The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set (95 page)

“B, I’m happy. He makes me happy, if he wants to go slow then I will. We have a connection, and it’s amazing. The electricity between us, it’s intense. The emotions I feel when I’m with him are overwhelming. It’s the real deal, B.”

“Wow,” was all she could say looking slightly blown away. We discussed all our dates, all of our dalliances, and she had never heard me speak of anyone like this. Usually it was me regaling my moments of regrets, which usually involved alcohol. I had kissed far too many frogs that would never turn into Prince Charming. So I was equally surprised to find myself here. To have all of these feelings, but I couldn’t have been happier.

“So tell me about this kiss,” B asked, rousing me from my thoughts.

“It was beautiful.” I sighed before sipping on my coffee.

“That good, huh?”

“The best.”

“Well, are you going to elaborate?” She quirked an eyebrow looking expectantly.

“No, this time I’m keeping it to myself.”

“Seriously?” she groaned, pursing her lips, she hated to be left in the dark. But this was something I wanted to be kept between only me and Ollie. It was our secret, and one I didn’t wish to share.

“Well, if I’m not getting any details then I’m not telling you about Luke.”

Now she had got my attention. “What, did you two . . .?”

“Nope, not spilling, two can play that game,” she replied smugly. But I knew better.

“Oh you’ll spill alright, you don’t have enough self-control to keep it to yourself.”

“Yes I do,” she retorted looking offended by my remark.

We held each other’s eyes in a standoff, hers quickly narrowed and I knew she was at breaking point, she’d barely lasted seconds and I smiled, she’d soon be giving me all the details. She could never keep it to herself. She just didn’t have the patience. I narrowed my eyes, and she let out a defeated squeal.

Ha, I knew she’d break!

“Ugh, alright, you win,” she muttered and I grinned.

“First let me make us another cuppa, I have a feeling I will need it.” I winked and grabbed the mugs as she stretched in her chair.

“Yep, I got a lot to tell you.”

“I bet you do.” I rolled my eyes, she’d enjoy telling me all the gory details that was for sure.

She winced as she moved slightly in her chair.

“Are you okay?” I asked concerned.

“Oh, E, I’m more than okay, but let’s just say five times was a little too much.”

“Five times, huh, you sure you don’t want an ice-bag instead?” I chuckled.

“Not right now but maybe later.” She groaned, moving once again.

“So is he . . .”

A large grin spread across her face. “God yeah.”

“Lucky bitch.” I snorted.

“I know, I swear he was almost touching organs at one point.”

“Yowser.” I grabbed the biscuits and walked over with both coffees to get settled so she could enjoy telling everything. This was going to be an interesting afternoon after all.

I scowled in the mirror trying and failing to perfect my quiff. What was wrong with me? Oh yeah, it was the double date that B had pushed me into. I insisted that Ollie wasn’t ready, but she had persuaded me with the notion that keeping it casual would be all it was. A dinner date with all four of us.

Yeah righto.

It was really a chance to quiz Ollie, and I didn’t like it. I had asked hoping he would shy away, but surprisingly he’d handled the situation well and looked happy at the opportunity to meet up with Luke and B.

I kept my concerns to myself. I didn’t want to alarm him that it was just a hidden agenda. I would have to do some damage control after tonight that was for sure.

“Elijah,” B shrieked up the stairs.

“I’m up here,” I yelled back, traumatised by the hair situation.

What the hell was wrong with it?

I guess it was nerves, I needed to calm the hell down, but that was easier said than done.

“There you are, doing your hair, I might have guessed.”

“Oh shut up, are you not even ready?” I snapped, looking her up and down in annoyance.

“I thought we could get ready together, seeing as though it’s a double date,” she protested, with hands on her hips.

“It’s not a double date, and if you use those words in front of Ollie I will bitch slap you,” I warned.

“Why can’t I say the word date?” she fumed, looking outraged.

“Because I told you it might scare him off.”

She pouted in annoyance. “Bloody hell, he needs to grow some balls, if something like that scares him.”

“Quit being a bitch, B, it’s a big deal, another hurdle to get over, and I will not have you setting him back because you can’t watch that mouth of yours.” I would gag her if need be to stop her unleashing her string of obscenities.

“Sheesh, I’ll stay mute all night then if that will help,” she retorted.

“That would be great,” I replied sarcastically, applying the last bit of gel before admitting defeat. It was useless I was too nervous to do perfection today. I was hoping it wasn’t a sign of things to come.

I shoved B out of the room into the shower, if she wanted the full works she needed to get a move on, you shouldn’t have to rush perfection.

