in at around 9PM.

Flying back to the UK the next morning Ella sleeps through most of the flight again while leaning on Colin's arm. They had made sweet love all night again and she’s exhausted from all the experiences of the last few days.

She’s also super in love.

Back in Bristol, Colin had dropped her off at her parents house just before dinner and with a passionate kiss he promised to be back for her in a few days. He's heading back to London to sort out some stuff and unwind.

He’s so into her that he doesn’t mind the 2 hours drive back and forth he makes for her at all.

She looks longing after his Land Rover until it’s long gone and heads inside. Over dinner she talks to her parents and shows off her new outfit and jewelry to her mother. She then locks herself in her room and sleeps for eighteen hours straight.

5 – Talk about the future Colin had held off on talking to her during most of the day so he could clear his head and organize his people around him to get to work with the condominium tower. Some bathrooms need renovating and to prepare 40 apartments for sale is no small feat.

He repeatedly thinks they should’ve stayed in Cancun to be more hands-on with it. But alas, it has to be done remotely for now.

He had advised Ella to take some time and reflect on the past few days and think about her future. Ella hadn't liked it very much, but also wanted to please him so they only chatted during the evenings.

As promised, 2 days later he returns and invites her to come with him for brunch. They sit at the local cafe in a corner and enjoy a croissant and a fruit juice.

“I know you liked the apartment and the trip and all that, but really. How do you feel about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well remember I said to think about the future? How did the trip make you feel?”

“Ehmm. It was fun I think.” Ella hesitates, not sure what he's getting at.

“So I passed the test?” He asks.

Ella nods more energetic now. “Oh yes, you passed the test at McDonalds already…”

“I see. Then how about a bit of a celebration?”

“For?” Ella asks.

“Weeeelll, for us actually liking each other." He winks at her. "But also, remember those apartments in Cancun?”

Ella nods.

“Four of them have been pretty much sold already. And 3 more have viewings pretty soon.”

“So you’re more rich now?” Ella says uncaring.

“Yes, well almost.” He notices she doesn’t care for his money. “Anyway, how about a month-long vacation in the Philippines.”

“You have an apartment there too?” Ella wants to know.

“No, we’ll be in a hotel suite or something.” He elaborates. “Or where would you want to go?”

“Uhm…”

“Think about it. I’ll be right back.” Colin gets up and heads for the restroom.

Ella sits for a moment pondering his words. ‘Another trip already? Why can’t we just stay in England?’ Truthfully she doesn’t really feel like traveling right now.

“Hey, you’re Elle Boom, right?” A young man's voice sounds from behind her.

“Huhwhat?” She looks up disturbed.

“Elle Boom? You were on TV a few months ago, you know after eh, that thing that happened to you.” The man clarifies.

“Oh, yes. I’m her.” Ella sighs, wishing for him to go away.

“Can I sit down? I’m Stephen. I work for Nuts Magazine.” The man continues.

“Ehh… Sure?”

“That’s my seat.” Colin interrupts the interaction.

“Oh sorry, I thought Elle was by herself…”

“I’m sure you did." He gestures at his glass of juice, making it obvious Ella is not alone.

Colin looks the young man up and down. "What do you want?”

“I work for Nuts, we’re looking for models.” Stephen lies.

“Didn’t Nuts go out of business 10 years ago?” Colin sneers, “Did you come all this way here just to be a nuisance?”

“Eh, no. I just wanted to have a chat.” He stutters. He had sat in his car for days, 3 doors down from Ella’s home, waiting for a chance to talk to Ella.

“I see. Well, since you can’t even say her name properly I doubt anything else you have to say is of any value. So I kindly ask you to fuck off and leave my woman alone.”

Colin is being very rude, he caught Stephen in his lie.

“Unless she wants to talk to you. Ella?” He looks at her.

When Ella says nothing and just stares at him, he can feel her resentment. So he continues to take the lead.

“On second thought, have a seat.” He motions for Stephen to sit.

He then holds out his hand to Ella, “Come darling, let’s go someplace else.”

