Struggle to Forever: a friends to lovers duet

by Lilliana Anderson

  Scooping up my hand, I fan it out, scrutinising it with what I consider to be a straight face before throwing three cards back in the middle of the table, keeping only the pair of kings I was originally dealt.

  “As far as you lot are concerned, she was never on the market,” I say, watching as Shane deals out the second round of cards.

  “I don’t know about that.” Shane smirks.

  “Shane, quit ribbing him. You should know by now you don’t talk about Paige to him,” Brian says, throwing a handful of chips in the middle of the table to kick off his betting.

  “You can talk about Paige with me just fine. It's talking about her like she’s a piece of arse you want to tap that bothers me,” I point out, flicking my own chips in the middle of the table. I still only have the pair of kings, but I’m happy to continue playing. We're betting for the last few packets of Tim Tams and a bag of Minties. We desperately need a parcel to arrive from someone at home before we run out completely and are reduced to paying the exorbitant prices they charge for them online.

  “Well, you’re a lucky man, Elliot. She’s a real stunner,” Gavin puts in, evening out the mood a little. “What’s the plan when you go back home? Is it over? Or is she going with you?”

  “We haven’t talked about it,” I reply, taking a swig of my beer.

  “Geez mate, don’t leave it like I did with Coral. She’s all over the place these days, ‘cause I won’t commit to coming back for her. Her moods kind of shitting all over everything these days,” Shane says, folding his hand and dropping his cards in the middle of the table. “I’ve got nothin’.” he rakes his hands through his dirty blonde hair as he indicates his mismatched cards on the table.

  “Why don’t you want to come back for Coral? You not really into it?” I ask, continuing to bet on my hand.

  “I dunno. Things were great before she started freaking out about me going. But it’ll take me three months before I can even get back here, and it’s just so much money. It took me a year to save up for this trip, so…” He shrugs, swigging on his drink and leaving his sentence unfinished but understood.

  I guess if he really cared about Coral, then he’d come back as soon as he could regardless of how much it costs. I know without a doubt that if I can’t get Paige to come home with me, then I will move heaven and earth to get back to her. Now that I have her. I never want to let her go.

  Twenty

  Paige

  I’m a bundle of nerves tonight because Shane is all packed and ready to go. He’s spending his last night with his girlfriend, and Gavin has shifted his stuff into Elliot’s old room for a couple of days before he goes back home to give us the room earlier.

  Elliot’s and my stuff are already in our room, but it’s only just happened, and we’re expected to leave to go to some nightclub tonight to give Shane and Gavin a big sendoff.

  I’d prefer it if we didn’t go though. All I want is time alone with Elliot. We are always around others and now we have our own space, we can take our time. I’m aroused just thinking about it.

  Elliot walks into the room, dressed for a night out in fitted dark jeans, a white jersey knit shirt with a line of buttons at the neckline that moulds to his muscular torso, and a black leather biker jacket.

  He looks me up and down, his eyes so dark with desire that I just want to jump into his arms and wrap my legs tightly around him.

  “You look stunning,” he says in a husky voice that sends erotic chills through my body. I’m wearing a dress that is a deep red colour, in a stretchy material so it's fitted to my curves. It’s fairly plain besides a cowl neckline, and it ends at my mid-thigh. I haven’t put my shoes on yet, but I’m planning on wearing heels that will bring me a couple of inches closer to Elliot’s face; perfect for kissing him.

  “Do you think we could be late,” I ask, my voice deep and sultry as my eyes devour him.

  He responds by closing the door and locking it. I almost come from the anticipation from hearing that sound. In one stride he's on me, kissing me frantically as we pull at each other’s clothes.

  In seconds we’re naked and on the bed in a desperate tangled heap.

  “Quick, please,” I beg, desperate for him to be inside me. We haven’t had sex since Cambridge and kissing just isn’t enough for me anymore. I don’t need foreplay. I just need him, inside me. Now.

