“I love you, sweetheart,” he sighed, kissing my sweaty brow.
And I loved that he did.
~~~
Keswick was a cute town with an amazing lake, adorable ducks and the world’s best sweet shop. The sun was kind enough to grace us with its presence, although the freezing temperatures were less than friendly in their pursuit. Even my purple raincoat and thermal leggings didn’t deflect the brutal frost, but I was more than happy to cuddle up to Luke for extra warmth. He held my hand the entire time we walked and later, as we ate lunch in the Dog & Gun, he insisted on picking up the bill.
“So, was this our first date?” I challenged, sipping on my diet Pepsi.
His playful eyes met mine in a bid to read my reaction; his killer smile doing unimaginable things to me.
“I’d say it was. Did it meet your expectations?” he asked, counting the cash and resting it on the small, silver tray along with the receipt.
“It certainly did,” I grinned, pointing my hand towards the wad of cash. “Can I have that?”
“What the money?” he enquired, confused.
“No, the receipt. I like to keep them,” I explained, still making little to no sense. “As memories. I keep important things in a box as a keepsake,” I added, feeling my blush’s instant arrival.
Luke smiled as he handed me the thin papered receipt and took my spare hand in his, caressing my knuckles. He lovingly placed a soft kiss on my wrist, making my heart triple in speed.
“What do you wanna do for the rest of the day, then?” he quizzed, keeping my hand situated in his. “It would’ve been nice to rent a boat but I reckon I’d freeze a bollock off in this weather.”
“Just the one bollock?” I laughed, amused by his description.
“Yeah, I can’t lose them both. That would be terrible.”
“No babies for Luke.”
“No babies for Maya.”
I choked on my drink.
“We’re having babies now, are we?”
“Yeah, we’ll get married first though. Then we’ll buy a cat.”
“A cat?” I screeched, truly horrified.
“Fine, a dog. But you’re training it.”
“Deal!”
We laughed in unison and the poor couple to our right got quite the shock.
“We’ll have to tell Sasha about this, ya know? When we get back,” I stated, popping the complimentary mint in my mouth.
“Yeah, I’ll leave you to it.”
“Piss off! You can help me,” I insisted, making him laugh.
“I was kidding. Of course I’ll tell her with you. I’ll fucking scream it from the rooftops, sweetheart. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment?”
“Nine, maybe ten years?” I offered, smirking at him from across the table.
“Exactly.”
His eyes widened as if to emphasise his point and I couldn’t help but grin back, surprised by how natural it felt to be like this with him. In a way, it was no different to being best friends, only now I had the added benefit of kissing him when I liked and seeing his beautiful, naked body. I was already more aware of his daily habits and in just one morning, felt in tune with his actions. I definitely didn’t regret taking the risk and if all went to plan, I didn’t see why we couldn’t have a permanent future together as husband and wife, with two kids and a well-trained puppy.
After all, Luke was pretty damn perfect. What could possibly go wrong?
~~~
The second B&B - the one we had originally booked- had a lovely view of the mountains and a private hot tub just outside our room, much to my absolute amazement. We weren’t supposed to have such facilities, but Luke told the owner and his wife that we were on our sodding honeymoon and before I knew it, we were upgraded.
“Champagne, Mrs Anderson?”
I left my suitcase where it was to accept the fragile looking flute, shaking my head towards my apparent husband.
“And you call yourself a lawyer. This is fraud, do you know that?” I asked, sipping on my crisp chardonnay.
“Trainee lawyer,” he corrected. “And fraud is impersonating someone else. I’ve done no such thing,” he explained, defending his honour.
“Yeah, but you told them I was your wife and I’m not,” I laughed, balancing the glass on the bedside table.
“That’s your problem then, isn’t it?” he smirked, throwing me well and truly under the bus as far as legality went.
Bloody git!
My waist was suddenly grabbed before I had the chance to respond and with a bruising kiss that left me truly speechless, I found my clothes being slowly peeled off and slyly disposed of.
“Shall we take a dip?” he asked, resting my naked body on the bed as he set about ridding his own many layers.
“Yes please!” I replied, excited by all accounts.
I ran to the sliding doors and practically threw myself inside the hot water, all regard for my nakedness gone. Obviously, we didn’t think to pack swimming costumes and I wasn’t about to spend a fortune on one when Luke had already seen my most intimate parts. Naked dips would have to suffice.
“I love seeing your little bum bounce when you run.”Luke smiled, crossing the threshold with our champagne glasses in hand.
I covered my giggle using the back of my arm and watched as his lean body elegantly slid into the tub with so much grace, anyone would think it was choreographed dance move.
“Thank you.” I smiled upon being handed my glass.
Luke pulled on my hips and positioned me in a straddling position on either side of his legs, glaring those glorious blue pools of his straight into mine.
“I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am,” he grinned, pecking my lips. “I wish I told you years ago,” he added; breath fogging against the freezing cold air.
“I feel like we’ve been together for years already,” I admitted, rubbing my nose against his.
