She snuggled up into her corner of the sofa again. “This all right?” she asked, fiddling with the stem of her glass.
“Lovely.” Ollie stared at the space between them. “You’re an awfully long way away, though, comrade.”
“I…I wasn’t sure if you…”
“Wanted to cuddle up?”
Anna nodded.
“I’d love to. If…” Ollie bit her lip. “Unless you don’t want to?”
“No, I…” Stop being so insecure. “I do,” Anna said after a pause.
Ollie held her arm out along the back of the sofa, her fingers wriggling in a gesture that clearly meant come here, then.
Sliding across the cushions, Anna pulled the television remote with her and then rested her body against Ollie’s side. She kept her head raised for a moment and then tucked her hand around her waist.
The arm Ollie wrapped around her shoulders was warm, and she patted Anna to coax her down properly against her.
Laying her cheek against Ollie’s collarbone, Anna closed her eyes for a moment. Calm down, woman. A shudder went through Anna when Ollie squeezed her. Her shoulder tingled as Ollie’s fingertips trailed gently against the wool of her jumper.
“It’s okay,” Ollie whispered. “I promise I won’t bite.”
“Sorry.” Anna forced her body to relax. This is so different from sitting on the sofa with a man. Ollie’s so warm and soft.
Ollie shifted around and for a moment Anna thought she was uncomfortable, but she was just reaching to grab the throw from the back of the sofa. She pulled it around their waists, tucked her socked feet under it, and made sure it covered Anna’s hip.
A sigh left Anna and she felt more relaxed. “Oh, that’s a good idea.”
“Full of them, me,” Ollie said, her nose sinking into Anna’s hair.
Anna lifted her head to look at her. The kiss Ollie gave her was quick before Ollie smiled and turned her head to watch the film.
After a few minutes, Anna found her body cooling down, so she pulled the throw up over her shoulder and breathed steadily against Ollie’s warm front.
Ollie’s hand was stationary on her hip, over her big woolly green jumper.
The pale pink jumper Ollie wore was terribly flattering. She looked pastel-coloured and gentle, and Anna’s cheek was resting right where the jumper gave way to the cotton of her blue top underneath. A pale-skinned collarbone and a few freckles peeked out from beneath the top.
Thankful she had seen the film before, Anna relished the feeling of being in Ollie’s arms. She was warm and smelled like lavender. Her eyes closed for a moment, and she subtly breathed in Ollie’s perfume, something deep but spicy. It was pleasing that Ollie had felt the event was special enough to require perfume.
She turned her attention back to the film, and before she thought too hard about it snuggled deeper into the warm wool of Ollie’s jumper. She inhaled sharply when Ollie’s fingertips moved back and forth, stroking her hip and waist. She soon settled into the caress, her own thumb smoothing round Ollie’s waist in a steady and slow rhythm. She made a soft noise in her throat, rubbed her cheek against Ollie’s shoulder, and let her entire body sink into Ollie’s embrace.
When Anna’s caresses slowed and then stopped, with half an hour left to go of the film, Ollie carefully looked down to find her fast asleep.
Anna’s lips were parted. Her breathing was steady and slow. Ollie took a minute to study her face, for the first time unobserved. She’s so beautiful. Freckles dusted her nose and cheekbones, and the orange-red of her eyebrows was like cinnamon.
Ollie made sure the blanket was pulled up to Anna’s chin and settled to watch the remainder of the film, Anna safely nestled in her arms.
When the credits rolled and Ollie’s knee was complaining bitterly, disappointment flooded through her as she realised the peace between them would be broken. Anna had been so very tired. But any longer without painkillers and I’ll be an irritable mess.
Deciding on a nice way to wake her, Ollie turned her head to kiss Anna’s forehead, left her lips there for a moment, and then swept her palm up and down Anna’s side. Anna shifted and stretched a little, her eyes blinking open in the faded light. She smiled, but then hastily pushed herself into a sitting position. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, a hand to her lips. A blush swept across her cheeks.
