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Elda wanted to feel safe enough to stay and not destroy this before it had a chance to succeed. She drew her arms around her body, and Charlie mirrored her, as if they both needed to be held.
Charlie laid her hands on Elda’s shoulders. “You don’t need to be afraid of this. I’m exactly where I should be, I know it.” She tipped Elda’s chin to meet her gaze. “I know we’re in a strange place right now, and this all feels a bit weird.”
Elda considered what Charlie was saying.
“We’ll take it slowly. You only came back from France three weeks ago, and now you’re all hot and naked in my bed.”
“Well, Angela’s guest bed.” Elda grinned. “It’s just a bit bonkers. I’m worried that after we pack up, I’ll kiss your face off, and it’ll be over.” She caught Charlie’s eye and fell back on the sofa, laughing. Elda put her head on Charlie’s shoulder and relaxed.
“I don’t think so. It’ll take more than that to get rid of me.” Charlie wrapped her arms around Elda and kissed the top of her head. “And I’m not going to let you get away so easily next time.”
An hour later, Elda stepped a foot out of Charlie’s car and leaned back in for a final kiss. She opened the back door and grabbed her bag and boots. As she walked towards the house, she felt Charlie’s eyes on her but resisted the urge to turn around and get back in the car. Trembling with adrenaline, she reached deep into her pocket for the keys to the front door. The light was on, and she took a deep breath.
Jack looked up from the kitchen worktop. He was chopping carrots and watching TV. “Hello, stranger. How was your fancy weekend in the country?”
“Hey, Jack.” Elda’s voice strained at the edges. Part of her wanted to burst, and another part wanted to keep the delicious memories of Charlie to herself for a bit longer. She hugged him from behind. “It was splendid. How was yours?”
“I had Christian over, delightful as ever. He cooked.” Jack turned around and stopped, the knife suspended upwards.
Elda didn’t meet his eyes.
“Wait. There’s something. What’s happened?” Jack asked. His eyes were screwed up, inspecting Elda’s face. They grew wide, and he opened his mouth. “You’ve been kissing Charlie.”
Her laugh erupted. “I’m still trying to wrap my own head around this, so please don’t come at me with your sixth sense intuition or whatever you’ve got going on here.” Elda waved her hands in a circle.
“You did it, didn’t you?”
He placed the knife down and scooped Elda into his slim frame. She could do nothing but submit to his joy. “Yes. I did,” she said. “No more fuss though; I’m a bit overwhelmed tonight. I need to get ready for this new job tomorrow. I don’t know what to wear, and I’ve done nothing to prepare. I’m all over the place.”
“Sit down, Elderflower. Let’s have a tea, and you can tell me what the hell happened out in who-knows-where. I thought you were going for a nice walk, you filthy bitch.” Jack flicked on the kettle and tossed the carrots into a pan of water. He pulled two chairs across and pushed Elda’s shoulders down to sit. “You’re really doing this then? I thought you two were stuck in the friend zone.”
Jack’s questions had been rolling around Elda’s head for days. “I think so.” She still couldn’t look at him. “I don’t understand it. But being with Charlie makes me feel like I belong somewhere.”
Jack pushed her hair away from her cheek.
“Charlie…” She wasn’t sure she was capable yet of describing Charlie in her own words.
“I know. She’s special.” Jack stroked her palm, easing her breathing. “I think it was obvious it was going to happen between you, eventually. Charlie is obsessed. You just need to be sure about how you feel.”
“She’s special. I just had to figure it out in my own time.” Elda’s stomach grumbled. “I’m tired and so hungry.” She’d put her basic needs on hold for a while.
“Well, I’ve got the makings of a chicken casserole going on here, but it won’t be cooked for an hour. Get yourself in the bath and don’t fall asleep! I’ll give you a shout.” He kissed her forehead and put an open packet of chocolate digestives in front of her.
The bliss of the last few days echoed around her head. She wanted to keep reliving the pleasures Charlie had given her. Elda shoved a biscuit in her mouth, letting the chocolate melt against her tongue. She didn’t want to question what would happen next. Between them, their track records were dismal, but this could be different, if they both allowed it to happen.
Chapter Twenty-One
Elda flinched at the pain across her toes and vowed to wear her trainers for the rest of the week. “It’s nearly the end of class, so please stay focused. Tomorrow, we’re going to be working on your text…” She fumbled for a moment. “The Tempest. Bring your books, please. Now, let’s get packed up.”
The sea of black and white uniforms looked like a school of orcas. For a brief second, she saw Charlie’s naked leg wrapped in a white sheet. Elda shook the vision from her head and picked up the worksheets. Her aching feet were a welcome distraction from the flashbacks of her weekend with Charlie. The thought of Charlie’s tongue over her body made her heart race, and she crossed her legs to halt the sensation between her thighs.
She had a good feeling about the school. She’d begged the agency for the job and told a white lie about how much she’d taught in England. Her footsteps clicked along the laminate tiles. Overhead, the strip lights cast a blue shadow, catching on the metal lockers. Elda hadn’t stopped smiling all day, even though her head was swimming from teaching Shakespeare to excitable eleven-year-olds.
Outside, she pulled her wool coat around her waist and hunched over. The wind howled through the playground, but nothing could deter the trot she broke into when she spied the Capri beyond the gates.
“Hello, Miss Brown.” Charlie laughed as Elda climbed in and kicked off her shoes.
She pulled her into a welcome, deep kiss. It had been too long since they’d touched. Elda stifled a groan and broke away before any of the school staff walked by. Charlie put the car into gear and drove.
