Long Time Coming

by Scarlett Parrish

  I don’t know why you keep bugging me on the weekend. Were you drunk or something?

  Delete.

  Any questions would be taken as encouragement to engage in conversation. No; this had to be short, sweet and authoritative.

  I’m getting annoyed at you bugging me every weekend. I’m allowed to have a life of my own and I’d enjoy it more if you left me the fuck alone—

  No, still not right.

  Your weekend antics are getting a little old. Crowding me is so not a good idea.

  "Fuck it, why not?" I whispered, and clicked ‘send’, instantly regretting it. Probably not the best idea I’d ever had but I’d just spent the night with a gorgeous, energetic stranger, and felt good about myself. Andrew couldn’t do anything to hurt or harm me.

  My phone beeped again before I’d finished making my morning mug of coffee. Although Leo had helped me sweat all the alcohol out of my system I still felt rough, tired and dehydrated; the only cure for such a feeling was a shower and caffeine. Lots of caffeine. Instant coffee in a cheap mug.

  What’s getting old is you not talking to me. You’ll have to talk to me at some point.

  I declined to reply to this latest. Andrew had never crowded me before; irritated, yes, but crowded? No. But this... this was getting more than a little overbearing. I wasn’t scared of him. I didn’t think he was anything approaching a stalker, but I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t leave me alone.

  "That’s breakfast, is it?" Laughter behind me as I jumped. "I’m not that scary am I?"

  I spun round and my breath caught. I’d seen him from all angles, touched him everywhere, hell, even tasted him in most places, and the sight of him fresh from the shower, one of my bath towels wrapped around his waist, made my heart skip. He’d dried himself so there were no droplets of water running over his muscles or tattoos, but still...

  "Jesus, you should have seen how high you jumped!" He grinned and moved towards me. "Is that your idea of breakfast? Coffee? Or is it tea?"

  "Coffee. Instant."

  He made a face. "Fuck; no wonder you’re so thin if that’s all you have in the morning. Is it still morning by the way? I left my phone in a pocket... somewhere..."

  "Yeah, it is. Just." I nodded towards my phone on the countertop in front of me.

  "Ah. Checking your messages, eh?"

  "Want some coffee? Or tea? Something to eat?"

  He came closer still and tugged at the fold in my towel where I’d tucked one end in to keep it wrapped around my chest. "I do feel a bit hungry." A droplet of water ran down the side of his face and he used the hand towel draped around his neck to wipe it away. He rubbed at his hair with the towel and the bed head effect, the way it spiked up randomly, reminded me of the way his hair had looked the night before; messed up in an effortlessly stylish way.

  "I just had a shower and you’re planning on getting me all sweaty again?"

  "Not exactly." His eyes crinkled up at the corners. "I was planning on doing all the work."

  "Jesus." His energy astonished me. If he hadn’t been lucid all night, coherent and understandable, I would have thought he was on something. I turned my cheek as he bent to kiss me, acting coy after hours of depravity. Sipped my coffee, prayed it would steady my nerves. Him standing so close, hands resting on my waist, made me tremble. His very presence overwhelmed me.

  I twisted my back to him, drained my coffee mug, set it on the countertop and let my gaze fall on my mobile phone.

  "Hey..." His hands touched my waist through the towel and squeezed a yelp out of me. "Ooh, you make that noise when I touch you in other places too."

  "Really?"

  "Yes, especially when I touch your—"

  My phone rang.

  "Do you always jump that high when someone calls?"

  "I wasn’t expecting anyone to..." But that was a lie. I had been.

  "Who is it?"

  "No one important."

  "You’re not going to answer it?" His entire body stiffened behind me. "Is it a boyfriend? ‘Cause if I’ve just fucked a girl who’s already taken..."

  "No, you haven’t. I’m not. I told you when we met that I’m single and I am."

  "Oh, thank fuck for that," he breathed as the ringing stopped. In a few seconds, I knew, my phone would beep again with a voicemail alert.

  When I turned around, Leo wasn’t smiling.

  "It was my ex, Andrew. He texts occasionally. Well, more than occasionally. But..." I shrugged. "It’s tiring. Avoiding him. I don’t mean to be rude, but... what can I do?"

