Love Is... (3.5) (6 page)

Rafe

Day Twenty One - Friday

“You took your time!”

We’re literally only five minutes late picking Pippa up but she’s eager to get to the fight night. Topless sweaty men in shorts…actually yeah, we better hurry!

“You look great Pip!” A compliment always calms her down,

“Thank you, babe. Hey Matthew, it’s great to see you again.” Pip leans in between the front seats and kisses us each on the cheek before settling back and putting her seatbelt on.

“Mmmmm I love the smell of muscle rub in the evening.”  Pip walks in to the arena, flicks her hair over her shoulder and takes a deep breath in. “Right, come on then Mr English, you can buy me a drink! Good luck Rafe, love you!” She leans in and kisses me on the cheek, followed by Matthew and they head off towards the bar.

Danny won his fight, and it was a great fight to be fair. I couldn’t be more proud. I’m excited to go and find the gruesome twosome and gush about my student’s win.

“Rafe.”

I recognise the voice from behind me and all of the hairs on my body stand on end.

“Please Rafe, can we talk.”

I turn calmly and lay my eyes on Mark for the first time in almost four months.

“I don’t really think that’s a good idea Mark. I have to go.” I turn and start to make my way towards the bar.

“Rafe please...I’ve left Laura, it’s over. Can we start over? Please…Just please forgive me… I love you.”

I stop in my tracks. What? It takes a moment before I turn around to look Mark in the eyes.

“Mark, go home to your wife. You made a mistake and so did I.  We can’t start over Mark, I’m sorry but I don’t love you. I have a boyfriend who I am head over heels in love with so there’s really nothing more for me to say. Learn to appreciate what you have Mark, I certainly do.”

I turn to walk away and am immediately pulled into a kiss, Matthew’s big hands on either side of my face.

“Did you mean that?”

“Of course, I more than appreciate you.”

“I mean that you’re head over heels in love with your boyfriend?”

I smile,

“Oh, yes…every word! Sorry if that’s too soon but I …”

“I love you Rafe.”

In an instant I’m lost in his kiss, it’s full of love and there’s a lump in my throat from the strength of my feelings for him.

“Oh god, put him down!” Pip laughs and brings both Matthew and I to our senses, “Shall we go for a pint then?”

“Yes Pip,” I laugh, “come on.” I pull a smiling Matthew gently by the hand as we follow Pip to the bar.

The three of us have a seat by the bar and Pippa turns to Matthew, getting serious for a change. “It’s great to see you two together you know, you have a really positive effect on him Just a month ago he’d have probably put Mark on his arse and knocked ten bells out of him. He’s been miserable since Christmas,” I groan and eyeball her to shut the hell up, she smiles, rolls her eyes and continues. “But since he met you, he’s been a version of Rafe that I haven’t seen in years. He’s really happy,” she takes his hands in hers, “Thank you.”

I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been, and the look that Matthew gives me tells me all I need to know, he feels the same way.

One more week!

Day Twenty Two - Sunday

“You two are great together Rafe, I can’t believe how settled you seem after such a short time!”

Rosie has come around to the flat for a coffee, which Matthew is in my kitchen making as my sister and I catch up. Michael has gone into the office to take advantage of the quiet and she’s taking advantage of the freedom. He’s been pressuring her to set a date for the wedding and complaining that she chose New Year’s Eve. It’s too far away apparently. The end of time isn’t far enough for me!

“I know. I can’t complain sis, I’m so happy!”

“There you go Ginge, Rafael.” Matthew winks at me and smiles as he places the cups down in front of us and leans down to kiss me. “I have some work to do so I’m going to head off. I’ll call you later ok?”

“Of course, see you later.”

I feel like the desire in my eyes each time I look at Matthew could burn a hole right through him. The look in his seems to match my own and makes my breath catch in my throat on an hourly basis.

“Bye Ginge.” Matthew doesn’t take his eyes off mine as he says bye to Rosie and leans down to kiss me again. “Later.”

“WOW!”

I peel my eyes away from the door that Matthew just left through to look at my sister. She’s blushing and staring at me open mouthed.

“What?” I’m confused and a little self-conscious.

“What? Are you serious Rafe? Fucking hell…If Michael looked at me once the way you two look at each other I think I would be done in, death by spontaneous orgasm! Christ Rafe, I’ve never seen chemistry like that!”

