The Girl Before Eve (9 page)

“Lily, come back to bed. I want to take up where we left off!” a husky voice called out. His Australian accent made her smile. She hadn’t even climbed into the shower yet and toyed with the idea of going back in to him, but thinking about Adam had thrown cold water on any surge in her libido.

“Can’t. I’m in the shower!” she shouted as she was climbing in. The water was hot and steam billowed around the room, enveloping her in a cloudy cocoon. Chris appeared peeking around the shower screen with a lascivious grin on his handsome face. His shaggy blonde hair was deliciously dishevelled, a look he carried with such grace.

Without invitation, Chris stepped in behind her, his state of arousal becoming evident as the steam cleared. “You’re not going to leave me like this, are you?” He pouted as he prowled toward her, gesturing to his swollen manhood.

She tried to stifle the giggle that was determined to escape her body. “I would never do such a thing.” She backed up to the wall as she looked down to find him already sheathed and ready to take her. Chris skimmed his hands down her body and effortlessly lifted her up so that she could wrap her legs around him. Her head rolled back and she tried her best to shake out the images of Adam that chose that precise moment to return and invade her mind.

Later on after their shower antics—which did nothing to alleviate her aching muscles—when Chris had left, Lily picked up her phone and dialled Adam’s number. A croaky voice answered at the other end.
Whoops.
She would
have
to remember the time difference.

“Hello?”

“Adders? It’s Lily!” She ignored the sleepiness in his voice.

“Oh…hey, Lil.” She heard a fumbling noise. “It’s okay, sweetheart, it’s Lil.” Hmmm, Eve was staying over.

Lily bit back the jealousy. “So did you hear about the job?”

“Yeah…yeah, I did.”

Lily was becoming impatient. “And?”

“And…I got it!” he shouted into her ear.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she bit the inside of her cheek, knowing not only did that mean he had landed his dream job but that he would, without a doubt, soon be proposing to Eve. “Oh, Adders, that’s brilliant!”

“Isn’t it? I start after the summer break. Not long now. Anyway…how are you? How’s Oz?”

“Oh still great and…still great!” she lied. She was homesick. Well actually, she was Adam-sick. But she wouldn’t share that snippet of useless information. What good would it do?

“Great…I’m so glad to hear that, Lil. Look, I’ll be honest…I’m worried about you.”

Lily snorted. “Worried about
me
? Why would you be
worried
about me? I’m having the time of my life, Adders. I’m fine. Honestly. Anyway, gotta go. This call is costing me a bloody fortune! Speak soon. Bye!”

“Erm…okay, bye then. Call soon.”

Lily hung up and threw her phone down as if it was on fire. She stared at it. He was
worried
. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear that he missed her. That he wanted her to come home. That he was dumping Eve and wanted to marry her instead. She laughed out loud at her ridiculous train of thought.

♥♥♥

Later on Lily made her way to meet with a group of friends she had met while travelling. She walked into the crowded bar and scanned the room. Suddenly a pair of big hands covered her eyes, making her jump almost out of her skin.

“Guess who?” the husky, deep, male voice tickled her ear.
Chris
.

“Hmmm…now let me think. There are so many people it could be…”

Chris dropped his hands from her eyes and huffed. “Charming.”

She turned to look up at his handsome tanned face. “Oh Chris! It’s you!” She feigned surprise.

Chris looked sullen. “Yeah. It’s me.” Lily immediately felt guilty. He actually looked genuinely hurt.

She tapped his nose with her fingertip. “Awww, Chris, don’t sulk. I was only messing.” She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed his chin. A smile made its way across his angular features. He really was rather delicious.

He leaned down and took her mouth with his. He really knew how to make her melt. A moan escaped her as her legs turned to jelly. He must have felt her wobble as his mouth curled into a smile against hers before he nibbled at her bottom lip. “Look, I wondered if we could get out of here instead of staying with the others. I want to take you to the beach.” It sounded divine. After all she didn’t really feel like drinking tonight.

“Do you think we can sneak out before they see us?” she whispered.

“No…they know we’re here. But I told Marc earlier that I was taking you out, so they’re cool.”