  Leo’s brow furrowed. "I have an idea." He nibbled at his bottom lip and gazed into the middle distance. "Give me your phone."

  "Uh... what?"

  He didn’t hold his hand out. He expected me to hand it over, not to have to take it from me. "Gimme your phone."

  "Why?"

  "Just do as you’re told."

  "Neanderthal."

  "Oh come on, love, if I were a Neanderthal I’d throw you on the bed and fuck you ‘til you screamed. Oh. Wait a minute..." He chuckled.

  I slapped the phone into his outstretched hand. "Now what?"

  "Now you hush up and let me take care of this."

  "Ooh, so manly."

  "Quiet, woman." He slid my phone open. "You all right?"

  "Yeah. Yeah, sure. Don’t mind me."

  "Do you dare me?"

  I laughed out loud. If nothing else, he was fun. "Okay then... whatever you’re about to do," and I had my strong suspicions, "I dare you."

  "Andrew, you said?" he murmured, frowning in concentration as he studied my phone. "Andrew, Andrew...Jesus, woman, you’ve got more Andrews in here than... than a... well, a place where you get loads of Andrews. Lessee... Andy Benson. Andrew Stevens. Wait, this’ll be him, I’m guessing. Andrew the Cunt?"

  Folding my arms, I challenged him with my eyes.

  "Right." He held the phone to his ear while using the other hand to scrub dry his hair. The towel-tousled effect made him look even hotter in my view and if he was using my mobile to call my ex and cause trouble in my life even though I’d never see him again, then... well, he was hot. So he got away with it.

  "Hell— what? Uh... whoa, whoa, buddy. Hold the fuck up. Let me speak... Huh? I’m using her phone because Piper let me." Pause. "Jesus, woman. Your ex has got a potty mouth. I thought I could swear and I’m fucking Irish. Dude. Dude, shut the fuck up and let me speak!" His jaw clenched and if Andrew had been in the room I liked to think Leo would have punched him. For no earthly reason other than he just plain deserved it. "Right. Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like to say a few words, hmm? Yes? Good." Deep breath. "I’m reliably informed by Piper that she’s tiring of your regular communiqués and really, it’s a bit of a passion killer, being interrupted, so..."

  I clamped both hands over my mouth to smother a snort of laughter.

  "Well," he continued. "If you don’t believe what I’m saying, I can repeat myself? No, didn’t think you would. Listen. I don’t usually play the caveman—" At this he winked. "I just think, when you’re texting and calling someone who’s made their lack of interest plain, it’s a bit... how shall I put this... it’s ungentlemanly, you know?"

  The calmness of his voice unnerved me somewhat. Like the calm before the storm.

  "Yeah, yeah. I hear you. But Piper doesn’t seem to agree. And given how enthusiastic she was about our coupling last night, I’d be willing to hazard a guess on where her loyalties lie. And listen, dude. I can’t believe you let that one slip. For fuck’s sake, all you have to do is crook your fingers. Beckon a little, you know? Gently circle with the heel of your hand..." He closed his eyes and swallowed. Shook himself back to life. "Huh? Oh. Yeah." Leo rubbed his eyes then grimaced at something Andrew said. "I’m just saying... no, I’m asking. Politely, on Piper’s behalf, if you would kindly... back away. She feels crowded."

  Our gazes met and I nodded. Yes. He may have been having his fun; he clearly was getting into his stride, but there w
as more truth in his words than his playful demeanor would at first suggest. I did feel crowded. I didn’t like that I was using another man to get the message across but all other methods had failed.

  "Um, yes. I did. Not that that’s any of your business, but I’m only telling you that I stayed over at her house last night to make you realize she’s moved on. Dude, I don’t want to be cruel, but..."

  With my hands still in front of my mouth but now in the more refined ‘prayer’ position, palm to palm, I nodded in encouragement.

  "You what...?" Leo shook his head slowly, his jaw set. When he finally regained the ability to speak, his jocular tone sounded forced, artificial. As if his ‘act’ was slipping. "That’s way out of... oh, really? Well, I’m afraid that’s out of the question." He visibly cringed, screwing his eyes shut and coloring slightly. Holding the phone away from his ear, he shook his head and muttered, "Out of the question? What the fuck am I thinking? What century is this?" His gaze met mine and he looked sheepish. "Andrew? Unfortunately Piper is unable to come to the phone right now... Um, well you see...she has her mouth full." Leo’s gaze never wavered from mine as he added, "Of my nuts."