Rosie’s words make me smile from ear to ear in one moment, but sad in the next. I know there’s something special between Matthew and me, but she’s marrying Michael and feels nothing close to what we have after just three weeks!

“Rosie, don’t marry him please. You aren’t right for each other. You deserve passion!”

“Rafael, don’t start, please. I’ve made my bed and now I have to lie in it.”

“Rosie, for crying out loud, you talk about your wedding like it’s a punishment. You know I’ll be there when it falls apart but I really wish I didn’t have to wait for that. You don’t love him.”

“RAFE! Enough please.” Rosie looks down at her hands, she’s wringing her fingers together in her lap and I know I need to ease off.

“Ok…I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” She sniffs and takes a breath.  I know she’s upset but I just give her the moment to compose herself, “So come on, give me details…Is he amazing in bed? Oh I bet he is!”

“Erm…I wouldn’t know. We haven’t had sex yet. We haven’t done much more than kiss actually.” I smile and wait for her reaction,

“WHAT? In three weeks of being together every day, and having chemistry like that,” She points at the door for some reason, “You’ve only kissed? Do you seriously expect me to believe that?”

I laugh,

“Yes, because it’s true. Well, we’ve both copped a feel a few times and things have headed towards getting pretty damn amazing, but we agreed to date and wait. One month, no sex!”

“FUCK OFF!!!” Rosie shouts and then starts to laugh, “Oh that is brilliant! For you to agree to no sex, you must seriously like him!”

I nod and place my cup back on the table.

“I love him Rosie. I'm bloody head over heels.”

Rosie launches at me wrapping her arms around my neck and covering my face with kisses, I think she approves.

Matthew

Day Twenty Five

“Hey handsome,” Rafe greets me as I walk into Rafael’s after a ridiculously busy day in Manchester. He leans over the end of the counter and I lean in to kiss him briefly. “Good day?”

Rafe starts to make me a cappuccino as I lean on the counter with my arms crossed in front of me and take in the sight of my man at work. He is the king of the castle behind that counter, working with efficiency and fluidity and constantly aware of his surroundings. He dodges a fast moving Sophie as though he didn’t even notice that he had to.

“Yeah, it was a long and tiring but successful day. I’m knackered though babe, do you mind if I grab a bath upstairs and then we’ll go for a pint later?”

I’d promised Rafe last night that we’d go for a drink after he closed up on Friday but I’m wiped out. I need to chill for a bit or I’ll be asleep by ten.

“No, course not. I can’t imagine we’ll be much longer down here. You go and chill.” I start to head to the stairs up to the flat, “Matthew, we don’t have to go out you know, if you’re tired.”

I am, but I know he wants to go for at least one, and I want to show him off.

“I want to babe. I’ll see you when you’re done.”

“Ahh, I knew I shouldn’t have come in here! Why did I come in here?”

I can’t help but laugh as Rafe comes into the bathroom to get something and tries to cover his eyes after getting an eyeful of me in the bath.

“You knew I was in here.” I say through laughter as he tries to feel his way out of the room,

“I thought there’d be bubbles!” He finds the door and leaves the room and I’m done in. Three weeks of constantly getting het up to boiling point and then having to stop ourselves is killing both of us, but Rafe trying to avoid seeing me naked by holding his arm over his eyes and patting the walls as he walks has me pissing myself laughing.

One more week!

Rafe and I have managed to keep our hands off each other for three weeks, only just and now it’s Wednesday on our penultimate week. I’d say happy hump day but I guess not in my case. We’ve kissed…a lot. We’ve cuddled on the sofa and worked each other up into a frenzy more than we should have done, but it’s unavoidable. I have never been so attracted to anyone in my life.

Rafe is kind and funny and he’s sexy as hell. His lips are soft and plump and fit perfectly against mine. Every time that he kisses me I think about them kissing their way down my neck and chest, over my abs and taking me in. His tongue owns me, I’m rendered useless when it slides over mine and I long to feel it being so expertly worked along the length of my cock, circling the tip while he sucks…Needless to say I end up as hard as stone each time he kisses me.

We tried to steer clear of seeing each other naked below the waist, certain that neither of us would resist once we pass that stage of our relationship, but a couple of times things have gone a bit further than intended, last night more than ever…

We’d watched a film and had a couple of glasses of wine. We were lying on the sofa listening to music, the candles flickering as we kissed and cuddled on the sofa.

