by E. C. Hier
“I need to tell you before we get on the ice,” he said stopping her just before the entrance. “I fall over a lot, just ignore me.”
“Oh, are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yeah, I love it and I am good but I’m also clumsy,” he replied.
To prove himself, he stepped on the ice first and glided a few feet to wait for her. She took off with ease. Her little frame seemed to float on the ice like a swan, graceful and steady. He skated up to her and they did a full circuit on the rink before one of his legs did something he wasn’t expecting and he landed flat on the ice, his chin inches from the cold surface.
“I’m all good,” he said as she spun in a circle and landed two inches from his face.
“Damn, it hurts more when you’re older,” she said as they helped each other up.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You went down first so I don’t feel bad,” she said grinning up at him and the nerves he’d felt earlier just floated away to be replaced by a warm fuzzy feeling he couldn’t identify.
“Round two then,” he said and took her hand.
They fell less when they were holding hands but when one went down the other followed and it was better that way. They laughed as they helped each other up and were soon damp and cold. The scent of hot dogs was too strong to ignore, and they skated back to the entrance. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to walk the next day because his ankles ached and his leg muscles were sore but at least he hadn’t broken anything.
“I am definitely ready for the famous hot dog,” Olivia said unlacing her skates.
“Me too,” Kieran replied. “I like the way my feet feel when I take these things off.”
“Spacewalking,” she said grinning.
They bought a couple of hot dogs and hot chocolates and sat at a table that bordered the rink. The twinkling lights strung around the park had a cozy feel and the patio heaters meant they weren’t too cold. The hot dogs tasted just as good as the Italian restaurant’s food the night before and he figured it was all about the company he was in.
“Can I cook for you tomorrow evening?” Olivia asked shaking him out of his relaxed state.
“Really? I’d love that,” he said and that warm fuzzy feeling came over him once more.
“I make a good curry,” she said. “How spicy do you like your food?”
“I’m Irish, we pride ourselves on being able to handle spice levels. I’ll eat whatever you cook, just have a glass of milk ready for me.”
“Okay, you asked for it,” she said smiling sweetly and he fought the urge to pull her onto his lap.
“Just remember that whatever goes in has to come out and I work on a building site with a portaloo,” he said laughing.
“I’ll keep it simple,” she said pulling a face.
They walked through the park hand in hand and she told him about her grandmother who had brought her up after her parents had died when she was young. He told her about his sister and his mother’s constant struggle with his younger brothers who were a handful on their own let alone when together.
He’d been itching to get away from home, and he sent her money and presents back home every month. He was saving money so his sister could join him for a few months or even better, make a life for herself on this side of the water as an artist.
“What’s her name?”
“Chloe,” he said. “Mum doesn’t understand her desire to be an artist but at nineteen she can make her own mind up.”
Olivia shivered and Kieran put his arm around her pulling her close to him. He felt like he knew her already but there was so much of her that he didn’t know anything about so it made no sense. He began to talk once more, and he didn’t stop until they reached her apartment. He didn’t know if he talked too much or if she was happy to hear about his childhood stories but when they stood at the bottom of the steps to her apartment, she tugged on his arm and he followed her into the building.
“I don’t know if this is right or wrong but it feels right to me,” she said. “I want you to stay if you feel comfortable doing so.”
“I feel comfortable in your arms,” he replied pulling her into his embrace so he could kiss her again.
He lifted her off her feet and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He ignored the ache his legs were beginning to form and concentrated on her little body wrapped so tightly around his. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have found a stunner like her who seemed to like him back. The problem was his brain kept reminding him that he wouldn’t be in town for much longer.
Chapter 8 - Olivia
As the time progressed Olivia could feel herself falling deeper and deeper. Kieran was everything she didn’t realize she wanted in a man plus a whole load more. There was only one thing that sat like a cloud over their heads and it was his nomadic lifestyle.
She couldn’t bear the thought that he would be leaving town at the end of the job and that time was now just two days away. Kieran had spent every evening with her and most nights and she had quickly become used to his presence in her home and in her bed.
Louise tried to broach the subject with her several times but Olivia had managed to find something that needed her attention. She didn’t need to be told to calm things down, and she certainly didn’t need to discuss the coming separation anxiety she was not prepared for. Kieran had mentioned it a couple of times but he seemed to have just as much trouble as her at holding a conversation on it. It looked like they both wanted to bury their heads in the sand.
Today was the day when he would find out where he was being sent next and the chances were slim that he’d be in the neighborhood or anywhere within a commutable distance. She wanted to ask him to apply for permanent positions in the area but she didn’t want to push him into making a decision about his job that would lead to financial hardship. She knew he sent a fair portion of his wages back to his mother and she was pretty sure his sister was relying on him for a fresh start.
