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With that, he returns into his bedroom, and quietly closes the door inches from my face, leaving me standing alone in the cold, dark living room. I leave the lights off, return to my room and sit on the bed for a couple of minutes, before I reach for my phone and text Lara.
I’m sorry.
I wait. Nothing. I resign to do this face to face tomorrow, so I retreat to do my teeth. I hear the ping from the bathroom and run to get it.
Oh babe. I’m sorry too. I’ve been such a shitty friend. I should have told you about the bet and warned you about Piers. And because you’re my favourite person in the whole world I’ll try to leave Nicole alone. I love you and you should tell me off more often. I deserve it much more than you realise.
I wipe my tears.
Lunch tomorrow? I’m buying.
You are. The manager gave us lunch for free today, thanks to you being distressed. Steak, lobster and some cheeky lunchtime bubbles?
Yes please.
TWENTY-SIX
CALEB
I was useless all day yesterday. All I could think about was her smell, the softness of her body, the sound of her laugh. I especially couldn’t shake the memory of her face, invaded by pleasure. My stupidity was going to rob me of that, so I needed to right some wrongs. I sent a message to everyone I could think of to reconfirm that there was no pool.
There. Done. I run my hands through my hair, which is getting long and beginning to flop in my face. A memory of Ariella noticing how long it has become while washing my hair and then drying it on Sunday morning, jumps in. She was gentle, even tender, and it opens the floodgates. The images unfold rapidly. Joining her, already naked, in the shower. Her smiling through the shower water running down her face. Me attacking her with the hand attachment. The way her eyes turned into slits when she laughed, the softness of her lips when she tried to distract me and make a grab for it. Her flipping the shower to the coldest setting, just as she jumped out.
Today, nothing has changed. She’s dancing through my mind and I can’t focus on anything. I thought the last nail was well and truly in the coffin at dinner last night. But then she came into my room. If I hadn’t found the strength to escort her out – and trust me, I had to dig deep – we’d definitely be over. I want her to trust me. She’d had a shitty day and was feeling vulnerable. She needed Lara, not me; and I wasn’t going to step into that place just because it was vacant. I want her to needme.
Unfortunately, the chances of that are now hair thin, because she is going to tell Lara. I wanted some privacy to just see where this might go, but I know a full-on anti-Caleb propaganda campaign, with Lara firmly situated at mission control, will kill any possibility of that. Lara confirms my fears by text after lunch.
Seriously though, what is wrong with you? Do you put crack at the end of that thing?
I howl. Lara has just unintentionally let slip that not only did Aari admit to enjoying the time she spent with me, but she’s not sure if she is done with us. I take a jab.
You offering? Nicole recommends you highly.
Funny. Ariella is going to be surrounded by so much available, charming Viking dick when she comes to Norway with me tomorrow, you’ll be lucky if she returns on Sunday.
Of course Lara would cripple me at the kneecaps and target the weekends. It won’t surprise me if she has a plan in motion for every weekend from this point on. Thankfully, I enjoy Ariella most during the week; chatting in the kitchen, eating, watchingThe Wiretogether on the couch with her soft body pressed against mine and polishing off wine and affogatos. It’s heavenly.
But if Ariella is going away with Lara this weekend, I want her to remember me. I decide to skip the office drinks and head straight home to lay grounds for a counterattack.
‘Hey,’ I call out.
She’s already out of the shower, and rummaging in the fridge. She stops what she is doing and looks embarrassed.
‘I’m sorry about last night.’
I dismiss it lightly. ‘You were in a shitty place.’
‘I shouldn’t have blurred the lines.’
Bless her. She has no idea what I have in store, especially now that Lara is involved. I intend on making sure that she finds it impossiblenotto blur those lines. It’s just going to take a little time and patience.
‘You’ve had a lot to deal with in a really short space of time. Remember what life looked like this time last week?’
‘It was all so simple.’ She smiles.
‘Let’s just go back to that. Wine. Food.The Wire. Omar.’ I raise my eyebrows twice when I mention her favourite character’s name. She laughs.
‘Okay,’ she agrees and turns back to the fridge. ‘How does Thai sound?’
