Up on the Roof

by A. L. Brooks

  Lena slumped back in the sofa. Could she do it? Could she actually be bold enough to ask Megan out on an actual date? Her stomach churned at the thought, but within the churning she recognised something else lying underneath.

  Excitement.

  Chapter 20

  “Megan.” Alisha’s voice called out to her from the office as Megan walked by. She turned to her client, Geoffrey, and wished him a pleasant day, then walked into the office.

  “Hey, Alisha.”

  Alisha smiled and stood up to meet Megan halfway across the room. “I wanted to share some news with you, before the grapevine got to work.”

  “Oh?” Megan stared at her; Alisha was practically glowing.

  “I’ve been offered a new job. I’m leaving at the end of this week.”

  “Wow!”

  Alisha nodded and grinned. “Indeed.” She took a step nearer Megan, and a trickle of sweat immediately made its way down Megan’s spine. “So, as we won’t be working together anymore, I wondered if I could finally persuade you to go out with me.”

  “Wh-what?” Megan’s ears were ringing and her palms were damp. Was Alisha serious? Had she been serious all this time, with the flirting and the looking?

  Alisha chuckled. “No?” She stepped closer. “Are you sure?”

  Her perfume filled Megan’s nostrils. It was sexy, yes, but even so, nothing about Alisha or her obvious allure was actually that alluring.

  “Er, sorry, I-I’m going to say no.”

  Alisha laughed and stepped back, trailing one long finger down Megan’s bare forearm. “So sweet,” she said. “I always assumed I was a little too much for you.”

  Megan gave her a sheepish grin, her cheeks flaming. “Um, yeah.”

  “You’ll come to the leaving drinks though?” Alisha was all business now, walking backwards slowly to her desk, her smile wide but lacking its overt sensuality from moments earlier.

  Megan nodded, relieved at the distance that now separated them. Breathing wasn’t so difficult. “Yes, of course. When are they?”

  “Thursday night. At the Red Lion.”

  Megan’s face fell. Damn, that was the night she’d promised a drink with Jen.

  “Problem?” Alisha asked.

  Scratching the back of her neck, Megan said, “Well, would it be okay if I brought a friend? I’d promised her we’d go out that night too.”

  “Of course,” Alisha replied. “The more the merrier.” She curled her lips into a wicked smile. “Is she hot?”

  The pub was packed when Megan strolled in a little after eight. Immediately she spotted Alisha by the bar, a glass of what looked like champagne held in her slender fingers. Alisha caught her eye, excused herself from the small group of people she’d been chatting to, and walked towards Megan.

  “Very glad you came,” she said, air-kissing Megan’s right cheek. Despite everything, the nearness of Alisha still made Megan shiver. “What are you drinking?”

  “Oh, you don’t have to—”

  “Let me,” Alisha said, briefly touching Megan’s bicep. “I’m buying everyone’s first drink.”

  “Okay, that’s cool. I’ll have a beer, please.”

  “Of course. Be back—” Alisha’s eyes narrowed and her gaze drifted over Megan’s shoulder to something behind Megan. “Well,” Alisha breathed, “what have we here?”

  Megan turned to see Jen strutting across the room, as only Jen could do when she was up for a night of fun. She’d been delighted to receive an invite to Alisha’s drinks, knowing she was finally going to lay eyes on the infamous “BDSM high-heels boss” that Megan had worked for all this time.

  Jen’s eyes were sparkling, and her trademark quirky grin was already decorating her face. She reached Megan and Alisha, gave Megan a quick fist bump in greeting, then turned her full attention to Alisha. Megan could have sworn there were sparks flying in the air between the two of them. Jen raised one hand and swept it over her cropped hair; Alisha’s eyes tracked the movement and a sultry smile spread across her lips.

  “Hello,” she purred.

  “Hey,” Jen replied coolly.

  Alisha took one step closer, but Jen didn’t flinch. Megan was in awe of her friend right now, and, if she was honest, a little turned on by what was happening between Jen and Alisha.