Olivia knew the area was full of construction companies but the one he worked for was stable and he had friends there. She had accepted the fact that she would get her heart broken when she started dating Kieran but she hadn’t expected to fall completely in love with him and she had desperately hoped that he’d have some major flaws that would put her off or even some minor ones that would get under her skin. The only thing that had gotten under her skin was a depth of feeling for him. She was doomed.
“Oh, Olivia,” Louise said suddenly appearing in her line of sight. “I hate seeing you like this. There must be something we can do.”
“Like what? Have an extension built so I get an extra couple of weeks with him?” Olivia snapped back and regretted it straight away.
“When do you find out where he’s going?”
“About an hour,” she replied. “But even if he spent the next few weeks in the same city we would still have to separate when that job finishes. It wasn’t meant to be or at least it wasn’t meant to be permanent.”
“Poppycock,” Louise said.
Olivia stared at her computer screen but didn’t see the figures that danced before her eyes. She’d stopped trying to concentrate not long after she’d switched the machine on. She had tried to serve customers thinking she needed some manual work to ease her mind but apparently she’d scowled at customers and Louise had escorted her into the office.
When she heard footsteps she waited for Louise to say something else unhelpful and well-meaning but instead, she put a cup of coffee on her desk and left the room. Kieran stepped in with a mug of tea and no hint of a smile. She knew what that meant. She reached for his hand and he pulled her so she was sitting on his lap.
“Definitely not commutable,” he said. “But the contract is only for six weeks, so maybe I can get a few days leave after.”
Her heart sank, and she buried herself in his arms feeling the warmth sink into her for the first time since he’d left her bed that morning. He smelled like her shower gel,
deodorant, and fresh air; he felt like home. He held her so tightly it was bordering painful, but she welcomed it knowing it was one of the last hugs.
“This isn’t the end unless you want it to be. I’m not a stalker, you know,” he said trying to lighten the mood.
“I don’t want it to be over,” she said stroking his pale skin. “I can last six weeks.”
She kissed him slowly, and he shifted her on his lap to avoid the growing bulge in his pants. When she wrapped her arms around him inside his jacket he sighed and so she trailed kisses down his neck and across his throat. She was always hungry for him and it didn’t seem to matter that they were at her coffee shop.
“Easy tiger,” he whispered against her hair. “I’ve already got a raging stiff and I’m not wearing any underwear.”
“You think that’s going to calm me down?” she asked raising her head to meet his eyes.
“Nope, but Louise told me about the lock on the door and I don’t think anyone is expecting us to come out for a while,” he said his eyes sparkling.
“Game on,” she said jumping up to flick the bolt across.
“I can’t decide if you are very bad or very good,” he said smirking.
“Shall we see?” she asked giving him a devilish smile.
She slid one leg over his and sat on his lap, pulling her hips close to his. When she tilted her head up, he pressed his lips against hers in a bruising kiss that left her breathless and wanting more. His hands slid down her back coming to rest on her bottom where he pulled her closer, crushing their bodies together. She didn’t care that there were at least twenty people in the coffee shop just feet from their closed door.
Their clothes made a messy pattern on the floor as one by one they were removed. Olivia felt feral as her desire for Kieran took over and she bit his shoulder to keep from crying out his name when she climaxed. When the spasms stopped, she noticed the chill in the room and slid off him to collect her clothes which was when she noticed his seed on her thighs. She grabbed a tissue from her desk and wiped it away but Kieran didn’t notice.
“It’s cold,” he said laughing. “I can’t believe we did that.”
“Me neither,” she smiled.
Every other time they had made love they’d used a condom. They’d worked their way through several packets and been very careful but now they’d gone and undone all their precautions by going bareback in her shop of all places. She dressed hurriedly and leaned in for another kiss. His hair was ruffled and his cheeks were pink; it was like he was wearing a story on his face saying, ‘we just had wild sex on the desk’.
She waved him goodbye too embarrassed to go into the main shop without a trip to the bathroom. Her panties were soaked, and she didn’t need a reminder of what they’d just risked. If she fell pregnant, she wouldn’t know what to do but the vision of a little mixed-race auburn-haired child flashed across her mind and her stomach did a back flip.
She managed to put it out of her mind and got through the rest of the work day. Louise had begged her to go home when she found out Kieran would be fifteen hundred miles away for the next six weeks but Olivia wanted to work because working kept the thoughts to a minimum.
She was meeting Kieran for their last night together that evening and they had decided to stay home and eat take out. He was leaving her the next evening but at least they would get to spend a whole day together beforehand.
She was conflicted between the need to see him and the knowledge that time was ticking so quickly that the next few hours would be their last for six weeks, or if he lost interest during their time apart may be forever. Some part of her didn’t want to see him because it felt like she could prolong their time together that way but when the doorbell chimed, she almost ran to answer it.
“Hey,” he said smiling at her.