My text alert went off and I flinched, part of me was hoping Ollie was cancelling.

Oh please let him cancel.

Much to my dismay it was the complete opposite, it was a ‘looking forward to tonight text.’

Oh shit!

He wouldn’t be saying that if he knew what was in store. I would have to drill it into B before we went, but then again her mouth had a way of running away with her.

She sashayed into the room with the towel leisurely draped around her. “Are you going to do my hair, E?” I rolled my eyes and she pouted. “Pretty please,” she begged.

Oh now she was just irritating.

“Hurry up and get some clothes on for starters, I threw the sweat pants and T-shirt at her. That would cover her up till she was ready to slip on her dress.

“What’s wrong, E, scared I will flash a boob?”

“Eww, don’t even go there. I’m turning round now, get a move on or else you can do your own hair.”

“Fine,” she snapped.

I heard some fumbling and then she cleared her throat. “Ready.”

I peeked just in case but thankfully she was covered. I quickly took her hair down and rubbed it with the towel ready to bring some life back into it.

After thirty minutes of blow drying and curling her hair, it was finally done.

“Perfect,” she beamed, checking it from all angles.

“I know I’ve weaved my usual magic again.”

“Do you not fancy becoming a hair dresser instead? You’d make a killing.”

I frowned at her suggestion. “Nope, you know how much I love to dance. I’m just a jack of all trades, I can’t help being this talented.” I winked at her in the mirror, and she rolled her eyes. Every now and then you had to blow your own trumpet.

“Now can you do my makeup?”

“Oh for the love of god . . .”

“Oh shut up, you love it really, and I want big lashes so plenty of mascara.” She emphasised just how big with her hands.

“It’s a quiet meal, not a nightclub for god’s sake.” I rolled my eyes at her attempt to always make everything such a big deal. The girl didn’t know the meaning of toned down. She pouted like it would change my mind, but I wouldn’t relent. She was not looking like a drag queen tonight.

I fastened her dress and she sighed, smoothing it down. “Maybe I should wear the other one—”

“Nope, it’s either this one or your jeans.”

“But I want to wear the shorter one,” she protested.

“B, please, it’s a meal, dress respectful tonight for me. I’m already on edge about what’s going to happen tonight.” I really needed this argument about the dress code like a hole in the head.

“Why, what’s wrong?” she asked suddenly looking all serious.

“I know you and your mouth.”

Only too well.

“Oh come on, E, I can tone it down when I want to.”

Who was she kidding?

“Yeah, but you have a habit of not engaging your brain before you speak,” I added, not caring if she took offence by my words.

“The cheek,” she fumed.

But she knew it was true.

“I mean it, B, you start tonight, and I will kill you.” That was me giving her a friendly warning. I was not about to put up with her bullshit tonight.

“I won’t, Brownie’s honour.” She winked, holding up her fingers.

“Please, how long did you last, an hour?”

“Not even that.” We both laughed together. She had been thrown out of her first session. It was typical B. Normally I’d laugh at her antics, but I didn’t want her setting us back. Things were going too well for her to throw a spanner in the works.

“I will try, but I can’t promise anything.”

“B please,” I pleaded. I needed this night to run smoothly.

“Okay, okay I’ll try to be good.” She rolled her eyes and pouted her lips as I added the last coat of her lip gloss.

“Done, now I need to grab my jacket and then we can go.”

B checked herself in the mirror. I could see her look of doubt that she wasn’t glamourous enough, but I was done with the makeover. Any longer, and we’d be late meeting the guys, and that wasn’t happening.

* * *

“Hey, you’re here,” I added with a smile, closing the gap between Ollie and me.

“Yeah, I was just hanging around at home so I set off a little early, but Luke was here to keep me company.”

My eyes flicked over to Luke. “Hey Luke.” I did the whole chin lift, and he reciprocated with a smile before I turned back to Ollie.

“So what were you guys talking about?” I asked suddenly feeling intrigued.

“Oh just guy stuff, football and all that.” He shrugged, not adding any more.

“You like football?” I hated it myself but it did have its perks, watching hot guys running around in shorts, now that was enjoyable.

He nodded in response. “Yeah, I go to the odd match with my dad.”

“That’s good, I guess, that you get to hang out together. My dad would have loved the same for me, but as I told him, I’m just not wired that way. We never did have many hobbies together, we’re so different it’s laughable, but I struck gold with my mother, she is amazing.”

“So when do I get to meet her?” he asked, and I smiled at the fact he was even asking.

“Anytime you like I just didn’t want to push you before you are ready, that’s all,” I explained, I thought meeting my mother would have been way down the line, I was actually taken back by the fact he had mentioned it so soon.

