Love & Loss (34 page)

‘Thanks but no, I like mine, though I’m dying to get back in the proper bathroom. What about studying?’

‘Lex, we can’t plan everything, it’s no different to us having shared up until now, we’ll just see what happens and where we’re at day by day ok? I’m sure I’m going to have plenty more arguments with Gabe and need to come and crash for the night. We’ll get you a key cut tomorrow so you can come and go.’

‘You’d better check that one with Gabe first, what if he likes to wander around naked?’

‘Good point,’ I nodded. ‘Maybe a key for emergencies only and knock doors before you enter.’

‘What do I say if Mrs P rings home for you?’

‘We don’t have a landline Lex,’ I reminded her with a flick to her forehead.

‘Well she might ring on my phone and what do I say?’

‘I’ll call her back as I’m on the toilet, or you’re just going to get me? She won’t know you’re walking across to a different apartment will she?’

‘I can’t cope with all this pressure and the lying,’ she groaned.

‘Please you sound like Doug now and you’re very good at the lying.’

‘Take that back Page,’ she glared.

‘Well you are,’ I protested. ‘You’ve been lying to Doug for over two months with your faked orgasms.’

‘Don’t remind me,’ she sighed as she blew her nose again and subconsciously reached down and caressed the heart around her neck.

‘Lex, I think you might be in love with him,’ I whispered.

‘What?’ she exclaimed.

‘You heard me, I really do. I think that’s why you ran off and had sex elsewhere, you’re scared.’

‘O no you don’t Missy, it’s our last night. You’re not going to psychoanalyse me and get me in a mood by pushing me to talk.’

‘O come on, this is what we do, we push each other and help each other.’

‘We also cheer each other up when we’re down and right now I need cheer, not pushing.’

‘I’ve got it! I know what will cheer you up. Come on,’ I grabbed her hand and dragged her off the sofa and headed to the front door.

‘I’m not going out drinking with no makeup on.’

‘I’m not going out! You think I want my first day living with Gabe to turn into another blow out and days of not talking?’ I grabbed my keys off the hall table and pulled her out onto the landing, crossing over to the new apartment.

‘No way, you’re not looking at the bedroom, I promised.’

‘What’s he got going on in there?’ I asked as I looked back at her. ‘Has he smuggled in a giant panda for me?’

‘I won’t break.’

‘I wasn’t going in there, but you need to go and get my black lace clutch bag.’

‘You’re giving me your lace clutch to cheer me up?’

‘No way, I love that bag,’ I retorted as I opened the door.

‘You’re saying I’m not worth your lace clutch,’ she gasped clutching her chest. ‘You wound me deep Page, very deep.’

‘Ok, swap you for your silver Choo?’

‘Sod off,
no bag’s
worth the Choo, none are Chooworthy. So what’s the deal? Why do you need the clutch?’

‘Stop yammering, go fetch then maybe I’ll tell you.’

‘Go fetch? Cheeky bloody cow,’ she laughed as she cuffed me around the head and stalked off. I walked over to my pole and did a spin around it, before climbing it and hanging backwards. I giggling as Lexi came out of the bathroom and looked at me shocked. ‘Shit seriously, you can do all that stuff?’

‘Lex if you
were
that lesbian arse licking cat I could turn you on so much right now,’ I replied as I did a few moves on it for her.

‘Christ, you and Gabe are never going to leave this place,’ she laughed. ‘I hope you’ve been limbering up in preparation for a whole weekend of sex.’

‘Hmmm,’ I sighed as I dismounted and walked over to grab the clutch off her. I hopped up onto the pool table, opened the bag and pulled out the card of the Sam the boy band singer and flicked it with my fingers. ‘Would you give me your Choo for Ian Somerhalder’s phone number?’

‘No way,’ she gasped.

‘Deal or no deal?’ I asked. She chewed on the corner of her mouth.

‘Tempting but no deal, you’re bluffing, if you’d met him in New York I’d never have heard the end of it.’

‘How about Sam, lead singer of new US boy band Nevada 6?’

‘You’re shitting me.’ She lunged at the card in my hand and I quickly moved it out of the way.

‘I shit you not. He asked me to call him and gave me his card. So deal or no deal?’

‘Deal, deal, deal, if you’re not pulling my leg.’

‘I’m not pulling your leg, but I’m very disappointed that you’d give up your Choo so easily.’

‘Let me see, please,’ she implored. I smiled and handed her the card and she gasped and looked at me wide eyed. ‘It’s not April 1
^st
is it? You didn’t have this made to wind me up?’

