An hour or so later and Abby has already disappeared with a cute bloke from our dorm and given the choice between going back to hear her getting off in our minute, shared bedroom or getting-to-know Niall better, I choose the latter. This first year at University was looking like it could be interesting for each of us.
We wave our goodbyes to Sebastian and his material girl, as we get our coats to leave and clasping Niall’s outstretched hand I follow him out the door. I look over my shoulder one last time for him and we lock eyes immediately, his penetrating mine, forest green boring into intense blackened brown. This man made me feel things I’d never felt before and it scared the hell out of me! We hold each other’s gaze until the door swings shut on us, finalising any chance of taking it further that night.
“Holy shit Mate! Well done you!” Niall slaps me on my shoulder and takes a gulp of his pint.
“What have I done?” I know exactly what he’s talking about, but am irritated by his jubilation - she was my find.
“The girls! Bloody hot as; and that Lucia is something else!”
I knew he had taken an interest in Lucia. For some reason I’m feeling very territorial about this girl. I’d never seen her before on campus, I’d have remembered if that were the case.
“It wasn’t intentional we really did just meet at the bar.”
I’d turned her into a Playboy-Bunny with one spill of a drink, like a complete arse.
My mind wanders from her face and the most striking dark lime green pools I’d ever encountered, to the shape of her fantastic breasts, their nipples darkening as the fabric of her top turns almost transparent. I’m a sucker for green-eyes - more unique and revealing.
I had never felt so sexually charged with one introduction. The second I touched her, I’d wanted more and found it hard to remove my hands from her curvaceous hips; my cock jumping to life in my jeans, like I’d been getting down and dirty for the past ten minutes. Down Boy! Yet my gut instinct wasn’t to take her home and have the usual one-night stand.
“Well however you met, I owe you big time. This girl is special. She’s soo hot and on our course too.”
Niall appears incredibly pleased with himself and I sense his interest. In the short-time I’ve known Niall, I’ve come to the conclusion that like me, he is always up for a bit of fun with the ladies, but I haven’t seen him this enamoured and know that his last long-term girlfriend was over a year ago.
I glance across to where the object of our conversation is animatedly chatting with her friend Abby. Her face is luminous and I don’t think I’ve ever seen any one woman so beautiful. She was a feisty one though. Far too feisty for Niall and would bore easily unless both sexually and mentally challenged - I can tell after just five minutes in her company.
I lick my lips and peruse her further, travelling over her long, dark glossy hair and back to those eyes. Jesus! They brazenly oozed sex and the way they had looked right back at me, stripping me bare, feasting on my mouth. I could have had her then. I know it. And her mouth! Full, red and pouty - the things I could only imagine those lips doing…
Stupid dick! Why hadn’t you just kissed her, right there? Because I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself - I summarise inwardly.
I need to set my stake here before Niall drunkenly makes his own claim for the night. The reminder of Samantha, my on-off romantic interest, is not enough to dishearten me. Niall was right. This girl is special but I’m not ready for anything serious. God I’m only 22 and Lucia was not the type of girl to be trifled with - she was so much more than a fling. Maybe I should let this one slide for now and get to know her better as a mate? Not sure that’ll be possible though, as right now all I want to do is bury myself deep inside her and fuck the stubborn streak out of her; watch her eyes change colour from lime to wet moss when she climaxes around my cock, which clenches at the mere thought of touching her.
Where are these feelings coming from? I’ve only just met her!
I’ve never had a reaction like this to a female before and it disturbs me profoundly. Get a fucking grip Seb!
I’m enjoying Samantha’s flirtations as we dance together to OutKast’s ‘Hey Ya’ but I’m finding it hard not to keep glancing in the direction of Niall and Lucia. They are really hitting it off. He’s certainly making her laugh and he’s doing the intimate ear-whisper - cheesy or what. It pisses me off! It should be me touching her, inhaling that scent of hers - like cherries and vanilla; entirely lickable and edible.