“She sounds like a good person and I’m ready.”

I felt his fingers interlock with mine and he squeezed them in a small way of reassuring me. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all?

“Hey guys, we have a table,” B shrieked, turning the attention on her as everyone looked over at the source of sudden noise. We seriously couldn’t take her anywhere.

“She’s kind of loud,” Ollie muttered.

That was an understatement.

“Yep, she likes to be noticed. Will you be okay?”

“I’m sure I can handle myself against your cousin,” he replied reassuringly, but I wasn’t so sure.

“I don’t know, she’s pretty intense, but I’m here, I’ve got your back.” I gave his hand a squeeze before dropping it, heading over to the table Luke and B were now sitting at.

“Mmmm, what’s everyone having?” B asked, holding out the menus for us all to peruse.

“I think I’m having the steak,” Luke replied without even looking. My eyes slowly scanned that hot body of his, and I could see that it took a lot of food to keep that engine running.

“I think I might have the salmon,” Ollie mumbled.

B pulled a face, she was not a lover of fish at all, but I liked to have it now and then.

“I might join you with that one, I’m trying to tone down on all the meat.”

I heard B scoff, and my eyes fixed with hers in a silent warning, any sausage jokes, and she was getting lynched from the table. She coughed to hide her laugh, turning to whisper to Luke.

Ollie looked on in bewilderment, but I was not about to explain to him B’s pathetic immature mind right at this moment.

“What about you, B?” Luke asked, propping his menu back up.

“Oh I’ll have the sausage, the extra-large one.”

Luke coughed at her reply and she patted his back. “Are you okay, baby?” she asked innocently as I narrowed my eyes. I knew where this was heading, and it wasn’t happening. We were not getting into any cock conversations.

“I think I’ll have a coke, how about you, Oll?’ I turned my attention towards him cutting B off before she barely begun. She narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly what my intentions were, and I narrowed mine back.

Not today, B, not today.

“Yeah, coke sounds good. Can I have extra ice?” Ollie asked.

“I’m sure that will be fine.” I gave him a wink, and he blushed a little.

God, he was perfect.

“Ahem, I’ll have an orange J20, if you’re asking,” B replied, breaking our moment.

“I wasn’t actually, but good to know.”

“Luke, can you get me a J20, pretty please.” She pouted.

He rolled his eyes. “Coming up, B, I’ll go to the bar with Elijah.”

B automatically smiled, and I could see a plan hatching behind those evil little eyes of hers. No way was I leaving Ollie alone with her. “You coming, Oll?”

He made to move, but B grabbed his arm. “I think he’s fine here, keeping me company.”

Ice ran through my blood wondering what her motives were. Ollie shrugged and sat back down, looking slightly nervous as I gave B a silent warning not to overstep the mark.

I reluctantly walked off with Luke. It took all my self-control not to head back to the table to control the present conversation going on between them.

“He’ll be fine. You need to relax,” Luke said, smiling reassuringly.

“Easy for you to say, you know what’s she like. Ollie isn’t used to her behaviour.” That thought alone made me unnerved.

“He’s got to learn to stand up for himself if he’s going to be around her, you can’t be there all the time to protect him.”

I guess he was right, but my instinct was I just wanted to shield him from the harsher side of B. Even I could still be taken back by her at times.

“I know but it’s just early days, and he’s easily scared.” One wrong word from B would have him running for the hills. It was my worst fear to lose him now, each day I was beginning to fall for him a little more. I liked having a boyfriend, even though we were taking it slow and hadn’t given ourselves that label yet. I liked the security, the way we were monogamous to each other, that was something huge for both of us.

I glanced over and could see Ollie’s cheeks heat as B smiled at him wickedly. I made to move, but Luke grabbed me holding me back.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine for a few more minutes, relax and let him speak for himself.”

I looked around agitated. We needed to be served soon before I blew a gasket. Thankfully the bar man came over, he was cute, but I couldn’t even enjoy having a cheeky perv, my mind was too wrapped up in making it back to Ollie. Luke picked up the tray of drinks, and I shot over, giving B the evil eyes as I sat down.

“So what have you all been talking about?” I asked innocently, trying to hide my anxiety.

“Oh just this and that,” B replied vaguely, sipping on her drink.

I turned and whispered to Ollie. “She hasn’t been too full on has she? We can leave now and go somewhere on our own,” I offered. He only had to say the word, and we were gone.

“No, it’s fine.” He shrugged, but his answer did nothing to cool the fear slowly building inside me.