Sexy Summers (Sexy Series) (21 page)

Back at the house, everyone is in bed, as expected after last night's shenanigans. We get ourselves a drink and, of course, make the most of the empty downstairs area by having seriously crazy, half dressed, hardcore sex all over the living area, finished off with slow, intimate love making on the rug in front of the fire. I know it's so
cliché, but it's fucking fantastic, and I'd recommend fire-front sex to anyone. The lighting, the warmth, the intensity... mmm, it definitely gets a 'yes' from me.

CHAPTER
TEN

MONDAY 24TH DECEMBER/CHRISTMAS EVE

The morning goes super-fast today, after we wake and go for it one more time against the bedroom door (yes, we got distracted on the way down for breakfast), we enjoy breakfast with Clare and Oliver. The boys get ready and leave as soon as Bea and Daniel arrive, ready to hit the shops for their last minute shopping and to get a little bit of Christmas skiing in.

We're a lot more casual about it, we chill out in our pj's for a while with a cuppa, Bea joining us when the boys leave, and we chat about everything and anything.

"This is definitely one of the best holidays I have ever been on," Clare says, enthusiastically, "I mean, I love a beach holiday - obviously, but this is just so cosy, and the excitement of Christmas is so much more intense here with the snow and serious festivities. It's nice for us both to be able to enjoy a break away together, knowing that the Cakery is in good hands. I'm having such fun."

"Well, you can come back whenever you like, girlies." Bea responds.

"Thanks, sweetness, now you've got a house and all..." Clare says, excitedly.

"I can't wait to see it tonight, Bea, Luke says it's amazing," I add.

"Oh, it is. I adore it, I don't want to leave! I just can't quite believe how lucky I am."

"You've got it all, Bea... treasure it," Clare says, softly, with her hand on her heart and her head tilted slightly.

"Alright, alright, let's not get all romantic and crap," I interrupt, the old Tilly returning briefly, and I stand, making my way to the stairs, "I'm going to get ready - you girls need to help me find something to buy Luke, I haven't had to buy a boy anything for god knows how long. Well, except Olly, but I mean... a
boy-boy
."

Clare responds a little too quickly, "Oliver
is
a boy-boy."

"Alright, Clare, I was simply saying that I haven't had to buy a
boyfriend
a gift for ages. Blimey, what's gotten into you?"
Like I don't already know...

"I could ask the same thing of you, Til," she says, quietly, but sharply. Quite unlike her. I choose to ignore it, I don't want to piss her off about Oliver and I don't want her to elaborate further.

I go and get ready and we all meet downstairs shortly after. The limo takes us into the shopping precinct nearby, and we start by browsing in a gorgeous clothes boutique where we try on lush winter coats and accessories. Bea buys some gloves for her mum, and we move on to some more man-friendly shops, to buy some things for the boys.

Ralph Lauren is a must for Bea, Daniel seems to wear so much from there. We all separate and stroll around the shop, looking for different bits and pieces. I see a few nice things, but it is impossible to buy clothes for a man, I mean, he needs to try it on for a start, and will it suit him? Will he like it? It is fashionable at the moment? I am just going to have to give up on the clothes idea, I know about
girl’s fashion, and I know that Luke looks hot in everything he wears - but boy’s clothes on a hanger? I have no idea.

I stroll over to look at some accessories and I see Clare brushing her fingers over a tan leather wallet. Knowing that Oliver lost his wallet the day before we left for Aspen and is using an old one until he gets a chance to buy another, I know exactly what she's thinking, but this is way more than we usually spend on each other.

"He'll love that," I say, wondering how she'll respond. I wish they'd feel comfortable enough to come out in the open and be a couple.

Clare nods, deep in thought as she opens it up. She suddenly puts it back down and frowns. "Hmm? Who? I was just looking for... um... for my dad."

"Clare, darling, no you weren't. Your reaction tells me exactly who you had in mind, and I think he'll love it," I say with a supportive smile.

"Oh for fucks sake, Til, get over it. I was thinking of my dad."
Whoa!