  “I’m Alisha. And you are?”

  “Jen. Friend of Megan’s.” She tilted her head briefly in Megan’s direction but didn’t pull her gaze away from Alisha’s.

  Megan had never felt more like a spare part in her whole life.

  Alisha licked her lips. “Can I buy you a drink, Jen, friend of Megan’s?”

  Jen smirked. “Sure. Lead the way.”

  As Alisha turned away and headed to the bar, Jen looked at Megan, her eyes wide. “BDSM high-heels boss?” she whispered.

  Megan merely nodded, still in a daze at what she had witnessed.

  Jen looked up at the ceiling, mouthed the words “thank you”, then turned and was gone, striding purposefully after Alisha’s swaying hips.

  Megan exhaled loudly and pulled the neck of her T-shirt a few times in an effort to fan away some of the heat that had built up in her body over the last few minutes.

  How did Jen do that? Her confidence was staggering. If only Megan could have even a tenth of that, she’d have asked Lena out by now. She’d been thinking about it all week, trying to build herself up to it. Of course, it hadn’t been helped by the fact that Lena had had to put in some serious hours this week at work and Megan had hardly seen her. When she had, it was never a good time to ask something as huge as “Would you like to go out with me?”

  She watched Jen and Alisha laughing and flirting so effortlessly, and something she hoped was resolve had her straightening her spine a little. There was no point wallowing in any more of this self-pity. If she wanted to be with Lena, wanted to see what it would be like to really get to know her and spend time with her, she had to pull her big-girl pants on and do something about it.

  Lena was exhausted. Year-end always took its toll, but this one had been particularly hard going. Their head office had made even more stringent demands on when her regional area had to deliver their results, and as a result Lena and her colleagues had all worked crazy hours. The earliest she’d arrived home on any night was ten, and most nights not before eleven.

  Which was why, against her own normal need for regulated routine, she was still curled up under her duvet at gone ten in the morning on the Sunday of the first weekend in January. She had worked for another six hours the day before, and if this was her only day off this week, she was making sure she made the most of the sleep time it offered. She rolled over, only the area above her nose outside the covers. It felt good being tucked up so snugly. Although, if she did any more of that, then breakfast would be very late, which would impact lunch, and of course, there’d been no time for cleaning yesterday and—

  The covers were pushed back and she was on her feet, brain in overdrive. She only had today at home. What was she doing uselessly whiling it away under the duvet?

  After showering and eating a quick breakfast of toast and jam, Lena rolled up her sleeves and began tidying the flat. There had been no sign of Megan since Lena had risen. Even though her bedroom door was shut, that didn’t necessarily mean she was at home. As they’d passed so briefly in and out of each other’s lives this week, Lena had lost track of Megan’s timetable and had no idea if she was working today.

  Briefly her mind spun back to the conversation with Madhu, and the almost-dare that Madhu had thrown at Lena to ask Megan out. She’d thought about it only a few times since the previous weekend; thankfully her busy week had at least stopped that idea careening around her brain too much. But now, in the quiet of the flat, as she methodically straightened cushions and began clearing the coffee table, the thought returned.

  Could sh
e do it? Could she ask Megan out and be prepared for the possibility of being turned down? Wouldn’t things get awfully awkward between them if Megan did say no?

  She frowned as she pulled together a few copies of the Evening Standard newspaper that had been strewn haphazardly on the coffee table. Some of these were days old; why couldn’t Megan throw them—

  A headline caught her eye and stopped all motion in her body.

  Diamond dealer arrested in dawn raid

  Underneath the headline, in a deeply unflattering photo presumably taken at the time of her arrest, was Belinda.

  Chris’s girlfriend, the one who had stolen her from Lena.

  Lena flopped down on the sofa with the paper clutched in her hand and rapidly read the short article. Belinda had been arrested Friday morning after a tip-off that she was handling smuggled diamonds. The details were sketchy but seemed to involve her returning to the country from Antwerp and trying to pass the diamonds off to UK Customs as synthetic crystals for adorning fashion items. She was being held in custody pending further investigations.