  My stomach ached with barely restrained laughter.

  Leo frowned then, and I thought the expression was directed at me before noticing the lack of focus in his eyes; he stared into the middle distance as if there was nothing in front of him. Shaking his head slowly, he tutted once. "You really need to stop using that kind of language. Because I told you to, that’s why! For someone who used to care about her, you’re—oh, really? Well you’re not acting like it, are you? Dude, don’t make me angry... no, you can’t. No. Let me tell you here and now that really isn’t a good idea."

  "What?" I whispered, loud enough for Leo to hear, not loud enough for Andrew to catch. I hoped. "What did he say?"

  Leo held his palm up in an ‘allow me to concentrate’ gesture, patting the air gently as if telling me to calm down, not worry. "I really don’t think Piper would want you to do that. It’s her house after all. Look, I’m not stopping her from coming to the phone; the fact she hasn’t taken it off me tells you a lot, doesn’t it? Okay, I’m six foot one but I’m not the sort of guy who would stop Piper taking what she wanted from me." He winked and his infectious enthusiasm made me want to laugh out loud; instead I had to settle for a subdued, more discreet giggle.

  "Hey, now, did you miss what I just said? I’m six foot one. And even though your ex tore a few of my muscles last night I like to think I’m not too shabby when it comes to standing up for myself and defending, uh, a lady’s honor." The desperation not to snigger was obvious as he pressed his lips together, avoided my gaze and shook his head. "Oh, didn’t I mention? You can probably tell. I’m Irish. I can handle myself. No, look. You really don’t want to do that— Are you crazy? I mean really? Are you on crack? Look, I’m Irish so I’m drunk a lot but I’d never try... yeah, well, you’re welcome to, mate. I’ll let her know. Yeah. Yeah, ‘bye now. Have a nice day, ye fuckin’ gobshite."

  "Wow." I stared at Leo as he ended the call and set the phone down on the worktop beside me.

  "I hope I haven’t used up all your credit or minutes on that call."

  "No, no. I have plenty of minutes left this month. Anyway," I added with a shrug, "it was worth it to hear all that. You really looked like you were enjoying yourself."

  "Yeah, I love making fun of dumb animals. It was almost too easy. Like shooting fish in a barrel. But did you really go out with him? What a fucking douche."

  "Yes I did."

  "Were you on crack? He’s... he’s just... he’s got no manners."

  "That’s not all..."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Oh, nothing..."

  "Piper." On his lips my name was a low growl, a warning not to mess with him.

  "Just..."

  "Pipes."

  "I don’t want this to sound like I’m trying to get him in trouble with a guy who’s already defended my honor... well, what little I have left, and..."

  "What is it? Something about Andrew?"

  "Yeah." I frowned, clueless as to why I was opening up like this. "We have split up; you do believe me?"

  "Sure, sure. Go on."

  "Well, the night I finished with him, he did this." I clenched my fist at my side and released it. Unsure whether or not Leo had caught it, I did it again and his eyes flashed.

  "He hit you?"

  "No, no. He just did that." I nodded down at my hand. "As if he was thinking about it. So... That’s why we broke up. He’d thrown things before but never raised his hands to me, and I didn’t want... oh God, I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but... there you go. His bad manners wasn’t the half of it."

  "Hmm. He really is a twat."

  "Leo." His name made my tongue prickle, even now. Crossing my arms over my chest, I did my best to stare him out, but as he’d pointed out to Andrew, he was six foot one—in his bare feet— and much bigger than me.

  "What?"

  " Tell me what Andrew said to get you so riled."

  "Jesus, Piper..." He turned away, stroking his chin. "Look, what I will say is this." He faced me again, held one arm to his waist and held the other hand palm up in a gesture of please believe me supplication. "That man... what’s his surname?"

  "Kincaid."

  "Kincaid. Right. Well that man, Andrew Kincaid, is no gentleman. You’re well rid of him."