‘Nope, he told me to call him if I changed my mind about Gabe.’

‘Ring him, ring him now.’

‘Lexi,’ I laughed. ‘I love Gabe, I’m not making side dates with someone, not even a very hot cute famous someone.’

‘Was he even better in the flesh?’

‘O yeah,’ I nodded. ‘Dark and mysterious looking, with deep brown eyes.’

‘Please ring him, if he flies over to meet you I’ll go in your place.’

‘What about Doug?’

‘He’s a chilled dude. He’d be totally cool me having a night with my top male singer totty. In fact he’s my current top all round totty. I think you are faking, that’s why you don’t want to ring. It’s not even a real number.’

‘How
dare
you doubt me Clarke, am I not your best friend?’ I hopped off the table. ‘Right move it, we’re ringing that number.’ I laughed as she screamed and raced back out towards our apartment and I looked around my new home and smiled, turned off the lights and shut the door. We went back to our lounge and I picked up my mobile.

‘Stick it on speaker,’ she ordered.

‘He might not even answer, or remember me. He carries business cards for God’s sake, I bet he’s given it out to thousands of women.’

‘Stop stalling. Ring,’ she ordered clapping her hands. I shook my head laughing and put it on speaker, rang the number and it went to answer machine.

‘Hey you’ve reached Sam, leave your message after the beep and I’ll hit you back.’

I grinned at Lex as she rolled her eyes and flopped back on the sofa at the sound of his voice.

‘Hi Sam, I’m not sure if you’ll remember me, you gave me your card in the 40/40 club in New York the Saturday before Christmas, the girl with the big diamond on her finger. Well it’s off, so if you’re up for some hot no strings attached sex I’d love for you to hit me back, you have my number, the name’s Mia.’ I squealed as I hung up and Lexi shrieked kicking her legs as she laughed.

‘Holy shit, you just offered your sex no strings deal with Gabe to Sam from Nevada 6.’

‘For
you
Lex, on the miniscule chance he rings back
I
won’t be hooking up with him.’

‘O tell me you’re not that principled that you’d turn down a night with Sam?’

‘I would,’ I nodded as she sat up and gawked at me.

‘Even if Gabe had
no way
of finding out, you still wouldn’t go there?’

‘No because I’d know Lexi and it’s wrong.’

‘See that’s why we’re great together, we’re yin and yang, you’re all innocence and purity and I’m dark and duplicitous fucking around behind Doug’s back.’

‘I thought we agreed no maudling tonight?’

‘Fine, put the film back on and rewind it, I missed about fifteen minutes while I was pretending not to cry.’

We climbed into my bed at two a.m. and I checked my phone to see a message from Gabe.

Hope you had a nice night with Lexi. I’m missing you. Can’t wait to sleep together in our new place tomorrow. Love you baby G xxx

We’ve had a great time thanks, hope you had a nice boys night with Doug. I can’t wait either and missed you too <3 your M xxx

I lay down and reached over to turn off my light when my phone started ringing.

‘Bloody hell,’ muttered Lexi, ‘if you’re going to have phone sex I’m outta here.’

‘Hey baby,’ I answered as I smiled back at her.

‘Hey babe yourself, I was so pleased to get your voicemail,’ came an American accent. I gasped and elbowed Lexi in the ribs. I hadn’t checked the number, I’d just answered thinking it was Gabe.

‘Hi Sam,’ I replied and she squealed and sat up.

‘So, how you doing?’

‘Great thanks, you?’ I asked as Lexi shoved her head next to mine to listen in.

‘Even better after your offer, it made my night.’

‘
Please
, like you don’t have women offering you that deal every night of the week.’

‘Maybe,’ he laughed. ‘But not from women I wanted who rejected me, that doesn’t happen often.’

‘Nice try, I bet you don’t even remember me.’

‘Long brown hair, bright blue eyes, amazing dimpled smile and killer legs in a short cream dress,’ he rattled off and Lexi and I gasped in astonishment at the same time. ‘So what happened to the good looking blond guy you were all over?’

‘I fancied a change. I like trying new things,’ I teased.

‘So I class as a new thing?’

‘If you’re in England anytime soon, maybe you could,’ I nodded and Lexi kicked her legs up and down in the bed.

‘I’m back in February, think you can wait to try me until then?’

‘Fuck me, he’s game for it,’ Lexi uttered.

‘Are you with someone?’ came Sam’s voice as I whacked her.

