The Unfinished Tale Of Sophie Anderson (11 page)

The quilt fell to the floor as his fingers moved along my sides, still looking, still searching, mapping my pulsing body as we kissed. Our breathing came in hot, hurried gasps. He found the waistband of my pants, pushed downwards, exposing me to the cool air. I raised myself upwards, allowing him to slip them further down until they were at my feet. In turn I worked the buckle of his jeans, working in blindness but seeing and feeling everything with perfect clarity. I forced them down over his hardness and he kicked them off, pulling my top up and over my head, breaking our perfect join for a split second until we were both naked, both offering the other ourselves. Unashamed. Honest. Exposed.

He opened his eyes just as I did and for a fraction of a moment we agreed that this was right, that this was what we both wanted and there wasn't a single doubt about it.

Then darkness. His mouth closed over mine and this time the delicacy, the caution - it was all gone. The kiss was hard and hot and filled with desire. He moved downwards, hands in mine, lifting my arms over my head, working along my throat with the raw sensation of his stubble grazing my flesh. Down further, my chest, my breasts, lingering over my nipple, tongue etching a circle of flame around their hardness. I brought my arms down, pushing him lower, begging him to follow the path to where I needed him to be, where he had to go before I lost him in oblivion.

He went willingly. His lips passed my stomach and my back arched upwards. He was almost there and he knew it, he was toying with me but he didn't realise how close I was. This man had my life in his hands and as those fingers closed around my thighs I groaned.

It washed over me the moment his lips were on mine and his tongue went deep inside me. I dug my fingers into the cold leather of the settee as he roamed and played, as he drew every ounce of pleasure to that one spot and exploded it over and over again until I thought it would kill me. My hands went into his hair, pressing him deeper, begging, pleading for him to never stop, to keep me there, to never let go.

As I lay there panting I felt him move up my body, his work there done, the final part of the journey still to come. His mouth was on mine again, wet and tasting of me and I couldn't breathe. I sucked in my breath between his kisses as the sweat gathered in my eyes.

I felt his hardness touch my thighs but it wasn't fair. Not after that. Not after what he did to me. I dug the heels of my palms into his shoulders and pushed him backwards, forcing him onto his back but still pressing my tongue against his, sweating, labouring for breath.

I traced my own path down his chest, following the one he'd tracked across me. I nipped at the flesh on his neck, the hard, rough skin of a man unafraid of work. I went quickly. I darted across his stomach, licking, tasting, catching my breath before I took him in my mouth, closing my lips over his solid love, letting him thrust up towards me, bucking under me. My tongue worked him as he writhed under me. His hands held my head as he drove himself into my mouth over and over again.

Then he raised me up and I let him slip out of me, licking my lips as we met again, kissing with a heat that engulfed us both. His arms were around me, lifting me up onto him and I felt him there, waiting to enter. I didn't hesitate. As I lowered myself onto him I cried out, calling his name. Our bodies found their natural rhythm and we moved as one, pulsing and throbbing with increasing heat until I felt the pressure building inside me, threatening to destroy me if it wasn't released.

I dug my fingertips into the rock hard muscles that knotted across his back, begging him not to stop, to keep slamming into me harder and harder until my words became a single moan that ended when his final thrust exploded inside me, filling me with his warmth as my body trembled in climax.

We led in each other’s arms, spent and panting, our bodies joined as we met for one final, lingering kiss before he withdrew. Then I felt the quilt being spread over my cooling body and his arms enclosing me in him - the love that should always follow the lust.

"Sophie Anderson," he whispered. "I love you."

Three words. That's all it took to break down the walls I'd put up against the world. All that talk about what happened to couples who stopped loving each other, all those fears, they were gone and the man to thank for that was led holding me whilst Arnie blasted bad guys on my TV. I couldn't believe it. Surely I'd wake up from such a dream?

10.

"Do you want me to stop over?" he asked, stroking my hair as I led against his chest listening to his long, deliberate breathing.

"I'd be mad if you didn't," I replied. "I want to make the most of Mel not being here."

"There's always my place when she comes back."

"Where do you live?" I asked, realising I didn't know. I never needed to know before.

"Over near Brockoles, overlooking the Ribble."

"That couldn't have been cheap!" I said.

"The ex's Dad paid for most of it. It's a bloody nice place too but when Rebecca had the affair it happened to be with an expensive Doctor client she'd met at work. That meant I could keep the house without her Dad getting too upset. I took the mortgage on full time and I just about make ends meet."

"She sounds like a complete bitch," I said.

"I guess it's never that simple. I did stuff wrong, she did stuff wrong and our boy was caught in the middle. I'm just glad it's all over now. We get on well enough when we bump into each other."

"How often is that?" I asked feeling a little jealous.

"Not very. The odd birthday, a funeral. She lives in Manchester so its not like we shop at the same Tesco's or something."

