Avalon (13 page)

“Did I say something wrong?” If I had, I couldn’t work out what it was. I got up from the bed and stood in front of him.

“Leo, did I say something wrong?” I repeated.

“No, no,” he shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Why are you cross with me, then?”

“I’m not cross with you,” he said looking up at me. “I don’t think I could ever be cross with you.” He loosely smiled.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry, it was nothing, I just had this idea that... it’s not important.”

“It is important. It’s important to me. Tell me what you were thinking.”

“Holly, it doesn’t matter,” he said firmly.

I sat down next to him on the bed and put a reassuring arm around his shoulder. “It does matter to me, Leo. I don’t want to upset you, not now, not ever.”

“I’m not upset with you, Holly. I’m in love with you.”

And there you have it, he said the words first and I instinctively announced, “I love you too, Leo. That’s why it’s important to me how you feel.” Inside I was doing somersaults. I was shaking the tambourine, doing a cheerleader cheer, for Leo Regent is in love with me, the most amazing, wonderful, incredible person in the whole wide world is in love with me.

We ate pizza in Leo’s room and curled up on his bed and watched a movie on the large TV fixed to the wall. We didn’t have to talk, we were comfortable just knowing we were together.

I fell asleep curled up in Leo’s arm, and woke up the next morning in another room. I was still fully clothed. Leo must have picked me up and moved me when I was asleep.

I listened out for voices, to see if anyone was awake, but there was no noise. I got up, showered and changed my clothes, then made my way to Leo’s bedroom and opened the door. He was fast asleep, looking angelic. He opened one eye.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he yawned. “Come in here and give me a cuddle.”

How could I resist. I dutifully did what was asked and curled my body around him. What a great way to start the day.

“Did you move me last night.”

“Yes, you look adorable when you’re asleep, I didn’t want to move you but Ryan said your parents might not appreciate the two of us sleeping in the same room. I tried to argue with him, but he said until he spoke to your parents on the phone then it would be his way or no way. I didn’t tell him that you lived with Sara and Stuart, it wasn’t for me to tell him.”  He perched onto his side and rested an elbow on the bed and his face on his hand. “I could look at you forever.”

I playfully smacked him. “Stop.”

“It’s true,” he laughed playing with my hair and gazing into my eyes. He lent forward and gently kissed me, a smooth perfect light touch to my lips.

I touched my lips and licked them afterwards. “That was nice.”

“Leo, is Holly in there with you?” Ryan shouted from behind the door

“Yes, she is.”

“Holly, I heard your phone ring.”

“Thanks, Ryan. I’ll check it.”

“I bet that’s Sara and Stuart checking up.”

“OK you go and check your phone and I’ll get showered and changed.”

Leo appeared out of the shower and walked past me, wearing a towel wrapped around his lower middle. I mused over his body, his straight back, broad shoulders and strong masculine arms like you would expect to see on a Roman soldier.

“Can you not do that?” I asked.

“Do what?”

“Walk past me wearing next to nothing.”

He laughed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was tormenting you.”

“You are.” I huffed jokingly, “and the sooner you sort out this perfect moment, the better.”

He lifted my chin up to meet his dark mesmerising eyes. “It will be worth it,” he assured me.

And of course I was convinced.

Leo walked to his bedroom and changed into jeans and a fitted blue t.shirt, which showed off his silhouette nicely.

Leo took my hand and we walked downstairs to the kitchen where Ryan was cooking pancakes.

“I’ve made a stack of pancakes. I hope you like them.”

“Oh yes, they’re one of my favourite breakfasts.”

“Juice?” Leo asked

“Yep, orange, apple, whatever you’ve got.”

Leo took some oranges from the fridge, cut them in half, and squeezed the juice straight into a glass the same way I had squeezed a piece of lemon onto my fish. I had never seen anyone squeeze an orange like that straight into a glass with one squeeze of the hand.

“Wow, you’re good at juicing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never seen anyone squeeze oranges with their hands and make a jug of juice.”

“Oh well, I’ve been doing it for years. I’ve had a lot of practice,” he said smiling at Ryan, as if sharing a private joke. I let it go.

Leo handed me my juice and sat down next to me.

”Thank you,” I smiled.

He leaned over and kissed my lips. “You’re very welcome.”

I could see Ryan looking at us adoringly in the reflection of the kitchen window. He caught my gaze.

“You two remind me of my wife and me.”

“Where is your wife?” I asked not knowing much about him.

“She died.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s OK. It was a few years ago. I wasn’t there when it happened.”

“Do you mind me asking how?”

“A car accident. It was instant.”

“I’m so sorry.” I repeated.

“You two kids remind me of my wife and me when we were together. She was the apple of my eye, much like you are to Leo.
If you’ve got something you want to keep,” Ryan turned to Leo, “treat her right and hold onto her with everything you’ve got.”

“I intend to.” Leo announced sincerely.

We finished our food, helped clear up then walked back upstairs, so we could spend some more time alone again, knowing that the day would soon be over. We sat on his bed and flicked on the TV watching music videos. Leo got a deck of cards and I showed him how to play Gin Rummy. Finally, we crawled under the bed covers and perched on our sides talking.

“What did you think about what Ryan said today, that we remind him of how he used to feel about his wife?” Leo asked.

“I take it as a compliment. It’s very sad what happened.”

“He wants to meet someone else, he wants a second chance.”

“When do you think your parents will come?”

