Page 27 of It Had To Be You

A thin stream of light filtered into my room and I squinted my eyes at the alarm clock. It was almost midday, but I was off work for another two days so I could afford to sleep in. My head hurt from all the champagne last night, even if I had stopped drinking earlier than everyone else. I shuddered to think how Conor was suffering right now.

Conor.

My sleep addled brain recalled that he was outside on my couch.

Or maybe he’d already left. I wasn’t sure if he had to work today. Deciding I should check on him I climbed from my bed and shuffled out to the living room. I could see the top of his head and it looked like he was still sleeping. I grimaced because it couldn’t have been comfortable for a big guy like him to sleep there, but he’d been too drunk last night to notice. I hoped his back and neck were okay. I knew from experience that sleeping on couches could do a number on your spine.

I momentarily considered waking him and letting him go lie down in Ev’s room since she’d spent her wedding night with Dylan. Then I remembered how gross my mouth tasted so I paid a quick visit to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth first instead. Unfortunately, by the time I was done I also became aware of how badly I stank so instead of going back out to wake Conor I jumped into the shower.

I’d just turned the water on and pulled off my night clothes before stepping under the spray when there was a gentle knock on the bathroom door.

“Yvonne?” I heard Conor say groggily.

“Yes?”

“I, uh, need to piss.” There was an apologetic note to his voice.

My pulse sped up because I was naked in the shower and there was only one bathroom in the apartment. “Can you wait five minutes?” I called back. “I’m showering.”

He let out a pained groan. “It’s a bit urgent.”

I pressed my lips together, because although my shower was shrouded by frosted glass Conor would still be able to see the outline of my body if he came in. Sure, he’d seen parts of me already, but not all of me. That was a totally different ball game. What if he didn’t like what he saw? Bodies were quite different when entirely unclothed and—

“Yvonne? Can I come in? I promise I’ll be quick.”

Feeling guilty, since I knew all about the intense urge to pee after a night of heavy drinking, I relented, “Okay, but you better be fast, and keep your eyes to yourself.”

“I’ll stare at the floor, you have my word!” he exclaimed and then the door burst open. I could do nothing but stand there and listen while Conor took what had to be the longest piss in existence. He was less than three feet away from me. I tried to focus on lathering up some body wash but I was far too aware of him in the small bathroom.

He sighed when he finished, flushing the toilet before doing his pants back up and washing his hands. I could only see a blurry shape of him through the frosted glass and steam, but from what I could make out he was topless with just his trousers from yesterday still on.

“I don’t think I’ve ever needed to take a leak so badly in my life,” he said, relief evident in his voice.

I grinned, shaking my head. “That’ll happen after drinking as much as you did last night.”

Now he groaned, this time out of embarrassment it seemed. “Oh God, was I a nightmare to deal with? I can remember sneaking into the cab with you and—”

“It was fine. You’re an adorable drunk, adorable but frisky. Don’t worry about it. Now, can you get out so I can finish showering?”

“Sure, uh,” he paused, then said, “Would it be really weird if I used your toothbrush?”

I blew out a breath, understanding why he would want to brush his teeth. So even though I really wanted him to leave, I said, “There’s a packet with a new one under the sink. You can use that.”

“You’re an angel,” Conor responded gratefully and I heard him rustling through the cabinet before he found the unopened packet.

More time passed while he brushed his teeth. I was shampooing my hair by the time he finished and then I noticed he was just standing there, still not leaving. “Conor?” I asked questioningly.

He cleared his throat. “Can I use the shower after you, too? I feel rotten.”

“Yes, you can use the shower after me. Now get out,” I scolded, a small hint of playfulness in my tone. “You know very well you’ve overstayed your welcome.”

I heard rather than saw his grin. “But what if you use up all the hot water?”

“Then we’ll heat some more. Out!”

“That’s a terrible waste when I could just get in there with you now and—”

“Oh my God,” I couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped me at his cheekiness. “I cannot believe you just suggested that. We are not sharing a shower, Conor. If you don’t get out of here in the next five seconds I’ll forcibly remove you.” It was only after I said it that I realised I’d just put the image of me emerging naked and wet from the shower into his head.

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