by Amy Daws
“Did you not want to introduce me to him?” I ask boldly.
“No! ‘Course not! Why would you even say that?” He looks affronted.
“You were a Grumpy Gus back there! Shooing me out the door like you’re ashamed of me, barely letting me shake his hand.”
“That’s bloody preposterous. Why would I ever…”
“Then what was that?” I ask.
He’s silent for a moment, the veins on his neck pulsing viciously beneath the skin.
“My brother and I have a strained relationship.” His tone is clipped and short.
“Like how?”
“Like, strained. I’d rather not get into it all.”
I want to ask more, but he’s pulled up alongside the curb in front of my place and the tension in the car is palpable.
Feeling frustrated at his cryptic answers, I wrench the door open and fly out of the car. I glance back and see Theo roll his eyes and jump out after me. He catches me just as I hit the bottom step.
“Leslie, please.” He wraps his arms around me from behind, clasping me in a tight hug with my back to his front. “I’m sorry,” he utters softly into my hair.
“I don’t know what the fuck your issue is right now, Theo. But if you don’t want me to run from you, you shouldn’t act like you’re ashamed to introduce me to your family.”
He laughs slightly and that just infuriates me more. I attempt to break out of his iron-tight grasp and he turns me around to face him.
“I’m sorry, Leslie. It’s just crazy that you think I’d ever be ashamed of you. Christ, you’re bloody perfect.” He pushes his arms under mine, holding me intimately around my waist so our hips are flush against each other. “My brother is a sensitive subject for me. I’m sorry. I’m not used to this stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Having someone I care about in my life.” He shrugs his shoulders. I relax my tense stance at that admission. I can relate, I guess.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Sorry. Old insecurities and all that.”
He kisses me sweetly, stroking his thumbs along my cheeks. “You’re so beautiful. I’m not going to get shite done thinking about you being naked in my workshop.”
“Well, that’s too bad you’re so obsessed with me. I have lots to preoccupy my thoughts today—none of which include you!” I turn my nose up at him playfully, trying to conceal my smirk.
“Get your ass inside before I come upstairs and remind you,” he growls, nipping at my ear.
“Going, going.” I turn to make my way up the stairs. “Catch ya later, Superman,” I throw over my shoulder.
He shakes his head at me and I jog inside feeling giddy again, our previous misunderstanding completely forgotten.
***
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I waltz into our house and Mitch gazes at me curiously from the dining room table. Frank comes bouncing down the stairs and his eyes bug out of his head as I approach.
“The dancing tart returns,” Frank sings loudly, descending the stairs. I roll my eyes, climbing up to meet him halfway. “Lezbo, Lezbo, Lezbo.” He tsks his teeth together in an admonishing tone. “I’m shocked by you. I thought I’d never see the day where you do the walk of shame.”
“I’m not ashamed,” I bark back confidently.
“No? So does that mean Theo old boy broke through your ice-cold heart?”
I scowl at him. “I couldn’t possibly know what you mean.” I look around briefly. “Where is everybody?”
“Finny and Jules are at work. Brody is at a job interview. And Mitch is being a lazy bastard.”
“I can hear everything you guys are saying,” Mitch’s voice cuts into Frank’s and my little stairwell rendezvous.
Frank and I both ignore Mitch. “And what are you doing, exactly?” I ask, knowing that I wonder most days what the hell Frank does with all his time.
“I’ve been tallying your score of course!”
“My score?”
“Yes, you didn’t quite finish Frank’s seven-day cleanse, so I’m not sure you’re going to get your reward.”
“What reward?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” He looks up coyly, kicking his feet.
“What’s the reward? I have to know! And I did too complete the cleanse! The last day was to have sex, right? I did that…three times! So that’s gotta be extra credit.”
“Can still hear you,” Mitch states flatly.
“Stop listening, perv!” Frank bellows.
“Kind of hard when you guys are literally shouting everything you’re saying.”
