Page 71 of Alice Carver Manifests Her Perfect Life
‘No way!’ I said in disbelief an hour or two later, sitting up in bed and looking at the ceiling and walls of the round bedroom, which had peeled themselves away, like a noisy orange, revealing a glass dome. As I slowly turned around, all I could see were the night skies spread out, surrounding us, as if we were suspended in space. ‘It makes Swiss Family Robinson’s efforts look like toddler time.’
‘Yeah, it’s awesome,’ agreed Matthew.
‘It’s breathtaking.’ And it was. It almost hurt to be somewhere like this. I put a hand to my abdomen and rubbed it. ‘Sort of overwhelming.’
‘I can shut it again?’
‘No! No. Definitely not.’
‘Okay, sleep well, Alice,’ said Matthew.
As we carefully lay down, on our respective sides of the bed, gazing up at the canopy, that ache inside seemed to inflate with every breath I took. I’d been punctilious about not looking over whilst Matthew stripped down to his boxers and T-shirt before getting into bed, but this whole set-up was designed to throw reflections around, and I saw. And now I couldn’t unsee. All those muscles. My mind kept flicking back over the evening: images of Matthew imprinted in my mind’s eye like flames in the black. He was lying there now – somehowtaking up more room in the silence – centimetres away from me. Suddenly I felt uncomfortably overheated. I sat up again.
‘You okay?’ he asked, sleepily.
‘Mmm. Just a bit hot.’
‘Did you watch me get undressed?’
How the fuck did he know?
‘No!’ My voice sounded shrill even to me. ‘Why do you always have to make me sound like such a pervert!’
‘I know you have a healthy appreciation of the male form. Didn’t you nip off on New Year’s Eve for seedy sex after feeling me up? Hope I’m safe here next to you.’
‘Why would you bring me here if you thought I was going to jump you!’ I drew back the covers huffily, ready to stalk off to the sitting room.
‘Hey, I was joking.’ Matthew reached out and circled my wrist with his hand, stilling me instantly. A treacherous tingle went up my arm. ‘Don’t get offended again. I know perfectly well I’m not your type.’
‘You do?’
‘Yeah. You’re into stuffy, traditional, pompous suits. Like Hugh. Or Monty. Your boss at work. Plus Ollie… ’
‘Hey, Ollie isyourfriend.’
‘Was. Anyway. Relax. You’re not going to jumpmebecause you’ve got terrible taste in men.’
Then he pulled me back down, slightly too hard, so I ended up over on his side of the bed, partially on top of him, our bodies pressed together, our faces nearly aligned.
I could feel the faint coolness of his breath on my forehead, the heat and hardness of him underneath.
For a second, or maybe a day, neither of us moved. I don’t think I even breathed.
Matthew cleared his throat. ‘Alice,’ he said, wincing slightly.
‘Yes?’
‘If you wouldn’t mind getting off? You’re going to give me a boner… ’
‘Shit, sorry!’ I skirted back over to my side quickly, my heart pounding. ‘I’m really sorry,’ I gabbled. ‘I didn’t think.’
There was a moment. Then Matthew yawned.
‘I’ll cope, Alice. I guess it’s a common hazard where you’re concerned.’ I could hear him grinning in the darkness.
What did that mean? That he thought I went around trying to induce boners, or that he actually found me attractive? I was just about to ask him when he yawned again.
‘Sleep well,’ said Matthew. ‘We’ve got an early start tomorrow.’
