Love & Loss by C. J. Fallowfield Read Free Book Online Page B

with your best friend.’
    ‘Don’t worry about the two of us, we’re cool. He did it to protect you Mia, and to protect me. He’s lucky he had the element of surprise as I normally beat him in martial arts class, but that first punch to my jaw really stunned me.’
    ‘Does it hurt?’
    ‘Not as much as being without you these last few days,’ he replied sincerely and I smiled. I knew the feeling, the pain in my chest had been far worse than my bruised arms.
    ‘What can I do to make it better? An ice pack or something?’
    ‘It’s fine, honestly baby,’ he nodded. I tiptoed up and gently kissed the two bruises and heard him let out a soft contented sigh. ‘Go and sit down, I’ve put some headache tablets and a jug of water out for you and Dad will be down in a while.’
    ‘I don’t understand why I’ve not been sick? I haven’t felt this rough in ages.’
    ‘I made you drink a load of water and eat a bowl of Weetabix.’
    ‘Seriously?’ I uttered, surprised.
    ‘Yes, I’ve never seen you so drunk. You kept trying to undress me and begging me to fuck you,’ he nodded with a happy smile. I sat at the table and knocked back some tablets. It was amazing how relaxed and at home I already felt with him, as if we’d just slipped back into our old routines.
    ‘So why were you still wondering if we were a couple this morning?’
    ‘You react to what you see Mia, my face, this body. Lots of women do, it doesn’t mean that they love what’s on the inside,’ he shrugged. I drained some water as I looked at him, it wasn’t arrogance, he was right, I’d seen it often enough as women ogled him.
    ‘It’s not just that for me,’ I whispered.
    ‘I know it’s not, but it is when you’re drunk and horny Mia. You were quite persistent and Dad found it rather amusing.’
    ‘No?’ I groaned. ‘I didn’t embarrass myself? Not again ?’
    ‘Yes, when Lexi rang and asked me to come and get you, he drove Doug and I in the Range Rover. The three of us walked into the student bar and you were up on a bloody table singing and dancing then you wobbled, so I ran and caught you as you fell and passed out. I sat in the back of the car with you in my lap as you came back around and I had to make them turn up the music as you were mumbling some very rude things.’
    ‘O God, every time he’s home I end up coming across like a sex crazed nympho and now he thinks I’m some kind of drunken lush who table dances,’ I groaned and he chuckled.
    ‘He was just glad we got to you in time Mia. He’s been worrying about the both of us all week. Right, eat up.’ He handed me a bacon, sausage and egg sandwich on white buttered bread, which made me smile, my favourite breakfast when we were living here together, during his recovery. He came and sat next to me, watching me as I ate and smiled as I quickly polished it off. Seeing him again seemed to have reignited my appetite, for all things. I couldn’t take my eyes of him and they strayed to his crotch and I tucked my hair behind my ear and sighed. When was he going to let me near him again? I looked back up at him and saw an amused look on his face.
    ‘What’s so funny?’ I asked.
    ‘You’re looking at me like you want to eat me.’
    ‘I can’t believe you’re so ok with this, is it not even hard for you?’ I protested. He grabbed my hand and squeezed my fingers around his erection and groaned.
    ‘This is how hard it is for me Mia, it’s been bad enough seeing your pictures every day in my room, but to see you in the flesh, to watch you sleeping in my bed last night …’ He shook his head and I pulled my hand away.  ‘Drink some more water then you better get your handbag, Riley will be here in a while.’
    ‘So when can we see each other again?’
    ‘It’s up to you Mia. How do you want to do this? See each other at weekends, set nights?’
    ‘You’re not serious are you?’ I exclaimed in horror.
    ‘I don’t know, I thought you wanted time out?’ He