  He quickly applies a condom and slides himself inside me. A blissful connection. My breathing shakes as he fills me, sliding back and forth, increasing his rhythm. It’s wonderful, and I’ve been so on edge all day that my body is already set to explode.

  “Oh god,” I call out. “Yes. Yes!” Tiny fragments of pleasure ripple through me and burst as I come, clenching myself around him.

  “Shhh.” He laughs while he continues to pump into me.

  “But it feels too good.” I gasp as silently as I can as his thrusts fill me and my orgasm continues. Holding himself up on his arms, he stills his hips, and I can feel his pulsing inside me. He dips his head down and kisses me leisurely, our release found before he rolls off me and lies beside me, chuckling to himself.

  “I think they’re going to regret letting us have this room,” he says, smiling at me.

  “I don’t care,” I respond, rolling into him and trailing my fingertips in between his pecs and down in between his abs, stopping just above his pubic hair line.

  “I don’t either,” he says as he rolls back on top of me kissing me softly and trailing gentle kisses over my body, massaging my breasts with his hands, and twirling at my nipple with his tongue.

  I gasp out and arch my back in response, so ready for him again. As he trails his kisses down my stomach, he slides his fingers between my legs and circles around my now hypersensitive clit.

  My chest heaves and my eyes roll back in my head as his fingers curl inside me, massaging my depths as his mouth presses kisses all over my body as he edges his way down.

  Just as his tongue brushes my clit there is a loud banging on our door. “We’re just about to leave,” Brian calls from the other side.

  “We’re coming,” I call back breathlessly. Elliot's shoulders start bouncing up and down in laughter from where he’s situated between my legs.

  “Literally,” he whispers to me. He dips his head and sucks gently on my clit, swirling his tongue around it. He moans softly and plants a chaste kiss there before sliding back up the bed and kissing me on my neck behind my ear. “To be continued.” He withdraws his fingers.

  I whimper my disappointment and turn my head to kiss him passionately, clinging to him. He sits up and pulls me toward him, helping me up off the bed as our mouths stay connected, refusing to waste any more time.

  Quickly, we put our clothes back on, and I do my best to straighten up my hair and makeup. I wasn’t wearing much makeup in the first place, so I just run my powder brush over my face and reapply some lip gloss. I'm so flushed and red-lipped from Elliot’s attentions that I look like I’ve gone to a lot of trouble.

  Elliot

  When I step out of the room, I'm met with a group of people with, ‘I know what you just did,’ expressions on their faces. Paige comes out behind me and notices the same thing.

  “Thank you, and you’re welcome,” she says with a curtsey.

  The guys find this hilarious and Naomi just shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “You two will make me regret agreeing to this, I’m sure,” she says, standing up and grabbing her purse.

  After a short tube ride, we get to the nightclub. It’s almost 11pm, so the place is already starting to fill up. Shane’s girlfriend has gotten us all put on the door list, so we don’t have to wait in line. Inside there is a sectioned off area for private parties. There we find Coral and a few other people I’m guessing are friends of hers or workmates of Shane or Gavin.

  A waiter comes over with a tray of jaeger bombs to get us started. They're passed around, and everyone quickly drops their shot in the glass and starts drinking and cheering each other on.

>   I look over at Paige and notice that she isn’t drinking. “You’re not a big fan of alcohol, are you?” I ask in her ear. The club is so loud you can barely hear yourself swallow.

  She shakes her head. “I like to be present in my life.”

  Paige

  Elliot looks at me quizzically and asks in my ear. “Have you ever been drunk?”

  I laugh. If only he knew. I lean up to his ear and yell over the music, “Of course I have. I just don’t like it.”

  He gives me a look that says fair enough and takes a small sip of his drink.

  I lean back up to him. “That doesn’t mean that you can’t drink.”

  He gives me a wicked grin that sends bolts of desire through my body. “I want to be sober when we get back. I want to be with you every moment,” he says into my ear. I have to let out a steady breath to calm myself. “Do you want to dance?”