Ella grabs his hand on auto-pilot and an electrifying sensation shoots through her body as he leads her out of the cafe. Colin protecting her like this is very exciting.

Stephen looks after them thinking he needs to get to her when she’s not with this guy. Much easier. But really, seeing she is with a man already. Maybe he’ll give up.

When they’re around the corner she pulls him close, “Thank you Colin. I hate it when people recognize me.”

“Anything for you babe.” He soothes her.

“Am I really your woman?” Ella whispers into his chest with a hushed voice.

“Ehh… sure…” Colin looks around, feeling a bit awkward the way they’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

She pushes herself closer into his jacket with a slight moan, holding him very tightly.

“I think we need to have a chat about that, Ella. Come with me.” He says spotting a bench in a little park down the road.

She meekly follows him.

At the bench he sits her down and squats in front of her.

“Hey, are you alright?” He reaches up and caresses her cheek.

Ella whimpers at his touch. “What you did there, protecting me. That’s so hot. Oh… Sorry.”

He looks at her with a vague smile, “Don’t apologize for having feelings. OK?”

She nods.

He lowers his voice, “Don’t get upset now, I’m just trying to understand. Do you want to be my woman? What would that mean to you?”

“Yessss… I want to take care of you.” She hushes.

“Is that why you wanted me to boss you around and make you do the household?”

Ella nods, “And to touch me. I like it when you touch me.”

“Like hold your hand? Or like eh, touch, touch you…”

He grabs her hands and rests them on her knees.

Ella nods feeling in love.

“I see. Then I like being with you even more.” He grins at her, gently squeezing her hands.

“Yes, oh…” Ella whimpers at the thought.

He veers up and kisses her on her nose. He then sits next to her.

“Colin?”

“Yes Ella?”

“Can we stay together?”

“Sure! Of-course…”

“You said in the Philippines, it’s nice there?”

“Oh, to live together? Yeah, ok." He hesitates slightly, "The Philippines? It’s a 3rd world country, but if we choose carefully I’m sure it’ll be nice there. All I really know is that the weather is usually nice, lots of palm trees!”

“Oh, let’s go look. We can disappear there?”

Colin ‘hmms’ at hearing that. “What do you mean by disappear?”

“I don’t know, I just want to be with you and nobody else to bother us. Just like when, ehh… You know.”

“Like at Mike’s house?” Colin bluntly asks.

Ella nods.

“That’ll be very lonely Ella. And in a strange country? Think about that.”

He’s not at all looking forward to that.

“I’m thinking about it all the time, Colin. The world is so loud. There are cars, people and sirens. I don’t like it.”

Colin looks around, there aren't many people near them and it's pretty quiet. It's been normal all morning, he thinks. But he goes along with her woes and says, “Yea, ok. I get that. But you’re just upset now from that guy. I hope.”

He studies her face but she just stares at her knees.

“Because in Mexico you didn’t seem to think the world was loud and in the way. So we don’t have to isolate ourselves…” he continues.

“… Just find a place like that.” Ella finishes the thought.

“Exactly!” Colin confirms, now they understand each other.

“So we live in Mexico?”

“Ehm, in the condo? Heh, no that place is about to be sold. But I, we, can find something like that, somewhere.”

“I don’t know where to go then. But you have many houses for that?” Ella smiles for the first time.

Colin laughs, “Right now I just have my home in Kensington. Maybe we should go there first. It’s pretty quiet there as well.”

Ella likes the sound of that even more, no travel required. And soon after, they stroll hand in hand to her home to grab a few things.

Stephen is nowhere to be seen. But he sees them though. He has returned to his car and sits in the thing waiting for Ella to show up alone.

Neither of her parents are home but Ella doesn’t feel like talking to them or asking for permission for once. For the first time in a year she knows exactly what she wants.

Colin encourages her to talk to them first, but really he too wants to have her all to himself. Protect her from the world, and make her happy. So he doesn’t push too hard. They'll just see what happens.

While Ella gets her things he writes a note for her parents explaining that Ella will stay with him for a while and that he will do his best to make her safe and happy. Writing his address and phone number under it in big letters. He doesn't want any misunderstandings.