  Lena knew it was wrong. She knew it was beneath her and somewhat immature, but she couldn’t help it. The laugh started low in her chest and bubbled up and out of her mouth until she was crying with it, clutching at her sides as guffaw after guffaw escaped into the room.

  Karma surely was a bitch, Chris.

  It shouldn’t feel this satisfying, but oh my goodness it did.

  After composing herself, Lena continued to tidy up the living room, a huge smile on her face the entire time.

  Later, after cleaning the bathroom to a satisfying shine, and wiping down all the kitchen surfaces with antibacterial spray, Lena relaxed on the sofa with a cup of Earl Grey and a book. Two hours of doing what she loved best and her equilibrium felt restored, her routine rescued as much as it could be, and everything felt set up right for the new week. She’d be less busy this week, and with a clean flat under her belt, calmness reigned.

  She was engrossed in her book when the front door opened behind her an hour later.

  “Hey,” Megan said, tossing her keys onto the small, round table they kept by the front door for that purpose. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.” She smiled as she walked over to where Lena was sitting on the sofa.

  Lena tucked her thumb in her book, placed it across her lap, and returned the smile. It was good to see Megan. Really good.

  “I know. Work has been super busy. Year end.”

  “I assumed. It’s been crazy at the club too—it always is straight after Christmas. Everyone working off the excess food and alcohol.”

  Lena chuckled. “I can imagine.” Then she glanced down at her own curves, the slight roll of her tummy over her jeans, and frowned. Did Megan think she was overweight? Megan herself was big and broad, but not fat. Lena had no idea what physical type Megan liked, but she doubted it was a woman like her with big hips and thighs…

  “You okay?” Megan’s soft voice came from somewhere close by, and it made Lena jump. She glanced up to find Megan standing in front of her, a glass of juice in one hand, the other hand hitched into her jeans pocket. She looked…sexy, and suddenly Lena’s mouth went dry.

  She nodded, which was about all she could manage in the face of the sight before her.

  “Sure?” Megan tilted her head, a small frown marring her otherwise attractive features.

  Breathe, Lena, breathe.

  Her saliva glands started working again, and she unstuck her tongue from the roof of her mouth. “I’m good. I think I’m, you know, nice and relaxed for the first time this week. Oh, and,” she giggled, “I read something in the paper that made me laugh.”

  “Oh yeah?” Megan took a seat next to Lena on the sofa. Their thighs almost touched, and Lena wondered what would happen if she dared to move her left leg one inch or so further to the left to bring it into contact with Megan’s right leg.

  I’ll probably self-combust.

  Lena cleared her throat. “Yes. Do you remember I told you about my ex, and how she cheated on me?”

  Megan nodded and took a gulp of her drink, tipping her head back and exposing a tempting, long line of pale neck.

  Lena forced her gaze away and continued with her story. “Well, the woman she went off with was some hot-shot diamond dealer in Hatton Garden.”

  Megan whistled through her teeth.

  “Yes, except that the stupid woman got herself arrested for smuggling!”

  Megan’s eyes widened and she snorted out a laugh. “You’re kidding? Oh, my God, talk about karma.”

  Lena smiled widely. “I know, that’s what I thought. I kept thinking it was petty to laugh at it, but I couldn’t help it.”

  Megan chuckled. “Nope, I’d be doing exactly the same, don’t worry.”

  It comforted Lena that Megan felt the same way. Obviously Lena hoped Chris was okay—Lena wasn’t that much of a bitch—but it did feel like the universe had handed Chris a lesson for her cheating, and Megan’s response vindicated Lena’s feelings.

  She reached for her tea with her free hand just as Megan put her glass down, and their hands brushed slightly. Lena felt a jolt of excitement at the touch.

  Was now a good time to be brave? Should she ask, get it over with?

  “So, Lena, I kind of have something I’d like to ask you.” Megan cleared her throat after those first words came out a little husky. “Do you mind me interrupting your reading?”