"And it's just a coincidence that Oliver lost his wallet before we came here?"

"Yes!" she snaps,  her face red with fury, "would you just get over it, there is nothing going on and I'm fed up of you bringing it up all the time."

"What's the problem? Why can't you both just be honest with everyone?"

"Don't fucking go there Til, I mean it..." I don't think I've ever seen her this angry, but I need to get through to her that it's okay. She's never hidden stuff from us before and it's unnerving.

"I will fucking go there, just be honest!"

"Oh, like you are? Like you're honest? Don't start all of this bullshit with me Til, you're being the biggest fucking hypocrite that I've ever met. Why haven't
you
told anyone? Huh?"

Oh Shit. My stupid badgering has come back to bite me in the arse. And she... knows? "Told anyone what?" I ask, in the hope that she's talking about something minor like... like... having sex in the kitchen.

She looks around and lowers here voice, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Why haven't you told anyone that you're pregnant?" Her face softens and she frowns, putting a hand on my arm. I stare at her, not really knowing what to say... how long has she known? "Tilly, please, just say it. To me."

I'm suddenly overcome with emotion, she's gone from being furious with me - quite rightly so, I am a huge hypocrite - to being so gentle and caring. Knowing that I'm not completely alone anymore is an unexpected relief. A tear falls from my lashes and I wipe my cheek immediately, before anyone around us notices. I simply nod, and with that confirmation, I turn into an emotional wreck, nostrils flaring, eyes flooding.

"Oh darling..." Clare says, clutching my wrist. She looks around us and leads me to the dressing rooms, grabbing a blouse from a clothes rail en route. Bea is obviously deep in the mens department and totally unaware of the drama unfolding over here.

Clare locks the door behind us and turns to give me the biggest, most needed hug ever. "Oh Til, why didn't you just tell me? Why hasn't either of you told anyone?"

I sniff and wipe my wet cheeks with my fingertips. I look down at my feet and clear my throat. "Well, it's not that simple."

"Oh god, oh no... why?" she asks, obviously worried about the pregnancy.

"Oh, nothing like that, Wriggler and I are both fine..."

She smiles, "Wriggler?"

"Oh, yes, that's what I named it. It wriggles around a lot, I can feel it really early on."

"Oh my god, that's so amazing... I need to hear so much more - but first, why isn't it simple?"

"Well... Luke doesn't know." I wince, waiting for it.

"What?" she cries, loudly, "Why not? It's his baby, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, I wouldn't have been that stupid with anyone else."

"You forgot a condom?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"Til, you have to tell him. I hate to say it but you're being really selfish right now."

I nod because she's right. And I'm ashamed of myself. "I know. And I hate myself for it, but I wanted to tell him in the flesh, and then we got here and he surprised me in the middle of the night with a sesh in the kitchen, and it just went on and on, and now the girlfriend thing; I'm afraid to ruin it all and lose him. I'm worried to find out that he doesn't want to be in our lives." I whimper most uncharacteristically, and drop my head on her shoulder.

She strokes my hair. "Darling, whatever happens, he deserves to know, and it's not fair that you're keeping it from him. So your.. what? Three months?"

I shake my head, "More, it works out at sixteen weeks tomorrow, pregnancy date calculations are weird. Anyway, that's the date I got from the midwife."

"And it's most definitely Luke's baby?"

"Oh yes, no doubt at all. It's Luke's."

"Bloody hell, Til, you're four months pregnant and you haven't even told the dad... your boyfriend!"

"Please don't, I already know how bad it is. After the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing happened, I thought maybe he'd take the news a bit better - be more likely to hang around, so I planned to tell him in the next day or so."

"Good, you should. Til, he's not going to be like your mum. I can understand your fears, I know what sort of a guy Luke was, and I know you want your child to be wanted by both parents because of your mum and everything, but you have to accept that whatever happens is going to happen, and nothing you do will change that. Especially prolonging this."

"I know. I will tell him."