I sighed inwardly with relief. The film credits began to roll up and I reached over to the coffee table to get the remote. I nearly fell when he ran his hand over my backside and I giggled as he pulled me back to him.

"What do you want to watch?" I asked.

"Put what you want on - I don't tend to watch much tele at home."

I flicked around the channels until a late night comedy program came up. I led back down and snuggled further into his arms; the quilt pulled tightly around us.

"It's a shame we have to do other stuff," I said. "Like working and living. I'd be happy to just lie here forever."

"Me too. Did you have to mention work though?"

"Hey - that's what brought us together. You'll have to learn to love the place," I said, laughing. "Cupid must be a metal worker."

"Yeah, I bet. If he is then he needs to muck in and get some bloody work done."

"True. What did you do about the Medicare job?" I asked. He ran his hands through my hair, gently massaging my scalp and I felt my eyes closing with pleasure.

"We spoke to them and they agreed to let us deliver as many as were ready after painting. We'll have to slog our guts out next week if we're going to get a complete order. I could've done without the stress really."

"Why's that?"

"There's a huge order for these girders- I don't think you've seen the drawings yet, but we'll need the whole shop on that one if they accept the quote. That means your mate will have to get his finger out."

"Don't be cruel," I said. "He's an old man."

"Yeah and he's holding us up. I'd sack him if I could-"

"You don't mean that!" I said, slapping his chest.

"I do. We could employ someone quicker if he just retired early and went to his Polish house. Then we'd all be happy."

I wanted to get off the subject and I made a mental note not to bring up work or we'd be falling out before we'd even started.

"I'm nodding off here," I said, reaching for my glass of wine.

"Same here. I think you've worn me out," he said.

"That's a shame."

"Why?"

"No reason."

I got up and dragged the quilt behind me, switching off the tele as I went. Tom followed and the moment we entered my room he put his arms around me and lifted me onto the bed. I rolled onto my stomach, lying flat out as he spread my legs, working along my spine with his curious fingertips and the hot touch of his mouth. He began to massage my shoulders, working out the tension I didn't know was there and when he was ready he lifted my hips and slid inside me. I moaned into the pillow, gripping the mattress as he thrust deeper and deeper into me, his free hands around my breasts, squeezing with each movement until I felt myself slipping into unfettered pleasure. When he came it was on the crest of my climax and together we rocked back and forth until he was done, mumbling each other’s names like a mantra.

We collapsed onto the bed and wrapped ourselves in each other, breathing heavily and staring into each other’s eyes in spite of the darkness. I knew right then that it was going to be a long, sleepless night.

In the morning I lay there watching him sleep. The sun was rising and it was just starting to bring my bedroom into focus and I could see the shimmer of the light on Tom's body, flashing along the curves of his taught shoulders, his solid neck and the knotted sinew of his forearms. His hair was even more of a mess and as I drew myself closer to him I ran my fingers through it, feeling it between my fingertips, watching it change colour in the sunlight.

"Good morning," he muttered, opening his eyes.

"It is, isn't it?" I replied. I leaned into him and we kissed. "I love you," I said.

"I'm not convinced after last night," he said, laughing. I smirked.

"If we carry on like that it'll fall off. I'm going to grab a shower."

"Be my guest,"

I padded off to the bathroom, feeling the cold more than ever and I was glad to get under the hot blast of the shower and wash off the nights events. I loaded my sponge with my favourite soap and spent some time scrubbing myself, breathing it in and remembering every moment in vivid detail, every throbbing, super-heated bit of it. I was smiling to the point that my cheeks were aching and when I climbed out and got into my dressing gown he was stood in the doorway, watching me.

"May I?" he asked. I nodded and he passed me by, getting under the jet of steaming water and, using my sponge, began to wash himself.

"Coffee?" I shouted.

"Please."

I went into the kitchen and flicked the button on the kettle, looking outside the window to check the weather. It was clear but there was a dusting of frost on the cars parked below. I didn't want to go out. I wanted to stay there and I hoped Tom felt the same. Somehow the idea of him going back to his own home made me nervous, like the dream might end if he walked out of that door.

When I'd filled two mugs with instant coffee, Tom appeared, dressed again with his damp hair still a tangled mess. Maybe it would never be right. Maybe that was just the way it had to be for the universe to continue.

I passed him a mug.

"Toast?"

"Yeah, that would be great."

I put two slices in and leaned back against the counter. He found a stool and sat down opposite me with his phone in his hand. He was writing a text message and when he'd finished he put it in his pocket and sighed.

"I've got to run an errand for Sean. He wants his kit bag dropping off at work or something. How about coming to mine tonight?"

"Can do," I said but deep down I wanted him to stay here with me. I tried to hide my reappointment but when he'd finished his toast he wrapped his arms around me and drew me close.

"I'll pick you up about three. I'll make us a nice meal. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great," I said. "It'll give me a chance to tidy up." He looked at his watch. We had a long, lingering kiss and then he drew away, smiling all the way to the door where he turned and fixed me with those gorgeous blue eyes.