He stares at the note and adds that there is a guy named Stephen stalking the neighborhood looking for Ella.

Ella looks around her room and thinks about what to bring which is mostly a pile of clothes. She doesn’t own much else. They load up the car together. Next Ella brings her papers and gets her basic toiletries as well. And thinks that maybe she should bring her old PC. But Colin promises he’ll get her a nice computer and whatever else she needs.

“Or do you know how to make a computer work?” He asks.

“Dad fixed it for me. He’s really smart… I don’t know.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

They grin at each other and without words agree to figure that out later.

Checking over her room one last time, Colin asks about her toys and things. There are a bunch of cuddly toys and some books strewn around the room. A half finished comic book on her bed.

But Ella doesn’t really care for it. She grabs one small fluffy brown teddy bear and declares she has everything.

“That’s your favorite?”

“My dad got it for me when I got home.”

“Hah, the most important one.” Colin grins at his lover.

“Yes…”

They hug for a moment and he whispers. “You’re really sure, yes? You’re not doing it because you want a better house, or because you’re looking for a way away from your parents?”

“Colin… Please…” Ella looks upset at him for even considering that.

“Yeah, ok. Just checking. Making sure. It’s a big decision and we’re kinda rushing into this.”

They head downstairs and into the kitchen while they talk.

“Kiss me and find out how serious I am…” Ella dares him.

He obliges and Ella puts so much effort into her kiss that within moments he has a massive boner. She consumes his energy and their bodies melt together in a tight embrace. Feeling the growing bulge in his pants she undoes it and drops her own shorts.

“You little monster!” He grins.

“Shut up and love me!” Ella gasps.

“Yes ma'am…”

He spins her around and grabs her hips and thrusts his penis into her already wet vagina in one fluid motion.

Ella holds on onto the edge of the kitchen table for dear life as Colin roughly pounds into her, and they grunt and moan in tune with each other.

Switching position Ella ends up on her back on the table and Colin holds her ankle with his right hand and entangles his fingers of his left hand in hers as he makes Ella his.

He grunts as Ella moans quietly and lets out a squeal as she orgasms. With a final growl he pushes in deep and cums inside her.

“Fuck, yeah!” He groans as he pulls out. He drops down on a dining chair and controls his breathing.

Ella lies panting on her back, thinking he really is the best and tries to unscramble her brain. After a few moments she disappears into the bathroom to freshen up.

Colin's note got all crumpled and the table is no longer centered along the wall.

20 Minutes later they’re off, it’s a 2 hour drive to London, plus however slow traffic is.

6 – Making a move All throughout driving through Bristol Colin has the feeling someone is following them. An old dark red car is constantly in his rear view mirror. Probably Stephen being a dick. But he says nothing.

When they leave the Bristol area Ella cheers up considerably. Realization sets in and her life is looking up. She asks a hundred and one questions about his home. About Kensington and London. He had told her a lot already and showed a photo of the inside once, but now she wants details. About London as well.

She's been to the city a few times and saw the palace and Big Ben, and she went on a ride in the London Eye, but really doesn’t know much about the city.

He is a bit vague about his living conditions to keep it a surprise but says it’s an apartment on the 3rd floor, which she already knew, and that it overlooks Holland Park. Which means little to her. He also promises it’s a very quiet neighborhood full of upscale houses and some schools and embassies. The shops are at walking distance, so it’s super convenient. And the few months per year that he's there always have been pleasant and calming.

Ella is already looking forward to the peace and quiet he promises.

Colin yet again spots the red car while they enter the motorway, but when he speeds up he doesn’t see the car again.

Problem solved.

They follow the M4 motorway and make a pit-stop in the services area on the interchange near Newbury. Ella buys drinks for them at the gas station shop while he tops up the fuel tank. When they're done she sits on his lap in the car staring out the window.

“What are you thinking about?” He wants to know.

“That guy at the cafe.” Ella mumbles.

“Never mind him,” Colin grumbles, “Just a would-be stalker or something.”

“Do you think?” Ella looks startled.

“I don’t know…” Colin admits, “Maybe he just likes you, same as me.”