“Don’t be silly.” Ollie lifted a hand to smooth down a bit of hair by Anna’s ear that was stuck up.
Anna placed her palm over Ollie’s against her face and blushed further. “Some company I am,” she said, looking across at the television. Her hand dropped and so did Ollie’s. She stood to turn the television off, collected her glass from the coffee table, and drank the small amount of wine left in it.
“Are you kidding?” Ollie said, hauling herself to her feet but hissing when her knee twinged. She desperately tried to keep her expression steady.
Anna frowned and stepped close to her, tilting her head in a way that told Ollie she’d been caught.
“My knee. Metalwork gets a bit cold sometimes. Aches.”
“Oh,” Anna said.
Her wine glass seemed to admonish her from the coffee table, reminding her how much wine she’d drunk. “Can’t really have any of the good stuff. Got some ibuprofen in my bag, though.”
Anna smirked and put a stern tone into her voice. “Go get it, then. Help yourself to a tumbler from the cabinet.”
Ollie exhaled in a big rush, pleased Anna had resumed the teasing and hadn’t made a big deal about it. At times like this she hated her leg. It was just something extra to spoil any lovely moments she experienced in life.
After limping away into the kitchen, she found a clean glass and swallowed the tablets with a grimace. When she shuffled back in, she wiggled the glass towards Anna. “It’ll only take a few minutes to kick in.” she said. She lowered her achy limbs onto the sofa. “Now, then, where were we?”
“I’m not sure we’d decided what to do after the film,” Anna said, sitting next to Ollie, her wine glass between her hands. When Ollie trailed a hand over her back, Anna giggled shyly. She leant against Ollie’s fingers when they moved up to her neck and then hesitantly across to her cheek.
“It’s not that late,” Ollie said, although when she looked at the clock, and discovered it was quarter to midnight, her heart sank. “Okay, I stand corrected.”
“I’ve nothing to do tomorrow,” Anna said, looking at Ollie with dark eyes.
Ollie narrowed her eyes in thought but was unable to keep up the facade, so she dropped her head. “I don’t have anywhere to be either. Shop’s closed tomorrow. I’ve got to do a stock take.”
“I’d love for you to stay. But I’m…I’m sure you’ve got to get back.”
“No, I don’t need to start counting all my products until at least lunchtime.” Ollie caught Anna’s hand and looked up at her. Their fingers intertwined. “But…”
“But?”
“I think…” Ollie turned to look at Anna properly. She took the wine glass from her, placed it on the table, and then took her hands. Her lungs expanded wide as she took in a huge breath. “I think we should… I don’t want to just fall into bed with you.”
Anna lifted an eyebrow.
“No.” Ollie’s cheeks warmed, and she looked at their joined hands. “That’s n-not what I mean. I do want to, of course I do, Anna, I just…”
“You want to take things slowly.”
Ollie sighed at the understanding in Anna’s eyes. “Do you think that’s silly?”
“Not at all,” Anna said, squeezing Ollie’s hands in her own. “I think it’s rather charming, actually.”
“And a good idea?”
“Well so long as…” Anna lifted a hand to touch Ollie’s cheek.
Ollie closed her eyes against the caress.
“…you don�
��t make me wait too long,” Anna finished.
“I won’t.”
“I’ll be honest, I’m a little relieved.” She flicked her eyes between Ollie and the floor. “First times and all that.”
Ollie kissed her deeply.
Anna let out a little noise of surprise and amusement, which soon turned into delight as Ollie’s arms wrapped around her, her fingertips skimming over her back. I do love to kiss her.
They kissed for a little while until Anna suddenly broke away. Her breathing was shaky and a bit fast. Ollie was relieved, given that she was having the same trouble.
Since when has a single kiss with a woman made you so…? The thought trailed away as she refused to even think the word to describe how she felt.
Anna stroked Ollie’s cheek once before collecting the crumpled throw from the floor and pulling it over Ollie’s legs to tuck it in round her right knee. “Save you getting cold,” Anna said.