"Still think it's going to end badly?" he asked.

"We're off to a good start - don't jinx it."

"See you at three."

"Yeah. You most definitely will."

I watched him leave, heading towards the bus stop just in time to catch the next one into town. I sighed like a school girl and felt myself setting up camp on cloud nine with no intention of leaving.

I drank the last of my coffee and found my phone, hoping to ring Mel to tell her the gory details and hopefully make her a little bit jealous. Cruel, I know, but what are friends for? When I eventually found the thing under the settee it was dead and I had to plug in the charger just to turn it back on again. When it came back to life I saw that I'd had ten missed calls - all from Mel and all in the early hours of this morning.

How had I not heard it?
There was one voice message and I played it, already dreading the worst.

"Jesus Sophie - I need you and you're fucking Tom and I really need you bad. Please, if you get this message, ring me. Dad's gone. He died, Soph. He bloody died and now I can't reach you because you're having fun like I told you to-" she didn't continue but I could hear her sob until the line went dead.

I'd been on cloud nine but I was falling straight down now and the tears burst out of me like a broken flood gate. I was tapping Mel's name on my phone, trying so hard to call her but I couldn't see, everything was blurry. Finally I got through but the minute she answered she broke down.

"Oh my god, Mel. I'm so sorry! I didn't know, my phone was under the settee and I didn't hear it and-"

"It's okay," she managed to say. "Please tell me it was because he was banging your brains out and not because you fell asleep reading your stupid books. I'll forgive you if it was Tom but not for a cheap paperback!"

"Stop trying to be kind!" I yelled down the line. "You're allowed to let me love you, Mel. Stop making it so fucking hard!"

"Oh god, Soph. I can't believe he's gone. He just died in front of me, just like that, just as we were talking about what was on the tele. It was horrible!"

"What happened?" I asked. "I thought he was doing okay?"

"We don't know yet, the doctors are still trying to find out. Even they don't know."

"Is your mum okay?" I knew it was a stupid question but Mel would know what I really meant.

"She's in pieces. So am I but I'm trying to hold it together for her."

"Look Mel," I said, throwing off my gown with one hand. "I'm coming over."

"No, you've got work-"

"It doesn't matter. I want to be there. I'm going to get changed and get in the car and come down."

"I won't lie - that'd be great. I need a bit of support and we've got no one else here. I'll put up the spare bed at Mums. Drive safe, okay?"

"Will do. See you soon."

"Bye."

I hung up and went looking for my clothes. I threw on my underwear and a pair of odd socks and as I looked down at my feet I remembered Tom. I'd have to cancel our date tonight but it was the right thing to do. I'd let Mel face it alone once already and I wasn't prepared to let her do it again.

I tapped Tom's number and held the phone to my ear whilst trying to pull my top over my head.

"What's up?" he asked the moment he answered.

"Tom - Mel's Dad died during the night. I'm going to drive over there and be with her. I'll have to cancel tonight. I'm so sorry."

"I understand but can you open the door?"

"What?"

"I'm outside. You have my keys."

I turned round and saw them on the coffee table - a mass of metal with an Audi fob poking out of it. I almost ran to the front door and as I opened it I saw him waiting to be let in downstairs.

"I hadn't noticed until I'd reached the bus station so I turned round and jumped on the next one back," he said. "But it worked out okay because I'm coming with you."

"Tom, you don't have to."

"I do. I want to. It's part of my stalking duties."

"Seriously," I said. "You don't have to."

"No, I don't, but if we want to be the people we think we can become then it means doing the things other people wouldn't do. Sure, I could go home and call you but that's the easy option. That's what everyone else would do. But we're not everyone else."

"Do you mean that?" I asked. "Because I really need you with me. 100%. Nothing less."

"That's what I'm offering."

"Then let's go." I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him like it was the last time. I made a vow there and then to never let that kiss be anything less. It was like we'd just made an agreement to fight side by side against whatever life threw at us and it felt right, like we were partners. A team. One solid unit.

It was at least a three hour drive to North Wales which had been made all the more easier a few years ago when they built the main road through the mountains along the coast. It meant we could be in Canaerfon in less than two hours and then take another hour on the minor roads into Morfa Nefyn; a quaint little seaside village that boasted only a golf course and a lovely sand and stone beach. There was a pub , the Ty Coch, right at the far end of the sands, sat right near the water’s edge which was popular all year round despite it being battered by the weather from time to time.

I'd thrown in an overnight bag and Tom had suggested stopping at his to grab one for himself.

"What do we do about work?" I asked as we pulled up outside his house. He hadn't been joking either - it was a dream house with a perfect view of the river Ribble from the rear windows. It was one of the more modern builds but with a rustic twist, all aged and made to look sculpted but doubtlessly built within the last five years. It had four bedrooms and from outside I could see an enormous living room through a wide bay window.