Sam leans in to kiss me, her pretty blue eyes full of saucy promise and I respond half-heartedly. She feels good and looks great, no doubt about that. Fuck, she’s fun in bed but something is missing - odd how I hadn’t realised that until tonight?
As I move to push away from her rather claustrophobic embrace, I notice Niall beckoning, to get my attention. Rooted to the spot, I watch as Lucia grabs her leather jacket, and slides it on, covering her now dry but nonetheless abundant assets. I sense a moment of sheer panic as I watch my friend grab her hand, moving towards the exit.
Shit – they’re leaving… together. I should be the one taking her home and running my hands over her amazing little body; be the one whose name she screams out loud in the dark.
I don’t blame Niall for trying and I couldn’t hate him. I hadn’t set my stake and I’m certainly not in the market for monogamy. That’s what you’re going with? I hear my inner demons retaliate.
My heart pounds ten to the dozen; body taut and I hear Sam call me. Snap out of it man. She’s gone. I can’t help but feel that I may have missed out on a chance, at something real. Something that I know I am going to regret.
Turn around Baby; look back at me. Let me see those fabulous eyes of yours again. Let me know you feel it too.
I will her to stop and glance back in my direction – to show that this vibe is mutual. Holding my breath I watch and wait. Those seconds feel like a lifetime and then it happens. Lucia throws a brief look over her shoulder and I hear my sigh of relief. We lock eyes, heat glittering between us and I rub my head in thought; every part of me wants to go to her and kiss her thoroughly; pick her up and parade her out of that door like a true man of the cave.
But I don’t. My leaden feet don’t move.
I stay, and let her go - go off with Niall, whose grin is making me want to smash his face into the nearest wall - smug prick.
Mates it is then, Lucia Myers.
My phone bleeps next to me for the umpteenth time in the past hour and glancing at it briefly, I screw my nose up and sigh. It was my ex, Niall - again! Well… he’d have to bloody wait.
“Right, I’m off!” I announce, pushing myself back from my desk. I begin to gather up my extensive paperwork, shutdown my computer and grab my mobile.
“God, it’s been a long week, and my feet are absolutely killing me.” I visualise someone giving me a lush foot rub or some long overdue reflexology; I can practically feel the crystals of stress being worked away. My passion for fabulously high shoes is seriously not good for the soles.
“Ok Lucia. Have a good one. See you on Monday and remember you have that meeting with The Ashton at 1pm,” Jackie replies, in her cheery and infectious tone.
“How could I forget? I’ve slogged away on the concepts for the last few days – I really hope I’m on the right track with this one, as it could be just what we need to put Elysium Interiors on the map. We really needed this job to bankroll the next few months but I wasn’t about to tell my assistant that.
“Colin is coming with me too, so mark him out of the office for Monday afternoon in the iCal please. He’s on the phone at the mo, so say bye for me.”
I make a quick mental note to text my rather flaky, but incredibly talented Associate Designer and remind him that Monday is a deal-breaker.
“Whatever happens, the designs speak for themselves and you’ve nailed this one so I can’t see that they won’t love them. You can set me on them, if they don’t; I’ll drill i
t into them,” she grins cheekily and returns to her typing.
“Thanks Jack, I hope you’re right, but tonight I’m switching off. I’m all designed-out and I honestly don’t think I’ve got another creative bone left in my extremely weary body. I feel 89, not 29! At this moment in time, I can tell you that I never want to see another wallpaper swatch or carpet sample again!”
I grab my phone and shove it inside the interior zipper of my Gucci tote bag, slinging it over my shoulder. Right. All set to go.
“Have a great weekend and try and have some fun - it’s long overdue!” Jackie comments, without looking up from her Mac. She really is a superstar assistant, and I mentally pat my back as I reaffirm my good sense in hiring her six months ago.
“Oh don’t worry, I will, I have a hot date this weekend with my gorgeous toy boy; we may even have a play on the swings,” I shrug my shoulder up in a naughty twitch.