“I don’t know if they will come. They expect me to return home in the holidays. Are you going anywhere for end of term?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I’ll tell my parents about you. It’s impossible for me not to. Being away from you will be hard enough.”

“Do you think your parents will like me?”

“Yes, they will love you because I do.”

We turned the music down to hear rain drops on the window panel. I snuggled up close to Leo and wrapped my arms around him and he held me in close tight up against his body. I wanted to stay where I was forever, I felt so secure in his embrace.

“Hols, it’s my birthday in a few weekends. Do you want to come over and stay that weekend?”

“Yes, I’d love to. I’ll speak to Sara about it. I’ll have to say I’m staying at Emily’s again.”

I sat up and looked around Leo’s bedroom inquisitively.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“I am trying to think what I could possibly get you for your birthday.”

“Nothing. Just you being here.”

“Leo, I am going to buy you a present, so don’t go all ‘I don’t need anything’ on me.”

He stroked a loose hair from my face, “It’s true Holly, don’t get me anything. I mean it, I don’t need anything.”

“If you say so.” I raised my eyebrows. Of course I would buy him something, I just had to decide what.

Leo kissed my forehead. “Holly, where I come from. I mean, you know, the Isle of Wight, well I was brought up to be with only one partner, and that person will be treated with absolute respect.”

“Yes, I too have been brought up to respect the person I am with. I’m not sure I believe in one person forever for the rest of my life, but now that I’m with you my views are all messed up. I’m starting to think perhaps there is only one person for me, and that’s you.”

“Holly, what I am saying is, that I have been brought up to marry the person I want to be with, or rather am supposed to be with. Someone I plan to have an intimate relationship with.”

“Oh gosh, Leo. If you think like that it will take years and years before we go any further.”

“No, it doesn’t have to be like that.”

“Phew,” I said playfully skimming my brow with my hand for dramatic effect. I loved Leo and I would do anything for Leo, but we were both nearly seventeen, way too young to think about marriage.

“One day I’ll make you mine.”

“But I am yours.”

“You know what I mean. One day I will marry you.”

“You don’t have to put a ring on my finger to be with me forever. I know how I feel.”

“It’s not about the ring. I want to make you my wife one day.”

“You’re pretty confident aren’t you?” I said teasingly

“Yes I am.” He playfully took me into his hold.

“You win,” I giggled. “I’ll be yours and I will one day be your wife.”

“I’m being serious,” he said as matter of a fact.

“You might not feel this way in a few years.”

He assertively kissed my mouth. “I will.”

“I hope so.”

“I know so. I know because there is nowhere I’d rather be than with you. I’ve been waiting for you, Holly,
you make me feel alive.”

“You always say the nicest things.” I said.

The next few weeks passed with the two of us counting down the days until Leo’s birthday weekend, when we could finally spend some more time alone together.

The weekend before my ‘weekend stay with Emily’, I returned home and Sara took the opportunity to discuss boys. She asked lots of questions about Leo and I couldn’t say enough about how wonderful and amazing he was. For some reason I was happy to share my feelings about Leo to the whole world. I told Sara, Leo and I had already discussed a future together vaguely. She knew I was getting serious about him but I told her we had not been intimate, and that was more down to Leo than to me. She seemed pleased by this and told me to tread carefully. She said there were lots of fish in the sea and, while I know this is true, I also knew Leo was the fish for me.

******

I ran back to my dorm and quickly packed up my small wheelie bag and left my room..

“Hello again,” I said, meeting Leo outside and kissing him quickly on the mouth.

“You look stunning,” he winked.

I was only wearing a pair of jeans, t.shirt and jacket. “This old thing.” I said twirling around.

“Yes, in that old thing,” he agreed. We walked to the Range Rover, where Ryan was waiting for us.

Leo opened the door for me and waited for me to get inside. “I’m old enough to drive this,” Leo announced.

“You will be tomorrow,” Ryan replied. “Nice to see you again, Holly.”

“And you, Ryan.” I smiled.

*****

“Come with me” Leo said, taking my hand and leading me upstairs to his bedroom. He closed the door and planted a soft smouldering kiss on my lips. I kissed him back, this time adding more urgency, more passion. .

We removed our tops and I stood in front of him with my bra and jeans on. I push my chest onto his and look
ed
up at him. I am at his mercy, ready to do anything for him, I wanted him so badly. Leo held one of his hands on the wall to balance and pulled me into his body with his free arm. He let go of his hand on the wall for a brief moment so that he could tuck my long hair behind my ear so he could lavishly kiss me from my ear to my mouth. When he got to my mouth I tilted my head back and let him kiss me around my throat. I was so turned on, I wanted it to go further, but would he let it?

He pulled away “I thought we were going to wait,” he said.

“That was your idea, not mine. Besides you started it.”

“I can’t help myself when I am around you. Being with you at school all week and not really being able to get close enough to you drives me insane. I can’t help but let loose on you when we get a moment to ourselves,” he said smiling mischievously.

“I feel the same way.”

Leo looked at my body and used the back of his knuckles to move his hand down the outline of my bra. I watched as his hand hovered over my breasts. I moved my arm and began to unfasten my bra at the back.

“Knock, knock.” Ryan hollered, rather than actually knocking. “I’m not coming in. I just wanted to tell you I’ve got something for you downstairs. Do you think you can come down for a minute?”

Deflated by Ryan’s announcement, Leo tilted his head down and rested it on mine. “We’ll be down in a minute.” He tried to sound cheerful. We heard Ryan leave and I fastened my bra again. “That was close.”