He stroked my inner thigh from underneath the water and proceeded to litter my face with kisses, each one as glorious as the last. It was a struggle to focus on anything else while he was like that but if one thing was for sure, it was that I didn’t mind the distraction.
“May I propose a toast?” he asked, thrusting his glass mid-air.
I joined him in his rising motion and happily sat back whilst he vocalised his thoughts.
“To us. Friends no more,” he announced, pulling my hair back when it blew in my face, courtesy of the wind.
“Friends, no more,” I reiterated, clinking our glasses together and slamming my lips onto his.
I liked the sound of that.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Back to Reality
Monday afternoon saw Luke hike himself and my suitcase up the one flight of stairs to mine and Sasha's flat. I desperately dashed ahead, keen to see my other best friend who (yes, I wasn’t afraid to admit) I had missed.
“Sash!” I yelled, ignoring the fact that her tiny waist was bent over in a somewhat awkward looking yoga position.
I tackled her to the ground and found I was met with strong arms pulling me into a hug; her own shrieks of joy just as loud as mine.
“Christ, it’s been two days!” chuckled Luke, finally arriving with my luggage.
“Luke! How did it go? Am I looking at the new junior family lawyer at Garret & co?” she sang, lifting herself up from the floor to stop her exercise DVD.
“No,” replied Luke, stunning her into silence for a moment.
“Oh?”
“Punching my boss in the face kinda put a damper on the whole thing,” he smiled, though I knew deep down he was still mildly simmering.
“What the hell? You punched him? Why?” she shrieked; voice rising in octave.
Luke’s eyes briefly met mine in a desperate plea and deciding to help him out a little, I began the long winded explanation and hoped that in doing so, her reaction was somewhat limited.
“He cornered me in the bathroom and said if I gave him a blowjob
, he’d give Luke the job,” I stated, feeling suddenly sick.
Sasha quickly snapped her head in my direction, her angry eyes and look of utter disgust matching that of Luke’s.
“He did what?” she enquired, too shocked for her own good. “Did he touch you?”
“No, no, I got away. I told Luke as soon as I could and he decked him. We had to do a runner though,” I laughed, throwing humour at the situation.
“Christ! I leave you both for one weekend and look what happens? Anything else of the scandalous sort take place while you were away?” she jokingly asked, much to mine and Luke’s convenience.
“Well, actually…”
Luke’s fraught eyes met mine in a silent bid to join him, his excitement on the matter proving as much my undoing as the next. It was truly amazing how nothing seemed to faze him and even more so how he wanted to shout about our news as if it were a life-altering discovery. Sure, I suppose us finally admitting our feelings was somewhat life-altering for us, but with the way he was going on, anyone would think he had the answer to bloody global warming.
“Maya and I have something we’d like to tell you,” he explained, flinging a careless arm around my shoulder; something which wasn’t so out of the ordinary.
“We’re sort of together,” I added, unable to hide the smile.
“Like a couple,” concluded Luke, leaving it at that.
Sasha glared at us for a moment, no doubt to register our words. She then rather sceptically narrowed her eyes, as if trying to work something out, but couldn’t quite manage it without speaking up.
“Are you having me on?” she questioned, certainly not buying into our declaration.
“No, we’re really together,” replied Luke, looking to me afterwards.
Once again, Sasha said nothing on the matter and whilst simply flicking her gaze between the two of us, I annoyingly sighed and threw my hands up in exasperation.
“Bloody hell, Sash! Do you want proof?” I moaned, grabbing Luke by the face and smashing my lips to his.
He was shocked at first but soon mellowed into the embrace, snaking a gentle arm around my waist.
“Christ! Alright, alright, I don’t need a show!” she insisted, vocally breaking us apart. “How the bloody hell did this happen?” she demanded to know, smirking her little lips off.
“It just did,” said Luke, tugging on my hand. “Maya can’t keep her hands off me.”
Men!
I rolled my eyes at his comment and shoved at his arm, locking my gaze onto Sasha’s thereafter.
“Are you okay with this?” I questioned, worried for her mental state. “It’s not too weird for you, is it?”
“Of course it’s fucking weird but it’s brilliant. You two are practically married anyway. Why not add sex to the mix,” she laughed, pulling us both in for a hug. “But don’t make me your third wheel!”
“Of course not. You have Jace anyway. We can be that group that goes on double dates,” I ensured, enjoying her sinister smile.
“He wants to meet you both,” she stated, pulling away from our group huddle. “How about we all get together for some food and drinks on Saturday. I’ll cook.”
“Oh bloody hell, can we not order a takeaway or something?” asked Luke, clearly not a fan of the plan. “I love ya, Sash but you eat like a sodding rabbit.”
“It’s good for you!”
“Yeah but it tastes like shit.”
Oh God!
“That reminds me actually, we got you a present,” I announced, hoping to keep the peace.
Sasha focused her attention on me, excited to get a glimpse of whatever it was I intended to pull from my suitcase.
“Here.”