  I lock eyes with him and shake my head slowly. He raises his eyebrows as if he's reading my mind. Looking around at everyone else in the party group, I can see that they’re all having fun. No one’s paying attention to us. I incline my head towards the exit. “Let’s get out of here,” I suggest.

  Without missing a beat, he grabs my hand and drags me out of there. In the twenty minutes we spend on the train, barely a moment is spent not kissing or touching each other like we’re teenagers.

  We literally run from the station back to the flat, so eager to have the place to ourselves. This is one night that we know no one will be home any time soon. We're all alone.

  As we get to the outside door, I slip my shoes off my feet while Elliot uses his keys to let us in. He turns to me, holding the door with his foot and kisses me quickly before sweeping me up in his arms and carrying me effortlessly up the four flights of stairs to our flat.

  I don’t think I’ve stopped laughing for a moment. I feel like a feather in his arms, and he’s barely out of breath.

  “Are you even from this planet?” I ask, amazed by his strength and stamina. Amazed by him.

  Elliot

  As soon as I get us through the door, I put Paige down and take her mouth in mine, moaning as she responds by wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her body into mine. I feel possessed by her as I run my hands through her hair, over her body, and under her dress. I can’t stop touching her. I need to feel her everywhere. Kissing along her jaw and down her neck, her skin tastes divine, and I want more.

  Leaning up against the front door, we slowly undress each other. My jacket and shirt are the first to go as she pushes and pulls, kissing me and gasping in between until she drops them on the floor at our feet and runs her fingertips over my chest, and down toward my jeans. For safety’s sake, I slip the chain bolt to give us a little warning in case someone else has the same idea we did.

  “My turn,” I murmur into her ear, halting her progress as I peel off her fitted dress. It clings to her delicious curves and has been driving me wild as well making me a little territorial whenever I noticed the appraising looks from others. Dropping her dress on the floor with my shirt, I run my hands down over her soft skin, loving the way my hands curve in and out over her waist and hips.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” I growl in her ear as I clutch her behind, urging her closer to me. She lifts her leg and wraps it around my waist before I pick her up and carry her over to the closest surface.

  I bury my face in her neck and make my way down to her breasts as her hands roam all over my bare skin.

  “I want you, Elliot. I need you,” she gasps out, her hands slipping between us to undo my pants and grab a hold of my shaft.

  “Oh god,” I moan as she slides her hand up and down my erection, tightening her legs around me, urging me to enter her.

  Grabbing my wallet from my back pocket, I place it on the bench top next to her as I kick my pants and shoes off before hooking my fingers into the waistband of her underwear. Sliding them off onto the floor, Paige removes the condom from my wallet, tearing the packet open with her teeth and holding it out for me.

  Taking the foil packet from between her fingers, I remove the condom and roll it down my shaft while she watches, desire burning behind her eyes as she bites her lip, waiting for me to return to her.

  The second it’s on, she reaches out with her arms and legs pulling me towards her, gripping me tightly as she devours my mouth, biting gently on my bottom lip. Shifting her hips, she guides me inside her, gasping as she takes in my full length. Pushing all the way in to my base, I need to pause. She’s gripping so tight and my mind feels like it’s about to explode along with my self-control. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself, reminding myself that we have time. We can take things slow.

  Feeling slightly calmer, I lift her again while we’re still attached, walking her into our new bedroom until we’re on the bed. Sitting back on my knees, I push in deeply, using my thumb to massage her swollen clit. She is so wet and silky that the pad of my thumb glides effortlessly over her nub. God, she feels amazing. I don’t know how long I can last like this.

  Paige

  Elliot shifts his hips slightly as he grinds our pelvises together, circling his thumb over my clit, sending me off into a blissful delirium as the pressure builds inside my body. I’m trying not to call out too loudly as my orgasm mounts. But when I remember there’s no one else here, I relax.

  “Elliot,” I shriek, my hips twitching as my body threatens to explode. “Oh god, it’s so fucking good!”