“Are we shouting?” I whisper-giggle and Frank’s eyes twinkle with excitement. He shakes his head at me and swirls his finger by his temple like Mitch is crazy.
“The only way you’ll complete the cleanse, Lezbo, is if it’s just a one-night deal with Theo. I’m quite certain we haven’t seen the last of him though.”
“No…I don’t suppose we have.” I smile meekly.
“But shite, three times? That might just give you the extra credit you’ll need to tip you over the edge!”
I smile, realizing Frank’s crazy cleanse may have actually worked!
***
My killer reward is a shopping spree at a pop-up vintage store that Frank’s known about for weeks and not told me. It’s located just off Brick Lane and is chock-full of chaotic secondhand craziness—accessories, shoes, and hidden diamonds in the rough. I lose the rest of the day digging through everything. My huge find was this gorgeous 1950s vintage Chanel cocktail dress. I get into a near-screaming match with Frank when I discover he’s purchased it for me while I was changing back into my street clothes.
“That dress isn’t even your real prize! I was going to take you over to Umar’s and get you a new hotdog for your real reward.”
I full-on belly laugh as we walk back to the house and he chuckles with me knowingly. My old hotdog might be going into retirement for a bit.
Finley gets home and bombards me in my room for all the dirty details and we lose two hours giggling about the craziness of it all. Theo and I definitely didn’t have a traditional start to our relationship, but I’m finally wrapping my brain around the fact that that’s what this is turning in to—a proper relationship. I’d be lying if I said the idea of it doesn’t give me pangs of anxiety, but the giddiness outweighs the anxiety, so I’m soldiering on for now.
By the time Theo shows up, I haven’t even looked at a scrap of work all day. I’m going to be paying for that tomorrow, for sure. I feel nervous and giddy opening the door to him. It’s great how excited I feel to see him again already.
He grabs my hand and yanks me out on the front step and into the enclosed patio area, smashing me up against the ivy wall. He covers my mouth and kisses me completely senseless.
“What was that for?” I ask, breathless—and, I’m not gonna lie, pretty aroused.
“I wanted to make a better memory out here.” He kisses my nose and then drags me back inside like he’s completely unaffected by our little exchange.
We join my roommates in the living room. Everyone chats casually and I’m stunned at the normalness of it all. Me and Theo. Finley and Brody. Mitch and Julie. Frank never seems to mind being the fifth wheel but I make a mental note to ask him about his friend from the other morning. We order Indian takeout and watch Outlander well into the night.
When ten o’clock rolls around, I’ve had enough togetherness with my roommates. I silently drag Theo out of the living room. Finley smirks up at me knowingly. I glare at her before pulling Theo upstairs to my bedroom.
He looks huge in my room for some strange reason as he walks around eyeing everything curiously. I perch myself on my daybed, drinking in his sexy swagger.
“I never got a proper snoop the last time I was in here.” He wags his eyebrows at me.
I flush at the memory of the passionate exchange we had and the fact that I was in my onesie cheetah PJs.
“Why do all of our first memories together involve me making an ass out of myself? Seriously, why wasn’t I cool and put-together in just one of those instances?”
He smirks lazily at me. “If that’s you making an ass of yourself, I don’t want to see you when you’re on your A-game. I wouldn’t have a shot in hell.”
I giggle at the notion of Theo thinking I’m too good for him. God, he’s delusional as hell.
“That night…before,” he starts, looking serious all of a sudden at the memory of our PJ encounter. “That was the first time that I actually knew without a doubt that I had true feelings for you. Before then, I thought you might just be a passing fancy. But when I was here that night and I saw you singing crazily in your pajamas, I…” he falters on his words momentarily. “It was still there for me.” He shrugs his shoulders. “All those feelings I thought might be gone. I just knew you were more.”
“I was terrible to you, wasn’t I?” I ask quietly
“You definitely wounded me.” He crosses his thick arms and leans back on my desk. “I went home and tried to forget about you. I tried to tell myself you were a horrid bitch and that I was better off without you. And I was doing a right good job of it until Liam came over and told me he ran into Frank. Frank told Liam his entire schedule, you know. That’s how I knew where you were every night.”