“Baby I can’t wait anymore, fuck thirty days!  I love you and I’m not going anywhere, why wait?” I pulled Rafe on top of me, begging him, completely desperate for him to give in to me.

“We can do one more week baby, just seven days.” Rafe tugged at my earlobe with his teeth before kissing my neck and jaw line.

“No, Rafe I can’t take it. I need you now. I think I’m going to explode.” I lost it completely, I was needy and desperate and grovelling for my boyfriend to make love to me.

“Baby, one week,” Rafe kneeled up between my legs, his abs flexing as he rubbed his hands up my thighs. It was agony, in the best way.

Rafe’s hands moved to the button on his jeans and my breath started to come hard and fast, I was panting like a damn dog!

“Rafe…” His name escaped me as a moan and was question enough for him to answer my confusion.

“I’m not going to touch you baby, I’m going to touch me,” my eyes widened and I thought my cock was literally going to burst out of my jeans, “Join me baby, come with me.”

My mouth watered as Rafe freed himself from his jeans and pushed them down on his hips. He’s fucking beautiful. He was so hard and smooth and completely ready for me. As he started to slowly stroke himself from root to tip, kneeling over me and looking down into my eyes, I lost control. My hands flew to my buttons and my cock was in my hand in seconds.

Rafe’s eyes widened as he watched me start to work myself, my gaze took all of him in. The actions of his working hand, the way that his muscles flexed as he started to tense with pleasure, and the look of hunger in his eyes as he took all of me in and then stared into mine had me fit to burst.  I knew I wouldn’t last long. I’d never done anything so intimate, so sexy and I was ready to blow.

“Rafe,”

I said his name on an exhale as I reached up and gripped his thigh with my left hand.

“Wait babe, wait for me.”

Rafe leant down and held himself above me, his left hand on the arm of the sofa above my head to support his body. Both of us were tugging harder and I felt the tip of his dick rubbing against my stomach as he got closer, and then mine against his.

“Oh fuck, Rafe!”

He leant in and kissed me deeply and I couldn’t hold on any more. I moaned as I felt my balls tighten underneath me and my toes curl. Rafe leant over to one side so that he could look down between our torsos. His fast heavy breathing was unmistakeable and as his right knee bent and pressed hard into the back of my left thigh to steady himself, his groans gave him away.

He kissed me frantically and I felt the motion of his hand pumping away against my stomach, matching my pace until pleasure overwhelmed us both. Rafe’s mouth was next to my ear and his moans tipped me hard and fast over the edge.

The warmth of come on my hand and stomach only just registered as the sensations of my orgasm floated around my body. It felt like every vein was contracting with pleasure and I loved it. Rafe stilled and I listened to his hot heavy breath as we floated back to earth.

“One more week,” Rafe whispered,

“One more week.” I replied.

Day Twenty Six - Rafe

“Honey I’m home!”

I left the door open so that Matthew could let himself in. He went straight to the gym after his flight from Liverpool landed and as I turn to look at him walking into my flat, his hair brushed back away from his face and his sweaty workout clothes still on, I realise how deep my feelings are.

When he said the word home, I longed for that to be true. I wish that I could wake up next to him every morning. I’m in deep.

Matthew said that waking up next to me after the incident on the sofa was too hard and he doesn’t think we should share a bed again until thirty days. 

Matthew drops his bag by the door and walks in to the kitchen, lifting himself up to sit on the counter top behind where I’m cooking.

“Good day dear?” I ask sarcastically as Matthew starts to pick at the tapas that I’ve been preparing, he laughs.

“Better now! Come here,” I turn and walk to stand between his parted thighs, “I missed you.” Matthew kisses the hell out of me and it takes all the strength that I have to stop my knees from buckling. “Shit, Rafe the pan!”

The pan of rice that I abandoned for my sexy boyfriend starts to boil over and the sizzling pulls us out of our intense moment.

“See, this is what you do to me! You’re a bloody distraction!”

Matthew laughs as I mop up the spilled water and put the rice back on to boil, popping another olive in his mouth as he does.

“You’re in a good mood, made another million today?” I joke, but do wonder how much Matthew earns.

“It feels like it Rafe. Just coming home to you, to this,” He waves his hand in the direction of the food that I’ve been cooking, “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

I’m done for.  I return to my position between his thighs, and my lips to their rightful place on top of his. Sod the rice!

“Baby, that was awesome, thank you.” Matthew takes a sip of his wine after clearing his plate.