  I gasp out in disappointment as he withdraws from me, but I’m quickly reabsorbed in my pleasure when he buries his face between my legs and sucks at my clit, swirling his tongue over my most sensitive part.

  “Oh, yes. That’s it. I can’t hold on much longer,” I pant out as he pushes his fingers inside me. I’m in heaven, grabbing onto his lengthening hair as my hips buck, my orgasm exploding through me.

  He holds onto me tightly as he withdraws his fingers and laps at my folds, flicking his tongue lightly over my clit as I continue to call out until it’s so sensitive that I sit up and push his face away. Then I keep pushing until he sits, and I climb onto his lap.

  “You are the best person I’ve ever known,” I whisper, hugging his face to my chest. I take him inside me, riding him slowly and sensuously, experiencing his full length before I drive us back together, impaling myself on his shaft. Slowing things down, we lock eyes, gasping and moaning as we luxuriate in our time together, rocking as one, our bodies’ slick with sweat as our skin slides against each other, gloriously, perfectly. I shudder as I feel him climax, breathing out slowly as I settle him deep inside me, kissing him softly, losing myself in the splendour of his mouth and his arms.

  Twenty-One

  Elliot

  “Good morning,” I whisper as Paige’s eyes open and focus on me. We’re lying face to face, not giving a shit about morning breath. She looks so happy right now. I think this is the first time I’ve seen her when she doesn’t have that lingering sadness that seems ever-present in her eyes. Perhaps she just hasn’t remembered to be sad yet.

  She moves her warm body closer to mine and kisses me while I breathe in her raw scent, sliding her beneath me.

  “Good morning,” she whispers, reaching her hand down, wrapping her fingers around my morning erection.

  “Mmmm,” I moan into her neck, kissing and nibbling at her skin. “I never want to leave this room.”

  She laughs quietly, wrapping her legs around my waist and rocking her hips against mine. I can feel how wet she is against my shaft and all I want to do is plunge myself inside her. I moan, kissing her as I reach beside the bed and grab a condom.

  Her hand joins with mine as she takes the packet. “Roll over,” she whispers in my ear as she sits up and grins wickedly at me. Complying, I watch as she tears the packet open and slips the condom in her mouth, lowering her mouth until she’s poised at my tip. “Are you ready for this?” she asks, not waiting for my answer before she applies the condom with her mouth, rolling i
t down with her tongue in a delicious movement, her breathing careful as she continues to roll it on all. the. way. to. the. base.

  “Oh my god,” I gasp, almost coming as I feel the tightness of her throat around me as she sucks and slides her tongue against my shaft. I’m losing control as my mind reels with the sensation. “I can’t hold it, Paige,” I say as I explode embarrassingly fast, gasping for breath while my hands fly into her hair. She withdraws her mouth from around me as she climbs up my torso, gently licking and kissing her way until we’re eye to eye.

  “Nice?” she asks, grinning at me.

  “Unbelievable,” I breathe, grabbing her face and crashing our mouths together. I need to have my way with this woman now. Flipping her on her back, I drive myself inside her, pumping her hard as she gasps silently with each thrust. Her hands fly up to the iron bedhead as she holds herself firmly, increasing the pressure of my thrusts.

  Grabbing her leg, I twist her on her side, altering the angle as I bring her home. She grabs for me and I feel her internal muscles contracting, a small yell escaping her mouth. “Oh Elliot. Yes, just like that. oh god, I’m coming,” she calls, not giving a shit that our housemates can probably hear her.

  Her body spasms, and her moans grow louder with each thrust as I drive myself inside her. Clamping my hand over her mouth, I can’t help but laugh a little as she grips my hand tightly, pressing it firmly against her mouth as she yells her orgasm into my palm.

  I let out a steady breath as I slam into her one last time, bursting again but still wanting more of her.

  Withdrawing, I lie beside her and pull her onto my chest, leisurely stroking her back as we both breathe deeply to recuperate.