I handed over the brown, paper bag and watched as her greedy eyes peaked inside; her instant smile and playful, “Fuck you!” certainly making me laugh. Luke and I had seen a chocolate shaped avocado in Keswick’s sweetshop and just had to purchase it for the sole purpose of tempting our friend into eating some sugary snacks for once in her nutritious life. That and we also got her a keyring in the shape of a sheep.
“Thanks. It’s nice to know you thought of me between all the amazing sex you were no doubt having this weekend,” she smiled, attaching the new addition to her keys.
I smiled at her comment and flashed Luke a curious glance when his phone started ringing; our theories of him being contacted by HR from work seemingly an option as to why he was being contacted on a Monday afternoon.
“It’s Dad. He’ll be calling to see how this weekend went,” he stated, excusing himself to take the call.
In doing so, he left me alone with an eerily smiling Sasha, and unable to take her weirdness much longer, I put a screeching stop to it.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she insisted, lying through her teeth.
“Sash, when have you ever not said what was on your mind?” I questioned, scorning her inability to expand.
“Fine but don’t blame me if you’re offended by next question.”
Oh, Christ!
“Which is?”
“What’s he like in bed?” she smirked, certainly not beating around the bush.
I giggled at the hands of her enquiry, though didn’t dare tell her how sinfully out of this world the sex was. She’d think I was being dramatic.
“It’s…”
I thought for a moment and watched as she came to a standing position to my right, plonking her right leg on the sofa where subjecting her calf muscle to one almighty stretch saw her moaning out in pain/ pleasure.
“Amazing. I’ve never had sex like it before,” I answered, modestly so.
“And it’s not weird?”
“Not at all,” I replied. She switched legs. “It feels natural. Like we should’ve been doing it this entire time,” I expressed, holding onto her foot as she folded her entire body over it.
“Ahh, that’s it, thanks,” she sighed, finally getting the stretch she needed.
“He’s in love with me. Said he has been since we were teenagers,” I revealed, trying to gauge her reaction.
“It honestly doesn’t surprise me,” she admitted, shaking it off.
“Really?
“Really.”
Just then, Luke chose to re-enter, halting all talk of love.
“You okay? You look a little pale,” I asked, worried about his pasty complexion and pained expression.
“I’m fine. Kyle wants Mum’s engagement ring to propose to Ali. I was the last one to have it,” he informed, pulling at the roots of his hair.
“And you don’t want him to have it because…?” asked Sasha, taking up position of downward dog.
Must she thrust her arse in my face all the time?
“I lost it.”
“Luke! How could you lose your Mum’s ring?” I chastised, knowing how sentimental that must’ve been.
“Not sure. It probably got lost in the move, ya know?”
I refrained from asking him why he even had it in London in the first place. Leaving it at home with his Dad and sister seemed like the logical option but bringing that up simply wouldn’t help. What was done was done.
“Well don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll show up. It’s probably in a box somewhere. How long have you got to look for it?” I questioned, moving from my position as to better address him.
“He wants to propose over Christmas,” he replied, still looking rather beat up over the whole thing.
“There you are then, plenty of time!” I ensured, landing a swift kiss on his cheek.
He attempted a grin but to no avail. I knew a fake smile when I saw one and although he had expressed on numerous occasions that he didn’t blame me for the outcome of this weekend, I momentarily wondered if being back home had made him realise the severity of the situation. After all, he was jobless.
“How about you go home and unpack and I’ll see you there later?” I suggested, pulling on his muscled arm. “I’ll cook us spagbol if you want?”
�
�With crusty bread?”
“The crustiest!”
He smiled again, only this time it was genuine.
“Okay baby. I can’t wait. And don’t forget to call Karen Taylor,” he stated, reminding me that I did indeed need to call to arrange a time for my interview.
“I will. Now get going. I need to tell Sasha how amazing you are and you can’t be here for that,” I smirked, making Sasha laugh from her Cobra position.
Honestly, how did she even get into those formations?
“Alright, remember to use the phrase ‘mind-blowing’ when describing the sex,” he stated, kissing me briefly before making his way towards our front door. “And tell her I have a huge penis!” he shouted, finally taking his leave.
“Is it big?” asked Sasha, thankfully finished with today’s yoga workout.
I grabbed my suitcase and shoved it on my bed, ready to pile the endless amount of clothes into the dirty washing basket.
“It’s certainly not fun sized,” I laughed, grabbing her attention.
“Jace is packing a big one too,” she yelled, struggling to be heard over the blender’s loud propellers.
“Wait, have you slept with him?” I shouted, hanging my dress up on the wardrobe door.
I just about made out the sounds of hard metal hitting the wooden chopping board and already knew her to be adding bananas to her concoction.
“No, not yet. But let’s just say I’ve been up close and personal to it,” she laughed, as if engaging in her own private joke.
“Sash! You bloody well haven’t?”
“What? A girls’ gotta eat!” she defended, entering my room not long after with a smoothie in each hand.
“Thanks,” I smiled, accepting her kind offer. “What’s in it?” I asked, taking a sip.
My Not So One Night Stand Page 12