“Ooh, lucky you, Josh and I considered having one of those installed in the ceiling of our bedroom but the joists wouldn’t take the…,” she suddenly stops and blushes uncontrollably, flicking both hands towards me in defeat. “Holy crap, you meant, with Finn… didn’t you - in the park? Durr! How much of a perv do I sound?”
“Yep, I did mean Finn and you do sound like perv,” I smirk at her. “But nice to know you and Josh have a healthy and experimental sex life. You can make up for the lack of it in my department.”
Still smiling to myself I wave over my shoulder. “Night love. Enjoy your weekend of drink and debauchery.”
50 Shades sure has a lot to answer for I muse to myself and for the umpteenth time of late, sigh at my lack of action in the bedroom. It appeared everyone was not only having sex but hot, sweaty, dirty sex and I’m beginning to wish that I was one of them – not that I’d ever be that daring. Sex had not been high on my priority list for sometime, but maybe it was time for a little pleasure?
Smoothing down my pinstriped pencil skirt, I wait patiently in the lift, whilst it stops at what seems like every floor for staff to leave for the weekend; listening to their gossip and a small part of me is envious. The building housing my newest baby, Elysium Interior Design had four floors of immense square footage, all rented out and in hot demand due to its great parking, central position and sleek lines. It was slightly set back from the main drag of the shopping centre but near plenty of necessary amenities, Post Office, Bank and eateries. The rent was tough, but the way business had been, I’d been managing it comfortably so far and the location was unbeatable. I’d had to take the plunge or I’d be forever struggling to survive on a daily basis and I wanted more for my son than that. No, my motto had definitely been, go big or go home. It had been incredibly scary but the most sensible business decision I’d ever made.
My gaze returns to focus on the couple in front of me. They’re so into one another that the sexual tension is palpable; obviously a forbidden work romance, with lots of arm brushing and finger linking. Lucky bastards. Oh how the other half live! I remember the days when Friday nights meant drinks after work, then drinks to forget about the drinks after work and then drinks in some dodgy sweaty club, where we could dance the stresses of the week away. You’d have no memory of what happened after the club, just incredibly sticky shoes in the morning from the copious amounts of alcohol slopped onto the dance floor. Nice! Now, my life was more about clock watching, than carefree abandonment and living in the moment. But although it was tough, I still wouldn’t change it for anything, as this new life revolved around my best design creation of all - my little boy Finn.
Even at the thought of him, I feel the familiar bubble of excitement begin in my belly that only a mother would understand; finally, it was time to collect him from Kiddie-Club and I can’t wait. I’ve really missed him this week. My mum had had to assist with three of the pick-ups, as I’d worked late and I’d missed bath and story-time on each of those nights. That was our time, our routine and our opportunity, to catch-up on, the day’s events.
Tonight, I am determined to have some much needed one-on-one time with him. Then, tomorrow, I’d have some essential grown-up time at my Sister’s birthday bash and let loose. Niall, my ex, had been harassing me with pitiful begging texts pretty much all afternoon since he’d found out that I was going on a second date with my Banker friend and now all of a sudden, he thought it would be a good idea that he and I meet up to talk about us?
I shake my head just thinking about his weak little mind games. What is it with men? You break-up and the second they get a whiff that you’re potentially attractive to another member of the male sex - they come running.
As if Niall’s ears are burning, my phone vibrates in my hand as I exit the lift.
Come on Mu Mu, meet me for a beer tomorrow?
Before you get together with the gang. I’ll be in Lords too
I cringe at his use of the nickname he’d insisted on teasing me with, for the 9 years we were a couple. Lulu was reserved for my best friends and special people in my life, but Mu Mu? I sound like a bloody cow! I choose to rise above and ignore his message but after a second text, where he blackmails me with the only thing that would ever sway me, I agree to meet him.
It’s about Finny Boy
*
Ok. I’ll text you where and when tomorrow
*
Good girl!
With a heavy heart at my own weakness, I unlock my car. That man was the reason I wasn’t having sex right now - he’d put me off men for life.