She ‘hmms’ and goes over the incident, thinking she made her escape with Colin just in time. Even more reason to go with him.

“Moving to London will keep you safe from him.” He has the same idea as her. “Shall we continue?”

Ella agrees and climbs over the center console to the passenger seat. Colin starts the engine and they join the motorway again.

After a little while Ella has another thought, “My dad, will he be upset that I just left?”

“That’s why I said to talk to them.” He tells her.

“Yea but, he’ll just think of reasons why it’s stupid what we do… Do you think we’re being stupid?”

“No…” Colin sincerely says, “Maybe it’s a bit rushed, but we’re great together, I think. And worst case you'll just go home. Right?"

He rubs her knee when he notices she looks disturbed at him. "And remember what I said, I'm not whole without you… I still believe that.”

He focuses on the road.

"Me too. My life sucks without you." Ella thinks.

Colin can't help himself, he shoots her a curious look.

"Why is that Ella? Why are you so into me? I mean, you don't care for my money, and my looks don't seem to impress you much either."

"I think you're cute…" Ella assures him.

"Ok, but…?"

"I don't know. I feel that you get me. I can sit next to you and not worry about anything. I know we don't talk all that much. But we still understand each other I think. It's very good."

She just described his feelings for her perfectly. Colin smiles at her and swerves over the motorway overtaking a van. He’s driving way too fast.

"It's exactly that for me as well." He quietly says as they enter the fast lane again. "Hey let's make a pact!"

"A pact?" She looks at him with wonder.

"Yes, a pact, or agreement to never change and always be there for each other." He jokingly suggests.

Her face darkens. Mike, her kidnapper, forced her to sign an 'agreement' too. To get married someday.

"No…" She whispers.

"If you want to have me, you can just be with me. I'm not signing anything." Ella says with a trembling voice.

"That's not what I meant… I, ehh, forget it." He sees her pain and quietly curses himself. "A promise then?"

He could smack himself in the head for making the suggestion. She had told him about her kidnapper’s coerced agreement to marry him and should know better.

Ella sniffles a bit but says nothing.

"I promise to you to never ever ever ever ever ever…” he takes a deep breath, “…ever ever ever mistreat you. And I also promise to marry you whenever you're ready for it." He says with such a serious voice that Ella can’t help but smirk.

"Silly…” Ella pulls up her legs and rests her chin on her knees while staring out of the window. She’s quiet for the rest of the drive.

About 40 minutes later they arrive in Kensington. He turns off from the larger roads and the streets get quieter and narrower as they go along.

"This is nice, you really live here?" Ella speaks for the first time since he suggested their pact. She curiously looks at the classic townhouses and villas.

"Those old houses? No." He laughs.

They turn a corner and he points at an off-white building with a black fence around it. "That's your new home!"

Ella looks at the modern building. "3rd floor right?"

"Yep, on the other side. See the trees in the background? That's Holland Park, the view from the living room."

Ella says nothing and looks curiously around. Mightily impressed with the stately area. Actually it feels very similar to her neighborhood in Bristol, but everything here looks more expensive and grand. She kinda likes it.

He revs the engine as they enter the parking garage and the barrier closes behind them. He loves the roar of his Land Rover. The garage is full of Audi’s, Porches and other expensive cars she doesn't recognize the brand of.

"These are yours?"

"Heh no, just this one. I like jeeps and off-road cars more."

"You can drive over all those other cars then when there's a traffic jam." Ella jokes "Damn straight." He agrees.

In the lobby is a concierge, he hands a stack of envelopes to Colin.

"Welcome home Mr. Spencer! Lots of mail today.”

He then turns his attention to Ella, “And you are?"

“This is Ella Bloom. My new girlfriend.”

Ella blushes at hearing she’s his girlfriend, ‘It’s real now…’

She wants to shake his hand. "Hello, what's your name?"

The concierge looks surprised, rarely the residents ask who he is.

"Welcome to the building. I'm Jim, Ms. Bloom." He says, shaking her hand gently.

"Just call me Ella, and he's Colin. You’re always here?"