“Liam,” I huff softly.
“I wouldn’t just blame Liam in this scenario.” I look at him quizzically. “Frank had you on a romantic cleanse but he seemed very keen on giving Liam every stop on his list. Surely that wasn’t for Liam’s benefit.”
Fucking Frank!
“But you didn’t show up on the make out challenge night?” I ask, remembering how disappointed I was when he didn’t show.
“I couldn’t. I knew if I showed up and saw you kissing another bloke—I’d go nuclear.” I cringe at his honesty.
“But I couldn’t stay away completely. Then you walked up looking fifty shades of gorgeous and I felt like my whole world was being pulled out from beneath me.” He looks at me, heat flaring in his eyes.
“You made me crazy, Leslie.” He strolls over to me and stands above me by my bed.
“I’m the worst,” I reply glumly.
He tilts my head up to meet his. “Like I said before…worth it.” I roll my eyes and he growls at me. “Do you need another reminder-fuck, Leslie?”
I nod my head eagerly like a panting dog and he chuckles, catching my mouth with his. Feeling his laugh on my lips sends my heart into an emotional tailspin as he slowly leans me back onto my bed, pressing deep, drugging kisses on me.
He perches himself over the top of me and drags his shirt off over his head. I remove my own and he eyes my chest with appreciation.
“No bra again, Leslie? You’re so bad,” he kisses me, undoing the zipper on my skinnies and sliding his hand down into my pants. His fingers rub firm and brisk over the top of my clit. I break our kiss and cry out loudly at the pleasantly harsh sensation.
“Shhh…roommates, Leslie.” His eyes are smiling with mirth. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Embrace it, Superman,” I say saucily, pecking his lips.
“Superman.” He shakes his head and sends me flying into a state of sexed-out, rocked-out, blissed-out satisfaction.
***
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
I kiss Theo goodbye on our front stoop. It’s early. Too early. Our normally busy street is way too quiet as the sun slowly creeps up, waiting for the Londoners to join in the day. The loud clack of a skater crashing across the street is the only noise on the block.
“I want to take you on a proper date tonight. Somewhere nice. Would you be up for that?” Theo asks, standing one step below me so our faces are eye level. It’s a nice vantage point for me to stare into those pale brown eyes ensconced in his Clark Kent glasses.
I place my arms cockily on his shoulders. “You know what? I have just the dress!”
He chuckles and drops a soft kiss on my lips. “Pick you up at eight?”
“I’ll see you then, Clarke.” I giggle, testing out his last name for the first time. He smirks knowingly at me.
It’s insane how much you can miss someone you’ve only just met. Well, met properly. And by met I mean had sex with five times in two days. I chew on my pen at my desk, slowly closing my eyes and recalling Theo’s lips on every surface of my body. God, how have I been avoiding sex for this long?
“Earth to Leslie!” Vilma’s voice shatters my sexy daydream. “Christ love, I’ve been calling you for ages.”
“Sorry Vilma. What’d you need?” I ask, shaking my thoughts away and squinting at the design I’ve been working on for the better part of the day.
“Are you going to tell me about him?” she wheels her big leather chair over to my area and props her head on her fist, obviously waiting for a big story.
I smile secretly and give her an admonished look. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Oh come off it, Leslie! You look properly fucked!” she whispers the word just as Benji walks by and gives us a horrified expression and awkwardly scampers away.
“Nice one!” I admonish
She screws her face into an apologetic look. “Poor bugga’, he’s probably going to cry himself to sleep tonight. He’s got it so bad for you.”
“Would you stop with that?”
“It’s true. Aww, poor little Benji needs a good snogging. We should try to set him up.”
“I don’t know anyone his age.”
“Me neither,” she states sadly. “So come on, tell me a little bit. Pretty please?”
I laugh as she gives me a pouty lip and I know I’m fighting a losing battle by trying to keep this from her.