Twenty minutes later, and I’ve been rewarded with a full on, run and jump, hug from Finn - a reminder that some males were still gorgeous. According to nursery, he’d told them that it was the weekend and Mummy was going to drink lots of Jacob’s Creep! - luckily, I know the owner well and she is aware that I’m not a raving alcoholic but I must admit a glass of the Creek would go down swimmingly, after the week I’d had.
Laughing at his funny little misquote, we head towards my two-seater Audi TT and I frown; every time I carry my precious son to and from the sports car, I swear that I’ll replace it soon for a more suitable vehicle - as my disapproving ex has suggested on numerous occasions. It’s just that this is probably the only item in my life, which makes me feel like I’m still me and not just a single mum. It really is a hot little motor though - goes like a whippet and I do like to drive fast, when I’m on my own.
I strap him into his car seat and flick the CD on and the car is filled with our Play list of the moment and he wastes no time joining in. “You shoot me down and la la la!” the cute out of tune voice from the passenger seat shouts. Looking across my heart melts instantly, as I am struck at the sheer beauty of my adorable three year-old son, Finn. His blonde hair literally glows with health and so do his bright blue eyes - Frank Sinatra had nothing on Finn. They are so similar to my own, in every way, bar the shade; both having an unusual dark circle around the outside edge of our irises, his more navy and mine dark teal green. I’m pleased we have that in common, as our colouring couldn’t be more different, viking white V darkest brown - almost black.
It never ceases to amaze me that I made that! Well with a little bit of help from my ex, with the emphasis on little (he’d been a little short-changed in that department), I laugh to myself cattily. But I produced this fabulous bundle of exquisiteness. I had the war-wounds to prove it!
“You want me to play it again, sweetie?” I ask, hitting the repeat button for Finn’s favourite song of the moment. Nodding excitedly, he kicks his Cat boots manically on the glove box in front of him. I smile, as the familiar notes thump through the car as David Guetta’s, Titanium starts its intro. Oh well, it’s only the fifth time today; I’ll manage and at least he’s got good taste. We both lose ourselves, shouting out the words and laughing, as we sing in unison, at the top of our lungs, both equally out of tune.
As the music begins to end, I swing into our street. “We timed that well didn’t we Finnster?”
Pulling into the space outside our pre
tty four-storey Victorian mid terraced house on Rose Avenue, I smile with pride that I have managed to maintain this home, our home for my son and I. I’d worked hard to renovate the former psychedelic insult to interior design. I think the previous owner had decided that ‘the-more-the-merrier’ was the way to go when it came to patterns and had papered them to walls and laid them to floors, clashing catastrophically at every level. Plus, they’d had a fondness for the dreaded decorator’s nightmare that was wood-chip; it had been bloody everywhere! However, I’d been able to see past all that and visualise the end result and now four years later, we had a home to be proud of and it had padded and enhanced my portfolio - had got me one of my first design jobs as a freelancer I remind myself.
I just needed to get a few more contracts on my books; regular retainer work and then I’d relax and breathe at last or at least my bank balance would. Plus you need a fantastic night of wild passion to uncoil the tension of the past few months. I hear my best friend Abby’s words in my ears and smile, shaking my head. She was right though. I decide to forget about work for tonight; no work and all play this weekend Lulu - it’s time to let go and be bold - let’s see what the weekend brings.
Folding my sleepy little man, into his Spiderman-adorned bed, I bend over for a much-coveted sniff. It’s true what they say, if the smell of a just-bathed child could be bottled, we’d make a fortune. I just can’t get enough of it - oh and his soft chubby cheeks. It really is the little things that make it all worthwhile. For a split second I am sad, as I wonder why and how his father could have left this magnificent little bundle and walk away from these special moments. But I quickly remind myself that he does not think of Finn in the same way as I do; he saw him as a hindrance then and a volume which could not be turned down when he required it - which was usually for around twenty-three hours a day.
The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy Page 2