  Lena put the book down on the sofa beside her after carefully notching the bookmark in between the pages. She hadn’t finished the chapter, or even the scene, and although it made her twitch to leave it at that unfinished point, the determined look on Megan’s face and the sheer warmth of her body so close by easily banished any reluctance. She turned to face Megan, doing her utmost to keep her breathing even and not look too directly into Megan’s eyes.

  Megan’s face was slightly flushed, and she swallowed hard before speaking again.

  “I-I hope this isn’t going to be too weird, or make things difficult between us. But, I was wondering if…if maybe you’d like to go out one night.”

  Lena stared at her. Had she heard right? Had Megan just asked her out? She opened her mouth but no words would come.

  “Oh,” Megan said, her face crestfallen. “Well, can we forget I asked?” She jumped up quickly but crashed her knees into the coffee table, which knocked over her glass of juice and sent purple liquid splashing across the surface of the table. “Shit!”

  “Megan, no, wait!” Lena stood up too, reaching out a hand to grab Megan by the bicep. The firmness of the muscle momentarily took her breath away, and she had to blink rapidly to remember to continue talking. “Yes! The answer’s yes,” she blurted out.

  Megan slowly turned to her. Her long blonde hair was a little wild-looking, her face was flushed, and her eyes were wide, but to Lena she looked absolutely glorious. “You… Yes?”

  Now it was Lena’s turn to blush as she nodded slightly. “Yes.”

  “That’s… Wow, that’s cool.” Megan was grinning so widely Lena feared she’d hurt her jaw.

  “It is,” Lena replied quietly. Then her gaze drifted to the mess on the table. “But can I please clean this up now?”

  Chapter 21

  She said yes. Oh. My. God.

  Megan lay on her bed, her hands linked behind her head, and stared up at the ceiling. There was a grin on her face that might turn out to be permanent; it hadn’t faded all evening since she’d finally found the courage to ask Lena out and Lena had said yes.

  Best word in the world ever.

  She shifted slightly on the pillow. Now, of course, the next problem was figuring out where to go. They’d agreed on Wednesday evening. Megan had an early shift that day so would be home by five, and Lena was fairly certain the worst of her year-end tasks would be done by then and that she�
��d be able to leave work on time at five thirty. Give Lena some time to freshen up and relax a bit, and that meant going out maybe at around seven thirty.

  What kind of date would Lena like? It was obvious she was quite the romantic, if that book was any indication. So, dinner somewhere nice was probably the best bet, wasn’t it? There were a few upmarket brasserie-style places along the High Street that probably wouldn’t be that packed on a cold Wednesday night in January. And how much should she dress up? She wanted to treat Lena, wanted to make her feel special, so she really ought to go the whole hog. What about flowers? Too much?

  She rolled over and grabbed her phone. Advice was needed, and it took her less than twenty seconds to scroll through her recent calls list for Jen’s number.

  At a little after six on Wednesday, Lena walked through the door of the flat. Megan smiled when she saw her; once again due to work conflicts they’d barely seen each other since Sunday. Lena looked a little tired, but she returned Megan’s smile, albeit shyly.

  “Hey,” Megan said, shoving her shaking hands in her pockets. “How was your day?”

  Lena shrugged out of her coat and hung it up. “It was okay. I think we’re nearly done, thankfully.”

  “That’s good.”

  Silence fell, and as they stared at each other Megan wondered if Lena felt it too, the change in atmosphere between them. Going on a date tonight altered their relationship. Even if they never went on another date again, by acknowledging there was an attraction, an interest between them, they were no longer simply flatmates.

  Lena broke the tension. “I’m going to shower and get changed. I-I want to wear something nicer than this—” she gestured to her work suit “—for our d-date tonight.”

  Megan nodded and smiled in a way she hoped would come across as encouraging. “Me too. I mean, I’ve already showered, but I want to change into something nice too.”

  Lena smiled then, and bloody hell, how beautiful did she look when she did so. Megan’s heart gave a little leap in her chest. She was going out with Lena tonight. Lena!