Chapter 22 Took his size again
Then I see the text is from Natte. My heart jumps in my chest.
With nervous fingers, I open up the text:
So I’m sitting here bored shitless and I was thinking about that time when you blew off school, when it was that mad heat wave that one summer, and you called me we took the train to the beach so we could go swimming … do you remember?
Smiling at the memory, I climb out of bed, pulling my dressing gown on, and I go into the kitchen, taking my phone with me. I put the kettle on to make a tea. While it’s boiling, I type a text back:
Of course I do! That was such a fun day, well until you dared me to jump off the high rocks, and I did and when I resurfaced I’d lost my bikini top and you had to go diving for it!
Laughing to myself, I press send. I put my phone onto vibrate so as not to disturb Darla if she's here, of which I'm sure she's not then get a cup out of the cupboard and drop a teabag in it. My phone vibrates in my hand:
That’s what I was remembering ;
My face flushes red. Is he flirting with me? I instantly type back:
Perv! I was only ten!
My phone vibrates immediately:
I never saw anything.
He put a kiss at the end. I grab the milk out of the fridge and type back a reply.
You’re still a perv ;) Seriously though, I did just want to say thank you again for lunch. I’ve never quite had a lunch like it before.
I hover my finger over the send button.
Then I go back and add a few kisses then press send.
Me either. I’ll miss you while I’m gone. Be good.
He’ll miss me? And he’s telling me to be good. When am I never good? I hold the phone to my chest, contemplating texting him back. Unable not to, I quickly tap out a text:
I’ll miss you too. And for your good information, I’m always good. It’s you that needs to learn the meaning of the word.
It’s a minute before he replies:
I’m starting to.
I stare at my phone for a while, confused, until the kettle boils, bringing me round. I make myself a cup of tea and take it back to bed with me. I look at Natte's images on my phone and sip my tea, then it hits me why I didn’t feel turned on before with Pine just now.
Because of Natte. Because I can’t stop thinking about him.
I’m in a taxi on my way to the airport to fly out to London for the first concert; all of Natte's rooms are booked at Alpine resorts in all capitals we are to visit.
I’m mega excited about this, and I’m also really looking forward to seeing Natte again. I might not have seen Natte for weeks, but we’ve been in regular contact; I’ve spoken to him every day. Well, not actually spoken, but we’ve been emailing and texting every day since he texted me that first night.
It’s like we’ve never been away from each other. The last seven years dissolving into air. Some of the emails and texts have been a little flirty, mostly on his part, but I’ve made sure not to cross any line. I don’t want to blur things and give Natte the wrong impression. I’m not up for being another bitchy woman on his incredibly long belt, even if he is gorgeous and lovely and so very sweet to me. It’s not worth losing my mysterious Pine over.
We were in bed together last night when Pine did the sweetest thing…
“So I bought you something,” Pine said, climbing out of bed, leaving me feeling cold without him.
“You did?” I sat up, feeling a little frisson of excitement.
He retrieved something from his pants pocket, which were slung over the chair at my dressing table, while I admired his hot, tight body and cute bum from behind. He’s so gorgeous and lovely. I love that he’s mine.
He came over and sat down on the bed beside me. “I bought this for you, because I want you to have something to remember me by while you’re gone.” He held out a maroon velvet jewelry box.
“Jewelry,” I smiled. My itchy fingers reached out to touch the soft maroon velvet. Pine looked a little nervous as I opened it.
“Oh my God! It’s beautiful!” I touched my fingers to the platinum chain bracelet, feeling completely overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness.
“You like?” He looked at me hopefully.
“I love!” I leaned forward and kissed him firmly on the lips.
He held my face in his hands, prolonging the kiss to deep. When he finally released me, he removed the bracelet from the box and I held my arm out allowing him to put it on.
“It looks perfect,” he said, staring down at it. My own eyes fixed on it too. “I want you to wear it all the time you’re away from me, so you have a permanent reminder of me and our life together.” Pine's voice was deep and low.
My heart started to hurt in my chest at the thought of the length of time I’m actually going to be away from him. The enormity of it finally hit me. I've shared my bed with him for the past two years. I felt tears start to prick the backs of my eyes.
“Like I would ever forget about you,” I said gently. I touched my hand to his face, feeling the start of his rough stubble under my fingertips.
Pine took hold of my hand, kissing my palm. He started to kiss a path down my arm slowly, making my tummy tingle, as his lips moved over my shoulder and up my neck, until he reached my mouth. He took my face in his hands, his fingers buried deep into my hair. “I love you so much,” he said.
“Show me how much,” I grinned, biting down on my lip.
Pine's eyes came alive with instant lust, and then he set about showing me just how much he actually does love me for the rest of the night.
I was sad to leave Terry too. We were both a little teary as I was getting in my taxi. Thank God for Brightening Eyes, otherwise I’d look a puffy mess right now.
Terry and I have not been apart since university. For Darla, we can be apart for months until she shows up all humble and poor if she runs out of money. The moment she gets your sympathy she steals from you and leaves that's how Darla is.
My Dad said it's good she doesn't go out there looting from people or she could have ended in worse situation. Darla only knows how to steam from me and my dad.
Any holidays we go on, I go together with Terry, so it’ll be weird being away without her, doing all the fun stuff I imagine I’ll be doing.
She’s promised to come and visit me at our first London concert, and I don’t doubt she will as she’s desperate to meet Natte and the other guys in the band. I’m really looking forward to meeting them too. Obviously, I’ve seen pictures of some and have read interviews they’ve done, but it’ll be real nice to meet the guys behind those images and words.
I called my mum and dad to tell them the news of the concert the next day after I’d found out. My dad was ecstatic to put it mildly. Actually, he freaked out. He’s like a big kid at times! He was also really happy to hear I was back in touch with Natte. My mum seemed a little bit reserved about the whole thing. I know it’s just because she worries about me.
It was in that call that Dad told me about this huge donation they’d received at the organization by an anonymous benefactor, and they were freaking out as the donation was huge in fact, two million dollars.
Two freaking million dollars!
I nearly choked when he told me. The charity is only small, so the difference that kind of money will make to them is immense.