Page 36 of Forever, Maybe
Jamie finally dropped Nell’s hand. “Well, I’d best let you crack on. You must haveloadsto do,” he said, dragging out the word with a smirk that left little doubt he was still picturing her in that compromising position.
“Aye,” Daniel replied shortly, his voice clipped. Jamie waved casually and jogged up the stairs, his footsteps echoing. Nell, keys in hand, swung the door open, and Daniel carried her into the flat before letting her tumble to the floor with a groan of relief.
“What a creep,” he muttered, pressing a hand to the small of his back.
Nell’s giggle bubbled up again. “Bit me Tarzan, you Jane there, weren’t you?”
He ignored her, taking in the flat for the first time since their whirlwind viewing. Southside flats were snapped up faster than you could say “deposit,” so their inspection had been more of a frantic dash than a proper evaluation. Now, standing in the hallway, Daniel’s initial enthusiasm wavered.
The place was… smaller than he remembered. The psychedelic wallpaper in the living room was enough to induce nausea. A faint, musty smell lingered in the air, the kind of scent he associated with charity shops full of second-hand furniture and clothes that never quite lost their past lives. And the hallway—lined with a cheap, threadbare grey carpet—looked like it would guarantee carpet burn if they followed through on his earlier suggestion.
Ah, well. He’d get onto the agency in the morning and ask if the current owner would sanction some redecorating. And in the meantime, there were far more pressing matters to consider…
He pointed to the ceiling. “Bet Jamie Curtice’s upstairs right now, ear pressed to the floor, trying to hear what we’re up to.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Nell said, her fingers already unzipping his jeans and sliding them down his hips. Freed from its denim confines, his cock sprang to attention. She grinned, her tongue darting out to wet her top lip as her hand closed around him. “Better give him something worth listening to then, eh?”
Daniel’s pulse surged as she stroked him to full hardness, her touch deliberate and teasing. His gaze flicked upwards. From above, the faint creak of floorboards filtered down.
“That’s him,” he whispered. “He’s moving around, trying to find the best spot to crouch down for a proper listen.”
“And a wank?”
“Oh, definitely.” Daniel raised his voice, aiming it squarely at the ceiling. “Go on then.Beg for it.”
Nell snorted with laughter but didn’t stop her movements. Above them, the creaking paused. For a moment, the flat was filled with nothing but the sound of their heavy breathing.
The corners of Nell’s mouth curved into an amused smile. Early on, Daniel had discovered—thanks to a recommendation fromThe Joy of Sex—just how much dirty talk worked as an instant ignition switch for her. He wasn’t one to waste an advantage.
She stepped back, pulling her oversized sweater over her head. Underneath, she wore a black lace bra adorned with a tiny red bow at the centre. Her hands moved behind her back, fingers reaching for the clasp.
“Keep it on,” Daniel said, his voice roughened with anticipation.
Nell’s grin widened. She tilted her head slightly, glancing up at the ceiling. “This isexactlywhat you’re going to do,” she announced, loud enough for the floorboards above to hear. “I’m going to lie on my back, and you’re going to lick me out. Then, just as I’m about to come, you’re going to ram into me. Hard. As. You. Like.”
Silence fell from above—no footsteps, no creaking floorboards. Jamie had either fled or was glued in place.
Nell slipped off her shoes, and Daniel’s breath hitched, his chest rising and falling faster now. He hadn’t felt this uninhibited in months. Living with his family these past few months had been a dry spell of epic proportions, filled with more awkward silences than orgasms.
Later, as Daniel pulled out of a warm, trembling, and utterly sated Nell—her climax having been loud, hard and deliciously prolonged—he felt a brief flush of triumph. Then panic hit.
“Nell,” he croaked, staring down at himself. “The condom’s come off.”
“What?” Her head snapped up, her eyes instantly widening in horror.
She slid out from beneath him, her gaze dropping to the undeniable evidence. The limp latex clung to him no longer. They gawped at each other for a heartbeat before Nell reached between her legs, her fingers fishing with delicate determination.
When she drew the condom out, the tip was unmistakably swollen, its contents shimmering in damning confirmation.
“We’ll be fine,” Daniel said quickly, though his voice wavered. He wasn’t entirely sure whetherallof it was in there or if some had escaped.
“D’you think?” Nell’s tone sharpened. “I don’t want a child. Remember? Not right now.Not ever.”
Daniel swallowed hard, his earlier euphoria evaporating. They stared at the condom like it was a live grenade, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.
None of this was news. When he’d mentioned kids again two months after he’d proposed, she shook her head. “Nope, not maternal. At all. Sorry, is that an issue? Because if it is…”
The ‘if it is’ sounded like a threat, so he’d shaken his head vigorously enough for her to lean forward and kiss him. And it hadn’t seemed problematic at the time. Adulthood beckoned, with two people free to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