His smile was warm and sunny but she could see the undercurrent of sadness behind it. She trusted him when he said he’d miss her and that he didn’t want to go but she also knew that any number of things could happen while he was away that could stop him from coming back. She stepped into his arms and buried her head in his chest, feeling the chill of the cold, fresh air against her nose.
“Let me in woman; I’m starving and I brought food,” he said stroking her hair.
“You have food?” Olivia realized that she hadn’t caught the scent or seen the bags.
“Thai food,” he said closing the door behind him.
She barely let him dump the bags on the table before she jumped on him but he was ready. He caught her in his arms as she wrapped her legs around him kissing him frantically. She was going to make the most of their last night and food was always better served to sexually satiated people. They could even eat in bed just for a change.
Chapter 9 - Kieran
Kieran had thought about nothing else since his first date with Olivia. His impending final day was a constant shadow over their relationship. It was like they didn’t stand a chance but the three weeks they’d spent together had shown that they were so well-suited. There was nothing he could do because he needed the work, and he was contracted to finish the next jobs, all six weeks of it.
He waved goodbye to her as she stood at the window, blowing a kiss before turning away. She’d had tears in her eyes and the last thing he wanted was to walk away but here he was walking away and with every step he took, it led him to a life without her. He’d told her he could take some time off after the next contract but he hadn’t had clearance on that yet and it was only wishful thinking. He just needed to give her something in the way of hope and maybe himself too.
His legs felt like lead as he made his way back to the rooms his colleagues were boarded at. They had warned him not to get so close but when it feels so right you can’t stop and tell yourself to calm down and if you do it doesn’t change anything.
He was pretty sure he was in love with her even after only three weeks. She was the missing link in his life that he hadn’t realized he was missing. His own thoughts felt corny to him but he was deflated enough not to care. Walking away from someone who made him feel the way she did hurt.
“Cutting it fine,” Jerry said as he walked into the communal lounge.
“I’m packed already, just got to grab my stuff,” he replied and ran up the stairs not wanting a long discussion.
He grabbed his stuff and took a final look around the room before carrying it down the stairs. It all felt so final but he’d spent so much time with Olivia, time spent exploring what the city had to offer as well as each other, that the place felt like home.
They filed out of the building and he was the only one who wasn’t glad to leave. His colleagues were itching to get to the next job, next city. It was an adventure for them as it had been for him once but what had felt so good the past few weeks had fallen pretty sour.
“Keep in touch with her, it’s not forever,” Callum said leaning across the aisle.
“It just feels like forever,” he replied and turned away hoping the serious man would leave him alone.
“If you both feel the same in a few months, you can re-plan your lives,” Callum said.
“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Kieran said.
“I know but if she’s the one, don’t let her go,” Callum said and then turned to look out of his window.
Kieran turned around to stare out of his window. He was numb on the inside but he was pretty sure that would soon be replaced by pain, emptiness, and longing. He had six long weeks of work and no guarantee, as of yet, that he would have time off to visit Olivia. He certainly didn’t need to discuss it all with his colleagues, no matter how well-meaning they were.
****
After the journey from hell, a long conversation with Chloe which felt more like being grilled than being talked to, and finding out that the shared shower in their temporary new home dripped so slowly that getting wet was nearly impossible, Kieran’s misery really began.
Chloe had been fighting with their mother to the p
oint where she had gone to stay with their aunt and was threatening to fly over to move in with him in the dive he now called home.
His colleagues were fighting for the shower because only the first few managed to get any hot water and the stragglers had to make do with cold water that barely had the pressure to leave the shower head let alone cover a grown man’s body in moisture.
“I can’t deal with this,” Callum moaned. “I can take lumpy mattresses and shared rooms, but the shower is more than any man should put up with.”
“I don’t mind going without in the morning but when I get home dusty and stinking I need a shower,” Jerry said while texting his wife.
“How’s Olivia?” Callum asked as they waited in turn for the shower to be free all secretly hoping for warm water.
“Missing me,” Kieran grinned feeling the blush turn his pale cheeks pink.
“No way,” Jerry said. “How could she miss your ugly mug?”
“Maybe she likes ugly,” Kieran said still grinning.
The next six weeks passed in a blur as the weather grew warmer and wetter. When he broke the news to Olivia that he couldn’t get time off at the end of the contract because they were going straight to the next one, she took it well but the phone calls and texts became fewer and the picture messages stopped altogether.
His next contract was for a month and then he was due to go back to Ireland for six weeks. His family were counting on it and he couldn’t let them down but the thought of traveling farther from Olivia made him feel even more depressed.
Money was an issue for him and his family. His father had been injured while hiking when Kieran was still young. His mother had worked herself nearly to death to bring up the family while still producing more mouths to feed.
As soon as Kieran had been old enough to earn money he had, and the minute he could sign up for building contracts that would at least enable him to travel and earn, he did so. Meanwhile, his only sister was working a dead end job and putting aside her desire to follow her artist’s heart.