‘Just in bed with a girlfriend.’ I replied and heard a faint groan. ‘How do you feel about threesomes?’ I covered the mouthpiece and giggled as Lexi flopped back on the bed and covered her eyes shaking her head.

‘Is she hot like you?’

‘She
is
, tall with dark green eyes, stunning cheekbones and if you think my legs are good, hers will blow your mind.’

‘Damn, you’re going to get me off just talking about it,’ he groaned.

‘O wait until you see the things we do together Sam, she can tie a cherry stem with her tongue she’s that good, in fact we were in the middle of something right now, you just interrupted us.’

‘Send me a snap of you both to keep me going. Damn, I’ve got to go babe, I’ll hit you back when I have a moment, things are kind of crazy over here, but we’ll firm something up for Feb if not before. Girl you’ve got me so hard,’ he sighed.

‘Speak to you soon then Sam,’ I said in my best breathy tone and heard him groan again.

‘Catch you later Mia, damn,’ he uttered as he hung up.

‘You minx,’ screeched Lexi and walloped me with her pillow.

‘
Owwww
, what are you complaining about? I got him to ring back
and
agree to a threesome.’

‘Which you’ve no intention of giving him.’

‘Well no, but if by any miracle he does contact me to fix up a date and you’re single, we can go together and I can make my excuses and leave you alone with him.’

‘You wouldn’t?’ she gasped.

‘For you of course I would.’ I screamed as she flung herself at me knocking me back on the bed as she peppered my face with kisses.

‘You set that up and not only can you have the Choo but I’ll go down on you if that’s the only way he’ll do me.’

‘
Ewwww,
Choo yes, chew no thanks,’ I laughed.

‘I better get practicing with that cherry stem. Where did that come from?’

‘I can do it,’ I shrugged.

‘Damn girl,’ she drawled in her best American accent. ‘No wonder Gabe loves you. Doesn’t it ever bother you that you’ve never been with anyone else?’

‘Sexually?’

‘Yeah.’

‘No,’ I replied with a shrug.

‘Come on it’s me Mia, you don’t have to be all perfect and saint like. You’ve never got off thinking about anyone else since you met Gabe?’

‘No I haven’t,’ I replied, but felt my cheeks heat up a touch and prayed she wouldn’t notice, but this was Lexi we were talking about.

‘You liar!’ she gasped.

‘I’m not lying, as such,’ I retorted.

‘So what? Dish.’

‘I may have had a very erotic and steamy dream about someone else recently,’ I blushed.

‘It was Tyler wasn’t it?’

‘How did you know?’ I uttered.

‘Please. You were obsessed with him for years, then you bump into him a few weeks ago and go all school girl giggly around him, blushing and twirling your hair …’

‘I didn’t twirl!’

‘You did, that’s when Gabe ran over, he knew you were flirting. So how was he when you had this dream?’

‘Pretty damn good,’ I giggled.

‘Better than Gabe?’

‘I wouldn’t say better, different I guess.’

‘How so?’

‘Well Gabe and I love each other so even though it’s hot, and it’s
seriously hot
, I know how good he’s going to make me feel. That first time with Gabe … the way he blew my mind as I experienced everything with him for the first time … that was how my Tyler dream was.’

‘You’re honestly telling me if you had a chance to benchmark Gabe against Tyler, or someone else you really fancied you wouldn’t? Even if he could never
ever
find out?’

‘I’m not going to swear on my life Lex, but I’d like to think I wouldn’t. What’s the point of being in a relationship if I’m going to cheat and besides, it’s mind blowing with Gabe.’

‘But that could be because you don’t know any better.’

‘Maybe so, but you, Jess, Mandy and Lizzie all agreed that you don’t all come every time, I do with Gabe. Yes it would have been nice to have maybe had sex with someone else, but he makes me feel so amazing Lexi I’m not sure it
could
get any better that it already is. Anyway speaking of Gabe, he’ll be here super early to finish off and go food shopping and as I’m planning on some hot moving in sex tomorrow, I need some serious sleep.’ I turned the light off and snuggled down and heard Lexi sigh.

‘I’ve had a fun night,’ she whispered.

‘Me too, it won’t be our last,’ I replied as I searched for her hand and squeezed it and heard her sniffing. ‘Are you crying again?’

‘No,’ she mumbled.

‘Come here you soft git,’ I sighed and put my arms around her as she nestled her face in my shoulder. ‘Come on, go to sleep or you’ll look like shit in the morning.’