“You’re welcome. That’s the Joaquin Alvez special!” I sip at my wine and start to gather the plates up.

“Oh, well then remind me to thank your Dad when I see him,” I look up to a wide eyed Matthew and he continues, “I mean…I wasn’t insinuating that I’d be seeing him soon or anything, I just…I mean Rosie’s marrying Michael and…”

I laugh, “Relax, I want you to meet them properly.”

“You do?” How can he sound so surprised? I reach across the table and take his hands in mine.

“Of course I do. They’re a huge part of my life and you’re becoming a huge part of it too. It stands to reason I want you to get to know them.” I smile, as does he.

“Well, I’m glad you’ve said that actually. I have to go to Cornwall to hand my keys over and clear out the last few bits. I’d love you to come but it would mean staying at my parents’ house.  Mum will kill me if I get a hotel!”

“Oh ok, when?” I ask, quite excited about the prospect of a few days away together.

Matthew clears his throat and picks up his wine, “Tomorrow.”

“Erm talk about short notice!” I laugh but we both know I’m going to say yes. Sophie needs the extras shifts anyway. “I’ll have to call Soph, would your parents mind though? I’ve only met them once.” I met them at Rosie’s engagement party but that was in my capacity as brother of the bride, not boyfriend of the best man.

“No, I’ve sort of already spoke to Mum about it.” Matthew smiles that heart stopping smile and I laugh,

“Ok, at least there’s no risk of us having sex if we’re at your parents’” I laugh and take another sip of wine.

“Right Alvez, we’ll nip that in the bud right away! If you think that in the future we’ll be going without when we’re visiting our parents then you can think again. You get away with it this once and that’s only because it’s within thirty days!”

I laugh but Matthew looks at me, he’s serious.

“Ok, glad we cleared that up!” I smile and he mirrors.

I’m over the moon. Things between us couldn’t be more perfect.

Day Twenty Seven - Matthew

“Four days…ahh four fucking days! I can’t believe we’ve made it this far!”

Rafe shakes his head in disbelief and looks out of the window.

“I can. We’re both too competitive to cave, but it’s bloody hard!”

“Literally!” Rafe sniggers mischievously and I roll my eyes.

We’re on our way to Cornwall and I can’t believe that we’re almost at the end of the thirty days that seemed so long when we agreed to wait. I’m really excited for my parents to get to know Rafe, I’m glad that he’s as close to his parents as I am to mine because he understands the importance of introducing him to them.

“I love Cornwall. I can’t believe you’ve sold up when you could have made a packet renting the cottage out as a holiday home.”

Rafe leans his head back as we drive along the country lanes leading to my parents’ house.

“No, I need to reinvest and buy somewhere in London if I’m living there. I’ll buy the dream house in Cornwall one day.” I smile as I imagine the two of us living there, I don’t dwell on the fact that Rafe’s business is in London and he just gazes out of the window. “Here we are, are you ready?”

“Born ready baby!” Rafe grins but looks a little unsure.

“My baby boy!” As soon as I open the car door my mum rushes towards me, she must have just been standing in the window waiting for us to get here.

“Hi Mum, you remember Rafe...” I gesture to lead her in Rafe’s direction as he makes his way around the front of the car.

“I do, but I don’t remember you being so handsome,” she nudges me with her elbow, “Well done son, he’s quite the hunk!”

Rafe laughs and pulls my mum into a hug while I cringe at her complete lack of a filter.

We dropped our things into the guest room and enjoyed a cup of tea with Mum and Dad in the garden, but I need to get to the estate agents before Lou closes up.

“Right Mum, we’ve got to pop up to the house and then into Newquay for a bit, do you need anything?”

“Oh no love we’re fine, unless you want to pick up a bottle of wine.”

“Garlic bread,” Dad chips in.

“Oh yes and garlic bread. Oh son can you also get me some parmesan cheese please?”

I laugh, “So when you said no, you actually meant ‘yes and here’s my list?’”

“Oh stop!” Mum hits me with the tea cosy and laughing, Rafe and I head out.

“Babe, this cottage is beautiful. Are you ok about all this?” Rafe shows genuine concern as we load the last few boxes into the back of my Land Rover Discovery.

“I’m a bit sad but it’s the right thing to do. I never really got to live here anyway. A couple of weekends here or there don’t justify the mortgage. That’s it then. Let’s go and hand these keys over...brace yourself for Louise!”