“I’m not an old lady yet, you know,” Ollie said, and she caught herself, because she almost sounded offended. She tried to smile, sitting there with a crocheted throw around her legs.
To her relief, Anna’s hands trailed up Ollie’s arms, before coming to rest at either side of her neck. She rubbed lightly.
“We’re the same age,” Anna hissed into her ear.
Her tickling breath made Ollie shiver. “Mmhm.”
They rested their foreheads against one another, their hands just sliding a little.
Ollie sighed. Her whole body felt like it was made of cotton wool. Meds must be kicking in.
“Would you like to stay, though?” Anna chewed her bottom lip.
Ollie realised she hadn’t really answered. “If that’s okay with you.”
Anna nodded swiftly.
“I um…I don’t have any pyjamas or…”
“You weren’t a Girl Guide?” Anna asked. “You surprise me.”
“I like to think I’m not presumptuous,” Ollie replied and lifted her chin.
With a chuckle, Anna leant sideways against the back of the sofa, pulling Ollie with her. “I’m sure I can find something,” she said, their noses almost touching. “Might be a bit baggy…”
Lips caught lips, and Ollie wasn’t sure who’d started the kiss; didn’t care really. They continued to kiss for several minutes, and Ollie enjoyed the quiet and the togetherness. Anna held Ollie’s face, her fingertips digging into her scalp. A surge of something impassioned overcame Ollie, and she pressed Anna firmly against the back of the sofa, leaning on her good hip, and sliding her bad knee over Anna’s. She couldn’t kneel up properly, but Anna didn’t seem to mind as her hands drifted down to Ollie’s waist to sneak under her jumper and top.
Those fingertips touched her skin, and Ollie hummed her appreciation against Anna’s lips.
The kiss deepened, tongues battling, occasional small moans emanating from both of them.
A slow heat crept between Ollie’s thighs. Uh-oh. I need a breather. She broke the kiss but brushed her lips down Anna’s neck, then to the collar of her big jumper.
Anna’s hands lay flat against her back, stroking rhythmically up and down. It was a soothing gesture, and Ollie was thankful for it. Her heart slowed, allowing her brain to take charge of her libido.
Ollie buried her nose into the woolly material, snuggled in, her hand behind Anna’s shoulder, caressing the soft yarn with her thumb. “I like your jumper,” she murmured into it, turning her head to lay her cheek against the softness.
Anna stroked her cheek. “Specially picked out.” Her other hand trailed down Ollie’s thigh, before rubbing the side of her knee through the blanket.
The gesture was so tender that tears threatened behind Ollie’s eyes. Burrowing in further, she felt like she wanted to burrow in all the way. She could smell something apple-like, and figured it was Anna’s shampoo.
Anna squeezed her. “Feeling better?”
“Immensely,” Ollie said.
Anna yawned and put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, I’m so…”
“Shhh,” Ollie said, her fringe all over her face, and pressed a fingertip to Anna’s lips. “You’re chin-strapped. Let’s go to bed.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
Ollie climbed off Anna’s lap, where she’d basically been sprawled, undignified but ever so comfortable, and held out a hand to pull Anna up too. Ollie combed her fingers through her own hair, trying to tame it back behind her ears. They folded the blanket, took their glasses into the kitchen, and Ollie locked Anna’s front door. She could hear Anna clanking around in the kitchen.
Then Anna emerged, a soft smile on her face, and kissed Ollie lightly on the cheek, tugging on her hand to lead her upstairs.
Ollie wasn’t sure what she expected when she entered Anna’s bedroom—maybe she wasn’t expecting anything specific. Style, certainly. Warmth, definitely.
The room was chocolate and cream with accents here and there of a colour she could only describe as Merlot. The bunny was perched proudly on the bedside table next to what Ollie assumed was Anna’s side of the bed. Reading glasses and a coaster sat there too.
Anna moved into the room and turned on both lamps, one on either side of the bed, and then pulled the curtains. Stooping down by her drawers, she pulled hard and one opened with a light squeak. She fumbled around a little.
Her hands clasped, Ollie waited, trying to look more comfortable than she felt.