  "Could’ve told you that." I pressed my lips together while I gave the matter some thought. I clearly wasn’t going to get an answer out of Leo and maybe, maybe I didn’t really want to know. Knowing Andrew as I did, I could guess it was something deeply ungentlemanly and resigned myself to not finding out for sure. I didn’t know whether to be touched, smothered or irritated. In reality was probably a little of all three.

  He inclined his head. "Yeah. You’re definitely too much for a cock like Andrew."

  "Try telling him that."

  "I did. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t listen."

  "And you wouldn’t tell me what he said?"

  "Not all of it, no. I want to save your pretty little virgin ears." He didn’t move except for an almost imperceptible parting of the lips and a whispering inhalation.

  "What?"

  No reply.

  "What?"

  Still nothing.

  "Leo!"

  "He is rather keen to speak to you, y’know."

  "So I gathered. The line where you told him my mouth was full of your nuts was a give away."

  "Yeah, I liked that one. I’ve always got time for a blow job, me. Well, apart from now."

  "You have to go?" I could’ve kicked myself, prayed I hadn’t sounded too clingy. "Oh well."

  "I meant we don’t have time for a blow job, as attractive as the thought is right now. We wouldn’t want Andrew walking in on us. Although... he might get the message then. He, uh... was pretty keen to see you, too, if you wouldn’t talk to him on the phone."

  "Leo... what have you done?"

  "Me? Nothing!" He held up both palms. "You were there. You heard every word I said!"

  "Yes, but I didn’t hear every word he said, did I?"

  "No. No, you didn’t. That’s true." He again inclined his head and tugged at his earlobe. "Has he, uh, got keys to this place?"

  "Hell no! How much of an idiot do you think I—now wait a minute. What else did he say?"

  "Oh nothing, nothing. And don’t say Leo in that way again. He said he was gonna come over."

  "What! When?"

  He shrugged. "Dunno. He just said I’m coming over. I assumed he meant now. Does he live far away? Has he got a car?"

  "A couple of miles across town. And no."

  "Well that buys you some time. Unless he gets a taxi."

  "Fuck."

  "Love to, darlin’, but it looks like me taking the piss out of your ex has got him all fired up. Sorry, like. I was just..."

  "Oh, don’t worry about it." I waved my hand dismissively and groa
ned. "I’ll just ignore the door. You’d better head off if you want to avoid him." This wasn’t the way I wanted us to part company. "You’ll have to take a rain check on that blow job."

  "Hmm." He ran a finger over his mouth, pouting as he dragged his bottom lip.

  "Hmm? What’s ‘hmm’?"

  "Only... I have an idea. It involves you in a state I’m not too keen on personally... I mean, you’d have to put some clothes on, but...Your needle-dick ex is on his way over here, possibly as we speak, right?"

  "How do you know he’s got a needle-dick?"

  "He talks like a man with a tiny cock. He’s on his way over, yeah? And you don’t want to see him. So. You pull some clothes on, dry your hair or brush it or whatever it is you women do after a shower, and..."

  "And...?" I prompted archly.

  "We scoot over to my place for a rematch."

  "Ah." I gulped. A feeling of potentiality washed over me. As if I was being offered a choice which ran deeper than Leo’s mere words. You, Piper Holt, my inner voice said, are at a crossroads.

  "Well?" he prompted.

  I reached up to pull the towel off my hair and my damp hair tumbled around my shoulders. Brushing it out of my eyes, I stared at him once I had a clear line of sight again. "Guess I should go get ready."

  Eleven

  Leo stepped across the threshold of his loft apartment and looked back. "Well? Aren’t you coming in?"

  "I don’t know," I murmured. Our worlds now blended. He’d been in my home, I was about to enter his. This was how people got entangled.

  Attached.

  I shuddered.

  "Somebody just walk over your grave?" he teased, and indicated with a twitch of his head the apartment behind him. "Go on, get in. Or would you like me to carry your bag for you?"

  "Yeah, after I got it from the taxi into the lift and up here, now you offer to carry it."

  "I know how precious women are about their belongings. Or maybe it’s you who wants carrying over?" he slipped an arm around my waist but I dodged out of his way.

  "What do you think this is, a honeymoon?"

  "If it was, it’s a bit late for all that romantic shite. The consummation’s already happened." He swatted me on the backside as I walked past. "Next time I get married, remind me to stay away from the Guinness and look for someone compatible," he muttered.