"Good, because seriously, I will be on your back until you do. The guy needs to know his life is about to change, and he deserves as much notice as you got, even though he won't now."

"I know, I know."

"How long have you known?"

I pause, nervous to tell her, "Um... since the end of October."

"What?" she cries, her eyebrows raised in disbelief, "And you didn't tell us? Does Gemma know?"

I shake my head, guiltily. "No."

"Why not? How can you possibly have been doing this all on your own? Okay, so I've had suspicions for a couple of days now, but I was waiting for you to tell me something yourself."

"I'm sorry. But I don't think it's right for me to tell my friends and sister before Luke even knows. It's his baby and I think he should have been the first person to find out."

"Well, I agree with you there, and he would have been if you'd have just told him straight away."

"I'll tell him. I promise I will."

"Today Til, you have to."

I nod, agreeing with her. God, I hope he doesn't run. "Does Bea know?" I ask, there's no way she could keep this from Daniel.

"I don't think so, I haven't spoken to her about it, but she's not daft, if she doesn't have suspicions already, she will know soon enough. Til, hasn't he noticed? I mean... in bed - you've got a little bump."

I gasp, "Oh my god, can you notice really badly? I've been trying to hide it."

"Yes, I can notice, but only because I know you, and I've been really looking for it. But how hasn't he when you're naked?"

"I've just been a bit creative with positions and stuff. And a lot of the time, we've been... I've needed clothes on..."

"Oh my word, you are so daring, you've been doing it outside haven't you?" she says with a grin.

"A lot. I can't get enough, he's just
so
good, Clare."

"We'll, I'm glad for you, Til. I really am, I love him, he's great and so perfect for you."

I grin, sniffing. "He is, isn't he?"

Clare nods. "Just tell him, doll. I'm here for you, whatever happens, okay? You're not alone now. My god, I have
so
many questions for you, I want to know everything. That's some holiday souvenir you brought home!"

"Girls? You in here?" Bea's voice calls from the entrance to the fitting rooms. I sniff again and wipe under my eyes.

"Do I look okay?" I whisper and Clare licks her thumb and wipes some mascara from under my eye. "Good thing I love you," I say with a smirk.

"Love you," she whispers and kisses my cheek, "let's go."

"Yes, we're here," I call out as I open the door.

"Oh, I wondered where you were."

"Sorry, I just wanted to try this on and we couldn't see you," Clare says, in explanation.

Bea looks at the blouse with a frown... "Clare... that's like, a size fourteen... I assume it was too big?"

Clare looks down at the very conservative blouse and nods, I can see her wondering how to get out of this. "Hmm. Yes, it is, isn't it. I, um... I wanted a baggy look, it didn't work. Anyway, have you got what you needed?"

~~~~~~~

We continue to shop, finding a few gifts for the boys and some wrapping paper and gift boxes. We decided a while back to leave our gifts for each other at home under our tree, to exchange when we return. It seemed silly to add to the luggage allowance. I find a few little things that I think will be perfect for Luke, considering he is so hard to buy for, so I really hope he'll like them.

Just as we step out of the gift-wrap shop and make our way down the street for coffee, I feel strong arms wrap around me from behind and warm breath caressing my neck. To the side of me, I see Daniel embracing Bea, too.

"I've missed you this morning, Princess, wanna go somewhere and fuck?" Luke whispers in my ear, making me burst out laughing. I lean back against him, smiling.

"Definitely. Let's do it."

He turns me to face him and kisses me softly, looking directly into my eyes. I'm dazzled, still, by his incredibly handsome face. "Excellent. I could really slip my hand into your panties right now."

"Oh, I'm so pleased to hear that..." Oliver says in disgust, rolling his eyes and turning to Clare, shaking his head.

We both giggle and share one more kiss. He looks at my face again and cocks his head to one side, "Are you okay, baby?"

I nod, "Uh huh, I'm fine, thank you."

"Sure? Your eyes are different, like you've been crying or something?" How does he notice this stuff? Bea didn't even notice, but then again, she wasn't up close and personal like my man is right now.