"Right you are, Ms. Bloom…" Jim confirms. “And no, there are a few others too. We work in rotation.”

“Will she be needing a key? Mr. Spencer?

"Yes of-course. The whole thing, add her to the residents list too. Extend her every courtesy, yea? As if she owns the place." Colin instructs Jim.

“Right away sir.” Jim confirms.

In the elevator up, Colin asks what that was about.

"I think we should all be friendly. He’s like the room service guy, right?"

"We are friendly Ella, but we're not friends or anything. And no, he’s not room service. They’re here for our comfort and protection."

Ella 'hmms' and forgets all about Jim when they enter the apartment proper.

Downstairs, Jim curiously Googles her name and quickly finds out she’s 'that' Ella Bloom. The one who was rescued a year ago after being kidnapped 5 years prior. ‘Not as pretty as on TV…’ He thinks as he watches a few clips from her talk show episode. Confirming her non-cuteness when he clicks on one of her old tik-tok videos, deciding she’s too plain looking for his taste.

She’s a clumsy dancer too.

He then starts preparing her keys and things.

The elevator exits into a small vestibule with 3 front doors. One of which leads into Colin's home. It connects to the living room. Almost in the middle. It has a dark wooden floor lined with white walls. To the left is a simple but stylish L shaped gray couch. In front of it is a massive TV. The couch is so big that it seats at least 8 people. To the right the living room extends into an open kitchen, again with a basic decor. But very complete. There is a big oven and stove, and some other machines. On the wall is a big rack with all kinds of kitchen knives that Ella doesn't know what they're for.

Across the room, a short hallway heads off to 2 bedrooms and the bathroom. In the bathroom there is an unusually big rain shower behind a glass sliding wall. It’s dark tiles all around, which, along with the golden yellow light, gives it a cozy cave-like feel. The bathroom only has a small frosted-glass window.

The master bedroom overlooks the park just like the living room. In there is a king size bed with tons of pillows and a big colorful duvet on it. A large closet off to the side and there is soft carpet on the floor. From the bedroom, which is a bit indented into the building, there is a sliding door that gives access to a narrow balcony. Off the side of the balcony a glass door leads back into the living room.

The other bedroom looks out to the building interior, the whole building is shaped like a big H. The ‘inner’ rooms look out onto a garden between the building legs of the H. It’s a smaller room because of the bathroom and it’s without any furniture. Colin has no use for this room apparently.

At the end of the short hallway is a small utility room with a washing machine and the more technical stuff like a water heater and the dials for the under-floor heating.

"What do you think?" Colin asks after giving her the tour.

"Ehh…" Ella is speechless.

"Well? Do you like it?"

"Why would you ever want to leave here? It's so cool." Ella mumbles.

He smiles hearing that, "Then I welcome you to your new home Ella."

"Uh-huh!" She nods more enthusiastically.

They go back and forth a few times to the car to get all her stuff and Colin tells her, "Go settle in. Touch everything, take a look around. I have to check my emails."

He’s curious to know about the latest news about his Cancun project.

Ella puts her toothbrush in the bathroom and puts her clothes in the closet in the bedroom. She walks around in the spacious apartment unsure what to do next. She doesn't want to disturb Colin so she quietly looks around.

"Can I take a shower?" She asks him.

"Yes, of-course. Do what you want." He tells her.

A quiet knock on the door.

"Get that will you? That's probably the concierge with your key." Colin says focused on his laptop. There is massive interest for the apartments and his realtor is very busy with it.

Ella curiously opens the door and Jim delivers her a set of keys and a keycard. Briefly explaining that the keys are for this front door and a side-door for the inner garden downstairs. And the keycard is for everything else; the gate, the garage barrier and the lobby door.

"Why so much security?" Ella wonders.

"Safety is what you make of it Ms. Bloom. That's why there are gates and me." His way of covertly saying that nobody is safe.

Colin joins them checking on how things are going.

"Do you know this? Jim is a security guard?" Ella calls out.

"And he’s very good at it too, nothing ever happens on his watch! We're quite safe here. Right Jim?"

The Happiness of Ella Bloom · Part 3 (3/5)
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