Page 39 of Friends Rucked Up

Walking back to my armchair I take a seat. “So…” I start.

“So, I was thinking I could take you out on a date,” Alfie says, placing his empty glass on the coffee table.

“What, like now? It’s pretty late to be heading out. Plus, I’d need a shower and to change.” I glance at the clock, and it’s gone past eleven. A fast-food drive thru is probably the only place open.

“No. I’d like to set a date, come pick you up, and take you somewhere special.”

The idea is cute and I’m swooning over how good that sounds. “We’re really going to do this, then?”

“Yes. If you’ll have me?”

Butterflies erupt in my stomach, although this all feels surreal. I’ve never really been on a real date. “I want to give us a go.”

“How about next Saturday night after the game?”

“You’re going to make me wait that long?”

He raises a brow at me. “Don’t you want to give me time to set everything up?”

“What I want is for you to show me how much you’ve been holding back. I want you to show me how much you want me. Not with words or fancy dates. Just pure animal attraction.”

He gets to his feet and moves across to where I’m sitting. I stare up at him, waiting to see what he’ll do. Without delay, he drops to his knees in front of me. His hand reaches for the bottom of my tank top where his fingers run across the edge.

“Tell me what you want and it’s yours.”

My stomach flips again. “Show me how I make you feel.”

His tongue sweeps across his bottom lip wetting it. He moves so fast I feel like my heartbeat kicks up a few notches. Our mouths connect, and we’re kissing like our lives depend on it. His lips are soft but firm as they move over mine. My hands go to the back of his shirt, and I pull him closer. He groans as our kisses deepen, and I can feel his erection poking into me. Our kiss doesn’t progress into anything more, but it’s enough for now.

“I should go,” he says when we finally break apart.

I’m disappointed but understand he’s trying to be a gentleman. “Not yet.”

“Don’t you have work in the morning?” He kisses along the inside of my wrist.

“I do, but I want longer with you.”

I feel vulnerable telling him this. Alfie’s gentle, and I know he’ll be careful with my heart, but all this is new.

“We have all the time in the world. I’m not going anywhere.”

His words are sweet, and they trigger another thought. “Why don’t you live closer to the rugby ground?”

“Because this is where you decided to live.”

“So, it wasn’t because you like the apartment, like you told me?”

“No.” He kisses my forearm again.

Wow. He really has been looking after me all these years from the sidelines. He’s perfect for me and I just couldn’t see it. He always has been.

“Stay the night.”

“Don’t you think we should give your brother time to get used to there being an us before we do that?”

I pull him into another kiss. “I’m not asking you to have sex with me… unless you want to. I’m asking you to sleep in my bed.” I don’t want him to think that’s not what I want, but also, I understand if he wants to take things slow.

“Believe me when I say, I want that with you. I’m just trying to be a gentleman. There’s no rush for us to take things to the next level. I’ll stay over if you want me to.”

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