“That was very presumptuous of you, Mr. Knight.”

“Yeah, but I know you can’t resist my Aussie charms.” He was right. But it wasn’t really his charms. It was his body and what he could
do
with it. Pure and simple. He was a player, not boyfriend material, and she knew this.

They made the short journey to the beach where the sun had begun its descent, casting a golden glow over the sand. They strolled together in silence for a while. Chris grasped her hand and pulled her to a stop in front of him. She turned to look at him. His brow was scrunched and he looked worried.

She pulled her brows inward to mirror his. “Chris? Are you okay?”

“No…I mean…there’s something I want to say. You’ll think I’m a complete idiot but just hear me out, okay?”

Pursing her lips, she cocked her head to the side.

“Ooookay. Look…I know I haven’t known you for that long, and I know you think I have this bad rep like I’m a womaniser or whatever and that I have some kind of… I don’t know…notching system or something on my bedpost but…well…sorry, I can’t get my words out.” He ran his hands through his hair and looked skyward as if to compose his thoughts. “It’s just that…awww shit…look, I think I have feelings for you. And I know that it’s ridiculous. We have amazing sex. And I can’t get enough of your body, but I can’t stop thinking about you either. I want to go to New Zealand with you next month. I want to spend some time with you…you know…see if this is going anywhere.”

She stared at him open mouthed. Her heart was hammering its way out of her chest. To say she was shocked would have been the understatement of the year.

He stroked his thumb over her cheek. “Lily…please say something, eh? You look like you’re catching flies.”

She bit her lip and then released it with a sigh. “Chris…I…I wasn’t expecting this…I was…I thought...”

He huffed out through puffed cheeks and rolled his head back placing his hands on his hips. “Fuck. I’m a
fucking
idiot.”

She snapped out of her trance-like stupor. “Chris…hey, no…you’re not an idiot. Not at all.” She grabbed his hands and pulled them down, wrapping them around her. Deep down she knew this relationship could never go anywhere. He was gorgeous. He had the body of an Adonis and boy did he know what to do with it. He could melt her underwear simply by kissing her…but
love
? Love wasn’t something she could foresee in their future. She couldn’t imagine
ever
falling in love with anyone else. Adam was the only man she could ever imagine truly giving her heart to. But Adam wasn’t hers. And he wasn’t here. Chris was. Where would be the harm in seeing where it went? Maybe she was wrong? She pulled his face down toward her. “I was just shocked…that’s all.”

Chris’s face lit up with the most beautiful smile. “So is that a yes? I mean…will you give us a chance?”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, wishing on every star in the sky that she could fall for him. “It’s a yes.” Chris scooped her up in his arms and swung her around.

Chapter Ten

You And Me Song
(The Wannadies)

July 2003

Lily arrived home from New Zealand toward the end of July. The country had been amazing and definitely somewhere she would love to spend more time. The lush green of the forests and the majestic mountains painted a backdrop in her mind that would stay with her forever.

Chris had stayed there, reluctantly, even though he had begged Lily to let him accompany her home for a while.

“It’d be good for me to meet your friends and family, Lily. I think there’s a real future here, don’t you?” He caressed her cheek as they lay naked in bed.

“Yes…yes of course there is a future here, Chris. I just think maybe I need to go home alone this one time. I’m coming back to New Zealand in a month. I’m only going home to help my best friend celebrate a new job.”

“Yeah, well I hope she appreciates you going all that way, Lil. She’s a very lucky girl to have such an amazing friend.” He spoke in his sexy Australian drawl as he nuzzled her neck. “I’ll miss you like crazy when you’re gone. I hate to be without you…you know that, Lily.”

“I know, Chris.”

She kissed him deeply trying her best to reassure him of something she hadn’t even really decided. His assumption that her best friend was a girl showed just how much she had allowed him to get to know her. Would she return to New Zealand? Possibly not. Did she see a future with Chris? She really,
really
wished she did.

♥♥♥

Adam had booked a few tables at Glitterati, a posh new restaurant on George Street close to the city centre of Edinburgh. He was so excited he could hardly contain himself. To top it all off, Lily had flown across the world just to be there. The night was going to be fantastic. The job was such a huge deal to him, and he couldn’t wait to share the celebrations with close friends and family.