When Anna stood, she was holding a grey top and some tartan pyjama trousers. She tilted her head.
Ollie nodded and reached out for them.
They stood before one another, Ollie with a wad of clothes in one hand, Anna breathing rather deeply and sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.
Stop it. Ollie lifted a hand to lay it on Anna’s shoulder. “I could go in the spare if you like?”
“I don’t have one,” Anna said. “Three-bedroomed house.”
“Oh, okay.”
Her gaze was trained on the carpet, but when she lifted it to Ollie’s, her voice was quiet but confident. “I want you to sleep in here with me.”
Ollie nodded.
After pointing into the en suite, Anna collected her own pyjamas and headed in.
A moment of shock kept Ollie attached to the ground for a minute more, and then she sprang into action. The last thing she wanted was for Anna to finish and find Ollie struggling into the pyjamas. Getting dressed was never a dignified occurrence for her.
She wobbled as she pulled her clothes off and then stepped into the slightly roomy pyjamas bottoms, before tying the drawstring so they didn’t fall down. The long-sleeved cotton top felt so soft against her skin. The entire outfit smelled of apples, and Ollie hugged her arms around herself, allowing the scent to wash over her.
She folded her clothes, mindful of how neat and tidy Anna’s bedroom was, and sat on the foot of the bed with her socks still on. She fiddled with her fingers as she listened to the sounds of Anna in the bathroom.
She had a further look around the bedroom to distract herself from her fluttering heart rate. The curtains were cream with a burgundy stripe along the bottom. The carpet was beige, and the rug at the bottom of the bed that lovely deep-red colour. She scrunched her toes into the rug, enjoying how squishy it was, even through her socks. It was a stark contrast to her threadbare one at home, the one that lay in front of her wood burner. Maybe I’ll buy a new rug.
The furniture was solid oak, she could tell. Not like the mismatched assortment in her own flat. Anna’s so grown-up.
With her hair a little fluffy at the front where she had washed her face and a little toothpaste at the corner of her lips, Anna returned to the bedroom. Ollie stood quickly and strode across to kiss it away before she could stop herself. When she pulled back again, Anna smiled, catching Ollie’s jaw, and just looking at her.
“You look
lovely in my clothes. I’ve left you a new toothbrush.” Her thumb brushed Ollie’s cheek.
“What service.” Ollie went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Anna folded her clothes, put the relevant items in the hamper, and settled under the covers. She turned off her bedside lamp, leaving the one on Ollie’s side of the bed glowing dimly. Does she like to cuddle in bed or would she prefer some space? Does she sleep well? Does she get up in the night like I usually do? Does she snore? She smirked at that last thought.
She checked her phone and found a text from Bethany, wishing her a nice evening, with a wink emoji at the end. Anna rolled her eyes and sent her a brief but informative text back.
Hobbling back into the bedroom, Ollie fiddled with her fingers.
Anna held the duvet open for her. “I don’t mind switching sides if you prefer.”
“No, that’s fine. This is fine.” Ollie sat and turned off the lamp by her side of the bed before awkwardly swinging her legs in. Anna tried not to show the sympathy she felt, but Ollie must have noticed, even in the dim light from the streetlamps outside. “It’s fine,” she said. “Almost doesn’t hurt.”
“Does it stop you doing things?” Anna asked and then felt her cheeks burn when Ollie smirked and she realised the innuendo within the question.
Ollie lay down next to her. Anna could thankfully make out her features in the low light.
Curling her hands by her face on the pillow, Ollie shrugged. “I used to run a lot; can’t do that anymore. Using the pool at the leisure centre is fine, although the adult pool can get a bit cold. I prefer teaching the smaller kids. We get to go in the baby pool, and it’s much warmer.”
“I never used to do any exercise, but I started going for regular walks recently, of an evening. When I can.” Anna shifted to face Ollie, bending her knees up under the covers. She snuck a hand under her own head and blinked at Ollie in the darkness. “I’ve not been swimming for years.”
Hooked on You Page 24
