The flat is dark and for a moment I think Matt might still be out with Sarah until I spot her long black boots in the hall and a chink of soft light from underneath his bedroom door. I relax a little. If she’s here, he shouldn’t be appearing anytime soon.
The moment my bedroom door closes behind me, Juliette pins me up against it, launching a blitz attack on my face. Stunned for a second, I let this happen before my brain kicks into action and reminds me that this is the part where we remove clothes as quickly as possible, before someone says something stupid and ruins it all. She wriggles out of her trousers while my hands begin twisting open the buttons on her shirt.
We move from the door, our faces still locked together as she leans back on to the bed, pulling me down on top of her. My hand slides up her thigh, while she starts undoing my belt.
‘Fuck,’ I breathe. ‘You sure you want to—’
‘Definitely,’ she replies, tugging at the waistband on my jeans. ‘Take them off.’
Within seconds her knickers are on the floor and her hand is inside my boxers, making me groan a little louder than I planned to.
‘You like that?’ she asks, my underwear now firmly round my ankles. ‘What if I do this?’
I nod as her left hand joins in. I swear if her mouth gets involved it might be game over before it’s even begun.
Fuck’s sake, Nick. Five months without sex does not mean this has to be over in five seconds. Pace yourself.
Thankfully, she’s more than happy to let me concentrate on her for a while, but she completely ruins my plan to quietly go about this. By the time we finish, Matt and Sarah are definitely aware she’s here, as is half of London. I shouldn’t complain though; she made me sound like a damn rock star.
‘I could use some water,’ she says as we lie there afterwards, panting like dogs.
I grin and reach down for my boxers. ‘Be right back.’
I creep through the living room and into the kitchen, feeling extremely pleased with myself, before almost jumping out of my skin.
‘Fucking-fuck! You scared the shit out of me.’
Sarah’s eyes widen as she briefly scans my half-naked body. I feel myself blush deep crimson.
‘Sorry! Just getting a drink.’ She closes the cupboard quietly, holding a glass in front of her.
She’s wearing Matt’s T-shirt. It looks better on her. It looks freaking incredible on her.
I gulp and attempt to speak normally, as though we aren’t both standing half-naked in front of one another.
‘Same. Can you grab me another couple of glasses?’ I manage weakly.
She nods and turns to the cupboard, while I run the cold tap. As she reaches on tiptoes for the glasses, the T-shirt starts to creep higher.Oh dear God.I look away quickly and carefully study the ceiling until she turns to hand me the tumblers, the T-shirt a safe length once again.
‘Skating instructor?’ she mouths.
I nod, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck as I fill the glasses. She takes one and smiles. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’
I give her a second to get into Matt’s room before returning to my own. Juliette is already dressed.
‘Wow. OK,’ I say, watching her zip up her boots. ‘You’re welcome to stay, you know.’
She takes a glass and downs the water in one. ‘I don’t do sleepovers,’ she replies, handing me the glass back. ‘Besides, I have an early start.’
Lifting her jacket from the floor, she kisses me. ‘It’s been fun, Nick. I’ll see myself out.’
As the front door slams behind her, I finish my water before slipping back into bed. A few minutes later, the silence is broken by Sarah and Matt laughing in his room and I can’t help feeling a little deflated, lying in my empty bed. I want someone to wear my damn T-shirt.
Chapter Thirteen
The closer it gets to Christmas, the busier the grotto becomes, with Geraldine employing another elf to help Izzy out. Laura is a pretty, yet annoyingly upbeat PhD student who, unlike Izzy and I, finds this whole experience a hoot. Her desire to be as silly as possible is enchanting for the children but utterly irritating for everyone else. However, I do feel slightly relieved that Izzy’s animosity is now almost entirely directed at her instead of me.
‘They don’t have penguins in the North Pole, do they?’ Laura questions, lifting the one stuffed toy which refuses to stay upright. ‘Like, it’s just polar bears, I think.’