Eve’s parents had come down from Skye for a wee break and so this had been the perfect time to get together and celebrate. Tables were booked for eight that evening, and Eve was making her way there with her parents. He glanced at his watch. Six thirty. He had showered already and chosen what to wear—black trousers and a blue shirt—but he had paced up and down with excitement so much that he was on the verge of needing to shower again. The doorbell chimed the arrival of someone, and he dashed down the stairs to the front door.

Flinging the door open he was greeted by a curly haired, tanned Lily, standing there in a pretty lilac dress with a huge grin on her face. “Adders!” She jumped into his arms and he swung her around.

“Cheesy! I’ve missed you.” He planted a kiss on the side of her face as she buried her head in his neck.

“How are you doing pee-pants?”

“Oy…I’m great actually. Not even your name calling can squash my mood.”

“Erm, may I remind you that you started it?”

“No you may not. Now are you coming in to wait for the cab or am I shutting the door in your face?” Lily looked skyward as if pretending to decide. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in. “God, you never grow up do you?”

She scrunched her face in mock disgust. “Not if I can help it.”

He went through to the tiny kitchen and pulled two bottles of cold beer from the fridge. “So, where’s this man you’ve been swooning over?”

“Chris? Oh he…erm…had to stay in New Zealand. Couldn’t get the time off work, you know how it is.”

“What is it he does again?”

She blushed. “He’s an underwear model at the moment. But he wants to be a chef,” she informed him. “He’s a bloody good cook.”

“Aye but enough about his bedroom skills, what’s his food like?”

She smacked his arm playfully. “I said
cook
and you know I did.” She took a long gulp of her beer. “He’s a great guy.” She looked wistful.

“I sense a
but
and I’m not talking about the sexy one he keeps in his boxers.”

She rolled her eyes. “God, you are in a good mood today. Your jokes are worse than normal.”

He pulled a face at her. “So…the
but
?”

She sighed and placed her beer bottle on the kitchen counter top. “I get the impression he’s really into me. The
L
word hasn’t been mentioned yet…”

“So he doesn’t know you’re a lesbian then.”

She smacked him again and he laughed heartily. “Will you bloody stop with the shitty jokes, Adders. You asked me a serious question and I am
trying
to give you a serious answer.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry…sorry…continue.”

“I don’t think it will be long until he tells me he
loves
me.” She cringed.

He scrunched his brow. “And you don’t feel the same?”

She shook her head slowly, gazing down at the label on her beer bottle.

“But you enjoy his company, you have amazing sex, and he is as fit as they come. I don’t get it, Lil? What’s the problem?”

“It’s hard to explain, Adders. But I just…I don’t feel that way about him. I’ve tried really hard…believe me I have.”

Adam slipped an arm around her shoulder. “That’s the thing though, if you have to try
really hard
then it’s not meant to be.” He squeezed her into his side. “You shouldn’t have to
try
to love someone. You either do or you don’t. What are you going to do?”

“That’s just it. I really don’t know. I’m supposed to go back there in a month. But I’m thinking about not going back at all.”

“Ah…I wish it was different. But having said that, if it did turn out you’d fallen for him, you’d probably move to the other side of the bloody world and I’d never see you. Can’t say I’m a fan of that scenario.” He squeezed her again.

She blushed and turned to try and hide it. “Well, it’s a moot point. It’s not happening.” She turned back to him and smiled sadly. “Anyway, enough of my love life. How’s Eve? What time is she getting here?”

“We’re meeting her there at Glitterati. Her folks are down from Skye and they’re staying at a hotel in Edinburgh, so she’s gone up there after work. Max and Tia will be meeting us there too.”

“Ah, yes, Max and his new lady love. Is it serious?” She took another draw of her beer.

“I would say so. They’re talking about her moving in here.”

She almost choked. “In here? What about you? He can’t do that.”

Adam laughed. “Well, he is. I’m thinking of moving on anyway. The job at school will give me more money, so I can maybe afford a bigger place. Might even
buy
somewhere.”