Vilma is decidedly depressed after I recount the major highlights of my Theo love life. She promises to make 2016 her year and find a proper bloke to moan over at the office, just like me. I’m sure that won’t be hard for her. She’s got that willowy runway body and golden blonde hair after all.
“I saw you talking to Ethan the other night. What did you think of him?”
“I didn’t think much! Talk about a player! No way. I may be blonde, but I’m not dumb.”
“Probably a good call there.” She nods and rolls back over to her area so we can both get back to work.
***
“Oh my God, Leslie! You look so beautiful!” Julie peals as she strolls by the bathroom, catching Finley and I putting the final touches on my outfit.
“Doesn’t she?” Finley agrees, curling a wayward piece of hair in the back.
“Thanks, Julie. Thanks, Finley,” I add as she sets the curling iron back down on the vanity. “I think I’m ready!”
“That’s good because your bloke is downstairs,” Mitch says, sullenly walking past us in the hallway.
“He is?” I ask, feeling panicky. “Shit! Thanks Mitch!” I scurry into my room and throw on the vintage merlot wedges I found with Frank.
“Relax, Lez. He’ll wait.”
“Is everything where it should be?” I ask, nervously smoothing the bodice of my dress.
“It’s perfect,” Julie sings dreamily, leaning on the doorframe and gazing at me longingly.
I check myself over one last time in my floor length mirror. God, this dress is stunning. Nothing tops vintage Chanel. It’s got a boned, strapless satin bodice striped in burgundy and ivory. The knee-length skirt is full and wide in a spotted organdy. My top looks petite, but the full skirt makes me feel curvy and womanly. The fifties knew what they were doing with clothes.
Finley hands me my black clutch and smacks my ass playfully. “Go get ‘em tiger!” she winks. I giggle-snort my way down the hall.
I falter on the first step when I take in Theo’s back as he stands talking to Frank in the foyer. His ass looks hot as hell in a pair of fitted, grey, tweed slacks. They are slim, all the way down to his expensive black dress shoes. On the top he’s wearing a tight, thin, black
sweater that shows all the muscles in his back.
He turns, hearing Finley and I begin our decent. He adjusts his glasses as his eyes turn wide and appreciative.
“Leslie.” He says my name reverently as I hit the bottom. He grabs me and instantly pulls me into his arms. “You weren’t kidding when you said you had a dress,” he whispers into my ear. “You look radiant.” He kisses me sweetly on the cheek, his whiskers grazing my cheek ever so slightly.
“She does, doesn’t she?” Finley smiles, sitting on the steps with her head propped in her hands. Brody comes strolling out of the dining room eating a bowl of cereal. He pauses, taking in my dress.
“Lez! You look great!” he says, good-naturedly.
“Okay guys, you have seen me dressed up before,” I say, feeling awkward from all the attention.
“Not like this,” Finley says with a dramatic sigh.
Brody rolls his eyes. “Don’t mind her. Stop scaring Leslie’s date, Fin.” She scowls briefly and then looks back at me, resuming her dreamy smile.
“Ready?” Theo asks. I nod eagerly as he opens the door.
“Oh, Lez, you got a tic?” Frank asks right before I follow Theo out the door. Theo frowns briefly in question when I hold one finger up to him.
“What’s up?” I ask curiously.
“I just had an accessory that would go perfectly with your new dress. I know how much you love it, so I thought I’d give it to you tonight.”
I’m completely unaware what he’s referring to but I feel touched! He scurries over to the closet by the entry and I glance at Theo waiting patiently on the front step. I turn back just as Frank pulls his cowboy hat out of the closet.
He turns and smiles wickedly at me. “I think this would go perfectly with your outfit…curls and all.” He smirks victoriously at me, clearly pleased with his little attempt at a joke. He holds it out for me to take and I see Theo out of the corner of my eye, watching us curiously.
I grab the hat from Frank and hold it up to my nose, inhaling deeply.
“Yep,” I say, seriously. “It’s just as I suspected.”
